Austin (New Horizon Ranch Book 8) (6 page)

“Did you say someone was in a pen with a wild horse?” Sam asked.

Immediately, App and Stanley looked across at him.

“What for?” Stanley scratched his head. “Breaking them?”

“I always did love to ride an unbroken colt,” App barked louder than needed.

“It’s a pure wonder you didn’t get your bones broke,” Sam grunted.

“That’s right.” Stanley laughed. “You had your fun but you and me both know Sam was the bronc buster back in the day.”

Startled, Austin looked at the tiny man who looked more like a jockey than a bronc buster.

“You broke horses?” BJ asked in awe before Austin could remark.

“Yup, it was in my blood. Not that I did it as a living all the time. I just did it for the heck of it. But, I was fond of my mobility and the thought of retiring without being in a world of pain every morning when I woke. So the diner was a smarter option fer me.”

“Smart man,” Austin grunted.

“Well, Jolene’s tough and looks like she’s got a plan where this wild pony is concerned.”

“Huh?” App muttered. “Y’all are talkin’ about a woman?”

BJ nodded. “Just hired on at the New Horizon. She’s supposed to ride it this afternoon and most all of us cowboys have bets going. Some of them,
most
of them are betting she gets bucked off on the first go-round. I’m not going to bet against her. I mean, she rammed me in the ribs the other day in the truck and my ribs still hurt. She’s strong and I think she can ride it.”

Austin pulled money out of his pocket. “Sam, thanks for the coffee but I need to be heading out.”

He knew it was time. Either that or he was going to say something he’d regret. He said his quick good-byes and then headed out. It was time to get some shut-eye.

Or at least a shower. All the way home, he fought the urge to head out to New Horizon and forced himself to stay the course toward home. His hands gripped the wheel tightly. There were men who rode and broke and trained unbroken horses every day. And women, though not near as many. The fact that his brother-in-law had been one of them and had had a freak fall shouldn’t weigh in. But it did. A man, or woman, could ride all their life until they got bucked off for the last time. Charles had never thought it could happen to him and now he’d left behind a family who missed him something fierce.

Austin got out of his truck and stalked into the house. He wasn’t going over there. It was best if he stayed away because his inclination was to go over there and make sure she didn’t get on the back of that wild horse. He figured if he dragged her out that round pen, he’d be the one getting the elbow to the rib that BJ had talked about.

Shedding his clothes in the bedroom, he climbed into the shower and let the hot water run over him. It eased some of the tension and unclouded his head a little. When he was done, he lay down on the bed. All he could think about was Jolene.

And of course, he had Dolly Parton’s sweet, little country voice stuck in his mind singing:
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene.

He did not sleep.

Chapter Seven

Jolene work with Dimples till about noon and training was going good. Yes, the far from calm horse had charged her a few times and she’d had to do some quickstepping to get out of its way but that had been yesterday and only a couple of times today.

She stopped for lunch and to let Dimples calm down. Of course, all the guys who were around in chow hall were teasing her—testing her. They wanted to see what she was made of and she knew it.

“Lookin’ good out there, Bartee,” hunky Riley Calhoun drawled as he shot her a sexy grin.

Jolene was sure that grin had sent many a female heart racing but she was immune to cowboy charm. “Why, thank you, Calhoun.”

He crossed his arms on the table and leaned toward her as she finished off the last of her peach cobbler. “You sure you’re not afraid to get on the little pony’s back? Or are you just planning to walk it and sweet-talk it until it asks you to throw a saddle on its back and ride?”

She laughed and stood. “You’re a real comedian, Calhoun.” She headed casually toward the door. “I’ll be progressing to a saddle about mid-afternoon, boys,” she said, speaking in general to anyone who was paying attention to the conversation and then she left.

She had a few more things to do before she saddled him or she was in for a lot of bucking. And she’d rather prove to everyone that she could do this without riling up the horse too badly. That wasn’t good for it or her.

She had him accepting the blanket without throwing a fit, so now she brought the saddle out and he watched every move she made. The process began of getting Dimples somewhat comfortable with it. She went through several steps and finally she placed it on his back and got it girted up. That process had him rearing up and a bit irritated. Jolene noted in her peripheral vision that the round pen railing was becoming crowded. She preferred no audience but today it couldn’t be helped.

She took hold of the saddle horn and placed her boot in the stirrup; then she stood in the stirrup. Dimples instantly sidestepped and nickered loudly with a snort thrown in here and there as he danced around the arena with her standing straight in the stirrup. She was giving him time to absorb her presence. He bucked his hind legs, showing no signs of calming down.

She held on. And then threw her leg over. Not exactly the way she’d wanted it but she’d learned in all of her years of doing this that one horse was never completely like another with training.

Good to know and be prepared for…because Dimples—he did not like having her on his back.

Unable to stop himself, Austin gave up on sleep finally and headed to New Horizon. He made it to the ranch about the time he saw Jolene stand up in the stirrup. He knew that was what she was doing because as he parked his truck, she popped up and could be seen past the crowd of cowboys circling the round pen.

Heart slamming, he was out of the truck and striding across the stretch between him and the group. He knew he was out of line but that didn’t seem to matter.

“Way to ride, Jolene,” BJ yelled over the crowd, drawing Austin’s gaze to where he stood on the middle rung of the round pen, cheering Jolene on. Others were yelling, too, as Jolene held onto the reins and the saddle horn and dug her heels into the horse as she rode. Sweat popped across Austin’s forehead as he watched her. She had her chin down, and had leaned back in the saddle, leveraging her body and maintaining her seat in the saddle. He was pleased that she hadn’t thrown one arm up like a bronc rider but instead had it firmly wrapped around the saddle horn. She could ride. The horse was bucking as if it were going to try to kill her if she fell off. Austin knew at this point there was nothing he could do. If he went in there now, he could make things worse.

Not taking his eyes off her, he moved to the first open space he could find and took hold of the steel rungs and held on. Jolene’s expression was set and her body moved easily, fluidly with the bucking horse, taking each jarring impact without losing her hold. Her hat flew off and hit the ground; immediately the black horse trampled it beneath its hooves. Austin automatically climbed a rung on the pen.

“She’s good.” Ty Calder’s quiet, calm voice interrupted Austin’s near panic. He looked to the man who stood beside him. Calm gray eyes met his.

Austin nodded. “Looks that way. But, she’s going to get hurt,” he said. “What were you thinking?”

Ty shot a glance back out to Jolene. “That I was hiring someone with a great reputation for breaking rough stock. Do you see what she’s doing?”

Austin looked back and was startled to see that Jolene had ridden through the bucking and now had the horse trotting, reluctantly, in a circle; she had the reins in a firm grip and as she let the horse get the last little rebellion out of its system—small bucks and loping—then they were moving around the pen in an easy walk. She patted the neck of the horse, leaned forward in the saddle and spoke to the animal as she gave its neck a good rub. And then she smiled.

“That’s why I hired her,” Ty stated in quiet, certain words. “Looks like you have an interest in my new trainer?”

Austin pulled his gaze off Jolene to look Ty’s way. “Maybe. But—” He held back from saying her career choice was a deterrent.

Ty grinned. “Good luck. She has a one-track mind and that’s on her horses.” He stepped up on the rung of the pen and called to Jolene. “Great job, Jolene.”

She looked their way. “Thanks.” And then her gaze met Austin’s.

Austin’s mouth went dry and adrenaline shot through him like a flash flood. He was in over his head and he knew it.

Jolene dismounted after she’d ridden Dimples around the pen for a while, letting the horse grow more comfortable with her on his back. She spoke gently, encouragingly to the horse, helping to let it know that this was okay. She could only imagine what it must feel like to have the freedom to be wild and untamed and then have someone come along and take that away. And to then have to carry that person around on its back. She’d let it loose soon, let it see that it still had access to the pasture, but not just yet. Her focus was off. She’d gotten one look at Austin and her thoughts fuzzed up. The man just did something to her like nothing she’d ever felt before. And they hadn’t really had that many conversations. How could that be that a man she hardly knew stayed on her mind?

Even when she didn’t want him to.

The thought was laughable because Dimples was probably wondering why the person she hardly knew was staying on his back when it really didn’t want her to.

Payback was tough.

Jolene tugged her head lower and snuck a peek in Austin’s direction. He was talking to Ty, and BJ was there too. BJ looked excited and she wondered how much the cowboy had won in the bet because she knew he’d bet on her. She appreciated the vote of confidence from him. And Riley had been cheering her on, too. She wondered whether he’d bet on her in the end.

But mostly she wondered what Austin was doing here.

A few minutes more and then she halted Dimples near the spot where Ty and Austin stood. “Boss, I think Dimples here is going to make a great ranch horse. He’s got spunk and is a thinker.”

Ty grinned and placed his hands on his hips. “Sounds like the two of you have a lot in common. You did a great job. Don’t you think so, Austin?” he added.

Jolene thought she heard a bit of tease in his voice.

Austin looked grim. As if he were about to arrest her or something. “Yeah, but do you know how dangerous it is to be doing what you’re doing? Watch yourself.”

That took her by surprise. Narrowing her eyes, she met his near glare straight on. “Um, yes, I’m pretty sure I do. I know what I’m doing.” Her pulse raced like Secretariat in the Kentucky Derby.

Austin held her gaze. “Let’s hope so. Dimples looks like he’s not exactly ready to concede defeat. Watch yourself.” And then he turned and headed across the parking lot.

What was his problem?
Anger flashed through Jolene. She swung her leg over the back of Dimples and dismounted easy enough not to spook Dimples but as quick as she dared. Looping the reins on the saddle horn, she moved to the gate and let herself out. Everyone was watching but this was ridiculous. Anger drove her and something she didn’t understand. She jogged across the parking lot. Her chap fringe flapped against her legs and her spurs jingled merrily but she was not happy.

She caught him before he reached his truck and slid behind the wheel. He stood up, seeing her approach.

“What is your problem?” she growled, bowing her chest. She stepped near and glared up at him. “I apologized and yet you show up here looking like you’ve got a chip on your shoulder. What I do is none of your business.” She poked him in the chest for good measure.

He stepped close and grabbed her hand before she could poke him a second time. His grasp was warm and firm; fireworks exploded through her bloodstream.

He didn’t say anything; he just held her hand and looked down at her with stormy eyes that shut her up like a clap of thunder. She swallowed hard and couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak—couldn’t breathe. Her knees felt weak. And then, he bent his head and kissed her.

It didn’t last longer than a heartbeat but it was swift and hard and powerful.

And then he dropped her hand, slid behind the wheel and drove away.

Chapter Eight

Holy cow.

Jolene watched Austin drive away. Her lips still stung from the crushing kiss…and her chest heaved as she gulped in air after having hers pretty much sucked right out of her.

“Holy cow,” she muttered out loud this time. The fuzziness that had hit her thoughts the moment she’d seen him while she’d been riding Dimples fogged up completely.

She knew she needed to move. A small voice in the midst of the fog that had rolled in on her called out that everyone had probably seen the kiss. She needed to move.

Move. Now.

Instead of heading back to the pen, she headed to her bunk apartment. It was time to take a break.

“Hey, Jolene.” Maddie came riding in from the pasture. She brought her horse to a halt and fanned herself. “It’s hot out there today. I wanted to ask you if you’d like to join me and the other gals for a gals’ night out. It’s not much, mind you. We’re just heading into town to Sam’s for supper and a little last-minute planning on the town dance Saturday night.”