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“Mark my words.”
“Jolene, come on, what would Larry have said if you told him not to come and watch you.”
“He never did.”
“He never came and watched you? Seriously?”
“I wanted to win more than you do.”
Liv still thought Jolene unreasonable, but that night, when she knocked over not one but two barrels and rode herself out of the money, she started to think Jolene might be right.
“I don’t care if you didn’t place, we’re going out and celebrating tonight.”
“Dottie, I appreciate it, but I’m not up for it tonight.”
“Buck up, buttercup. Never been a day since I’ve known you that I haven’t been proud of you. Don’t make the first time it happens be tonight.”
Liv felt five years old, between Ben turning her phone off last night, and Jolene telling her that she shouldn’t let Ben watch her ride. Now Dottie told her she was behaving badly. Liv wanted to load Micah into her trailer and drive home. And not to Texas, to Colorado.
“Don’t do it,” Paige said.
“I didn’t see you standing there.” Liv ran her hand through her hair and bit her lower lip. “Don’t do what?”
“Leave.”
“What the heck, Paige?”
“Tell me that wasn’t what you were thinking about.”
“Doesn’t mean I’d do it. Hey, where is Ben?” She realized she hadn’t seen him.
“He’s with Mark. Thought he’d give you space.”
Liv told Paige what Jolene said, about Ben not being there when she rode.
“Sounds like a load of crap to me.”
Liv laughed. “Yeah, well, there’s that. But also, I was distracted today. I was mad at him.”
“So learn how to be mad at him and still stay focused. Practice that instead of keeping him away.”
Ben was nursing his second coke when Liv walked into the bar, her entourage in tow. Jolene walked by and glared at him.
“She doesn’t like the balls,” Mark snickered. “If she liked ’em better she might not be such a bitch.”
“I heard that,” said Dottie, tweaking Mark’s cheek. “We’re gettin’ a table. You fellas gonna join us?”
Mark stood to follow, but Ben stayed seated.
“What are you doing? Come on, we’re gonna get something to eat.”
“Give me a minute.”
He watched as everyone else walked into the other room. Everyone but Liv, who walked toward him.
“You hidin’ from me, cowboy?”
“Am I in trouble?”
