Whirlwind - Janet Dailey Page 0,4

on the ranch. Tess chose to stay there and help Dad. I was on my way to a college degree in ranch management and animal husbandry before I quit to come home and help. Cash is in short supply, but we’re hoping that if Whirlwind can bring in some serious prize money—”

She broke off, stopping the heedless flood of words. What was she doing—letting down her guard to a charming stranger who was asking too many questions? Bad idea. Even if he was just being sympathetic, her family problems were nobody’s business.

“Why am I telling you all this?” she said. “I barely know you. And I thought our deal involved you talking to me. Maybe you should start by telling me what you’re really doing here.”

He gave her an easy smile. One front tooth was slightly crooked. The small imperfection lent his features a roguish look. Lexie willed herself to ignore the flip-flopping sensation in her chest. He was too smooth. Too confident.

“As I told you, I came to check out Whirlwind,” he said. “I’ll be watching him later this evening, but maybe you can tell me what to look for. How does he buck?”

“Why should I tell you anything? The more cowboys he can buck off—cowboys like you—the better his stats will be. If you’re in the stands when he comes out of that chute, you’ll see for yourself. I will tell you one thing. Whirlwind is just five years old. He’s only been on the PRCA circuit a year. But he’s not just strong. He’s as smart as a fox. He knows tricks that most buckers take half a lifetime to learn, if they ever do. Remember that if you ever climb on his back.”

She glanced at her watch, vaguely uneasy. Shane Tully had made it his mission to find her. But he had yet to tell her what he really wanted.

“Your time’s almost up,” she said. “If you’ve got anything else to say, you’d better say it fast.”

He nodded, his mouth compressed into a thin line. “Just one question,” he said. “Have you ever thought of selling Whirlwind? I’m in touch with an interested buyer. He says you can name your price.”

“What?” Lexie’s jaw dropped. Then the outrage boiled up in her, hot and seething. He’d played her, right into his hands. She battled the urge to punch the man hard enough to break bones in his smug, handsome face.

“Just listen,” he said. “You’ve told me your ranch is struggling. What you could get for this bull would solve a lot of your problems. Think about it, at least. Talk it over with your sister.” He fished a business card out of his pocket and thrust it toward her. “Here’s how you can reach me.”

Lexie snatched the card from his hand, ripped it, tossed it down, and stomped it into the dust. “I don’t need to think about it!” she snapped. “And I certainly don’t need to talk it over with Tess. Whirlwind is family! He’s our hope for the future.”

She gasped, almost choking, as a sudden thought struck her. “Who sent you?” she demanded. “Who’s making the offer? If it’s that snake in the grass, Brock Tolman, you can tell him that Whirlwind isn’t for sale. Not now, not ever, and not for any price, especially to him. I wouldn’t sell that man a mangy, three-legged dog!”

Lexie waited for a response to her question. When it didn’t come, she knew she’d been right. Rancher and stock contractor Brock Tolman had been a thorn in the side of the Champion family for years—ever since he’d snatched away a piece of valuable land from Lexie’s father, who’d been negotiating a bank loan to buy it. Brock Tolman might have his cash, his big ranch, and his herd of prime bucking bulls, but there was one thing he would never get his hands on: Whirlwind.

And now he had this slick-talking cowboy doing his dirty work.

She gave him a cold look. “Your time’s up, mister. But let me give you some friendly advice. Working for Tolman is like selling your soul. He’ll take everything from you and kick you out when he’s done.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Shane Tully’s voice was flat, his expression unreadable.

“You do that,” Lexie said. “Now get going. I don’t ever want to see you around our bulls again.”

He turned away, walked a few steps, then paused and glanced back over his shoulder. “Thank you for your time,” he said with a tip of his hat.