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A world he knew and loved had forgotten him.
Now, he spent his days leading the guests on cattle runs in the morning and entertaining them with cowboy lessons after dinner. But working the guest ranch was not his endgame. He was putting in his dues to make this new venture a success, then he’d move on to something else with a hell of a lot more excitement.
He missed the roar of the crowd. The silence of his days was the hardest.
“Be safe out there.”
Nash pulled himself away from the memories he’d just as soon forget and turned toward the sweet, soft voice.
Jenny Blackshaw, his mother, stood on her porch, waving at the guests beginning to mount their horses. She often became close with the guests. Especially considering they ate at her dinner table when meals were served at the ranch.
Nash approached, holding the reins lightly in one hand. At one point, there had been discussions about building a dining hall, but the personal invite into the house had been something the guests enjoyed. Maybe it gave the place a more authentic feel. A true Colorado cowboy adventure. That ended the talk of the dining hall, and the chefs hired to cook settled right into Mom’s kitchen, staying out of her way as much as possible.
After losing Dad, she appeared to like the company.
Ma’s tender blue eyes were on Nash when he settled in front of her. She was quite a bit shorter than his six-foot-two stature. Her long salt-and-pepper hair was always pulled back into a neat bun. “Got any plans today?” he asked.
“Fussing around town is all.” She kissed his cheek. “You be safe too. Don’t be brave. If Bentley tries to kill you, run.”
Nash laughed. “He’s already done his best to kill me, and I’m not dead yet.” He slid the reins over Bentley’s head then mounted him. Bentley walked forward a few steps before Nash settled into place, pulling him to a stop.
A quick study of the group showed the guests were all on their mounts, eager and ready to go. Nash noted the few other Blackshaw Cattle cowboys waiting quietly off to the side. “Is everyone ready?” Nash asked the guests.
“Ready,” they said in unison.
“I think we can do better than that. Are you ready?” he asked, louder this time.
Again, in unison, they yelled, “Ready.”
He nodded. “Better.” He whistled once, then Gus made a beeline toward them, leading the way past the house. Of course, not before barking at Bentley, causing the horse to spook. “Go on, Gus,” Nash yelled.
The dog shot forward down the thin path.
Maybe it was kismet, but Nash had found a dog that mirrored his personality. Gus was reckless, hated rules, and listened to no one. Neither did Nash.
Gus led the group along the trail, and Nash slowly began to wake up. It wasn’t always this way. It had taken time getting used to waking up before eleven o’clock every day, but early mornings seemed normal now. Christ, every day seemed normal. Routine. This was the twelfth group of guests that had come through the guest ranch, and things worked like clockwork now.
They had passed the creek that ran through Blackshaw land and were making their way west where the cattle were located when a sultry voice said, “You’re Nash Blackshaw, right?”
The blond woman from earlier trotted up next to him. She had a tiny tank top that left little to the imagination and skintight jeans beneath her pink cowboy boots. “Yeah, that’s right.”
“The guy from the PBR, right?” a voice asked from his other side.
Nash slid his glance sideways, finding the brunette. She was wearing a T-shirt covering more but it was as tight, revealing every curve of her body. “I used to be.” First, he was Nash, the PBR champion. Then, he was Nash, the guy with the spine injury. Now, he didn’t know who the hell he was anymore. He supposed he was still finding his footing in a world that looked nothing like his old life. One that certainly lacked excitement.
“So, Nash,” the blonde said, with a grin that said do me. “What’s there to do around here that’s fun?”
“Like real fun,” the brunette purred.
The old Nash would have taken both these women back to his bed. At the same time.
Before he could even come to terms with his hesitation, the blonde pushed out her breasts. “Would you be up for some fun later?”
The brunette licked her lips. “We’d sure love for you to show us the nightlife in River Rock.”
Because his mouth couldn’t form a yes, he said, “Ladies, I’m afraid I’m not available tonight. But check out Kinky Spurs. Believe me, the crowd there is exactly what you’re looking for.”
Disappointment crossed their faces. Before he could deal with that, Beckett called, “Nash, you better get over here.”
