bachelor life.”
Ben noticed his married cousins exchanging smug looks after he, Dalton and Tell high-fived.
“Nothin’ goin’ on between me and Rielle. We’re friends. I’ve built some furniture for her. Done some repairs at the B&B. She keeps an eye on my dogs when I’m gone. Just normal neighborly stuff. Plus, she’s at least ten years older than me.”
Cord grinned. “Age ain’t nothin’ but a number. Trust me.”
“Maybe she does all that stuff because she wants to be more than just friends. You should ask her out,” Cam suggested.
“You might even get to put one of the beds you made her to good use,” Quinn teased.
“Very fucking funny.”
“Ooh. Someone’s sensitive.”
Male laughter erupted.
He snapped, “We watchin’ bull riding or didja bring nail polish so we could give each other manicures while we gossip?”
Keely rang a cowbell in the kitchen. “Come and get it!”
While plates were being filled, Ben shooed his dogs outside and turned on VERSUS. Once everyone was settled, Ben brought another round of beer before he fixed a plate for himself. He looked around, glad his cousins had put their differences aside and not only worked together, but could hang out together occasionally. They were all too hotheaded and stubborn for their working relationship to always be sunshine and roses, but at least that relationship wasn’t combative day in and day out.
A collective groan rippled through the room when a bull stomped the crap out of a rider’s leg.
Low stakes betting didn’t last more than ten riders because Tell won all rounds. Being a PRCA rough stock judge was an advantage.
Buck-offs were more common than an eight-second ride so the speculation was high that Chase had a shot at the championship round, since his first score put him in the top twelve.
After Keely ended her cell phone call, she squeezed between Cam and Colt on the couch. “Carter and Jack say hey to everyone.”
“You couldn’t go an entire afternoon without checking in with your lord and master?” Cord asked.
“I don’t have to check in, jerkface. Jack called me because he misses me.”
“I’ll bet he was drunk,” Cam said.
Keely elbowed him in the gut.
“Brandt, have you checked in with Jessie yet? It’s been at least an hour since you’ve talked to her.” Dalton added kissing noises and Tell muttered about being pussy-whipped. Brandt cuffed them both in the back of the head.
All in all, just a normal McKay gathering.
Chase’s match-up was announced. He’d drawn Red Bull Rebel. Chase was on the bull by the time the camera panned to him, helmet on, testing his wrap. Another shift of his hips and he nodded to the gatekeeper.
Red Bull Rebel went nearly vertical right out of the chute. Ben mumbled, “Come on, bro. You got this. Stay on him.” Chase had total control during the spin. Ben didn’t look away from the screen until Chase hit the eight-second mark and the cheering started behind him.
High-fives were exchanged all around the room. Ben grabbed the remote and rewound so they could watch it again. Immediately after the score of eighty-eight was announced, the camera panned to Ava, Chase’s wife, in the audience.
“Chase has really turned his ridin’ around,” Brandt said.
Ben muttered, “He needed to.”
“I’ve never seen anyone more determined when we worked them bulls last summer. One day, Chase climbed on twenty-five bulls.” Colby shook his head. “Crazy damn kid. Me’n Cash kept waitin’ for him to say enough but he never did.”
“Hey, Ben?” Kane said. “Me’n Kade are goin’ antelope huntin’ next weekend. Do you still want the hides if we bag a couple?”
“Yeah. Any deer skin you don’t want either.”
“What are you doin’ with them?” Colt asked.
“Tanning them and adding pieces to furniture. I’m not sure if it’ll work, so I need extra skins to experiment on.”
“I’ll pass the word along. I know Trev and Ed got permits to hunt damn
Ben noticed his married cousins exchanging smug looks after he, Dalton and Tell high-fived.
“Nothin’ goin’ on between me and Rielle. We’re friends. I’ve built some furniture for her. Done some repairs at the B&B. She keeps an eye on my dogs when I’m gone. Just normal neighborly stuff. Plus, she’s at least ten years older than me.”
Cord grinned. “Age ain’t nothin’ but a number. Trust me.”
“Maybe she does all that stuff because she wants to be more than just friends. You should ask her out,” Cam suggested.
“You might even get to put one of the beds you made her to good use,” Quinn teased.
“Very fucking funny.”
“Ooh. Someone’s sensitive.”
Male laughter erupted.
He snapped, “We watchin’ bull riding or didja bring nail polish so we could give each other manicures while we gossip?”
Keely rang a cowbell in the kitchen. “Come and get it!”
While plates were being filled, Ben shooed his dogs outside and turned on VERSUS. Once everyone was settled, Ben brought another round of beer before he fixed a plate for himself. He looked around, glad his cousins had put their differences aside and not only worked together, but could hang out together occasionally. They were all too hotheaded and stubborn for their working relationship to always be sunshine and roses, but at least that relationship wasn’t combative day in and day out.
A collective groan rippled through the room when a bull stomped the crap out of a rider’s leg.
Low stakes betting didn’t last more than ten riders because Tell won all rounds. Being a PRCA rough stock judge was an advantage.
Buck-offs were more common than an eight-second ride so the speculation was high that Chase had a shot at the championship round, since his first score put him in the top twelve.
After Keely ended her cell phone call, she squeezed between Cam and Colt on the couch. “Carter and Jack say hey to everyone.”
“You couldn’t go an entire afternoon without checking in with your lord and master?” Cord asked.
“I don’t have to check in, jerkface. Jack called me because he misses me.”
“I’ll bet he was drunk,” Cam said.
Keely elbowed him in the gut.
“Brandt, have you checked in with Jessie yet? It’s been at least an hour since you’ve talked to her.” Dalton added kissing noises and Tell muttered about being pussy-whipped. Brandt cuffed them both in the back of the head.
All in all, just a normal McKay gathering.
Chase’s match-up was announced. He’d drawn Red Bull Rebel. Chase was on the bull by the time the camera panned to him, helmet on, testing his wrap. Another shift of his hips and he nodded to the gatekeeper.
Red Bull Rebel went nearly vertical right out of the chute. Ben mumbled, “Come on, bro. You got this. Stay on him.” Chase had total control during the spin. Ben didn’t look away from the screen until Chase hit the eight-second mark and the cheering started behind him.
High-fives were exchanged all around the room. Ben grabbed the remote and rewound so they could watch it again. Immediately after the score of eighty-eight was announced, the camera panned to Ava, Chase’s wife, in the audience.
“Chase has really turned his ridin’ around,” Brandt said.
Ben muttered, “He needed to.”
“I’ve never seen anyone more determined when we worked them bulls last summer. One day, Chase climbed on twenty-five bulls.” Colby shook his head. “Crazy damn kid. Me’n Cash kept waitin’ for him to say enough but he never did.”
“Hey, Ben?” Kane said. “Me’n Kade are goin’ antelope huntin’ next weekend. Do you still want the hides if we bag a couple?”
“Yeah. Any deer skin you don’t want either.”
“What are you doin’ with them?” Colt asked.
“Tanning them and adding pieces to furniture. I’m not sure if it’ll work, so I need extra skins to experiment on.”
“I’ll pass the word along. I know Trev and Ed got permits to hunt damn
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