just making sure it’s steady.”
“Right.” Clint took another step up the ladder. “Try to hold it steady.”
“Jenna, we’re here to volunteer.” Etta stepped closerto the group, pulling Alyson with her. “I know you’ve got camp starting on Monday. If you need unskilled labor, Alyson and I will be here.”
“We can always use help.” Jenna’s smile was sweet, and she held on to her husband as if he was the best thing in the world. “I know that I’m not going to be a lot of use, so we could really use kitchen help.”
“Kitchen would be great.” Etta wrapped an arm around Alyson’s shoulders and squeezed. “It’ll be fun, won’t it?”
Alyson made a weak attempt at smiling and Jason laughed. He shot her a look and shook his head. “I don’t know if you want her in your kitchen.”
“Why is that?”
“I don’t remember a lot, but I do remember putting out a fire in Etta’s kitchen.”
“Kittens, fires—what in the world kind of trouble are you going to drag out of your hat tomorrow?” Etta asked, still holding Alyson close.
“I’m sure she can think of something.” Jason held the ladder as Clint climbed down.
“Are you going to work in the kitchen?” Alyson directed the question at Jason, who was standing by the ladder, pretending it wasn’t holding him up. She knew that it was. She had him figured out. He deflected to keep the focus off him.
She had realized a long time ago that she learned more watching than she did talking.
“I’m not sure what I’ll be doing.” Jason stepped away from the ladder.
“Are you going back on tour when the doctor givesyou the okay?” Clint asked as he pulled off work gloves. “We could really use your help here, with the junior rodeo at the end of camp.”
Jason shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about it. If I can go on tour, I probably will. I need to get on some practice bulls and see how it feels. Or I might try some smaller, local events.”
“You can’t,” Jenna spoke up and Alyson wanted to agree, even if it wasn’t her business. “Jason, come on, is it really worth it?”
“Jenna, I don’t have a family. I’m a bull rider.”
“I hope you’ll think about this,” Jenna spoke softly, and then seemed to let it go.
Alyson listened but she wasn’t going to comment on someone else’s career, not when her own was going down the drain fast. And she didn’t want them to know that she’d fed her curiosity about Jason Bradshaw.
She’d used her computer to search his name and in formation about his accident. He’d been unconscious when they took him from the arena. He hadn’t regained consciousness for twelve hours. He had suffered a traumatic brain injury with symptoms that included short-term memory loss, headaches and dizziness.
He was the kind of person who faced his fears. She had never been that type of person.
But she was here, she reminded herself. She was in Oklahoma. She had left Boston, driven for two days, and made it here. She hadn’t asked anyone’s opinion, hadn’t cleared it with anyone. She had just left.
Because her life wasn’t about fear, or playing thepiano. This was her life, too. She was Alyson Forester. And she knew that, deep down inside, she was strong.
She was strong enough to meet the gaze of a cowboy with a slightly wicked smile and brown eyes that flashed with humor when he winked at her.
Chapter Five
H e had to stop flirting with Alyson Anderson. Jason watched her walk away with Etta and Jenna. The three of them were going to the kitchen to talk about what they should expect next week. He didn’t look away, not even when Clint cleared his throat to get his attention.
“If you mess with that, Etta will be on your doorstep with a shotgun,” Adam warned.
“I know.” Jason turned back to the two other men and ignored the strong desire to seek Alyson out, to get to know her better. “What’s up with the camp?”
“We’re going to have a great summer, Jason. We’d really
“Right.” Clint took another step up the ladder. “Try to hold it steady.”
“Jenna, we’re here to volunteer.” Etta stepped closerto the group, pulling Alyson with her. “I know you’ve got camp starting on Monday. If you need unskilled labor, Alyson and I will be here.”
“We can always use help.” Jenna’s smile was sweet, and she held on to her husband as if he was the best thing in the world. “I know that I’m not going to be a lot of use, so we could really use kitchen help.”
“Kitchen would be great.” Etta wrapped an arm around Alyson’s shoulders and squeezed. “It’ll be fun, won’t it?”
Alyson made a weak attempt at smiling and Jason laughed. He shot her a look and shook his head. “I don’t know if you want her in your kitchen.”
“Why is that?”
“I don’t remember a lot, but I do remember putting out a fire in Etta’s kitchen.”
“Kittens, fires—what in the world kind of trouble are you going to drag out of your hat tomorrow?” Etta asked, still holding Alyson close.
“I’m sure she can think of something.” Jason held the ladder as Clint climbed down.
“Are you going to work in the kitchen?” Alyson directed the question at Jason, who was standing by the ladder, pretending it wasn’t holding him up. She knew that it was. She had him figured out. He deflected to keep the focus off him.
She had realized a long time ago that she learned more watching than she did talking.
“I’m not sure what I’ll be doing.” Jason stepped away from the ladder.
“Are you going back on tour when the doctor givesyou the okay?” Clint asked as he pulled off work gloves. “We could really use your help here, with the junior rodeo at the end of camp.”
Jason shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about it. If I can go on tour, I probably will. I need to get on some practice bulls and see how it feels. Or I might try some smaller, local events.”
“You can’t,” Jenna spoke up and Alyson wanted to agree, even if it wasn’t her business. “Jason, come on, is it really worth it?”
“Jenna, I don’t have a family. I’m a bull rider.”
“I hope you’ll think about this,” Jenna spoke softly, and then seemed to let it go.
Alyson listened but she wasn’t going to comment on someone else’s career, not when her own was going down the drain fast. And she didn’t want them to know that she’d fed her curiosity about Jason Bradshaw.
She’d used her computer to search his name and in formation about his accident. He’d been unconscious when they took him from the arena. He hadn’t regained consciousness for twelve hours. He had suffered a traumatic brain injury with symptoms that included short-term memory loss, headaches and dizziness.
He was the kind of person who faced his fears. She had never been that type of person.
But she was here, she reminded herself. She was in Oklahoma. She had left Boston, driven for two days, and made it here. She hadn’t asked anyone’s opinion, hadn’t cleared it with anyone. She had just left.
Because her life wasn’t about fear, or playing thepiano. This was her life, too. She was Alyson Forester. And she knew that, deep down inside, she was strong.
She was strong enough to meet the gaze of a cowboy with a slightly wicked smile and brown eyes that flashed with humor when he winked at her.
Chapter Five
H e had to stop flirting with Alyson Anderson. Jason watched her walk away with Etta and Jenna. The three of them were going to the kitchen to talk about what they should expect next week. He didn’t look away, not even when Clint cleared his throat to get his attention.
“If you mess with that, Etta will be on your doorstep with a shotgun,” Adam warned.
“I know.” Jason turned back to the two other men and ignored the strong desire to seek Alyson out, to get to know her better. “What’s up with the camp?”
“We’re going to have a great summer, Jason. We’d really
Similar Books
