In a quirk of fate, Madeleine had decided to keep in touch with Trinity after Star returned home. While she rarely dropped by, she kept in contact with emails and an occasional phone call now and again. Lora bonded with the older woman and they shared a close friendship until her death. At that time, Madeleine invited Trinity to move in with her since her husband passed years ago, pointing out she lived in an overly large mansion with too many rooms and too few inhabitants. Trinity declined, citing the need to figure out her life first. Madeleine seemed to take the news in stride, as if she knew the answer before she asked. However, she did insist that Trinity call her if she needed anything at all, financial or otherwise.
Gladly, Trinity accepted, thrilled to have one stability in her life while she reeled from all the sudden changes.
In the end, she kept up the friendship, but never asked for anything, too proud and determined to make it on her own. The one exception was a reference on an application to the same stud farm who housed Victory. In order to keep her promise, she needed a place to stay, freedom from a house’s monthly bills, and the ability to bring in sufficient income in order to travel each weekend in order to pursue her dream. Benefits were a huge plus.
Thankfully, a resounding recommendation from Madeleine tipped the scales in her favor. She interviewed and had been hired on the spot.
That netted her a room in one of the barns, a job at a horse farm, some new friends, and Legacy a stall and his own paddock where he could be do whatever he liked all in the pretty state of Kentucky. Barring playing with the mares, Legacy lacked for nothing he desired. Maybe down the road. Right now, she needed his mind on racing, not on which pretty filly to pursue next. Since the area of the farm where she worked specialized in stallions, Legacy fit right in. The manager, Carmen, tossed in room and board for free as part of the deal.
Thank goodness.
For that favor, she’d worked her ass off, sun up to sun down, in order to prove she was worth such an effort.
“Knew you could do it.” Carmen smiled proudly down at her.
“Thanks. Dodge City next weekend.” Trinity grimaced at the thought of driving that far. Better than making the trip to Calgary, Canada, but still many hours behind the wheel of the truck, traveling along endless highways and interstates. Alone.
Thankfully the professional organization developed circuits so competitors wouldn’t have to drive from sea to shining sea and back again. While some were relegated to one state, her area counted nine states which meant her truck showed tons of miles on the odometer and nearly as many to go before she could call it a season. The drawback of living in the Midwest division with big cities and rodeos scattered all over the place.
“But Lexington’s Stock Show will be soon. That’s a hop, skip, and a jump for you.”
“True.”
Trinity peered up at the climbing sun. “I better get a move on. Chores won’t wait on anyone.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” Carmen patted her on the back. “You’re a hard worker, Trin. I know you won’t hang around here forever, but you’ll always have a job here if you need it.”
“Thanks.” Waving, Trinity strode toward the barn where a pitchfork and wheelbarrow waited for her.
Her boss’ words stuck with her, though.
While she could barely see past one day to the next, she knew Carmen spoke with foresight. Trinity realized she wouldn’t stay at Green Meadow Farms forever, but, for the life of her, she had no clue where else to go.
An hour later, she battled fatigue and paused for a long drink of soda, hoping the caffeine would jolt her awake. More than tired, she forced her body to continue on.
After driving home the night before, unloading and caring for Legacy, she finally climbed into bed in the wee hours of the morning. Her alarm rang a couple of hours later, announcing dawn had come, along with another day filled with chores. Sure, Carmen would have given her the morning off to sleep in, but Trinity refused to ask. She loved her job, valued the opportunity, and clearly understood she had to balance her two jobs evenly. As it was, Carmen gave her a generous break by working with her competition schedule in a flexible manner. Not to mention, she provided free room and board to Legacy. That included farrier, vet, feed, and his own paddock to race alongside his sire when the mood hit them both. For that luxury, she’d gladly work her ass off without a single complaint.
She finished the morning feeding, then started back with pitchfork and wheelbarrow. Seemingly, when you fed a horse at one end, the other decided to go to work. No matter. Job security and all that. Besides, the repetition of cleaning stalls allowed her plenty of time to ponder the ways of the universe.
Her thoughts turned once more to Cody and the revelation he dropped in her lap yesterday morning. A SEAL. The idea still dumbfounded her. Yeah, she could see the ranking in his build, his gliding movements, the supreme confidence he exuded with just a hint of a cocky air. Underneath those clothes, she knew he’d be ripped, muscular, and drool worthy. Not entirely unheard of at the rodeo with high-end athletes all around, but Cody possessed something more. Something she couldn’t put her thumb on.
And that bugged the heck out of her.
His temperament flipped in a heartbeat at the mention of his service, reminding her of Legacy on one of his fussy days. The stallion blew both hot and cold and switched without notice. So had Cody.
Shame and regret had no part in the perplexing picture. Cody held his head up and didn’t slouch. Nothing about his body language pointed that out to her. Yet, he’d clammed up and lost all sense of humor in the length of time for her to utter the personal inquiry.
Enough time for flashbacks or memories to zing through his mind.
She considered the idea and declared it sound. After all, didn’t she do the same? A smell, a song, even something as simple as a glimpse of a color reminded her of her loss. Certainly, Cody could struggle with the same dilemma, although in a very different manner. He’d been to war. That had to change a man. Leave him with scars that might never heal.
No telling what he’d seen, experienced, or suffered. He was the only one who would know and most likely wasn’t about to open up that particular can of worms.
They might be worlds apart in most ways, but she knew a tiny bit of what he probably grappled with each day. Grief. Loneliness. Memories which refused to pack up and leave.
Her heart went out to him especially since she couldn’t imagine Cody admitting his background to just anyone. For some reason, he chose to answer and share his burden, however slight, with a girl he hadn’t seen in over a decade.
The reasoning remained elusive, but Trinity did know this—next time she saw him, she’d endeavor to put a grin on his face and keep it there.
It was the least she could do in honor of his sacrifice.
Besides, she honestly enjoyed his company. That said a lot.
The sharp nudge from a horse’s nose jostled her before she caught her balance with the aid of the pitchfork. Glancing up, she found a tall, gray horse staring her in the face. “Hey, Victory. Feeling playful this morning?”
He snorted and shook his mane, sending the long locks flying this way and that, and leaving him with a rakish hairstyle afterward.
She laughed and stroked his nose. “You’re such a mess.”
Other farm workers avoided Victory like skunk road kill due to his wishy-washy attitude. More than once he chased someone from his stall after doing his best impression of a mellow pony all during grooming. Trinity didn’t let his bluff fool her. He simply had a mind of his own, ran the show, and knew he ruled the roost. To get along with the big guy, you simply had to play by his rules. She let him call the shots and never once had an issue.
Of course, she’d had years of practice with Legacy, who took after his sire in so many ways.
“Enjoying your day off?” The breeding season had pretty much ended, leaving the stallions to simply hang out in their stalls and paddocks at their leisure. While the farm she worked a
t still made a habit of riding them, they didn’t press the issue if the stud had other ideas.
Victory typically fell into the ‘forget it’ category.
He lipped at her billowing T-shirt.
“That wouldn’t taste too good, buddy.” Reaching into her pocket, she dug out a peppermint, unwrapped it, and let Victory pick it off her palm. He crunched a few times, then pointedly nudged her for more.
“Greedy boy.” She fed him three more before holding up her hands, smiling the whole time. “All gone.”
With one more snuffle at her pocket, he seemed to take her word, spun on his heel, and galloped outside and down the fence line, in reminiscence of his days on the track.
Trinity enjoyed the show for several second before releasing a tired sigh.
If only the stalls could clean themselves.
Since that particular wish wasn’t about to come true, like so many others, she lifted the tool and continued with her task.
“Victory missed you.”
Glancing up, Trinity found Marie, another stable attendant, standing in the aisle with a lead rope in hand. “Why do you say that?”
Marie grinned. “Because he wouldn’t take a peppermint from anyone else, not even Carmen.”
The offhanded compliment filled Trinity’s heart and lifted her spirits. The longer she stayed, the more she felt at home, which both delighted and frankly concerned her. This was supposed to be a temporary stop in the game of life.
After dedicating this year in the pursuit of her solitary goal, she would be free. Then, and only then, could she leave and start all over again. Like a snake shedding its skin, she could wave goodbye to everything and reinvent herself. Without the constant reminder of her loss surrounding her. She thought selling the house would help ease the heartache. Wrong. While the luxury of not coming home to emptiness helped, she discovered just as many triggers for her grief elsewhere. The only escape resided in a totally new environment. Something completely different.
Where and what that might be posed as the million dollar question.
Chapter Five
Trinity just finished filling Legacy’s water tub when Lacey led Candy into the adjoining stall.
“Same set up, different day.” Lacey went about caring for her horse.
“Different state too.” Trinity pinched off the water hose. brushed the sweat from her face, and once more wished more rodeos were closer to Kentucky. The plains seemed so much warmer and more humid than home.
“A blasted hot one at that.” Lacey tied up the hay net before taking Trinity’s offered hose to fill up the mare’s bucket.
“Amen to that.” Already tired, Trinity couldn’t wait to just sit down for a few minutes and relax. After working a full day at the thoroughbred farm, she loaded up Legacy and drove across two states through the night to arrive near mid-day at the fairgrounds. Thankfully, Legacy had about six hours to stretch his legs before the barrel-racing event began.
Automatically, Trinity ran her hands over the stallion’s hide, searching for any sore spots, cuts, or bumps. Finding none, she quickly checked each hoof, found the shoes snug, and his feet just as clean as when they left home. Satisfied her horse made the trip without incident, she slipped from the stall, securing the door behind her.
“Thought you might show up.”
The all too familiar man’s voice sent a wave of annoyance through Trinity. She turned around to find Gary, dressed in his typical western shirt, jeans, and boots, staring at her like she resembled a piece of prime rib and he’d been on a forced vegetarian diet for a month.
Deciding to ignore him, she went about setting up her living area, complete with cooler, lawn chair, and a cot for sleeping later.
Unfortunately, Gary didn’t take the hint. Instead, he strolled closer, invaded her personal space, and waited for her to look at him. When she did, he grinned wickedly. “Look me up tonight.”
Trinity’s stomach knotted. “Not happening. Go sniff elsewhere.”
“Playing hard to get?” Gary lifted the brim of his hat marginally. “I won’t wait forever.” Winking, he turned and retraced his previous steps.
“You’ll be waiting until hell freezes over,” Trinity mumbled under her breath. She lifted her chin and swiveled back around to find Lacey staring at her with a mix of astonishment and amusement as she stood in the aisle once more. “What?”
“I can’t believe you turned him down. The other girls would swoon to have him hit on them. Even a couple of the married ones. To be truthful, I wouldn’t kick him out of my bed.”
Rolling her eyes, Trinity stared at her friend like she’d grown a spare head complete with horns over the past two minutes. “You too?”
Lacey shrugged. “Hey, he’s damn easy on the eyes.”
“And short on commitment.”
“Just like all the other guys. Nothing new. Heck, that’s half the fun. Fuck them and walk away.”
Trinity shook her head only a bit surprised at Lacey’s choice of terminology. From her observation, most cowboys and cowgirls came with a profanity-filled vocabulary. “I guess I was born about two centuries too late. One-night stands aren’t my thing.”
Lacey chuckled and patted her hand. “You’re just a romantic. Nothing wrong with that. Even if you’re getting long in the tooth.”
“That’s it. Kick me when I’m down.” Trinity fell into the comfortable banter they shared when hanging out at a rodeo together.
“What are friends for?” Lacey blinked innocently at her then laughed.
In all reality, Lacey talked a big game but rarely participated from what Trinity could tell. Others hunted down a bedmate for an evening of tension release. Lacey didn’t join them and never spoke of any exploits on or off the road. She rarely ventured into the conversation of her sex life, leaving Trinity wondering what made her friend tick in that department. Since it really wasn’t any of her business and she really liked the younger woman, she kept her mouth shut and went with the flow.
A sudden thought begged an answer. “You would really want to be another notch on his bedpost?” The idea bothered her.
Lacey sobered, then sighed, her gaze finding the dirt floor at their feet. “I don’t know.” She picked at her jeans. “Sometimes I think it would be nice to be in a man’s arms, to forget the rest of the world, and simply do something impulsive and just for me.”
“Like have a fling?”
“Maybe.” She shrugged.
“Is Gary that man, though?”
“I’d rather it be someone else.” Lacey lifted her head and met Trinity’s eyes. “But since the right man doesn’t know I exist, that’s beyond a long shot.”
Lacey had a crush. Newsflash to Trinity. Even though they only talked at the rodeos and didn’t call one another away from the competition, she still considered them fairly close. Friends told one another about their love interests, right?
For the first time she noted a vulnerability about Lacey that she’d never seen in the normally outgoing, friendly girl. Obviously, she grappled with her non-requited interest and hid her innermost feelings. From everyone. Most likely the man in question as well.
“Men are overrated,” Trinity pointed out, hoping to cheer her suddenly morose friend.
“Yeah. A horse makes for a better companion than a fickle man.” Lacey sighed.
“Why do you think I hang out with Legacy all the time?”
Lacey grinned softly. “Because you’re smart.”
Trinity ached for her friend who obviously had her heart set on a man who didn’t take notice of the wonderful lady Lacey presented. “Not that I have any experience in this area, but seems to me, some men are worth waiting for. No sense in settling.”
Lacey arched an eyebrow. “And if they don’t cooperate?”
“Simple. Pretend they’re a goat and you’re participating in the goat tying event.” Trinity smiled softly when Lacey giggled.
“I’m not sure, but I think they have laws against such things.”
“Possibly, but think of it this way. What cowboy is running to the cops and whining how a sexy cowgirl tied him up for a good talking to?”
“Good point.” Lacey sat quietly for a long moment as if considering Trinity’s advice. Her gaze lifted. “However, here comes a man that just might like being roped, tied, and saddled.”
Trinity turned to find Cody entering the barn aisle. He paused to peek over a stall door, then slowly ambled their direction.
“He’s worth being a bed post notch,” Lacey whispered.
Maybe.
“Lacey. Trinity.” Cody tipped his Stetson cowboy hat in their direction.
“Cody.” Lacey offered up a smile. “Back again?”
“Like a bad penny.” The corners of his lips tilted up.
The relaxation on his face combined with the bit of humor in his eyes cranked up the handsome meter in Trinity’s opinion. Her heart skipped a beat.
Stop pining after Cody like a long lost pup. Sure, he’s easy on the eyes, but that’s where it stops. Friends. Period. She chastised herself, but couldn’t help the small spark of happiness at his appearance.
“Busy day?” Trinity asked
“A little. Got to make the rounds, check all of the livestock before everything gets started tonight. First day is always the craziest.”
“No rest for the wicked?” Lacey inquired, tongue-in-cheek.
He grinned. “Something like that.” Glancing up, he peered into the stalls, looked the animals over, then turned back to Trinity. “Need anything from me?”
A kiss. A romp in the hay. A promise of undying love. Any and all of the above.
She shook her head. “I think we’re fine. Thanks, though.” Digging through her cooler, she pulled out a couple of bottles of cold water. “Here.”
Cody took the offered drink. “Thanks.” Opening the top, he took a long swallow.
“Same for me. Candy’s fit as a fiddle.”
“Then I better get going. There’s a pen full of calves with my name on them.” Cody tipped his head, turned, and strode away, his long legs eating up the distance, and soon disappearing from sight.
Cowgirl Up Page 5
