Cowgirl Up Read online

  They called Lacey’s name. She lined up the mare, then shot ahead for her turn. In a few seconds, she zipped past on the exit side.

  “Next up is Trinity Crocket. Trinity is following in her mother, Lora’s, footsteps. Some of you might recognize the big gray stallion she’s riding, Victory’s Legacy. That’s right. A colt by the great thoroughbred stud and Kentucky Derby winner, Another Victory Gallop, and her mother’s champion barrel racing mare, Twilight Star.”

  Trinity drew in a breath but forced herself to nudge Legacy toward the center of the lane and focus straight ahead on the course.

  She ignored the cheers, the booming voice, the blinking lights of camera flashes. Her world narrowed down to three barrels.

  Then she squeezed her thighs and hung on as Legacy surged ahead. The distance flew by in a blur as she checked his turn, ensured the barrels stayed up in order to avoid a time penalty, before turning for home. She called to him, saw the stands blur by, then found herself outside blinking at the sunset.

  Slowing him down, she finally took him to a walk, then pivoted around. She needed to hear her time and stick around in case she claimed first prize as all winners were expected to take a lap around the arena in celebration. A victory lap, after each and every round. Something she planned to do often.

  Cody watched Trinity streak by and exit the building, a low whistle slipping out. Her stallion might be considered too big for a barrel racer and many believed a thoroughbred, even a cross, didn’t stand a chance. She just proved them all wrong with a perfect run.

  “Sixteen-fifty-two.”

  Holy shit.

  She just missed the arena record by two hundredths of a second. On her first night out. Not a bad start at all.

  The crowd murmured all around him, whispered compliments filled with awe. More than one voice marveled at Legacy and wondered how in the world Trinity ended up with a son of one of the most famous racehorses of their time.

  He did too.

  “That’s one hell of a horse.”

  Cody peered to his left, recognized the man, and gave a quick nod. “Yeah.”

  His uncle drew abreast and folded his arms over the top rung of the pen, in a mirror image of Cody. Jared, his father’s brother, lived and breathed rodeo for as long as Cody could remember. After participating for years as a roper, he graduated to director of the rodeo association, a position he still held.

  Three months ago, Cody hit the doldrums with discouragement and restlessness. Unsure where to go or what direction to turn, Jared approached him about a position with the rodeo association. With nothing to lose and spurred by good memories of his past days as a steer wrestler, Cody immediately accepted. He hadn’t regretted a single day since.

  His attention returned to the arena where Trinity reappeared to take her victory lap. Her stud fanned his tail, loped around the enclosure with long, sure strides, and held the crowd’s attention. He found himself staring as well. Seeing but not quite believing the grand equine specimen parading in front of him.

  “Damn fine. One of the best I’ve ever seen.”

  Cody concurred. “Dad would give just about anything to get a few colts from him.”

  Jared grinned. “He’d be standing here drooling like a baby right now.”

  The image caught Cody as funny. He smiled and nodded his head. His father and Jared loved one another, but like typical brothers, couldn’t let a little elbowing opportunity pass without saying something.

  Trinity glided out of the area, her long braid bouncing on her back, piquing his curiosity once more.

  “What do you know about Trinity? I barely remember her in high school rodeo. Never thought she’d return to the circuit, especially after so many years.”

  His uncle turned to meet his gaze. “Her mother was Lora Crocket, great barrel racer of her time.”

  “Was?”

  “Yeah. Heard she passed away a few months ago. Breast cancer.”

  Cody’s gut clenched for Trinity’s loss. “What about her father?”

  Jared shrugged. “Rumor has it, Trinity is Buck Troutman’s illegitimate daughter compliments of a one-night stand with Lora. He’s never publically recognized Trinity or addressed the gossip, so who knows.”

  Anger flared. What kind of man would father a child, even in the heat of passion, then turn his back on his responsibility? Pretty chicken shit way to be.

  “Trinity quit riding when her mother got sick. Guess since she’s alone now, she decided to give racing another try.” Jared paused, then continued. “Don’t know the story behind that stud of hers, but it’s got to be a good one.”

  “I imagine.”

  He didn’t doubt Jared’s information. The man knew anything and everything about the rodeo, the stock, the competitors, and all the juicy gossip. Not that he circulated the hearsay around, but he always kept one ear to the ground and never forgot a single tidbit. Would have made a damn good CIA agent if his interests leaned that direction. Instead, he focused on his baby, the Midwest circuit, and made a point to ferret out tiny details along the way.

  Armed with new information, Cody made a mental note to stop by and check on Trinity later on. Sounded like the girl could use another friend about now.

  “She caught your attention, huh?” Jared grinned knowingly.

  Cody barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Both his father and Jared tended to forget he passed the age of eighteen eons ago. Still, they meant well. In the way of all nosey old male relatives. “Not any more than the others.”

  Jared met his gaze and chuckled. “Been there myself, boy. And I’m not too old to forget what it’s like.” He stepped back and slapped Cody on the shoulder. “Just call me if you plan on bunking elsewhere besides the RV tonight. Would hate to mistake you for a thief should you come crawling in pre-dawn and shoot you in the knee.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Remember to load up some condoms too.”

  Cody stared at him drolly. At thirty-three years old, he’d long since bypassed the need for such reminders. Hell, he’d gotten around. More times than he could remember. All part of his wild playboy days. Just because his sex life came to a screeching halt recently didn’t mean he’d forgotten everything learned over the past fifteen years.

  Besides, his exploits weren’t up for discussion. Ever.

  Jared shot him a shit-eating grin before turning around and ambling off, still chuckling.

  Shaking his head, Cody went back to taking in the events, his thoughts returning to Trinity.

  No wonder she’d come across as a bit defensive and standoffish. An unclaimed result from a fling, then losing her sole parent. Tough times. Yet, she seemed to hold herself together well. He’d give her kudos for strength, intelligence, and tenacity.

  Admiration and respect grew.

  A man could do a lot worse than find a woman with those traits.

  “I want to stay here with you.” Tears pooled in Trinity’s eyes. Her mother appeared paler and weaker each day. She was living on borrowed time and they both knew it.

  “Trin. You have to. The points you earn from the Stampede and the paycheck are necessary for you to make it to the finals. Without them, you can’t possibly reach the big game.”

  “The finals can wait.” Trinity sniffed.

  Her mother smiled softly and cupped her cheek. “No, honey. That’s your dream and this is your best shot. You’ve got to go. Promise me.” Lora paused to suck in air, her hand trembling the slightest, a sign of the weak state of her cancer ridden body. “After I’m gone, promise me you’ll continue on. Fulfill our dream. Ride for me.”

  Trinity wiped away tears. How could she refuse her mother’s wish? She couldn’t. “I promise, Mom.”

  Lora nodded. “Good.”

  Their eyes met and held for a long time.

  “I see so much of myself in you.”

  Trinity’s heart broke a little more. “I’ll make you proud, Mom.”

  Lora grinned wider. “You already do.” Her whispe
red words faded as her hand fell.

  Trinity, with tears overflowing, caught her mother’s hand and held on tight. “I love you, Mom.”

  “I love you more, baby.”

  Trinity woke with a start, her nose stuffy and with tracks of moisture running down her cheeks. Using the sleeve of her sweatshirt, she wiped at them, then got up, dug through her bag, and found a tissue.

  How many times had she replayed that dream? Dozens? Each one left her worn and ragged. Not because of fear. No. Because instead of fantasy, this one was real. The exact memory of the last words she ever heard her mother speak. Minutes later, her mother passed away, leaving her alone in the world.

  After blowing her nose, she turned around to find Legacy staring at her as if in concern. She scrubbed at her face, entered the stall, then wrapped her arms around Legacy’s neck.

  He’d been with her through thick and thin. Through her mother’s diagnosis of breast cancer, through Trinity’s struggle to go to school and work in order to help pay the bills. Even with her mother’s excellent insurance from her teaching position, there were always more debts to be paid. Legacy became her best friend, her outlet, her support. Every day, she’d worked with him, trained, prepped, and practiced until she knew they could make it in the top twenty-five barrel racers in the country.

  She could have made it last season. Maybe. But the hit and miss attendance due to her mother’s condition held her back early on. Then as her mother worsened, she didn’t dare leave her for more than a few hours at a time. She abandoned her plans, took care of her mother with the help of hospice, and put the rest of her life on hold. Not that she cared. Her mother came first.

  Now, this year, she pulled out all the stops, throwing everything she had into qualifying for the huge finals rodeo. To live out her dream and her mother’s. The solitary goal she focused on. After all, she had a promise to fulfill.

  “Everything okay?”

  The sound of a male voice startled her.

  Legacy snorted and sidestepped in reaction.

  Trinity released her hold on the big horse, but kept a hand on his warm, smooth flesh, both as a reassurance for him and support for herself. She drew in a breath and faced Cody. “Yeah. We’re fine.”

  His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t make a move, only stood there with his arms relaxed at his sides, watching her intently. His gaze dropped to the foldout cot she used for a bed, then returned to her face. “Why are you still here? The barns closed a while ago. Everyone’s supposed to be out.”

  “Then why are you here?” She tossed the question back at him.

  He didn’t even purse his lips before answering smoothly. “Checking on the animals. All part of the job.”

  Rubbing Legacy’s soft muzzle when he turned her direction, Trinity collected herself. “I never leave him alone when we’re on the road.”

  “Why not?”

  “For a few reasons. Namely, he doesn’t tolerate people and he’s caught more than his share of attention this season. I don’t trust people around him.” And he’s all I’ve got left. Those words she bit back, not daring to open her already wounded heart even more.

  He appraised her for a moment longer before speaking. “Being alone in the barns at night probably isn’t the safest place to be.”

  She stared back at him, a tiny flame of hope flaring at his protective attitude, but she quickly stamped it down. “I can handle myself.”

  His gaze flicked from her to Legacy. “Doesn’t hurt to have a one ton guard dog either.” For the first time, a hint of a grin crossed his lips.

  She relaxed and accepted the olive branch. “There’s that.”

  “Care to share how you ended up with him?”

  Dozens of people pestered her to hear how she managed to get a colt out of one of the premier thoroughbred racehorses of the time. She refused to tell anyone, citing they needed to mind their own business. However, for once, she actually wanted to spill the beans, to tell the tale, to share a small part of herself with someone.

  Wide awake despite the late hour, she decided to take a chance. Besides, what else did she have to do at one in the morning? Toss and turn on the makeshift bed, sit alone in the dark, or eat another sandwich? None of the options garnered more than half-hearted interest.

  “Okay. But this is between you and me.” With one more pat to her pet, Trinity left the stall, secured the door, then gestured to Cody to take the spare lawn chair nearby, the one Lacey plopped down in when hanging out with Candy during the day.

  He grabbed the chair, opened it with ease, and sat down near her own seat, his large body fitting, though a bit close. “My lips are sealed.”

  She bundled up her blankets, then plopped down on the cot, facing him. “I don’t know if you remember Star, my mother’s barrel racer.”

  “Black mare with lots of chrome? The one you rode when you were younger?”

  Chrome was slang for the white color on a horse’s legs and face. She was amazed Cody remembered her beloved pet who passed away just before her mother, making everything so much harder the second time around. “Yep. That was her. Well, she was older when I started riding in high school. My mother didn’t think Star could hold up to the rigors at her age, so we decided to breed her and start a new generation. Only her first foal was stillborn.”

  “That’s tough.” His lips thinned.

  “Mom signed her up as a nurse mare immediately and one of the thoroughbred farms responded in just a couple of hours. They had a sick mare needing surgery from foaling complications and a very expensive colt needing a mom. We agreed immediately, not just for the bit of money, but because Star was so depressed and upset. She needed a baby to care for.”

  “Then what happened?” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

  “We took Star to the farm, met with the manager and the foal’s owner. She offered a generous rental fee, but the manager also included a stud fee, as is typical with nurse mare contracts. They had a couple of quarter horse studs and could also work with other local stallion owners for that matter.” Trinity flashed back, remembering the expressions on people’s faces at her next words with satisfaction. “I tossed out the name Another Victory Gallop.”

  Cody’s eyebrow arched. “Gutsy.”

  “I recognized the woman after everyone was introduced. She owned not only the mare and baby, but Victory as well. Something told me the match would pay off, if I could get her to accept.”

  “How did you do that? His stud fee had to be astronomical.”

  Trinity smiled proudly. “One-hundred grand at the time, to be exact. It was his first breeding season after retiring as a three-year-old and nearly pulling off the Triple Crown.” She glanced up at her horse, then back to Cody. “She asked what I’d do with the colt. I told her, ‘ride him to victory at the barrel racing national championships’. She looked at me for a long time then agreed.”

  “Damn. I knew it had to be a good story.” He rubbed his chin with his index finger. “You trained him yourself, I take it?”

  “Yeah. He’s only known Mom and me in his life, which is another reason he’s not a social butterfly. Men aren’t his favorite because the only ones he’s ever seen are the farrier and the vet.”

  Cody smiled openly. “Understandable.” His expression softened considerably. “I didn’t know about your mother until today. I’m sorry.”

  Trinity soaked up his sympathy, but couldn’t suppress the pain in her chest, like a mule kick. Though Lora passed four months ago, she still had trouble speaking about her without choking up. “Thanks,” she managed to croak out as she forced the nearly overwhelming grief back down by staring at her feet and pulling on her stubbornness. Now wasn’t the time for a pity party.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Cody moving with fluid grace and ease from the chair in order to kneel before her. He used his finger under her chin to lift until she met his gaze. “You shouldn’t be alone.”

  She swallowed and puffed out some air, gatherin
g her wits about her and bristling the slightest. While she might want to curl up in Cody’s arms and let him keep the dreams and heartbreak at bay, pride refused to relent to such pampering. “I’m not. I have Legacy.”

  He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.”

  Turning her head, Trinity pulled away from his touch, his words pricking her independent nature, setting loose a barrage of anger. Her emotions, in such turmoil, proved volatile more often than not. Now wasn’t an exception. “I can take care of myself and my horse. He’s all I need. Period.”

  For a long time Cody didn’t move, just remained there frozen. Finally, he gained his feet, folded up the lawn chair, and returned it. He studied her for a long moment.

  Trinity refused to look away, her pride demanded she meet his gaze and hold steady, proving her strength and determination.

  “I used to think that same thing.” After softly offering up those words, he brushed past her, walking down the aisle, then out of sight.

  Perplexed, Trinity sat for a long time trying to understand the prophetic statement before tucking it away in lieu of much needed sleep. She stretched back out, adjusted the pillow, and sighed.

  She’d barely started the barrel-racing season and all kinds of issues started popping out of the woodwork.

  Yippee for me.

  Chapter Three

  A soft wolf whistle carried to her ears followed by two distinct male voices in conversation. “She can ride me anytime.”

  “I’ll take that stud, too.”

  “Heard she’s Buck’s love child.”

  “No shitting? Buck Troutman? Thought he just had that sex on a stick, redhead daughter with the fine ass. Damn. Why have I never heard that before?”

  “Because he doesn’t claim her? Because she’s stuck up and never talks to anyone? Because she’s a bitch and too good to hang out with the rest of us. Hell, she won’t give anyone the time of day. Even Gary. He’s hit on her and struck out.”