Cowgirl Up

by Cheyenne Meadows

  “I still say he’s got the best ass around.”

  Trinity didn’t argue.

  “The way he looks at you. Muy caliente.” Lacey fanned herself.

  “Drink more water. You’re starting to hallucinate from the heat.” Trinity tossed a bottle at Lacey.

  Lacey caught it with ease, unscrewed the lid, and sipped. “Why aren’t you tossing your hat in Cody’s ring? Every other woman is.”

  “I’m here to race. Nothing else. Besides, loose sex isn’t my thing. I’ve seen the consequences.”

  She didn’t blame her mother. After all, accidents occurred on a daily basis. People fell, cars wrecked, and women got impregnated from one-night stands. Shit happens. Although, this mistake changed her mother’s life in a big way. She quit barrel racing and threw herself into a college degree, becoming a teacher. Picking up roots, she moved her and Trinity to Kentucky, far away from the hotbed of rodeo. Like that alone would ensure her only child would grow up otherwise inclined. Instead, it fostered Trinity’s love of the sport, naturally wanting to follow in her mother’s footsteps. And, in the end, the trials, the move, the tough times didn’t stop. They just became harder to swallow.

  Lacey’s lips turned down into a frown. “Old news. Water under the bridge. Time to let that go, Trin.” She took another drink. “The way I see it, you’re trying to make up for your mother’s indiscretion. But, you’re forgetting one thing.”

  Not offended in the least, Trinity turned her full attention on Lacey. “What’s that?”

  “You’re the outcome and never once did your mother regret having you. So, seems to me, it’s time to quit trying to make up for her perceived faux pas and live your own life.” With those words, she set her water aside, stood, and walked toward the bathrooms at the far corner of the barn.

  Touché.

  Chapter Six

  “You sure you don’t want to come?” Lacey asked as she set Candy’s full feed bucket on the ground in the stall.

  “Positive, but thanks for inviting me.” Trinity rubbed the soft cloth over Legacy’s hide, making his coat shine in the light. She’d fed him a bit earlier, then groomed him out of habit more than anything. After a bath this afternoon, he hadn’t picked up more than a few specks of dust from their run tonight. Still, the action proved soothing, as it always had.

  “The other girls would love to have you. We’re just going out to eat. Nothing exciting.” Lacey stepped out of the stall and secured the door behind her.

  “Tell them thanks for the offer, but I won’t leave Legacy.” Trinity flashed a smile at her friend. “Who knows what kind of trouble he’ll get into when I’m not around? Heck, he might even convince Candy he’s the best stud around.”

  Lacey laughed. “There is that.” She dusted off her jeans. “Want me to bring you anything back?”

  “Nope. I’ve got everything I need.”

  “Okay. See ya in the morning then.”

  “Have fun, Lacey.” Trinity watched her go with only the tiniest flicker of regret. While she sometimes found the nights especially long, she still drew the line at leaving her stallion. The other girls seemed nice enough, but she had no urge to be part of their clique. Instead, she preferred hanging out alone, with her horse, and the tranquility of being surrounded by the other animals.

  She’d placed third tonight. Not her best run, but as much as she analyzed the details, she didn’t find many ways to improve. The small arena benefitted the smaller horses. Legacy didn’t have much of a chance to hit full stride before the finish line whizzed by. Not much could be done about that. Just stay the course. The way to qualify for the finals revolved around clean runs, holding her position in the top rankings, and simply showing up for each rodeo as they came, especially the big ones. After today, she considered changing things up a bit, skipping a Midwest circuit event and heading to Denver for the huge stock show. More competition, more points possible. She had a couple of days to make a decision and act, as entry forms and fees had to be post marked by Monday.

  “Good run tonight. This arena just doesn’t fit his style much.”

  Glancing up, Trinity found Cody leaning against a stall a couple of doors down, absently stroking a horse’s nose.

  “Thanks.” Seeing him again made her heart flutter. Despite his busy day, Cody appeared as fresh as ever. His dark hair glistened as if just out of the shower while his white shirt shined in the dimmed lights of the barn lowered for the night. If only she could accept Lacey’s nonchalant attitude about men. Flirt, find out if Cody was interested, then spend an hour discovering the secrets of sex.

  And take a walk in my mother’s shoes.

  She mentally shook the words aside, not about to dwell on the past. Not when she tried so hard to focus on the future. Lacey’s earlier words did leave a minor dent after all.

  Yet, she couldn’t help but savor every moment that Cody stood in her presence. To know he took time from his busy schedule to check on her delighted her on several levels. They shared a bond. Maybe not a strong one, but she hoped their previously shared secrets meant something. Not sure what, but a step in the right direction anyway.

  She unfolded her cot and nodded to the lawn chair. “Take a load off for a while. You look like you’ve been run hard and put up wet.”

  He sat down and stretched his legs out with a grin. “Good analogy. I’m on call, but the to-do list is done for the day.”

  Trinity opened the cooler, and pulled out another bottle of water, which she passed over to Cody. “Here. Oh, and you’re just in time for dinner.”

  His eyes widened just the slightest. “Dinner?”

  “Yep.” She handed him a plate and utensils, followed by a bag of meat. “Fried chicken, potato salad, dinner rolls, and apple pie for dessert. If you don’t mind eating everything cold.”

  “I can get something later.”

  “No way. I’ve got more than plenty. Besides, it’s criminal for food to go to waste. So think of it this way, you’re doing me a favor by helping me eat it.” She glanced up and smiled at him. “Not to mention it would be nice to have someone to talk to besides my horse now and again.”

  He grinned wryly, got up, and helped her arrange the meal on the top of the cooler before filling his plate and sitting down once more. “Okay. You’ve talked me into it.” Pulling off the first chunk of chicken, he dropped it in his mouth, and chewed. “This is delicious.”

  Trinity nodded, digging into her plate of food as she sat down on the cot. “Carmen is the best cook around.”

  “Carmen?”

  “She’s the stallion manager at Heritage.” Trinity took a drink from her water bottle. “She’s also my boss, my friend, and feels obligated to stuff me with food every time I go on the road.”

  “A woman for a stallion manager? Odd.” Cody’s eyebrows furrowed. “Not that a woman can’t do the job, just that those studs can get downright nasty.”

  She shrugged. More than one person commented on the fact a woman might not be the best choice to work with stallions. She never paid much attention to the doubters since Heritage employed several women to work around the horses and, as far as she knew, they didn’t have any more issues than the men did. “They’re big teddy bears for me.”

  He took a few more bites and studied her closely. “I’ve read good things about Heritage. Reputable stud farm. Excellent care. Acres and acres of paddocks. Saw some pictures online. Nice setup.”

  “I like it.” Trinity sank her teeth into a roll. “They’re good people and everyone there loves the horses. It’s not a job, but a calling, according to Carmen.”

  “Another Victory Gallop is there, I understand.”

  “Yep.”

  “You ever work with him?”

  Trinity smiled. “All the time.”

  Cody arched an eyebrow. “I hear he’s a handful.”

  “No more than Legacy. Like father, like son.” She lifted her gaze, noticed Legacy dozing standing up, then turned her focus back to Cody. “You nev
er said, are you living with your parents since you’re on the road every weekend?”

  He finished his salad and tore off another bite of chicken. “Yes and no. There’s another house on the property, which I’ve temporarily claimed as my own. It’s comfortable, gives me privacy, and allows me the chance to be gone without worrying about burglars breaking in since it’s pretty close to the main house.”

  She picked up on the key word. “Temporary?”

  “Yeah. Once I’ve figured out what I want to do and where I want to do it, I plan on setting down roots.” His lips thinned the slightest, hinting at a possible sore topic.

  Not the first time Trinity noticed signs of discomfort when Cody spoke of his past, and now, his future. She certainly understood the horrors of his military service, but why the thought of finding a home and settling down troubled him she couldn’t begin to fathom. Bewildered, she carefully chose her questions, watching his face closely to make sure she didn’t overstep her bounds. “Your father’s ranch is in Oklahoma, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is that where you want to stay? Or perhaps wander a bit before deciding?”

  He drank heavily from the bottle and sighed. “I don’t know yet.”

  She nodded. “Fair enough.” Heck, she could empathize. She didn’t have a grasp on her future plans any more than he did, by the sounds of it.

  “Do you intend to raise livestock or just work out of your home?”

  “Another element up in the air.”

  His tone warned her to tread cautiously. She offered up a soft smile. “Hey, I’m not about to criticize. Living in the present is where it’s at.”

  “That’s so lame.” He snorted, but she caught the twitch of his lips.

  “Couldn’t resist.” Finished with her food, she set the plate aside and cut the pie into generous portions. “Ready for dessert?”

  “Sure.”

  She picked up the largest slice and delicately placed it on the nearly empty plate he held out. He eyed the pie and peered over at her. “Trying to fatten me up?”

  “Nah. Just thought since you’re bigger, you can handle a few more calories. If I eat all this myself, Legacy will groan under the additional weight and have to hobble around the barrels.”

  Cody chuckled. “Somehow I doubt that.” He stabbed a forkful of pie and slipped it into his mouth, closed his eyes briefly, and sighed. “Delicious.”

  Trinity grinned. “Like I said, Carmen is the best.” She slipped a smaller wedge onto her own plate and took a small bite.

  He chewed and swallowed. “Do you ride the stallions there? I hear some farms still do, others don’t.”

  “Heritage is one that does. Well, only if the stallion is accepting. There are a couple who are on the ‘don’t even bother’ list.”

  The corners of his mouth hitched up. “Let me guess. Another Victory Gallop is on that list.”

  She matched his smile. “Yeah. That one has a mind of his own.”

  “To be around such amazing horseflesh day after day. That has to be quite a job.” His face relaxed as if he pondered a particularly pleasant daydream.

  “If you’re ever in the vicinity, stop by. I’ll be glad to give you a tour.” The words flowed out of their own accord, but she didn’t wish them back, not when they sounded so right to her ears.

  “Seriously?” His fork stopped halfway to his mouth.

  “Yeah. I mean it. Swing by sometime.” She sipped her water and watched him with fascination.

  “Deal.” He finished off his dessert with gusto. “Ummm. I’m sure you would want me to call ahead if I decide to visit.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Hard to do when I don’t have your phone number.”

  Trinity set her utensil down and held out her hand. He dug out his phone and placed it on her palm. She punched in numbers before handing it back. Immediately afterward, she returned the favor, tossing hers to him.

  He caught it and grinned. “Hot pink, huh?”

  She shrugged. “Hard to lose when it’s so fluorescent the astronauts at the space station can see it.”

  He laughed. “There is that.” Finishing, he gave it back.

  “Does this mean we’re officially friends?” She slipped her phone back in her pocket.

  “Yeah. I think so.” His eyes sparked.

  For a long moment Trinity could only sit and stare. She’d never seen a more handsome man in all her life. Built like a living Adonis, Cody didn’t only look the part, he could perform as well. She had no doubt his strength was born from years of manual labor instead of simply lifting weights in a gym. While he might do some time on the machines, she’d wager her boots he stayed in shape with day-to-day tasks including wrestling with uncooperative animals.

  Not for the first time she recalled his military service and wondered where he’d been deployed and what horrors caused him to tense and clam up each time she hinted at those times. Instinctively, she realized he harbored inner wounds that had yet to be dealt with. She didn’t know much, but had learned a few things from her mother’s passing. To hold the pain inside was to not only slow the healing process, but to potentially allow an abscess of negative emotions to form. Once there, they changed everything until one’s life revolved around the grieving with few if any positives to counter balance.

  Certainly, Cody had a much different experience, but she recognized the signs. He carried grief, loss, and deep scars that had yet to heal.

  Her heart broke for him even as she wondered what she could do to help.

  “What?”

  His question jolted her from her thoughts. She gave him a soft smile. “I was just wondering if you wanted more to eat. I have plenty, after all.”

  He shook his head, found the trash sack, and tossed his used garbage inside. “No thanks. I’m stuffed.”

  “Better than buying a cold hamburger from a vendor.” Trinity stashed the leftovers in the cooler, then threw her own garbage away in the same bag before tying it shut so the smell didn’t draw flies.

  “Definitely.” Cody sat back in his seat and straightened out his legs. “Lacey said she was going out with the girls for dinner tonight. Why didn’t you go with them?”

  Trinity peered down, finding her boots enthralling. She clasped her hands and blew out a breath. “I never leave Legacy.” Glancing up, she found a serious expression on Cody’s face plus a hint of curiosity in his dark eyes.

  “The barns are secured and guards walk the perimeter each night. He’d be fine for a couple of hours alone.”

  “Maybe so, but I’m not willing to take the chance.” She shrugged.

  Leaning forward, Cody rested his elbows on his knees. “You could go with them next time. I’ll stay and watch him for you.”

  The offer touched her deep. Still, she had no intentions of shirking her duty. “Thanks, but I’d rather stay with him.”

  “Don’t tell me he has separation anxiety like a dog?” He grinned teasingly.

  She snorted. “If he has a mare to flirt with, probably not. I, on the other hand, might suffer great amounts of stress and be unable to quell the strong urge to rip a pillow apart with my teeth until all the stuffing falls from the sky like a brief blizzard in June.”

  They both looked to her pillow resting at the top end of her cot.

  He laughed, the sound music to her hears while buoying her heart at the same time.

  He needs to laugh more.

  She made a silent vow to do her part in making that happen.

  Legacy zipped by him, thundering out of the arena at full speed. Well, as close as possible considering the smaller arena gave only limited space for him to hit all gears. Immediately, Cody checked the large clock at the end of the arena and cringed. Not his best run and Trinity had no chance to pick up any places tonight. The story of the rodeo. One night could make or break a participant with so many factors out of each of their control. They took the good with the bad and hoped the average worked out.

  He’d been there before. What seemed like a
n eternity ago. When things were so different and his biggest worry revolved around getting from A to B and which pretty girl to try to lasso for a night of youthful passion.

  Now, he stood in the same places, but everything had changed. He no longer pursued the ladies like a young stud set out to start his own herd and he’d figured out that the world was no longer about fun and games. Survival. That’s what everything boiled down to.

  “Tonight wasn’t our night.”

  Turning, he spied Trinity still astride Legacy walking over. She’d ditched the cowboy hat this run, allowing her long blonde braid to shine under the arena’s lights. He found the sight compelling.

  “You just need a bigger space to work in.” He watched as Legacy lipped at his shirt, glad the stud seemed to be playful rather than hateful at the moment. While a hole in his shirt might not break his budget, a hole in his hide might be a different story altogether.

  They both watched the final barrel racer fly over the finish line. Her time the best of the night.

  “I’m going to Denver next weekend.”

  He focused on her face once more. “Damn long drive.” The thought of not seeing her next weekend clenched his gut. They had bonded and he hated to miss an opportunity to hang out with her.

  “Yeah, but I need the points.” She sighed and patted Legacy on the neck. “The best I can figure, I have to hit a few of the huge places in order to have a chance to make the top twenty-five in the nation and be invited to the finals. The smaller rodeos, though closer, don’t offer up enough competition and points for that to happen.” A frown covered her face.

  A need to kiss the sad expression from her face rolled through him. He much preferred her teasing and bantering than the serious, worried look. Though he understood her reasoning and didn’t blame her for the decision, he still didn’t like the distance she would be forced to travel. Alone. Not to mention new faces, a new venue, and so many other factors he couldn’t begin to fathom. Protectiveness surged to the fore. “I’ll go with you.”

  She blinked down at him, her mouth falling open. “You’re contracted for the Midwest circuit.”