One Night Rodeo (Blacktop Cowboys 4)

It made her a little sad that these people believed she couldn’t change. That she’d be combative with Kyle as her husband, as she’d been when Kyle had just been an annoyance in her life.

She feared maybe he still saw her as a necessary annoyance. He needed her ranching help. He wanted her physically, almost obsessively. He could put up with her on a temporary basis because there was the benefit of kick-ass sex.

The hollow feeling expanded to think Kyle might be justifying their marriage at her expense.

Kyle wouldn’t do that. He’s no more the same guy he was years ago when you two constantly butted heads than you are the bratty girl who used to torture him. You need to tell him how you feel. Or at least that your feelings have changed.

“Celia?” Tierney said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She looked up. “You didn’t. I was just trying to figure out how much my brothers bet against me. And if Kyle is in there shooting whiskey.”

“Hey, Renner bringing up the tequila shooters incident reminded me of something from that night last year. Right after Kyle showed up at the bar before we started getting wild, he whispered something to you. Seemed pretty intense. Do you remember what he said?”

Don’t do this to yourself, kitten. If Breck doesn’t know where you’ve been all week he doesn’t deserve you. It’s killin’ me to see you so damn unhappy. Let’s go somewhere. Just you and me, and talk.

If Celia hadn’t promised Tierney she’d hang out with her, she would’ve left with Kyle right then.

She should have. Because directly after Renner and Tierney had taken off, Breck and his cowboy posse bailed. She’d had no choice but to go along because she’d had nowhere else to go. Then Breck and Michael turned in early because they were tired.

Tired of keeping up pretenses most likely.

“Sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”

Torn from the past, Celia blinked at Tierney. “In a nutshell, he said, Dump Breck. Which I did shortly thereafter.”

Fletch and a guy Celia didn’t know were zipping their coats and appeared to be headed out the door.

Tierney stepped in front of them. “Where are you guys going?”

“We hit a lull and I need Fletch to look at a couple of things while he’s out this way.”

Fletch tugged on Celia’s veil and grinned. “Hard to believe you’re a married woman, brat. Married to Kyle, no less.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve heard the I’m shocked comment plenty of times.”

“I’m not shocked. I’m thrilled you two boneheads stopped fighting long enough to actually talk to each other.”

Celia squinted at him with disbelief.

“He wore that same look just now when I said the same thing to him.”

“And how did my loving husband respond?”

“That he’d had his eye on you a lot longer than he’d admit. But of course, I already knew that too.” Fletch smirked. “I’m an excellent judge of animal behavior.”

She cuffed him on the arm. “So have you found an assistant yet?”

“Nope. They last about two months. Then I’m looking again. I’ve decided it’s easier to do it all myself. Why? You know someone who’s interested and qualified?”

“I was just thinkin’ about your comment that if I ever did follow through and become a veterinary assistant you’d hire me.”

“I meant it. But it’s not like you won’t have your hands full helping Kyle run you guys’ ranch.”

“Hey, Fletch, the warden granted us some yard time,” the man next to Tierney drawled.

Talk about looking like ten miles of bad road. This guy had dark circles under his piercing brown eyes, a scraggly beard covering the entire lower half of his face, shaggy blackish brown hair hanging from beneath his gray cowboy hat. He was a big guy, at least six foot three, and his clothes hung off him like a scarecrow. She guessed his age to be around hers, and he’d be good-looking if he took any kind of pride in his appearance.

After she realized she’d been staring, she thrust out her hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met. Celia.”

“Hugh Pritchett. I manage Jackson Stock Contracting for Renner and the tyrant—I mean Tierney—when she lets me.”

“Let you. You do whatever the hell you want.” Tierney rolled her eyes. “Besides, you look like death warmed over, so no working livestock. It’s supposed to be your day off, Hugh.”

“Ain’t no days off in this business,” he said.

“Got that right,” Celia replied.

“I’ve seen you run barrels a coupla times. You’re good. Plans to continue that?”

“Nope.”

“Your husband said he’s done with ridin’ bulls too, which don’t hurt my feelings none. He rode BB last year, and that’s sayin’ something, since he’s the only one.”

Fletch sighed. “You two will talk rodeo all damn day. Come on, Hugh, let’s get this check over with so I can get back to drinkin’ on my day off.”

Soon as they were gone, Tierney shook her head. “I worry about Hugh. He’d work twenty-four/seven if Renner let him.”

“No offense, but he looks a little ragged.”

“Hugh’s wife refused to move to Wyoming when Renner relocated the stock business here, and she filed for divorce. Messed him up bad. He’s lost seventy pounds in the last year. Calls it the divorce diet. He’s a great guy and he hates when I mother him, so I do it as often as possible.”