Learning the Ropes

by T. J. Kline

  “He knows the ranch is just sucking money at this point. It needs repairs I can’t afford. I’ll just buy a modular and put it on his property. It will be easier for everyone.” His father eyed him as if waiting for David to bite at the bait he offered.

  What his father wasn’t saying was that if he sold the place, he wouldn’t have to work at all and could continue to drink his pain away in privacy. He wondered how much of that money would be used for liquor or gambling. David couldn’t help his father if he wouldn’t admit there was a problem and Colt had no desire to face his demons.

  “I hate to see you sell the place, Dad. Is there something I can do to help?”

  “Yeah, win.” His father looked around to see if anyone was nearby and lowered his voice. “If you paid off the mortgage I took out on it, it could stay in the family. But you’d need to find someone to run it when you’re gone. My leg . . .” He pressed his hand against his thigh, as if trying to remind David of the painful injury. Like the man ever let either of his sons forget what he’d sacrificed.

  And when did his father take out a mortgage? The property had been paid in full for years. He had no idea his father had taken out a loan against it but he didn’t have the funds to pay it off nor did he know anyone who could run a ranch of that size while he was driving across the country, rodeoing.

  “Dad, I . . .” David shrugged. “I would if I could.” He looked down at the ground, ashamed to turn his father down.

  Colt sighed, his disgust obvious. “That’s what I figured.” He shook his head. “I thought I did better than this with you boys.”

  “Dad—”

  “No,” he interrupted David, holding up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it. I’ll let you know when the sale goes through. Maybe between now and then you can find some sort of miracle for your old man.”

  David didn’t miss the caustic tone, just one more barb his father passed along to his boys. Wasn’t it bad enough he’d antagonized their mother until she ran out, but now he seemed intent on pushing his sons away, too. David watched his father limp away, pasting on a smile when several younger cowboys stopped him, asking for his autograph. He was grateful for the sense of family loyalty his mother and brother instilled in him growing up but, right now, it was nothing more than another boulder on the mountainous pressure weighing him down. So I’m supposed to carry on the family name and win the title while somehow saving the ranch? David’s hand curled into a fist and he wished he could find something to punch.

  Chapter Five

  * * *

  ALICIA LEANED FORWARD on the fence, watching the last of the barrel racers making their runs. So far her time was holding strong; no one had even come near it, but she wasn’t ready to celebrate yet. There were three more girls to go and one of those was Delilah and the $200,000 horse her father bought to help her win. Her stomach twisted and did a backflip when she heard Delilah’s name called over the loudspeaker. Alicia watched her charge into the arena, leather quirt between her teeth. Determination was etched on her brow and Alicia felt sorry for the horse, knowing Delilah would be whipping it for more speed in the stretch.

  As Delilah came around the first turn, Alicia found herself willing the barrel to topple and her heart leapt when she saw how closely Delilah cut the second barrel, certain it would fall. She cringed when she didn’t even seem to touch it and her horse continued its furious pace toward the second and then third barrels before speeding home. Alicia glanced at the clock as Delilah’s horse stretched out, running hard, and seconds ticked past. 15.39 . . . 15.40 . . . 15.41. The buzzer sounded, signaling a finish, and Alicia’s head fell forward.

  “Damn it,” she whispered.

  Chris and David flanked her on either side and she hated that they witnessed her disappointment, especially considering she was still in the money and they were going home empty-handed, but did she really have to come in second to Delilah again? Maybe Delilah was right and she was just out of her league.

  “That sucks.”

  David’s words summed up her feelings precisely. She’d hoped she’d be able to earn enough at her hometown rodeo to finally put an offer on the property. She was dying to tell her parents she’d bought them a house and to make her father’s dream a reality but apparently it wasn’t going to happen this weekend.

  “Look at it this way, Ali,” Chris said, circling his arm around her shoulders and giving a quick squeeze to cheer her up, “it took a horse that cost nearly a quarter million to beat you.”

  She rolled her eyes and frowned at him. “Thanks, that helps so much.”

  David chuckled at her sarcasm but she could read the sympathy in his dark eyes. She sighed. “I’m going to get the horses home.”

  Alicia made her way down the bleachers, hoping to be one of the first to the rodeo secretary to collect her check and avoid Delilah altogether.

  David followed her. “Why don’t you come out with us tonight and drown your sorrows in a beer at the Ole Corner,” he offered.

  Alicia turned and faced the two of them. “I should probably stay home. With Beast dropping his shoulder, I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me this week. I’ve got to make sure next week’s run is just as good or better.”

  “Come on, Ali.” Chris bumped her arm with his elbow, playfully. “You’re the only one who won any money today. We’ll let you buy us a round.”

  “Really, Chris? I can buy?” she feigned excitement, rolling her eyes skyward. “Such a gentleman.” She covered her heart with both hands before fanning her face. “Be still my heart.”

  David arched a brow as she mocked Chris. “Nice to see every woman isn’t immune to your charm.”

  “She wants me,” Chris countered and gave her a wink.

  Alicia glared at him. His remark hit a little too close to the truth for her liking. Even as she fought the urge to melt into a puddle at his feet, she wondered, when he looked at her like that, if he didn’t suspect the truth. She might be able to joke with him and pretend she didn’t feel anything more than a casual friendship but that didn’t stop her from imagining what it would be like to be held by Chris again, or to kiss him, or have his hands . . .

  Stop, she ordered her wayward thoughts. No sense even fantasizing since it was never going to happen. Chris had left a string of broken hearts behind him and she wasn’t about to have hers tossed into the battered debris.

  “Look out!” a voice called.

  David yanked Alicia backward just as a big sorrel barreled past, nearly running her over. “Watch where you’re going,” David yelled after the rider.

  Delilah circled the frantic animal and looked backward over her shoulder. “Oh, so sorry. I was just so excited about my win . . . my head must be in the clouds.” Her voice was sickeningly sweet and made Alicia want to gag. Or throw something at her as she continued running her horse through the crowd.

  “I really hate her,” Alicia muttered. “Why did it have to be her?”

  “That’s exactly why you need to come out with us tonight,” Chris urged. “We’ll have so much fun, you’ll forget about bleached blonds with sugar-daddy aspirations. Besides, at least you didn’t lose.”

  “Just leave her alone, Chris. If she doesn’t want to go, it’s fine.” David sounded enraged and she wondered at his intensity. “And we didn’t lose.”

  Chris stopped and scowled at his partner. “I didn’t mean us. Are you going to hold his over my head all night because I thought we talked about this already?”

  “Yeah, well, it doesn’t really change the fact that we’re barely holding on to the top ten by our fingernails now, does it?”

  Alicia was surprised by David’s anger. He’d kept it under control when she was at the trailer but something had suddenly unleashed it and she wondered if this wasn’t a sign she should beg off going tonight. David didn’t seem like he was any mood to go out, regardless of Chris’s assurance of a good time.

  Chris shot him a warning look. “Cool it,” he muttered through clenched teeth. />
  David threw his hands into the air. “That’s right. I forgot. Everything has to be your way, doesn’t it, Chris?” David pushed past him and headed to the trailer, leaving Alicia staring after him wondering what just happened.

  She chewed at her lower lip. Alicia felt bad refusing but she just didn’t want to deal with Delilah and her flunkies tonight. She just didn’t have the patience for them tonight. Just the thought made her sick to her stomach. “I don’t think I can deal with the crowds at Maverick’s.”

  “Then let’s go to the Ole Corner and play pool. It’ll be nearly empty.”

  The Ole Corner was a favorite with locals who just wanted a quiet place to hang out, away from the fake cowboys and even more fake groupies. It had smaller dance floors and wasn’t nearly as fancy as the bars where most of the out-of-town cowboys frequented. It also wasn’t filled with the women trying to pick them up. Delilah was sure to be prowling for her next victim tonight and that meant looking for someone in the money. Alicia arched a brow at Chris.

  “Come on, Ali,” Chris prodded. “You know you don’t have anything better to do. You’re not going to ride either of those horses tonight. Besides, I promise, we’ll have a good time. So good we’ll all forget about today.”

  Damn him and those puppy dog eyes. Damn him for knowing exactly what she wanted to hear. It was as good a place as any to have a pity party and at least she’d have good company.

  “Fine,” she said, sighing. “But you’re buying me dinner.”

  CHRIS GAVE A low whistle as Ali stepped onto the porch, glad he waited in the truck while David met her at the door instead of where someone would witness his reaction to her. She looked absolutely gorgeous. There was just something sexy about a girl who knew how to keep it simple and she’d certainly done that. Pairing her jeans with a short, flowing shirt held up by thin straps, she showed just a hint of her flat stomach behind her belt buckle. She’d never been one to wear much makeup but the little she did wear always seemed to accent her best features: her eyes and full lips. Chris felt the heat churning in his veins and settle below his belt. God, how he wanted to kiss those lips right now.

  Down boy, she’s not your girl.

  He knew he was an idiot. Chris shook his head and forced himself to tear his gaze from Ali and focused on his hands, gripping the steering wheel of the truck. She was David’s now; he’d stupidly made sure of that. They even looked like a couple, walking to the truck, hand in hand. Besides, he reminded himself he had absolutely no interest in relationships. Right?

  Hell, he thought rubbing on hand against his temple, he had no interest past finding some sweet woman to dance with tonight at the Ole Corner.

  Chris dared to glance up at Ali as David approached the truck and opened her door. Who are you kidding?

  Jealousy gnawed at his gut, eating away at the lie that protected him for years. The realization hit him between the eyes. Suddenly, the thought of holding Ali, of kissing those lips every morning, of being able to bury himself into her made him want to rethink his priorities. David opened the door, interrupting Chris’s ridiculous thoughts, and Ali slid inside, buckling herself into the seat between the two of them. The heat from her skin was almost palpable and he moved away from her.

  “Hey, Chris. You look nice.”

  “You, too.” Chris clamped his teeth together and stared out the windshield, refusing to look her way. It didn’t stop him from seeing the way David laid his hand on her knee possessively from the corner of his eye. As if Chris needed the reminder of who she was with tonight; the uncomfortable ache in his groin reminded him Ali wasn’t his. He shifted and forced himself to think about anything other than her firm thigh pressed against his, grateful that the Ole Corner was only a few miles away.

  It took longer to find a parking spot at the bar than it did to drive there from Alicia’s house. Chris dropped the pair off at the front door, glad to put some space between him and the woman brushing against his shoulder as she exited the truck. She smelled good enough to eat, like strawberries on a hot summer day—sweet and tempting. He bit back the groan that threatened when her hand landed against his knee and he quickly moved away. Alicia gave him a curious glance but didn’t say anything.

  Chris cleared his throat. “Okay, kids, you can have all the fun you want tonight. If I don’t find you right away, just come find me when you’re ready to leave. Otherwise, I’ll find a parking spot and join you inside.”

  “You sure?” Ali asked, sweetly. “We can wait for you here.”

  David barely tore his gaze away from Ali long enough to look at Chris and when he did it was filled with pent up fury.

  Chris clenched his jaw. He knew that look and prayed that tonight wouldn’t end up with him backing David up in a fight. He looked at his partner pointedly “I promised David I’d make up for today, so go. Order me a beer and I’ll be right there.”

  David’s eyes cleared for a moment, acknowledging Chris’s unspoken apology, before he helped Ali from the truck, curling his hand around hers as he pulled her toward the front door. Chris drove away before she could say anything else. He was beginning to think he should have come alone. Maybe he should just head over to Maverick’s and pick David and Ali up later. He wasn’t looking forward to watching David and Ali together all night. He was having a hard enough time ignoring the knot of pain in his chest as she took David’s hand and walked inside. He climbed from the driver’s seat, forcing himself not to slam the door. This was a stupid idea.

  “Best way to forget one woman is to find a different one,” he reminded himself. Oddly, the thought didn’t bring him even a small measure of comfort. In fact, it made him feel pathetic and shallow.

  Chris headed straight for the bar and ordered three beers, spotting David and Ali walking toward a single empty table in the back corner between the televisions and pool tables. There weren’t many seats left and, if this place was full, he could only imagine how busy the more popular bars must be. Laughter and shouting came from the back room just before a loud cheer encouraged someone to “take another shot.”

  “Kinda busy in here tonight, Jeff.” Chris recognized the bartender as one of his high school football teammates. “Did David order yet?”

  “Nope, what can I get for you?”

  “What’s on the tap?” Jeff recited several brews and Chris ordered what he thought Ali might like. He turned as another shout came from the back room.

  Jeff sighed. “I hate nights like this. It’s good for business but bad for the bar.” He’d no more than slid the frosty mugs onto the counter and finished wiping away moisture from the counter when the sound of shattering glass broke through the cheer of the crowd in the back. “See what I mean?” Jeff grabbed another towel, waving to a large bouncer partially hidden in the shadows across the room before hurrying to clean up the mess.

  Chris maneuvered through the throng of bodies near the only television and moved past the makeshift dance floor near a beaten up jukebox blaring a Carrie Underwood song. He twisted his body to barely avoid being hit by a pool stick as he made his way to David and Ali through the crowd.

  “Sorry!” the player apologized.

  “No problem,” Chris muttered. He slid the frosty glasses onto the table as foam spilled over the sides and, reaching for his own, raised it in a toast. Ali and David followed suit slowly, as if they didn’t trust him. “Here’s to coming in second, if at all.”

  Ali’s hand lowered her glass back to the table and a deep frown creased her brow. “That’s not funny.”

  David slammed his mug back on the table and glowered. Chris cursed himself for bringing up a sore subject and tipped his head to the side. “I’m only kidding, Ali.” He set his drink down and nudged the hand curled around her mug. “Lighten up. It can’t be that bad.”

  “Maybe not for you guys, but I’m tired of always coming in second. I had plans for that purse. I needed that money.” Her fingers traced random patterns in the frost covering her glass and Chris wondered if s
he realized she’d drawn a cloverleaf pattern, just like the one she’d ridden today.

  David frowned at Chris, shaking his head in disgust, before chugging the brew in his glass. Chris wasn’t sure if the look was meant to remind him of how they’d lost today because of his throw or if David had something else on his mind. Okay, he messed up. It wasn’t like moping about it tonight was going to change anything. Why couldn’t he just get over it?

  “Excuse me for a second.” David rose and headed to the bar, leaving Ali and Chris to wonder about his sudden departure. Chris watched as David placed an order, chatting with Jeff behind the bar.

  “What’s with him?” Ali sounded hurt by David’s quick departure.

  “I think he’s still pissed I missed that throw today.” He watched David slam back a shot glass of amber liquid. There was only one reason David ever touched hard liquor and it wasn’t because of a loss. Chris sighed. “Nope, it’s because he saw his dad today.”

  “His dad? Colt Greenly? He’s a legend.”

  She looked confused but Chris kept his mouth shut. It wasn’t his story to tell. “Tonight might not have been the best night for a second date,” Chris warned as he watched David toss back a second shot. He didn’t want to betray David’s trust but he didn’t want Ali to speculate about what happened either. “Let’s just say, not everyone is a fan of Colt Greenly.”

  “Should we go?” She looked past Chris to where her date was drowning his sorrows in a third shot. David glanced over his shoulder at them and shook his head, heading back toward the table juggling three more beers.

  Alicia frowned and Chris could see the uneasiness in her dark eyes. Chris swallowed the last of the beer in his glass. “I’m going to go see what he’s doing. I’ll be right back. Hang tight.” He felt bad leaving her waiting at the table as he intercepted David near the dance floor.