Grumpy Cowboy (Single Dad Collection)

She sighs dejectedly, but Leah, the mama wolf who’s made it to her by now, squeezes her shoulder in consolation. “You can’t ride without your gear, can you?”

“No,” Joey agrees before hedging smartly, “but I can sign up without it.”

I laugh before grabbing my wallet from the console and hopping down out of the driver’s seat to meet my approaching girls. “Come on now,” I counsel Joey. “Work smarter, not harder. You know that. We’re gonna get all’a our stuff in one go, so we don’t have to come back out here for it, and we planned good and well for the drive to take much longer to make sure we made it here in time. I know you’re excited, baby, but you don’t have to worry. You’re gonna ride today, I promise.”

“Oh-kay,” she finally agrees dramatically, stepping around me to open the back door to the cab of my truck and pull out her hot-pink gear bag. She slings it over her shoulder and raises her eyebrows at me sassily. “Are we all ready now?”

I swear. I’m gonna be in trouble one day. I scoff and chuck my girl on the chin. “Watch the attitude, baby girl. And, yes, we’re ready.”

As I’ll ever be.

Quite frankly, there are people here and memories of a lifestyle that I really don’t have any interest in seeing anymore, and there’s only one thing, one person who could get me to give up the peace of mind that comes with avoiding it—Josephine Jameson.

Seems like maybe there are two people now…

I shake off all those annoying thoughts and take Leah’s hand with my right and Joey’s with my left. As a unit, we walk through the parking lot and up to the gate to wait our turn to get inside.

When I step up to the booth to buy our tickets, the man inside recognizes me instantly, and I groan internally. It doesn’t happen as often anymore, now that I’m getting older and it’s been a while since I’ve been on the circuit, but the rodeo lifers still know me when they see me.

“Holy shit, Rhett Jameson in the flesh! I can’t fuckin’ believe how cool this is.”

“Hi,” I say simply, never one to be good at being gushed over, and Leah’s eyes bug out at my side. I can tell she wants to run her mouth off at my curt response, but she at least has the good grace to contain herself for now. I reckon it won’t last long, though.

“Man, this is awesome. I can’t wait to tell my girlfriend I saw you here. She’s, like, to this day, one of your biggest fans.”

“I’ll bet,” Leah says under her breath, and I just shake my head.

“I need to sign off for the mutton bustin’!” Joey shouts, trying to make herself heard from her spot way below the counter.

The ticket dude stands up and leans over then and smiles. “Oh man, hey there, little person. Signups are gonna be on the south side of the arena, down by the chutes. Find the big guy with the black hat and bright blue chaps, okay?”

Joey nods enthusiastically, grabbing Leah’s hand and dragging her away from my side immediately. “You can finish up and pay while Leah takes me to find that guy, right, Daddy?”

I don’t get the chance to answer before they’re gone at a jog, Leah waving over her shoulder and then giving me the thumbs-up to assure me it’s all okay.

The tension in my shoulders says otherwise, but I don’t bother with fighting it. I know at this point it won’t do me any good.

I finish up at the ticket booth and walk inside, looking over everything I know so well, and yet can’t hardly remember. I’ve been avoiding coming back here for years, terrified of all the stark reminders of what used to be.

Being on the circuit, partying and sleeping with random women, including Anna—being in a different city every night—it all feels like a lifetime ago now that I have my life on the ranch with Joey.

It feels like a young man’s game that I’m not young enough for anymore, and to be honest, in an unexpected twist, it actually feels good to get confirmation. Feels good to be here.

I’m not just content with my life; I’m happy.

And now that Leah’s a part of it, too? I don’t know that I’ve ever been happier.

Mood significantly lifted, I turn and head toward the back of the chutes where I know I’ll find my girls. It’s a packed house, with people everywhere, even this early, and occasionally as I walk, someone who recognizes me will wave.

I tip my hat in recognition but don’t take it much further—the last thing I want is to get trapped in another loop of enthusiastic small talk.

Finally, I make it to the back of the arena and spot my girls, Joey’s bright pink standing out against all the duller colors of the cowboys. She’s getting her gear on with Leah’s help, though I know for a fact she’s still probably got at least an hour before she rides, and the unbridled eagerness in her every move makes me smile.