Bad News Cowboy by Maisey Yates Read Free Book Online

on equal footing—”
    â€œI didn’t say we were on equal footing. I said I didn’t think you were a kid.”
    â€œWhat is that supposed to mean?”
    â€œI’ve been pro, honey badger,” he said, combining her earlier assertion that she was not a badger with his accidental endearment. “I know the ins and outs of these events. My contacts are a little bit out of date, which is where you come in, but the rodeo is still my turf.”
    â€œBull riders. The ego on y’all is astronomical.”
    â€œThat’s because we ride
bulls
. Those are some big-ass scary animals. A guy has to think he’s ten feet tall and bulletproof to do something that stupid.”
    â€œIt’s true. You are kind of stupid.” A smile spread over her face. Sometimes, it turned out, Kate did smile at him. But usually only after she was done insulting him.
    â€œI’m wounded.”
    â€œDon’t waste your time being wounded. First, we’re going to have to find out if the Logan County Fairgrounds are available for the date we would need it. Probably the day before the actual rodeo starts or the day after.”
    â€œYou know who to call for that?”
    â€œYeah, but I might want to go through Lydia.”
    â€œGood call,” he said. “See? This is why I asked for your help.”
    â€œBecause I’m a genius.”
    â€œSure.” He shrugged. “About a couple things.”
    â€œAren’t you going to have any coffee?” Kate asked, something searching in her brown gaze now. He had no clue what the hell she was looking for, but even so, he was almost certain she wouldn’t find it.
    â€œI have to run,” he said. He didn’t have to run. He didn’t have anywhere to be. Except for some reason he felt averse to prolonging this moment here in the field with her. “When is the next local meeting?”
    â€œTomorrow night. You should come.”
    He’d stopped going to the amateur association meetings in Copper Ridge years ago. He’d turned pro when he was twenty, using the money that the man who was, according to genetics, his father had given him to keep his mouth shut about his existence.
    Sometimes it felt like his attempt at being seen when he’d been paid to disappear. A way to demand attention without breaking that damned agreement. Other times it had all felt like an attempt to bleed that unwanted blood right out of his veins, let it soak into the arena dirt until the Wests weren’t a part of him anymore. But that feeling had faded as he turned that initial bit of money into yet more money through event wins and investments and sponsorship deals.
    Though at thirty-three, he felt too damn old to get trampled on a regular basis. He’d felt too old five years ago when he’d quit. Not just too old for the getting-trampled part but the hard living that went with it. He knew there were plenty of guys still out there riding, but he didn’t need to and he felt lucky to have escaped with as little damage as he had.
    â€œSure, I’ll be there. I’ll do the hard sell and see if anyone else has more ideas.”
    â€œDo you want to ride together?”
    He nodded slowly. “Yeah, let’s do that. Do you want to drive?”
    â€œI think your truck is a little bit cushier than mine, but I appreciate the offer.”
    â€œOkay, then, I’ll pick you up... When?”
    â€œSeven.”
    He gripped the brim of his hat with his thumb and forefinger and tipped it slightly. “Okay, then, see you at seven.”
    * * *
    S HE HEARD A car engine and raced to the window, her heart pushing against the base of her throat. But she didn’t see anything. No truck. No Jack.
    â€œOh my gosh, calm down, me.”
    It was probably just one of the ranch hands headed out to the barn, or maybe Eli getting home from work. There were three whole minutes before Jack was supposed to show up, after all. And