Dirk brought a curled hand to the side of his lips. “Introducing the newest cowboy to our team here at the Homestead Inn, Maverick, riding none other than the bad-tempered beauty herself, Dark Magic.”
At once Maverick tore out of the stable on a tall, black stallion, a cowboy hat on that dense head of his. The horse looked agitated, all right. Already, Maverick was white-knuckling the reins just trying to keep his balance. And talk about ridiculous. Were those chaps? And a matching vest?
“Yeehaw,” Maverick whooped. And then he did something that probably everyone watching knew he shouldn’t do. Richard homed in on the action as Maverick released one of the reins and lifted a triumphant arm over his head.
“Oh boy,” Emmitt muttered.
Richard let out a curse, a wave of terror crashing through him as it all played out like a stunt gone wrong.
Maverick bouncing like a jackhammer. The desperation on his face as he reached to regain the strap he’d foolishly dropped. The relentless inertia as the horse bolted and bucked.
The rest was more of a blur. A flash of cowboy boots high in the air. His body plummeting toward the dirt—a tumbling bundle of denim and leather—and a spiraling hat that hit the ground before he did.
Swoosh.Thump.
Richard peered into the cloud of dirt that surrounded the wannabe cowboy. A pained grunt sounded as the dust settled. A tight groan came next.
“Maverick!” Andie hollered. Dirk and Lee scrambled onto the scene to secure the horse.
“Lord, let him live to see another day,” Richard uttered as he stepped cautiously toward the corral. “Don’t move him,” he hollered, rushing faster as both Andie and Ava approached.
“Hope he’s not paralyzed,” Emmitt said, running toward the group ahead of him.
Andie was already hovered over him. “You okay?”
Ava dropped to her knees on the other side. “Try not to move, Maverick. Just lay still for a bit so we can take a look at things.”
Betty was next to rush onto the scene. “Good advice,” she drawled, hurrying into the cluster surrounding him.
As she directed Maverick to follow a few simple prompts, Richard joined the crowd at last.
Maverick’s face was contorted, and his ridiculous new clothes were covered in dirt. He’d definitely have some bruising. But from the looks of his response to commands and the movement he managed with ease, his ego would take the bulk of the bruising. He was going to be just fine. Yet just as the thought crossed Richard’s mind, Maverick let out a yelp of pain.
“I can’t,” he breathed, shaking his head. “I can’t get up. I think I busted my…” Maverick paused there and glanced up to Memphis, Emmitt, then Richard. At last he sighed and gave an indiscrete nod toward his crotch.
Memphis gasped. “Thejewels?”
“Probably his pelvis,” Trenton said. “There’s an injury unique to riding a bucking horse. It’s called saddle-horn pelvis injury.”
Maverick turned his eyes to Trenton. “I bet that’s it. The landing didn’t feel good, but slamming back down on that saddle before I fell…” He sucked air through his teeth and cupped a hand around the area.
The women looked away.
“I’ll call someone,” Andie blurted.
“Good idea,” Ava said, rushing over to Andie.
Maverick groaned. “I think I’m going to pass out.”
“Don’t worry,” Emmitt said, dropping to sit on the dirt beside him. Clearly, Emmitt was a better brother than Richard was.
Memphis hurried to the other side and placed a supportive hand behind his back. “It’s going to be okay, brother. We’ll bring in a medic. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“But what if it isn’t?” Maverick said. “What if I’ve messed myself up forever?”
“You probablydid,” Richard spat, shaking his head in irritation.
“No,” Ava blurted from her spot beside Andie. “I’m sure you didn’t.”
