Page 32 of A Cowboy in the Streets

The flush on her cheeks deepened. Damn, I liked it more than I should, knowing it was my words that had caused it. She was my employee. I had no business making her blush.

“But it is your choice. I—” She broke off with a shake of her head. “Sorry. I’m overstepping. It’s none of my business.”

“Let’s hear it.” I waved a hand at her to continue. James had been here all of one week. She thought she had the answers? I was more than willing to hear her out…and then tell her how wrong she was.

She peered at me sheepishly from beneath her dark fringe of eyelashes. “You don’t think I’m a nosy asshole?”“Oh, that’s definitely what I think,” I assured her.

She laughed and swatted my arm. Like we were friends or something. I liked it.

“I was thinking, your dad…” She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “I know he hasn’t done much of the day-to-day barn chores and responsibilities since your mom passed—”“He hasn’t done any,” I interjected. Not to throw him under the bus, but because it was true. “Except for hiring you. And that was only because I was terrible at convincing anyone I was a person they wanted to work for.”

She snickered. “Really? How is that possible when you’re so smiley and cheerful all the time?”

I gave her a bland look even though it was hard not to smile at her teasing. She smirked in response.

“But as for your dad,” she continued, “maybe he’s ready for that to change. I saw him hanging around the barn the other day, looking for something to do. Have you talked to him about getting back to work?”

“No, I—” It hadn’t occurred to me that Dad might be ready to come back. He’d sobered up months ago, and since then he’d spent his time taking care of Ben and running the house. “I don’t want to pressure him. When he’s ready, he’ll tell me.”

“Sure,” she said doubtfully. I raised my eyebrows in question, and she shrugged. “Maybe he’s embarrassed. Maybe he doesn’t want to step on your toes. Maybe he’s worried you don’t trust him anymore. There’s lots of reasons men don’t talk.”

I frowned at my boots and rubbed my chest. Dad had been at the barn more than usual this past month. I hadn’t thought much about it, but maybe I should have. Shit.

I thought about it now. I thought about it after I left James to what remained of her Sunday, and I kept right on thinking about it as I joined Ben and Dad for dinner.

“I was thinking I might take Ben fishing tomorrow morning,” I said casually as we tucked into spaghetti. “Think you could take the morning chores?”

There was a quiet pause, during which I cursed James and her interference. Why was I taking advice from someone who had only been here two weeks, anyway? Dad wasn’t—

“I could do that.”

At his soft words, I looked up from my plate. He grinned.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Chapter 13

James

“You really gonna do this?” Ben asked. Ever my constant companion, he had climbed up on the rail to watch me work. “You’re gonna get on Belle?”

“Oh, I’m definitely going to get on. The question is how I get off.” I laughed, but quickly stopped when I saw the look of genuine fear on Ben’s face. “Hey, don’t worry, bud. Falling off is part of my job as a trainer. You’ve seen people get thrown before, right? I’m going to be okay.”

He nodded. I clipped a lead rope to Belle’s halter and led her to the mounting block. With a steady breath, I swung my right leg over Belle’s bare back and settled my weight behind her withers. Belle lifted her head. I breathed. Once. Twice. Then I dismounted and clucked my tongue as I tugged gently on the lead rope, walking her in another circle.

“You did it, James,” Ben breathed. “You rode Belle.”

The moment had left me almost giddy, but I knew we weren’t there yet. “That wasn’t riding. That was sitting on her back. It was a good start, though.”

“I’m texting my dad. He needs to see this.”

I nodded even though I had the feeling Adam wasn’t going to be half as impressed as his son. This was progress—huge progress—but we still had a long way to go.

On our second loop around the ring, we once again stopped at the mounting block. I stayed on a beat or two longer before sliding off again and making a third loop around the ring.

Adam appeared for our third try, his arms crossed over his chest, brow furrowed as he watched us silently. A week ago, I would have taken that as disapproval, but now I understood him a little better. Resting Grump Face. He wasn’t mean, he was thoughtful. Careful.

Unfortunately, he was also hot. I had to work extra hard not to fidget on Belle’s back as he stared at us beneath his dark brows.

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