Page 25 of Unforgettable Cowboy (Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys #1)

“A ccording to his brothers, our next contestant is entering his twilight years,” the announcer joked. “But despite his advanced age of, let’s see, twenty-nine, I think we’ll witness one heck of a ride from Hayes Matthews today. Keep your eyes on chute number three, folks.”

Bailey’s heart hammered as she watched Hayes ease onto the back of the twitchy bronc.

He wound the rope around his gloved hand, gave it a couple of pounds with his fist. She shouldn’t have teased him about being old, even if he was one of the older guys in the competition.

Older and more seasoned. The sureness of his movements as he prepped for his ride had to be obvious even to the uninitiated. He knew what he was doing.

She wished she had the same sense of sureness.

Yes, she was going to continue her circuit of gear shows and art shows and Pbr events, but the joy she’d once felt at the prospect of hitting the road and following her dream had been compromised by Hayes Matthews.

What her younger self feared, her older self confirmed.

The guy was impossible to get out of her head.

Would you change your life for him?

If so, would that mean losing yourself?

The gateman pulled the rope and the gate swung open.

The bronc, a piebald bay, quivered in the chute, then rocketed out, all four hooves leaving the ground before coming back down hard.

Then it was off to the sky once again. Hayes got his rhythm almost immediately, using his free arm as a counterbalance as the bronc spun first one way and then the other.

He’d drawn a great ride, and the crowd appreciated the way both athletes performed, coming to their feet when the buzzer sounded, and he took hold of the pommel with both hands, waiting for the pickup man to pull the bucking strap.

But as the guy leaned over to do so, his bronc took offense and shot sideways into the rails, smashing Hayes’s knee.

Hayes gritted his teeth and bailed without benefit of a pickup, landing on both feet, only to have the injured leg give out beneath him. He went down, then struggled back up again, waving his hat and limping across the arena as the announcer called out his score. Eighty points.

“A great start to the saddle bronc event!”

The cheering subsided as Bailey headed to the gate where Hayes would exit the arena. He gave her a dusty grin as he passed through the exit and then his knee buckled again.

“Hurts like hell,” he said in a remarkably cheerful voice as she put an arm behind his back.

“Let’s get you to my trailer.”

He stopped walking and leaned down to run a hand over his knee, wincing before he stood up again. “Just a little bump.” He gave her a wicked grin. “Not bad for an old guy.”

She tapped his chest with her finger. “Don’t get cocky,” she warned. “There’s still tomorrow.”

“I’ll slay tomorrow.” He started walking again, his gait uneven. “I just need some ice.”

Bailey shot him a sideways look. “Let me stop by the table to check with Estelle, then we’ll raid the mini freezer.”

“I might need to hit the concession stand.”

“I have zipper bags.”

The vendor area was nearly empty when they entered, with the exception of a few older folks wandering through.

When Bailey thanked her, Estelle assured her that she’d sit the table anytime.

“But I need to get back to the ranch after the rodeo to get dinner for Wade. I won’t be able to help with the after-rodeo rush. ”

“That’s fine. I really appreciate your help.”

Estelle waved off her thanks, then turned to Hayes. “One of your roping friends stopped by.”

“Oh yeah?” he said politely.

“Yes.” She smiled before unknowingly dropping her bombshell: “He asked about a horse.”

*

“Estelle told him she’d never seen a horse of that description,” Hayes said.

“She probably hasn’t unless she found time to explore behind the barn,” Wade said.

The Hayes brothers, along with Dylan and Wade, were gathered at the ranch house kitchen table while Hayes filled his uncle in on the latest developments in the saga of Dakota Sunshine. They’d agreed to miss the steak dinner in favor of keeping Wade company.

“But he’s suspicious. I don’t like it,” Trev said. “He also got fucking lucky today.”

Chance had indeed smoked the competition, coming in first in the tie-down roping with a ridiculous time of 5.6 seconds.

“What’s he going to do?” Wade asked. “What can he do?”

“If he’s smart, nothing,” Hayes said.

“He’s smart,” Dylan said, “but also vindictive, and sometimes vindictive trumps smart.”

“Tomorrow is the finals.” Hayes stated the obvious. “After the finals he needs to leave if he’s going to make it to Texas in time to compete on Thursday.”

“You’re saying—”

“I’m saying that there’s no guarantee he won’t be back here looking for the mare, but he won’t be doing it this weekend. And after this weekend, she’ll be gone.”

Trev smiled. “Maybe it’s good he suspects us. It’ll give Jenna some breathing room.”

Dylan nodded, studying the condensation on the outside of his beer can. He’d been thoughtfully quiet through most of the conversation. “Yeah,” was all he said.

“Bet you didn’t think you’d get suckered into intrigue when you signed up for the Copper Mountain,” Wade said to Dylan.

“He knew what he was getting into when he decided to partner with me. Adventure at every turn.” Trev grinned at his roping partner. “No regrets?”

Dylan answered with a dark look. “I regret it when you eat gas station sushi.”

Trev made a face before lifting his beer.

Hayes got to his feet, tossing his empty into the trash next to the stove. “I’m heading back. I guess I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“Don’t forget to keep your pants inside,” Trev said helpfully.

Hayes intended to bring a change of clothes along with several ice packs, and yes, all his clothing, particularly his pants, would be inside the trailer where Bailey’s favorite thief couldn’t get at them.

“Thanks for the tip,” he said before heading for the door.

Truthfully, he didn’t like the fact that Chance seemed to have ideas about where the mare might be, especially with his uncle staying there alone, which meant that as soon as his event was done the next day, he’d be on his way home to the Tree Fork.

Just in case.

*

Bailey couldn’t sleep, even with Hayes holding her loosely against his hard, warm body. She was comforted by his presence, but still wigged out by the fact that Chance had guessed that the mare might be on the Tree Fork Ranch.

What if he went looking for her?

When she’d asked Hayes that same question before he’d nodded off, he said that he’d take care of it. He hadn’t bothered to say how, and she didn’t ask, figuring he wouldn’t have a plan until he knew the situation he was up against.

She eased onto her back, resting her hands on his muscular forearm where it now lay heavy across her chest.

This was her problem to solve, but she had no answers. It was ironic that the Matthews brothers had enjoyed a reputation for finding trouble back in the day, and now—thanks to her—trouble had found them.

She squeezed her eyes shut, loving the feel of the man lying next to her and realizing that she hadn’t given any thought to being controlled over the past several days.

Hayes wasn’t that kind of man. She knew that now.

What she didn’t know was the next steps.

She simply had too many balls in the air, and she needed a few of them to come down, hopefully in a less than disastrous way, before she could straighten things out.

The best thing, the only thing, really, was for her to follow through on her plans, attend the gear shows while working hard in her off time to replenish her stolen stock.

Maybe after a few months of travel, when she came back for Storm, she’d have a clearer idea of what was best for her.

Maybe Hayes would have some ideas in that regard, too. Months apart could change things.

But you have this moment. Remember? Live for now and let tomorrow take care of itself.

Easy to say; difficult to implement. Especially when the man lying next to her was beginning to feel like a very important part of her life.

The next morning when Hayes and Bailey stopped by the pancake breakfast, Chance was near the front of the line, chatting up one of the rodeo princesses. They were quite the pair, the spangled princess and the handsome cowboy, which just went to show that looks were deceiving.

Hayes was walking better, having iced his knee for the better part of the evening after returning to town to stay with her. She spotted Rascal sitting by a tree, gazing hopefully at the loaded plates going by.

“Better watch your britches,” she said.

“I’d rather watch yours.”

She gently shouldered him. “Britches aside, what’s your plan?” She kept her eyes on Chance as she spoke, watching as he loaded both his plate and that of the rodeo princess.

“No plan. I just thought I’d go back to the ranch before the roping events. If Chance decides to take a look around on his way south, I don’t want Wade there alone.”

Bailey had been afraid that Chance might do exactly that—load up and head out after his event and take advantage of the Matthews brothers’ absence to have a look around the Tree Fork Ranch. Hayes touched her chin, and she looked up at him.

“We’re all in agreement that Meyers should never have the mare. Don’t be worried about bringing trouble to our doorstep.”

“Hard not to.” She cleared her throat.

He nodded, understanding, and Bailey wrapped her arms around him. Was she truly walking away from this guy?

Once they had their breakfast plates loaded, Bailey looked around for Rascal, having swiped an extra pancake for him, but the little dog had disappeared. Oh well. She and Hayes took their seats, and she wondered if he’d purposely chosen them so that he could keep an eye on Chance.

If so, she was okay with it, because she wanted to keep an eye on the guy herself.

What had he done with her silver? Was there any way to get it back?