Saddled With Trouble by Michele Scott Page B

soon-to-be ex-husband.”
    “ Really? Why is that?”
    “ Brad is a cheat and a liar. Something my uncle Lou always knew and tried to warn me about. But, you know the saying: ‘Love is . . . ’ ”
    “ Blind.” He finished the sentence for her.
    “ Right. Brad and I were married for nine years. We married young. I was right out of college, and there were some good times— a few, maybe.” She forced a smile, trying to convince herself of this as much as she was Davis. “But then Brad became really involved in the rodeo circuit.”
    “ Aren’t you as well?”
    “ No. When we were married, I would go to the rodeos, and I still like to go and watch the big National Finals Rodeo held out in Vegas each year. I did use to run barrels as a kid.”
    “ Run barrels?”
    “ Sure. It’s a blast. Your horse running all out and rounding the barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. You know, barrel racing.”
    “ Oh yeah, yeah. I got it. I’ve seen that before on TV.”
    She smiled. “I’m sure you have. Anyway, it’s my favorite event to watch at the rodeo. In fact, the NFR starts this weekend, and I’d planned to drive out with my roommate, but now that seems wrong to do, considering what’s just happened with my uncle.”
    Davis shifted in the chair. “I understand. Why would your ex be seeking revenge?”
    “ Like I said, this might take some time to fill in all the holes.”
    “ I’ve got time.” He leaned back in his chair, his blue eyes trained on her.
    “ Brad rides bulls. Or he did, anyway.”
    “ A bull rider?”
    “ Yeah, I know, don’t say it. Everyone does; you don’t look like the kind of girl who would marry a bull rider.”
    “ The thought crossed my mind.”
    “ Well, when we met, bull riding wasn’t his thing. He was more into the working cow horse events. But he got the bug. Someone dared him and the fool took the dare. He started riding broncs, and then onto the bulls because the money was great and he got hooked on the adrenaline rush. It also didn’t help that he was good at it. Then, he got hurt, broke his hip, and I nursed him back to health. He had a few surgeries, and although he couldn’t compete any longer, because it was too painful, it didn’t stop him from wanting to go out on the circuit.”
    “ He enjoyed the lifestyle,” Davis suggested.
    Michaela nodded. “The problem was, or I should say, is , that the money he’d earned, he blew partying on the circuit with his pals. I tried to salvage the marriage. I wanted children.”
    “ He didn’t?”
    “ Brad said that he did, promised me he’d be around more and help me grow my business, and that we could start a family. He tried to convince me that it was good for him to be out and about with his buddies, that they were all spreading the word about what a great trainer I was. Even though I don’t train horses for rodeo-type events other than some barrel racing, there is quite a bit of crossover communication in the horse world. Plenty, actually, especially because most of us in this part of the industry ride quarter horses.” Davis raised his brow and shrugged, and Michaela continued. “A quarter horse is a really great breed— stocky, athletic, good-natured, they tend to be of sound mind, and intelligent. I guess you could say that they’re kind of the Labradors of horses, if that makes sense to you.” He nodded. “They’re a versatile breed. I love working with them.”
    “ Your ex didn’t exactly go around touting you as the brilliant trainer, I take it?”
    “ No. He was too busy with other things.”
    “ And, you put up with that?”
    A wave of shame swept through her. She had put up with it. “I did, but in my defense as I said, love is blind, or in this case plain stupid. I wanted to believe him and I really wanted kids. He did get me a couple of clients, and that kept me hooked into thinking that he was sort of a manager— the good husband doing his part to bring in the business. Stupid, I