The Bull Rider’s Keeper Read online

  Keep telling yourself that.

  • • •

  Jesse stood in his studio. He’d rented the place a year ago in order to keep his artwork a secret from his brother and Angie. Of course, James hardly ever came down to the Boise ranch, preferring to spend his time in Shawnee at the hot springs with Lizzie. Jesse could have set up a place in the barn, the loft, or even the back shed. Still he wanted a place to call his own.

  Eventually, he had to buy a place. Just, not yet. With this deal on the art gallery almost complete, Jesse felt like he’d taken enough risk for now. Besides, the light came into his studio first thing in the morning. The suite was on one of the top floors of an old warehouse overlooking the Boise River. He had a small balcony where he could sit and watch people walk and bike down the greenbelt. He spent a lot of time sitting on the balcony when his head was too full to paint.

  Like today.

  All he could think of was the way Taylor had looked that night, staring into his eyes as they’d made love. Like she couldn’t believe he was there. Hell, he couldn’t believe they were together. When he’d woken up and rolled over, he’d found her side of the bed empty. Even now, he could feel the pain of that moment. Obviously, she’d wanted to walk on the wild side.

  He’d known girls like her before. They’d step out of their real life of dating business moguls, lawyers, and doctors to try a rodeo rider, a bad boy. He’d been her mistake. And she’d run as fast and as far as she could once she’d woken.

  He hadn’t been able to reach her for days. Today, he’d called the gallery and talked to his mom. She’d mentioned Taylor was in the office with her attorney. She was probably trying to find some way to keep him from buying the place.

  He finished his beer and went back inside, picking up a paintbrush. He didn’t work on the portrait of Taylor. Instead, he focused on a landscape—a place that wasn’t anywhere except inside his head. A place he dreamed of finding someday.

  The house he painted had a window with light shining through the pane, welcoming family and strangers alike. He painted the imaginary home he’d always wanted, yet never had.

  His phone buzzed. Clicking his Bluetooth, he answered, “Talk to me.”

  “Is that any way to answer your phone?” Angie chided. “Where are you?”

  “Where am I supposed to be?” He set the paintbrush into a jar of paint thinner. He was done. He studied the house he’d been painting. Taylor would love living there. Too bad it was as imaginary as their relationship.

  “I was hoping you were home. I need some company tonight. I thought we might try out that new barbeque place out in Meridian.” Angie sounded disappointed. “After I couldn’t get settled at my apartment, I drove up here to get you.”

  “I’m not there.” He pulled off his painting tank top and put his T-shirt back on.

  She sighed. “Still in Wyoming, huh? I thought you sounded closer when I talked to you this afternoon. Maybe later this week?”

  Jesse chuckled. “I’m not in Wyoming, I’m just not out at the ranch. Come into town and meet me at the Alibi. I’ll be the one sitting at the bar drinking beer until you get there.”

  “And I’ll be the designated driver,” Angie teased. “Of course, with you, I usually am.”

  “Not true.” He glanced around the studio; the afternoon light slipped over the floor and made its way toward the sliding glass doors to dump into the river.

  “Sometimes it’s true.” Jesse heard Angie start up her car. “I’ll see you in fifteen.”

  “Twenty, more likely.” Jesse grabbed his keys out of his jeans pocket. “Love you, Mom.”

  He heard her slight intake of breath before she responded. “Love you, too.”

  He jogged down the stairs to the parking lot and out to his truck. He was ten minutes away from Alibi. He needed to get there first and chug down most of a beer so Angie wouldn’t question where he’d really been when she’d called.

  It wasn’t like she didn’t know his secret. She’d picked him up at class before. But he didn’t think she realized how much time he really committed to learning the craft. Buying the gallery wasn’t a whim like James believed. He felt called to the art world as much as he felt called to bull riding. It just felt right.

  • • •

  “Ready for another?” Tina, the evening bartender, leaned over the counter. She gave him a good look at her cleavage and the leopard-print bra that held in her girls. He’d gone there before, trying to ease the loneliness he’d felt over the years. Now he knew it would just be a distraction. The only woman he wanted was Taylor. And she saw him as a play toy. Karma sure had a funny way of slapping you across the face.

  “Might as well. Angie’s on her way to get me, and you know how that goes. She might get distracted, and I’ll be here all night waiting.” Jesse turned on a 100-watt smile he didn’t feel. He glanced around the nearly empty bar. “Slow night?”

  Tina grabbed a bottle out of the cooler and flipped the top off, setting it in front of him with a clunk. “Tuesdays are dead lately. The computer plant up the street is talking about layoffs, so people are staying home. Of course, once they find out if they’re on the chopping block, they’ll be back in, either way. People don’t like uncertainty.”

  “I understand. I’m kind of in a period of change, myself.” Jesse twisted the bottle around, peeling off a corner of the label. “I can handle almost anything. But when I know something’s happening, and I don’t know what it is, it’s maddening.”

  Tina frowned and scooted her stool over near him. “You got troubles, Jesse? You always seem so put together, so successful. Hell, you’re the poster child for sanity in this place.”

  “Sad statement on your patrons.” Angie stood in the doorway, bright sunshine filling the bar for a moment and framing her body.

  Jesse smiled; his mother knew how to make an entrance. He knew she felt conflicted, claiming her status as mom of her boys after so many years away. Deep down, Angie was still a Las Vegas-style diva. But she definitely had a heart of gold. Cliché or not. “Hey, Mom. Want one before we go?”

  Angie took a deep breath and considered the offer. He thought she took way too long.

  “Something wrong?” He put his hand on her back and felt her shaking. “Angie? You’re scaring me.”

  She dug in her purse. “I didn’t think she would do this.” She thrust an envelope onto the bar and looked up at Tina. “Get me a beer. I don’t think I can get through this story without some help.”

  Tina hurried to pull out a bottle of Angie’s favorite ale. She left the two alone and headed to the other side of the room to her only other customer. The jukebox in the corner started playing an old Patsy Cline song, popular with the older clientele.

  He looked at the envelope. “This is from the law offices Taylor uses for the gallery. Don’t tell me they’ve found out about your sordid past.”

  “Not funny. Besides, I could pass any background check anyone would run. My ex took care of those types of problems.” She put her hand on his. “Read the letter, then I’ll explain. It will give me time to calm down.”

  Jesse opened the envelope, pulled out the letter, and quickly scanned the contents. “Wait, they’re firing you? And kicking you off their insurance? How is that even possible? I thought people had a right to some extension of coverage. Some snake name.”

  “COBRA coverage. Only if you’ve worked there for a year. I’m still in the probationary period, so I don’t have rights.” Angie took a swig from her beer. “I can’t believe Taylor would do this to me.”

  “Taylor fired you? What did you do?” Jesse felt conflicted. Taylor wouldn’t fire Angie without cause, would she? Was this a reaction to their weekend? He didn’t like this one bit.

  Angie stared at him, he could see the wheels turning in her head, and finally, she’d made a decision. “I got sick and told her about it.”

  “Why would she fire you because you didn’t feel well? What, you were late for a shift? This doesn’t
make a bit of sense.” Fire burned in Jesse’s chest. This wasn’t about Angie, it was about him. The girl wouldn’t get away with this; she could ignore him, but she wasn’t going to treat his mom with this lack of respect.

  “Jesse, I don’t want James to know. Hell, I didn’t want you to know. I figured I could get this done on my own, but I need that insurance.” Angie took a cigarette pack out of her purse and lit one. The last bastions of the smokers were small dive bars like Alibi.

  Dread filled Jesse’s mind as he watched her stall. “Mom, what’s going on?”

  She took a puff of the cigarette, stared at it, and then put it out. “Need to stop at least one bad habit.” She tried to smile.

  “Mom?”

  Angie turned in her chair. “I have breast cancer. I told Taylor yesterday about my condition, and how I needed some time off for the surgery. And today, she dismisses me. I’ve never gotten a ‘Dear Jane, you’re fired’ letter before. Hell, she had to have called her lawyer as soon as I walked out of her office yesterday.”

  Jesse’s head spun. He didn’t know what to react to first: his mom’s medical condition or the fact that Taylor had sucker punched her so effectively. He’d thought he was falling in love with her. What an idiot. He should have known. The wealthy think they’re different, and Taylor grew up a spoiled princess in the art world. To her, he had never been anything more than the novelty bull rider who liked to dabble in making pictures.

  “I need your help.” Angie had tears falling down her face. “I thought I could do this on my own, but without a job or insurance, I don’t know what to do.”

  Jesse pulled his mother into his arms and let her sob. He’d never seen her this upset or out of control. His voice was tight and quiet when he finally responded. “You don’t worry. I’ll talk to Taylor tomorrow and get this all cleared up. I’m sure it’s a misunderstanding.”

  Angie sniffed and leaned away. Her mascara ran down her cheeks, and even in the darkened bar, she looked like a raccoon. “You think she’ll change her mind? Hire me back?”

  Jesse brushed a tear off his mother’s face. “I know she will. Now go into the bathroom and fix this …” He waved his hand over his own face. “Then, when you get out, we’ll go to that restaurant you’ve been wanting to try. A good meal will make you feel better.”

  She laughed. “I might as well eat now while I can. I’ve heard that once the treatments start I’ll be too tired to eat.”

  “Then let’s get you fattened up for the duration.” He kissed her cheek. “Don’t worry. We’ll get you through this, no problem.”

  Angie smiled as she slipped off her bar stool, and clicked toward the bathroom. “You still can’t tell your brother.”

  He waited for her to close the door before he took out his phone. He speed-dialed his brother’s number, and when the call was answered, he got right to the point. “I need you down here for a family meeting. Bring Lizzie, we might need her. I’ll call Barb and Hunter when I get home tonight.”

  “What’s going on?” James’s voice mirrored his own, hard and tight.

  Jesse watched the bathroom door, hoping to get off the phone before Angie returned. “Tomorrow. About ten?”

  “We’ll be there. Lizzie will call Barb.” James paused and Jesse could hear his brother’s unspoken question: What have you gotten yourself into now, little brother?

  He almost wanted to laugh. “See you then.”

  Jesse slipped his phone into his jeans pocket and waved Tina over. “What’s our tab? Time for some dinner.”

  Tina didn’t even look at the page where she’d written down the beer orders since Jesse walked in. It wasn’t like she’d been swamped with customers for the last thirty minutes. “Twelve dollars.”

  He handed her a twenty, and when she walked back with his change, he waved her off. “Yours.”

  She smiled and tucked it into the tip jar. “I can always count on you, Mr. Sullivan. Too bad most of the men who come in don’t have your tipping expertise.”

  “I just know how it is to sing for your supper, so to speak.” He frowned at the bathroom. Angie was taking too long just to fix her mascara. But then again, she did love her makeup. He smiled at Tina. “How’re classes going? You about done with your degree?”

  “One more year, then I’m kissing this place goodbye. My professor says she thinks I can get an internship at one of the accounting firms downtown.” She glanced down at her silver sparkling tank and too-tight jeans. “I’m going to have to upgrade my work wardrobe just a tad.”

  “I don’t know about that, dear. You should see the clothes the girls are wearing in the corporate world.” Angie hitched her purse up on her shoulder. “You ready to go, cowboy?”

  Jesse tipped the brim of his ball cap to Tina. “See you next time.”

  As they walked out into the bright sunshine, he could have sworn he heard a sigh come from the tough-as-nails bartender. He was really going to have to tread carefully here. He didn’t want to lose his favorite watering hole over girl trouble.

  Angie clicked open the doors on her car. “You want to ride with me, or follow?”

  He was already opening the door to his truck. “I’ve got an early appointment tomorrow. I’ll follow.”

  “Stubborn as the day is long.”

  He rolled down his window and leaned out, his arm resting on the doorframe. “Runs in the family.” He motioned to her car. “Go on, I’ll follow you.”

  He watched her pull out onto the street that would lead them to the freeway, and eventually, out to Meridian. He clicked on his phone and gave it a verbal command. “Call George.”

  George Baxter was part lawyer, part family friend, and a good old boy. Jesse had programmed George’s number into the contact list just in case he ever needed him. He thought about how the day was progressing, and today seemed like that kind of day.

  As soon as the line was connected, Jesse said, “There’s a family meeting out at the ranch tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. When can you get there?”

  George paused and Jesse could hear paper being flipped. “Nine-thirty?”

  “Good enough.”

  The man on the other end asked, “Can you give me a hint about the problem? An indiscretion? Drunk and disorderly? Hiring a hit man?”

  “Employment law and medical disabilities,” Jesse growled.

  A pause hung on the other end of the line. “That’s not what I expected.”

  “Glad I can keep you guessing.” Jesse turned the truck onto the freeway, stepping on the gas to keep up with his lead-footed mother. “See you tomorrow.”

  Chapter 13

  “Definitely not our normal dining establishment.” Mike glared at the waitress dressed in Daisy Dukes and a tied-up flannel shirt, showing both her midriff and cleavage.

  Taylor smiled at the reaction and giggled. “I thought all men liked places like this.” The new barbeque restaurant had opened with a flair last month. Taylor had heard the food was amazing, even if the waitstaff needed more fabric to their uniforms. When Mike had called an emergency dinner meeting, she’d suggested the place closest to her new gym.

  Mike huffed. “Not me. I’d rather see women dressed to leave something to the imagination. When it’s all out on display there’s no mystery.”

  “Well, you’re the one who just had to meet me for dinner tonight. My Pilates class starts at eight, so I had to be somewhere nearby if we were going to make this happen.” Taylor glanced at the beer menu, then pushed it away. No need going to exercise tipsy. After the waitress had taken their order and brought her a large water and a cup of herbal tea, Taylor leaned back and looked at her companion. He was staring straight at her, clearly trying not to let his eyes be tempted by the young, buxom women floating around their table.

  He took a sip of his whisky. “There really has to be somewhere else we can eat.”

  Taylor sighed. “What do you want, Mike? I think we both know that our relationship is purely business casual. There was never any heat between th
e two of us.”

  “That’s not true. Remember that kiss last New Year’s Eve?” He looked like a puppy that just had his favorite chew toy taken away forever.

  “Heat of the moment, not real heat.” Taylor sighed. “Look, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m not interested in anything but a friendship. And if you’re seeing us being more than that, we need to stop being friends.”

  “I don’t agree.” He held up his hand to stop Taylor’s next words. “But if that’s how you’re feeling, I won’t push. We’ll just be friends.”

  Taylor reached over and patted the top of his hand. “Thank you.”

  “Well, isn’t this cozy?” Jesse stood in front of her, staring at her hand on Mike’s. She resisted the urge to jerk it back. Instead, she removed her hand slowly and put it under the table.

  “Hi, Jesse. I didn’t expect to see you tonight.” Taylor glanced around the room looking for his date. Finally, her eyes landed on Angie, who quickly turned her head. Had she been crying? What was going on?

  “Mom asked me not to make a scene, and I won’t, for her sake.” Jesse leaned closer to her, whispering his next words into her ear. “But you and your lawyer buddy aren’t getting away with this. As soon as the ink’s dry on the contract to buy the gallery, you’re out on your pretty little butt.”

  Taylor jerked away. “Get away with what? What are you talking about?”

  Jesse hadn’t stayed for a response. He was already heading to Angie’s table, his back to Taylor and Mike.

  “What was that all about?” Mike asked.

  Taylor shook her head, damning the tears filling up behind her eyes. She wouldn’t cry—not here, not in public, and certainly not over Jesse Sullivan. “Nothing.”

  “Sounds like the bull rider is high on something. Probably steroids. I hear they’re pretty rampant throughout the circuit.”

  She shook her head. “Stop. This isn’t Jesse’s fault.” It’s mine. But she couldn’t tell Mike, a man who was most certainly in love with her, that she’d snuck out of Jesse’s bed this weekend like a prostitute already paid for the deed. “Let’s just eat.”