“Did the cops catch you?”
He shook his head. “Evidently the guys had lost them when they turned off on the dirt road, but we’d been wild and crazy with those guys all summer, so we wanted to see what they were into that night. Billy Tom motioned for us to follow, so we did. We didn’t know about the big tree limb that had fallen over the road to the old cabin since the last time we were there. The first five split and went around it, but Duke never even saw it coming.”
“Oh. My. God!” Nikki’s hand shot up to cover her mouth.
Tag removed his sunglasses and leaned his head back against the bench. “My tire was about six inches from that tree when I came to a stop. Billy Tom and the others didn’t even know Duke was hurt. I called 911 and held him in my arms until they got there, but he breathed his last on the way to the hospital. They played Vince Gill’s song at his funeral, and every time I hear it, it tears my heart out.”
She laid her hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Tag.”
“Me too, Nikki. I got even wilder after that. I’m pretty sure Hud got his first motorcycle just to keep me out of trouble.” He covered her hand with his. “Thanks for listening.”
“That explains one of the stickers on your truck. What about the other one? The one with Tim McGraw’s song on it?” She slipped her hand free.
“First time I heard ‘Live Like You Were Dying’ it seemed like Duke was speakin’ to me right from the grave,” he answered. “So I’ve lived every day with that in mind.”
“Ever get any other messages from him, like it’s time to put that song in your past and move on?” she asked.
“If I do, I don’t pay much attention to them,” Tag answered. “I still haven’t ridden a bull named Fumanchu, and I haven’t been skydiving.”
Neither have you. Quint’s voice was real in her head.
And I don’t intend to do either one, she argued.
“Well, darlin’.” Tag’s blue eyes scanned her body from her toes to the top of her head. “Now you know my darkest secret. Will you go out with me now?”
“Not until you ride that bull and go skydiving. If you live through those two, then we might talk about it,” she answered.
He picked up her hand and kissed the knuckles. “I’ll have to get that done in the near future.”
“I’ll be waiting in the ER when you do.” She smiled up at him.
Chapter Five
Tag glared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. The stitches were still there, a blatant reminder that he wasn’t going to ride a bull or a bronc that night at the rodeo. If Emily hadn’t been going, he might have paid the fee for a late entry and ignored what Dr. Richards said. But the whole family had plans to attend, and besides, she’d insisted on going with him for his appointment.
“You goin’ to stay in there all evenin’ primpin’ like a little girl?” Maverick yelled through the door.
Tag unlocked the door, picked up his toiletry kit, and stepped out into the hallway. “All yours,” he said, vowing to himself that he wouldn’t complain one time about the tiny bathroom in the cabin. At least he wouldn’t have to share it with three other smart-mouthed cowboys.
When Tag reached the living room, Hud looked up from the shabby sofa and grinned. “All dressed up and no bull to ride. I can’t remember the last time you had to sit in the stands at a rodeo.”
“Me neither, and I don’t like it,” Tag growled.
“Then don’t get hit in the face with a beer bottle,” Hud said. “Too bad Nikki is working tonight so you won’t even have anyone to flirt with.”
“There are other women in this part of the state.” Tag moved Hud’s gear bag from the old wooden rocking chair in the corner and sat down.
“We’ve been here a whole month, and you haven’t gone home with one of those ‘other women.’” Hud made finger quotes around the last two words. “Or brought them home with you either.”
“My mojo’s in a slump,” Tag said.
Paxton came through the front door. “You girls gonna sit here discussin’ your feelin’s all day, or are we goin’ to go hang on to a bronc for eight seconds?”
Maverick joined them from the hallway. “Hey, I might want to talk about my feelin’s, too, if I had the chance at a girl like Nikki Grady.”
Tag whipped around and shot an accusatory glare at his brother.
Hud held up both palms defensively. “I didn’t say a word.”
“But Emily did,” Maverick said. “When we were over there last night helping her move a few boxes, she told us you’ve been flirtin’ up a storm with her friend Nikki.”
Hud grinned. “Just think, if Tag got serious about her, he’d have his own personal nurse to put him back together when he gets into his crazy rebel mode.”
“Sounds like a win-win to me.”
Tag rolled his eyes. “We’ve got a rodeo waiting for us. Let’s get this show on the road.”
Paxton led the way outside, and Tag broke away from the group and headed toward his truck. “I’ll be rootin’ for all y’all, but don’t wait up for me. I might not be home tonight.”
Nikki hadn’t planned on going to the rodeo, but Emily had begged her to be there for moral support to help handle Justin’s mom, Gloria. Even though she’d have to go from the rodeo to the hospital for her shift, she couldn’t say no to a friend in need.
The parking lot was full when Nikki arrived, but she finally nosed into a spot not too far from the stands. She adjusted the rearview mirror so she could see her reflection and reapplied bright red lipstick. Then she picked up her hat from the passenger seat, got out of the car, and settled it on her head. Wearing skinny jeans with rhinestones on the hip pockets, a Western shirt that hugged her body, and a big blinged-out belt, she pretty much blended in with the crowd.
It wasn’t difficult to find Emily, not when the last of the day’s sunrays lit up her red hair like a beacon. Then she waved, stood up, and pointed to the spot she’d saved beside her. Nikki held up a hand and started in that direction, but she almost came to a screeching halt when she got close enough to see that she’d be sitting between Emily and Tag.
“Well, hello.” She tried to keep her voice cheerful as she sat down. “I thought you’d be riding some bull named Fumanchu tonight.”
“Dr. Richards said no,” Emily answered for Tag.
“Poor baby.” Nikki patted him on the knee that was pressed against hers.
“Higher, darlin’.” He winked.
“Poor baby,” she said in a high, squeaky voice.
“Looks like you’ve met your match,” Emily laughed. “I hope you can cheer him up, Nikki. He’s been in a pout all day.”
“I don’t pout,” he protested. “I’m just disappointed. I haven’t got to ride a bull since we got here.”
Justin’s brother and sister-in-law, Cade and Retta, were sitting right behind Tag. Cade patted him on the shoulder and said, “There’ll be ranch rodeos all summer. You’ll get your chance. What’s this about Fumanchu? Don’t think I’ve ever heard of that bull.”
“Two point seven seconds on a bull named Fumanchu,” Retta reminded him of the line in the song. “It’s part of that song from years ago that Tim McGraw sang about living like you were dying.”
“You got it,” Tag said.
“Y’all’ve come a long way this week,” Cade said. “The fence is sure lookin’ good over at your place.”
“Thanks,” Tag said.
“I knew he’d feel better once he got here. He’s been an old bear because he can’t ride tonight,” Emily whispered in Nikki’s right ear. “And thank you so much for coming. Gloria has been nice since she got here, but I can tell she’s not happy about the carpet.”
“It’s your house,” Nikki said out the side of her mouth.
“Amen,” Emily agreed.
Retta leaned over her very pregnant stomach and whispered, “It’ll get better, but you have to stand your ground.”
“Oh. My. Lord,” Emily gasped. “Did yo
u hear what we…”
Retta shook her head. “But I can sure imagine what you were talking about. Claire and I both had to come to terms with her.”
“Claire too?” Emily frowned.
“Levi might not be a blood brother to Justin and Cade, but Gloria tried to put her two cents in on everything they were doin’ with their house too,” Retta said. “I’m glad Cade and I got the ranch house and didn’t have to start from scratch. Shhh…”
Justin and Cade’s parents, Gloria and Vernon, joined them, sitting down at the end of the row. Then Levi and Claire took the seats that had been reserved for them right in front of Tag and Nikki. Claire wasn’t any taller than Nikki, and she owned a little quilt shop in Sunset. Levi, the foreman at the Longhorn Canyon Ranch, kept her hand in his when they sat down.
“Hey, son.” Gloria smiled up at Justin. “Is the carpet all in now? Is it time to move in?”
“Got it done today,” he answered. “Surprised me and Emily. We figured it’d take a week or more, but they had it in stock and they didn’t have a big job starting until Monday, so they sent a crew over this morning. We’ve put some boxes in the kitchen already. Tomorrow we’ll get the big stuff in.”
“We thought we’d have Sunday dinner at our place,” Emily said. “Everyone is invited.”
“That sounds great. I’ll bring the dessert,” Gloria offered.
“Thank you,” Emily said.
“Are y’all ready to get this rodeo going?” the announcer asked from the press box above them. The whole area reverberated when the crowd clapped, whistled, rang cow bells, and stomped their feet on the wooden stands.
“Lively bunch tonight, aren’t they?” Tag asked.
“I’d say so.” She nodded.
“First bull rider tonight is Maverick Callahan. He’s a newcomer to this area, but he’s got ten years under his belt from around the Tulia and Happy, Texas, area. Let’s give Maverick a big hand as he gets into position on Blue Devil, one of the meanest bulls in the business,” the announcer said.
The chute opened and the bull came out bucking. Maverick managed to hang on for five seconds before he landed in the dirt. He got up, brushed off the seat of his pants, removed his cowboy hat, and bowed to the crowd. Women threw kisses at him and the applause was deafening.
“Guess he’s got a fan base up there in the stands,” the announcer said. “Watch the number two chute for our next contestant, Riley Tate.”
“You sure look pretty tonight.” Tag leaned toward Nikki until their shoulders were touching. “I’d ask you to dance if we were at a bar.”
“This is not my first rodeo, Tag, and I’m not a virgin to the Rusty Spur either,” she said.
“So you’d dance with me?”
She shrugged. “It would depend on how many other sexy cowboys were lined up askin’ me to dance.”
“So you think I’m sexy?” He smiled, showing off perfect white teeth.
“Of course. I’m not blind,” she told him.
“And yet, you won’t go out with me?”
“That’s right,” she answered. “Most sexy cowboys are only interested in the sprint and not the marathon.”
“Oh, honey, I like to take my time and do the job right no matter what I’m doing.” His eyelid slid shut in a slow, sexy wink.
“You are impossible,” Nikki said.
“Yes, he is,” Emily agreed from her other side. “And he loves to argue. The only way to get him to shut up is to ignore him. Want to change places with me?”
“No, I can handle him.”
“Be gentle with me. My heart is fragile.” Tag picked up her hand and laid it on his chest.
Nikki quickly pulled her hand free, but she couldn’t stop the blush creeping up to her cheeks or the image of her hand on other parts of his body.
“And now we have another newcomer to our area. This young man and his brother, Tag, bought a ranch over around Sunset. Give it up for Hud Baker, folks. If he stays on Mister Salty for eight seconds, he’ll be tonight’s winner,” the announcer said.
Glad to have something to focus on, Nikki kept her eyes on Hud when he came out of the chute. Mister Salty’s hind legs pointed at the moon, and his nose smelled the dirt. At three seconds people jumped to their feet and started screaming Hud’s name. At six, they were stomping the wooden bleachers again. At eight, the noise could’ve been heard all the way to the hospital. A rescue rider rode out and helped him get loose from the bull. When Hud’s feet were firmly on the ground, he removed his straw hat and threw it like a Frisbee into the crowd. A teenage girl grabbed it and shoved it down on her head.
Emily leaned around Nikki and poked Tag on the arm. “Hud just stole your hat move.”
“He deserves it. That rascal was a mean critter,” Tag said. “I hope that girl gets him to sign the hat for her when the rodeo is over.”
“Or sooner.” Nikki motioned to the arena.
Hud jumped over the fence and the girl tried to give him back the hat, but he shook his head, pulled a pen from his pocket, and signed the brim. She and all her teenage friends blew kisses at him, and the crowd roared as he made his way back across the dirt toward the chutes.
“Nice move,” Nikki said. “Have you given away many hats?”
“Quite a few over the years,” Tag answered. “When I throw the next one, I’ll make sure I sling it your way.”
“Honey, I could never use your hat. Your head is way bigger than mine.”
“You could just hang it above your bed and dream about me,” he suggested.
I don’t need a hat to do that, she thought.
When it was time for her to leave, she gave Emily a quick hug and stood up. “I have to work on Sunday, but I’ll see you on Tuesday. If you don’t have everything moved in and arranged by then, I’ll be glad to help.”
She was easing past Tag when he stood up. In the crowded stands, that put them chest to chest.
“Don’t I get a hug too?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. Nearly everyone in these stands knows me, Tag. And as much as the ladies have been salivating over you all evening, they’d never move in on what they thought was my territory. So if you ever want to get lucky again, then you better just shake my hand,” she said.
His blue eyes were twinkling when he tipped up her chin and kissed her right on the mouth. The sweet kiss rocked her all the way to her toes and made her knees weak. She was surprised that she was still standing when it ended.
“That’s all the gettin’ lucky I need,” he whispered so close to her ear that his warm breath caressed that sensitive spot on her neck. “Good night, Nikki. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
“Good night, Tag,” she said. “I hope it’s not in the ER this weekend.”
Her legs were still shaky when she reached the hospital a few minutes later. Rosemary met her in the waiting room and whistled through her teeth. “Where have you been?”
“That ranch rodeo.” Nikki kept walking through the doors and down the hall to the tiny on-call room. She locked the door, slid down the back of it, and put her head on her knees. If a relatively chaste kiss could affect her this way, she couldn’t help but wonder what a night in bed with Tag would be like.
She got her bearings enough to rise up, get changed into her scrubs, and grab her tablet from her locker. When she opened the door, Rosemary was standing right beside it. “Was that good-lookin’ cowboy from last weekend riding tonight?”
“No, he wasn’t.” Nikki headed toward the break room for the briefing.
Rosemary followed behind her. “Was he there?”
“Yep,” Nikki said.
Rosemary dug deep into the pocket of her scrub pants when her phone rang. “Hello,” she answered as she kept pace with Nikki. “Is that so? Not half an hour ago?”
“Everything okay?” Nikki held the break room door open for Rosemary to enter first.
“Just fine,” Rosemary said. “But after we get done with our briefing, I want to know all about
that kiss you got right out there in public from that cowboy. Have you been holding something back from me?”
Tag glanced over at Nikki’s cowgirl hat, which was sitting beside him in the truck. He should’ve just let Emily take it home with her, but truth was that he wanted to see Nikki again that night. Her lips on his had stirred something inside him that he thought had died years ago—a feeling of hope in life.
It was well past midnight when he marched into the ER waiting room. The place was as quiet as a tomb. Evidently no fights had broken out, no kid had shoved a bean up his nose, and no poor old cowboy had taken a blow to his jawbone. Surprisingly enough, there wasn’t even a cowboy with a sprained ankle or a busted-up wrist from the rodeo that night. Hat with a feather stuck in a pink band in his hand, he went straight to the desk where folks checked in.
“Fill out this form, and I’ll get someone to take a look at you as quick as possible,” the lady said.
“I’m not here because I’m sick. I just need to see Nikki Grady. I’m returning something of hers.” Tag held up the hat.
The lady looked up at him and her eyes widened in surprise. “You’re that cowboy who came in last week with lots of blood.”
“That would be me,” he said.
“Wait right here, and I’ll get Nikki. We’re not very busy, so she should be right here soon,” she said as she hurried through a door.
Nikki’s expression was one of pure shock when she ran into the waiting room. She stopped so quickly that the soles of her shoes made a squeaking noise. “Where are you hurt this time?”
He held up the hat. “Not hurt. Just bringing your hat to you. You left it behind.”
“Thanks. You didn’t have to do that.” She took it from him.
“It only meant driving a couple more blocks. Little quieter here tonight than it was last week at this time.” He didn’t want to just turn and walk away.
Cowboy Rebel--Includes a bonus short story Page 5
