A Cowboy Comes Home

Ten

The next day, Caleb couldn’t seem to bring himself to let go of Mandy. He held her hand, occasionally pulled her sideways against him. She’d put up with it for a short time, but then she kept freeing herself, obviously not comfortable with the intimacy around her family. Caleb didn’t care who saw them, as they wandered through the grounds of the Lyndon Regional Rodeo. It was opening day, and everyone agreed it was worth staying to watch.

The rodeo had always been a fun, lighthearted, family affair, and Caleb was astonished to see how much it had grown since he’d last attended. He’d rode bucking broncs that year. He was seventeen and too young to realize he was mortal.

He hadn’t finished in the money. But Reed had won the trophy for steer wrestling. Cocky, reckless and in high spirits, they’d spent his five-hundred-dollar prize on beer and flashy new boots for both of them. Now, Caleb found himself wondering if those boots, barely worn, were still stored in his bedroom closet, and what Reed had done with his pair.

He and Mandy made their way through the midway, toward the main arena. The announcer was pumping up the crowd for the first event. Children ran from ride to ride, shrieking with excitement, sticky cotton candy in their hands and balloon hats on their heads.

One young boy cried as his helium balloon floated away. Seth was quick to snag a wandering vendor and replace the balloon. They boy’s mother was grateful, and Seth was sure to introduce himself by his full name.

“Hopefully, another vote,” Abigail said to Mandy and Caleb in an undertone.

“He’s very good at schmoozing,” Caleb agreed. He had to admit, he admired Seth’s easy manner with the crowds. He seemed to know everybody, and they seemed to respect him. Those he didn’t know, he quickly met.

“Are we here for the rodeo or a campaign stop?” Mandy asked her sister. Abigail just laughed in response.

Caleb was dressed in blue jeans, boots and a white Western-style dress shirt. But it was all new, and he felt like a dandy, more than a little out of place among the working cowboys. He wondered how may people assumed he was a tourist. Certainly, all the competitors would peg him right off. He wished there was time to scuff up the boots and fade his jeans.

“Hey, Mandy,” a woman called from behind them.

Mandy turned and so did Caleb, and her hand came loose from his.

The woman looked to be about thirty years old. She wore a pair of tight jeans, a battered Stetson hat and a wide, tooled leather belt. She was a bit thick around the middle, her hair was nondescript brown, and her red checked shirt was open to reveal a navy T-shirt beneath. She clearly belonged here at the rodeo.

“You riding today?” she asked Mandy.

Caleb looked at Mandy with curiosity. She competed in rodeo events?

“Not today,” Mandy answered. “We just happened to be in town and thought we’d take it in.”

“Heard about your dad,” the woman continued, her expression switching to one of sympathy. “I was real sorry about that.”

“Thank you,” Mandy acknowledged. “We appreciate it. But he’s doing very well, making more progress every day.”

“Good to hear. Good to hear.” Then the woman stuck out her hand to Caleb. “Lori Richland.”

“Used to be Lori Parker,” Mandy put in.

Caleb recognized the name. Lori had been a year behind him in high school. He didn’t remember very much about her.

He accepted her hand. “Caleb Terrell.”

“Woo hoo,” she sang. “Wait till I tell Harvey I got a look at you.” She gave Caleb’s hand a playful tug, looking him up and down. “We heard you were back in town. Sorry to hear about your dad, too.”

“Thank you,” Caleb said simply.

Lori turned her attention to Mandy. “I’ve got Star Dock over at the stables if you want to enter the barrels.”

“I hadn’t planned-”

“Go for it,” Lori insisted. “He loves competing.” She looked back at Caleb. “The crowds and the applause does something for that horse.”

“Hey, Abby,” Lori called over Mandy’s shoulder. “Steer undecorating?”

Abby approached them. “Yeah? If you’ve got a horse here, I’m game.”

“Pincher’s been doing really well lately. And tell your brothers to check with Clancy over at the pens. We need some good local competitors in team, steer roping.”

Caleb had a sudden flashback to him and Reed practicing roping out on the range. They’d had plans to someday compete together, but Reed’s big body made him a natural for steer wrestling, while Caleb had liked the adrenalin rush of the bucking horses.

Lori looked directly at Caleb. “What about you? What are you going to enter?”

Caleb held up his palms in mock surrender. “Not today.”

He was not getting anywhere near anything that bucked. And he was completely out of practice for all of the events.

Mandy leaned over to Lori and spoke in a mock whisper. “He’s been away in the big city. Riding a desk for a few years.”

Lori checked him out up and down. “Doesn’t look too soft.”

“Why does everybody keep being surprised about that?” Caleb asked Mandy.

“Because it’s true.” She patted his shoulder consolingly. “You don’t look too bad for a city slicker.”

“You’re too kind,” he drawled.

“You should take it as a compliment,” said Mandy.

“Maybe we’ll throw you in the greased pig chase,” Lori teased Caleb.

“Pass,” said Caleb. “But you go right ahead and have a good time with that.”

Lori tipped her head back and gave a throaty laugh.

“Barrels start in about an hour,” she said to Mandy. “Better check the schedule for the rest.” With a wave, she strode away into the crowd.

“You’re going to compete?” Caleb asked.

“Sure,” said Mandy. “I could win a thousand dollars.”

“Don’t want to pass up a chance like that.” He found his gaze drifting to Travis and Seth. Abigail had obviously given them the news about the chance to enter the rodeo, and they now had their heads together talking strategy.

For a sharp second, Caleb missed Reed so badly, it brought a pain to the centre of his chest.

Then Mandy slipped her hand into his. She leaned in, and her tone went sultry. “You want to be my stable hand?”

He tugged her tight against his side. “I’ll be anything you want me to be.”

She grinned. “I’m holding you to that.”

He kept her hand in his as they headed for the horse pens in the competitors area around back of the arena.

There, she quickly got down to business, signing up, paying the entry fee and checking out the horse and tack Lori had offered her.

When she was ready to go, Caleb crossed to the competitors grandstand, where he could get a better view. He caught sight of the other Jacobs siblings in the distance, getting ready for their own events, and he had to struggle not to feel like the odd man out.

But once the barrel-racing event started, he got caught up with the cheering, coming to his feet when Mandy galloped into the arena. She made a very respectable run. Halfway through the competition, and she was in second place.

She joined him sitting in the stands for the last few competitors, leaning up against him as they laughed and cheered. She managed to hang on to third place until the last competitor knocked her to fourth, just out of the money.

Caleb gave her a conciliatory hug, telling her he was sorry.

But she shrugged philosophically. “Easy come, easy go.”

“I’ll spring for a corn dog if it’ll make you feel better,” he offered.

She turned up her nose. “What corn dog? I’m holding out for Rio.”

He pretended to ponder for a moment. “I suppose I could do both.”

“Truly?” She blinked ingenuously up at him.

“Yes,” he told her sincerely. He realized in that moment he’d give her anything she wanted.

“You’re a gentleman, Caleb Terrell,” she cooed, threading her arm through his.

“And, dust notwithstanding-” he pretended to wipe a smudge off her cheek “-you, Mandy Jacobs, are a lady.”

Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup today, and her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, but in the sunshine she looked just as beautiful as she had last night. He had trouble tearing his gaze away from her.

Her attention went to the ring. She cheered and gave a shrill whistle as the barrel-race winners received their awards in the middle of the arena.

“You just whistled.” He laughed.

“Bet the girls back in Chicago don’t do that.”

“They don’t eat corn dogs, either.”

“Poor things. They don’t know what they’re missing.”

The team roping had started. Caleb couldn’t help but admire the talent of the cowboys and the rapt attention of well-bred horses. A few of the steers escaped, but most were swiftly roped and released by the cowboys.

“Here we go.” Mandy leaned forward as her brothers lined up in the box. The steer was released, and the men sprang to action, horses hooves thundering, ropes spinning around their heads. Travis took the head, turned the spotted steer, and Seth quickly followed-up with the heels.

The horses stilled, and the flag waved. Their time was five point three seconds, causing Mandy to shout and punch a fist in the air. The time had put them in first place. They released their ropes and tipped their hats to the crowd, acknowledging the cheers.

They shook hands as they rode out of the arena, and Seth playfully knocked off Travis’s hat. One of the clowns retrieved it for him, and the two disappeared from sight around the end of the fence.

Caleb felt another hitch in his chest. His reaction was silly. Even if he did meet his brother after all these years, it wasn’t as if they’d be doing any team roping. Caleb was way too far out of practice. Besides, he was too old to come off a horse.

“Are you hungry?” Mandy asked.

“You don’t seriously want a corn dog.”

“I was thinking a funnel cake. Sprinkled with sugar, please.”

“How on earth do you stay so slim?” Most of the women he knew in Chicago survived on leaf lettuce and bok choy.

“Exercise and clean living,” she answered.

“So, you’re serious?”

“I never joke about funnel cake.”

Caleb shook his head in amazement, coming to his feet. “One funnel cake, coming up. You going to eat the whole thing, or will you share?”

“With you, I guess I could share.”

He gave her a wink and made his way down the worn wooden benches, meeting Travis and Seth at the bottom.

“Nice.” He nodded, shaking each of their hands in congratulations. He checked the board to find them still on top with six competitors left. “Looks like you might finish in the money.”

“Seven-hundred and fifty bucks,” Travis confirmed with a sharp nod. “That’ll pay for the trip.”

“I’m going on a funnel-cake run. Anyone interested?”

“Gads, no,” said Seth. “I don’t know how Mandy eats those things.”

“She’s got a sweet tooth,” said Travis. His level gaze stayed on Caleb for a couple of beats.

Caleb raised his brows. If Travis had something to say, he might as well spit it out.

Seth glanced between the two men.

“You heard anything from Reed?” Travis asked, surprising Caleb.

The question triggered emotions that were close to the surface today, and it took him a second to recover. He shook his head. “Not a word.”

“He still takes first in the steer wrestling every year,” said Travis.

Caleb nodded his acknowledgment but didn’t answer.

But Travis wasn’t finished yet. “Mandy thinks you should talk to him before you sell the ranch.”

The announcer’s voice became more animated over the loudspeaker as the next team of ropers left the box, stirring up a cloud of dust.

“Mandy thinks a lot of things,” said Caleb.

“I’m not sure she’s wrong on this.”

“Well, I can’t talk to him if he’s not here.” Caleb made to leave.

“You can hold off on the sale,” said Travis.

“You’re selling?” asked Seth, an obvious note of incredulity in his voice. “Why on earth would you do that?”

“Yes,” Caleb answered shortly, pivoting in the dust and starting to walk away.

“Whoa,” Seth caught up to him, but Travis, at least, had the good grace to stay behind. “What gives?”

“What gives is that I’m not explaining myself to you and Travis in the middle of a rodeo crowd.”

“Fair enough.” Seth nodded easily, keeping pace. “But what about Reed? He get a say in this?”

“Reed left town, no forwarding address, no phone number.”

“But how can you sell it without him?” Seth paused. “You know, I honestly thought he’d inherit the whole thing.”

Caleb altered his course to angle toward the concession stands. “Well, he didn’t. I did.”

“Not the whole thing.”

“Yes, the whole thing.”

“But-”

“Haven’t a clue,” Caleb preempted the obvious question.

Seth’s tone turned thoughtful. “And that’s why Reed disappeared.”

“I would think so.” They came to the lineup and joined the end.

“Are you getting a funnel cake?” Caleb asked Seth.

“Just keeping you company.”

“Not necessary.”

But Seth didn’t leave. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up again. “Do you need the money?”

Caleb laughed darkly at that suggestion. “The money’s Reed’s. It’s going to sit in a bank account until he shows his face.”

“And the rush is?”

“Has it occurred to you that this is none of your business?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then, go away.”

“Has it occurred to you that I’m your friend?”

Caleb couldn’t form an answer to that one. He liked and respected Seth, but he was beginning to feel as if he was surrounded by kind, well-meaning, meddlers, pushing him in a direction he didn’t want to go.

“Seriously, Caleb. This is a huge decision.”

“It’s already listed.”

“Unlist it.”

“I don’t want it,” Caleb barked. “I don’t need it. And Reed’s better off without it.” He glared at Seth, while the festival swirled around them, midway rides jangling, children shrieking and the rodeo announcements blaring in the distance.

After a long minute, Seth gave a curt nod of acquiescence. And Caleb turned to the teenager in the paper hat and placed his order.