All Jacked Up (Rough Riders 8)

He looked into her eyes and smiled oh so softly. “Good morning.” After flustering her with another lingering kiss, he sailed out of the room.

Keely realized things had been much simpler when she’d hated him. Now she wasn’t sure how she felt. That could lead her to big, big trouble with this unpredictable man.

“Come on, Ky! Get ’em down. That’s it. Hold on. Yes!” Keely turned and high-fived AJ. Foster, sitting on Keely’s lap, knew the drill and lifted his little hand for a high five. “Man, he’s fast.”

“Cord has been helping him. Ky’s gotta be fast to keep up with Anton. That kid has such natural talent, plus he trains like a fiend.”

“Ironic that Cam, who prides himself on not being a cowboy, has a son who is a total cowboy. And a rodeo cowboy to boot.” Keely squinted at her brothers behind the chutes who were helping the boys get ready. Cord patted Ky on the back. Cam doled out last minute advice before Anton’s turn at goat roping.

Gib and Braxton stood on the metal fence rails beside the chutes. Colby was explaining something to his sons and they hung on his every word.

“Gib is chompin’ at the bit to get into the arena.”

“He’s only six!” AJ said.

“Six goin’ on twenty-six,” Keely said dryly. Colby’s oldest boy was whip-smart and redefined determined. Poor Channing had her hands full with that one.

“Where’s Jack tonight?”

“Take a wild guess. Working.”

“Trouble in paradise?”

Keely glanced at AJ. “What makes you say that?”

AJ shrugged. “Your answer was snippy, that’s all.”

Keely had a right to be snippy. After spending the day using muscles she’d forgotten she had hauling shit out of the building, she’d considered staying home. But disappointing her nephews wasn’t an option.

When she’d asked Jack what time he’d be ready to go to the arena, he’d replied he had work to finish.

But Keely suspected he was avoiding spending time with her and her family. He was probably watching TV.

Domini barreled down the stairs, three kids in tow. “He hasn’t gone yet, has he?”

“No, he’s next after this one.”

“Thank God. We got a late start. Again.” She unbuttoned Dimitri’s coat, then Oxsana’s. Both kids plopped on the bench below them. Foster scrambled off Keely’s lap to sit with his cousins. “Middle of the puddle” Liesl inserted herself right between Keely and AJ.

“Hey, Aunt Keely, guess what I got?”

Keely unwound a long blonde curl that’d gotten trapped beneath the collar of Liesl’s coat. “Your daddy bought you a spaceship.”

Liesl giggled. “No, silly. I got an award at school today!” She turned so Keely could see the star pinned to her shirt.

“Cool beans. What’s the award for?”

“Spelling. And math. And citizenship.”

“Up top, girlfriend.” She and Liesl high-fived. “All three classes? I’m so proud of you.”

“We are too,” AJ said. “Ky shared the good news after he got off the bus today.”

“Know what else?” Her pale blue eyes danced with glee. “Grandpa is taking just me out for ice cream tomorrow after school to celebrate.”

Keely bit back a smile. Grandpa Carson was such a sucker for Liesl. “Speaking of…where are my mom and dad tonight?”

“Watching Hudson for Colt and India, and Miles and Austin for Channing. Colby said she needed a night off since he was taking the older boys to the rodeo.”

“Okay, it’s Anton’s turn. Everyone watch,” Domini said.

Anton raced out of the chute, piggin’ string hanging from his mouth. He launched himself at the goat, tackled it to the ground, flipped it on its side and tied all four legs together. Then he hopped up, threw his hands in the air and took three steps back, waiting to see if the tie held. The judge nodded and held up the time. Three point five seconds, which beat Ky’s time of three point eight seconds.

They whooped and hollered, watching as Ky and Anton bumped fists. In the last two years Ky and Anton had become inseparable. Add Hayden to the mix and Keely was looking at the next generation of McKay hellraisers.

Liesl leaned toward AJ. “Can I feel the baby kick?”

“Sure, honey. He’s really restless tonight so you oughta be able to feel him kickin’ real good.”

Liesl put her hands on AJ’s belly. “Can’t you have a girl? There aren’t enough girls in our family.”

“Hey, short stuff. I was the only girl for a really long time. You’re lucky you’ve got a little sister and three girl cousins.”

“You’ll have more girl cousins, sweetie. Macie’s having a girl,” Domini said.

Keely’s head whipped toward her. “She is? How come I didn’t know?”

“Umm. She just told us this weekend.”

“I was there this weekend. Why didn’t she tell me?”

AJ patted Keely’s knee. “K, I know how much you hate being the last to know family stuff, but it was your engagement party. She didn’t want to take focus away from that.”

“Where is your handsome husband-to-be?” Domini asked.

“Screwing off.”

Both Domini and AJ frowned at Keely for her word choice.

“I meant he’s working, screwing off…the bad light bulbs in the building and screwing new ones in.”

“Lame cover up, cowgirl,” Jack whispered in her ear.

Keely jumped and spun around. The sneaky man sat right behind her. “How long have you been here?”

“Long enough.” He dazzled AJ and Domini with a charming grin. “Good evening, lovely ladies. I arrived just as Anton was up. He did great. I’m sorry I missed Ky.”

“Maybe next time,” AJ said.

Liesl peered around Keely’s shoulder at Jack. “Are you and Aunt Keely gonna kiss again?”

Jack pretended to give her question serious consideration. “Do you think we should?”

She nodded.

“Maybe later.” Jack’s gaze swept over Keely’s face. “Sorry I’m late.”

“Late? You said you weren’t coming.”

“No, I said I had something to finish up. Then you left in a huff.”

“That’s a surprise,” AJ said.

“Do you mind?” Keely snapped.

“Nope. Not at all. Go ahead and fight in front of us. It’s not like we haven’t heard it before.”