“Supposed to what?” She speared a finger into his chest. “You took off and left me the minute we hit the check-in booth. I’ve never been here. I’ve never been to any rodeo with you, remember? What was I supposed to do? Stand around like some floozy and wait for you to make up your mind on whether I was good enough—”
“Stop talkin’ right now.”
“No. You don’t get to order me around when you abandoned me. I don’t know why the hell I’m surprised that you don’t want people to know you’re with me.”
He was too pissed off to speak.
She blithely continued, “I’m used to being the cause of embarrassment. I am aware I rank well below the rest of the more knowledgeable buckle bunnies trailing after you like lovesick calves—”
“I’m warnin’ you, Channing, stop chatterin’ like a goddamn magpie and listen up right now. Didn’t Jared—”
“Jared was just as worried about what people might think of us being together as you are, cowboy. So, despite your claims to the contrary, you’re more alike than you know.”
Shit. Colby stepped back and squeezed his eyes shut. He’d forgotten Jared had kept Channing sequestered so no one blabbed to her about his wife. Therefore, Channing wouldn’t have known a certain amount of seats were set aside at every performance for family and friends. When he reopened his eyes, she was stomping off.
“Channing, come back here.”
“No,” she tossed off over her shoulder.
“I’m warnin’ you, girl, you don’t want to make me mad.”
“Tough shit, tough guy. Suck it up and walk it off.”
People around them stopped and stared, nudged each other and chuckled, giving Colby a wide berth.
“Last chance,” he yelled.
Channing flipped him the bird without turning around. In fact, she ran away from him like her boot heels were smoking.
He was going to paddle that sassy little ass but good.
“Too bad you didn’t bring your piggin’ string. She sure is fit to be tied. You tryin’ to keep her on a short rope or something?”
“Shut the fuck up, Cash.”
“What’s the problem?”
“None of your goddamn business.”
“Trouble in paradise already? Is this about why you’re makin’ her sit by herself instead of in the VIP stand?”
“I didn’t make her do nothin’.”
“Really? I saw her up there, all alone, lookin’ sad and lost, poor thing.”
Colby clenched his teeth together.
“I never pegged you for that kind of guy.”
“What kind of guy?”
“The kind who’s afraid what snotty comments the other fellas’ womenfolk might say to her about travelin’ with all three of you.”
“Hell no, I could give a shit about that.”
“Then what’s goin’ on?”
“What I do, or don’t do, to her or for her, ain’t your concern. She knows—”
“No, she don’t know nothin’ about behind-the-scenes rodeo protocol for contestants and their families, and that, my friend, is your fault. After being treated like Jared’s dirty little secret, maybe you oughta make it clear you don’t expect to treat her the same way, eh?” Cash sauntered off as regal as a Lakota elder.
Shit. Colby kicked a clod of dirt. Hard.
Colby wended through the crowd, dodging kids, horseshit and the rhinestone sparkle of low-cut blouses as several buckle bunnies vied for his attention. A stolid woman and small boy all but tripped him to get him to stop. “Hey, are you Colby McKay?” the youngster asked.
“Yep.”
“Oh wow, can I get your autograph? Please?”
“Sure thing.” He hunkered down and snagged the program from the boy’s grubby little hand along with the proffered pen. “Who do I make this out to?”
“Mitchell.”
“You a big rodeo fan, Mitchell?”
He nodded somberly. “Someday I’m gonna be the number one All-Around Cowboy, too.”
Colby didn’t have the heart to tell the kid he was currently stuck in the number two position. Again. “Good plan. Good luck. See you on the circuit someday.” Colby smiled and patted him on the top of his blond head. When he looked around for Channing, he wasn’t surprised she was long gone.
Damn fool woman.
Didn’t want people to know they were together. Embarrassed by her. Right. The little hellcat had even flipped him off! He seethed and knew there was only one way to handle this.
That woman was in a whole mess of trouble. He’d show her exactly how he dealt with breaking in headstrong fillies.