take amazing photographs.”
“Thank you. Kelly emailed me a few photos of clothes you’ve designed. I loved them.”
Okay, so maybe Emily had been a little hasty on the green eyed monster scale. Molly obviously had great taste. If she was willing to work with an unknown, highly motivated designer, then Emily was her woman.
Cody cleared his throat. “Now that you’ve got that settled, I wonder if you’d like to sample some Montana hospitality while you’re here, Molly?”
Emily hoped her brother was talking about food and not himself. “Haven’t you got something else you need to do?”
“You’re right.” Cody looked at the camera slung over Molly’s shoulder. “They’re about to present Kaylee’s family with the money we raised tonight. Do you want me to introduce you to her parents?”
“That would be grand,” Molly said. “My sister’s on Kaylee’s fundraising committee. I’ve been taking lots of photos so that people can buy copies off a website we’ve started.”
Cody looked suitably impressed. He linked Molly’s arm through his and wandered across the room, ignoring everyone except the stunning brunette walking beside him.
“I think Cody’s in love,” Alex said.
“Cody’s always in love,” Emily sighed. “I just hope he remembers that Molly’s only here for a vacation. A bit like you.”
Alex frowned. “What do you mean? My ranch is about half an hour from here, and it isn’t going anywhere.”
“But you will. As soon as your leg’s healed you’ll be traveling around the country from one rodeo to the next. I bet you’ve already got a schedule of events stuck in your brain.”
“I’ve got to get a clearance from Doc Johnson before I go anywhere.”
“When do you see him again?”
Alex glanced across the room. “The presentation’s about to start.”
Emily stared at his stubborn jaw. She picked another feather off the floor, giving him time to sort out whatever was running around his brain. When he still didn’t answer, she put her chicken hat on top of her head. “I’ll see you later. I need to go before I lose more feathers.”
She turned toward the back of the room and left Alex staring into space.
Alex’s dad leaned over the rail on the bucking chute, checking the bull rope wrapped around his student’s hand. Alex couldn’t hear what his dad was saying, but the low murmur of his voice was strong and steady. His dad had a way of making people feel at ease. Of giving them the extra push they needed to take them beyond what they thought was possible.
Most of the other students had headed inside, tired and bruised after being thrown more than once in the arena. The kid sitting in the chute would have been no more than sixteen years old. He’d had a rough time with the last bull and had come back for a final ride before calling it a night.
With a nod of the kid’s head, the chute gate was thrown open, releasing a thousand pounds of bucking bull into the arena. Alex watched the rider lean forward, rising with the bull before crashing back to the ground, back arching, holding on tight.
The bull spun to the left. The kid hadn’t seen it coming and his body lurched sideways, so close to being thrown that it was a wonder he didn’t hit the dust then and there. But by some miracle he held on, making eight seconds for the first time all weekend.
The kid let go of the bull and landed on the ground. The whoop of delight that filled the arena bought a smile to Alex’s face. He remembered being that young, being able to forget about the aches and pains of the day. Being able to do the same thing the next day and the day after that.
“He’s good. Could be almost as good as you if he puts the practice in.”
Alex turned to his dad. “He listened to what we talked about for his chute exit. It set him up for the first few seconds.”
Jim Green watched the last ranch hand leave the arena. He pushed his hat back. Alex waited while his dad
“Thank you. Kelly emailed me a few photos of clothes you’ve designed. I loved them.”
Okay, so maybe Emily had been a little hasty on the green eyed monster scale. Molly obviously had great taste. If she was willing to work with an unknown, highly motivated designer, then Emily was her woman.
Cody cleared his throat. “Now that you’ve got that settled, I wonder if you’d like to sample some Montana hospitality while you’re here, Molly?”
Emily hoped her brother was talking about food and not himself. “Haven’t you got something else you need to do?”
“You’re right.” Cody looked at the camera slung over Molly’s shoulder. “They’re about to present Kaylee’s family with the money we raised tonight. Do you want me to introduce you to her parents?”
“That would be grand,” Molly said. “My sister’s on Kaylee’s fundraising committee. I’ve been taking lots of photos so that people can buy copies off a website we’ve started.”
Cody looked suitably impressed. He linked Molly’s arm through his and wandered across the room, ignoring everyone except the stunning brunette walking beside him.
“I think Cody’s in love,” Alex said.
“Cody’s always in love,” Emily sighed. “I just hope he remembers that Molly’s only here for a vacation. A bit like you.”
Alex frowned. “What do you mean? My ranch is about half an hour from here, and it isn’t going anywhere.”
“But you will. As soon as your leg’s healed you’ll be traveling around the country from one rodeo to the next. I bet you’ve already got a schedule of events stuck in your brain.”
“I’ve got to get a clearance from Doc Johnson before I go anywhere.”
“When do you see him again?”
Alex glanced across the room. “The presentation’s about to start.”
Emily stared at his stubborn jaw. She picked another feather off the floor, giving him time to sort out whatever was running around his brain. When he still didn’t answer, she put her chicken hat on top of her head. “I’ll see you later. I need to go before I lose more feathers.”
She turned toward the back of the room and left Alex staring into space.
Alex’s dad leaned over the rail on the bucking chute, checking the bull rope wrapped around his student’s hand. Alex couldn’t hear what his dad was saying, but the low murmur of his voice was strong and steady. His dad had a way of making people feel at ease. Of giving them the extra push they needed to take them beyond what they thought was possible.
Most of the other students had headed inside, tired and bruised after being thrown more than once in the arena. The kid sitting in the chute would have been no more than sixteen years old. He’d had a rough time with the last bull and had come back for a final ride before calling it a night.
With a nod of the kid’s head, the chute gate was thrown open, releasing a thousand pounds of bucking bull into the arena. Alex watched the rider lean forward, rising with the bull before crashing back to the ground, back arching, holding on tight.
The bull spun to the left. The kid hadn’t seen it coming and his body lurched sideways, so close to being thrown that it was a wonder he didn’t hit the dust then and there. But by some miracle he held on, making eight seconds for the first time all weekend.
The kid let go of the bull and landed on the ground. The whoop of delight that filled the arena bought a smile to Alex’s face. He remembered being that young, being able to forget about the aches and pains of the day. Being able to do the same thing the next day and the day after that.
“He’s good. Could be almost as good as you if he puts the practice in.”
Alex turned to his dad. “He listened to what we talked about for his chute exit. It set him up for the first few seconds.”
Jim Green watched the last ranch hand leave the arena. He pushed his hat back. Alex waited while his dad
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