Rodeo Blues Read online

  He spoke to Jimmy maybe five years ago. Jimmy had hunted him down when his father had been rushed to the hospital after collapsing at Big Bob's Saloon. He politely thanked Jimmy for the news, but he didn't head home. His father died eight months later from liver failure. He was actually surprised it took so long for the organ to give up.

  He shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to think of a way to ask the question weighing most on his mind.

  Sam lips twitched. "You didn't ask how Jolie Lockhart's been," Sam said.

  Tye tipped back his hat. "I was getting to it." When Sam didn't say more, he did the asking. The old coot wasn't going to let him off easy, most likely payback for not saying who bought his father's place. "Soooo, how's Jolie been?" he asked.

  "Hmm. Jolie Lockhart… Now she's a girl a guy should hold onto." He stared at Tye over the top of his black-rimmed glasses, dropping a hint that was anything but subtle.

  Tye cleared his throat. "Sam, she isn't … you know involved with anyone is she?" His cousin told him she wasn't seeing anyone, but that had been a few months ago. Things could have changed since then.

  "Didn't no one tell you, boy? She's married and has six kids."

  "What?" He swallowed back the panic. Had his cousin looked into the whereabouts of the wrong girl? "Six children? Jolie's married…?" Of course she'd be married if she had six children.

  Sam chuckled and his gaze riveted to the old man. Then he knew the truth.

  "Oh, you're funny, old man."

  "Just wanted to get a rile outta you. Still carrying a flame for the purdy gal, are you?"

  "A torch, if you must know."

  Sam let out a low whistle. "You better be doing some fancy talking 'cause you hurt that little gal when you left her at the altar."

  He could argue he didn't technically leave her at the altar, but this was a small town. They'd been dating for a long time and everyone would have expected them to tie the knot sooner or later. It had been the plan, but it hadn't worked out in the end.

  "You might be safer tackling a bull than with her," Sam said as he eyed him with a keen eye.

  "Yeah, done that and I'm still standing."

  "Good thing, but if you don't mind I'll lay my odds on Jolie."

  "Thanks for the confidence." He flicked the rim of his hat and nodded. "I'll catch you later, Sam."

  "Later, boy. I hope you're still standing after the count."

  Tye waved his hand over his shoulder as he entered the saloon.

  Some things never changed. Big Bob's Saloon was one of them with its oversized dance floor and long bar with a mirror hanging on the wall overlooking the rows of bottles of liquor. Thursdays were 'ladies' night' when he'd left town and it seemed it still held the spot. The place swarmed with eligible women of all ages and just enough men to make it interesting. He'd bet there were people in the back room shooting pool too.

  He glanced toward the stage when he heard two men arguing. He smiled when he caught sight of Sonny and Mike going at it. The spat seemed to be over where the speakers should be placed.

  They still had the band. He wondered if they went by the Brothers in Time, the name they came up with in high school. Mike had wanted Brothers from Another Mother, but they'd all vetoed it. Jimmy had been the one to suggest the final name they could all agree upon. Back then, he sang a little, but he fancied strumming the guitar over vocals. Sonny and Mike always argued how things should be done and by the looks of it, they hadn't found a way to compromise on the decision making yet.

  His steps took him over to the stage where Mike and Sonny's voices became clearer.

  "I told you already, Mike, you ain't shootin' off no fire contraption in here. Do you want to burn down the place?" Sonny was lean and dark haired. He dated one gal in high school, named Ora Ann. He married her three days before graduation, not because there'd been a reason other than they loved each other. He glanced at the man's ring finger. Looked like he was still married to her. Mike on the other hand wasn't wearing a ring. That might be a good thing. He'd been dating a girl in high school, but they argued all the time. He never thought they'd belonged together, but who was he to judge?

  "Hey, boys." Tye said in greeting.

  Both men turned toward him in unison. Mike was the first to recognize him and let out a whooping yell of greeting before he grabbed hold of him and pounded his back.

  Tye stood six-two, Mike was two inches taller and solid muscle. He'd forgotten how strong Mike was and had to catch his balance after his friendly how-do-you-do of a welcome.

  Sonny offered a handshake. "Hey Casper. Thought we heard the last of you when you skedaddled out of here to ride them bulls."

  "I told you I'd be back."

  Sonny's dark brows rose. "Didn't realize it would be a decade later."

  "Hey, the band's playing tonight," Mike said, as if Tye couldn't figure that one out on his own. "You should join us, and maybe sing a song or two. It would be like old times."

  Tye glanced at Sonny, who had stiffened at Mike's invitation. "I don't think so," Tye said and shook his head. "I haven't done much singing of late."

  "Guess it's a little hard to sing when you're being thrown on your keister. Kinda knocks the wind out of ya." Sonny's voice held an edge to it, but Tye wasn't sure why. "Hear you're called the Ghost Rider these days."

  "It's the name they branded me with on the circuit. Didn't know you kept track of it."

  "I have a cousin who has done a few rodeos." Sonny shrugged. "Seems you ain't half bad at what you do, or so he's told me. Would have been nice if you gave us all a call once in a while. Would have done so myself, but it seems your phone number ain't listed."

  So that was why Sonny seemed PO'd. Couldn't blame him, but he had his reasons. He didn't want the boys asking him when he planned to come home. Didn't want them telling him Jolie had moved on and forgotten all about him. "I've been selfish," he said to Sonny, and then glanced at Mike too. "I know. Didn't mean to shut you all out, but stupidity got the better of me. My keister wasn't the only thing knocked around." He tapped his head and grinned, hoping Sonny would take the apology for what it was worth.

  Sonny's mouth slowly curved into a genuine smile. "Well then, I suppose it's our luck you found your way back home."

  Apology accepted, he thought in relief. "Thanks." Tye then scanned the room. He liked to catch up with the guys, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He was a tad anxious at the thought of seeing Jolie again. He couldn't begin to hope his meeting with her would go so smoothly.

  "You lookin' for someone in particular, Tye?" Sonny asked with a smirk.

  His mouth slid into an easy smile, not willing to beg for the information, though clearly Sonny thought he should. "Just looking," he said with a shrug.

  "Jolie don't come here too often," Mike offered, picking up on what he truly wanted to know. Sonny rolled his eyes at Mike.

  Thank-you-Mike for not playing the game. "Oh," he said and didn't quite keep the disappointment out of his voice.

  "But it looks like tonight's your lucky night, Ghost Rider." Sonny gestured toward the entrance with a nod of his head.

  Tye tried to be cool when he turned toward the door, but his heart did a sputter in his chest, threatening to stop. Five-foot four of pure woman sauntered in with a purpose. Her long hair was pulled up on the sides, while the rest cascaded down her back in waves of dark mahogany. Her jeans were molded to her figure and the white-laced blouse stood open two buttons from the top, revealing enough skin to make him wish for more.

  Sonny's low chuckled irked him. "You're drooling, Tye."

  "Shut your pie hole, Sonny," he muttered.

  "Sure am glad you're back," Mike said with a laugh. "The sparks will fly around this town now. Been too damn quiet, if you ask me."

  Jolie hadn't seen him yet. She weaved around the crowd and headed toward the bar where a tall woman, with two-toned hair, stood waving her over.

  "It's now or never," Mike sang in his low baritone. "Will Tye make his�
�"

  He threw Mike a dagger-like look and the big man's voice choked into a laugh.

  "I'm going. I'm going," Tye said and took a step only to be shanghaied by Buddy Meilak who was with the rodeo too. Five-foot ten and solid as a rock, he could rope a calf in less than seven seconds, and was the best bullfighter he'd ever come across. He played to the crowd in a clown outfit, road barrels, and acted like a goofball, but what this guy truly did for a living was no laughing matter. He'd saved his arse more times than he wished to count from a bull who'd like to spear him or trample him to death. Neither would prove a pretty picture.

  "Tye, my friend. I'm going to buy you a drink." Buddy leaned on him and he got a good whiff of his breath.

  "You need to slow down there, Buddy. How many have you downed already? It's barely happy hour."

  "I can still see one of you, so I'd say not enough."

  Tye glanced over his friend's shoulder. Jolie said something to her girlfriend at the bar then slipped toward the back where the pool tables and the restrooms were located. "Listen, Buddy. I'll catch you in a few. Why don't you ask one of the gals here tonight to dance?"

  "Don't mind if I do. Don't mind at all." One of Dierks Bentley's songs played over the speakers as Buddy sauntered over to a table of giggling women.

  Tye headed to the bar and leaned against the counter, thinking he'd wait for Jolie to return then make his move. What that move would entail, he wasn't quite sure yet, but he would think of something. Jolie's friend turned in her seat and did nothing to hide she was checking him out as she leaned against the bar. He flashed her a smile. Not a bad looking woman, but she wore too much dark eyeliner.

  "Well, sugar, aren't you just the best eye-candy ever," Jolie's friend drawled.

  Definitely not a shy one. "Hello, I'm Tye, and you are…?"

  "Your dance partner, honey."

  Before he could say no, thank you, she took hold of his hand and dragged him onto the dance floor. "You with the rodeo?" she asked as her arms came to rest on his shoulders. She was making herself quite comfortable with his body. Any other time he might have welcomed the advances, but now wasn't one of those times, not when he wanted to capture another woman's eye.

  "Yep." He glanced toward the bar, hoping Jolie would return soon.

  "Ride broncs, I suppose? Big strapping man like yourself." She pinched his biceps as if she were looking for a ripe cantaloupe."

  He chuckled. "Bull riding is my event."

  Her gaze met his. "Is that so? My, my... What's your name again, cowboy?"

  "Tye Casper."

  Her eyes grew wide. "The Ghost Rider? That Tye Casper?"

  "The one and the same." She surprised him. He hadn't thought she'd be one to follow the circuit.

  Her brows drew together. "A storm's brewing… " her low murmur sounded like a dire prediction and made him frown.

  "The weatherman didn't say anything about a storm." But then, this was Texas. It could be blistering hot and the thunder would rumble with the threat of rain.

  "What does the weatherman know anyhow?" she snapped. "Let me see your hand." Not that she waited for him to comply. Her feet halted, bringing their dance to an abrupt stop. Her fingers clasped onto his hand, and she turned it palm up for inspection as her eyes squinted in concentration. "Just what I thought."

  "You reading my palm or something?" Tye asked with a chuckle. If this was some kind of new come-on, he had to give the gal points for originality.

  "You're a quick one, aren't you?" she said with annoyance. "Hmm," she murmured again.

  He looked at his palm. They were calloused, but at least they were clean. "That bad, huh?"

  "The worse kind, bucko." Her gaze met his and she poked him in the chest.

  "Ow." He stepped back. "What was that for?" His grin fell as she came after him. Her eyes all but threw daggers as she continued to poke him in the chest.

  "Just 'cause I didn't grow up around here, it don't mean I haven't heard all about you and your shenanigans." She backed him into the wall next to the stage. "Did you come to town to mess with my gal, Jolie Lockhart?"

  "Jolie told you about me, did she?" He gave her a sheepish smile.

  "Wipe that silly grin right off your purdy face. She told me enough to know I want to kick your cute little behind right out of town."

  His eyebrows lifted as he wondered what Jolie had told this woman. "If it makes it any better, I'm here to set things right."

  "Is that so?" Her eyes narrowed as her gaze took him in from head to toe and back up again. "I'm a psychic and I'll know if you're messing with me."

  He lifted his hands in surrender. "I wouldn't mess with a psychic."

  Her gaze held his for a second longer. She must have decided he told the truth because she gave him a curt nod. "I have my eyes on you." She pointed her finger at him and his hand flew to his chest to ward off another assault. "You mind your P's and Q's, Mr. Casper." She whirled on her bright red boots and stomped back to the bar.

  "Will do, ma'am." Tye straightened his shirt and glanced at Sonny and Mike who could barely keep a lid on their laughter as they snickered behind their fists, which ended up being spurts of coughing.

  "Do you mind telling me who that was?" He pointed with his thumb toward the bar.

  "Whisper Llewellyn," Sonny offered. "Didn't you get her name before you went and ticked her off?"

  He didn't offer a response to his question. "Whisper? She's more like a roaring din."

  "Well, she blew into town about nine years ago," Mike said, "when Jolie still hoped you'd return for her. You done broke that woman's heart and Whisper picked up the pieces. She works with Jolie at Trinkets Galore over on Main Street. You're lucky Whisper didn't turn you into a toad. She's a witch or somethin' of the sort."

  "Psychic," he corrected.

  "Ain't that the same thing?" Mike asked looking at Sonny then to him.

  Heck if Tye knew the answer, but right now he didn't care. He spotted Jolie back at the bar, ordering a drink from Stan, the bartender. He made a beeline over there before someone else nabbed him with the intent to do bodily harm or anything else for that matter.

  He saddled up beside Jolie, but she hadn't spotted him yet since she faced Whisper. Her throaty laugh reached his ears as she chuckled about something Whisper said to her. He guessed Whisper hadn't given away he was back in town—not yet, anyway. He couldn't hear the conversation over his thundering heartbeat that vibrated in his ears.

  "Hello, Jolie," he spit out, before he lost his courage and before Whisper out-ed him.

  Jolie's whole body stilled and she sat up ramrod straight before she slowly turned in her seat. Her smile slid from her face, her features revealing every emotion from surprise to loathing in two seconds flat. He planned to start with an apology, but she didn't appear to be in the mood to forgive him anytime soon, and if her gaze could be registered as a deadly weapon, it should be, 'cause that look was surely meant to slay him.

  "Can we talk, Jolie?" he asked instead.

  She opened her mouth, but no more than a squeak came out. She flew to her feet and faced the bar as she leaned on it. Either she was on the verge of being ill or she needed to hold up the bar for some reason. Her knuckles turned white from the death grip.

  "Jolie?" He placed a hand on her arm.

  "If you want to keep that appendage, cowboy," her voice rumbled with the warning, "you'll remove it from my arm this instant."

  Being fond of his limbs, he withdrew his hand as if her skin turned into molten lava.

  Her gaze riveted to his, pinning him down with lethal intent once more, but did he heed the warning? Of course not. "God, you're beautiful," slipped out before he could clamp his mouth shut, but he spoke the truth. Even spitfire-mad, no woman looked as pretty as Jolie Lockhart.

  "Are you trying to butter me up with niceties?" Her voice rose in disbelief.

  "It depends. Is it working?"

  "No. Where the hell have you been? And don't tell me you've been doing the
rodeo circuit. I already know that part of the story. Where have you been in the down times? Huh? Now you want to talk. Did you expect to blow into town after ten long years and pick up where we left off?"

  He sighed. "A man can hope, can't he?"

  "Bastard," she hissed. She raised her hand to slap him, but he anticipated the move and grabbed her arm.

  "Now is that any way to treat your husband."

  "Husband?" she shouted.

  Sonny and Mike glanced their way with interest, and he noticed Jimmy Burns had showed up to play the violin. He'd have to say hi later to the guy, since right now he had his hands full.

  Jolie lowered her voice and said, "We were never married, Tye Casper. Have you been knocked on your head, a few too many times?"

  He lifted his shoulders in a nonchalant shrug. "Not being married is just a technicality. We could march over to city hall tomorrow morning and see Mayor Dirkly—"

  "Are you plumb loco? I'm not marrying you. Ever!"

  "It's not what you said all those years ago. You made me a promise."

  "Ten years ago, I was a lovesick fool and…"

  "And now?" he encouraged her to finish her statement.

  "I've grown up and come to my senses." She brushed by him, but he couldn't let her leave. Not now. Not when he'd come all this way to make things right.

  His hand snaked out and pulled her toward him. "I've been dying to do this the moment I saw you walk into the saloon." Before she could stop him, he crushed his lips against hers in an all fired-up kiss. She struggled at first, but he teased until her efforts stilled. He remembered this, dreamt of the sweet touch of her. He deepened the caress. Years had passed but her lips, the way she felt against him, made it seem as if he'd never left. Unfortunately, fantasies never lasted long enough.

  She shoved at his chest and managed to push him away. Her gray eyes turned dark as a threatening storm right before she struck like lightning with a slap across his face. Whirling around, she stomped off.