Jess followed the same pattern at every competition—she made her family and friends keep their distance until after she raced.
“That’s right. Pre-race hugs are bad luck.”
“We saved you a seat with Nanna and Bucky,” said Nick. “But I want to talk to Cord before I go back up. Have you seen him around here?”
Just the mention of Cord’s name tied her gut into knots. It seemed there was no way Cord wouldn’t reinjure his right shoulder, holding onto the bull rope. And when that happened, he’d be less able to scramble away from the bull’s deadly hooves and horns. Her attempt to talk him out of competing had only made him more determined to do it. She dredged up some anger to cover her real emotion—fear.
“He’s probably with all the other bull riders, beating on his chest and making Tarzan calls.”
Zander doubled over with laughter. Nick, however, didn’t appear to find any humor in her statement.
“Since when do you have something against bull riders?”
“Y’all are too macho for your own good,” she retorted. “Otherwise guys like Cord wouldn’t be riding with a separated shoulder.”
Nick’s brows drew together until they almost touched. “Cord told me the doctor cleared him to compete.”
His glower grew darker, gathering energy like a storm. She dreaded facing Cord after she sicced her brother on him. But she’d rather Cord be alive, even if he never spoke to her again.
Then Nick’s gaze focused on something behind her, surprise widening his eyes. “Parker. What are you doing here?”
With her stomach in her throat, Jess whipped around, her eyes taking in the man who’d dropped her seven months before. Parker Brown stood before her, sporting a western shirt and what must be a brand new cowboy hat. She almost started laughing when she spied cowboy boots sticking out from his creased blue jeans. She had to give him credit for trying hard to impress her. But why the sudden change of heart?
“I came to beg your sister for a second chance.”
“Really.” Sarcasm filled Nick’s single-word response.
Jess couldn’t help responding in kind. “Wow, Parker. I’ve never heard you say something so… humble. What happened to you?”
For a fleeting second, she thought she glimpsed anger in his eyes, but then it was gone. He smiled, exposing perfect teeth, which probably cost his parents a fortune. Once, when she complimented his smile, he’d bragged about his Hollywood-style veneers.
“I had a birthday.”
His gaze flicked to her brothers, and he pressed his lips tight, refusing to elaborate. But she knew the meaning behind his cryptic statement. He’d turned twenty-four, and inherited his trust fund. He no longer had to please his parents to gain access to money.
Was he pursuing her because he’d truly wanted her all along, and had only ditched her because his parents threatened to cut him off? Or was this his way of demonstrating his rebellion, flaunting her in his parents’ faces? Neither scenario seemed particularly desirable.
“We’ll leave you two to talk.” Zander secured his brother’s arm and dragged him away. But he mumbled in Jessica’s ear as he passed, “Hope you dump that fancified fart.”
Jess chuckled. As her oldest brother, Zander had yet to approve of any of her boyfriends, though he might’ve disliked Parker the most.
When her brothers were out of sight, Parker moved closer. “I saw you race. Very impressive. It’s fascinating how everyone around here is really into this rodeo stuff.”
“Kind of like how Dallasites are into charity galas?”
His eye twitched the way it always did when he was getting impatient. “Since your competition’s over, do you want to go grab a bite to eat somewhere?”
“If you’re hungry, there’s plenty to eat, right here. They’re selling sausage on a stick and roasted corn-on-the-cob at the food tent.”
The crowd cheered as something exciting happened inside the arena. Jess peered through the slats in the fence and saw a calf lying on his side, three of his feet tied, a horse backing up to keep the rope tight, while the competing cowboy waved a hand at the crowd. She couldn’t see the time on the board, but judging from the audience response, it must’ve been fast.
“Okay. We can eat here, then.” Parker drew her attention, stretching his mouth into more of a grimace than a smile, as he held his hand out toward her.
She stared at his fingers like they were snakes, unconsciously stuffing her hands in her pants pockets. “You can go eat. I’m heading up to watch the rest of the rodeo.”
“You don’t want to eat with me?”
“And miss the rodeo?”