been, but I was spun up. I couldn’t go inside and face the rest of the guys. I hadn’t been here long, but this place was special. All of these people, not just the Rykers, were a family. That meant they’d wanna talk about the rodeo, about Sam and his big win. I wasn’t sure I could talk about him without getting twitchy.
So…a nighttime walk through the stables it was. I’d do one last check on the horses and then hit the hay.
The scent of cigarette smoke blended with the warm summer air, and a cell phone rang.
The low, grumbled voice of George Ryker filtered to my ears, mostly unintelligible, but I caught the words, “Again?” and, “Shit. I’ll be right there.”
His footfalls approached, a steady gait, but filled with purpose. As soon as he caught sight of me, he nodded. “Tucker.”
“Sir,” I said.
“Looks like you ended up avoiding a little time in the slammer tonight. Can’t say the same for my boys.”
“Sammy’s fine. He’s safe at home.” I blurted the words without thinking, but I didn’t want Sam to get the brunt of his dad’s anger.
“What?”
Shrugging, I ran my hand over the back of my neck. “I pulled him out the back when the cops showed up. Couldn’t get to Clint and Trav in time. Sorry, sir.”
“Sam’s lucky you were there to get him out. I’d really hoped those boys would have taken it easy and avoided the bar fights for once.”
I snorted. “I haven’t been here long, but from what I gather, if it wasn’t them, it would have been someone else.”
“Well,” he said, adjusting his hat before dropping his cigarette butt on the gravel and crushing it under his boot. “I guess I’ll go rescue my wayward son and nephew. I should let the two of them sweat a little and just leave them overnight, but we got an early morning bringin’ the cows in for vaccinations. I need all hands on deck. You best let the boys know they’ll need to be ready before sunrise tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.” I started toward the bunkhouse, but he called my name, stopping me in my tracks.
“The missus doesn’t like me smokin’. Do me a favor and keep that to yourself.”
I nodded and fought a smirk. He wasn’t fooling anyone, but I didn’t think he really was under the assumption he was getting away with anything either. “She won’t hear a word from me.”
“Good. I do appreciate you looking out for Sammy. He’s got a lot goin’ for him. After that win last night, if he keeps it up, he’ll go pro.”
My gut clenched at the thought of Sam leaving, but I shook it off. I wasn’t gonna let one kiss derail my life. It was nothing. Wasn’t it?
Sam
My face throbbed, waking me just as the front door slammed shut, rattling the blinds in my room.
“Mornin’, sunshine,” Clint said, his voice far too chipper.
“Mornin’, yourself. What time is it?”
“Earlier than anyone wants to be awake. We got cows to move.”
I felt like death and was pretty sure I looked worse. Maybe I wasn’t cut out for a night of serious drinking if this was what it felt like the next day.
“Why do you look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? You’re the one who spent the night in jail.”
Clint chuckled and took a drink from his thermos. “A lot of water, a little sleep, and about a gallon of coffee.”
“When’d you get out?”
“Dad bailed us out around two. How’d you get home?”
I snagged a pair of jeans off the chair in the corner and had to swallow hard before I could say Tucker’s name. “Tuck pulled me out back and took me home.”
“He’s a good guy. I’m glad Dad brought him on.”
I rubbed at the back of my neck, the skin burning at the memory of kissing him in his truck. “Yeah.”
“Brought you some coffee. Get dressed, drink up. Gonna be a long as shit day.”
He set a travel mug on the dresser before leaving me be.
Long wasn’t the right word for how the day went. Endless was more like it. I’d caught sight of Tucker a handful of times as we rode out and rounded up the cows. He barely spared a glance at me. Except for once. One time I found him riding next to me. His jaw tight, gaze trained ahead of us until it wasn’t. Until the man looked me right in the eye, and everything stopped.
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, Shadow spooked, and