The Bull Rider's Collection by Lynn Cahoon Page B

people to disappear without a trace in this day and age the way she apparently had. Until, that is “Angie” and her lies showed up.
    In the backseat, JR made an mmm -ing noise, waiting for an answer.
    “No grandma, no grandpa.” Poor kid, he’d probably been hoping his long lost dad would appear with at least a new set of grandparents, if not a bustle of cousins. “But you have a new uncle.”
    “Yeah, Uncle Jesse. Does he have kids?”
    God, let’s hope not.
    “No. There’s just the two of us.” James glanced back at Lizzie’s car.
    “So did your mom and dad die?” JR kept at it like a starving dog with a chicken bone.
    “JR, they’re gone. I’m sorry.”
    “That’s okay. Now you have me and Mom.” JR turned around to look out the back window. “She’s a good mom. She’ll take care of you.”
    James grinned. Now the kid was trying to make him feel better. Lizzie had done a great job with him. James hoped he wouldn’t screw things up by stepping into the picture late. Too bad there wasn’t an owner’s manual on how to raise a five-year-old son.
    He turned the truck onto the main road. Two miles from the rodeo grounds, the traffic on the highway ground to a halt. Glancing at the clock, they were still two hours away from Jesse’s ride. Based on the number of pickups in line ahead of them, they might just make it.
    “Why’d we stop?” JR strained against the seat belt trying to see.
    “Too many people want to get to the same place we do.” Another glance in his side mirror caught Lizzie staring at him. She quickly averted her eyes when she saw him looking. “I bet your mom’s bored with no one to talk to.”
    “She says she never gets a quiet moment. Maybe she’s happy.” JR turned and waved until Lizzie waved back.
    “Or she’s rocking out to the radio.”
    “The radio doesn’t work. We sing songs all the way to town. Maybe she’s singing.”
    James sneaked another quick look in his side view. Nope, didn’t look like she was singing. Looked like she was gearing up for the worst. For nothing, he hoped.
    The phone in his pocket vibrated. He pushed the Bluetooth button on the dash and answered. “This is James.”
    “Where are you dude?” Jesse’s voice boomed over the speakers. “You didn’t come back to the room last night. I thought we’d have some time to talk.”
    “I’m on the highway outside the rodeo grounds. We’ll be there in a few minutes.” James cringed, realizing he’d said we. Maybe Jesse hadn’t heard.
    But like the five-year-old in the backseat, Jesse picked up everything James wasn’t ready to explain. “We? Is that why you didn’t show up last night? You found a little honey? Or are you doing the deed with Lizzie.”
    “No, he’s with me,” JR called out.
    “Who’s that?”
    “JR Hudson,” JR called back.
    James grabbed the cell and pushed the button to take the conversation private. “Look Jesse, we need to talk.”
    “Sounds like it.” Jesse sounded thoughtful. “Well, you know where to find me.” He hung up.
    James shook his head. That had gone well. Jesse could ask any of the locals everything he wanted to know about JR Hudson. Probably even find out that James was JR’s dad. Particularly since James had introduced JR to Mr. Cooper as his son before he’d said anything to his brother.
    Great thinking, Ace .
    “Who was that?” JR’s voice broke into James’s muddled thoughts.
    “Uncle Jesse. He’s waiting for us at the rodeo grounds.”
    “Do you think he’ll let me sit on a bull?”
    James choked. “Those bulls are dangerous. Don’t even think about climbing on one. It’s not like riding a sheep.” No wonder Lizzie wasn’t keen on JR mutton busting this year. Raising a child was a nightmare waiting to happen — especially when they had ideas like this.
    JR hung his head. “I just asked. No need to get mad.”
    “Just make sure you stay right with me when we meet your uncle. I don’t want to explain to your mom how you