“I don’t know. I swear to God, I’m going to kill that man. I can’t get everything ready by the first of August. That would take a miracle.”
“Yeah, it would. What did you tell your father?” His demand was full of anger.
“I didn’t tell him anything other than that the timing was ridiculously short and that I needed time to think about whether I wanted to be involved.”
“You’re not telling me the truth.”
Groaning, I rubbed my temple before forcing myself to look at him. “After he said something about me spending time with you and that you weren’t good enough for me, I told him not to worry in that you wouldn’t have anything to do with the rodeo. Obviously, he’s doing this to get back at me. He thinks you’re going to help.”
His laugh was entirely different than I’d heard before. “Maybe he’s getting back at me for fucking his daughter.”
“Oh, please.”
“Well, it sure looks a lot like you already suggested me to help save his bacon. I guess it doesn’t matter your father hates myfucking guts. Does it? If I can help grease his palm, then what the fuck? Let bygones be bygones. Right?”
While Axe’s anger was completely understood, I couldn’t remember a time he’d been close to frothing at the mouth.
“Whoa! You think I did this on purpose?”
“Local hero assisting a big charity event. What else am I supposed to think?”
I also hadn’t seen him so furious. “That’s not fair.”
“No, that’s not fair.” He pointed to the television screen. “I trusted you.”
“I didn’t betray your trust. Do you think I lured you into helping the rodeo?”
“You’re certainly a charmer.”
After folding my arms, I backed away, angry and hurt with both men. “You bastard. How dare you say this.”
“What exactly am I doing, Kenzie? You suddenly had a great idea, managed to make a deal, and look what miraculous thing appeared on the television. I’m not doing it, Kenz. I don’t care what you promised him or anyone else.”
“What are you talking about? Do you really think I’m lying to you?”
“You said so yourself that you don’t want your father to lose the ranch.” His face was so red, contorted from anger. This stupid childish feud had gotten out of hand.
I was taken aback by his vehemence. “No, I don’t. But I also am not going to be behind a failure from the start nor would Itie anyone to the event.” The crush of knowing he believed I’d sabotaged him was heavy.
“You sure about that? Maybe you said you could sweet-talk me.”
There was no reason for me to be as hurt as I was, but his fury was so off the scale that I couldn’t seem to find the right words. “I would never do that to you.”
His eyes flared and a part of me wanted to launch into him for his lack of trust, but my real anger was at my father. I should have known better than to even come back to Missoula. My father had always had an angle. He thought by advertising the event, there was no chance I would say no.
He was dead wrong.
I just didn’t know what this was, but I wanted no part of it.
He cinched his eyes shut, rubbing them. “I’m not committing to this shakedown and if I had to guess, I’d say that’s what it was.”
A tiny hint of feeling as if I should take up for my father almost spiraled into saying some things I’d regret.
“Maybe so. Just allow me to listen to what’s being said. Please.” Inching even closer, I was rattled enough paying attention was difficult.
“In just one day of the tickets being on sale, Sterling Stadium has already sold nearly thirty percent of the almost ten thousand tickets. That’s great news for Missoula.” John grinned, glancing at Marjorie for the takeover.
“Well, then I have to assume that’s based on the fact our hometown hero is going to be giving a one-time performance.”
