I slid onto a stool. “You must be Ruby.”
“That’s me. Mayor's wife, proprietor, and your landlady while you’re in town.” She filled my mug from the carafe she held in her right hand. “Do you need cream or sugar?”
“Just black is fine.” I slipped the strap of my bag over the back of the stool.
“How are you settling in? Does the cabin have everything you need?” she asked.
“Yes. It’s perfect, and I love the view.”
“Good. If you need anything, just let me know.”
I wrapped my hands around the mug. “Thank you. I will. Everyone around here has been so accommodating so far.”
Ruby’s laugh was warm and genuine. “That's Mustang Mountain. People around here are curious every time they see a stranger, especially one who’s writing a story about our upcoming rodeo.”
“I suppose I stand out a little. Marie from next door knew who I was as soon as I told her my name.”
“She’s a sweetheart. You won’t have any trouble with her.” Ruby rested her hip against the counter. “But speaking of trouble… I heard you had an issue with your car on your way into town last night.”
News traveled fast around here. I suppose I should have expected that. “I did. It would've been a long night if someone hadn't stopped.”
“Roman Maddox,” Ruby said.
Hearing his name sent a shiver racing up and down my spine. I hadn’t been able to erase the image of the tall, dark stranger from my mind. “He didn't say much but seemed to know what he was doing.”
Ruby took her time refilling her own mug. “Roman's good at fixing things, especially animals. He's got a way with horses that borders on supernatural. People around here call him a horse whisperer, though he'd never use that word himself.” She paused. “He's been conditioning the rough stock for the rodeo. The horses no one else wants to go near.”
“It sounds like he's good at his job.” My mouth went dry picturing those big hands of his.
“The best.” Her tone shifted a little quieter. “But he keeps to himself. Always has.”
I filed that piece of information away to think about later. “I'm just grateful he stopped. Otherwise I might have had to sleep in my car.”
“Mmm hmm.” Ruby tilted her head and studied me like she was looking for the answer to a question that hadn’t been asked yet. Then she pulled a folder out from under the counter and set it between us. “Since you're here for the rodeo, let me give you a proper lay of the land. Slade Kincaid runs point on the bull riding. His family owns the Iron Spur, one of the biggest operations in the region. He's your best source for anything about the competition itself.”
I pulled out a pen to start taking notes.
“Dawson Griffith handles the broncs. Trains out at Wilde Creek. He doesn't waste words.” Ruby's mouth curved up and she gave me a wink. “You'll work for that interview, but it'll be worth it.”
“Is there anyone else I should talk to?”
“Tanner Hollister. He’s a horse trainer and he and Jace Walker have been coordinating logistics for the whole event.”
I wrote the names down. Kincaid. Griffith. Hollister. Walker. I'd seen them in my background research, old family names that showed up in property records and local history like load-bearing walls, invisible until you needed to understand what was holding everything up.
“What about Roman?” I asked. “Where does he fit in?”
Ruby kept her eyes on the papers. “Roman works the edges. He's not part of the main show, but the show doesn't happen without him. He handles the problem horses, the ones that need real work before they're ready. He's essential, but he's not the kind of man who wants recognition for it.”
“Sounds like there's a story there.”
“There's always a story.” Her head lifted and she met my gaze. “But not all of them need to be told. Some people would rather stand outside the spotlight than in it. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is let them stick to the shadows.”
The warning was clear, delivered with the calm certainty of a woman who’d been guarding other people’s business for a long time. But Ruby didn't know me well enough yet to understand what warnings like that did to my curiosity.
“I'm just here for the rodeo,” I said. “And maybe a human-interest piece or two that will help you bring in the summer crowds.”
She held my gaze for a long moment, then slid the papers back into the folder and passed it over to me. “Good. This town's been through enough without someone stirring things up for the sake of a headline.”
