“Who’s high maintenance?” Quinn came up to my side, slapping my hotel room key on my chest. “Not me.”
I barked out a laugh. “No. Your asshole of a horse.”
“Oh, Hook?” Quinn smiled, and damn if my knees didn’t turn to Jello. “The one you love more than your horse back home? That one?” She teased, then turned to Hawkins. “Hi, I’m Quinn.” She held out her hand.
Hawkins smiled and grasped her hand, shaking it lightly. “Hawkins Warren, nice to meet you finally. I’ve seen you ride, and Wyatt here certainly loves to follow your career. I’ve heard a lot about you from this guy.”
Quinn raised her brow and looked over at me, “Is that so, Hartwell?”
I sucked in air between my teeth. “I would lie but…”
“Wouldn’t do you any good,” Quinn quipped. “I’ll let you two catch up, I’m beat so”—she jerked her thumb over her shoulder—“would you hate me if I skipped the show tonight?”
“Not at all. Get some rest. I won't be far behind.”
She bobbed her eyebrows once, gave Hawkins another nod, then left me there with her coconut scent still lingering.
“About time you settled down.” Hawkins drew out.
I snapped my neck to him. “Settled down?”
“You’ve been pinning after her for how long now?” He put his hands on his hips, “I mean, she’s the reason why you’re not getting any jobs, isn’t she?”
“She’s notthereason why I’m not getting any jobs, and no…I haven’t settled down. We’re just friends,” I grumbled, hating the way it slid off my tongue.
“Sure, with the way she was just looking at you before that elevator opened, the way she didn’t take your shit…you two are not just friends. I’m happy for you. Glad it finally happened.”
I bent and grabbed my duffel bag, tossing it over my shoulder. “Nothing happened, Hawk. I can assure you, she made it very clear we are just friends.”
“Ah, great.” He slapped my shoulder. “Then come on out tonight. There’s a lot of local places we can hit up, a lot of bunnies just waiting—”
“Nah.” I shook my head. “I’m actually tired. We had a long day in the car and then settling her asshole of a horse. Sorry, man. Maybe another night? With Sam?”
Hawkins raised a brow, giving me the same expression Lachlan would when I would tell him I was going straight home and then ended up in the bed of someone else. No doubt Hawkins was thinking I was headed right up to Quinn’s room.
“I’m serious,” I groaned. “She doesn’t even know the reason why I’m not getting picked by committees. Just that I did something stupid and fucked up, and now no one will hire me. I’m not planning on telling her either—at least not here. She doesn’t need to know some asshole was talking shit on her when she’s worked so hard to get here.”
“Sooo, you’re just…friends?”
I nodded. “Just friends. Plain as that. Now…” I situated my duffel bag on my shoulder again. “When does Sam get in?”
Twenty-Five
Quinn
Wyatttoldmehechecked, double checked, andtriplechecked, even that Miss Rodeo Montana wouldn’t be anywhere near the Reno Rodeo today. So, someone please explain to me why I was staring at my mother from across the parking lot?
It looked like she just got here, three other girls climbing from her truck that readMiss Rodeo Montana Kelly Fugalin big, bold, red letters. None of them was dolled up. Kelly at least had her sash on, but other than that, they looked exhausted from what I presumed was their drive.
I came in second. I just had a fantastic time, and I was on my way to find Wyatt when I saw her. I took a step back, hiding myself behind my gigantic black horse, and slowly walked past their truck and to my trailer. Wyatt was there, bouncing on his heels just as I expected him to be, and when I latched Hook onto the side of the trailer, he scooped me up and spun me in a circle.
I held on tight and buried my face in the crook of his neck, not even caring that my white hat fell to the ground. I inhaled his scent and forced my brain to let go of the image of my mother and focus on the thought of him. It was hard for him to be here, too. He told me last night that the committee chose his friend Hawkins to announce instead of him, and he admitted that it stung slightly. When I told him he could go home, he quickly made sure that I knew he was here for me, and the fact that he wasn’t in the booth didn’t matter.
If he could be present for me, knowing that there was something better for him, then I could at least try to be present for him when the knowledge that my mother was here was shoved in the back of my brain.
“Fifteen point seven, Compton!” He put me down, and I instantly missed his scent. “You just gotta make the top ten to be in the championship. Well on the way!”
Looking off to the side, I dipped my chin to see if I could catch any glimpse of my mother. “Well, since I didn’t compete in the first couple of rounds, we’ll see.”
