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“You had me at steak.” She gave Butch a smile. “How you doin’, handsome?”
“Doing just fine.” Age hadn’t robbed Diana of any of her sass, thank God.
“We’ve got ourselves a little contest goin’ on,” Zeeb told her. “Ropin’ the steer.”
Diana peered into the paddock and laughed. “You call that a steer? Aw, Robert, couldn’t you have given them arealone? You know, something that’s more of a challenge?”
Gary laughed. “Trust me, ma’am, that is as much of a challenge as I can take.”
“Guys, this is my sister, Diana.” The boss introduced the three guests, and she nodded at them.
“You having a good time?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Logan replied. He glanced at the horse standing beside him. “And it’ll stay good as long as I stay on this magnificent beast.” He gave a rueful smile. “I’ve had a couple of tumbles already.”
“The thing about falling off a horse? You just get right back on again.” Diana scrutinized the board. “Who’s winning?” She grinned. “Ooh, neck-and-neck, boys.”
Butch stuck his chest out. “You’re just in time to watch me beat Teague.”
“In your dreams,” Teague retorted.
Diana laughed. “Thereisanother possible outcome, you know.” She nodded toward the paddock gate. “Open up and let me in, and I’ll show you boys how it’s done.”
Teague jerked his head in the boss’s direction. “She any good?”
Butch laughed out loud. “I forgot you never saw Diana before she left Salvation.”
The boss chuckled. “She’s better than me.”
“Aw fu—I mean, damn.”
Paul opened the gate, grinning. “Come on, Diana, show us what you’ve got.”
“With pleasure.” She trotted into the paddock, leaning forward to speak into Blackheart’s ear. “Let’s show ’em whatyou’vegot, too.”
“Here ya go.” Zeeb handed her the coil of poly rope, and Butch watched as she expertly made a loop, holding the excess coils of lariat in her left hand as well as the reins.
Teague groaned. “Oh dear Lord, you weren’t kidding.”
The boss laughed. “Told ya. Dad taught her.”
Owen set off, the quad bike roaring into life as he charged across the paddock, the metal steer dragging behind him, and Diana followed, lifting the loop above her head and twirling it.
Zeeb hooted. “You go, girl.”
She turned her head to grin at him. “You’d better be timing this.” Then she jolted as Blackheart came to a sudden stop. He bucked and Diana went flying. She landed on the ground with a dull thud.
“Oh my God.” Butch ran over to her. Diana wasn’t moving, her arm at an odd angle. The boss knelt beside her, hands outstretched, calling her name, and Butch cried out, “Don’t touch her! You can’t move her, okay? Someone call 911, now!”
“I’m on it.” Teague pulled his phone from his pocket. The others stood around, everyone silent.
Dear God, the boss’s face was white. Toby tried to help him stand, his arm around him, but the boss struggled to get free.
“Boss… let me take a look at her, okay?” Butch pleaded.
The boss swallowed hard, his gaze locked on Diana’s still form, but he nodded, and Toby managed to get him upright. He took a step back and Butch dropped to his knees. His stomach churned when he saw the extent of Diana’s injuries. She was unconscious, and he felt for her pulse, giddy with relief when it was weak but still there. Her face looked as though she’d gone ten rounds with a train. Then he saw blood leaking from Diana’s ear, except it seemed streaky, thinned down…
As though blood and clear fluid had mingled.
