And Then You Dare (Crested Butte Cowboys Series Book 5)

by Heather A Buchman

  “Of course. And thank you again.”

  The smile left Bill’s face. He stepped closer, and poked his finger into Bullet’s chest. “You’ve got everything you need to be a champion bull rider. Take this week and get the hell out of your head for a while. Focus on the buck, not the bull.”

  Bullet could’ve finished Bill’s sentence for him, he’d heard it so often. This week would be different though. He wouldn’t be checking the time to make sure he wasn’t late to pick up Grey. He wouldn’t be worried about the broncs fighting, or anything else to do with the rough stock. This week would be all about bull riding, and nothing else.

  “I’ll say it again, I don’t know how to thank you.”

  Dottie pulled Bullet into a hug. “You thank us every day sweetheart, with how hard you work.”

  “Well, I best head over to the house, say goodbye to my family, and get on the road. What time am I meeting the flight in Edwards?”

  “You need to be there by 3:30. If you leave in the next half hour, you should have time to stop for lunch on the way.”

  Bill told him the folks at the ranch asked if Bullet would mind picking up another guest from the local airport. Since there were few guests visiting this early in the year, their staff was short-handed. Bullet didn’t mind. The fewer people who were there this week, the better. Now that he’d accepted he was going on vacation, the peace and quiet appealed to him.

  “Uh, how will I know who I’m picking up?”

  Dottie went back into the house. “I almost forgot. She’ll be looking for this sign.” She handed him a sign that said Black Mountain Ranch. “She’ll find you.”

  She? Now this was an interesting development. One other guest, and he was meeting her at the airport. The week was looking more and more promising. Bullet could use a romp with a pretty cowgirl. Maybe then he’d be able to get his mind off Tristan McCullough.

  ***

  Tristan’s father told her to look for someone holding a sign saying Black Mountain Ranch. She was the only person they were meeting, and the airport was small, he told her. She shouldn’t have any trouble finding her ride.

  “Daddy, when I get home, there’s something important I want to discuss with you. So please don’t make any other travel arrangements for me until we’ve had time to sit down and talk.”

  “No problem little girl. You have a safe flight, and a good time.”

  A good time? That was odd. She had business to conduct. He’d walked away before she could ask him about it. Must have just been a slip. Usually he told her to come home with a pad full of orders.

  Tristan breathed a sigh of relief when the flight attendant closed the cabin door, and no one had claimed either of the empty seats in her row. It was bad enough that she was on an airplane again so soon. It would have been much worse if she’d been stuck with another boorish passenger who wanted to talk the entire flight.

  Yesterday had been a nightmare. Walter spent most of the flight trying to chat with her. When she put on her headphones, snuggled under her cashmere pashmina and closed her eyes, he moved into the center seat, and offered his shoulder for her to rest her head. She didn’t answer, just turned her back on him.

  When he thought she was asleep, Tristan overheard him flirting with the all-too-willing-to-flirt-back flight attendant. Listening to them made her sick to her stomach. She turned the volume all the way up on her iPod, and it still wasn’t enough to drown them out entirely.

  When they landed and were waiting to depart, Walter tried again to woo her into having a drink with him. Instead of bothering to be polite, she simply answered “no” to each thing he asked. He hadn’t been polite when he slept with half the women at every rodeo he attended, not giving a second thought to his “girlfriend.” She didn’t need to be polite to him now.

  His parting words when he walked by her in baggage claim were, “This isn’t over Tristan. I want you back. I need you back.” He leaned and whispered, “We were so good together baby. I know you want me as much as I want you.”

  She’d rolled her eyes, but he had walked away. They might see each other at various rodeos, unless she saw him first.

  Once they were airborne, Tristan closed her eyes. Today was going to be a long one. A nap would do her good, if she could only fall asleep.

  “We’re getting ready to land miss,” the flight attendant touched her arm. How could it be? Had she really slept the entire flight? Usually she couldn’t sleep at all on planes.

  Tristan had a one hour layover in Denver, but needed to get to the other side of the airport to catch the regional flight to Edwards. Fortunately many of her flights changed planes in Denver, so she was familiar with the airport.

  An hour later she landed at the small airport near Vail. There would be no baggage carousel. Someone would bring the luggage on a cart. Once she had her bag, she’d look for her ride.

  ***

  Bullet dozed off sitting in the airport waiting for the flight from Denver to arrive. He woke with a start and realized he’d dropped the sign on the floor beneath his chair. He reached down to get it. When he straightened up, he saw a woman looking out the window on the other side of the small terminal. He rubbed his eyes. From behind she looked so much like Tristan. Wow. He really needed to get laid, and get his mind off the elusive Miss McCullough.

  He stood, holding his cardboard sign in front of him. He looked around the airport for any women who looked lost. So far everyone who had walked through had done so with the determination of someone who knew where she was going. The woman by the window turned, as though she was looking for someone. Bullet met her eyes at the same time she recognized him.

  “I don’t understand,” she approached him.

  “Hi Tristan. How are you?” he smirked.

  “I’m fine Bullet. Now, please explain yourself.”

  “Explain myself?”

  “Don’t pretend you don’t know what’s going on here. How did you arrange this? A better question would be why did you do this? How in the world could you have thought this was a good idea?”

  “I don’t have any idea what the hell you’re talkin’ about.” He was annoyed now, so he stepped around her, out closer to the walkway. “I’m meetin’ someone here to give her a ride. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll see if I can find her.”

  “Uh, Bullet. You’re looking for me. Or I’m looking for you. Black Mountain Ranch. That’s what your sign says, right?”

  “Oh. Shit.”

  “Yeah, that’s right. You’re caught. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go find out when I can catch a flight back home.”

  “Wait a minute,” Bullet tried to catch Tristan’s arm, but she yanked it away. “Hold up a sec.” She walked faster down the short length of the terminal.

  Bullet sat in the closest chair. One way or another, she’d be back. He checked the board at the desk when he came in, there were no other flights scheduled in or out today. He crossed his arms in front of him, and waited.

  ***

  “You really didn’t know you were picking me up?” she asked, as Bullet threw her bag into the back seat of the cab.

  “Nope.”

  “And what are you doing here again?”

  “Bull riding.”

  “I don’t understand. My daddy said the owners of the ranch wanted to meet with me about private labeling some of our clothing. This is quite a coincidence, don’t you think?”

  “Yep.”

  He opened her door for her, and held his hand out to help her up. She was used to getting in and out of trucks, so she ignored his offer and climbed in on her own.

  “Where is this place?”

  Instead of answering, Bullet handed her the sheet of paper with directions to the ranch.

  “Read ’em to me.”

  “You ever heard the word ‘please’?”

  “Nope.”

  What was his problem? It was logical for her to assume he was in on this. Did he really expect her to believe he didn’t know she was the one
he was picking up? Irritated, she set the map back on the seat of the truck, folded her arms, and looked out the window.

  “I don’t know why you’re mad,” she turned and glared at him.

  “I don’t know why anyone has to be mad,” he grunted at her. “I didn’t know, okay? That’s the last time I’m gonna say it. And listen here, we’re goin’ to a ranch. If they call it a ranch, it means there’s lots of land. You can’t stand the sight of me? Keep away from me, and I’ll do the same.”

  “I didn’t say I couldn’t stand the sight of you. What makes you think I feel that way? I just don’t think you’re telling me the truth. The two have little to do with each other.”

  “You callin’ me a liar and you not being able to stand the sight of me are the same thing in my book. Now I suggest you stop with the accusations if you still want a ride. You be quiet, I’ll take you to the ranch. Deal?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “I asked you a question McCullough.”

  “I heard you.”

  “Then answer me or I’ll pull this truck over and you can fend for yourself.”

  “Deal.”

  “Good. Now read me the directions.”

  ***

  1968

  “Your mama asked me to come get her and your sister,” Clancy said at the dinner table.

  “You don’t mind? Couldn’t her husband drive her here, or am I that bad that he can’t bring my mama to my high school graduation?”

  “Bad? Where’d you get that idea?”

  “I ain’t seen my mama more than twice in the last few years. Gotta be somethin’ wrong with me.”

  Clancy dropped his fork and looked at Bill. “There isn’t anything wrong with you. The problems are his fault, not yours.”

  In all the years he’d known him, Bill rarely saw Clancy angry. And this time, he seemed very much so.

  “It’s time you knew the truth about what’s been goin’ on.”

  Bill sat still and waited. Over the last three years, Clancy had been called away from the ranch at least a half dozen times without offering explanation. It bothered Bill. Clancy was never secretive. When the first phone call came and Clancy told him he was going to Colorado Springs to help Bill’s mama with something, he asked Bill to trust that he knew best. Clancy wouldn’t say more. After all the man had done for him and his family, Bill couldn’t argue.

  “Your mama isn’t married to Mr. Snyder any longer.”

  “She isn’t?” Bill felt the heat rising in his cheeks. His mama had gotten a divorce and he hadn’t known anything about it? A sense of betrayal was forming in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. “What else have you been keepin’ from me Clancy?” Bill stood and stepped away from the kitchen table.

  “It’s a recent development. I just found out myself, so sit yourself back down and I’ll tell you the story.”

  Chapter 12

  “I’m sorry,” Tristan said, over a half hour into the drive.

  “Yeah? What for?”

  “For, uh…I’m not sure…whatever I said that offended you.”

  “You have no idea?”

  “No, not really. I know you said I called you a liar, but I didn’t.”

  “Did you believe what I was tellin’ you?”

  “No.”

  “And what do you call someone who tells you somethin’ you don’t believe.”

  “I doubted what you were saying. That’s different than saying I thought you were lying.”

  “Tristan, come on. Listen to yourself. It’s the same thing.”

  Tristan shook her head. “You’re right. And I am sorry Bullet.”

  “For two people who haven’t spent much time together, you and I say we’re sorry an awful lot. You notice that?”

  Now that he mentioned it, she did. “I think it’s more me apologizing to you rather than the other way around.”

  “You’re forgiven.”

  “Will you talk to me now?”

  “Yeah. I’ll talk.”

  “Tell me why you’re here again.”

  Bullet told her about finding his gram and parents at his house when he got back from Crested Butte, and then about Bill and Dottie arranging for him to spend a week at the ranch.

  “Didn’t it seem strange?” she asked.

  “Hell yeah it did. But my whole life is strange right now. I questioned it, sure. But then when Bill said I’d spend the week training and gettin’ on bulls, I figured what the hell? Why are you here?”

  “I told you. I’m meeting with the ranch owners about our clothing.”

  “Uh huh. Someone told you a lie, and it wasn’t me.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Somethin’ tells me that you’re not here for the reason you think you are.”

  “Do you think someone intentionally planned for us to be here together?”

  Bullet laughed. He laughed. Was she really being that naive? Obviously he was convinced someone planned it.

  “Who?”

  “Odds are on my sister, but I don’t think she was alone in her conniving. Someone had to convince Bill and Dottie. Someone had to convince my gram and my parents. And, someone had to convince your daddy. The conspiracy grows.”

  Tristan didn’t know what to say. Who? Liv? And if it was Liv, why?

  “Let me ask you this. Is there something you want for yourself? Something someone knows about, and also knows that you never put what you want before everything else in your life?”

  “Yes, there is,” she murmured.

  “What is it?”

  “I don’t want to tell you.”

  Bullet raised an eyebrow in her direction.

  “It isn’t that I don’t want to tell you specifically. It’s just not something I’m ready to talk to anyone about.”

  “So you haven’t told anyone what it is?”

  “I didn’t say that. I did tell someone.”

  “Who?”

  “Liv. And…”

  “Who? Come on, just tell me.”

  “Your sister. And Dottie knows too.”

  “I’d say the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to come together. Whatever it is that you don’t want to talk about is the reason you’re here. Just like gettin’ on practice bulls is my reason for bein’ here.”

  “I’m designing a new line of clothing.”

  “That doesn’t sound newsworthy.”

  He was right, clothing was her business. But this was different. This was for her.

  “I haven’t had time to discuss it with my daddy. I also rarely have time to work on it. If I’m going to create a whole new brand, I need several pieces ready to go into production.”

  “Guess you’ll have plenty of time to design stuff if you’re hangin’ out here for a week.”

  “But why here? My daddy could have put me on a plane to just about anywhere.”

  Tristan wasn’t sure what else to say that wouldn’t hurt Bullet’s feelings. First of all, she was sure her daddy didn’t know Bullet existed. And if Liv had told him, he certainly wouldn’t have agreed to send her off for a week with him.

  “Renie and Jace used to work this ranch. That’s where they met. Liv probably suggested it to your daddy.”

  That made sense, although she’d had no idea Liv was this manipulative.

  “She just wants you to be happy.”

  Tristan studied Bullet. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

  “I don’t know. I just do.”

  “And what am I thinking right now?”

  Bullet covered her hand with his. “You’ll make me blush Miss Tristan, askin’ me to say it out loud.”

  Tristan pulled her hand away and crossed her arms in front of her. She couldn’t hide her smile, or the heat she felt creeping into her cheeks. That hadn’t been what she was thinking about, but now it was.

  They had their own cabins, next door to each other. Bullet unloaded Tristan’s bags for her, and waited while the female ranch manager explained th
e schedule to them.

  “You’re both experienced riders, so just call this number when you want to go for a ride,” she handed each a business card. “I make breakfast and dinner for the ranch workers. It’s served in the dining hall which you passed on your way in. You’re on your own for lunch, but there’s plenty you can grab and go with at breakfast. If there’s anything else you want, just leave me a note and I’ll get it for you as soon as I can, usually it’s the same day.”

  She gave Bullet another card, with a number on it for his trainer. She told him to call him right away and let him know he’d arrived. They’d start work that afternoon. She asked if they had any other questions, but neither did.

  She pointed to another building, south of the pond. “There’s a steam room and sauna, workout equipment, and you can schedule massages or facials. We have folks on staff year round for the spa.”

  A massage sounded really good to Tristan, especially after spending the better part of two days on an airplane.

  “Is there a hot tub?” Bullet asked, but was looking at Tristan when he did. He winked at her when her gaze met his.

  “Yes, there is. And a lap pool.”

  “This is quite a setup. I didn’t expect it to be this elaborate,” Tristan commented.

  “People pay big bucks to spend a week with us. They come over from Vail and Aspen, or fly in like you did. A few years ago business started to fall off. Research told us we had to offer the spa services along with gourmet food, dancing, hot cowboys, easy and healthy horses, and loads of options for daily activities. The owners paid attention. Now we sell out just about every week we’re open.”

  “Do you know anything about a private clothing line?” Tristan ventured.

  “Oh, I’m glad you mentioned that. Yes, I’m supposed to arrange a meeting with you, me, and Stewart. He’s the owner. I understand your company has a new woman’s line in the works. We’d love to be among the first to offer it.” She picked up a catalog that had been sitting on the coffee table in the cabin. “This is the majority of what we offer now. We sell to folks around the world through this and our website. Take a look through it and see if you think your pieces would be a good fit, although from what we’ve heard from Liv Rice, they will be.”