Stepbrother Cowboy: A Western Romance by Lee Moore, Angela Kelly Page A

and led her close to the tack room, clipping a lead to her and looking for a good saddle. I found it, and grabbed a blanket. I put that down and started cinching the buckles around Lightning’s stomach when she stomped her hoof. I figured that was her thing and not a sign as I took it before, and as I reached for the furthest buckle, I had to kneel. I felt hot breath on my lower back and knew what was coming next.
    When Lightning bit me, it wasn’t a hard bite, more like a playful nip. Regardless I yelped and started jumping up and down rubbing my hands over my butt cheek. Damn horse almost got a chunk. When I calmed down, I got close to the horse and was about to tell her what would happen next time when I heard feminine giggles behind me. I spun around, my eyes wide. Mom and Ali were there, holding onto each other and laughing as quietly as they could.
    “Very funny. I’m thinking about taking her to the glue factory already and you two are over here yucking it up.”
    “The surprised look on your face when she bit you-” and they started all over again.
    “Ok, ok. I get it, fart jokes aren’t funny but getting bit in the butt is?”
    “Pretty much,” Alison said, her giggles tapering off.
    “I wanted to say goodbye. Bill and I are heading out on a quick honeymoon and then we’re flying to China. Alison here says you’re going to help Jackson run things while we’re gone.”
    I looked at her, lifting an eyebrow for effect. Run things?
    “I’m going to do some riding. I need to decompress a little bit before I go job hunting.”
    “I understand, I do. Now you don’t go looking up any trouble while we’re gone,” she said, crushing me in a hug.
    “Love you too, mom.”
    I saw Alison fade back so we could talk for a moment, but I was watching her. Mom was giving me her itinerary for their trip but Ali was leading Blue to the lead by Lightning, hooking him up. I nodded in all the right places, and confirmed the days they’d be calling in. I half listened, but I was watching as Ali saddled the horses the rest of the way. Mom turned to follow my gaze and gave me an odd look.
    “Something wrong?”
    “No, just surprised how easy it is.”
    “What do you mean?” She asked me, never turning away from Alison, who was pulling the straps tight on Lightning now that Blue was done. She loaded the saddlebags on blue from a backpack she’d been wearing, but I couldn’t tell what it was from this far back.
    “This, the ranch, family. I ran from this life when I could. Now I’m back, and I don’t know if I want to ever leave again.”
    “Then don’t,” she told me matter of factly.
    I turned to her, puzzled. Her smile hadn’t changed over the years, and her eyes lit up and she rubbed my arm. With just a touch, she put me at ease a bit.
    “What do you mean?
    “You don’t have to go job hunting. Work here if want. If you don’t, I’m sure you can find work in about anything you put your mind to.”
    “Thanks. If we didn’t have such a douche bag for a sheriff, I might apply to be a deputy. I was originally going to be an MP… but I don’t even know if that’s what I want to do.”
    “Give it time. You’ll figure it out.”
    “Thanks Mom, tell Bill bye for me, would you?”
    “You bet.”
    I watched my mom walk out of the barn, and I had to smile. Soon I was going to have a new little brother or sister in my life. I had enough stashed away that I could probably loaf around for a while, and I figured on using that money to buy a car… Having my Jeep… That took a lot off me financially. Having a place to stay, I just hoped the cabin was free for a little while.
    “You coming or what?”
    “Or what,” I called back.
    I put the rifle sling over my back, unhooked and climbed on Lightning. She just turned her head to look at me, but Alison had put the bit in while I was talking to Mom, and the reins were within easy reach. I turned him towards the door, and both Alison and I rode out into the