Rough Riders Bundle 1(50)
Channing knew it was a test. And she soon discovered very few bet against Colby McKay. So she prepared to clean them out of their pocket money and she’d enjoy every minute of it.
“Let’s rodeo!” the announcement boomed.
During the bareback competition Channing won twenty-five bucks. Then the saddle bronc event started.
Oh mama. The second Colby’s name was announced, her whole body flushed with desire and pride.
Colby looked powerful and in command and supremely sexy as he rode his bronc to a seventy-five. He finished third overall and won a decent amount of money.
With it being the last day of the rodeo, the events were longer, because the short-go was held right after the individual competitions ended.
The betting became sporadic as contestants’ significant others left the stands. It’d be a long day for her. Suddenly alone, Channing regretted she’d forgotten her notebook in the horse trailer.
Two tugs on her hair. Before she could turn to see who it was, Callie hopped down in front of her. “Hey, China bear.”
“Hey, Calamity Jane.”
She clapped her hand over her mouth and giggled.
“Where’s your mom?”
“Helpin’ the hazer wrap up the back legs on his horse before Daddy goes bulldoggin’.”
With her soft Midwestern accent, bordering on a twang, and big eyes, the kid was cute as a bug. “Is the horse okay?”
She shrugged. “So’s your stomach and your head hurt as bad as Momma’s does this mornin’?”
Channing choked on her iced tea. “No.”
“I’m glad, because she is the one who’s a bear today, not you,” she confided with a serious face.
Beat-up brown boots covered in dirt slid into view. “I heard that Calliope Jane Morgan.” A sluggish Mary eased next to Channing. “I’d like to say she’s full of it, but the truth is, my head is pounding and I feel like I could barf. Been that way since the moment I got up.”
She could tell Mary was scrutinizing her from beneath oversized pink sunglasses.
“Here I was hopin’ my partner in crime from last night felt just as poorly as I do. But damn, you look positively chipper today.”
Channing chuckled. “Remind me why you were drinking last night?”
“Showing you how to celebrate Colby’s big ride. It just didn’t seem like I drank that much to feel this bad.”
“Momma. You always say that.”
“Pipe down, pipsqueak. You’re giving Channing a bad impression of me.”
Channing hid a smile as she sipped her tea. “So are you guys going to Valentine?”
“Yep. We’re off to love city as soon as Mike’s event ends. What about you?”
“We’re heading that way, too.”
Callie skipped across the seats to check out the vendors hawking their wares.
“Can I ask you something?” Mary said. Channing nodded. “Ain’t it kinda awkward travelin’ with Colby and Trevor and Edgard? I mean, Mike and me saw you and Colby take off last night. And Trev was so wasted Cash had to help him out of the bar at closing time. But this morning Cash said Trev wouldn’t stay in his room and he must’ve slept in the horse trailer.”
Channing tried to act nonchalant, dreading the remainder of the question.
“So how does that work when you and Colby want alone time? Do you guys gotta sneak off and git ’er done before Trevor or Edgard bust in on you?”
Channing blushed. No doubt her new friend would be scandalized if she admitted the sleeping arrangements. But when she really thought about it, she literally had slept only with Colby in all the nights the four of them had been together.
“Well, Trevor and Edgard make themselves pretty scarce. We switch off and take turns—” somehow she managed not to wince “—one night we’re in the horse trailer, the next we’re in the motel room.”
“Oh.” Mary seemed about to say something else but Callie interrupted.
“Momma, I’m hot.”
“I know, baby. We’ll be out of the sun soon.”
“So can I have one of them little fans to cool off?” She pointed to the vendor wandering through the stands selling souvenirs.
“No.”
“How about a necklace?”
“No.”
“Then can I have a whistle? They ain’t very expensive.”
“No, Callie. Lord, stop beggin’ me for every damn thing you see.”
Callie sighed. “So can I at least have a snow cone?”
“Fine.” Mary dug out a couple of bucks and slapped it in Callie’s outstretched hand. “But come right back here, no fooling around.”
Talk about diversionary tactics. Callie shot Channing a triumphant look that said she’d wanted a snow cone all along.