Page 12 of High Density

“What had you hoped for?” I manage to force out.

It earns me a small, upward tilt of those lush lips.

“A chance for a quiet talk without a bunch of nosy witnesses at all times.”

Then he leans forward over the table, and I’m frozen in place, afraid to even blink.

“I like you, Janey. I’d like a chance to get to know you better.”

JD

I takea swig of my water and sit back, giving my words a few beats to sink in with her.

My mouth is dry from talking more than is normal for me.

I’ve laid out my cards, and all I can do now is wait to see how she takes it.

“Okay, well…uh…” she stammers, before settling on, “what do you want to know? I’m not that interesting.”

I beg to differ. Even though this is the part I suck at—small talk, the bane of my existence—I meant what I said, I want to learn all about her.

“Do you ride?” is the first thing out of my mouth.

She seems a little surprised at the question, but then smiles. Her smile is generous and I notice how her face changes: fine lines spread from the corners of her eyes, and a small dimple appears on her left cheek. I’ve only seen her smile a handful of times and always at a distance. Having that smile aimed at me feels like a gift.

“Love it. I used to try to get out as much as I could when I was still in Eureka, but I haven’t had the time since I came here.” She tilts her head slightly as she narrows her eyes on me. “Why that question?”

I have to think about that for a moment before answering.

“Looking for common ground, I guess. I like riding. Feeling connected with my horse and the land. It’s peaceful, nourishing. Healing, even.”

She nods at my words. “I know. I’d hoped moving here would help the world slow down a little, allowing for more downtime so I could enjoy more of all the things I love to do.” She shrugs. “But these days I’m all work and no play, I’m afraid.”

“I’d like to change that,” I offer.

She scoffs at that.

“You’re gonna have to talk to Phil Jericho first. He called just before you picked me up, it looks like any spare time I might’ve had in the coming weeks is going to be taken up.”

“Libby Roundup?”

“You’ve got it in one.”

Phil Jericho is a former champion bull rider. A Libby native who hit it big on the rodeo circuit before returning home and getting involved in local politics. He’s on the city council forhis second term and is getting primed to run for mayor in next year’s elections.

He’s also the organizer for the Libby Roundup, an annual, open entry, amateur rodeo he’s been putting on for the past couple of years. The Roundup is supposed to promote the development of local talent and also act as a warm-up for the much larger, pro-circuit Kootenai River Stampede, which lands in town at the end of July.

The Libby Roundup—which takes place earlier in the month on the Fourth of July weekend, and is combined with a festival on the rodeo grounds at J. Neils Memorial Park—has gained in popularity these last few years. People apparently find it highly entertaining to watch neighbors and friends getting thrown and bucked off when they try their hand at the broncs or the bulls. The surrounding festival is a draw as well, with livestock auctions, an artisan market, a beer tent, a fair, and nightly fireworks.

Something to do for the whole family, and Jericho has smartly engrained himself into the fabric of Libby. He’s well-liked and almost ensured a victory at the next election. Personally, I don’t like him. The man loves himself too much.

“What does he want from you?”

Janey sighs heavily.

“He wants me to cover the rodeo. Mackey Livestock, who supply the bulls and broncs, normally brings their own vet. But, apparently, there was a complaint about animal cruelty at an event they supplied last weekend that has Mackey under close scrutiny.”

“And Jericho doesn’t have time to change suppliers, so he wants you to take responsibility for the animals’ well-being,” I guess.

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