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“That must be a lot of pressure,” Nash said. “Your paycheck is riding on animals that you can’t control.”

“It’s all in the breeding and the training,” Shane said. “And my family has been doing it for years.”

“My uncle is thinking of getting into the business,” Keith said.

“Isn’t he a veterinarian?”

“Yeah, but it gives him an edge. He can take care of his own bulls instead of hiring out. Although, he’s looking to hire Killer’s sister away from the UPRC to help him out.”

Shane forced himself not to react. Not bloody likely, based on how Reba reacted to him.

“I think she likes her job with the rodeo,” Ronnie said.

“She’s a bitch,” Vanessa said.

“Watch yourself,” Shane said.

Ronnie glared at him, and Shane figured that it was his time to leave.

“Do you know this Reba well, Shane?” Abigail said with fake sweetness.

Standing up from the table, Shane threw a couple of hundreds by his plate. “She looked after one of my bulls.”

“And Starshine,” Ronnie said, turning the glare onto his wife.

“She sounds like a paragon of virtue,” Abigail said icily.

“I hope not.” Shane flashed her a grin and then walked away without looking back. He didn’t need to because he knew she was seething for not being able to get in the last word.

What could he say? Sometimes old habits were hard to break.

*

Reba helped herself to a big spoonful of scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, and French fries.

“Are you on the anti-Atkins diet?” Dolly asked. Her plate was perfectly sectioned with a slice of grilled chicken, a side of asparagus, and a lemon wedge.

“You mind your dinner and I’ll mind mine,” Reba said.

“At least put some meatloaf on that plate.” Her other sister, Loretta, shoveled a spatula portion on top of her potatoes.

“I was getting to that.” Reba added some grilled onions and mushrooms before heading back to their table.

LeAnn and Dylan were already digging into their prime ribs. Their parents had decided to go play cards with friends, so Reba no longer felt guilty that they had flown the coop on them tonight.

When they were settled back at the table, Dolly took pictures of all their food and made LeAnn and Dylan pose with their steaks.

“No one cares what we eat,” LeAnn said, between her teeth while posing with a toothy smile.

“Wrong,” Dolly said. “Five thousand followers and three hundred likes can’t be wrong. But we can do better for your site. Thank you for wearing your new Cowgirl Couture outfit.”

“Thank them for the fat check this month,” LeAnn said.

“Tell me something exciting about the rodeos,” Loretta said. “Let me live vicariously through you.”

“I had to put a bull on a diet,” Reba said.

“That sounds thrilling,” Loretta deadpanned.