always been top on your list. I was a fool to tell you anything.”
“The only mistake you made was not telling me sooner. You never let me make a choice. You made it for me.”
Before Lizzie could retort, a male voice from behind them said, “JR, hey buddy, was that you out there?”
“Cash!” JR jumped towards the new man. “Did you see me? I was the best, the clown even said.”
“If I’d known you were riding, I would have been down here earlier, getting you pumped up.” Cash hugged the little boy.
Lizzie shot a look at James.
La-tee-dah , James thought grumpily. Cash would have been the perfect parent . Then, because he couldn’t help it, but not on my watch .
“That’s okay, Mom was here. Gramps was stuck talking to Mr. Davis.” JR kicked the dirt with the toe of his boot.
“I think this calls for a celebration,” Cash told him. “I have a gallon of vanilla ice cream over at the restaurant for special occasions. And this seems like a special occasion if I ever saw one. Maybe a huckleberry sundae? Or are you a shake man?”
“Sundae. No, shake.” JR looked up at his mother. “Can I have both?”
“You can have one and only after you eat something for dinner.” Lizzie pulled down the cowboy hat over JR’s eyes.
Cash nodded at James. “You’re welcome, of course. And Jesse, too.”
“I’d like that. But Jesse’s a little preoccupied.” No way in heck was Cash going to win over his son with a little ice cream. The man needed to know James was serious about claiming his territory.
A hand slapped his back. “James Sullivan? I thought that was you.” A balding man with a beer gut stepped in between him and Lizzie. “We got here a couple hours ago. Long drive from Utah, but pretty.”
James tried to settle as he turned to one of Jesse’s potential new sponsors. They expected him to be professional when all he wanted to do was fight this out with Lizzie. Even if they were on stage in front of the entire town, the rodeo circuit and every shirttail relation who loved a good party and a good fight. “Mr. Cooper. Glad to see you.”
“Where’s that brother of yours? Out cowboying with some pretty cowgirl?” The man leered at Lizzie who pulled JR closer.
James shrugged. “He’s around here somewhere. I just saw him. He doesn’t ride until tomorrow so you have some time to relax and enjoy.” He put his arm around Lizzie. “I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Lizzie.”
Cash flashed a questioning look at Lizzie who slightly shook her head, we’ll talk later .
No, you won’t , James promised them silently.
“Nice to meet you, Lizzie.” Cooper’s gaze roamed her up and down. The only thing he missed was meeting her eyes.
James wanted to punch him. But instead he pulled JR in front of him and stepped in front of Lizzie. “This is my son, JR. He won the mutton busting competition.”
“Talent must run in the family.” Cooper ignored JR. “Listen, can we talk? I want to go over our contract offer with you before you present it to your brother. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at a few changes I added since we last spoke.”
Groan .
James glanced at Lizzie. “We were about to grab something to eat.”
She shook her head. “JR and I will go with Cash. Then I’ve got to head home before it gets dark. You go ahead. We’ll finish this later.”
James wasn’t sure what that meant, but it sounded like when she used to say fine and didn’t mean fine.
“Later,” Cash called, walking away, a shit-eating grin plastered over his face.
You might have won this battle buddy, but it’s not over. Not by a long shot.
“So Mr. Cooper, you feel like a good steak and a couple beers?” James headed toward the parking lot with Jesse’s future sponsor. Someday he’d be done and Jesse could handle this on his own.
Come hell or high water.
• • •
Lizzie moved pieces of the salmon on her plate around the grilled asparagus. She hoped Cash wouldn’t
“The only mistake you made was not telling me sooner. You never let me make a choice. You made it for me.”
Before Lizzie could retort, a male voice from behind them said, “JR, hey buddy, was that you out there?”
“Cash!” JR jumped towards the new man. “Did you see me? I was the best, the clown even said.”
“If I’d known you were riding, I would have been down here earlier, getting you pumped up.” Cash hugged the little boy.
Lizzie shot a look at James.
La-tee-dah , James thought grumpily. Cash would have been the perfect parent . Then, because he couldn’t help it, but not on my watch .
“That’s okay, Mom was here. Gramps was stuck talking to Mr. Davis.” JR kicked the dirt with the toe of his boot.
“I think this calls for a celebration,” Cash told him. “I have a gallon of vanilla ice cream over at the restaurant for special occasions. And this seems like a special occasion if I ever saw one. Maybe a huckleberry sundae? Or are you a shake man?”
“Sundae. No, shake.” JR looked up at his mother. “Can I have both?”
“You can have one and only after you eat something for dinner.” Lizzie pulled down the cowboy hat over JR’s eyes.
Cash nodded at James. “You’re welcome, of course. And Jesse, too.”
“I’d like that. But Jesse’s a little preoccupied.” No way in heck was Cash going to win over his son with a little ice cream. The man needed to know James was serious about claiming his territory.
A hand slapped his back. “James Sullivan? I thought that was you.” A balding man with a beer gut stepped in between him and Lizzie. “We got here a couple hours ago. Long drive from Utah, but pretty.”
James tried to settle as he turned to one of Jesse’s potential new sponsors. They expected him to be professional when all he wanted to do was fight this out with Lizzie. Even if they were on stage in front of the entire town, the rodeo circuit and every shirttail relation who loved a good party and a good fight. “Mr. Cooper. Glad to see you.”
“Where’s that brother of yours? Out cowboying with some pretty cowgirl?” The man leered at Lizzie who pulled JR closer.
James shrugged. “He’s around here somewhere. I just saw him. He doesn’t ride until tomorrow so you have some time to relax and enjoy.” He put his arm around Lizzie. “I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Lizzie.”
Cash flashed a questioning look at Lizzie who slightly shook her head, we’ll talk later .
No, you won’t , James promised them silently.
“Nice to meet you, Lizzie.” Cooper’s gaze roamed her up and down. The only thing he missed was meeting her eyes.
James wanted to punch him. But instead he pulled JR in front of him and stepped in front of Lizzie. “This is my son, JR. He won the mutton busting competition.”
“Talent must run in the family.” Cooper ignored JR. “Listen, can we talk? I want to go over our contract offer with you before you present it to your brother. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at a few changes I added since we last spoke.”
Groan .
James glanced at Lizzie. “We were about to grab something to eat.”
She shook her head. “JR and I will go with Cash. Then I’ve got to head home before it gets dark. You go ahead. We’ll finish this later.”
James wasn’t sure what that meant, but it sounded like when she used to say fine and didn’t mean fine.
“Later,” Cash called, walking away, a shit-eating grin plastered over his face.
You might have won this battle buddy, but it’s not over. Not by a long shot.
“So Mr. Cooper, you feel like a good steak and a couple beers?” James headed toward the parking lot with Jesse’s future sponsor. Someday he’d be done and Jesse could handle this on his own.
Come hell or high water.
• • •
Lizzie moved pieces of the salmon on her plate around the grilled asparagus. She hoped Cash wouldn’t
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