“Anything.”
“Well, all right, then.”
He and Lyric talked until Grey looked as though he was about to fall asleep in the high chair.
“We better get back.”
“Yep, we should. You feelin’ better?”
He smiled. “You already know the answer, don’t ya?”
She hugged him and smiled. “Yeah, I do.”
Liv invited Tristan to join her out on the porch after dinner.
“He’s not so bad you know.”
“What’s that?”
“Bullet. He’s a good kid. He just needs guidance. A mentor maybe.”
“Maybe. I don’t think it matters. I don’t see him making it as a bull rider.”
“You don’t? That intrigues me. Why not?”
“His son, for starters. I can’t imagine he’ll be getting on many bulls this year. And if he does, he should be ashamed of himself. His first priority should be that little boy.”
“Are the two mutually exclusive?”
“Come on, Liv. You’re not new to rodeo. You had a pretty good scare yourself, barrel racing. And I’m not saying barrel racing isn’t dangerous. I had a few bad spills when I was still competing. But it certainly isn’t as dangerous as bull riding.”
Liv had had an accident her first year as a serious competitor. Talk was she would be paralyzed, but she was able to come back from it and compete again.
“Not to mention his age. He’s not a kid anymore.”
“My goodness, Tristan, he’s twenty-five. I was forty when I started competing.”
“Again, no offense, Liv, but it’s different.”
“You don’t think he has a chance?”
“No, I don’t. And more importantly, I think it would be irresponsible of him to even try.”
“You’re entitled to your opinion, Miss Lost Cowboy, but I’m here to tell you, you’re wrong.”
“Bullet—”
Before she could say another word, he carried Grey inside and kicked the door closed behind him. He didn’t care what she said, or what she thought. She didn’t know him, or what he was capable of. He’d show her, but more importantly, he’d show himself.
He got Grey settled in a clean diaper and pajamas, set him in the crib, and hooked the baby monitor to his back pocket. She thought he was irresponsible? What the hell did she know?
“I didn’t see him there.”
Liv looked up at the stars. Tristan wasn’t sure she heard her.
“Liv?”
“Never doubt the human spirit, Tristan. Even when situations seem impossible, or people seem incapable.”