Rodeo Rescuer. Lynette Eason

Her brothers would drop everything and rush to her side. But then she remembered Hank’s threats. “All it takes is one bullet,” he’d hissed. “And I’ve got plenty of those.”

      Mia came back and let the dogs inside. Shaggy, the white-and-brown terrier mix, leaped up onto the couch and settled himself on the end. Scrappie, a larger golden retriever, gave Tonya’s hand a wet kiss. She scratched his ears and smiled. Animals were such innocent and sweet creatures. She had to admit it would be nice to have your every need catered to. And to not have to worry if someone was trying to kill you.

      Or if they’d eventually succeed.

      “You all right?” Mia asked as she hung the leashes on their hooks.

      “I’m hanging in there.” Tonya forced a smile.

      “We have about an hour before we have to be at the arena. Did you eat?”

      “A granola bar. I’m not hungry. I think I’m going to go ahead and go over there. I want to check my barrel and get into costume in the dressing room.” And avoid thinking about last night.

      Mia frowned. “All right, let me grab my bag and we’ll go together. You probably don’t need to be walking alone.”

      Tonya hadn’t planned on it. She’d already decided to ask Seth if he’d walk with her. But maybe it was better this way. She’d already spent entirely too much time thinking about the handsome buckaroo. Not just in the past twenty-four hours but over the past year since Daniel’s death. Seth had been one of the first ones to offer his condolences in the face of his own grief over losing one of his best friends...and she hadn’t forgotten that. Only now her feelings had started to turn from friendship to more of an attraction. A romantic interest.

      The very idea scared her to death. She gathered her bag and scolded herself for her thoughts. There was no way she would put herself through that again. She refused to love someone who rode a bull for a living. Her heart had only just healed from losing Daniel. And while the grief had faded some, the guilt hadn’t.

      And besides, Seth was still nursing his own wounded heart. Tonya knew Glory had dumped Seth soon after he’d broken his leg. He hadn’t even been discharged from the hospital and she’d already written him off and walked out. Tonya had never cared much for the woman, but after that incident, she avoided being around her as much as possible.

      “I’m ready when you are,” Mia said. “Come on. We’ll take the golf cart. I don’t feel like walking. It was a late night.”