Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys 2)

Celia scooped up an armload of stuff—CDs, a pillow, empty food wrappers, a curling iron, and a pushup bra—and tossed it in the back of the club cab. “Sorry. I’m used to spreading out since I travel alone.”

“Does that bug you?”

“Some days. I’ve picked up riders here and there. For a month at the end of last year I had a saddle bronc rider tagging along with me.”

“Was he cute?”

She smirked, glancing in her side mirror before she pulled out. “Very. He had the nicest ass I’ve ever seen. Tight. Muscular.”

“You never mentioned him.”

“I’ve learned to live the rodeo cowboys and cowgirls creed—if you don’t talk about what happens on the road, then it didn’t happen.”

Harper smiled. “That fits you.”

Celia parked in front of the rental. “Short ride.”

“That’s why I walk.”

“Is that Bran’s ranch truck?”

“Yeah. He insisted I drive it since it’s four-wheel drive. It’s been handy to have two vehicles.”

“How are things going with Bran?”

He kissed me today and blew my mind. “Good. It’s slowed down. I’m not out there in the dead of night, thank God.”

“There’s nothin’ else goin’ on ... ?”

“Besides our business relationship? No. I can’t thank you enough for getting the ball rolling. Although, Bran was surprised to see me. Why didn’t you tell him I was interested in the job before I showed up?”

Celia squinted at her. “Because he would’ve said no. I didn’t give him a chance, and see how well it’s worked out? For both of you.” She smiled cockily. “I’ll call you tomorrow, but let’s plan on meeting at Buckeye Joe’s around seven.”

Harper slid out of the cab and stopped in front of the empty, dark house. Bernice was right. She did need to get out and have a life.

Abe Lawson had whipped up a batch of his famous Wyoming jambalaya and invited their pals to the Lawson place. In addition to his girlfriend, Nancy, Hank and Lainie, Max Godfrey and his date, Nikki—who looked all of fourteen—Abe had included Eli Whirling Cloud, Kyle Gilchrist, and Ike Palmer in the bachelor contingent.

Just as they sat down to eat, Celia showed up, surprising her family. Evidently she hadn’t let anyone know she’d planned on coming home.

Bran hugged her, noticing her stiff posture and her “don’t f**k with me” expression—which was mainly aimed at her family. After Nancy cleared the plates and brought out more beer, talk turned to rodeo, as it so often did when Kyle was around.

“You’ve really gone up in the standings since the ninety-onepoint ride in Tulsa,” Max said to Kyle.

Kyle shrugged and sipped his brew. “Thanks. But this early in the season only a few points separate the top twenty riders.”

“But if you can get an early lead and stay on top of it, you’re way better off than the person sitting fiftieth,” Celia pointed out.

“Where are you in the standings right now?” Kyle asked Celia coolly.

“As of last weekend she’s ninth in this circuit and twenty-second overall,” Lainie said.

Bran saw Celia send her sister-in-law a soft smile before she returned to picking the label off her beer bottle.

“Do you guys ever run into each other on the road?” Max asked.

Kyle and Celia didn’t even look at each other.

Lainie jumped in. “When I first started in the CRA, I wondered how they decided which geographic areas needed their own circuits and how some circuits have, like, fifteen states. Despite that, I seemed to always run into the same people.”

“I’d say who you see is about money, since that and points are what everything boils down to.” Kyle shrugged. “But I’m probably wrong.”

“Like that’d be a first,” Celia grumbled.

“You know, come to think of it, I did see Celia a few weeks back,” Kyle offered.

“Where?” she demanded.

“Pueblo. But I doubt you saw me, since you were otherwise . . . occupied.”

“What were you doin’, Celia?” Abe asked.

She smiled at Kyle—all teeth. “Just blowing off some steam.”

Kyle choked on his beer.

What the hell? Bran looked at Eli, who shrugged. Everyone waited for the fireworks to ignite. Kyle had teased Celia mercilessly from the time they were kids, and it’d only gotten worse in the last five years.

“Play nice, you two,” Abe warned, “or take it outside.”

“Which is where you might be sleeping, since we had no idea you were coming home,” Nancy joked lamely. “I’m afraid your old room is piled with stuff for the rescue mission in Rawlins. I’m sure your bed is under the mess someplace—it’ll take some doing to clean up, but I’ll help.”

“Not necessary. I’ll sleep in my horse trailer.”

Hank got in Celia’s face, forcing her to look at him. “You aren’t sleepin’ in the goddamn horse trailer. You’ll freeze to death. You can sleep on the couch.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I’ll stay with Eli, since I’ll be over there all day tomorrow anyway.”

Eli shook his head. “Sorry. No room. Kyle is crashing at my place.”

“Fucking awesome.” Celia drained her beer and stood. “Supper was great, Abe. Thanks. See you guys later.”