The phone rang twice before he picked up.
"Lilah Martinez.I thought you fell off the face of the earth."
"Just took a detour," I said, leaning against the kitchen counter."Are you still booking trick riders?"
"Always.You looking?"
I hesitated."Maybe.It depends on the dates."
"I can get you on a circuit that will keep you busy all summer if you want the work."
"Send me the details," I said."I'll think about it."
"I heard about your horse getting caught up in paperwork.Did you figure out some new stock?”
"I’m working on it."
Marcus laughed."That's what I like to hear.I'll email you tonight."
“Thanks.”I hung up and stared at my phone, my chest tight.It wasn't a commitment.Just information.
It was the kind of thing smart riders did… keeping their networks active, their calendars flexible, and their futures open.But it felt like something else.Like hedging.Like preparing for an ending I didn't want to think about yet.
I scrolled through my contacts again and found Jenna Park.She'd been running a rodeo school outside Bozeman for the past three years, training younger riders and booking them for showcases.We'd crossed paths a few times on the circuit, and she'd always said to call if I needed anything.
I typed out a message before I could second-guess it.
Me: Hey Jenna.Heard you might have openings for exhibition work this spring.Still looking?
Her reply came fast.
Jenna: Always!Are you available?I’ve got a spring clinic that could use an instructor.The guy who was supposed to run it just backed out.It’s in Bozeman in a couple of weeks.Nothing fancy, but the pay's decent and they cover travel.Would LOVE to have you.Call me.
I set the phone down and pressed my palms against the counter, breathing slow.
This was good.This was smart.
This was what I'd come here to do—rebuild, reposition, keep moving forward.
So why did it feel like I was planning an exit I didn't want to take?
CHAPTER7
DAWSON
I showedup early because I didn’t have a choice.
Ruby had made it clear weeks ago that rodeo sponsors expected visibility at community events, and the Valentine’s dinner was the biggest one Mustang Mountain had outside of summer.So I put on the cleanest shirt I owned, checked my watch twice, and told myself I’d stay long enough to shake the right hands and then leave.
Lilah was meeting me there.She’d been in town with Ashley most of the afternoon, something about needing a break from the ranch.I hadn’t thought much of it until I walked into the community center and Ruby zeroed in on me like a heat-seeking missile.
“Dawson.”She beamed, embracing the spirit of the holiday in a red sweater covered in glittering hearts.“You’re right on time.”
“Hi, Ruby.”
“Ashley helped Lilah get ready,” she said, her voice too casual while she adjusted one of her earrings.“We thought she deserved a little pampering since she’s been working so hard out at your place.”
I narrowed my eyes.No telling what Ruby had up her sleeve this time.“Is that right?”
