took a tragedy to get you to slow down.” His father gave Logan a knowing smile. Louisa Gray would take full advantage of his downtime.
“Well, I’m here now.”
“You just rest, I’m going in to put on supper.”
Logan felt a bit of relief when his mother quit hovering. The pain wasn’t bad. Getting hurt wasn’t the worst part. He’d known the victim. Not well, but Faye Williams had been a familiar face. It was little comfort, but at least she hadn’t burned to death. The police said she’d been shot; murdered. Dead was dead, he just hoped she hadn’t suffered.
“So, where’s Jenna?” He knew she must be gone. Otherwise she would’ve been at the hospital with his parents when they’d picked him up from the emergency room.
Yea, he’d looked for her. He couldn’t help it.
Earl folded his hands over the shelf of his stomach. “Well, you’re not going to like it.”
“Like what?”
“I’ve tried to stop her. Threatened to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” Logan was getting impatient with his father.
“When Jenna’s not practicing her trick riding, she’s been trying her hand at riding…bulls. She left with Dixie yesterday to attend a rodeo up near Fort Worth. They had plans to meet with another little lady from Michigan who’s been professionally competing with men on the professional bull riding circuit. Said she wanted to get some pointers.”
Logan jerked, hurting his neck. “What do you mean?”
Earl eyed him, no expression on his face. “Just what I said. She’s been sneaking rides on some of your stock.” He folded his arms and looked off in the distance. “She’s pretty good too, the men tell me. All that trick-riding gives her an advantage. Nice form.”
“What the fuck do you mean letting that tiny little thing on the top of a fuckin’ bull?” Logan practically raised the roof on the porch. “Bushwhacker is unridden!”
His father shrugged. “Nobody said she got on Bushwhacker. The men wouldn’t let her do that, she was trying her hand at some of the more docile ones.” As Logan gave him the eagle eye, Earl had to hide a grin. “She’s taken a spill or two, nothing serious. Cecil and Robert have been looking after her. They even put out hay for her to take a tumble on.”
“Over my dead body.” Logan grumbled. “I’ll fire the next idiot who encourages her.” At Earl’s snort, Logan sat up too quickly and winced. “I’ll talk to her. She won’t be doing it again.”
“Hmmmph,” Earl mumbled, “I’d like to hear that conversation.” He’d no more than said the words when the roar of an engine caught their attention. “Speak of the devil and she appears.” They both looked up to see a white streak of lightning come careening down the drive.
Standing up, Earl yelled. “Louisa, we need to visit some friends.”
Hearing the commotion, Logan’s mother rejoined them on the porch. “What? No, that’s Jenna. I want to talk to her.” Letting herself be led by her husband to the car, she grumbled. “Will you turn me loose, Earl?” She went, but she didn't go quietly. “This isn’t the time to leave. I need to cook supper.” Even after he shut the door, she still kept on. “I need to stay. I have work to do.”
Logan sat up. He’d just been abandoned by his folks, while the person who mattered the most in the world to him was descending on him like a Texas windstorm. Oh well, he’d get her mind off his injuries by letting her know exactly what he thought about her riding damn bulls.
Jenna slammed on her brakes, cut the engine, and was out the door in a flash. She ran to the porch as fast as she could, throwing herself at Logan’s feet. Tears had left wet streaks down both sides of her face. “God, Logan. Are you all right? I’m so grateful you’re alive. Are you hurting? Can I touch you?”
“I’m fine.” He said the words calmly, but the sight of her made his insides feel like someone was stirring them with a sharp stick. “If
“Well, I’m here now.”
“You just rest, I’m going in to put on supper.”
Logan felt a bit of relief when his mother quit hovering. The pain wasn’t bad. Getting hurt wasn’t the worst part. He’d known the victim. Not well, but Faye Williams had been a familiar face. It was little comfort, but at least she hadn’t burned to death. The police said she’d been shot; murdered. Dead was dead, he just hoped she hadn’t suffered.
“So, where’s Jenna?” He knew she must be gone. Otherwise she would’ve been at the hospital with his parents when they’d picked him up from the emergency room.
Yea, he’d looked for her. He couldn’t help it.
Earl folded his hands over the shelf of his stomach. “Well, you’re not going to like it.”
“Like what?”
“I’ve tried to stop her. Threatened to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” Logan was getting impatient with his father.
“When Jenna’s not practicing her trick riding, she’s been trying her hand at riding…bulls. She left with Dixie yesterday to attend a rodeo up near Fort Worth. They had plans to meet with another little lady from Michigan who’s been professionally competing with men on the professional bull riding circuit. Said she wanted to get some pointers.”
Logan jerked, hurting his neck. “What do you mean?”
Earl eyed him, no expression on his face. “Just what I said. She’s been sneaking rides on some of your stock.” He folded his arms and looked off in the distance. “She’s pretty good too, the men tell me. All that trick-riding gives her an advantage. Nice form.”
“What the fuck do you mean letting that tiny little thing on the top of a fuckin’ bull?” Logan practically raised the roof on the porch. “Bushwhacker is unridden!”
His father shrugged. “Nobody said she got on Bushwhacker. The men wouldn’t let her do that, she was trying her hand at some of the more docile ones.” As Logan gave him the eagle eye, Earl had to hide a grin. “She’s taken a spill or two, nothing serious. Cecil and Robert have been looking after her. They even put out hay for her to take a tumble on.”
“Over my dead body.” Logan grumbled. “I’ll fire the next idiot who encourages her.” At Earl’s snort, Logan sat up too quickly and winced. “I’ll talk to her. She won’t be doing it again.”
“Hmmmph,” Earl mumbled, “I’d like to hear that conversation.” He’d no more than said the words when the roar of an engine caught their attention. “Speak of the devil and she appears.” They both looked up to see a white streak of lightning come careening down the drive.
Standing up, Earl yelled. “Louisa, we need to visit some friends.”
Hearing the commotion, Logan’s mother rejoined them on the porch. “What? No, that’s Jenna. I want to talk to her.” Letting herself be led by her husband to the car, she grumbled. “Will you turn me loose, Earl?” She went, but she didn't go quietly. “This isn’t the time to leave. I need to cook supper.” Even after he shut the door, she still kept on. “I need to stay. I have work to do.”
Logan sat up. He’d just been abandoned by his folks, while the person who mattered the most in the world to him was descending on him like a Texas windstorm. Oh well, he’d get her mind off his injuries by letting her know exactly what he thought about her riding damn bulls.
Jenna slammed on her brakes, cut the engine, and was out the door in a flash. She ran to the porch as fast as she could, throwing herself at Logan’s feet. Tears had left wet streaks down both sides of her face. “God, Logan. Are you all right? I’m so grateful you’re alive. Are you hurting? Can I touch you?”
“I’m fine.” He said the words calmly, but the sight of her made his insides feel like someone was stirring them with a sharp stick. “If
Similar Books
