Blame It on the Rodeo (6 page)

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Maybe this will make you realize you’re still in love with him?” Clay said from a safe distance across the room.

“What?” Lexi snorted. “No. What? Please tell me you aren’t going to play matchmaker with all of this.”

“My job is to state the facts, ma’am.” Clay playfully tipped his hat and left the room.

Her eyes heavy with bourbon and exhaustion, she laid her head on the pillow. The hospital room once again filled her dreams. Only this time, Shane was there, cradling their son in his arms, the way it was supposed to be.

* * *

“Y
OU
’
RE
PLANNING
A
reality show on Bridle Dance and you didn’t discuss it with me?” Kay dragged Shane into the house practically by his ear once the interview was complete. Behind them, Cole evaded any further reality show questions from the media with a firm “no comment
.
”

“Well, technically it wasn’t my idea,” Shane retorted. “The show was proposed to me and it would be filmed at the school. I haven’t made any decisions so I don’t see what the big deal is yet.” Shane gathered his arguments. “Can you imagine the volume of business we’d bring in? Just think about the attention Dance of Hope would receive. It’s a nonprofit, Mom. You’d garner all sorts of donations from across the country and we could educate people about hippotherapy.”

“Slow down, will you.” Kay tapped her fingers wildly on the counter. “I’ve seen those reality shows and they’d probably wind up victimizing the people who come here for therapy and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let that happen. Most of those shows are pure trash.”

“Most, not all. You used to watch some of those medical reality shows and they weren’t trash.” Shane argued his point knowing it was futile going up against his mother. “Why does this suddenly feel like déjà vu?”

“What are you talking about?”

“This is just like last year.” Shane threw his hands in the air. “You and Cole once again opposing what I want to do. I thought we got past all of this. It would be nice at least to have a conversation before you both try to shut me down but obviously things haven’t changed around here.”

It had been bad enough fighting almost his entire family to open the rodeo school. If Chase hadn’t stood by his side, he would have felt like a complete outsider.

“This involves all of us.” Cole spoke to him in his trademark annoyingly patronizing tone. “Never mind how it will affect the students. Some parents may not approve of their kids being on television. I certainly don’t want Ever involved in this.”

“First, I didn’t say I was going ahead with it so give me a little credit,” Shane argued. “And second, we mainly teach the rodeo kids in the summer and talk about an instant career boost for them. The students over eighteen can make their own decisions.”

“I wasn’t finished, Shane,” Cole continued. “There’s a major liability factor you’re not seeing.”

“I haven’t even had a meeting with this guy to get all the facts yet.” Shane’s voice strained. “I’m sure the show would cover the additional insurance and the students already have to provide their own medical insurance before they even enroll. I’d never put your daughter’s reputation or anyone in this family’s in jeopardy.”

“I don’t know, Shane.” Cole took a seat at the kitchen island and folded his arms across his chest.

“I don’t, either.” Shane sat down next to him. “Instead of judging me or the show, let’s at least hear what they have to say.”

Cole agreed and Shane felt his grip on his family tighten slightly. Since their father died he felt like he was always bucking against the majority. They called it obstinacy; Shane considered it thinking outside the box.

“Have you seen what they do to the families on these shows?” Kay jutted her chin and firmly placed her hands on her hips. “They’ll make all of us look like a bunch of hicks. I’m not authorizing my image or likeness.”

Shane shot his brother a look, and both tried to stifle a laugh.

“What are you two giggling about?”

“Listen to you with your
image-or-likeness
talk,” Shane mocked. “Hollywood’s already grabbed ahold of you.”

“You two have five seconds to get back outside before I pummel you both.”

The grown men ran to the door. Shane called to his mother, “Be careful, Mom, you wouldn’t want that to be caught on film.”

“Go on and get out of here.” Kay turned and walked back into the kitchen.

“Mom?” Shane stood in the doorway. “I’m asking you to seriously consider the show. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing and I think we have a shot of educating people on the rodeo and hippotherapy. It doesn’t have to be all about me...not anymore.”

Chapter Five

Lexi awoke to the sound of her alarm. Her head pounding, she reached out to turn it off and swiftly met with the back of the couch. For a minute, she’d forgotten where she was. Fumbling in the dark, she followed the light beaming from her phone as it played a bluesy piano riff repeatedly.

Feeling her way into Clay’s kitchen, Lexi swore as she stubbed her toe on one of the many boxes stacked along the wall. “Who buys a house and never unpacks?”

Patting the wall for the switch, Lexi finally managed to turn on the lights. Silently, she searched the cabinets for a bottle of aspirin. She opened the fridge to look for something to wash it down with and found an open twelve-pack of Michelob Ultra and some individually wrapped cheese slices.

“Typical bachelor.” Lexi closed the door and saw Clay standing in the doorway. “Crap! Don’t scare me like that. What are you doing prowling about at this hour?”

“I might ask you the same thing, but I heard your alarm go off. Oh, and thanks for the new four-letter words even I’m unfamiliar with when you crashed into whatever it was in the living room. After that greeting, I’m officially awake for the day. Coffee? Don’t answer—it’s obvious you need it. Just sit down and try not to kill yourself.”

Lexi wasn’t in the mood to argue with the man and a cup of strong black coffee was exactly what the doctor ordered after the amount of bourbon they drank. She watched Clay maneuver around the small, yet efficient kitchen. She’d only been in the house a few times when he first moved back to town. From the looks of things, that was yesterday. She knew Clay went through a rough patch a few years ago, and like he said, everyone had a secret. He hadn’t shared his, not that she’d pushed. But glancing around the house, she realized she really didn’t know much about the man any more other than what she saw on the surface. A hardworking cowboy turned detective.

“Yesterday was real, wasn’t it?” In the recesses of her mind, Lexi had hoped that Hunter was another countless dream she’d had about the son she never met.

“You need to look at the flip side of this.” Clay grabbed two stoneware mugs from the cabinet while he waited for the coffee to brew. “If Hunter is in fact your son, you must have some relief finally knowing how he turned out. He appears healthy and happy and that alone says he’s been well taken care of.. You can’t tell me you didn’t wonder about that all these years.”

“A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think of him.” Lexi rubbed her eyes. “What am I going to do?”

“Nothing.” Clay pulled up a chair in front of her, their knees touching. He took her hand in his and squeezed. “You asked me to help you and I will, but you need to stay out of it and let me do my job. Make your rounds at Bridle Dance and then leave. You don’t have to go there every day anyway.”

“Bridle Dance is my largest client.” Lexi thought of the list of horses she had to take care of on a daily basis. “I have mares ready to foal, and they’ve expanded the breeding program—”

“And Ashleigh is perfectly capable of checking in at the ranch for you.” Clay met her gaze and held it, giving Lexi an eerie feeling he could read her mind. “Don’t make excuses to stay there, Lex. Ashleigh will let you know if something needs your attention. You have other techs that can help you.”

Okay, so he did read her mind. Not that she was planning on hanging around the ranch, but the thought of her son being so close she could reach out and touch him fascinated her. She wanted to learn more about Hunter and his life in Colorado. Did he have any brothers or sisters? What were his favorite foods or favorite video games? Was he involved in any other sports? She already knew he was following in Shane’s footsteps, but did he follow in hers? Did he play guitar and sing like her and did he love animals? The questions churning in Lexi’s head were nothing new. She asked herself at least a dozen every day, but now with Hunter so close, her mind raced with more of them.

Those questions finally had a chance of being answered and Lexi didn’t want to waste a moment. But how could she get close to Hunter without raising suspicions?

“I can’t stay away, Clay.” Lexi steeled herself. “I’ve had thirteen years of wondering. If that’s my son, then he has a birthday soon and I plan on celebrating with him. One way or another I’m wishing him a happy birthday.”

* * *

“I
HAVE
TO
admit, it’s nice having you home in the morning.” Kay bagged two dozen freshly baked apple streusel muffins and set them on the counter. “It used to be a rare occasion to wake up and see your Jeep out there.”

“Yeah,” Chase added. “What’s going on with you? Since the school opened, you’ve only gone out once.”

“Let’s not make a federal case out of it,” Shane grumbled. “We have a bunkhouse full of kids and I think it’s important to be there. In fact, I think I might stay out there with them tonight. Our instructors are pulling double duty now and it’s a bit much to ask every night. I also think it would be nice to include the hippotherapy kids in our marshmallow roasts. I know their bunkhouses are a way from ours, but I think it’s good for all the kids to interact with one another and— What? Why are you two staring at me like that?”

“Are you feeling all right?” Kay laughed. “I was skeptical about you opening the school and spending so much time near kids, but taking up residence with them and campfires? That doesn’t sound like you. You’ve made a point to keep your—”

Shane raised his hand to stop his mother from continuing. He had never considered himself a kid person before his involvement with Sharon, but as soon as he had held Dylan in his arms for the first time, he quickly changed his mind. When Tab took Dylan away, remembering what he’d had and lost was too hard, so Shane distanced himself from children of all ages. The further he went in his career and the more sponsors he gained, he realized how much of a role model he had become, confirmed by the fan mail he received. He had wrestled with the idea of the rodeo school for years but didn’t share it with anyone. When his father died, he finally found the courage to push forward with his idea, wanting to prove to himself and his family that he was more than just a rodeo cowboy. The kids had been more fun to work with than he’d anticipated, and when they left in a few weeks, he’d actually miss them.

From day one, Shane had picked out the school’s rising stars. Everyone had potential if they stuck with the sport, but the rodeo came more easily to certain kids. Usually it was because they grew up in an environment where riding was involved on a daily basis. Hunter was one of the exceptions. His family couldn’t be more removed from ranch life, yet the kid’s skills rivaled those of his classmate, Tyler, whose family’s cattle ranch kept him in the saddle every day.

The rodeo school kids reminded Shane so much of himself at that age. Determination was written all over their faces and nothing would stop them from achieving their goals. Shane not only wanted to witness their budding careers, but he also wanted to manage them. And in a perfect world, with more hours in the day, he would.

A kid had to be careful in this business. There was someone trying to take advantage of a rookie around every corner. Luckily for Shane and his brothers, they’d had their father managing their careers when they first started out. Once they rode the circuit for a few years, they had a good sense of who was legit and who wasn’t in the industry and were able to make informed decisions with their father’s guidance. These kids needed that same leadership and Shane felt he was just the man for the job. Maybe someday he’d have the time, after he won the championship.

“I need to head out and wake the troops.” Shane grabbed the bag of muffins from the counter. “Thanks for making these, Mom. I know the boys will appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome.” Kay placed a hand on Shane’s arm to stop him from leaving. “Muffins and good-mornings aside, don’t think I’ve forgotten about this reality show. I meant what I said last night—I don’t want any part of it.”

“Point taken. And I’d never sign a contract without running it past Brock first, although I have to admit, the deal does sound intriguing.”

“Let’s hear them out before we make any firm decisions, Mom,” Chase added. “I’m interested in finding out more about it myself. If it’s legit and they don’t ridicule the rodeo, then I think it has the potential of being a good thing.”

“You mean lucrative.” Kay smirked.

“Last I checked, lucrative was a good thing,” Shane said. “But it’s more than that, Mom. I worked hard designing this school and I’d like some recognition.” He pushed through the screen door and bounded down the porch stairs. He welcomed the wall of heat that smacked him in the face because it was more bearable than the disappointed expression he saw when his mother looked at him some days. Shane was grateful the ribbon cutting was finally behind them so he could prove to her why he’d fought so hard for this school.

The rising temperatures made for some cranky kids and he was relieved to be able to work in a more controlled environment now that the indoor arena was open. It was one thing to be on the back of a bucking bronc in the heat where your attention was focused on the ride, another to be standing around in the sun waiting for your turn. He was all for working with kids, but hot, sweaty, willful kids crazed from heat—not so much. Especially since the majority of them came from northern states and weren’t used to this weather.

Butch, one of the ranch’s many border collies, greeted Shane on the walkway to the bunkhouses. Dropping the red tennis ball he perpetually carried around, the dog waited expectantly. Shane squatted down and scratched Butch behind the ears.

“What is it, boy?” Shane nuzzled the dog’s neck. “You want some morning love? I think Mom needs a dog of her own to keep her company. What do you think?”

Butch wagged his tail and flopped onto his side, rolling onto his back. “How would you like to help me play a little joke on the kids this morning?” Shane rubbed the dog’s white-and-black belly, triggering Butch’s hind leg to kick in rhythm with Shane’s ministrations.

Rising, Shane slinked toward the main bunkhouse. Giving Butch the down hand signal, the dog went into what Shane affectionately called
stealth mode
and belly-crawled along behind him as he crept silently across the porch. Shane eased the bunkhouse door open. Not only were his students ten toes up, but his on-duty den dad of an instructor was also out like a light. They were sleeping so peacefully, it would be a shame to wake them, but what fun.

Shane silently turned and grabbed a braided rope that hung from the rocking chair on the porch, and tiptoed back to the door. Raising his arm to bang the rope against the wall, Shane barely contained his laughter. Opening the door slowly, he peeked inside.

“Gotcha!” An arm reached out and tried to latch on to him. Shane scrambled and struggled to break free, yanking his own arm backward away from the grasp while Butch barked and spun around in a circle. The door swung wide and laughter poured out of the bunkhouse.

“What the—!” Shane steadied himself. “You scared the daylights out of me.”

“That will teach you to sneak in here,” Grant, one of his instructors, said. “We were waiting for you.”

“That’s not right,” Shane grumbled good-naturedly. “Funny, but definitely not right.”

“When do they start filming?” Hunter pushed past the other boys.

“Can we be in your show?” Tyler asked.

“Whoa, slow down, guys.” Shane admired their enthusiasm but a few unanswered questions remained. Ryan’s deal almost seemed too good to be true. And the fact he’d completely bypassed his agent caused Shane to wonder what the guy had left out of his proposal. “I haven’t decided anything yet. Here are some muffins to hold you until breakfast. Now let’s hit the gym.”

Shane found it hard to concentrate on his workout alongside the boys. Two things filled his mind. He sensed something was troubling Lexi and that had kept him awake most of the night. Hell, Lexi was the only woman he’d ever said “I love you” to and would probably claim that honor until the day he died. Ryan’s offer only added to his restless bed tossing.

“I’ll meet you in the arena later,” Shane said to Chase. “I want to check on the yearlings myself this morning.”

He strode down the pathway leading from the bunkhouse toward the small outdoor satellite ranch office. Since running the ranch alongside his brothers for the past year, he felt guilty when he realized how much more Cole shouldered, so Shane and Chase could still compete and run the school. Shane offered to take on more responsibility, much to everyone’s surprise, and was still struggling to find a balance. He was also learning the ropes on many aspects of the ranch and needed to review some of Bridle Dance’s financial reports during his flight to South Dakota tomorrow morning to the Black Hills Roundup Rodeo. He hated to miss Fourth of July with his students, but when he’d signed on for the event, he’d thought it would be a great chance to escape for a few days. Have a little fun, ride hard and play a little harder.

His hand on the knob of the office door, he saw Lexi’s convertible in the parking lot near the stables. Wanting to see how she was feeling, Shane searched the stables. When he found her, she looked like she’d spent the night in her clothes—
wasn’t she wearing that shirt yesterday?
Shane stood in the shadows and watched Lexi come out of one of the stalls, slightly unsteady on her feet. Shane wondered how wild of a night she’d had with Clay. She didn’t look sick, but she sure looked hung over.

“Looks like someone had a rough night.”

* * *

S
TARTLED
, L
EXI
WASN
’
T
used to seeing Shane in the stables this early considering he rode out to check on the yearlings most mornings or was training for his next rodeo before the work day. Plus with the school open, she expected the students would occupy his days and probably part of his nights. Surprisingly she wondered if she’d get the chance to spend much time with him this summer. Not that they’d made plans or anything, and heaven help her if she ever said the words aloud, but Lexi was beginning to enjoy Shane’s company instead of always ducking and dodging him. That is until Hunter came to the ranch and reminded her of the guilt she tried so desperately to bury.