Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
“Come again?” Dirk said. His voice sounded closer, and I could tell he had made his way over to me.
I faced him. “I’m done. Retiring from roping.”
Dirk’s mouth nearly fell to the floor. “Tanner, you can find another roping partner. Just because Chance doesn’t have his heart in it anymore doesn’t mean you have to give it up.”
I smiled and walked out of the stall, locking it behind me. “I appreciate you giving me advice, Dirk, but my heart hasn’t been in it a hundred percent for a while now. I think I was actually ready to leave before Chance decided he was.”
“What?” Dirk asked, his voice laced with surprise. “But you love it.”
With a nod, I agreed. “I do…I did. But the last few months I’ve discovered I love this more. The ranch. My family. Being home.”
He grinned. “Does a little blonde, green-eyed beauty have anything to do with this decision?”
I returned his grin with one of my own. “She has something to do with it, yes.”
Dirk almost looked relieved. “I’m glad you both realized your attraction to each other like the rest of us did.”
“We’re taking it slow.”
He placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I really am happy for you, Tanner.” Dirk walked back over to his mat and got into another weird ass position.
“What about you, Dirk? You ever going to take the leap and settle down with one woman?”
He laughed. “Hell no. I’ve got a plethora of women at my disposal. Why would I want to give that up?”
“So no plans to slow down?” I asked.
He looked up at me from where he was sitting on the floor. “Slow down? I just won the world championship. I’m going to give it my all to win it again next year. Hell-to-the-no am I going to slow down. Not for anyone, especially one woman.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, a year ago I thought the same damn thing.”
“No offense, Tanner, but you and I are nothing alike. I like my endless flow of women who are eager to share my bed. I like the no commitment. The thrill of chasing a woman. I like my life exactly how it is. You may have acted like you played the field, but we both know the truth. You’ve most likely been itching to settle down for a while and just didn’t realize it.”
It wasn’t long ago that I thought along the same lines. Not as extreme as Dirk, who gave new meaning to the word manwhore. But a part of what he said was true. I had known something was missing for a while now. Just took me coming back home after a long-ass time on the road to finally figure it out.
I shrugged and gave him a smile. “You don’t see yourself wanting to settle down? Have a family?”
He scoffed. “A family! Bite your damn tongue, son!” He stood, his entire body shivering before he dropped back down on the mat. “Jesus, you’re giving me the heebie-jeebies, dude!”
“Heebie-jeebies?” I repeated as I tossed my head back in laughter. I glanced down at him as I walked by and said, “What are you, in middle school?”
Dirk laughed and then bent his back so much that I nearly gagged at how he was contorting his body.
“Right, I’m going to let you get back to your…yoga. Have fun.”
Dirk drew in a deep breath, then let it out. “You don’t know what you’re missing out on, Tanner.”
Grabbing another feed bucket on my way out of the barn, I called out, “I’ll take your word for it, Dirk.”
As I continued walking away from him, I mumbled under my breath, “What the fuck happened to you, dude?”
We all spent the rest of the day getting everything ready for a major storm that was approaching later in the evening. Needless to say, everyone was running around like the damn world was ending. It was the first major winter storm of the season, and it looked to be a big one.
“Did you get the water trough heaters in?” my father asked as he walked into the small office in the main barn.
Brock sat at the desk as Ty looked over Brock’s shoulder as they read the weather report. I sat in the corner, attempting to rest my body for a few minutes. I’d been going nonstop since daylight.
“Yes, they’re all in,” Ty answered, not looking over at my father.
“What are they looking at?” Dad asked, sitting down next to me.
“The latest weather report. Sounds like it’s going to be worse than they thought. I’m thinking we bring the horses in from the pastures.”
Dad nodded. “There’s plenty of room in the barns; let’s do it.”
I stood. “I’ll take Rosie—she doesn’t mind the wind and she’s already in the barn.”
Brock turned and looked at me. “Rosie isn’t in the barn.”