Long Hard Ride (25 page)

“No. I was tucked in bed and sound asleep by nine.”

“Hmm. That’s too bad. Maybe you’ve got the flu or something.”

“Or something.” Mary dug out five bucks from the front pocket of her Rockies and passed it to Callie. “See that lady selling drinks?” Mary pointed to the vendor loitering at the top of the staircase. “Please get me another soda, and some juice for yourself. But don’t buy nothin’ else, Callie. And come right back here when you’re done. I mean it.”

“Sure, Momma.”

The second Callie disappeared Mary leaned closer. “It’s not the flu.

I’m pregnant.”

“Wow.” Channing didn’t know what else to say. Was Mary was thrilled about the pregnancy?

“Me and Mike have been trying to have another baby for a while. A couple of years actually. It just didn’t seem like it ever was gonna happen. Looks like it did.”

“Congratulations. Does Mike know?”

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Mary smiled. “I told him right after I barfed up breakfast again and decided to pee on the stick. That man’s got a shit-eatin’ grin on his face a mile wide. We haven’t told Callie yet. The girl can’t keep a secret to save her life.”

“She
is
only four, Mary.”

“True.”

The saddle bronc competition started. Channing held her breath when Colby’s name was called. He bucked off within three seconds. She scrutinized him as he sauntered off the dirt, putting on a macho show for everyone, acting like he was just fine.

Damn foolish man.

An hour later Cash and Edgard posted good times in the calf roping.

Colby didn’t fare so well. He ended up with no time. He hadn’t even made it off his horse.

A sick feeling settled in the pit of Channing’s stomach. Colby wasn’t fine. She had no choice but to sit in the stands for a few more hours, fretting. Luckily, Callie’s constant chatter distracted her.

The steer wrestling competition began. Mike Morgan was scheduled second. Mary and Callie yelled advice from the stands as the steer raced out.

It happened so fast Channing nearly missed it. Mike threw himself at the steer as the animal reversed direction and came right at him. Man and beast ended up in a dusty pile in the middle of the arena with Mike on the bottom. Dazed, the steer wobbled to its hooves and bounced toward the gate. The bulldogger didn’t move.

Mary stood up. “Omigod. What happened?”

“Momma? Why’s Daddy layin’ on the ground?”

“Ssh, baby. I don’t know.”

Two officials trotted out and crouched down beside Mike. After a discussion, one of the guys gestured for another official. Another discussion. He in turn signaled for the sports medicine team.

“What in the hell is taking so long?” Mary said.

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They all watched in horror as a stretcher was hauled out.

Mary swayed forward over the railing and Channing caught her.

“Hey. Take a deep breath, Mary. Don’t pass out on me.”

She nodded and breathed deeply, squeezing Channing’s hand until Channing lost all feeling in it.

They carried Mike away to a smattering of applause and the announcer’s assurance that updates on Mike Morgan’s condition would be made available as soon as possible.

“I have to go,” Mary said. “I have to see if he’s okay. Oh God. What if he’s not?”

“Momma?”

Mary looked at her daughter, torn in two directions. “Maybe it’d be best if she didn’t come with until I know more—”

“You go on, Mary. Callie and I will stay right here. Hanging out.

Eating junk food. Checking out all the vendors to see what new trinkets they’re selling today, won’t we, Cal? You go.”

“You’re sure?”

“Go.”

Mary sprinted up the stairs two at a time.

The minute her mother was gone stoic Callie started to cry.

Channing pulled the little girl on her lap and let her bawl. Several of the other wives and girlfriends came over to offer help, but Callie wanted nothing to do with any of them.

Not once during the hour that passed did Callie beg for cheap toys.

Or sugar-laden snacks. Nor did she demand to know where her mother was. Or if her father was all right. Or why they couldn’t leave. She just curled into Channing and clung to her like a scared monkey.

“Channing!”

She spun around to see Colby limping down the bleacher stairs.

“Colby? What are you doing here?”

“Mary Morgan sent me.”

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Channing couldn’t read in his eyes whether it was good or bad news.

“She wants you to bring Callie to her.”

“Okay.” She looked down in Callie’s frightened eyes and tried to gently pry her arms from around her neck. “Hey, Calamity Jane. Gather up your stuff. Let’s go see your mom.”

But Callie wouldn’t let go. Finally, Channing just carried her out.

Colby led them through a cordoned-off area to a small, airless room underneath the main grandstand. Inside, Mary hovered next to Mike, who was awake but on a stretcher with his knee heavily bandaged and his wrist in a sling.

Callie squirmed out of Channing’s arms and launched herself at Mary, sobbing, “Momma you didn’t come back and didn’t come back and I thought my daddy was
dead
!”

Channing felt like she’d been kicked in the solar plexus. That poor little girl. Acting so brave when she’d been torn up inside. How many other rodeo kids went through this on a regular basis? How many wives and girlfriends and mothers and fathers? How did they deal with it, day in, day out? Year after year?

“Oh, baby. It’s okay. See? He’s not dead. Just banged up.”

Groggily, Mike Morgan said, “Hiya, punkin. Didja see me wreck? I think we oughta buy that steer and grind him into hamburger, huh?”

Mary stepped around the end of the stretcher. “Channing. Thank you so much for watching Callie.”

“No problem. Is everything okay?”

“We’ll know more tomorrow. As it sits now, Mike has a torn ACL

that’s gonna require surgery. We’re heading off to Omaha in a little bit for X-rays and tests. And probably a trip to the operating room.”

It sounded so serious. So permanent. Everyone knew—but nobody said out loud, that this could be a career-ending injury for Mike Morgan.

“Is there anything I can do?”

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Mary bit her lip. “I haven’t really thought it through until now, but it’s occurred to me we can’t take the horse and the horse trailer along with us to Omaha.”

Colby moved in behind Channing. “Don’t worry about it, Mary. Take care of your family. We’ll get your horse and trailer back to your ranch somehow.”

Relief crossed her face and she hugged Colby. “Oh thank you. You guys are our family, too. I’ll get the truck unhitched and get the trailer keys. I’ll be right back.” She leaned over to whisper to Mike before she and Callie hustled out.

Channing whirled around right into Colby, hovering behind her. She frowned. “Why are you still here? Aren’t you going to help Mary?”

“Nah. I’d just get in the way. Besides, Mary has hitched up that trailer more times than any guy on the circuit.”

She rocked to her tiptoes and got right in his face. “Yeah, but unlike most guys, she is pregnant. And I don’t think hefting that hitch in her condition is the best idea, do you?”

“Shit.” He vanished.

Outside the contestants’ gate she heard the announcement for the start of the barrel racing and saw Gemma and Cash arguing.

“—and I’m tellin’ you, it ain’t your fault.”

“How so? That was my bum steer, Cash. And I’ll be goddamned if I’ll sit here and do nothin’ when I could be helping them.”

“Hey, guys,” Channing interrupted. “What’s the problem?”

Cash’s handsome face was distorted into a full scowl. “The problem is that Wonder Woman here feels guilty and thinks she needs to take the Morgan’s horse and trailer back to South Dakota. By herself.”

A heated pause sparked the air like fireworks.

“If you’re just worried about her going alone, I could go with her,”

Channing offered.

Gemma awarded Cash a smug smile. “See? Problem solved.”

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“Except for one tiny detail. You don’t have your big horse haulin’

truck here, Gem. Your foreman needs the big diesel to pull the trailer for the stock. There’s no way you can pull that monster rig of Morgan’s with your small block Ford.”

“But
you
have a big enough one?”

Cash grinned slowly.

“I’ll knock that grin clean off your face, Cash Big Crow, if you don’t get rid of it right now.”

His smile didn’t dim one iota.

“Fine. Yours is bigger. I doubt you’ll let me touch it. So are you volunteering to drive your big, bad machine to Buffalo Gap? That mean you’re just gonna abandon your horse and trailer here? For at least a day?”

“No. I hadn’t thought it through that far.”

Trevor sauntered over. “What’s the commotion?”

While Cash and Gemma stared at each other, Channing gave Trevor a brief rundown.

“Okay. Here’s what we’ll do. Hook up Cash’s truck to the Morgan’s trailer and take Mike’s horses to their ranch. Then you two will turn around, come back here and pick up Cash’s empty horse trailer on your way to Cheyenne. Because I will have driven Gemma’s rig, loaded with both of your horses to Cheyenne.”

They looked at each other. Cash shrugged. “Works for me.”

Gemma snapped off, “Fine. But if you wreck my truck, Trevor Glanzer—”

“I’ll ride along with him and make sure he obeys all traffic laws,”

Channing said. “Then I’ll watch your trailer until you get there.”

“Good. Let’s get everything loaded up.”

Trevor caught Channing’s arm. “Why are you doin’ this? Wouldn’t you rather ride with Colby in my truck?”

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“Between you and me? No. I need some time to clear my head.” When Trevor balked, she added, “Your part in last night’s festivities had nothing to do with it, okay?”

He nodded. “I sure understand needin’ some time to clear away the cobwebs. I’ll pass the information on the change in plans to Edgard. He can help Colby with our horses. Unless you’d rather tell Colby yourself?”

“No. I know he still has the bull-riding event to get through. But I’d like to get out of here as soon as possible because he’s liable to make a big scene.”

Or worse, Colby might not care at all that she was gone.

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Chapter Seventeen

Cheyenne, Wyoming, was all abuzz for Frontier Days, for the “Daddy of ‘em All”, one of the oldest rodeos in the country. During the ten-day run, four hundred thousand people visited the town, which had a population of fifty thousand on a good day.

For the first time on this journey, Channing had time to gaze out the window and take in the scenery. As she and Trevor drove across the Sandhills of Nebraska, she marveled at the endless space of the Wild West. Big, blue sky. Sagebrush and groves of squat, twisted trees. The rocky buttes and the clean, dry air. Wyoming was just as rugged as she’d imagined. She wondered if Colby’s ranch looked anything like this slice of heaven.

Trevor checked them into Gemma’s assigned spot and began the feeding and exercising process for the horses. He didn’t turn down Channing’s offer of help. She was pleased about how much she’d remembered from following Gemma around while she’d done chores.

Even Trevor didn’t tease her too much about being a greenhorn.

Gemma’s campsite was on the other end of town from where Trevor and Colby had reservations. Channing was beginning to think she should crash with Gemma. Motel rooms were booked solid around Cheyenne for fifty miles. All four of them bunking in the horse trailer would be just a little too close for comfort on more levels than she could name.

Plus, she liked Gemma. Not only did they have fun together, Channing knew she could talk to Gemma about anything and Gemma wouldn’t pass judgment. It was heartening because she’d never connected with anyone so quickly.

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Except for Colby.

Damn. Why did everything always come back around to that man?

Because you’re crazy in love him.

No. That wasn’t it. What she felt for Colby was lust, plain and simple.

Maybe a little trust. So he made her feel safe. He made her laugh. He made her twist and writhe with pleasure. He also made her mad enough to spit nails. Still, he had a silly, sweet side as well as a domineering side that was hot as hell.

Before Channing began checking off his fabulous physical attributes, she had to face facts: she’d fallen for the cowboy.

So the question was, what did she do about it? They’d started this…
thing
with a clear end in sight. She’d known from day one it’d never work out and they’d part company—not only because of the clichéd differences between a country boy and a city girl.

Besides, she’d never fantasized that Colby was going to slip a ring on her finger and promise his everlasting devotion. The only thing he was devoted to, near as she could tell, was the rodeo.

Which brought up another issue. After seeing Colby’s injuries, and then Mike’s arena crash, she didn’t know if she could stomach Colby getting beat to crap on a regular basis. Year in, year out. He might not keep aiming for the upper tier in the NFR, but she suspected he’d never give up rodeo for good.

A soft rap sounded on the door. Her stupid heart skipped. Too soon for Colby to have made it to Cheyenne. “Come in.”

Trevor stepped inside.

“I just wanted to let you know I got the all clear from Gemma to take her truck tonight. So you’ll be without wheels.”

“Where are you going?”

“To meet my family. They’ve taken some time off from the ranch and they’re in town for a couple of days to watch me compete.”

“Cool. That sounds like fun.”