The Cowboy Lawman (10 page)

Chapter Ten

M
ia stood next to Travis as he unloaded the gelding she had asked to borrow for the Friday-night rodeo. The horse, a pretty roan, backed out of the trailer without a halter, not seeming to care what was going on around them. She liked that about him.

“You’re sure about this?” Travis handed over the lead rope.

“Why wouldn’t I be? Come on, you’re the one who offered the horse.”

“Right, and I’m the guy in trouble if you get hurt.”

“I take full responsibility.”

She led the horse around the trailer and tied him. His dark gray tail swished. Travis pulled the saddle, pad and bridle out of the trailer.

“There you go.” Travis stood behind her, hands behind his back, hat pulled low. “Elizabeth is heading this way to try to talk you out of this.”

“I can handle her.”

“Right.” He grinned that cute grin of his that had gotten him in a lot of trouble over the years, until Elizabeth came along. “Let me saddle him for you.”

“I can do it. You go do what you need to do.”

“I’m going to saddle my horse after I buy my pretty wife a burger.”

Elizabeth walked up, with a baby bump and a soft glow on her face. “You’re really going to do this?”

“I have one good arm and a great horse.”

Elizabeth looked the horse over. She had learned to ride, but admitted that it wasn’t her favorite hobby. She still made trips to St. Louis to help with the family business, although those trips had stopped with the baby on the way.

“Just be careful.”

Mia smiled at her sister-in-law. “I’ll be careful.”

Travis put an arm around his wife’s waist. “Buy you dinner, Mrs. Cooper?”

“Yum, rodeo fare, my favorite.” She wrinkled her nose and laughed.

But she hooked her arm around Travis’s and off they went, an unlikely couple. Mia watched them for a minute, smiling and then feeling strangely sad. Maybe because lately everyone she knew had turned into a couple. Except Heather. At least Heather was still single. And possibly moving closer to home so they could see each other more often. Not that Grove was that far from Dawson, just fifteen minutes.

Mia had never seen herself as half of a couple. She’d been pretty content with her career. She’d been married to it, she guessed. And now? Divorced from it. The thought ached deep down because she was starting to face the loss.

She picked up the saddle pad and eased it into place on the back of the roan gelding. The saddle would be more difficult—she knew that. Her left arm had gotten stronger because she had relied on it for the past couple of months, but her brain refused to believe she was now left-handed.

She lifted the saddle and eased her weak right arm under the leather skirt. Pain shot through her arm into her shoulder. She took a deep breath and lifted, putting the pressure on her left arm. But she couldn’t get it high enough. The horse moved away from her, pulling the lead rope loose. She set the saddle down and tightened the rope.

“What are you doing?”

She didn’t turn around. She had known Slade would be here, but she didn’t want to look at him, not now when she felt weak. Weak in so many ways she hadn’t expected.

“I’m going to ride tonight.”

“Barrels? Mia, is that...”

She spun to face him and all her anger evaporated when she looked into his eyes. She’d known him so long, and this was the way she remembered him. A cowboy in Wranglers, a white hat, a snap-button Western shirt.

“Don’t try to talk me out of this.” She grabbed the saddle horn with her left hand. “The one thing I know better than anything else is riding.”

“I get that.” He reached for the saddle. “At least let me help you.”

“You’re not going to try to talk me out of it?”

He grinned and winked. She got a little weaker.

“Would it do any good?”

“No, not really.” She let him take the saddle. “Where’s Caleb?”

“With my mom. She’s getting back on her feet.” He settled the saddle on the horse’s back and reached under him for the girth strap. “She thinks she’s going to be up to keeping him after school next week.”

“Oh.” She bit down on her lip and watched as he slipped the strap through the ring and pulled it tight. “I’m glad she’s feeling better.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve enjoyed your stint as a babysitter.”

“I have.” She had to let it go. “But he needs stability and I’m the worst person for that.”

“You’ve been great for him.” He eased the stirrups into place and adjusted them. “I’ll check these for you after you’re on him.”

Once upon a time she would have flung herself into the saddle, leaned to adjust the stirrups and that would have been the end of it. But Slade made it easy to accept help.

“Is Caleb riding his pony?”

“Not enough kids signed up so they had to scratch pole bending.”

“What about the cupcakes? Will he still need them?” She handed Slade the bridle.

“He’s counting on you for that party even if he is staying with Mom.”

Joy bubbled up and she smiled. “Oh, good. I’m kind of counting on the party, too.”

Slade slipped the bridle into place and unhooked the lead.

“Here you go.” He stepped back.

She took the reins and grabbed the saddle horn. And then she was in the saddle, settling into the seat, getting her feet adjusted in stirrups that were already close to perfect. She held the reins in her left hand and held the tail of the reins in her right hand, resting her arm on her thigh.

“It’s going to be different, Mia. You should take him out in the field and practice a few turns with him.”

She nodded and eased the horse around. “Slade, thank you.”

He tipped his hat. “Anytime, friend.”

Friend.
Of course that’s what they were. She couldn’t let herself believe they were more. She had it figured out now. She had allowed herself to get caught up in all the romance going on around her. Everyone pairing up had made her feel lonely. She could shake that off the way she’d shaken off old sports injuries back in school. It didn’t have to hurt.

Pain was an emotion. She could control her emotions.

As she rode away, she looked back at Slade. He had walked to the front of the truck to watch her. She could control her emotions. She repeated it to herself, in case she forgot.

The horse moved under her, helping her to get her mind on something other than Slade. The animal had an easy, fluid gait. She urged him into a canter and when she let the reins touch his neck, she found that he reined like a cutting horse. Travis had a good eye for horses. She had to give him that.

After a few minutes, she turned him back toward the arena. They had an audience. Next to Slade stood Jackson, Travis and her dad. Her stomach clenched a little. She held her chin up to pretend that facing her dad and brothers didn’t bother her.

“What in the...” Jackson started, but their dad cut him off with a look.

“You riding tonight?” Tim Cooper asked with an easy smile.

“Thinking I might.” She held the reins loose in her hand and the roan shifted, settling into a calm stance while she talked.

“Nice horse. Is he Travis’s?” Tim walked up to the roan and looked him over.

Now she remembered why she never dated. Because of the inquisition. This is how it felt to bring home a boy, or a man, to Cooper Creek. The men of the family lined up, looks of speculation, doubt, on their faces. They sized men up and then grilled them like they were criminals about to go on trial.

“Yes, he’s Travis’s.” She looked at Travis and he shrugged. She mouthed that she was sorry.

“Nice. Travis, is this the horse you brought home from Texas?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You got a good deal on him.”

Travis shifted, looked at Jackson, looked at Mia and then at their father. He had to be thinking what Mia was thinking, that this was a trick question. “Yes, sir.”

“Think he’s safe for your sister?”

“Yes, sir. I wouldn’t have put her on him if I didn’t think she could handle him.”

Mia leaned in the saddle. “Listen, I’m a grown woman who has been riding, thanks to you all, since I was eight years old. I think I can make up my own mind about a horse.”

Her dad grinned at her. “So do I, chickpea, just making sure. You might be all grown up, but I’m still the dad and I still want you to leave here in one piece tonight.”

“I know.” She kissed the top of his hat. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Don’t beat them too badly.”

“I won’t.”

They all walked away, all but Slade. “Be safe tonight.”

“You be safe, too.” She smiled what she hoped was a friendly smile.

The announcer spoke. They would play the “Star-Spangled Banner” and then pray. No one ever complained about a prayer at the Dawson Rodeo Arena. People would probably be upset if there wasn’t a prayer.

Mia removed her hat and put her hand over her heart as the anthem was sung by a high school girl she knew from church. And then the prayer. She bowed her head and the horse shifted beneath her, settling the weight from one back leg to the other.

Keep us safe. Amen.
She looked up at the dark sky. Around her were sights and sounds that were familiar. The wood bleachers, the bright lights, the pens behind the arena where livestock were waiting for events. People spoke in loud voices, some laughed, and music played from several different spots.

She and Butch had always prayed. Briefly she closed her eyes and shook away the moment of pain. A hand touched hers.

“You okay?”

She smiled down at Slade. “I’m good.”

He moved his hat back as he stared up at her. “I’m going to get my horse. I’m team-roping with Jackson.”

“Go. I’m fine. I really don’t need a keeper.”

“I know you don’t.” He looked around and then back up at her and she got it. “Mia, I’m more worried about who is out there.”

“Got it. I’m safe.” She tightened her fingers around his just briefly. “You be safe, too.”

“I always am.”

He walked away. She sat easy on the horse and watched him go.

* * *

Slade watched from astride his big gray gelding as Mia rode her horse to the gate. The horse and rider in the arena rounded the first barrel, the second and then hit the third, knocking it over. The horse shimmied to the left and the rider held tight but lost time as she urged the horse forward and down the homestretch back to the gate at the end of the arena.

Mia held the reins of her horse in her left hand and he worried about that. It would throw off everything. Nothing would be the way it had always been when she’d ridden before. The other riders were watching because they all knew who Mia was and what she’d accomplished in this sport. They were nervous for themselves. He was nervous for her.

She needed this sport.

Mia urged the horse forward. Travis said the horse had been used by a college girl who’d barrel-raced for a year before she got bored with it. Mia backed her horse up. The animal knew the game. He started to prance, almost running in place. The gate flew open and the horse flew toward the first barrel. Mia leaned, holding him steady, easy around the barrel. Across to the second barrel. And then to the third. She brought him around the barrel and for a second she looked off balance. The horse stumbled. Mia held him steady and he pushed on, running fast to the gate with Mia leaning low over his neck, her hair flying out behind her. Her hat flew off as she crossed the finish line.

Slade grinned as he watched her bring the horse under control and turn back to get her hat from the kid who had run out to retrieve it. She thanked the boy, wiped dirt off the hat and settled it back on her head.

When she turned toward him he saluted and she smiled that big Mia smile that lit up her face. He knew, even from a distance, that the sparkle would be back in her eyes. He hoped it would be back for good.

He turned his horse and rode away from the arena. Jackson rode up to him. “Did you see that sister of mine?”

“I did.”

Jackson cocked his head to one side and his smile disappeared. “What’s going on with the two of you?”

“Nothing, why?”

“Nothing, why?” Jackson mocked. “Because something is eating you, friend.”

“Nothing is eating me, Jackson.” Slade backed his horse away from Jackson.

“Sure, okay, let’s go with that. She’s a good person. The two of you have known each other for years.”

Slade pulled off his hat. It was a warm night for September. The breeze felt good. “Jackson, I’m pretty aware of how long I’ve known your sister. I am even more aware that she’s a good person.”

“Have you noticed lately how stinking pretty she looks on a horse?”

Slade glanced her way.

Jackson laughed and slapped his chaps-covered leg. “Yep, I guess you have. Well, I’d welcome you to the family, but I reserve that right for our grandmother. She’s the matchmaker.”

“I’m not a member of the family, Jackson. I do not foresee myself changing my name to Cooper.”

“Slade Cooper. It does have a ring to it. If I was a guessing man, I’d say a ruby ring with diamonds.”

“The woman I marry will take
my
name and I’ll buy my
own
ring.”

“You do know my grandmother, right?” Jackson laughed again and to Slade he was starting to sound like a braying donkey.

“Yes, I do know your grandmother.” He also knew she had a mighty powerful prayer life. Slade adjusted the coiled rope on his saddle horn. “Think we’d better head that way?”

“I think we probably should. Hey, Slade, I know this is hard for you. I just want you to know...”

Slade held up his hand to stop his friend. “Jackson, I’m not ready.”

“I know.” Jackson eased the reins back to hold his own horse steady. “Is that horse ready for this?”

“I hope so. He’s a little spooked, but I’ve been roping off him for a month.”

Their team was called. Slade eased his horse forward. He glanced at Jackson, who nodded and then leaned forward. They’d done this a hundred times, maybe more. Slade felt his horse move, prepare.

And then the calf was in the arena and their horses leapt forward. Slade held his rope easy in his hand. He glanced toward Jackson but something caught his eye, something to his right. His horse saw it, too. Before he could prepare, Slade’s horse went straight up and then jolted to the right. He held tight for about ten seconds, and then he was on the ground looking up at the sky.