Page 52 of Rocky Mountain Home

Not to mention the paperwork she’d demanded was burning a hole in his pocket.

Only when he parked by the cottage, her truck wasn’t there. A quick peek around the small house proved she wasn’t hiding in the woodwork anywhere.

He pinned his medical report to the refrigerator with brightly coloured magnets then went looking for her.

What he found instead was a group gathered by the large arena. Cowboys stood in small groups talking easily as they waited by the railing. Luke Stone appeared along with another couple of familiar faces—people he’d seen around the ranch when he’d been walking with Dare. One was a woman with dark hair that hung in long braids down her chest, and the other an older man with a grizzled grey beard.

Jesse made his way toward the head of the arena, stopping as Luke and his horse exploded out the box, chasing after a steer. Luke’s arm moved in an easy sweep that sent the lariat over his head spinning in deceptively lazy circles before he cast it out. The loop wrapped around the animal’s head like magic.

His horse had already stopped, keeping the rope tight as Luke slid off into a run, catching the steer and bringing it to the ground. He had one of the beast’s feet looped with a smaller rope, and then three, before shooting his hands into the air to stop the timer on the clock.

It was a pretty piece of roping, and Jesse cheered with the rest of the crew, continuing his way to where he’d finally located the other Stone brothers.

Dustin spotted him first, his face falling into a scowl. He elbowed Caleb who barely moved, just angled his head and spoke sharply to his younger brother. “I’m not a punching bag.”

Jesse joined them, looking for a way to smooth the situation. These men would be in his life from now on, and damn if he wasn’t having the devil of a time reading them.

Well, Dustin was easy—he hated Jesse’s guts.

“Afternoon. Nice bit of riding,” he said to Luke who was dusting his hands on his thighs as he joined the group.

Luke shrugged. “Good horse.”

“Bet you can’t do it,” Dustin taunted, all piss and vinegar.

“Since I don’t have a horse, you’re probably right,” Jesse agreed, forcing himself to not take up the punk’s implicit challenge. “Any of you know where I might find Dare?”

“She and Ginny took the girls to Calgary,” Caleb informed him.

“You’re stuck with us.” Luke offered a grin. “Want a go? I can lend you a ride—that’s no problem.”

Out in the arena the old-timer swung and missed, the rope skittering on the ground as the steer escaped. The crowd jeered wildly.

“Poor Ashton. He’s going to get razzed all night.” Caleb lifted his stony gaze to Jesse’s. “Our foreman. He doesn’t often miss.”

“We all have bad moments.”

“Not me,” Dustin snapped.

Luke gave his brother a slap on the shoulder. “Sure, you do. We just don’t rub it in because we don’t want you crying all over us.”

“Fuck off.”

Luke chuckled. “Grow up, Dusty. Or put your money where your mouth is.”

“Bet I can out rope him.” Dustin turned on Jesse. “Best two out of three, if you’re not chicken.”

Jesse took the coil of rope from Luke, testing the weight. “I’d love to accept your invitation, Luke.” He glanced at Dustin. “I haven’t taken on a challenge because someone called me a chicken since I was twelve years old. When you grow up a little, we can talk.”

Maybe it was pushing it a bit—he was a stranger, they were family, but being a part of his own big family growing up had taught him a few lessons, and he wasn’t about to ignore them all.

A momentary flash of his father hit. Mike speaking firmly to him and his brother after he’d caught them egging each other on into trouble. Or more accurately, if he was honest, Jesse egging Joel into trouble.

You want to test your limits, you go right ahead, but do it to prove to yourself it can be done, not to prove anything to others.

Jesse forced away the memories as Luke led him into the barn where a number of horses waited in clean, fresh stalls. “Dusty’s not quite sure what to make of you.”

“He’s got time to figure it out because I’m not going anywhere. Dare and I are in this together, and unless she tells me to get the hell out, I’m not about to be scared off by some teenager.”