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“Hey, Dad,” he said when the voicemail picked up. “I wanted to discuss a project I had in mind with you. Uncle Lou mentioned it. It’s about a rescue ranch I want to start up. I’ll email you the business plans and we can discuss it when you get a minute. Thanks. Love to you and Mom.”
When he hung up, he felt like he had just gone eight seconds. Of course, he wasn’t sure if he’d wrecked or scored big. He guessed he’d find out.
Debbi Peterson came in and went over to Mick. She was a barrel racer, but from what he could recall about the women’s scores, she wasn’t any competition for LeAnn. It looked like Mick and Debbi were together and that was a bit of a relief. It would keep Mick from trying to reconnect with LeAnn.
Speaking of which, where the heck was she? He checked his phone, but she hadn’t gotten back to him. All he wanted was to sit down with LeAnn and grab dinner and a couple of smooches. It would be the perfect way to end the busy day. They had practice tomorrow morning before heading out to the next town. So it would have to be an early night, but he was ready for it.
A few more people from the rodeo filtered in and grabbed tables. He eyeballed some baskets of fried chicken and okra and was hard pressed not to place an order.
About a half hour later, though, LeAnn came in. He was happy to note that her whole face lit up when she saw him. The fact that Mick was scowling at that from across the room made it even better. When she came in to give him a hug, Dylan couldn’t help giving her a deep kiss to show her how much he missed her.
“What was that for?” LeAnn asked as a blush crept up her cheeks.
“I wanted to. And because I was staking a claim.”
Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “A claim?”
“Don’t look now, but Mick is headed over here.”
“No fighting,” she warned.
Dylan put a hand over his heart. “I will not throw the first punch.”
“So you’re trying to steal Sierra Boots and LeAnn out from under me,” Mick said.
When Dylan laughed in his face, LeAnn bristled. “I am not yours to steal.”
But Mick didn’t even acknowledge her. “You knew that Sierra Boots was looking for a couple. It was supposed to be me with her, not you.”
LeAnn folded her arms over her chest and glared at Mick. “I don’t want to be with you. Not even for a pretend magazine spread. I want to be with my real boyfriend. Because he cares about me and believes in me.”
Dylan felt a twinge of guilt about keeping his feelings of her chances at winning in Vegas to himself.
“He believes in you because you’re paying him,” Mick said.
Dylan set down his beer. That was about enough. He started rolling up his sleeves.
“LeAnn, he’s going to get you hurt. He got Johnny Montana killed. I don’t want to see that happen to you.”
That son of a bitch. Dylan stood up. LeAnn put a warning hand on his chest.
“Oh bullshit,” she said. “Johnny’s death was a tragedy. But Dylan had nothing to do with it.”
“He was his coach.”
“It was a bad bull, on a bad day, on a bad ride,” LeAnn said. “It could have happened to anyone.”
“And a bad fall,” a new voice said.
Oh crap. How had Dylan not seen him?
“Stay out of this,” Mick said, pointing a warning finger at him.
“Can’t do that,” Bobby Montana said. “Johnny was my brother.”
Mick blinked in surprise “Well, I guess you want to get in a couple of punches for your brother’s sake. Feel free. My only condition is the girl doesn’t get hurt.”
“I’ll take that advantage,” LeAnn said. “Because you’re not going to hurt Dylan. Not on my watch.”
