Kiss Me Cowboy (Cowboys of Crested Butte 3)

She laughed. Was it that obvious?

“What’s so funny?”

“There’s too much drama with Tucker. If you knew me better, you’d see the irony.”

“I can only imagine. Okay, back to work. We have to figure out a way for me to interview Billy Patterson without you getting involved.”

“Renie will be here later; she can set it up.”

“Perfect. Now, let’s make a game plan for the rest of the week.”

Blythe got her laptop out and started posting day sheets from different rodeos around the country. As soon as results came in, she’d upload them.

Lyric had told her she didn’t need to worry about her lack of rodeo knowledge and she’d been right. So far, it hadn’t mattered. It would in the future, when Blythe was ready to take over some of the interviews, but until then, there was plenty she could do to help.

When the announcement came over the loudspeaker that the rodeo was about to begin, Blythe couldn’t believe it. She’d been here two hours already, and it seemed more like two minutes.

“I love it already,” she told Lyric as she set her laptop aside to stand for the national anthem.

“I can tell,” Lyric whispered. “You’re focused.”

A few minutes later, Renie walked up with Willow, who was dressed like a little cowgirl. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you two.”

“Is this Billy’s daughter?” asked Lyric.

“This is our daughter, and her name is Willow,” Renie answered.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it, Renie.”

“It’s okay. Very few people know she isn’t my biological daughter and we want to keep it that way. When she’s old enough, we’ll tell her about her mama, but until then, I’m the only mama she’s got.”

“I like that. You’re a good mother, Renie.”

“Thanks, Lyric. Won’t be too long before Willow has a little brother or sister, will it, baby?”

“Wait, what?” Hadn’t Renie said she was going back to school? Now she was pregnant?

“Calm down, Blythe,” Renie laughed. “When I said, not too long, I meant a couple years from now.”

“You damn near gave me a heart attack. Can you Fairchild women slow down with the breeding, please?”

“What’s she talkin’ about?” asked Lyric.

“My mom and Ben are having a baby.”

“They are?”

“She’s not that old, Lyric. She’s forty-one. I can assure you, there are many women her age having babies.”

“But she’ll be in her sixties by the time the kid graduates from high school.”

“You two are meant for each other.” Renie shook her head. “Neither one of you has a filter.”

“What do you mean?” asked Lyric.

“Ask Blythe to explain it to you,” she heard Renie suggest, but Blythe wasn’t paying close attention to them. “I’ve never seen her so focused, and I’ve known her since we were five.”

“I think she likes her new job.”