“Thanks to Ashley,” Lilah said, her smile genuine.
“She has good taste.”Ruby turned to me, her expression shifting just enough to feel deliberate.“Dawson, I need to borrow you for a moment.Rodeo business.”
She steered me toward a quieter corner of the room where one of the rodeo committee members stood with a folder tucked under his arm.Lilah stayed behind, close enough to see us talking but far enough away she couldn’t hear.
“Insurance flagged something,” he said.“The marker Slade found has triggered a historical review.”
My shoulders tightened.
“They want us to limit scope while they sort through it,” he continued.“Keep disclosures tight.Rodeo stock only.Listed riders only.”
Ruby glanced up at me, gauging my reaction.
“Temporary training use doesn’t need to be included,” the man added.“It keeps things moving.”
I understood immediately what he meant.It was about convenience.About making things simpler by making someone invisible… Lilah.
“No,” I said.
Ruby’s brows lifted.
“She’s using my stock with my approval,” I continued.“I won’t cut her off because it’s inconvenient.”
“This could delay approval,” the man warned.“Sponsors won’t love it.”
“I know.”Adding her meant expanding the review.It would require more forms, more questions, and more time.But leaving her off wasn’t an option.
Ruby studied me for a long moment, then nodded.“Dawson’s right.Everything stays above board.”
I didn’t wait for him to say anything else.My goal was to get to Lilah and fill her in before she heard the news from someone else.I found her by the auction tables making small talk with Torin.My gut clenched and an uncomfortable wave of jealousy surged through me.She could talk to anyone she wanted.I didn’t have any kind of claim over her.But still, the urge to pull her against my side to let everyone know she was mine surged inside.
“Everything okay?”Torin asked.
“Yeah, I just need to talk to Lilah for a minute,” I said.
“Alright.I’ll see you both later.”Torin moved down the table, leaving us alone and the tension in my shoulders eased.
Nudging Lilah’s hair away from her ear with my nose, I whispered low enough that only she could hear me.“I need to tell you something.”
She turned fully toward me.“Okay.”
“One of the committee members suggested narrowing disclosure while they review a few issues,” I said.“That would’ve meant leaving your training off the books.”
Her jaw tensed.
“I said no,” I added.“It may slow things down.Sponsors don’t love uncertainty, and I’m already pushing my luck with the review.”
“I don’t want to make things harder for you, Dawson.”
“You’re not.They’re trying to cut corners, but if you’re working with my horses, you need to be covered.It’s not negotiable.”I didn’t want her to feel like this was her fault.
She studied my face for a moment, then nodded.“Okay.”
We found our assigned table, and I pulled her chair out for her before sitting down next to her.We were close enough that our shoulders brushed.Close enough that I could feel her warmth.
We made conversation with the group at our table and people stopped by throughout the evening…neighbors… rodeo committee members.Everyone wanted to meet the gorgeous woman in red by my side.I hated being the center of attention and she didn’t seem to love it either.So I kept my hand on hers under the table, my thumb tracing slow circles against her palm.
It felt like enough.Like my presence said what words didn’t need to…at least not yet.
