Cowgirl Up (7 page)

Leaning
forward, Cody rested his elbows on his knees. “You could go with them next
time. I’ll stay and watch him for you.”

The
offer touched her deep. Still, she had no intentions of shirking her duty.
“Thanks, but I’d rather stay with him.”

“Don’t
tell me he has separation anxiety like a dog?” He grinned teasingly.

She
snorted. “If he has a mare to flirt with, probably not. I, on the other hand,
might suffer great amounts of stress and be unable to quell the strong urge to
rip a pillow apart with my teeth until all the stuffing falls from the sky like
a brief blizzard in June.”

They
both looked to her pillow resting at the top end of her cot.

He
laughed, the sound music to her hears while buoying her heart at the same time.

He needs to laugh more.

She
made a silent vow to do her part in making that happen.

Legacy
zipped by him, thundering out of the arena at full speed. Well, as close as
possible considering the smaller arena gave only limited space for him to hit
all gears. Immediately, Cody checked the large clock at the end of the arena
and cringed. Not his best run and Trinity had no chance to pick up any places
tonight. The story of the rodeo. One night could make or break a participant
with so many factors out of each of their control. They took the good with the
bad and hoped the average worked out.

He’d
been there before. What seemed like an eternity ago. When things were so
different and his biggest worry revolved around getting from A to B and which
pretty girl to try to lasso for a night of youthful passion.

Now, he
stood in the same places, but everything had changed. He no longer pursued the
ladies like a young stud set out to start his own herd and he’d figured out
that the world was no longer about fun and games. Survival. That’s what
everything boiled down to.

“Tonight
wasn’t our night.”

Turning,
he spied Trinity still astride Legacy walking over. She’d ditched the cowboy
hat this run, allowing her long blonde braid to shine under the arena’s lights.
He found the sight compelling.

“You
just need a bigger space to work in.” He watched as Legacy lipped at his shirt,
glad the stud seemed to be playful rather than hateful at the moment. While a
hole in his shirt might not break his budget, a hole in his hide might be a
different story altogether.

They
both watched the final barrel racer fly over the finish line. Her time the best
of the night.

“I’m
going to Denver next weekend.”

He focused
on her face once more. “Damn long drive.” The thought of not seeing her next
weekend clenched his gut. They had bonded and he hated to miss an opportunity
to hang out with her.

“Yeah,
but I need the points.” She sighed and patted Legacy on the neck. “The best I
can figure, I have to hit a few of the huge places in order to have a chance to
make the top twenty-five in the nation and be invited to the finals. The
smaller rodeos, though closer, don’t offer up enough competition and points for
that to happen.” A frown covered her face.

A need
to kiss the sad expression from her face rolled through him. He much preferred
her teasing and bantering than the serious, worried look. Though he understood
her reasoning and didn’t blame her for the decision, he still didn’t like the
distance she would be forced to travel. Alone. Not to mention new faces, a new
venue, and so many other factors he couldn’t begin to fathom. Protectiveness
surged to the fore. “I’ll go with you.”

She
blinked down at him, her mouth falling open. “You’re contracted for the Midwest
circuit.”

“So?”

“You
have a contract to fulfill and that doesn’t include Denver. Besides, your boss
won’t be thrilled if you don’t show up.” She shook her head slowly. “No. You
can’t jeopardize your job like that. It’s too valuable. Besides, there’s half a
season left of rodeos.”

His
mouth opened and closed for a second as he studied her face. Stubborn pride
came across loud and clear. She’d be angry if he risked his position just to
tag along. Not only that, he threatened to stomp on her independent nerve. He
blew out a breath and faced reality. She knew what she had to do and he had to
let her do it.

“Tired
of my company already?” He cocked an eyebrow at her.

She
grinned. “Not even close. Don’t think I won’t be back to stuff you full of more
chicken and pie in a couple of weeks.”

“Promise?”

Spinning
Legacy around, Trinity giggled. “That’s a promise.” She trotted off toward the
pen to cool down her horse.

He
watched her go with longing.

She
brought out his sense of humor last night as they chatted over a dinner of cold
leftovers. Soothed his temperamental nature and encouraged him to sit down,
relax, and join in the lighter side of life. So down to earth and humble, she
made him feel like an old friend just watching the summer days tick by with
casual ease. She reminded him of the good times before huge burdens pushed his
shoulders down and kept him tied up in knots from day to day. Thus far, only
Trinity had the ability to ease the strain, to lure him into her sweetness, and
share some brighter moments.

The
combination of her prettiness and her inner qualities tempted him with
tranquility, peace, and acceptance.

Something
he craved more than anything.

Promises
hung in the air. If only he could find the courage to take a chance.

With a
weary sigh, he headed toward his uncle’s RV. The event now over, everyone would
be loading up and pulling out within an hour. His uncle was no exception.

A few
minutes later, he opened the door of the vehicle and stepped in.

“About
time you showed up.” Jared had already pulled the extended living room back in
and put everything back in place for travel.

“Sorry.
Had to stick around for the last event, you know.” Cody blew out a breath and
headed toward the front. “I’ll take the first shift driving.”

“Works
for me.”

By the
time Cody slipped into the driver’s seat, fastened his belt, and started the
engine, Jared plopped down in the shotgun seat. He nosed the vehicle into line,
then made a beeline for the highway, feeling Jared’s stare the whole way.

“What’s
with the sour expression? You look like you just tangled with a hornet’s nest
and lost.”

Cody
rolled his eyes. “Nothing.”

“Uh-huh.
I wasn’t born yesterday, son. So, spit it out.”

Spilling
his concerns wasn’t normally Cody’s way. However, Jared could out stubborn a
mule. Knowing Jared wouldn’t give up until Cody gave in, he tried to formulate
his thoughts into tactful words. “I’m worried about Trinity is all. She’s going
to Denver next weekend to help make up points.”

“Makes
sense. Bigger show, more competition, more money and points to be had.” Jared
tapped his finger on his lip. “She’s probably not the only one, so what’s the
problem?”

“I just
hate for her to drive all that way alone.” Cody grumbled, already feeling like
a heel.

Jared
simply grinned. “A bit protective of her, huh?”

“Maybe.
I don’t know.” He flicked the turn signal on and hit the exit to the
interstate. “I offered to go with her.”

“Holy
shit. That would break your contract, boy.”

Cody
shrugged.

“Damn.
What did she say?”

“She
blinked down at me, reminded me of the contract, told me my job was too
valuable to throw away, and promised to bring me pie in two weeks.”

Jared
whistled low. “I knew I liked that girl for a reason.” He sat quiet for a
couple of minutes. “Think she might have enough pie for both of us?”

Cody
chuckled. “I think so.”

At
least he had her phone number. He could check up on her next weekend while
stuffing a cold hamburger in his face. He shuddered at the thought. That alone
would give him a good reason to look forward to the end of the month. Right
along with seeing the cute little blonde with the gorgeous stallion and witty
sense of humor.

He
couldn’t wait.

“That
was one heck of a trip, Legacy.” Trinity brushed Legacy’s already shiny coat
with practiced efficiency. He tolerated her fussing with a snort, half-mast
ears, and one cocked hoof. A sure sign of equine relaxation. She fed him
earlier, refilled his hay bag and tub of water. Now all that remained was
getting him cleaned up and ready for the first night of the big event.

Her
thoughts turned to Cody. Typically she looked forward to the weekends, eager to
reach yet another destination, to race Legacy, and to meet up with Cody once
more. This one she held little excitement for, despite the newness and the
sheer size of the rodeo. The largest one to date, she should have caught some
of the simmering enthusiasm but unfortunately fell short.

All
because she missed the big vet.

She
sighed. “No sense in getting all morose. I swear. I sound like a lovesick calf
bellowing for his playmates.”

Legacy
didn’t answer, just swung his tail at a fly.

“Just
have to get through these five days, then back home again.” At least they had a
big paddock and exercise pen, more than ample space for the horses to run and
kick up their heels when not confined to stalls. Real stalls this time, not
temporary panels made of lightweight metal. The huge barn, which held the
performer’s horses consisted of half a dozen long aisles, full of stalls with
solid wood just over Trinity’s hip. The rest consisted of arched metal barriers
to presumably keep the horses from chewing on one another if someone took a
disliking to their neighbor. The front was mostly bare of the metal, allowing
for the horse to stick his or her head out and take in the scenery. Thus far,
the stalls on either side of Legacy remained bare and Trinity hoped they stayed
that way.

“Wow.”

Twisting
at the sound of a woman’s voice, Trinity found a tall brunette dressed in jeans
and a western shirt staring at Legacy. She appeared to be in her twenties and
carried herself with confidence of a person long familiar with the comings and
goings of the rodeo circuit.

“He’s
one handsome horse.” The girl offered up a smile.

“Thanks.”

“I’m
Shannon, by the way.”

“Trinity.”

“Which
makes him Victory’s Legacy. I’d recognize him anywhere.”

Trinity
paused in her grooming to stare at the woman. Sure, the details of Legacy’s
bloodlines seemed to get around, but Trinity didn’t expect it here, so far from
home and her region. “I’ve only been in Denver for two hours. How do you know
him already?”

Shannon
laughed. “His pedigree and fame precedes him. I’ll confess I thought Martha was
lying when she told me who his sire is and that he was the spitting image. But,
now that I’ve seen him for myself, she’s right.”

Trinity
just nodded. She didn’t mean to be impolite, but she dreaded the usual
questions that followed. Not something she shared with anyone. Save Cody.

“I take
it you’re a barrel racer too?” Trinity moved to change the topic.

“Yep.
Shannon Mason. You might have heard of me?”

Trinity
paused. “You won the nationals last year on Duke.”

“That’s
me.”

“Congratulations.”
Trinity changed to the finishing cloth. “You’ve got a great horse.”

“Thanks.
But, seeing this one, I have a feeling you’ll give me a run for my money.”
Shannon smiled sincerely.

“I hope
to.” Trinity found Shannon to be likable and her pleasantness contagious.

“Well,
I better get going. Welcome to Denver. If you need anything feel free to ask.”

“Thank
you. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Definitely.”
Shannon waved and walked on.

Trinity
blinked and shook her head. With the regional rodeos, she found confidence in
her front-runner position due to the competition. Not to take away from the
talent of the others, but this was the big time.
The
names in the business were here with their horses worth six
digits. Here, she felt like a peasant looking up to royalty.

Legacy
snorted.

She
smiled and finished her task. “You’re right, boy. We’ve earned our way here and
we’ll just have to show them how it’s done.”

Two
hours later, she walked Legacy in a circle in the wide confines of the holding
pen. He warmed up well and had enough energy to playfully buck and kick as they
made their way from the small, outdoor warm-up corral to the main arena. For
the most part he even ignored the strange horses around him, only flattening
his ears once when another stallion sidled too close.

Like
other rodeos, the first night took the longest, when the announcer felt
obligated to introduce each girl and their horse, giving a few brief details to
entice the fans’ interest.

Trinity
nearly grumbled as she stepped to the front of the line and waited for the
emcee to finish his spiel about her.

“Next
up is Trinity Crocket. You might not recognize the name as she’s a Kentucky
cowgirl, but I guarantee you’ll recognize her stallion, Victory’s Legacy. A son
of the great Kentucky Derby winner Another Victory Gallop.”

The judge
stepped aside and gave her the green flag to signal she could start when ready.

Lining
up Legacy, she blew out a deep breath. “It’s show time, boy.” As she spoke
those words, she clamped her heels against his side and held on as he exploded
like a rocket. The barrels whipped by in a blur as she spun around the final
one and called for more speed as Legacy flattened out in full stride, dashing
toward and across the finish line.

“Seventeen-twenty-six.
That’s a new arena record, folks!”

Outside,
Trinity eased Legacy into a walk, then turned him around.

“Damn.”

Glancing
up, she found Shannon gaping at her before a wide smile crossed her face. “He’s
the real deal all right.”

Trinity
grinned back, never more proud of her horse than right at that moment. “Just
like his father.”

“Oh
yeah. Anyone who watched that thoroughbred run can see the similarities.”
Shannon nodded her head. “You’ve got a star on your hands.”

“I’m
lucky to have him,” Trinity agreed. “You had a great run, yourself.”

“I
thought so until you flew by. You’ll be an internet sensation by morning.”

Trinity
groaned.

Shannon
laughed. “You better get moving. They’re calling you for your victory gallop.”
Shannon gestured at the judge waving at Trinity.

“Thanks.”
With a true grin on her face, Trinity trotted back into the run up area, then
loped around the arena to the sound of enthusiastic and nearly deafening
applause. Many fans took to their feet in a standing ovation.

“We’re
on our way, Mom.” She circled Legacy around with long, ground-eating strides,
waving to the crowd now and again, then headed back toward the paddock where
she could cool him down properly, before taking him in for the night.

Two
hours later, she stretched out on her makeshift bed and stared at the ceiling
of the long horse barn. Staying at a new place always gave her a sense of
discomfort and expanded her loneliness tenfold. While the other barrel racers
seemed friendly, especially Shannon, Trinity didn’t know any of them very well.
Same with the other participants. For the most part rodeos were the same. Same
stories, different faces. That part remained a constant. However, she felt like
the sole corn plant in the middle of a wheat field this time instead of just
someone on the outside looking in.

She blew
out a breath.

How
many miles had she driven to get to Denver? The road seemed endless, the
destination unfamiliar. Pretty country, though. Her mother would have liked the
views along the way. Even with being a mile high and at the foot of the
Rockies.

Legacy
didn’t seem to mind the long trips, but the altitude seemed to have a small
effect on him. Luckily, with their sprint, the thin air didn’t matter as much
as a much longer run.

Turning
to her side, she stared at the wooden door of Legacy’s stall and sighed. Tired
but unable to sleep, she couldn’t find a comfortable position, and her thoughts
continued to march through her head. Not all of them good. These were the times
she missed her mother the most. When pitch darkness broken only by dim barn
lighting blocked out the rest of the world, leaving her alone with her
memories.

A tear
broke free and trickled down her cheek. She immediately wiped it away. Crying
never helped. She’d learned that particular lesson a long time ago.

Her
phone chimed.

Trinity
pulled the phone out, and stared at the number. Hardly anyone called her. They
had no reason to. Work knew she was at the event and wouldn’t return until
Monday. Madeleine did so now and again, but never so late at night. A bit
worried, she answered. “Hello?”

“Hey
Trin.”

“Cody!
Now this is a surprise.” She sat up, finding herself smiling at the sound of
his voice.

Just call me a lovesick calf.

She
rolled her eyes and focused on the conversation. “How’s the rodeo down there?”

“Okay.
Nothing too exciting. Oh, before I forget, I’m supposed to tell you Lacey said
hi. She said Candy almost misses Legacy.”

Trinity
chuckled. “Almost, huh?” Poor Legacy adored the paint mare, but Candy didn’t
give him the time of day. Hormone shots to keep her from going into heat
certainly quelled her interest in the big gray stud.

“That’s
what she said. How she can tell, I don’t have a clue.”

“Me
either.”

“I saw
your run on YouTube. You were blazing. The arena record on the first night.
Impressive.”

“Thanks.
I was surprised. I knew Legacy was going fast and the bigger area suited him
more, but I had no idea we were even close to that number.”

“Sounds
like you put the big names on notice that there’s a new girl in town.” His tone
carried pride and happiness.

She’d
missed the sound of his soft baritone. “I’m not sure about that. I did meet
Shannon Mason today. She’s nice and seemed taken with Legacy.”

“As is
everyone who sees him in person. He has a great future as a stud.”

“Maybe.
One day.” She’d considered the option more than once. But, right now, she could
only handle one peak goal at a time. Get to the nationals.

“You be
careful in those barns, especially at night.” His tone turned serious.

“How
did you know I was in the barn?” She couldn’t help but tease.

He
snorted. “Where else would you be but hanging around with that big lug?”

“True.
Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

“See
that you are.” He paused for a moment. “How does it feel to be in the big
leagues?”

She bit
her lip and pondered admitting the truth. Sounding like a whiny sap didn’t
place her in a good light. “A rodeo is a rodeo. Same thing, different day.”

“I
guess that’s right. I’m just glad you’re doing so well. Showing those big names
that you’re the total package.”

The
praise wrapped her in a cocoon of warmth. Just what she needed to hear tonight
and almost as good as a hug. “Thanks.”

“It’s
true.” He puffed out a breath against the phone. “Well, I better let you go.
It’s late and you need some sleep for the next few rounds.”

She
knew he was right but hated to cut their conversation off so quickly. “Okay. I
guess I’ll talk to you later, then. Thanks for checking on me.”

“Yeah.
Oh, Trinity?”

“Yes?”

He
paused for a second as if deciding on his words. “You might want to bring two
pies next weekend. My uncle wants some.”

She chuckled.
“Will do. Goodnight, Cody.”

“Night,
Trinity. Sleep well.”

“You do
the same.” She clicked off the call and slipped her phone back into her bed,
feeling more chipper than before.

One had
to make sacrifices for their dreams. She was no different, which meant more
long hauls across the country to a select few places before hitting the
regional rodeos once more. The life of a barrel racer.

Fortunately,
a temporary inconvenience for her. Because in six months, she would be packing
up and moving on to bigger and better things.