Rodeo Hero Read online

  “Because I figured you’d write him off if you knew.”

  “He’s a great guy.” Rayna elbowed her. “And he is a hero.”

  A raven-haired woman with an exaggerated swing to her hips headed for the cluster of cowboys. A few months ago that would have been Kendra. The woman pressed herself close to Stetson and whispered something in his ear.

  Kendra’s stomach took a dive.

  Stetson put some space between them then perched on the fence and jumped into the arena.

  “I see Natalie’s still around.”

  Rayna rolled her eyes. “She finally gave up on Clay. Now she’s set her sights on poor Stetson.”

  Loud rock music threatened to drown out their conversation.

  “Is he interested?” Kendra shouted.

  Gabby laughed. “She’s definitely not his type.”

  “Why not?”

  “Adam told me Stetson’s into purity. Natalie’s a lot of things, but pure isn’t in her vocabul—” Gabby’s words stalled. Her gaze flew to Kendra’s.

  “Hey, y’all.”

  Kendra turned to see a familiar pretty blond. Lacie Gentry, rodeo widow, literally. “Lacie, how are you?”

  “I’m good. Since my sister moved to Denton, she makes sure I get my mom’s nights out.”

  “I wish we’d known.” Rayna hugged Lacie. “We had dinner earlier. You could have come.”

  “Just as well.” Lacie patted her nonexistent stomach. “I’m still trying to lose a few baby pounds.”

  “You disgust me,” Rayna hissed. “You don’t look like you ever had a baby.”

  Couldn’t they talk about something else? Since Gabby and Rayna had gotten married, Kendra was the odd one out. Their talk consistently centered on house plans and babies. One look at Clay had turned Rayna’s staying-single-forever status to mush.

  “Ready to move to our seats?” Adam’s voice came from behind them.

  “Just killing time with the girls.” Gabby stood. “You could join our hen party.”

  “No offense, but I think I’ll pass.” He gently patted Kendra’s shoulder. “By the way, if it makes you feel any better, I heard Wyatt traveled to a Horizon Tour rodeo tonight, so he won’t be here.”

  She blew out a sigh. “Thank You, Lord.”

  “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Fort Worth Stockyards.” The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers. “For our second round of bull riding—first up, three-time CBR World Champ—Claaaayyyyy Warrrennnn.”

  As the gate opened and a bull careened into the arena, Rayna remained calm.

  Kendra’s gaze riveted on Stetson as he focused on the bull. A couple of times he ran close to the bull—egging the creature on—probably adding to Clay’s score.

  He darted toward the bull—then out again, in front and cut to the side—making it look like an effortless dance.

  The buzzer sounded, and Clay vaulted off the bull’s back. Stetson distracted the beast, encouraging it to chase him toward the exit. The gate opened, Stetson led the bull out, and then cut behind the gate while the bull barreled into the corral.

  Stetson might be a clown, but he was a very good clown.

  With his looks he could be a male model. Why on earth was he working as a rodeo clown—er, bullfighter?

  ❧

  Stetson checked the mirror one more time. No traces of face paint left. He exited the bathroom. The smell of livestock hung heavy in the coliseum’s rear lobby. Not necessarily pleasant, but the smell of home.

  Clay approached with his new bride. “Hey, thanks for stirring that bull up for me.”

  Their marital bliss put a hitch in his heart.

  “Anytime. Great score. I’m just glad there weren’t any wrecks tonight.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, he turned to Rayna. “Tell me about Kendra.”

  She grinned. “She’s part of my camera crew. Very sweet, but she’s only been a Christian a few months.”

  “That’s a good thing.”

  “Definitely. But she’s had some hard knocks.”

  “She’s slightly jaded,” Clay added.

  Stetson cleared his throat. “What about Wyatt?”

  Rayna rolled her eyes. “He’s a jerk, but they’re over.”

  “Good.”

  A couple passed through the lobby followed by a group of cowboys. Laughter, ribbing, and congratulations drowned out all possible chance of conversation for a moment.

  “I think a good Christian man could help her look to the future.”

  Clay tweaked Rayna’s nose. “Are you matchmaking, young lady?”

  “Who, me?” Rayna shrugged.

  “What about her family?”

  “She’s never mentioned them but let it slip once where she grew up. Then she made Gabby and me promise secrecy.”

  “The girls have lunch together on Fridays at Maguire’s.” Clay winked at his wife. “Maybe Stetson could join Adam and me next Friday, and we could crash you gals’ lunch.”

  “I think that’s a great idea.” Rayna elbowed Clay. “When did you start matchmaking?”

  “When I realized how happy a good woman could make a man.”

  Stetson grinned. Oh to have that kind of relationship someday.

  ❧

  Kendra trotted the tan horse with black markings around Clay’s private arena.

  Were they bothering the newlyweds? Rayna had set up this day before the wedding, but they’d just gotten back from their honeymoon yesterday.

  Lynn shaded her eyes from the early-June sun then aimed Kendra’s camera. “She’s so pretty. What did Clay call her?”

  “A buckskin. We’re working on lighting and shadow in this one. I want you to take several shots from different angles. Once we finish here, we’ll take a trail ride and get some nature shots. Remember to focus the lens like I showed you.”

  Sweat trickled between Kendra’s shoulder blades. Her tank top was cool enough, but she longed to trade her jeans for shorts.

  “Hey Lynn, I thought that was you.” Stetson’s baritone voice resonated behind her.

  Why was he here? Had Rayna set this up? Kendra turned, and his gaze caught hers.

  “I wouldn’t have pegged you as a horse person.”

  “It’s been awhile since I rode.”

  “We get to take a trail ride through the woods and take nature pictures.” Lynn got a shot of Stetson.

  “Sounds fun.”

  “Want to come?” Lynn blushed.

  “I’d love to, but I gotta see a man about a horse. Literally, I’m buying a horse from Clay. And then I’m off to my mom’s birthday party.” He tipped his hat and turned toward the lodge.

  Kendra’s breathing leveled out.

  “He’s so cute.” Lynn pressed her hand to her heart.

  Kendra’s gaze narrowed. “You think?”

  “Definitely.” Lynn giggled. “All the girls in the youth group have crushes on him, and a few parents are kind of perturbed that the church hired him.”

  “Why?”

  “Duh. Look at him.”

  “He’s a good ten years older than most of you.” And if he even looked at any of them twice—which he wouldn’t—he’d be arrested.

  “True. But he’s still dreamy to look at.”

  A ranch hand led in a saddled pale Appaloosa with gray splashes across her hips. Saved by the horse.

  “Looks like your horse is here.” Kendra thanked the man and trotted her buckskin out of the arena. “Need help?”

  Lynn climbed into the saddle like an expert. “My grandfather has horses.”

  “I can tell.” Kendra turned her horse to the path Rayna had recommended. Mexican Hat wildflowers with droopy, gold and brick-colored petals dotted the sides of the path. Velvety, silver and lavender lamb’s ear grew—despite the cracked, parched earth. The shade dropped the temperature a good five degrees.

  “You’re about Stetson’s age. Maybe you should go for him.”

  “Let’s concentrate on what we’re here for.” Kendra pointed
to a twisted, gnarled live oak tree with a ray of sun shooting through it. “There’s a perfect contrast of light and shadow.”

  ❧

  Stetson parked in the drive. The brick house had never felt like home, but Mom was happy here. Her favorite bushes, the kind with the big snowball-clusters of blue flowers, lined the front.

  Stetson mentally measured the space between the house and the neighbors on each side. Maybe six feet. Too constricting for him. Give him hayfields and woods any day.

  Kendra seemed perfectly at ease with wide-open spaces, in the saddle at Clay’s ranch, and with a teenage girl.

  Her interest in Lynn was doing a number on him. The few women Stetson had dated didn’t share his convictions about purity or his heart for youth. Could Kendra be different?

  Focus.

  He got out of his truck, grabbed the gaily wrapped shirt box, and loped to the porch. The air smelled of charcoal and steak. His stomach rumbled.

  The door swung open. Mom greeted him with a smile. Her short, dark curls held no trace of gray—without help from her hairdresser. Happiness crinkled the corners of her green eyes.

  “Happy birthday.” He kissed her cheek.

  “Thanks, baby.”

  Twenty-six years old, but he’d always be her baby.

  “Come on in.” His stepdad, Randy, met him with a hug and a manly clap on the back. “The steaks are almost done.”

  “You didn’t have to bring a gift. All I need to make my birthday special is my favorite two men in the whole world.”

  “Open your present, Mom. I saw it in the window and knew it was made for you.”

  She giggled and sat on the couch. Carefully she removed the paper then lifted the lid to reveal the gauzy, pale-green dress. She gasped. “It’s beautiful.”

  The delight in her eyes swelled his heart.

  “I’ll save it to wear for a special occasion.”

  “Wear it to church. I know you have plenty of church dresses, but I—” He remembered the years between Dad’s death and Randy’s arrival. She’d bought Stetson’s clothes new, while hers had come from yard sales and Goodwill. “I love buying you pretty things.”

  She patted the seat beside her. “I love it. Maybe I’ll wear it to your wedding.” She kissed his cheek as he joined her.

  “Don’t hold your breath. There aren’t any like you left out there. Maybe you can wear it for Dad’s induction in the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.”

  If that day ever came.

  ❧

  “Now this seems right.” Kendra sipped her diet Coke at Maguire’s—the oval light fixtures, pristine white tablecloths, and contrasting black chairs—their Friday lunch haven. “It wasn’t right without Rayna in the office last week.”

  Rayna held up her sweet tea and clicked glasses with Gabby and Kendra.

  Kendra had been unprepared at how disconnected she’d felt while Rayna was gone. Like Rayna was her lifeline to the straight and narrow. Without her, she’d sink back into her old life.

  “I’m glad to have lunch with y’all again, but to tell you the truth, I could have stayed on my honeymoon forever.” Rayna blushed.

  Gabby poured herself another glass from the pitcher. “So spill, Kendra. What happened with Wyatt?”

  Kendra pulled off a nonchalant shrug. “He wouldn’t take no for an answer at Rayna’s reception, and I got tired of fighting him off. So I did my best to impale his foot. I had the situation under control, but Stetson came along.”

  Rayna’s eyes widened. “And?”

  Soft background music and indistinguishable conversations filled the silence as Kendra carefully chose her words. “He thinks he rescued me.”

  Rayna patted her hand. “I’m proud of you. Not so long ago you wouldn’t have been fighting Wyatt off.”

  “I tried not to at first.” She unrolled her silverware from the black cloth napkin. “The night of our car wreck, after I became a Christian, he was going to spend the night, as usual. But I kept hearing yours and Gabby’s sermons about God creating sex to be shared only inside marriage.”

  Rayna and Gabby high-fived.

  “I told him I didn’t feel well and sent him home.” Kendra flipped the heavy menu pages even though she knew what she wanted. “We haven’t been intimate since, and I kept thinking he’d break up with me. The only reason I stuck with him as long as I did was because he kept coming to church with me. Obviously it didn’t do much good, and now that we’re over, he won’t come again.”

  “Probably for the best.” Rayna nodded. “You tried, and if you kept seeing him, he might drag you backward instead of forward.”

  “But I really wanted him to accept Jesus.”

  “You planted seeds. Maybe they’ll take root.”

  “There are plenty of Christian fish in the sea.” Gabby looked over Rayna’s shoulder and grinned. “Speaking of fish.”

  Kendra looked up. Clay, Adam, and Stetson walked toward them. All moisture evaporated from her mouth.

  “What are y’all doing here?” Rayna asked.

  Adam kissed Gabby’s cheek. “Clay and Stetson were going to lunch and invited me, so we decided to visit our wives and drag Stetson along.”

  “And we’re glad you did.” Gabby giggled. “Move more chairs over.”

  The men grabbed chairs from the next table. Stetson scooted his next to Kendra.

  She rolled her eyes. Was it her imagination or was there a mass conspiracy involving her and Stetson? He looked good enough to fall for in his pearl-button, charcoal-gray western shirt; jeans; and boots. His oh-so-fitting white hat lay in his lap, yet his hair lay perfectly with no ring-around-the-head indention.

  The server returned. “Oh, new arrivals. I’ll give you another minute to decide.”

  “We talked about it on the way over.” Stetson laid his hat on the next table. “Burgers for the guys.”

  On a less superficial level he was very nice, a Christian. She could probably get used to his unusual profession, but she was no match for him. He liked his women pure. And Kendra was a lot of things, but pure had only recently entered her vocabulary. And she still hadn’t thoroughly embraced the concept.

  No sex—for the rest of her life—unless she got married.

  Stetson’s gaze locked on hers.

  The server, standing beside Kendra, cleared her throat. “Ma’am, what would you like?”

  “Him.”

  three

  Kendra swallowed hard as all eyes turned to her. “Hmmm.”

  The server arched an eyebrow. “You want your usual? Caesar salad with sautéed shrimp?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Are you coming to the rodeo tonight?” Gabby threw her a lifeline.

  “I’m not sure. I came last week to welcome Rayna back.”

  “You should come.” Stetson stacked his menu on the pile.

  Rayna placed her order then stood. “Off to the ladies’ room. Want to join me, Kendra?”

  “Why do women go to the bathroom together?” Clay grinned. “Don’t you wanna go, too, Gabby?”

  Rayna landed a well-aimed elbow in her husband’s good shoulder. “We’ll be right back. You can come, too, if you want, Gabby.”

  “That’s okay. I’m good.”

  With no choice, Kendra stood and followed her friend to the bathroom.

  Inside, Rayna bent to look underneath the stalls. “Good, we’re alone. Are you all right?”

  “Did you hear what I said?”

  “Uh-huh.” Rayna grinned.

  Kendra closed her eyes. “Do you think everyone else did?”

  “Quick save. The men probably thought they heard you wrong because they think all we think about is them.”

  “I can’t believe I said that.” Her gaze dropped to the tiled floor, and she covered her face with both hands. “I was thinking how attractive and nice Stetson is, and how he’s squeaky clean. And I’m decidedly not.”

  “Listen.” Rayna cleared her throat. “I’m well aware of the joys of marriage now
. And I can imagine how hard this change is for you.”

  “Because I’ve been experiencing the joys of marriage”—for years—“without ever getting married.”

  “But you’re different now.” Rayna squeezed her shoulder. “In God’s sight, you’re squeaky clean.”

  “I haven’t—not even with Wyatt—since I got saved. But squeaky clean. . . ?”

  “You are. And God is very proud of you. I am, too. Just keep up the good work.” Rayna set her purse on the counter and fished around in it then turned to the large, well-lit mirror. “Now, let’s freshen our lipstick, so Stetson won’t think we were in here talking about him.”

  ❧

  “You never did explain why women have to go to the bathroom in pairs.” Stetson peered at Gabby across the table.

  She shrugged.

  “So they can talk about us.” Adam leaned both elbows on the table.

  “That’s rather vain.” Gabby jabbed him with her elbow. “There’s all sorts of other reasons. We share makeup and lipstick for touchups and repairs. We tell each other we have food between our teeth. Lots of reasons.”

  “You sort of admitted one of the reasons y’all go to the bathroom together is to talk about us.” Stetson grinned. Or to talk about him. Surely he’d misunderstood what Kendra had said.

  Gabby’s mouth opened then closed. “Sometimes. But they’re probably doing lipstick touchups.”

  “So why didn’t you go?”

  “Here they come.” Clay kicked Stetson’s shin under the table. “Hush or they’ll think we were talking about them.”

  Both women wore fresh lipstick. They settled at the table as the server brought their food.

  “We better get to eating, so our office folk can get back to work on time.” Clay clapped him on the back.

  Stetson unrolled his cloth napkin. “Are you going to the rodeo tonight, Kendra?”

  “I am.” She spread her napkin in her lap. “I guess as long as Clay’s riding, I’ll be there.”

  The server checked to see if anyone needed anything and left.

  “Let’s pray.” Clay bowed his head and everyone joined hands around the table.

  Kendra’s hand slid into his, stealing his focus from the prayer.

  ❧

  Stetson’s eyes adjusted to the darkened arena as he searched the box seats. Still no Kendra.