“You ready?” he asks, reaching out a hand to help me step down.
“Sure am, Mr. Garrison.”
He pulls me close, a hint of a chuckle rumbling through his chest, and gives me a quick kiss. The rodeo has nothing to do with me anymore, but I still put on my good jeans and boots. Since I’m not here to work, I’ll just pretend my job is to look good on Tate’s arm. I laugh at the thought.
“You good?” he teases.
“Yeah. Just thinking about my job.”
He stops and gently tugs my arm, so I turn to face him. “Your job here? You quit, remember? Didn’t even give two weeks’ notice.”
“Your arm candy. A trophy girlfriend.” There’s no use trying to suppress my laugh as I do a slow twirl. “I’ve never had this position before, so I’m hoping I can pull it off.”
Tate’s laugh is deep and rich as he signals for me to spin once more. When I’m finished, he pulls me close and kisses me. His laugh tickles my lips, and I cup his face in both my hands, holding him still so I can kiss him once more before we leave the parking lot, and our little private moment comes to an end.
“You are definitely pulling it off. I was paying more attention to you than the road for the entire drive here.”
“Good thing it was a short drive,” I tease.
“Very good thing,” he agrees.
He takes my hand, and we walk past the barn and stable and into the main house to his office. Gary and Rhonda are both already waiting in the small seating area outside the offices. Rhonda is gorgeous as always in a long, flowy top with the shoulders cut out and boot-cut jeans, looking like a true rodeo queen. As soon as she sees us, her face splits into a grin.
“Hi! Joy, you look beautiful,” Rhonda gushes as she stands and pulls me into a warm hug. “I couldn’t believe it when Gary told me you quit.”
“Oh, you know how it is, I’m sure. I totally plan on stepping up to work anyway while I’m here. If I see something needs done, I can’t just ignore it.”
“And there’s always something to do, that’s for sure! Come, let’s go have a glass of wine before any of that work tries to catch us.”
Tate and Gary both laugh and shake their heads as they head into the office. I’ve never just hung out with Rhonda before, and I hate that this will likely be the first and last time, unless they come visit during rodeo season. She leads me down the hall and to a set of French doors. Opening them, she gestures for me to step into the elegantly decorated room.
It looks like the farmhouse aesthetic that is in all the magazines. The walls are a light sandy color, while the fixtures and the furniture are dark, providing a nice contrast. Decorative pillows and blankets in various pastels give the room an inviting feel. She opens a small wine fridge and fills two glasses about halfway.
“I hate that we’ve never done this before.” Rhonda raises a glass. “To new lives.”
We both take a sip. “Are you excited to move?”
She nods enthusiastically, taking another sip of her wine. “Yes! We love it over there. And I’m so ready to be done with the cold winters. What about you? What do you think of all this? A lot of changes for you. Especially if things are serious between you and Tate.”
My face heats at the mention of Tate and me. There’s no more denying how serious we are. Especially once I officially move out of my place. It’s a small town. Everyone will know when I move. The cat will be all the way out of the bag when my new address is a certain ranch that borders Boulder Ranch.
“Tate asked me to move in.” I squeeze my eyes closed and wait for her reaction, but there’s nothing but silence. I open my eyes, and she’s smiling at me, patiently waiting for me to continue. “That’s why I quit. I know it’s stupid, but I can’t live with him and be on the payroll. I can’t fill your shoes, though, so I’m not sure what I was thinking.”
Laughing, Rhonda waves me off. “Don’t be silly. Don’t worry about my shoes, just fill your own. By the time we’re unpacked in our new house, Cole County will have forgotten all about us. Especially with you and Tate running things. Yes.Youand Tate.”
For the first time today, I feel myself begin to relax. If Rhonda thinks I can do this, maybe I’m not crazy. Maybe I am exactly where I need to be. We chatter on about nothing and everything while we finish our wine. By the time we leave her office, Tate walks out of his office with Gary behind him.
“You ready, darlin’? It’s about time.” Tate reaches for my hand as soon as I’m close. “Walk out with me for the opening ceremony?”
My smile grows as I consider his request. “Okay. Yeah. Let’s do this.”
Chapter 40
Tate
Wedidit.Wefucking did it. Things are so much better than last month, it’s hard to believe this is only the second rodeo since I officially took over. I lead my horse to the gate where Joy is standing with Rayna and wait for Grayson to come bursting from the chute. It’s his first night back on a bull since his accident, and I’m not sure who’s more nervous, me or him.
“He’s going to do great,” Joy says from across the gate.
