“Hey, cowboy.” Her voice was low and velvety and sent his senses into a fit of desire. Dang, that woman knew just how to get to him.
“Hey yourself.”
She slid out of the truck and he dismounted, tying Penny off to Brandon’s trailer so he could help unload horses. It didn’t take long before the three of them were in the arena, standing in a line and waiting their turn to rope.
“No pressure, Zoey,” Brandon said as he swung a practice loop. His horse, Titan, walked toward the box without much encouragement. “Just bragging rights over breakfast for the rest of the week—and loser has to do dishes.”
“I hope you know how to scrub, because I’m making waffles every morning when you lose,” she fired back. Her comment earned a chorus ofoooohsfrom everyone gathered round.
“You tell him, Zoey!” called Allie from the stands. “Also—I love waffles! Go Zoey!”
Everyone laughed.
Hunter’s youngest brother, Blake, and Brandon were up first. They caught clean and earned 2 points each—horns and both back feet. A neck catch would have earned Brandon 1 point, and only 1 leg would have done the same for Blake. Missing would have gotten them both a big fat zero.
Zoey nudged forward Chief—the horse she’d told Hunter was given to her by her brother, Rick—and her fastest horse, and she took up her place in the header box. He was amused that she’d picked Chief—she wanted to show off tonight, it seemed.
Wyatt moved into the heeler position and watched Zoey for a nod. She adjusted her loops and hold on the reins and then stared at the steer’s nose as she nodded. Wynn pressed the release button, and the steer flew out. Chief thundered right behind it, and she was right: he was fast. She was already swinging her rope. Hunter held his breath, begging her to catch and angels to help.
Her loop fell over the right horn, and the air whooshed out of him in a mighty blast. She pulled her slack, dallied, and turned the steer for Wyatt. Wyatt caught both heels and they let their ropes go slack, fist-bumping on their way to the stripping chute.
Hunter grinned.
“What are you so happy about?” groused Blake as he sidled up to Hunter.
Hunter lifted a shoulder. “She fits in—doesn’t she?” As a list man, Hunter had a few things he wanted in a wife. It wasn’t a large list, and it was pretty general. But getting along with his family was close to the top. With that catch, he knew Zoey could be a part of life on the ranch. And not just because it was Hunter’s way of life, but because she loved it too. The way she practically danced in her saddle spoke of the happiness she felt in the arena and in competition.
Zoey reached down and rubbed the side of Chief’s golden neck, a smile gracing her beautiful face as she ran her hand under his black mane and whispered to it. And he in turn swung his tail freely and pawed at the ground like the happy horse he was. All three of her horses were like that with her, and each probably thought they were the favorite. Hunter grinned.
He suddenly didn’t want her to go home at the end of the night. Not that he’d do anything ungentlemanly. He just didn’t like the idea that she had a house so far away.
Blake glanced over the crew. “Who?” he demanded.
“Zoey,” Hunter snapped back. “What’s eating you?”
“Nothing.” He shoved his hat down and trotted off.
“Don’t mind him,” said his sister-in-law Stephanie as she drew closer on an old horse. She’d been acting funny—not doing things she’d always done before—and Hunter had to wonder if she and Wyatt were trying to have another baby. Jaden was already in first grade, but she and Wyatt had hit a rough patch in their marriage and … well, so far, Jaden was an only child. They’d gone to a marriage camp and done some online counseling since then. Maybe they were on more solid ground and ready to expand their family. Not that it was any of Hunter’s business.
Stephanie turned to watch Blake head out of the arena. Apparently, he was done for the night, even though he hadn’t swung a rope. “He found out today that Maggie isn’t coming home for fall break.”
“Oh?” Maggie was Blake’s high school sweetheart. She’d broken up with him right before graduation, saying they both needed to spread their wings.
“She’s going with a boyfriend to Palm Springs or something.”
“Oh.” The word was flat. “That had to sting.”
Stephanie nodded. “I think he’s still in love with her.”
“He’s eighteen. He doesn’t know what love is.”
Stephanie snorted. “Just because you didn’t know at that age, that doesn't mean no one else does.” She nodded towards Wynn.
Wynn had married Jud’s brother, Thatcher, right out of high school. Thatcher had been terminally ill and died a few years later. Last Fall Festival, Wynn and Jud had fallen in love and been married by New Year’s. Well, maybe they’d been falling in love for a while, but they’d admitted it to themselves and each other during the festival. Thatcher’s kids adored their uncle Jud, and the transition had been an easy one.
“Point taken.” He could allow that some people found their soul mates in high school. There were enough couples around Harvest Ranch who’d been high school sweethearts—his parents included—that he had enough proof.
So what if it had taken him longer? He looked at Zoey, noting the way her dark hair flew behind her as she raced across the arena. She was beauty in motion, and he would have waited a hundred years for her.
Now that she was in his life, he wasn’t about to let her go. What he needed was a plan to woo her over completely. Unfortunately, the week would be spent bringing in cattle and getting his herd out of the hills so he could start training. With the last of the hay brought in and the cows in the winter pen, he’d have more time to spend with each of them. Come spring, he should be able to sell six horses, which would set him up and provide a tidy sum for an engagement ring.
Yes, sir, he’d never been so excited about a plan in his life.
