Page 9 of Bronco
It’s everything from assisting residents with their smartphones to finding Mr. Dunn’s lost TV remote to trying desperately to get Mrs. Snyder’s parrot to stop swearing at top volume. She insists it’s the fault of her teenage grandson who taught him “that foul language” but then she breaks into giggles every time he swears, so I’m not entirely sure she’s telling me the truth.
It’s just after five o’clock when I finally get the chance to check the auction site. That’s when I see, Cuddle a Cowboy has gotten tens of thousands of views. And bids. So many bids on Bronco.
“Holy shit,” I mutter, staring at the screen. It’s not enough to save the place, but it’s more than I imagined I could make from auctioning one cowboy. Now, all I have to do is auction ten more just like him, and I could save the retirement community.
Chapter 4
Lauren
My phone dings with a notification the next morning, and I reach for it. I’m half-expecting that Aunt Elaine has texted me a funny meme. We’re always sharing funny memes with each other in text messages. But this isn’t from her. This is the alert I set for the cowboy auction last night.
“Whoa,” I breathe when I see the figure that Bronco is now worth. This is a nightmare. Women out there want him. They want the one guy that I call at two in the morning. They want the one guy that kissed me. OK, I kissed him first. Whatever. It doesn’t change the fact that they want what’s mine. Bronco should be with me.
Before I can start a search to find the identity of every single woman who bid on Bronco and drive to their homes to politely inform them that he’s not actually for auction, my phone vibrates in my hand. It’s a call from a number I don’t recognize.
“Hello,” I say, managing to find the fake cheerful voice I use when I’m answering the phone at work.
“Hello, am I speaking to Lauren Ackerman?”
“I can get her a message if you leave your name,” I respond, trying to remember if I paid my credit card bill this month. Pretty sure I did. Would they call and harass me like this?
“This is Reed Samson from The State Daily. I’d like to interview you about this website you put together, the cowboy auction. Would you and Bronco be available for that later this afternoon?”
Reed is a mid-tier reporter at The State Daily, North Carolina’s most popular newspaper. The fact that he’s asking for an interview about the auction is big. It’s exactly the kind of positive publicity I want. But it’s not enough time to get Bronco on board. He’s stubborn as it is and considering he didn’t even know about this little detour I took with the fundraiser, well, let’s just say he might need some time.
“I can’t do this afternoon, but we could do tomorrow afternoon,” I tell him and hold my breath. What if he says no and I blew my one shot at getting some interest from a local newspaper?
“That works better for me,” Reed says.
We settle on a time to meet tomorrow, and I jump out of bed to grab my laptop. There’s no way I want more horny women betting on Bronco. I check my credit card balance, place the winning bid on the handsomest cowboy in town, and close his auction.
I put a notice on the website, explaining that more auctions will be happening in just a few hours. Now, all that’s left is to get some more hot cowboys on the website. And it all starts with convincing Bronco that this is a solid idea and that his best friend’s little sister is not in fact a lunatic. Easy peasy.
I swear I’m having one of those days when the universe is on my side. I was able to get one of our volunteers to come in on her day off and answer phones in the reception area. Then I managed to leave the retirement community without attracting Aunt Elaine’s attention.
Now, this. I got on the farm without Bronco knowing. It really is my lucky day. I’m more convinced of that than ever as I approach two guys bent over a tractor. They lift their heads as I approach, staring me down.
I must be quite the sight in my vintage dress and kitten heels. After all, Valor Ranch isn’t the kind of place that gets a lot of visitors, let alone women. Well, that will change soon if I have anything to say about it.
“What can we do for you, darlin’?” The one guy in a blue flannel shirt asks, looking me up and down like he’s trying to decide if he wants to ask me out. His friend barely spares me a glance before he’s back to focusing on the tractor.
“You could take off your shirts.”
That gets the attention of his friend who snaps his head up.
“Bronco didn’t mention the fundraiser?” I ask, feigning my best hurt voice. Look, I’m not proud of it. But sometimes, a girl has to use every tool in her arsenal, and the men of Courage County do not stand by and watch a woman getting upset without trying to fix it. It’s just not the way they’re wired.
“Who are you again?” Suspicious friend asks. His big, thick beard moves as he talks. The girls are going to go crazy over him. Absolutely nuts.
“I’m Bronco’s friend, from the retirement community,” I mention.
Blue Flannel flashes me the biggest grin, and I get the distinct feeling he knows something that I don’t. “Of course, course. Just forgot about the meeting. I’m Flint, and this here is Cord, and we’re available for anything you want.”
“Well,” I fiddle with the camera attached to the lanyard. “I was thinking a cowboy calendar kind of theme. You know, taking a few photos of shirtless guys against the barn. It shouldn’t take us too long.”
“No, thanks,” Cord says.
Flint’s grin grows bigger. “This is Lauren.”
