Rodeo Blues

Karen Michelle Nutt

Rodeo Blues

Presented by
Publishing by Rebecca J.
Vickery

Copyright © 2015 by Karen Michelle Nutt

Cover Design Copyright © Karen Michelle
Nutt

Edited by Cathy Nickol

Design Consultant Laura Shinn

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Rodeo Blues
is a work of fiction.
Though actual locations may be mentioned, they are used in a
fictitious manner and the events and occurrences were invented in
the mind and imagination of the author except for the inclusion of
actual historical facts. Similarities of characters or names used
within to any person – past, present, or future – are coincidental
except where actual historical characters are purposely
interwoven

Dedication

To the Colemans

To view more of Karen Michelle Nutt work or
stories, visit: www.kmnbooks.com

Eight Seconds to Lose the Girl…

One chance to win her back.

Tye Casper, a.k.a. the Ghost Rider and
champion bull rider, should be the happiest cowboy alive, but when
he left home ten years ago to make it big, he said goodbye to the
only woman he has ever loved. He's had his eight seconds of glory,
but without Jolie Lockhart by his side, the wins mean nothing.

He's been given an opportunity to return home
to Skeeter Blue for one last rodeo. He believes fate has sent him
there and he'll have a second chance with Jolie, but nothing goes
as planned. He soon realizes staying seated on a bull for eight
seconds may prove much simpler than winning Jolie's heart.

Chapter One

Tye Casper pulled his Ford pickup to the side
of the road and glanced at the billboard welcoming him to the town
of Skeeter Blue, Texas, and right next to the sign another one
glittered with red, white, and blue lights announcing the town's
annual event, the Cowboy Christmas in July Rodeo.

Rodeos were a big deal in Texas, and why
wouldn't they be when they could trace their roots back to the
Spanish missionaries, who'd taught the ranch hands the horsemanship
they'd learned in Spain. The informal competition eventually turned
into a multimillion-dollar sport, and you weren't a Texan if your
city or town didn't hold at least one rodeo event a year. Skeeter
Blue was no different. Their event lasted four days, featuring
everything from topnotch rodeo events to pie eating contests, but
he'd avoided this annual rodeo event for a good reason. But being
stupid had finally caught up with him, and here he sat in his truck
– about to either make the biggest mistake of his life or the very
best one. Only time would tell.

He pursed his lips and flicked his Stetson
with his forefinger so it rested on the back of his head. A flood
of emotions swept over him as he anticipated his reunion with the
people he'd left behind in Skeeter Blue. Well, one woman in
particular came to mind, Jolie Lockhart.

His fingers gripped the steering wheel as his
thoughts of their possible reunion played out in his mind over and
over again with alternate endings. None of them ended well. "She's
more liable to scratch your eyes out than welcome you home," he
murmured under his breath. He wouldn't blame her either. He'd
kissed Jolie goodbye with a promise he'd return after one circuit
run with the rodeo.
"I'll be home for
Christmas,
" he'd told her. It only took him a decade to make
good on the promise.

He knew she'd never married, and wasn't
seeing anyone seriously at the moment. His cousin had told him, but
it didn't mean a thing if she still held a grudge. He gritted his
teeth together and shook his head. "Thunder without lightning would
make more sense than Jolie giving you a second chance," he
murmured. "Besides, she's probably forgotten all about you, Tye
Casper." It might be true, but he hadn't forgotten her.
Ah
yeah,
he sighed. A petite little spitfire with a curvy figure,
mahogany colored hair, and eyes the color of a stormy sky.

He'd gone to school with her from
kindergarten through high school. He watched her blossom into a
beautiful woman, but he fell in love with her when she'd been a
gangly twelve-year old with braces. He'd sneak over to her house
and climb her oak tree just to see her. She'd lean out her window
and they'd talk until her daddy got wind of them and shooed him on
home.

Jolie taught him to ride horses, gave him his
first real kiss, and she'd been the first woman he ever made love
to—or rather she'd taken the initiative after the Fourth of July
picnic. They'd been hot and sweaty and they went skinny dipping in
Skeeter's Pond long after most folks had gone home to bed. She'd
given him one of her come hither looks and he knew he was a goner.
One long kiss turned into something more…so much more. He thought
he'd died and gone to heaven. He wanted to marry her, make a life
with her in the town they'd grown up in, but deep down he'd always
known she deserved better. What did he have to offer a girl who
could have any boy in Skeeter Blue—if she put her mind to it?

He'd lived in a trailer with his dad, who was
only sober a few days out of the month and a sodden fool for the
rest. Didn't matter they owned acres of land when nothing was ever
done with it.

At the time, there'd been no real thoughts of
college. His grades sucked and money had been scarce. One thing
he'd been good at: riding horses and taking chances. He'd been
district champion the last two years of high school and then he
decided he'd go pro. The rodeo seemed the best way to make his
money, but eventually his adventurous side had taken to bull
riding. He liked the challenge, the money, and the women it drew.
Made a name for himself too—the Ghost Rider, a play on his name and
his escape from eternal death over and over again. The fans joked
he had the power to
ghost out
when facing
danger. At times he wished he had. Some bulls were just plain
nasty. He had more than a few
headhunters
that tried to spear him and anyone else who had two legs.
Headhunters were the worst to ride, but he'd also made his best
scores with them. Had his share of rodeo belt buckles to prove it
too. Eight seconds of glory, but it seemed empty when he didn't
have someone important to share the thrill.

He kept thinking he'd come back for Jolie
when his bank account proved his worth, but no matter how many
zeros added up behind that significant number, he never believed it
was enough.

Funny how fate worked, roping him in and
sending him back to where it all began.

"I'm home now, darlin'." Only he hoped Jolie
wouldn't kill him before he had the chance to win her back.

Chapter Two

Jolie Lockhart unlocked the door to her
store,
Trinkets Galore
. She flipped on the
overhead lights, the buzz from the fixtures a welcome song to start
her morning. Her place sold souvenirs, T-shirts, and books. Some of
Skeeter Blue's patrons offered their crafts on consignment. Vin
Gordon brought in his wood carved horses, Mary Lou Smithers sold
her beaded necklaces, and Pat Green her stuffed bears and wood
crosses.

Her employee and good friend, Whisper
Llewellyn offered her relationship services. For a low fee of
$29.95, she charted out a person's relationship, using numerology
and astrology. For $20 a pop, she'd read their palm. Jolie didn't
pretend to understand what Whisper did, but the tourist bought into
it—literally. Good for business and it proved lucrative for
Whisper, allowing the woman to pick up some extra bucks for the
animal shelter she ran at her place. The woman housed strays—cats,
dogs, you name it. She took care of them until she found them a
good home.

Jolie strode behind the counter and flipped
the switch on her fancy espresso machine she'd purchased last
spring. Hot or cold coffee drinks brought in hefty revenue. Go
figure.

The bell on the door chimed as Whisper came
barreling in with her hands full of books, and with a paper bag
balancing on top. Her oversized purse, draped over one shoulder,
bounced against her leg as she made her way to the counter. Unlike
her name, she shouted her arrival. "Good day, Jolie. It's a fine
one if I do say so myself."

Jolie's lips curved.

Whisper wore her two toned hair of blond over
chocolate-brown in braids. Her green eyes sparkled and she held up
a white paper bag. "I strolled by
Cecilia's Scrumptious
Sweets,
and the fresh homemade blueberry scones just called my
name. So I picked up one for you too."