Comeback Trail
Page 19
Darla came back with tumblers of sweet tea over ice and we were thankful. It had become hot and stuffy in the barn and I was feeling slightly dizzy for some reason.
“Logan, are you feeling all right? You suddenly went pale. Very pale in fact.”
“I’m a little dizzy.”
“Take a walk outside and get some fresh air.”
I walked outside and took a few deep breaths and when I came back into the barn the dizzy feeling was gone.
It was nothing. A passing thing.
AN hour later, Clay came home from Austin and Jack wasn’t far behind him. We held our little reunion with Clay in the barn beside the birthing stall.
“This is exciting for my first minute home,” said Clay. “I didn’t know we were having a birth already.”
“Doctor Stiverson thinks this cow might be a little ahead of her time, but we’re hoping the calf is healthy.”
“Which one of the bulls is the daddy of this baby?” asked Jack.
“This cow is out of Presto’s field,” I said. “That’s the next thing. We’ll need names for all the new arrivals.”
“That’s the fun part,” said Darla. “Thinking up adorable names.”
“They don’t have to be adorable,” I said, “and best if they aren’t. They should be more like… threatening… putting fear into the riders… like that.”
“Threatening. Okay. I’ve seen a lot of the PBR bulls twist when they kick the riders off. How about Corkscrew.”
Jack grinned. “That’s a good name, Darla. I’m keeping a list in the back of my notebook.”
Doctor Stiverson got into the pen with the cow and a few minutes later the first McKenna bull was born. The Doc gave us a grin and said, “Corkscrew is here.”
“Yahoo,” hollered Jack. “Time to celebrate at the Spur.”
Broken Spur Roadhouse.
MISS Janey O’Brien who owned the roadhouse was always glad to see us because she’d been in love with our Daddy and although she never made it to be our second Momma, she loved us like we were her own.
“Clay, you’re back from Austin, sweetheart. Tell me all about the record business.”
Clay chuckled. “I didn’t learn all I need to know in four days, but three different studios are interested in my music and they’re calling this week.”
“Fantastic. We can launch your CD right here on our stage. It will be the best night ever.” Miss Jane flipped her auburn hair back and her green eyes sparkled.
Clay nodded. “I want to do that. I’m not nervous about singing here.”
“You’ll get over that quick enough,” said Miss Jane. “You’ll have your own tour bus by the spring.”
“Right now, I’d settle for a pitcher and a glass.” Clay pointed across the room. “I’m picking that table over there.”
“I’ll send Ricki over as soon as I see her.”
We settled into our booth and after our first pitcher I began to relax. There was so much going in our lives at the moment—the wedding, the students and the birthing of the bulls starting—maybe that’s why I was dizzy in the barn.
Ricki flew over to our table with menus in her hand. She was a girl I’d gone to high school with and she’d always had a crush on me. The feeling wasn’t mutual, but I was polite by nature and didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
“What’s the special, Ricki?” I asked with a smile.
“Chicken burritos with salad and a side of fries.”
“That sounds good to me. I’ll have that. What about you, Darla?”
“Sure, I like burritos.”
Clay and Jack nodded and it was unanimous.
After dinner, Darla and I danced a little to the recorded tunes blasting out of the sound system. Even without a live band, Darla was into dancing whenever she got the chance.
“I love dancing with you, Logan. We should pick the song for the first dance at our wedding.”
“Do people do that?”
“They do, and we’re going to do it too. Do you know what would be special?”
“I think you’re going to tell me.”
“After dinner, Clay gets up on the stage and sings our wedding song and we get up for the first dance.”
I stopped in the middle of the dance floor and pictured it. “Yes, I agree with that. Best idea yet. Let’s go ask him.”
Darla smiled at me. She was always pleased when I agreed with one of her wedding ideas. There were so many in a given day, I couldn’t help but agree with one or two.
If you want to continue reading Rodeo Ranch, Book Three, you can find it on Amazon.