It’s still warm enough that the roads are dry. And now that I’m out of the mountains, I’m not even seeing any snow.
Hell, it’s spring time weather when I climb out of my truck and stretch my back at the fairgrounds of Pendleton. I can almost flirt with the idea of wearing a t-shirt.
I probably will tomorrow after a few warm up rounds.
Brent picks up on the first ring.
“Hey, ya made it? I’m over in field one, second row. They have everyone crammed in here like sardines,” he grumbles.
“I wonder why so many?” I’ve noticed that the numbers of participants climb every year, but as I drive closer, campers and horse trailers are lined up from one end of the lot to the other.
“Sponsors. There’s supposed to be a shit load of them here later in the week.” He lets out a long sigh. “I had to haggle with ol’ Delbert about getting our regular corrals. He was trying to let a couple of young girls take the stalls.”
“The fuck? Let me guess, barrel divas?” I bark sarcastically. “They always think they can get whatever they want.” I spot my dually and horse trailer fairly quickly. “I’m here.”
That beast of a rig is easy to spot from a ways off. It’s handy for hauling most of my construction equipment too.
I grab my backpack and duffel, then swing the camper door open before stuffing them inside.
“Please tell me the horses are fine, though?” I ask Brent as I climb the flimsy steps.
“Yep, but we did get shuffled down a spot or two.” He leans off the small couch and hands me a cold beer. “Figured you needed this. Permits took longer than expected? I was hoping we could head out to the bar if you weren’t too late.” He tilts his own bottle to his lips.
He’s young enough to still have that twinkle in his eye.
Oddly, I’m just itching to jump back into this latest book that RQ recommended.
Shit, does that mean I’m getting old?
“Nah, had a call in for a new job. You know Black Gulch?” I sling my bags past the separation to my bedroom, then slump onto the other end of the seat.
“Yea, one of the biggest outfits in our neck of the woods. That’d be a good one, I heard that the expansion they did last year was huge. You get in good with them, they’d keep you busy.” His dark brows raise as he nods. “What’s the job?”
“Two. There was a fire in the main lodge, and they want a whole other house. Shit, it’s gonna be a brand new build, too. Mason wants me to be the general contractor on it.” Pulling off my Stetson, I set it over my knee to lean backwards. “Hell,between that and that pipe gig, I might even need a few more guys.”
When my phone dings, Brent’s forehead furrows watching me scramble for it.
RacingQueen: I’m west of the Mississippi.
TheBigO: If I find out where you’re at, I can’t guarantee I’ll keep my hands to myself.
“Who in the fuck are you texting?” His jaw hangs slack as his amber eyes flick between me and my cell. “I thought you swore off women after Paige?”
Waving my hand idly, I slide my screen against my thigh to cover it. “I don’t know.”
“What?” His face screws up incredulously. “You didn’t?”
“No, idiot. I don’t know who she is.” I snort over the lip of my beer and swallow the rest.
“And that…makes it better?” He stands and pulls two more drinks out of the fridge.
One thing Brent is good at, being organized and prepared.
It’s why he’s my bookkeeper for the company.
But it also means he likes to follow his own set of very strict rules.
Not knowing who I’m talking to is going to drive him nuts.
