Natalie grunted and one corner of Jessica’s mouth kicked up. She continued. “Conner is much the same way, you know. Of course, there are different reasons for it.” Jessica blushed and Natalie wondered what that was about. She was gearing up to ask when Jessica continued. “Brady’s like that too. Most of the guys are. Don’t you remember how they reacted when you and me and Leah went out and what they said about that time Leah and I got drunk?”
“Yeah, I suppose. So you’re saying he’s just like that and there’s nothing I can do about it?”
“You can try to change him, or see if he’s willing to change himself, but honestly, I think you’ll be fighting a losing battle.”
Natalie squeezed the back of her neck, trying to loosen the knots that had formed over the past few hours. “I guess it doesn’t matter anyway. Soon I’ll have to leave the tour and do the tryout. If I make it I’ll be in training, and if I don’t I’ll need to find a job. Either way, I won’t be seeing Marco anymore.”
Jessica snorted and Natalie glared at her, which only seemed to increase her mirth. “You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“Believe what? That it’s over in a few weeks? Of course I do.”
But I really don’t because I don’t want it to be.
“I can guarantee you Marco isn’t thinking that way, and he isn’t going to just let you go without a fight.”
Natalie shook her head, unable to believe Marco would care one way or the other what happened to her once it was time to have her try out and leave the tour.
“Anyway,” Natalie said, hoping to end this uncomfortable conversation, “the competition is about to start. We should get to our seats.”
“You’re sitting with us, right?”
“Sure. I mean, if you want me to.”
Jessica gave her an exasperated look. “Of course we want you to. Leah’s there waiting for us.”
Natalie nodded and followed Jessica to the seats, glad the attention would be directed away from her and toward the riders. She wasn’t used to opening up to people. Her father, for as much as he’d adored her, hadn’t been much of a talker, and since her mother had left them and she’d been an only child, she’d gotten very used to her own company and not having to explain things to people. She liked it that way.
* * * * *
Marco wiped his damp palms on a towel he kept in his equipment bag. He hadn’t been this nervous to ride in a long time, but he had good reason to be. The bull was probably the hardest one he’d ever ridden, and he needed the points badly to even stay in the top ten in the rankings.
Taking a deep breath, he rechecked his equipment one more time and started for the chutes. Paolo had just finished his ride and loped over to walk with him.
“How did you do?”
Paolo shrugged. “Eighty-three. At least I stayed on this time.”
“Glad one of us isn’t getting bucked,” Marco muttered.
“You will do well today, I can feel it.”
“I hope so. I need the points.”
Garret caught up to them and slung an arm around Marco’s shoulders. “Remember, your bull’s a spinner. Keep your weight centered and you might be okay.”
“I’ll try. But once I get up on them instinct usually takes over.”
“It’s like that for everyone and it’s as it should be. If you think too much you’re toast. Just do the best you can and try to follow the fundamentals.”
Marco threw a grin to his fellow rider. “Are you thinking of opening a school or something? You sound like a teacher.”
“Actually, yes, I am.”
“Really? That’s so cool,” Paolo exclaimed.
“Yeah, well, the ranch isn’t doing as well as I’d hoped. I thought I should capitalize on my high ranking while I can and see if it brings in some more income.”
Marco nodded. “Good luck with it.”
“Thanks. You know, I might be looking for a few more instructors.” He grinned at him and Paolo before briefly squeezing Marco’s shoulder. “Safe ridin’, man.”
“You too.” Marco turned his attention back to the bull. He and his brother arrived in the chute area and Marco dropped his gear bag. Turning toward the wall, he put a hand on it and let his head drop while he visualized possible scenarios. Normally he would just get on the bull and go, but with his recent luck he figured it wasn’t a bad idea to change up his routine. He’d heard Brady talking about how much the visualization techniques Leah had taught him were helping and so he’d blatantly eavesdropped on the conversation. Now it appeared that information was coming in handy.
After a few minutes, he straightened and went over to the chute. They were about to load his bull, and a ghost of a headache cropped up behind his eyes. He couldn’t afford to take his focus off the bull, even for a second, and wished he had a painkiller handy. No time to make it to the medical area now or for it to be effective, though.
Searching the stands, he found Natalie sitting with Jessica and Leah. The three were carrying on an animated discussion and he smiled. His Natalie had fire in her, there was no doubt about it. Hopefully he’d be able to talk to her after his ride. The thought of her being angry with him burned in his gut.
Turning back to the chutes, he waited until the stock contractor and tour official nodded and then climbed up on the platform. Garret and Paolo followed to help, and Marco dropped onto the bull’s back. The animal snorted in response.
After getting his bull rope settled to his liking, he indicated he was ready to go and the door swung open. The bull made a ninety-degree turn right out of the chute and pitched forward. Marco hadn’t been expecting him to do that given his reputation as a spinner, but managed to hold on by digging his thighs into the beast’s sides. His riding arm got yanked hard when the bull surged again and Marco ruthlessly ignored the pain shooting up his arm as he tried to stay seated. Then the bull turned in the opposite direction of his riding hand and Marco knew he was done.
He was launched off the bull’s back and briefly through the air as if he were Superman, only remembering at the last second to tuck and roll. The bull clipped him in the shoulder with his horn, but the bullfighters were able to distract him enough that Marco could scramble to his feet and run. He jumped onto the rail, looking behind him to make sure the bull wasn’t planning to gorge him. Luckily, the skills of the bullfighters came in handy once again and they were able to direct the animal to the exit.
Marco was breathing hard. That landing had been anything but graceful and he’d gotten the wind knocked out of him. Sprinting to the side of the pen and leaping onto the rail hadn’t helped. He held on but doubled over, coughing in an attempt to force air into his lungs. Why did he keep landing like this?
One of the bullfighters approached him with his rope. “You okay, man?”
“Hold on.” He coughed again and oxygen finally entered his lungs, along with a good bit of dirt from the arena floor that the bull had kicked up. Marco slowly climbed over the railing and Paolo held out a hand for him to take as he dropped onto the other side. He was bent over coughing when the PA announcer came on.
“Marco D’Allesandro’s had a tough time of it lately.”
Yeah, no shit.
“Marco scores a 47.5 for this run.” The system crackled and then the announcer continued. “Hopefully his luck will change soon.”
Damn well better or I’m going to have to return to Italy with my tail between my legs.
“Tough ride, man,” his brother said, squeezing his shoulder briefly but pulling back when Marco winced. “Sorry. Forgot he got you on that shoulder.”
“This sucks. That’s four times in a row.”
“I know. But it happens to everyone.”
“Not everyone.” Marco’s gaze landed on Brady, who he’d never been bucked more than twice in a row. He didn’t even think Conner or Garret, whose ridden percentages were at least a few points worse than Brady’s, had ever been bucked four consecutive times.
He watched the
rest of the riders from the chutes. Of the eight who rode after him, four were bucked, including Brady, but Garret and Conner both rode their bulls and Marco knew his ranking was going to drop again. He couldn’t afford to lose these points but had no idea how to stop the free fall.
After a couple of minutes, he turned to focus on Natalie again. How could he make her understand that he wanted the best for her? If he had the money to make her life easier, why wasn’t she letting him? It was so frustrating to watch her struggle when he knew he could make things better. At least she hadn’t argued about staying with him lately.
A selfish part of him hoped she wouldn’t make the women’s tour so she could continue to travel with him. When would they see each other if they were on separate tours? Only a few of the NBT’s men’s events coincided with the ones for the women. The thought of only seeing Natalie a few times a year depressed him. Of course, at the moment he needed to convince her to see him at all. He hadn’t been this discouraged about his life since before he’d left Italy.
Sighing, he picked up his gear bag and began to walk back to the riders’ area. Hopefully during their conversation in the stands Jessica had convinced Natalie to give him another chance. A glimmer of hope blossomed and he hurried to get his stuff situated so he could go find Natalie.
He’d just come out the door from the riders’ area and spotted Natalie when he stopped dead. Not twenty feet behind her was his uncle Nico. Who was that next to him? Marco felt the blood drain out of his face. It was Adriana, a woman he’d dated briefly while still in Italy. What were they doing here? Had his father actually made good on his threat to send his uncle here?
Marco saw Natalie and Jessica turn around and then they too stopped.
“Zio,” he said to his uncle. “Why are you here?” His uncle approached and pulled Marco into a tight embrace before they exchanged the traditional Italian greeting of kissing cheeks. Nico stepped back and Marco repeated the gesture with Adriana. “Tell me, Zio, has something happened to my family?” And what kind of man was he to wish such a reason would bring his uncle here?
Jessica and Natalie were standing off to the side about ten feet from him, but he didn’t spare Natalie a glance as his uncle rubbed his forehead. Marco was afraid of what he’d see if he did. “So we have found the prodigo figlio. And I see there are bulls, but no fatted calf.”
“I am hardly the prodigal son, Zio.”
His uncle smiled a little. “Perhaps not, but you are needed at home.”
Marco couldn’t stand his uncle’s posturing anymore. He continued to speak in English, hoping Natalie would see that whatever was going on was something Marco didn’t want. “Why am I needed at home? Is anyone sick? Stop with your nonsense and tell me.”
Adriana stepped forward again and placed her hand on his arm. He stared down at it and then back at her and she moved away, dropping her arm to her side. “No one is ill. But we’ve come—”
Nico cut her off. Glancing around, he said, “Can we go somewhere? I do not want to talk about private family business here.”
“No. These people are my friends. Now tell me what the hell is going on.” He spat out the last part and his uncle’s eyes narrowed.
“Marco,” his uncle admonished, “there are ladies present. Your madre would faint away to hear you speak like that.”
Marco waved away his uncle’s reprimand. “Talk, Zio.”
Paolo joined the group. “What’s going on?”
Nico pointed a finger in Marco’s direction. “Your brother’s time for being a child is over. He must come home.”
“A child?” Marco exclaimed. “I am twenty-seven years old.”
“Yes, far too old to be playing at,” he gestured toward the arena a short distance away, “this.”
“Ah, so padre sent you and Adriana over here to bring me back home as if I were a naughty, misbehaving child?”
His uncle spread his hands. “Your padre is a busy man, Marco.”
“Yes, I know. He keeps reminding me of that.” He jerked his head toward Adriana. “And why is she here, really?”
“Your father thought you would want to see the woman you have promised to marry.”
Marco heard a gasp and knew it must have come from Natalie. He willed himself not to lose his temper. When he opened them Natalie was stalking away. “Natalie!” Without another thought, he went after her.
She didn’t even slow when she heard her name, and he used the advantage of his longer legs to catch up to her.
“Go back to your fiancée, Marco.”
“She is not my fiancée. I don’t even know her very well. We dated for a few months before I left Italy, but I never intended to marry her. I came here and I haven’t spoken to her since.”
“Obviously you’re needed at home. What are you doing staying on the tour when your family needs you?”
Marco scoffed. “My family does not need me. Mio padre already has someone to take over the business. Giuseppe has been at the company for years. He is a cousin and actually wants to take over. Please, cara, listen to me. Nico only came here to make trouble.”
“I don’t believe this. How can you say that? Why would your family send two people all the way here just to rile you up? There must be a reason.” Natalie took a deep breath and Marco waited for her to gather her thoughts, knowing if he rushed her she would run. She glanced up at him and it broke his heart to see the hurt and pain. He wanted nothing more than to chase those emotions away and make everything better.
“Look, Marco…I lost my legacy when my dad died. True, it wasn’t my dream to own and run that ranch forever, but it was my destiny. My father built that life, and after everything he gave me, I stayed to help him because I owed it to him. It was just him and me after my mom left, and my dad struggled and sacrificed to make that ranch work. Could I have left town and pursued my own dream? Of course. But my father seemed so lonely without me, so I stayed and figured out how to make myself happy.”
“Ah, tesora.” He began to reach out and cup her face, but when she flinched he dropped his hand back to his side.
“So go, Marco. Figure out what the hell is going on with your family. Put them first.”
“I promise I will go talk to my uncle, but I need to be sure you’re going to be all right.”
Natalie laughed without humor. “I’m always all right, Marco. Once my father died, I grew up real fast. I’ll survive. Go.”
Marco turned away, but then pivoted on his heel. “This isn’t over—you and me. Don’t think you can just make me leave and I’ll forget about you. I won’t.”
“Go,” she whispered.
Chapter Eight
With a sigh, Marco headed back to find his uncle and Adriana. His eyes welled up and he swiped at them. He hadn’t cried in many years and if Nico saw it he would use Marco’s pain to his advantage. Marco wished he could make Natalie see how manipulative his family could be. Obviously she saw the parallels between their situations, but what Marco saw was a much uglier side.
He returned to the area outside the riders’ room and launched back into the argument as if he hadn’t left. “Married? I don’t even know Adriana.”
“Ah, but your madre and padre do, and they approve. Adriana has been brought up for just this purpose, to make a good wife for you as you take over the business.”
Adriana closed in again, running her hand up his sleeve and over to his chest. “Marco, I want to make you happy.”
Marco would’ve chuckled if his heart wasn’t breaking. He needed to get Nico and Adriana the hell out of there and on a plane back to Italy. Looking down at Adriana as he removed her hand, he said, “We were not happy together. Besides, the last I heard, you were with his son.” He pointed to Nico and then folded his arms over his chest, knowing that blow would hurt but past the point of pulling punches.
Adriana’s eyes widened.
“Is this true?” Nico boomed. “My son is too young for you. He is still in università.”
Adria
na’s lips thinned and Marco gave her a tight-lipped smile. “I believe he is nearly ten years younger. Yes, I still hear the gossip, donna,” Marco said, taking more pleasure than he probably should as Adriana obviously struggled to keep her wits about her. He noticed Jessica and Conner were still there, standing off to the side almost as if they were supporting him or staying to defend him, and he was struck by how the heavy weight that was his heart became a little lighter with the belief there were some people in his corner besides his brother. He pivoted and addressed them. “Can you make sure Natalie is all right? She has nowhere to stay if she won’t come back to the hotel with me, and, of course, she has no car right now.”
Conner nodded. “You got it, man. We’ll take care of her.”
Marco ran a hand over his face, suddenly exhausted. “Thank you.” He focused his attention on Paolo. “You don’t believe any of this, do you?”
One side of Paolo’s mouth kicked up. “Not a word, amico.”
“You ready to go?”
Without another glance at their uncle or Adriana, they picked up their gear bags.
His uncle clapped his hands together once. “Good. We will go to your hotel so you can pick up your things and then we will make return trip arrangements.”
“You’re welcome to come, as long as the arrangements are for you and Adriana only,” Marco responded, infusing his voice with deadly calm. He was done being played by his father. If he wanted to cut off funds to Marco, that was fine. Marco was making enough on his own to support both him and Paolo until his brother’s career took off. With that decision made, he began to walk away.
“Wait,” Adriana pleaded.
Marco spun to face her. “Go back to Bruno,” he retorted with a growl. “I am never marrying you, and,” he glanced up at his uncle, “I am never going to run the family business.”
Nico hurried to catch up with him as Adriana trotted along behind them like the show pony her parents had raised her to be. “You would turn your back on your family?”
“They turned their back on me a long time ago when they tried to tell me how to live my life. It’s my life, Zio. Not yours, not Adriana’s, and certainly not mio padre’s.”
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