Page 19 of Cowboy Wolf's Secret Baby

He looked at Taryn’s mother. I know her from somewhere. It’s not just because she has red hair and has one of those faces that are familiar.

Even though they both looked familiar to him, it was in different ways.

Conner rubbed his forehead. He was getting a headache.

Maybe I should lie down in my truck and take a nap. Instead, he hung out with some of the other cowboys, laughing and joking around until it was time for the event.

Taryn shone. She and the horse moved as though they had a single thought that ran between them. Their movements were fluid. No one could even come close to beating them in the barrel races. Some people do have the ability to communicate with their animals.

She took second in the breakaway event. Then, she studied the bull-calf riders very closely, and Conner got the idea that she really wanted to compete in that event. He glanced over into the audience, searching for Beth. Conner chuckled when he found her. The look on her face told him that she knew exactly what Taryn was thinking and disapproved of the idea.

He couldn’t blame her. While there was some danger in all of the events, the bull and bronc riding could be the most hazardous.

Conner did well in all of his events. He got first in the bronc and bull riding events and second in the steer wrestling.

“You’ve got to retire and give some of us other guys a chance at the prize money,” one of the cowboys told him. “I’m not going to be able to follow the circuit anymore if I don’t start winning something.”

Grinning, Conner replied, “I’ve got a few more years left. Sorry, Guy.”

“I’ll be out of the rodeo by then,” the man grumbled. “I’ll be back on the farm harvesting soybeans and corn and stacking hay bales.”

Being in the rodeo was expensive. More so if you had a horse and had to tote him all over the country. Most cowboys barely broke even between the traveling and the entrance fees.

Conner couldn’t resist. Beth was sitting in the stands waiting on Taryn. He had to talk to her. There was some kind of magnetic pull between the two of them.

“Hello, Beth.”

She flashed him a nervous smile. “Hi, Conner. You did great tonight.”

“Thanks. Taryn did extremely well. She’s a natural.”

“She makes enough to take care of her horse and put a little away for college.”

“Does she know what she wants to study?”

“She’s going to be a veterinarian. Taryn has a gift with animals.”

“I can tell that by the way she and her horse work together.”

Just then, Taryn rushed up to Beth with a little blond girl in tow.

“Jenna asked if I could stay the night with her tonight. She’ll bring me back to the house after breakfast tomorrow.”

“What do Jenna’s parents say?” Beth asked.

A tall, blond woman walked up behind the girls. “We’re fine with it if you are.”

“Mom, please?”

“Sure,” Beth said. “I guess you still have some clothes there?”

“Yep,” Taryn said. “Love you, Mom.”

She kissed her mom on the cheek and skipped off with her friend. Jenna’s mother smiled and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Conner noticed that she didn’t have a ring on her finger and there was no sign that she’d had one on lately. “Since you’re free tonight, maybe you would like to have dinner?” Conner asked. He was surprised by his own question.

She hesitated for a minute as though she was debating. Finally, just when Conner was about to give up on his question and tell her to have a good night, she said, “I’d like that.”

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