Win Me Over

by Heather Slade

“I have a few ideas ’bout that. We can talk about it over dinner. Okay?”

  Yeah, that sounded good. Sometimes he felt as though Lyric was a decade older than him. She had her shit together in a way he doubted he ever would.

  “I got the place in Palmer Lake to myself, with Bree and Jace married,” Lyric began once they were seated and Grey was settled in a high chair. “Payin’ the rent isn’t an issue for me. In fact, I’m thinkin’ of askin’ Paige and Mark if they’d consider sellin’ it to me.”

  Paige and Mark were Bree’s parents, and Lyric had been renting the house near the lake from them for a couple of years. Originally she and Blythe were going to live there together. Blythe was Bree’s sister, who was now married to Tucker, Jace’s twin brother. Just thinking about how many overlaps there were in the Rice family made Bullet’s head hurt.

  “If you get a place here in Crested Butte, I could stay with you. Then, when you’re in Monument, you could stay with me.”

  “Havin’ me and Grey livin’ with you won’t cramp your style?”

  “What style? Come on, Bullet. All I got time for, right now, is chasin’ my dreams. Gotta stay focused to shine bright, ya know.”

  He did know, and he wasn’t very good at it. Not like she was.

  “Your problem is you think too much with the wrong part of your anatomy.” She fisted her hand and knocked the side of his head. “You got a good brain in here, bud. You’re as smart as I am, maybe smarter. But instead, you’re too busy chasin’ skirts and breedin’ babies.”

  His sister was right, but he wished she wouldn’t put it that way. He was already feeling bad enough about himself after his run-in with Tristan that morning.

  “It’ll be all right,” Lyric said and hugged him. “You’re in a good place now, with good people. All you gotta do is put a plan together, and then stick to it. Don’t let yourself get sidetracked with stuff that don’t matter.”

  “Like chasin’ skirts?”

  “Exactly. Now, tell me, what’s your dream, Bullet?”

  “You know what it is.”

  “Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t. Tell me your dream. Say it out loud. And then tell me how much you want it. From there we’ll figure out how to start makin’ it happen.”

  Bullet loved his sister’s positive attitude. She was a lot like their parents, that way. They focused on what was in front of them and rarely looked back.

  “Okay, here it is. My dream is to be a world champion bull rider.”

  “See? That wasn’t so hard. What do you have to do to make it happen?”

  “Get on bulls.”

  “Simple, right?”

  Bullet looked at Grey sitting in the high chair next to him. “Not simple at all.”

  “Lots of bull riders have kids.”

  “I don’t know of any whose kids don’t have a mama.”

  “Maybe not, but how many of ’em have a twin sister?”

  Bullet didn’t think that was really the same thing, but it made him smile anyway.

  “So, how much do you want it?”

  “More than anything.”

  “Anything?”

  “Anything.”

  “Well, all right, then.”

  He and Lyric talked until Grey looked as though he was about to fall asleep in the high chair.

  “We better get back.”

  “Yep, we should. You feelin’ better?”

  He smiled. “You already know the answer, don’t ya?”

  She hugged him and smiled. “Yeah, I do.”

  Liv invited Tristan to join her out on the porch after dinner.

  “He’s not so bad you know.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Bullet. He’s a good kid. He just needs guidance. A mentor maybe.”

  “Maybe. I don’t think it matters. I don’t see him making it as a bull rider.”

  “You don’t? That intrigues me. Why not?”

  “His son, for starters. I can’t imagine he’ll be getting on many bulls this year. And if he does, he should be ashamed of himself. His first priority should be that little boy.”

  “Are the two mutually exclusive?”

  “Come on, Liv. You’re not new to rodeo. You had a pretty good scare yourself, barrel racing. And I’m not saying barrel racing isn’t dangerous. I had a few bad spills when I was still competing. But it certainly isn’t as dangerous as bull riding.”

  Liv had had an accident her first year as a serious competitor. Talk was she would be paralyzed, but she was able to come back from it and compete again.

  “Not to mention his age. He’s not a kid anymore.”

  “My goodness, Tristan, he’s twenty-five. I was forty when I started competing.”

  “Again, no offense, Liv, but it’s different.”

  “You don’t think he has a chance?”

  “No, I don’t. And more importantly, I think it would be irresponsible of him to even try.”

  “You’re entitled to your opinion, Miss Lost Cowboy, but I’m here to tell you, you’re wrong.”

  “Bullet—”

  Before she could say another word, he carried Grey inside and kicked the door closed behind him. He didn’t care what she said, or what she thought. She didn’t know him, or what he was capable of. He’d show her, but more importantly, he’d show himself.

  He got Grey settled in a clean diaper and pajamas, set him in the crib, and hooked the baby monitor to his back pocket. She thought he was irresponsible? What the hell did she know?

  “I didn’t see him there.”

  Liv looked up at the stars. Tristan wasn’t sure she heard her.

  “Liv?”

  “Never doubt the human spirit, Tristan. Even when situations seem impossible, or people seem incapable.”

  “That’s something my daddy would say.”

  “I haven’t met your father yet, but my guess is he’s a smart man.”

  “The smartest.”

  “I’m sure the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. I bet he’s compassionate too.”

  Tristan’s cheeks heated with the dressing down Liv gave her, but she didn’t argue. She was quicker to judge than she should be. She knew that.

  “Neither of you is wrong,” said Lyric, walking up the porch steps. “He’s gonna have to work damn hard if he wants to catch his dreams. He knows it, and he’s prepared to do it. No matter how high the odds are stacked against him.”

  “I should’ve kept my mouth shut. I hardly know him. I had no right—”

  “You always have a right to express your opinion. In fact, overhearing what you said is only gonna make him try harder.”

  “I doubt my opinion matters to him.”

  Even as dark as it was on the porch, Tristan caught the smile that passed between Liv and Lyric.

  “Someone’s lookin’ for her mama.” Ben came out on the porch, carrying Caden. Liv reached out for her, and the little girl snuggled in on her lap.

  “Hello, my darling child. Do you want mama to read you a bedtime story?”

  Caden shook her head from side to side. “No book. Tell a story, Mama.”

  Tristan stood and went inside. Lyric followed her.

  “It might make a good story,” Lyric said.

  “Caden’s bedtime story?”

  “No, my brother’s.”

  “Oh. Well—”

  “Maybe he’s the ‘Lost Cowboy’ who finds his way back. Maybe his story is exactly what your brand needs.”

  “And what if he doesn’t find his way back?”

  “Don’t let him know. Don’t let anyone know. Follow him yourself. See how he does.”

  Tristan shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe.”

  “Worth considerin’ is all I’m sayin’.”

  She found the idea as intriguing as she found the man. Lyric might be on to something. The Lost Cowboy brand really was about bringing back the ideals her father and grandfather believed in. But was Bullet up for the challenge? Especially given he’d know nothing about it. If the st
ory was going to be authentic, he couldn’t know. No one could. Not even Lyric. Bullet needed to turn his life around for himself, not so Lost Cowboy would sponsor him. That’s the only way it would work.

  1963

  The cowboys who worked as ranch hands were headed to Glenwood Springs for a bull-bucking. Bill wanted to go along, but he wasn’t sure they’d let him, and he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

  When he finished his afternoon chores, he thought about taking one of the horses out for a trail ride. Nobody minded if he did, but they didn’t like him to go alone. He’d have to see if there was anyone staying behind who’d go along.

  He was walking past the dining hall when Sadie, the ranch cook, called out to him. “Where you off to, Billy boy?”

  It drove him crazy that she called him Billy. He’d politely asked her to call him Bill, but she didn’t pay any attention to him.

  “I was thinkin’ on goin’ for a ride, ma’am.”

  She motioned him over. “You want some company out on the trail?”

  Did she want to go for a ride? Bill sure hoped not. He doubted she could even mount up without a block. And what horse would she ride? The woman had to weigh more than any of the ranch’s horses.

  “My nieces are visiting this week. I’m sure they’d like to go with you.”

  Oh, jeez. Nieces? That meant there was more than one of them. This was turning into work. “They know how to ride, ma’am?”

  “Sure do. In fact, they can both outride you.”

  Bill doubted it, but if they thought they could outride him, they could certainly saddle up their own horses.

  “This is Misty,” Sadie told him, waving at the two girls who had just walked in.

  He recognized her from the day before. She’d been sitting on the fence, trying to get the cowboys’ attention. She looked like trouble to him.

  “And this here is Dorothea,” Sadie continued.

  “Aunt Sadie, I told you nobody calls me Dorothea.” The little girl turned and looked at Bill. “Hi,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m Dottie.” She had blonde, curly hair that looked almost white, big blue eyes, and a smile that lit up her face.

  He’d introduce himself to her if he could remember his name. The prettiest girl he’d ever seen in his life was waiting for him to answer, and he couldn’t speak.

  6

  “Signed and sealed,” Billy smiled and shook Tristan’s hand. “Welcome aboard.”

  “I could say the same to you, but your outfit is quite a bit bigger than ours.”

  “There ain’t nothin’ stoppin’ you from growin’. Soon, instead of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, we’ll all be goin’ to Vegas for the Lost Cowboy NFR.”

  “Right,” she grinned. “Well, since our deal has been made, it’s time for me to head home.” She’d miss being at the Flying R. She’d gotten used to the noisy, fun-loving cowboys and the chaos of toddlers under foot all the time.

  Liv put her arm around Tristan’s shoulders. “I hope not for long. Billy, can’t you figure out a reason for Tristan to work out of Flying R headquarters, at least part-time?”

  “As a matter of fact…”

  Wait. What? Was Billy serious? Was there a reason she’d have to work from here instead of home? If he could come up with one legitimate enough, she’d take him up on it in a heartbeat.

  “We’re havin’ a team meeting here in three weeks. Tristan, I understand you and Lyric have your heads together on potential sponsorships. Let’s see who you’ve got, and then get ’em here. We’ll call it a meet and greet, and see who fits.”

  Instead of feeling sad about leaving, she could look forward to coming back in less than a month. “Sounds good to me.” A couple of days ago, she would’ve felt as though coming back so soon would be imposing, but not now. She’d gotten used to Liv and Ben’s open door policy. Everyone was welcome, at any time. Had she even suggested she stay anywhere else, Liv would’ve been insulted.

  Plus, Crested Butte was quickly growing on her. She’d love to spend more time in the quaint town. In their agreement, they’d given Lost Cowboy access to Flying R’s plane—if it wasn’t already in use by one of the rough stock partners, or by Ben’s band or father. Even if she didn’t make use of it and flew commercial, flying in and out of Gunnison was easier than going through Denver. There was a direct flight to and from LaGuardia a couple of times a day. It was the closest airport to her family’s place on Long Island.

  When Liv overheard Tristan talking about booking a flight, she called Ben. “Can you please check the log book, sweetheart?” Liv winked at Tristan and put her hand over the phone. “I love this man so much.”

  Tristan couldn’t help but smile. Being around them, and Billy and Renie, and Jace and Bree, and…all of them basically, made her yearn for a relationship of her own. It might be a long time coming, though. It wasn’t like she was in a position to meet anyone, other than cowboys. She looked around her. The very relationships she was envying were with cowboys. It couldn’t be that all of the good ones were taken.

  “Okay, great. See you later, sweetie.” Liv turned to Tristan. “The plane is yours tomorrow. Ben said he needs to go to New York anyway. He’ll stay a couple of nights, and then fly home. If tomorrow works for you, of course. I’m in no hurry for you to leave.”

  “Tomorrow is perfect. And, uh, we have plenty of room at our place for Ben to stay with us if he doesn’t mind driving into the city. There’s an airport in Ronkonkoma, which is only a few minutes from our place in Holbrook. The drive into Manhattan is a little over an hour.”

  Liv hugged her. “I’m sure he’d love it.”

  Tristan probably should’ve checked with her father before she invited Ben to stay at their place, but they had plenty of room, and she was certain her father would agree to it.

  “What are you thinking about?” Liv asked.

  “How nice it would be to have him at our place. If anything, we don’t make that kind of offer often enough.”

  She’d change that though. Maybe some of the Lost Cowboy-Flying R meetings could be held in New York.

  The door opened and Bullet walked in, carrying Grey. He’d been standoffish to her since the other night even though she’d tried to apologize more than once. Each time, he’d waved her off.

  “Mornin’,” he said, more to Liv than to her.

  “Good morning to you, too. How’s my big boy today?” Liv walked over and took Grey out of Bullet’s arms.

  “You sure about this, ma’am?”

  “There are at least two things I’m sure about. One, you know my name. It’s Liv, and I expect you to use it. Two, Caden has been asking me for over an hour when her buddy Grey is going to be here. She’ll be thrilled to see him, which makes my life much easier.”

  Liv unbuttoned Grey’s jacket and went in the direction of the family room, where Caden was playing. Tristan heard the little girl squeal when she saw her playmate.

  “He loves comin’ over here.” Bullet shuffled his feet. “And she’s so great to make it seem like she ain’t doin’ me a favor when she watches him.” He looked at the floor, then the ceiling, then over her head, in the direction of the family room. Everywhere but at her.

  “Bullet, I want you to know how sorry I am about what I said the other night. What you do isn’t any of my business. I don’t know the first thing about being a parent, or a bull rider. I’m in no position to judge you.”

  “I told you before not to worry about it.” He still didn’t look at her. “My life is a mess right now, and I’m workin’ hard to get it right. As right as I can anyway, considerin’ my son no longer has a mama.”

  Tristan’s eyes filled with tears.

  “It ain’t nothin’ for you to cry about. We don’t need you feelin’ sorry for us.”

  At least he finally looked at her. “I don’t feel sorry for you, Bullet. Or Grey. It’s just that I understand—”

  “Forgive me for leavin’ in the middle of your sentence, but if I don’t, I’m go
nna say somethin’ I’ll regret. I will say this, though.” He walked closer, his eyes boring into hers as he did. “You don’t understand anything about my life, or my son’s life. Nothing at all.”

  When Bullet stormed out of the front door, Tristan closed her eyes and waited for it to slam behind him, but it didn’t.

  It wasn’t her fault. It was his. But he couldn’t help it. Every time he looked at her, he saw his own shortcomings. He’d wasted a hell of a lot of the last couple of years having fun, not thinking about the consequences of his actions. He had two kids to prove it.

  This morning, he’d spent a half hour trying to talk Hannah Pearl’s mama into letting his daughter come and stay with him for a few days. She questioned him up one side and down the other about what happened with Callie and why he was in Colorado with Grey. When he told her he didn’t know why Callie killed herself, the woman lit into him.

  “Bullshit,” she’d said. “I know how it feels when you lose interest. I’ve lived through it. Remember?”

  He hadn’t lost interest in Callie. He’d tried, more times than he could count, to make their relationship work. It didn’t help the guilt he felt, especially since he was still dreaming about her pretty near every night.

  “Ready to get to work?” Lyric asked. “You’re leavin’ tomorrow, right?”

  “Right,” Tristan nodded her head.

  “You and Bullet have some powerful chemistry between you.”

  “What? No, we don’t. We don’t have anything between us.”

  “Uh huh. He’s under your skin, and you’re under his.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Bullet is…” What could she say that wouldn’t insult his twin sister? She’d been about to say that he was immature. And pig-headed.

  “Waitin’.” Lyric drummed her fingers on the table.

  “For what? Oh.” Tristan pulled out her pile of notes.

  “No, not for that. Bullet is…you didn’t finish your sentence.”

  “He’s a very nice young man, with a lot on his plate.”

  Lyric rolled her eyes. “I call bullshit, but let’s move on anyway. Have you given any thought to what we talked about the other night? Lost Cowboy followin’ his story?”