“Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” Celia rushed to say. “It’s just, well, Hank is my brother. Some folks around here already think it’s weird he ain’t married at his age. Especially since he’s not ugly or mean or a drunk—or all three.”
Lainie seized her chance to get the lowdown on Hank. “Why isn’t Hank married?”
Celia’s face became contemplative for a second before she answered. “Partially because Abe’s marriage went to hell. Obviously it was hardest on Abe, but it wasn’t a picnic for me ’n’ Hank because we lived here too. After that, Hank started traveling as a bullfighter, leaving more of the ranch responsibilities to Abe and me.”
“You’ve known Kyle a long time. Why do you think he’s not married?”
“Because he’s a douche bag.”
Lainie stiffened.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I used to get along great with Kyle. Until he . . .” Celia smiled slyly. “Can you keep a secret?”
Swapping secrets with Hank’s sister? Bad idea. “On second thought, don’t tell me. My buddy Tanna always says—”
“Tanna. As in Tanna Barker? The seventh-ranked barrel racer in the CRA? You know her?”
“Yeah. She’s a really good friend of mine. Why?”
Celia squealed. “Oh, my God! She’s totally my hero. I’ve memorized all her stats and watched her winning performance at the AFR on DVD a billion times. I even changed my saddle to one like she uses. What’s she like? Serious? Dedicated? I’ll be she spends all her off time training.”
Countering the hero worship with, No, she spends a good amount of her time trolling for studs not of the equine variety, wouldn’t be fair. Accurate, but unfair. “Tanna is the best. If you bought a saddle like hers, are you a barrel racer too?”
“Shh.” Celia tossed a panicked look at the closed door. “This is a secret you absolutely cannot tell anyone, especially not Hank.”
Before Lainie could stop her confession, Celia blurted, “Two years ago I bought Mickey to use as a cattle horse. But he was fast and agile, so when I started running him around barrels . . . Holy crap, me ’n’ Eli were stunned. Mickey was made for barrel racing. We’re talking a championship-grade horse. But Hank and Abe don’t know anything about Mickey, let alone that I’ve been training him and competing.”
“Who’s Eli? A secret boyfriend?”
She snorted. “Not hardly. Eli Whirling Cloud is my brothers’ buddy. He ain’t happy about keeping this secret from Hank and Abe either.”
“Why is this so hush-hush?”
“Because I broke my leg barrel racing when I was fourteen and we had to put the horse down. Abe and Hank freaked out and made me quit the rodeo team and promise I’d never compete again. I did quit competing, but I never stopped training. I love it too much. So when Eli agreed Mickey was ready to compete, I snuck off to a couple of rodeos within a day’s drive and entered us under another name.”
Lainie stared at Celia. Stunned. “Your brothers don’t know anything about this?”
She shook her head. “You saw how they are. I’m still treated like a fourteen-year-old girl. What sucks is I’m acting like one too. Sneaking out at night. Lying about where I’ve been. Conning Eli into helping me maintain the lie. I’m exhausted from the secret traveling and late nights. Abe thinks I’m lazy. I can’t even tell them my alter ego CeCe Murray is currently ranked seventeenth in the standings for this circuit.”
“But seventeenth is great, Celia!”
“I know. I worked hard for it. I wish I could tell them, but they’ll be seriously pissed.”
“Don’t you think they’d be proud of you?”
“Maybe. On the other hand, Abe feels Hank is pulled in two different directions with the ranch and the bullfighting. It’ll get harder for Hank if he’s picked as an EBS bullfighter.”
Hank had an audition for the EBS bullfighting team? The cream of the crop were chosen for the EBS. In addition to great money, there was more travel. Which would keep Hank away from the ranch. But how could he turn down such a great career opportunity? It appeared she wasn’t the only one keeping a career change close to the vest. “When is that again?” Lainie asked casually.
“The final tryout is in Tulsa after Cowboy Christmas. Far as I know Hank hasn’t told anyone besides me and Abe. And you.”
But he didn’t tell me; you did.
“So you won’t tell Hank about . . . ?” Celia asked.
“My lips are sealed.” She pushed away from the heat, scent, and comforting white noise of the dryer. “But you need to do the adult thing and tell your brothers the truth about what you’ve been up to.”
“I will. Soon.”
Lainie returned upstairs. Hank sat at the eating area of the kitchen. She plastered on a smile, hoping she didn’t look like she’d been burdened with secrets she hadn’t wanted. “How’s the leg?”
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Fine. What were you doin’ in the basement?”
That tipped Lainie over the edge. Rather than stammer about talking to Celia, or make an excuse about laundry, she met Hank’s hard gaze dead on. “Fucking around with Kyle. Why?”
“Need I remind you you’re supposed to be with me, as my girlfriend, when we’re here?”