Reunited With The Bull Rider. Christine Wenger

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СКАЧАТЬ days? Weren’t you engaged once?”

      His mom had seen Callie’s engagement announcement in the Beaumont Bulletin, and Mom had called him—a couple of times—to tell him. Immediately, he fell into a riding slump, drank way too much beer and had to climb out of his funk with the help of his riding pals and his brothers.

      “I’m between serious relationships.” She laughed, but her eyes suddenly misted. “It’s a long, boring story.”

      “I have the time.”

      She shook her head. “I don’t. I have work to do.”

      It was like pulling teeth with a bull rope, trying to get her to expand on her replies, but he’d find out sooner or later. On occasion, Reed had seen Callie in town. They would wave to each other, but they’d never stopped to talk. She’d always seemed like she was in a hurry to get away from him.

      There wasn’t anything more to say to each other after their disastrous split. He’d been hurt to his very soul when she’d stayed in Beaumont. Or maybe he’d been just too damn young and idealistic to think that she’d travel with him, that’d he’d win a lot of money and they’d start a family.

      He’d achieved two out of those three.

      “Callie, did you ever go to college for advertising and marketing, like you wanted?”

      “No. I didn’t. I went to Beaumont Community College and took some business classes.”

      “Why not advertising and marketing?”

      She shrugged and looked away, not meeting his eyes. “Things happened,” she said quietly. “And BCC didn’t offer advertising and marketing.”

      “But you dreamed of working at an ad agency on Madison Avenue someday.”

      “It doesn’t matter anymore,” she said softly. “I have my own business now.”

      “Good for you. Callie. You always managed to land on your feet.”

      “Most of the time.”

      Reed could see how uncomfortable he’d made her, so it was his turn to change the subject. “So whose personal assistant are you exactly?”

      “Luke’s. He was the one who hired me, although I seem to be doing things for your family.” She pointed to the three overstuffed feed bags. “Those are full of fan mail. The Beaumont Big Guns are quite the hit.”

      “That’s all...ours?”

      “Yes. And it’s loaded with SASEs for autographed pictures and your reply.”

      “Huh?”

      “Self-addressed stamped envelopes.”

      “Oh.”

      “I understand there’s even more mail at the PBR office. They’re shipping it here.”

      “Wow! I am totally shocked.”

      “You shouldn’t be. It seems like the whole country is cheering for you three.”

      “Tell me, what else does a personal assistant do?” Reed asked with a wink and a grin.

      “Not that!” He liked getting a rise out of her. He wasn’t disappointed. Callie’s cell phone rang. “Excuse me.

      “Hello? Yes. Hi, Luke...He’s here right now...Yes...He’s supposed to keep his leg up?...Oh?...I’ll tell him...Luke, should he do that considering his injury?...Okay, yeah, I’ll get him there...But I wasn’t hired to be Reed’s...nanny.” She clicked off her phone and turned to Reed.

      “Do you have your cell phone on?”

      “I can’t find it.”

      “Apparently your agent, Rick...um...”

      “Kessler.”

      She nodded. “Mr. Kessler has been trying to call you. He phoned Luke in the hope that Luke could get hold of you. Mr. Kessler wanted to remind you that today you’re supposed to go to the local public TV station and be interviewed.”

      “Dammit! I forgot about that!”

      She checked her watch. “You have to be there in an hour. You might want to—”

      “Shower and shave?” he asked.

      “Might be a good idea since you are going to be on television.”

      “I remember now.” He adjusted his crutches to get up from the chair. “They are doing a segment on bull riding.”

      “Here’s some more news, Reed. I am now your personal assistant, too. In addition to my other duties here in your father’s office, I am supposed to ‘facilitate your recovery,’ according to your agent and Luke.” There was an incredulous tone to her voice, like she couldn’t believe she had to add Reed’s circumstances to her original duties. “Also, Mr. Kessler is worried that you keep missing your appointments and public appearances. And you are supposed to keep your leg elevated. I also have to make sure you make the appearances that your agent arranged. Sounds like a contradiction. And I’ll be getting paid extra.”

      “Then I’ll make it worth your while!”

      “Don’t even think about it,” she said. “But tell me about your knee.”

      “The medical staff think that my meniscus might heal on its own. I’ll need surgery if it doesn’t.”

      “Then you’ll have to keep it up whenever possible. Now, go and take a shower, and make it quick. And if it sounds like I’m nagging you, it’s because I am!”

      Reed saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”

      He hated being laid up, but he was getting a kick out of the fact that she agreed to look out for him. “I’m getting back to the PBR as soon as I can. The Beaumont brothers have the first three slots tied up. I can’t stay on the injured list for any length of time or some young rider will take my place.”

      “I hear you, but first things first. I’ll get you to the TV station, since you can’t drive with a torn meniscus.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” He tweaked his hat with his thumb and forefinger, and crutched to his room, where he’d tossed his duffel bag.

      After pulling out clean clothes, he went to the bathroom off the bedroom he would forever think of as his. He shucked off his clothes and adjusted the shower water until it was just lukewarm.

      No matter how far away he was, he always wanted a home to come back to, and the Beaumont Ranch was the place. For some reason, it felt even more like home with Callie here.

      And if it wasn’t for Amber, they would have lost the ranch completely in a tax auction. Thankfully, Amber had made it a point to go to a PBR event and told Luke that he’d better get back and rescue the ranch, not only from the auction block but from the damage that Hurricane Daphne had done eighteen months prior.

      Luke СКАЧАТЬ