“I’ll have to treat you next time.”
Her smile is a warm blast to my frosty armor. “You’ve got a deal.”
We stride through a canopy tent, entering our names in a drawing of some sort along the way. Fresh-cut grass and hay waft over with a lazy breeze. Moments from my past flicker in and out of my vision. This feels familiar, a comforting hug after spending too many cold nights alone. Aisles of vendors, fried food, and bleacher seats. All that’s missing is the roar of engines. The thundering of hooves is a decent substitute. I walk a little lighter with each forward step.
Millie gasps and begins flaying her arm toward a colorful booth. “Mama, can I get my face painted first? Please, please?”
Keegan glances at me. “Do you mind waiting for a couple of minutes? This usually doesn’t take long.”
I motion to the available artist. “By all means.”
Josey sidles up beside me. “Yeah, don’t worry about Ford. I’ll keep him company.”
“Oh, great,” Keegan groans and turns away. “I can hardly wait to hear what comes of that conversation.”
Josey chuffs me on the arm. “Welcome to the club. You’re one of the gals now, Ford.”
I let my brows dip. “Uh, thanks?”
She tilts her head back and belts out a laugh. “Just messing around. We all know you two can’t keep up this no-sex charade forever. I give it two weeks, at the max.”
I grunt. “If I’m lucky.”
“Care to place a wager?” She sticks out a palm in invitation.
“On sleeping with Keegan? That has disaster written all over it.”
“Eh, you’re right. Why bet on a sure thing.” She nudges me again. “But as an added favor, I’ll keep Millie occupied so Keegan can be all yours. Go get her, tiger.”
I blink at Josey, letting her words rattle in my thick skull, before busting out a chuckle of my own. “I appreciate you tipping the scale in my favor. You’re really something else.”
She polishes off her nails. “Glad you’re finally noticing. Make sure to pass that along to all of your single friends.”
“If I see any, I’ll be sure to let them know.”
Just as Josey opens her mouth to speak, Keegan and Millie join us along the main path. The little girl’s entire left cheek has been transformed into a sparkling dog that slightly resembles Elsa.
“Isn’t it so pretty?” She races up to me with the design front and center.
I tip her chin to get a better look. “Absolutely perfect.”
“Do you want them to paint your cheek?”
I do my best not to recoil. “Uh, well, I’m not so sure.”
“You could get a motorcycle or a bull. They can draw whatever you want.” Millie clasps her little hands in a pleading gesture.
Shit, am I really going to do this? I look to Keegan for assistance only to find her and Josey whispering at a rapid pace. When she notices me staring, Keegan’s skin takes on a splotchy red hue. Yeah, she’s totally busted. I lift my brows and wait.
Keegan struts over, shoulders rolled back and head held high. “I’m sure Ford would love a picture on his face, but we should get seats. All of the best spots fill up fast. Plus, you’ll want to get cotton candy and popcorn first.”
Millie ponders that for a moment. I’m holding my breath while wishing for a sliver of mercy. When the little girl smiles at me, all of the air rushes from my lungs. “Okay, let’s go. I’m hungry and wanna see the horses.”
The three of us follow close behind as she skips toward the food stand. We order way too many snacks and sodas to wash it all down. Weaving our way to the benches is a tad more challenging with our arms full. Crowds of people are growing in numbers by the minute and closing in on us. Keegan wasn’t lying about the seating situation. Over half of the bleachers are already full. We manage to score an empty row near the top and slide our asses onto the hard metal.
The view from this vantage point allows me to see all of the pregame acts and warmups. “Damn, this is quite a turnout.”
Keegan glances around. “It sure is for this location. Hayek isn’t considered a large rodeo. Sutton Bowen told me all about the inner circuits for this stuff. There are a ton of smaller regional events that qualify for the real money makers. Have you heard of Frontier Days?”
“Sounds familiar. Is that the huge festival in Cheyenne?”
“Yep, ten days of celebrating Wild West awesomeness. My parents took me every year while I was growing up.” A long sigh breezes past her lips.
“You don’t go with them anymore?”
Keegan’s features pinch. “No, it’s been years since we’ve been there. They, uh, died, when I was a senior in high school.”
I hiss, feeling her loss strike me with a direct hit to my stomach. “Shit, Kee. I’m so sorry. That’s awful.”
She’s nodding too fast, mostly likely teetering on the edge of losing her cool. “It happened so long ago. I can usually talk about them without going into hysterics, but yeah, it really sucks.”
I place a hand on her knee, giving her a gentle squeeze. “I can’t even imagine going through that. You don’t have any siblings?”
“Nope. I’m an only child. They left me all alone, but it wasn’t their fault.” Keegan draws in a shuddering breath. “My parents weren’t the vacationing type. They never splurged on fancy trips or extravagant destinations. But their twenty-fifth anniversary was a reason to go all-out. They flew to Hawaii for a week and stayed in an all-inclusive resort. All of the bells and whistles, with a cherry on top. I remember looking at pictures after they booked the hotel and being super jealous. That guilt still stings.”
Another shallow exhale wheezes out of her. “After they’d been gone for three days, I got a call from the hospital out there. My parents had been in a boating accident. All of the passengers died on impact.
