His Marriage to Remember - By Kathie DeNosky Page 0,53

them were stupid enough to make a direct comment, but the veiled references were there just the same. They all thought he should go to Dallas and try one last time to get her back.

“You just tend to your business and I’ll take care of mine,” Sam advised, glancing at his watch.

None of them knew, and he wasn’t going to tell them, that as soon as the events were over with for the day, he had every intention of heading to Dallas with the signed divorce papers for the final showdown with his wife. It wasn’t something he was looking forward to, but he had put it off long enough. It was time that they both got on with the business of living.

When the cowboy gave him a short nod, indicating that he was ready for his turn at trying to ride the bull, Sam pulled the rope and opened the chute gate. As he watched Black Mamba get rid of the man on his back as if he was little more than a pesky fly, Sam watched Ryder spring into action and divert the bull while the cowboy sprinted to safety.

Normally, he enjoyed watching his brother play chicken with an angry bull. But for reasons Sam couldn’t quite put his finger on, Ryder’s daredevil antics didn’t hold his attention the way they used to. In fact, since returning to work a week ago, he found that being on the road all the time didn’t hold nearly the appeal that it once had, either.

Sam frowned. Had his forced downtime changed him that much?

As he thought about staying at home with Bria and what they had shared, he found himself with more regrets than just a few. She was right. In the past, he hadn’t taken the time to be with her the way he should have. She was also right about him not having to be on the road if he didn’t want to be. The Sugar Creek Rodeo Company was highly successful and one of the main reasons was due to the men he had hired to wrangle the animals. They were all good at their jobs and any one of them could oversee things while they were traveling from one rodeo to another. And usually one of his brothers was either competing in or working the rodeos that had contracted him to supply the livestock. They would be more than happy to keep an eye out for any problems that arose.

He took a deep breath and then another as he came to terms with what Bria had been trying to tell him all along. He had wanted to give her everything she ever wanted. But he had missed seeing that by spending time with her the way he had when he was off work with the concussion, he was doing just that—giving her her heart’s desire.

He shook his head at his own foolishness when he realized where his heart really was. It was back at Sugar Creek Ranch. Unfortunately, his reason for wanting to be there—hell, his reason for living—wasn’t.

Glancing at his watch, he motioned for his brother, T.J. “Take over for me.”

“Where are you going? Are you all right?” T.J. asked, frowning. “I’ve never known you to leave before a rodeo is over.” He shook his head. “At least, when they aren’t hauling your butt out on a stretcher.”

“I have something I need to take care of,” Sam answered, handing him the gate rope.

“Does your business happen to be in Dallas?” T.J. asked, grinning.

He shook his head. “Don’t be a smart-ass.”

“Tell Bria we all said hey,” Ryder called as he positioned himself next to T.J. at the chute gate.

Ignoring his brothers, Sam quickly made his way out of the arena and through the personnel exit to his truck. He had no idea what he was going to say to her or if it would make any difference with her.

All he knew for sure was that he had to try. He would regret every single moment of every single day for the rest of his life if he didn’t.

Nine

“Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” Mariah asked, looking concerned.

“I’m going to be fine,” Bria said. “I just need a little time to come to terms with everything that’s happened and get myself back on track.”

“Are you sure that’s all this is?” Mariah’s expression was doubtful. “All you’ve wanted to do since you returned to Dallas is sleep.”

“It’s easier to sleep than to think about things.” Bria