Page 33 of Rough Stock
“Maybe you should skip it. You’ve already ridden a bull tonight,” Jensen said with a laugh. She slapped his arm playfully and then snuggled into his side. “I love you, beautiful.”
“Awww, my bull,” she said with a snicker. “Goodnight.”
When Jensen woke the next morning, Shyanna was already gone. He pulled on a pair of pajama pants and a tee and half walked, half stumbled down to the kitchen.
The eternally full pot of coffee was already refilled and hot. He knew it had been refilled because his dad and Leo had drained it before they left. They always did. He’d gotten a mug from the cabinet and poured a cup when he heard a sound behind him. “Mama?”
“Yes, Jensen. It’s me.” She walked past him, picked up the loaf of bread lying on the counter, and pulled four pieces out, then shoved them into the big four-slice toaster on the countertop next to the stove.
Holding his mug in both hands, he turned and leaned back against the cabinets. “I hear you want to talk to me.”
“No,” she said, taking the top off the butter dish. “I wanted your daddy to talk to you. I guess he did.” All the while, she never looked at him, just kept waiting for the toast.
“Yes. He did. And I didn’t like what he had to say. You went snooping around to find out about Shy? Why didn’t you just ask me?”
Dora snorted. “Because I figured you wouldn’t tell me the truth.”
“So now I’m a chronic, habitual, perpetual liar. I see. When did you?”
“I never said that, son,” Dora interrupted.
“No. You didn’t. Or did you? You just said I wouldn’t tell you the truth. So here’s the truth. I love Shy. I’m pretty sure she feels the same way about me. We live in the same world, have the same likes and dislikes, and want the same things. I don’t think I could possibly find another woman who suited me so well.”
“A jailbird?”
He rolled his eyes and sighed. “I know Pop told you what I said. How would you feel if he beat the shit out of you?”
“JensenDirk Strader! We don’t talk like?”
“Answer the question, Mama,” he insisted.
“Your daddy would never do that to me!” she barked at him.
“Then lucky you. Not everybody has it that lucky. She didn’t sign on with the guy so he’d beat the shit out of her. It happened. He was that kind of person. She didn’t know that or she wouldn’t have gotten involved with him, I’m sure. But when she finally took up for herself, a male-dominated judicial system sentherto jail. I don’t know what happened to him, and I don’t care. All I know is he isn’t around anymore. But I told Pop, and I’ll tell you,” he said, gathering his courage. “If you make me choose between y’all and Shy, you’renotgoing to like the outcome, I promise. So you need to decide if you’re going to be nice to her,treat her right, and give her a chance, or if you’re going to be total assholes and?”
“Jensen!” she shrieked.
“God damn it, Mama, stop it!” Her face turned bloodred and Jensen was pretty sure he’d gone a step too far by taking the Lord’s name in vain. “Look, I’m sorry for the language, but I’m frustrated. I thought I’d bring her here and you guys would love her. Instead… this is…”
He thought for a minute, then let it rip. “You know, she told me people always wind up hating her. Even though she does nothing wrong, they justdo.When she told me that, I thought it was the silliest thing I’d ever heard, especially when it came to y’all. But look at that?she was right all along. Thanks, Mama. I truly appreciate it.” Jensen had taken all he could take, and he turned and hustled back toward the stairs.
“Jensen! Stop! Jensen, we need to…” He couldn’t hear her as he climbed the steps, her voice fading into the distance and masked by the thundering sound of blood whooshing in his ears. Man, he was pissed!
He spent the next two hours upstairs, shaving, showering, and dressing. Then he decided he’d go to the convenience store and get something to eat. He could hear his mother moving around in the kitchen, but he didn’t care what she was doing?Jensen didn’t want to eat with her. He didn’t want to look at her. He was far too angry.
By the time he got one of the ranch’s trucks and headed out, it was almost eleven. He’d make it to the university farm by noon, and that would be about right. He’d take Shy somewhere to get something to eat and then they’d come back. And eventually, everything would be okay.
It had to be. He’d accept nothing less.
Shyanna gotup a little earlier than usual. When she went downstairs, there was no one there, so she headed on out to Jensen’s truck and took off for the farm. Her plan was to take care of all three horses before everyone got there and started working. Sure, the students would take care of their basic needs, but she wanted to spend a little extra time with them. Rhubarb expected it, and Cobra and Snowman would appreciate it, she was sure.
It was exactly as she’d expected?not a soul around except the night watchman, and he’d already seen her enough times to know who she was. She greeted him with a, “Hey, Tim,” as she passed, and he nodded to her.
Rhubarb snuffed and snorted at her until she’d been fed, and Shyanna spent the time standing in the stall brushing her down as she ate. When she’d eaten the last of her feed, Shyanna led her to the paddock and turned her out. Cobra was next, and the old fart was grumpy that morning. “You’re sure in a bad mood,” she told him as he nipped at her leg, and she swatted his muzzle. When she did, he nodded a couple of times and settled down. She did the same with him, letting him eat as she brushed him down, then taking him out to the paddock.
Snowman was a different case. She poured his feed into his bucket from outside his stall and let him eat while she talked to him. When he was finished, she led him outside, tied his lead to a cleat on the wall, and groomed him there. He was too skittish to try to groom in the stall. It would be a great way to get smashed against a wall. But he seemed happy enough to see her, and even happier when she turned him out with the other two.
With all the grooming finished, she was putting away the grooming tools when she heard someone call out, “Wow, you’re at it bright and early this morning!”
