“Yes, ma’am.” I saluted her with two fingers and immediately regretted it. Who did that? Definitely not me. I was losing my mind. “I’ll just head on back.”
“Go on ahead, Char,” she said, stepping aside for me. “I’d just like a quick word with my son before we serve the food.”
I shuffled through the gate at a nearly super-human pace to avoid any more awkwardness. The McNallys’ backyard, entirely enclosed by a six-foot wooden slat fence, had a flagstone patio, a steel fire pit, and a rusty old swing set. It wasn’t a big yard, but it was just enough to accommodate the two-dozen or so 4H kids milling around with drinks in their hands.
I recognized some of the rodeo guys right away, including Graham with the stormy expression as he leaned against the swing and glared at everyone who seemed to be having fun. Surprisingly, I wasn’t the only girl in attendance. There were a few gals from Rock Valley High standing near Bree’s rose bushes. The tallest of them immediately caught my attention and left a sour taste in my mouth.
Sarah Claiborne was here. At Hunter’s house.
This really was becoming a problem.
I didn’t have much time to mull over it, though. Bree and Hunter came hustling through the gate not long after me, followed by Beth and Lexi, who both wore dreamy expressions on their faces as they took a good look at the boys in their jeans and hats.
“Holy cannoli, I’ve died and gone to heaven,” Lexi said as I approached them. She clasped onto my wrist, her nails digging into my skin. “Charlotte, tell me you’re staying in the contest. If you drop out and abandon these fine-looking men, I swear I’ll die.”
Even Beth rolled her eyes with me at that one. I pulled my wrist out of Lexi’s grip, crossed my arms tightly over my chest, and grimaced.
“I’m not sure I want to stay in it, after what happened today. As soon as Ms. Gentry finds out about that wet t-shirt performance, she’s going to hunt me down and kick me out herself. It’s better to bow out now.”
Lexi waved me off. “Please. She’ll know it was an unfortunate accident. I’m sure it happens all the time.”
“Right.” I arched my eyebrows. Guess Lexi didn’t care about my utter humiliation, as long as she got to do my hair and makeup. “Well, beating Sarah was my only motivation and that’s not exactly working...”
My gaze trailed over to Sarah where she was now surrounded by a handful of the boys. She artfully tossed her hair and gave them a smile that was so perfectly alluring that I was sure she practiced it at home in front of her mirror.
“Well, I still think you can beat her,” Beth said, mimicking my pose as she crossed her arms over her black t-shirt.
“Agreed,” Lexi added, a smile growing on her face. “But it doesn’t hurt to add some motivation. Let’s pick you out a cowboy, Charlotte. Maybe then you’ll be too busy trying to snag him with your charms in the competition to give Sarah any notice.”
I’d thought Lexi had just been fooling about getting me a cowboy, but she’d officially taken it to the next level. The idea was totally crazy. Impressing a boy would only make me more nervous. I was about to firmly shoot her down when Hunter appeared beside us bearing ridiculously good smelling food.
“Who’s Charlotte snagging with her charms?” he asked, handing me a burger on a paper plate. Sure enough, there were exactly three Vlasic pickles beneath the bun, just the way I liked them.
“A cowboy,” Beth answered, her eyes scanning the backyard. “Got any suggestions? We’re hoping with the right guy, she’ll be motivated enough to win this rodeo contest.”
My tongue must’ve been stuck to the roof of my mouth because I couldn’t seem to find the words to say to end this horrible planning session. Hunter looked like he had just swallowed a bad piece of his burger. His gaze went directly to the plate in his hands, his lips pursing. I was sure the idea of pairing his best friend up with a guy wasn’t exactly at the top of his to-do list. We’d been friends for so long, he probably forgot I was a girl sometimes. The thought made me laugh dryly on the inside, even as I was dying on the outside of embarrassment.
“I’m not sure I’ll be much help,” Hunter said, smiling grimly up at Beth. His gaze flicked briefly to mine, and then back to her. “And I don’t think you’d have much luck with any of the guys around here, anyway.”
That comment snapped me to attention and suddenly my tongue was working again. “Wait—why is that?”
He grimaced and rubbed a hand over his chin. “I don’t know. You’re too pure, Char. These guys are rough. Half of them are from the Sweet Oak Boys Ranch. That’s where they send all the troublemakers, you know? Those Oakies would chew you up and spit you out.”
Indignation swept over me like a hot desert wind. So much for the sweet Hunter who’d just hugged me outside the gate. What was this about being too pure? All the stories he’d told me about his grandpa’s ranch had revolved around mending fences and doing his best to keep up in school. It wasn’t like he’d just come back from Rikers Island. If he could hang with a bunch of juvenile delinquents, then I could do it, too. I’d even date one, if I wanted. I’d do it...just to prove to him that he was wrong.
“What about Graham?” I asked, turning to Lexi and Beth. “Do you think he’s cute? Is he a good candidate?”
“Seriously?” Hunter muttered before shoving his hamburger in his mouth.
“Super cute.” Lexi tapped her lips with her fingernail. “Kind of a jerk, though.”
I ignored Hunter’s grunt of agreement.
“Maybe he just needs someone pure enough to soften him up,” I offered, shooting Hunter a sour look that made him shake his head.
“He does kind of have that whole Adam Levine act going on.” Beth’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Graham from across the yard. “Hot and dangerous. We’ll add him to the list. Who else?”
“I can’t listen to this anymore,” Hunter said, backing away from us. He pinned me with a frustrated frown. “If you want a boyfriend, Char, then take your pick. But don’t make me say I told you so when it doesn’t work out.”
I placed my hands on my hips and my nostrils flared as I watched him head toward the grill. Three whole days. He’d been back in town for three whole days and now he was judging me and telling me I couldn’t handle his friends? It stung, deep down in my core. I blinked away the tears of frustration and turned back to Lexi and Beth with a fake laugh.
“He just doesn’t understand how girls work,” I said, taking a bite of my own burger.
Beth shrugged. “Maybe that’s why your sister insisted on us being friends. She knew you’d need a little female perspective.”
“I’m telling you, girl power is what’s going to help you win this competition and put Sarah Claiborne in her place,” Lexi said, draping her arm over my shoulder. “Don’t you worry, Charlotte. We’ll find you a man and win you a crown this week. Then, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without us.”
I would’ve liked to have basked in her vision of the future, but when I glanced over at Hunter standing near the grill and found Sarah chatting him up, all those good feelings went away. She was like a turkey vulture, swooping in when no one was looking to steal what wasn’t hers. And when she laughed, tossed her head, and hit him playfully on the shoulder, all my desire for a pickle burger went out the window.
But worse than that was Hunter’s reaction to her shameless flirting. He knew what she’d put me through this last year. He knew how much I despised her. But even then, he didn’t run away. He didn’t find an excuse to go help his mom in the kitchen. He held Sarah’s eye contact, half-smiling at her in that sexy and confident way that was for sure going to have her begging for more.
And when he glanced over at me and found me watching him, it was almost as if his eyes flashed with a challenge. He arched his eyebrows for a slight second, then returned to talking to Sarah. Frustration and hurt burst inside of me, more red-hot than I could’ve ever expected.
“Do you guys mind if we hunt cowboys later?” I asked,
turning back to the girls. “I think I’d better head home. My mom’s going to want to see the basket I wove in class today.”
“Sure, but don’t forget our date tomorrow morning,” Lexi said, her eyes growing wide with excitement. “Seven a.m. I’ll bring the coffee.”
I groaned. Round two of the contest was going to be a nightmare. Baking was totally not my thing. “Tell me again why I need someone to do my hair and makeup for this thing?”
She rubbed her hands together and grinned. “Because, if we’re going to win this, you’ve got to look the part of a Junior Rodeo Queen. You won’t regret it. I promise.”
With a last horrified look at Beth, I headed back through the gate to snag my woven masterpiece from Hunter’s truck and then walk toward home. It was only a twelve-minute walk, but it was long enough to repeat the scene of Hunter flirting with Sarah a million times over in my head. It was also long enough for him to shoot me five texts, asking me where I’d gone. I didn’t reply to any of them. My insides were feeling too twisted up.
If there was a reason to win this contest, I had it now. Sarah wouldn’t stop trying to ruin my life until she had my best friend clutched in her claw-like hands. But if I could win the crown, she’d finally back off. I could feel it. It was like a battle of two wolves trying to be the alpha. She’d run away with her tail tucked between her legs. And Hunter would be safe...since apparently he was too clueless to know what was good for him.
I was fully committed now. There was no turning back.
I was going to be the Junior Rodeo Queen.
Rhinestones and all.
Chapter Nine
Okay, so commitment wasn’t exactly a super-power of mine. Anyone could check out the half-sewn shirt stuffed in my closet, the stack of unread books under my bed, or the sink of dirty dishes I’d promised my parents I’d wash tonight for proof.
I’d do those dishes in the morning.
My big sister, Mandy, always said the first step toward any goal was accountability. It must’ve worked for her, because she’d crushed all of her goals this year, including on the track and off. So, if I truly wanted to win that crown, I was going to have to come clean to my mom tonight.
And for some reason, that made me more nervous than anything.
“Night, sweetie,” Mom said, pausing in my doorway like she did every night, blowing me a kiss as I laid on top of my bed listening to music. “Thanks for the beautiful basket.”
I waited for a snort or laugh to follow that sentence, but she just smiled at me sweetly. Leave it to my mom to be thankful for a craft project that could’ve been done better by a third grader. The woman was a saint. I didn’t deserve her.
“Hey, Mom, can we talk?” I sat up and pulled my headphones off. Here went nothing. Commitment 101. “I’ve got something to tell you.”
Her eyes narrowed just the slightest before she nodded, waded through the piles of clothes on my floor, then took a seat on the comforter beside me. I could understand her hesitation after all we’d been through in the past few months. I’d dropped enough bombs on her and Dad for a lifetime.
“I know you’ve been pushing me to find something I’m passionate about,” I started, staring down at the floor. “And I think I might have found something to try.”
I could practically feel the waves of tension melt off of her. She bounced on the bed beside me, her blue eyes growing wide. “Oh, Charlotte, I had my doubts about that basket weaving class, but I’m so happy something stuck.”
“Ugh, no.” I made a gagging noise. “Not the basket weaving class. I never want to go back there. Didn’t you see what I brought home?”
She smiled sheepishly. “Your dad did mention that it looked like a bird’s nest that had been through a tornado.”
“And then a hurricane.” I grinned at her. “But thanks for being proud of it anyway.”
“That’s what a mom is supposed to do. Even if their child’s art is ugly.” She nudged me with her shoulder and giggled.
Laughing about my failure at arts and crafts was making me feel slightly better about this whole accountability thing. I could do this. With a deep breath, I dove into it.
“What I really want to do is compete in the Junior Rodeo Queen competition this week at the county fair.”
Mom’s eyes grew wider than quarters. Little pink spots dotted her fair cheeks. I half wondered if she was having one of those senior moments that she’d been complaining about so much lately. Did I need to repeat myself? Did she need hearing aids? She stared at me for a full ten seconds before jumping off the bed and throwing her hands up in an embarrassing display of old-person dance.
“I knew it, I knew it,” she said in a sing-songy voice. “I told you that you should do it.”
“Mom, please.” I covered my face with my hands. It was a good thing we weren’t in public or I would have to die.
“This is so fantastic,” she said, finally halting her dance. “You’re going to win, baby. I just know it. And if you don’t, you’re still going to have so much fun.”
I appreciated her vote of confidence, even if I highly doubted that second part.
“Tomorrow’s the pie baking contest,” I said, baring my teeth nervously. “Can I borrow your brown sugar pie recipe? The one that you use to soften up Grandma Eve when she visits?”
Grandma Eve and Mom had never gotten along, ever since my parents got married. But Mom had discovered the trick to keeping Grandma sweet during her visits. Every Christmas, she’d fill the freezer with the dessert in preparation from a visit with the in-laws.
“You’ve got it, baby.” She kissed me on the forehead, then headed toward the door. “I’ll make sure I’m off work tomorrow to watch the competition. With this recipe, you can’t lose.” With one last embarrassing shake of her hips, she beamed at me. “I’m so excited, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep. Have a good night, sweetie.”
I groaned into my hands once more as she pulled the door shut behind her. If my mom was going to come to the competition, we were going to have to lay some ground rules about keeping all public celebrations limited to a fist bump or polite clapping. There was no way I was going to claim her if she acted like that at the contest.
My phone dinged on the nightstand where it lay. I picked it up and stared at the screen. Another text from Hunter. This one asking if we could talk. My thumb hovered over the screen as I weighed the idea of calling him. The anger I’d felt at him during the backyard BBQ a couple hours ago had already faded. I just wanted my best friend back.
“Hey, Char Char—are you going to answer my texts or are we gonna have to do this face-to-face?”
Hunter’s voice coming from my open window nearly gave me a heart attack. My bedroom was on the first floor and overlooked the twenty feet of plush grass between our house and the neighbor’s. I turned to see him leaning on the windowsill and wearing a teasing grin that caused my stomach to dip. Dropping my phone on the bed, I rushed over to push up the screen.
“What are you doing here?” I knelt on the carpet and leaned my elbows on the sill in front of him so we were at the same level.
His hazel eyes searched my face as he tilted his head to one side and then ran a tongue over his lips. “I wanted to say sorry for earlier. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. I was being a total jerk. Forgive me?”
I chewed on my bottom lip and watched the sorrow reflect in his eyes. This was one of the reasons why Hunter and I would always be friends. We owned up to those few moments we made mistakes and we never let our anger get in the way. He might have come back from Texas as this super-hot bull riding machine, but he was still the same guy.
“It’s fine,” I said with a quirk of my lips. “I already forgave you hours ago. But thank you for admitting to the jerk part. That was a rare Hunter McNally moment.”
He winced and raked a hand through his messy hair. “Yeah, that wasn’t cool. If I ever start talking like Steven again, please slap me. Hard.”
I nodded. Bree
’s ex-fiancé, Steven, wasn’t exactly an easy guy to get along with. And Hunter hadn’t liked to talk about him much. I’d just assumed things were awkward between the two of them. When Steven had moved into the house, we’d spent less and less time hanging out at Hunter’s and more time at mine. I’d never thought about it much until now. Guess he was a bigger jerk than I’d realized.
“So, how’s your mom doing with the break-up?” I asked, tracing the woodgrain of the windowsill with my index finger.
Hunter’s gaze followed the slow journey of my finger as he sucked in his cheeks. “She’s doing better. The time away in Texas helped.”
“He wasn’t exactly my favorite person, but I never did understand why they broke up. Did she get cold feet?”
I didn’t miss the slight hardening of the lines around his mouth. “No. She was ready to get married.”
“Did he...cheat on her?”
My voice was hushed and as I waited for an answer I kept my gaze glued on the path I was making along the wood. The mere suggestion of cheating felt like a betrayal to Bree. Honestly, I couldn’t understand why anyone would do that to someone as amazing as her, but then again, I didn’t really understand most guys.
“No, no cheating.”
He cleared this throat and then gently placed his hand on mine, halting my progress. Everywhere he touched tingled along my skin. I looked up to see him staring at me, dark emotions swirling in his eyes. It seemed like he wanted to say something else but didn’t know how. He parted his lips slightly, then winced, and shut them again.
“Steven just wasn’t a very nice guy,” he said, slipping his hand off of mine and staring down at my motionless finger.
It felt like there was a lot left unsaid during the heavy silence that fell between us. Maybe I could’ve pushed him to talk to me, but Hunter liked to work things through in his own head before anyone could force him to spill. I had to be patient, if I was going to hear more of that story.
“Do you want to come in?” I nodded toward my room and the vintage Nintendo set collecting dust under my TV. “It’s been a while since you beat me at Joust.”
Dare You to Resist the Bull Rider (Rock Valley High Book 4) Page 7
