Harlow bit her lower lip, and he focused on the soft, pink fullness of her mouth. “We could use that.”
Brady rounded the corner. “You get him?”
Aiden lifted the rope attached to the calf and then gestured toward Maddox. “Thanks to the new guy.”
Brady almost seemed impressed, but his stern expression quickly fell back into place. “I think it’s time to switch stations.” He lifted a megaphone Maddox hadn’t even seen at first and bellowed into it. “Everyone rotate right.”
People shuffled around, but Harlow put her hand out in front of Maddox, blocking him from moving and addressing Brady. “If I can train Maddox to be even half-decent at roping, I’d like to do the team event with him. I could use his extra strength, since that’s the part I suck at. If he can rope the head and slow the steer, I can manage the feet.”
The narrowed-eyed stare Brady aimed at Maddox contained equal parts disbelief and suspicion.
Bro, I’m surprised as you are. Maddox licked his lips, the dry air and dust suddenly getting to him. “Do I get a say in the matter?”
“No,” Harlow and Brady both said.
Maddox considered pointing out that he could simply refuse to compete, but he was going to have to get through his time here one way or another. In order to survive the awfulness, he could use some form of entertainment, and Harlow was the only person who’d sparked a single ounce of it.
He’d try to be less of a dick, too.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Brady asked Harlow.
She shook her head, her braid swinging back and forth. “No, but it’s my favorite event, one I need to compete in to have a chance at winnin’ All-Around Cowgirl. It’d also help me qualify for regionals.”
Brady sighed. “In order for Maddox to get to an advanced-enough level, it’s gonna require a whole lot of roping training. More than I was planning on.”
“I can handle that part, too,” Harlow said, firing a You owe me glare in Maddox’s direction. For what, he couldn’t figure out, but he kept his trap shut all the same.
“We can see how it goes, I guess.” Brady squared off in front of Maddox and crossed his arms. “I didn’t hire Harlow to come help us so some punk could let her down during an event she’s trained years for.” The line of his jaw tightened into a long, unyielding line. “So don’t be that punk.”
While Maddox had heard plenty of growled threats in his day, this one managed to stir a pinch of fear, although he’d never admit it aloud. “Whatever you say, boss.”
Brady continued to sneer, as if he couldn’t tell if Maddox was being sarcastic or not—honestly, sometimes he couldn’t even tell.
Harlow clamped on to his arm. “Let’s get you on a horse, Mr. Too Cool for School. And if you even think about runnin’ away, just know I can toss a lasso around you and yank you right off the back of that horse in a flash.” She grinned extra wide, making it clear she’d enjoy it, too.
Apparently, he’d underestimated the sass.
Chapter 5
“You no-good, spying scoundrel,” Tanya said to Brady when she caught him poking his head around the stables. As she stormed in his direction, he had the audacity to conjure up an innocently confused expression.
“I told you I was gonna drop by.”
Tanya stuck a fist on her hip. “You’re early. And don’t even act like you didn’t do it so you could check out the competition.”
The ragtag group she’d recruited was gathered around the circular corral where Tanya had set up three barrels. Winona, the petite woman from the diner, proclaimed she wanted to take up a new hobby while her son was in town to help run her establishment; the seventeen-year-old who worked at Horsefeathers Western Store part-time clamored for the chance to ride a horse under any circumstances; and then there was a handful of others who’d turned up eager to learn and have a shot at competing in the local rodeo.
They’d about finished their first training meeting, but once Tanya caught sight of the familiar tan cowboy hat, she’d left Miguel to wrap things up for her.
“I got out early for good behavior.” Brady strode closer, and the beating of Tanya’s heart went wonky on her. In her exasperation at catching him spying, she’d momentarily forgotten about flirty lines and leaving a lasting impression. Honestly, she should still smack him. She would, too, if the way he filled out his lightweight checkered shirt and worn Wranglers didn’t cause every nerve ending in her body to misfire.
“Doesn’t sound like you,” she said with a huff, resisting the urge to smooth her curls. After demonstrating barrel racing for the past hour, her hair had grown frizzy and wild. There was a reason she mostly wore her locks in a ponytail prior to this whole put-in-effort bullshit. The plan had been to freshen up between meetups, and how dare Brady stroll into her day forty minutes before scheduled! “Besides, I thought you were playing the hard-ass while Wade was giving good cop a whirl.”
“He’s struggling to let go of control.”
“Big surprise there.” The Dawsons had been like Tanya’s second family going on forever. Brady was her age, but she’d grown up alongside Wade and Trace as well. Then, when she was fourteen and Nash arrived at Turn Around Ranch, he and Brady just clicked. Upon hearing the Dawsons were going to adopt Nash, along with his younger brother, Tanya had experienced a whorl of jealousy and worry that she might be replaced. Instead they’d become the three musketeers. Sometimes they purposely didn’t ask Wade to go along, on account of him being the voice of reason, which didn’t particularly sit well with musketeering.
Idly, she wondered if Brady had heard from Nash in a while, but it could be a sensitive subject, depending on the day. Best to keep focused for now.
“How’d you manage to sneak over without—”
On cue, Dundee barked, directing her gaze to the truck parked in front of the main cabin. The Australian shepherd did his best to behave, mostly because otherwise he’d be left behind, but he usually announced their arrivals with plenty of barking.
“Bribery.” Brady patted his thigh, and Dundee leaped out of the bed of the pickup and rushed over to prance around their ankles. His owner rewarded his silence with a dog treat, and Dundee peered up at Tanya with his one blue eye and one brown eye. She never could resist his furry face, so she bent to rub his mottled ears the way he liked.
“Wait. Miguel isn’t competing on your team, is he?” With her ducked down, her crew was in full view. “That hardly seems fair.”
“Sorta like hiring Harlow Griffith to help you? That kind of fair?” Last night when Tanya had gone to the Silver Saddle Diner to grab dinner and discuss joining the team with Winona, Mrs. Griffith mentioned Harlow was doing the pre-rodeo show as well. “Miguel knows horses and cows but has never competed in a rodeo. Whereas Harlow is not only a local favorite but one of the best ropers and riders in the county.”