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“Rick, will you join me while I take her to the small ring and cool her off?”
“Try and stop me,” he replied as he helped her unbuckle the straps. “I guess this means you two will be stayin’ with the tour.”
“We sure will.”
“And I’ll be hauling her with the other horses while you follow us, just like we used to.” Tammy piped up.
“I won’t be lettin’ either of you out of my sight,” Rick exclaimed. “I’ll be right on your tails in my motorhome.”
“Rick, you say the sweetest things,” Bailey quipped with a giggle.
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” he said with a wink, then moving his lips to her ear, he added, “Wait til we get back to your motel room.”
* * *
For the first thirty-minutes on the road following Mandy and Susan in the horse-van, Duke kept a close watch behind him. When he was confident they weren’t being followed, he turned his thoughts to his future.
He adored his parents, but being an only child he’d felt an obligation to live his life for them. In addition to the many small things he did to make them happy, he’d attended the school they wanted, and became involved in his father’s business, though selling cars didn’t particularly interest him.
But now he was in an impossible situation.
His mother had decided she’d found the perfect candidate to be his wife—the daughter of an oil magnate in Dallas. Duke had met her and liked her, but there had been no surprises, and sure as hell no sparks.
Watching Bailey’s commitment to find her mare had been eye-opening, and Rick’s rise to the top, though a longer road, was just as impressive. They both had goals, and now they had each other. They were a match, and the flame burning between them was hot and bright.
That’s what he wanted.
Not just a woman who checked all the boxes for his parents.
As the van exited the highway, Duke looked at the clock on the dashboard. The time and distance had passed quickly, but Mandy had driven much too fast, and he didn’t think it was because she was in a hurry to get home. Like Bailey, she was a risk taker. Her idea of a good time was racing around barrels on horseback at lightning speed.
He shook his head, then smiled.
He’d enjoyed being a sort of bodyguard.
Then it struck him.
It was the same satisfaction he’d felt when he’d ferreted out the thieves in his father’s parts department.
He suddenly knew exactly what he wanted to do.
As the epiphany rippled through him, his mind raced with a myriad of ideas. But abruptly the van slowed, snatching his attention.
“What is wrong with you?” he muttered, hitting the brakes.
Following as it turned into a gravel driveway and headed towards a large barn, the minute they stopped he wanted to take Mandy aside and scold her.
It reminded him of how angry he’d been with Bailey when he’d run into her at The Tavern after she’d stood him up so thoughtlessly. Rick had come to her defense not knowing all the facts.
Duke frowned.
It felt like unfinished business.
Rick needed to know…!
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Rick and Bailey had walked Miss Piggy for almost twenty-minutes before returning to the barn, but it was a warm day and Bailey decided to hose her down.
