And Then You Dare (Crested Butte Cowboys Series Book 5) (18 page)

“Of course we should. Don’t you agree Tristan?”

Tristan nodded at Liv. “Of course.” All that chatter and no
one said a word about Bullet’s whereabouts. Since no one mentioned Bill
Patterson either, maybe that’s who he was with.

“What about you Dottie, are you able to join us for girls’
night?”

“I sure can Tristan. My Bill is at the PRCA board meeting
tonight. When their meeting’s over the guys usually break out the cards. I
don’t expect him back much before midnight.”

Damn.
Still no clue as to where Bullet was. Maybe
if she volunteered to pick Bullet’s mother and grandmother up at his house…no,
that wouldn’t work. Lyric would pick up her own family.

Tristan would just have to be patient and see if anyone else
worked him into the conversation. No way she’d dare ask where he was. She’d
never hear the end of it if she did.

She was three of Lyric’s cocktails in when she heard Renie’s
back door open again.

“Who could that be?” whispered Bree. It had been her idea to
watch the entire last season of
American Horror Story
on
Billy and Renie’s big screen television. “Who are we missing? Blythe, my mom,
Lyric’s mom and grandmother are here. Who else did we invite?”

Tristan hated horror shows anyway, which was the main reason she’d
downed the three cocktails. But the fact that whoever had come in the back
door, still hadn’t shown him- or herself, was giving her the quivers. And not
the good kind.

“Oh for goodness sake,” said Lyric’s grandmother. “I’ll go
look.” Tristan wanted to beg her not to, but then again, maybe she’d turn some
lights on.

Grey, who had been in the bedroom with Willow, Caden, and
Hannah Pearl, supposedly sound asleep, came padding through the living room and
followed his great-grandmother. When he turned the corner into the kitchen, he
let out a shriek that almost had Tristan peeing her pants.

“Dada,”
he screamed. Tristan froze. Bullet was
here.

“Well, well, well. Look at all the lovely ladies. What’s goin’
on tonight?” Bullet picked up a glass on the kitchen counter and sniffed.
“Smells like one of Lyric’s five ingredient cocktails, where all five
ingredients are alcohol.”

“Girls’ night. Except for Grey,” Liv giggled.

Tristan was sitting furthest away from where he stood. She had
no idea whether he’d noticed her yet.

“Billy asked me to drop this off,” he said to Renie, placing a
duffle bag on her kitchen counter.

Tristan watched him walk around Renie’s gourmet kitchen,
tasting the hors d’oeurves spread out on the marble-topped island. “I am
downright famished. You ladies wouldn’t mind if I crashed your party, would
ya?”

Half of Tristan hoped they’d protest, the other half hoped
he’d be invited to stay.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said when no one answered.
“Tristan, you don’t mind do ya?”

She had her answer. He’d noticed her, and he, along with
everyone else, was waiting for her to reply. The room was silent; the TV still
on mute.

“Tristan, you don’t mind, right?” teased Lyric. “I heard a
rumor you two were at Black Mountain Ranch together recently. How did that go?”

Inwardly Tristan rolled her eyes at Lyric. Outwardly, she
hadn’t moved a muscle, or answered Bullet. She was afraid to speak, and when
she tried, her voice was hoarse.

“What was that?” Bullet was walking toward her. “I couldn’t
hear you.”

Tristan cleared her throat. “Of course I don’t mind. Why would
I?”

“Just checkin’.” Bullet sat down next to her, and pulled Grey
on his lap. “Grey, you wanna sit by the prettiest lady in the room?”

Grey moved from Bullet’s lap toward Tristan and plunked down
right next to her, resting his head on her leg.

“He shares my good taste,” Bullet whispered and leaned forward
to kiss her.

Tristan jerked away from him so quickly, Grey’s head hit the
floor with a thud. The baby burst into tears, rubbed his head, and wailed.

“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled to Bullet. “I—”

“Save it,” he growled. He stood and took Grey in the direction
of the bedroom.

“Is my Pearl in there?” he asked Liv.

“She is.” Liv put her finger in front of her lips to tell Bullet
to be quiet. The girls were asleep. Instead, he barged into the room, turned on
the light, and picked his little girl up with one arm as he held the
still-crying Grey in the other.

“We’ll see y’all later,” he said to no one in particular, and
walked out the kitchen door, leaving it open behind him.

Tristan jumped up to follow him, but Lyric stopped her. “Let
him go,” she warned.

“I need to apologize,” she pressed.

“Sometimes words aren’t enough to make up for actions.”
Lyric’s jaw was set. Tristan knew better than try to argue with her.

I’m sorry,
she texted him. He didn’t answer. She
told herself he was probably busy getting Grey and Pearl to bed, but she knew
better. He was mad. And he had every right to be. Her reaction to him even
baffled her. Although she knew she wasn’t ready for everyone to know she and
Bullet were…what? A couple? No, they weren’t a couple. That they’d had a fling?
Jeez.
A fling? What would her father think?

“I’m mad at you too.” Lyric stood next to her on Billy and
Renie’s deck.

“It really isn’t any of your business Lyric. I’m sorry I hurt
your brother’s feelings, but his actions were—”

Lyric walked back in the house before Tristan finished her
sentence. A minute later, Liv came outside.

“If you’re going to scold me too, don’t waste your time.”

“My, my, aren’t you in a tizzy?”

“He shouldn’t have done that.” Tristan waited, but Liv didn’t
respond. “Especially in front of everyone.” Still nothing from Liv.

Finally, she spoke. “Did you know this used to be my house?”

Tristan hadn’t put it all together, but yes, Liv had told her
Billy bought her ranch before he married Renie.

“I love this house. My parents built it when I was a teenager.
My father was a retired Air Force colonel, and prior to this house, there
wasn’t one I lived in longer than four years.”

“It’s a very nice house,” Tristan murmured. “Especially the
kitchen.” She hadn’t seen much more of the house than that and the family room,
but just those two areas were beautifully designed.

“I was out here on the deck late one afternoon, and I saw a
black bear, over there near the forest.” Liv pointed to the edge of the
clearing. “I believed it was a sign that I was meant to be alone.” Liv paused,
and shook her head. “I can’t tell you how many times I almost lost Ben because of
my fear. And my stubbornness.”

Tristan didn’t know what to say, so she listened.

“I was watching you. All evening you were wondering about him,
but too stubborn to ask. When he came in, your eyes lit up like Christmas
lights.”

She
was
happy to see
him, but then he took it too far. He toyed with her, and he did it in front of
everyone. They hadn’t spoken since Bullet dropped her off at the airport. They
hadn’t even texted. Did he really expect her to fall into his arms like some
lovesick cowgirl? She’d done that once before in her life, and vowed never to
be that naive again.

“Is it really so hard for you to give him a chance?”

“A chance at what? A chance to make a fool of me?” Tristan’s
eyes filled with tears.

“Oh honey. I don’t know who hurt you so badly that you’ve
closed your heart at such a young age. But please listen to me. It’s time to
open it again.” Liv wrapped her arms around Tristan and hugged her tight. “If
there’s anything I know, it’s love is worth it.”

“I think you’re overstating it. What makes you think Bullet
and I are headed in that direction? He’s a cowboy, a
bull rider
,
for God’s sake.”

“I’m confused. Do you think bull riders are incapable of
loving someone?”

That wasn’t the point. Of course they were. But both she and Bullet
had a lot of living to do before they’d be ready to look for that kind of
relationship. Maybe he didn’t think so now, but time would prove her right. He
was barely out of high school when he had his first child. Since, he’d been
married, and had another child.

“You make him want to be a better man.”

Tristan hadn’t heard Lyric come back outside. “I don’t know.”
She doubted it was for the long term. Maybe because he liked the challenge of
winning her over. Maybe because he thought he still wanted the Lost Cowboy
sponsorship, even though he didn’t need it. Buck Bishop wasn’t the type to give
false praise. He meant the words he said to Bullet, and to Bill.

That was the other thing. Bullet was on the fast track to
championship bull riding. Between now and October, he wouldn’t have time to
think about anything else. If he did as well as Buck predicted, he wouldn’t get
a break until December.

She had her own dreams to chase, to use Lyric’s expression.
Tomorrow’s meeting would determine how much money she’d have to produce her
line. The more she had, the faster she could do it.

“I’m sorry to keep repeating myself, but you’re both making
too much of this. You want to know what happened? We had a great time at the
ranch. I did some of my best work, and so did he. We had amazing sex. Is that
what you were really after?”

“I can’t speak for Liv, but that was
way
more
than I wanted to know.”

Tristan couldn’t help but laugh. Leave it to Lyric to say
something to diffuse her anger.

“Not me,” Liv shook her head. “I want details.”

“
Ew
. You’re talkin’ about my twin brother. Come
on.” Lyric covered her ears. “No details, please.”

Liv put her arm around Tristan’s shoulders. “You’ve got a big
day tomorrow. Let’s call it a night.”

Tristan followed Liv inside. Other than Lyric’s mother and
grandmother, who were waiting for Lyric to take them back to Bullet’s, everyone
but Renie was gone. Liv led Tristan downstairs to the guest rooms.

“Get some rest, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

She’d see Liv in the morning, but she doubted she’d get any
rest.

***

1968

“If you aren’t going to Western State, neither am I.”

“But Dottie, you have to. You can’t give up a chance to go to
college on account of me. I won’t hear of it.”

“Listen to you Mr. Bossy.
You won’t hear of it.
Well I won’t hear of waiting another minute for you. And I’m not giving you up
either.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“What do you propose we do?”

“I’m not the one doing any proposing Bill Flynn, but you
better be.”

Just a couple days ago his mama had given Bill the ring his
daddy gave to her. Now that she was marrying Clancy, she didn’t feel right
having Gene Flynn’s ring. He’d carried it with him in his pocket, but sure
hadn’t planned what he was about to do.

Bill pulled it out, and got down on one knee.

“Bill-—”

“Now don’t interrupt me Dorothea. I have somethin’ important
to ask you.”

Dottie grinned, and put her hands on her hips. Bill reached
out and brought her left hand closer to him.

“I’ve loved you since the day I met you. Will you marry me
Dottie?”

Tristan was a nervous wreck, and it wasn’t because of the
meeting planned for that afternoon. Bullet called and asked if they could talk.
He wouldn’t elaborate over the phone, but she could guess how the conversation
would go.

She’d hurt his feelings last night, and while it was
unintentional, there was something to be said for the way she pulled away from
him. It had been a knee-jerk reaction, and once again she was faced with the
realization that when it came to Bullet, even she didn’t understand her
feelings or the way she reacted to him.

He invited her to join him for breakfast. There was a place in
historic downtown Monument, the town located northwest of Black Forest, called
Cup of Coffee, that he liked. He thought she might too.

In fifteen minutes he would be picking her up. In the
meantime, she couldn’t sit still.

***

“What are you gonna say to her?” Lyric spent the night at
Bullet’s. Her mother drove them back the night before and told her she was in
no condition to drive to Palmer Lake. After having three of her five-ingredient
cocktails, Lyric agreed. Her mama had never been much of drinker, so it didn’t
surprise Lyric when her mother opted for tea the night before.

“I haven’t figured that out yet.”

“Why’d you invite her to breakfast then?”

Bullet wasn’t sure why he had other than knowing the time they
had together was short, and he didn’t want to waste it being mad at her. He
didn’t know when she was scheduled to go back to New York, but beginning next
month, he’d be busier than he ever had been in his life.

Flying R had hired another hand to travel with Bullet, Bill
and Dottie. Bill and Dottie were going on the road to help, but not in the way
Bullet would need it most, with the broncs.

Slade Weston, the guy they hired, was a bulldogger, which
meant he was strong and tough as all get out. Steer wrestling took timing,
speed, and strength. The cowboy needed to be a damn good rider to chase a
steer, dismount his horse, mount the steer and wrestle it to the ground. Good
bulldoggers could do it all in three or four seconds.

There were no historical records that connected this event
with every day ranch life. Bullet remembered Dottie saying it was the timed
events in rodeo that Bill had the most trouble with. Had Billy or the other
Flying R partners consulted Bill before hiring Slade? Bullet sure hoped so,
since Slade would be traveling with them pretty near non-stop the next six
months.

Bullet shook his head and looked at his phone for the
hundredth time that morning. He had five minutes before he had to leave.
Instead of thinking about the new hand, he should be thinking about what he
planned to say to Tristan.

He parked the truck, and before he could get out and knock on
the back door of the house, Tristan was walking toward him. He got out anyway,
to open the passenger door for her.

“Good morning.” He couldn’t really understand why he was
feeling sheepish this morning; it had been Tristan who pulled away from him.
There had to have been a reason though, and it had to have been his fault. It
seemed almost everything was, one way or another.

She nodded, but didn’t answer. When he opened the door for
her, she wouldn’t look at him. So Bullet did the thing that came natural to
him, he spun her around and kissed the daylights out of her. The tension he
felt in every part of her body quickly released. Her arms went around his neck,
and she kissed him back.

“I’m sorry,” they pulled back and said simultaneously. Then
they both laughed.

“I’m the one who should be sorry Bullet. I don’t know why I
reacted the way I did last night.”

“Wasn’t fair of me to put you on the spot the way I did. I
understand if I embarrassed you.”

They were still standing next to the truck. Tristan looked in
the direction of the house. “Let’s go, okay? We can talk about this better over
breakfast.”

There was a part of him that wondered if Tristan was still
trying to hide being with him. Did she look toward the house to see if anyone
was watching? He leaned down and kissed her again. When her mouth opened to
him, he knew he’d won this battle, if there was a war.

***

Tristan looked around the restaurant. There wasn’t anyone here
she knew, not that she expected there to be. Things had been so much easier
when they were at Black Mountain Ranch. She supposed Piper could’ve ratted her out
to her father, but why would she have? She seemed like more of a conspirator
than an adversary.

“How’s Grey this morning?”

“He’s fine. I think he was startled more than hurt last
night.”

“I felt terrible. I still do.”

“The thing that upsets me the most is I left in such a huff
that you didn’t get to meet my daughter.”

Tristan looked away, and hoped what she was thinking wasn’t
showing on her face. She was still having a hard time accepting Bullet had
another child with a woman who wasn’t Grey’s mother. She couldn’t comprehend
the complete lack of responsibility in having unprotected sex. Especially with
someone he doubted so much that he questioned being the child’s father.

“I know what you’re thinkin’.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I do. And neither of us needs to say it out loud.”

“We’ve led very different lives—”

“I know we have, and believe me, there isn’t anybody who knows
I’m not good enough for you better than I do.”

Is that what he thought? Is that what she was leading him to
believe? It wasn’t about him being good enough for her, was it? Of all the
things she could do that would shame her father, her thinking she was better
than anyone else would shame him the most. He had raised her with compassion,
and the belief that anyone who was willing to work hard and do the right thing,
could make anything they wanted of themselves.

Having a child out of wedlock wasn’t choosing not to do the
right thing. He supported the child, and was involved in her life. Turning his
back on the baby would have been something her daddy disapproved of.

“You’re wrong Bullet. The better I get to know you, the more I
think I’m the one who isn’t good enough for you.”

He smiled. And she melted. Bullet was meant to smile. Frowning
didn’t suit him.

“God you’re beautiful.”

Tristan dipped her head and felt her cheeks heat. Not only
wasn’t she good enough for him, she didn’t deserve him. He had every right to
be mad at her, or even dislike her. Instead, he told her she was beautiful.

“Thank you.”

“Come on now, give me one of your sweet smiles.”

What choice did she have? When he talked to her that way, she
was powerless to do anything but what he asked of her.

Bullet stood and came to her side of the booth. When she slid
over to give him room, he smiled again.

“Now that’s much better.” Bullet reached around the back of
the booth and put his arm around her shoulder. “I like you close as I can get
you.”

Tristan looked at her phone, it was almost noon. She couldn’t
believe she and Bullet had been talking for over two hours.

“I have to get back. I’m sorry.”

“You gotta stop sayin’ you’re sorry all the time. I know you
have a meeting. It isn’t something you should be sorry for.”

“I know. I can’t help it. I never realized how much I say it.”

“Wasn’t there some old time movie that had a line in it about love
meaning you never say you’re sorry?”

That took the smile off her face. “Bullet—”

“Now don’t go gettin’ all in a snit. I was just teasin’ you.”

“Oh. Okay. I’m—”

Bullet put his hand over her mouth. “Nope, I’m not lettin’ you
say it. Every time I think you’re about to, I’m gonna do this.” He leaned
forward and covered her mouth with his kiss.

“And just so you know, I ain’t ever gonna say I’m sorry for
kissin’ you. Even in the middle of a crowded restaurant.”

Tristan looked around her. She hadn’t noticed the empty tables
were all full, and there was a lunch crowd lined up waiting.

“If you didn’t have a meeting, I’d sit here with you all
afternoon, maybe stay for dinner too.”

“We close at three,” said the waitress as she dropped their
check on the table.

“I’m so embarrassed.” Tristan covered her face with her hands.

“If that’s all it takes to embarrass you darlin’, you’re in
for quite an awakening.”

Tristan didn’t doubt the truth of his words for a minute.

***

“How’d the writing session go?” Bullet asked his dad.

“So good that we’re getting together again tomorrow, and
probably the day after too.”

“That’s terrific, Dad.”

“Mark Cochran is so damn funny. Ben and I spend as much time
laughing as we do making music.”

“I don’t really know him.” Bullet had only seen Mark and his
wife, Paige, a couple times, and even then, he hadn’t been introduced to them.

“That’ll change later tonight. I invited everyone to dinner.”

Bullet looked around his kitchen, and wondered what his dad
meant by “everyone.” More than six or seven people would overflow this room,
and the dining room wasn’t much bigger. Did his dad give any thought to the
size of the house Bullet was living in? It was about one-tenth of the size of
his parents’ house in Los Angeles.

“Not here dumbass.” His dad gave him a playful punch and
smiled. “I reserved a restaurant in town.”

“The whole restaurant?”

“Well…yeah.”

Bullet shook his head. He’d forgotten how his dad was. If he
wanted it, he got it. Yep, Bullet hadn’t fallen far from the tree after all.

“I want you to invite the girl Lyric has been telling us so
much about.”

“Tristan?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. Lyric says she might become the newest
member of our family.”

Bullet almost choked on the drink of beer he’d just taken.
Jesus.
He knew better than to trust Lyric not to blurt that out in front of Tristan.
Nope, he wouldn’t be inviting her tonight. If he did, it might be the last time
she agreed to go anywhere with him.

***

“You don’t have any choice. Most of your investors will be at
dinner tonight, and we want you there.”

Lyric made Tristan laugh. She was as bad as Liv, who told her
Billy and Jace would be mad at her if she didn’t come to the partner dinner the
last time she was in Crested Butte.

“You don’t have to twist my arm, I’m happy to join you. I
appreciate the invitation.”

Tristan couldn’t be in a better mood. She and Bullet “made up”
over breakfast, where they also “made out”.

Not to mention, each of the women associated with Flying R Rough
Stock invested more money in McCullough Cowgirl than she’d expected
collectively. With their backing, the new line would be ready for a fall
launch, which also meant a lot of press at the PBR finals in October, and NFR
in December.

Lyric volunteered to handle the media through press releases
and scheduled interviews. Tristan had a lot of experience with media herself,
but her attention would be better focused on the clothing. Bree’s sister,
Blythe, worked for Lyric at RodeoChat, and volunteered to start promoting the
line in international markets. Her first push would be in Australia, where she
predicted it would explode.

Liv had been right about Paige Cochran. Mark’s wife, and Bree
and Blythe’s mother, was the real businessperson in the bunch. They had a
meeting scheduled the next day to hammer out the new brand’s business plan.

Wait until her daddy heard all this. She knew he’d be proud,
and as long as she continued to design for Lost Cowboy, he’d be happy too.

***

When Tristan walked into the restaurant with Liv Rice, Bullet
was surprised, happy, and anxious. He was happy she was here, but Lyric had
gone too far in suggesting to their parents that she’d soon be their newest
family member.

He walked over and pulled his sister aside. “Keep your
comments about Tristan to a minimum tonight. You hear?”

“Let go of me.” Lyric pulled her arm out of his grasp. “Don’t
worry. How dumb do you think I am? It’s a prediction that I know won’t come
true if Miss McCullough thinks she’s being rushed. She’s not like the other
women you’ve been involved with Bullet. I hope you realize that.”

Bullet wanted to make a joke about Lyric not already knowing
what he thought, but now wasn’t the time for joking.

“Of course I do. She’s a whole different caliber of woman.”

“You’re good enough for her. I hope you realize that too.”

Bullet wasn’t so sure, but he’d never completely win her over
if he wasn’t confident in himself. He sensed that the only type of man Tristan
would ever fall for would be self-assured.

He walked over to the table where she and Liv were being
seated.

“What a pleasant surprise, it’s nice to see you here Tristan.”

Her cheeks turned pink. “I hope I’m not intruding. Lyric
invited me.”

He took her hand. “Don’t be silly, of course you aren’t.” He
turned to Liv. “You’ve met my parents, right?”

Liv laughed. “Yes Bullet. Your father and my husband are
quickly becoming good friends. I expect I’ll be seeing a lot of your parents.”

“And me,” Paige pulled out the chair on the other side of Liv,
and sat down. “Don’t forget about me.”

“As if anyone could ever forget you,” smiled Liv.

When she introduced Tristan to Paige, Liv explained that the
two had been best friends since Renie and Blythe were in kindergarten together.
Paige had been instrumental in getting Liv and Ben together. Although when Liv
told the story, she’d said Paige had more to do with them actually staying
together. Tristan couldn’t imagine a couple more suited to one another than Liv
and Ben. She found it astonishing that there had been a time Liv questioned
their relationship.