Page 53 of Someone to Tempt
Instead, my gaze has been locked on the barrel racers, my mind consumed with thoughts of Iris. It’s not fair to my date for the evening, and I owe her at least that courtesy, even if I’m here so she stops sabotaging Iris.
“Enough not to embarrass myself,” I say. “My grandfather made sure both my brother and I could handle ourselves in the saddle.” The crowd erupts in cheers as the last competitor crosses the finish line. “But this is a level I can’t even comprehend.”
“Yeah,” Jodi agrees, pointing to the final rider exiting the arena on her horse. “Maddie James was the favorite tonight, but her turns weren’t tight enough to clinch the victory.”
“Did you compete?”
Jodi seems comfortable at the event, and the cowboy boots she’s paired with a short gingham dress are embellished with rhinestones, but look authentic. Still, she doesn’t strike me as the horse-crazy type.
She barks out a laugh. “Only enough to win the rodeo pageants. Horsemanship was part of the deal, but I was always more interested in the dresses and makeup. And being an ambassador for the events.” She winks. “I thrived on the attention.”
That part doesn’t surprise me. Most of our conversation tonight has revolved around Jodi, which is fine with me. She’s nice enough and pretty enough, but she isn’t Iris. And let’s face it, I’ve been secretly hung up on Skylark’s interim mayor for far too long to have my head turned by a minidress and bright pink lip gloss.
The announcer’s voice booms across the speakers, wrapping up this event and introducing the slate of bull riders, the final competition of the evening.
I discreetly scan the crowd again.
“You’re going to get a crick in your neck working hard so I don’t notice you searching for Iris.” Jodi elbows me gently. “You’re a terrible date, Jake Byrne. Spending our evening together pining after my boss.”
“I’m so sorry,” I stammer, heat rising to my cheeks. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m going to be in big trouble for this. I turn to face my date. “I’ve been rude, Jodi. You deserve something better.”
She wrinkles her nose. “I think you meansomeonebetter.”
“A hundred percent,” I agree. “But I can make it up to you. I think you’re great, it’s just?—”
“I think you’re boring as hell,” she interrupts, then pats me on the cheek the way my grandmother used to do when I gape at her.
Okay, maybe the conversation hasn’t flowed the way it does with Iris, but I’m not boring. Iris didn’t seem to think so anyway.
“She’s going to kill me for screwing this up.” I take Jodi’s hand and squeeze. “I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She grins. “You paid for dinner and the rodeo and concert tickets. Plus, you’re easy on the eyes.”
“Are you going to tell Iris I screwed this up?”
“You like her.”
I blow out a breath. “Since I was seventeen.”
Her smile widens, then turns into a grimace. “No offense, but why? She’s about as cuddly as a porcupine.”
“A cruel irony,” I answer. “For the record, porcupines are actually known to be sweet and affectionate. You just have to know how to pet them.”
“I’ll take your word on that.” She holds up a hand. “But I’m done torturing her, and I’m not going to throw you under the bus either. Turns out Iris is actually a decent human, and I get that she has the town’s best interest at heart. I wanted to hate her because of her mother, but I just can’t.”
“Also for the record…” I lift Jodi’s hand to my mouth and brush a kiss across her knuckles. “I have a feeling you could have any guy you set your mind to.”
She laughs. “Except you.”
“You don’t want me.”
“True,” she agrees, pushing out an audible breath.
“That sigh means something,” I tell her and she tugs her hand from my grasp. “What’s his name?”
“It doesn’t matter.” She turns to face the arena, wincing when the first bull rider is thrown. “He’s definitely not interested, and it isn’t because of Iris.”
I hope to hell not.
