they’d broken ground on the new facility, Shane had found himself in Lexi’s vicinity more often than not. It was all he could do to prevent her from distracting him in his quest to win that coveted belt buckle. Being able to say Ride ’em High! was owned by a world all-around champion would help make the school the best in the country. Their facility offered everything from rodeo clown bullfighting and rough-stock training to barrel racing and roping, and Shane wanted his students to walk away with the confidence and knowledge it took to best any competitor they came across. What better way to do that than with a champion as your instructor?
“How about a drink at Slater’s Mill later?” Shane asked his best friend, Clay Tanner, when they arrived back at the stables. “I need some adult time, if you know what I mean.”
“All right.” Clay removed his saddle. “You need help returning the women to their cars?”
“Nope, Chase has those honors.” Shane removed his straw Stetson and wiped his brow with the back of his arm. The last day of June meant it was the start of the sweltering season. They’d designed the new facility with an indoor arena, and divided it in half. Hippotherapy had one side of the building and the rodeo school had the other. It would allow horse and rider to work without the Texas sun exhausting them. But at Kay’s insistence, until the official ribbon-cutting next week, instructors and students had to ride outside. Classes would be taught at the picnic tables near the main corral.
A few hours later, Shane made his way back to the main house for a shower and a change of clothes. After double-checking that Chase was staying in as the bunkhouse den dad for the night, Shane headed out for a kid-free evening. Slater’s Mill usual Saturday night crowd gathered near the bar. Different ball games played on the screens while Elvis Watts and his band belted out a cover of “Red Solo Cup.” Lifting a longneck to his mouth, he stopped midswig when he noticed a familiar sexy number shake and shimmy on the dance floor in turquoise boots and jeans so tight they must have been painted on.
Making his way through the crowd, he two-stepped next to her. “Hey, sugar britches, how’s that pulled muscle?”
Lexi swung to face him, not losing rhythm with the music. “It was a polite way of saying none of your business, Shane. Don’t take it personally.”
Before he responded, she danced her way to the edge of the floor and dropped into the circular booth where the regulars congregated. The roster had changed over the past year. Shane’s cousin Brandon and his wife Vicki had a little one to tend to at home, but Brandon still popped in from time to time to help bartend for his dad, Charlie, who owned the honky-tonk. Since adopting Ever, Cole and Tess stayed home most nights. Jesse and Miranda had two of their own on the way. The crowd had dwindled down to Bridgett, a waitress in town, Lexi, Clay and Chase. Shane wondered which of them would be the next to jump ship. At this rate, he was willing to bet he’d be the last one standing.
Placing his empty on the bar, he looked down the row of men, most sitting by themselves. Men once like him, now past their prime and alone. Was this his future? A lonely old man at a bar, night after night?
Kendra Anderson, Lexi’s cousin, slipped in next to him and handed Charlie her orders.
“When do you go on break?” Shane asked the well-rounded waitress.
“In about twenty minutes.” Her red tank top strained and dipped in the right places, leaving little to the imagination. “Let me guess, you’re going to drill me about Lexi again?”
“I need your advice—” Shane halted at her laughter.
“Either marry her or forget her, but stop flounder-flopping about it already.”
“We have a special guest singer tonight,” Elvis boomed from the stage. “Let’s give a big round of applause for our hometown girl, Lexi Lawson.”
Lexi slinked across the stage with her arms in the air, rousing the crowd. She turned her back to the audience and picked up a vintage red Fender Telecaster, tuning it to her satisfaction. When she played a twangy, steady beat, the crowd roared, recognizing the tune. Facing her audience, she strode to the microphone, owning the stage. Looking right at him, she began singing Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble.”
Mesmerized for a moment, he felt like they were alone and she was singing only to him, even if it wasn’t the nicest of songs. Breaking her gaze, Shane threw a ten on the bar and headed for the door. Her voice was as intoxicating as she was beautiful, and if he stayed a second longer, he’d wind up making a fool of himself in front of the entire town.
* * *
THE CROWD SCREAMING at her feet and the blinding lights didn’t block out the sight of Shane leaving. Opening a bottle of water that Bridgett handed her from the side of the stage, Lexi knew she’d probably upset Shane when she directed the song to him. Over the past few years she had watched the man drift from one woman to the next while he never cared how hard it was on her. Lexi still wasn’t sure how much he’d legitimately changed, but she had noticed he wasn’t catting around like he used to.
A part of her saw the old Shane she’d fallen in love with start to reemerge, but despite his newfound loyalty to her, she also knew the man had tunnel vision when it came to winning the championship. Admittedly, Lexi wasn’t sure what kind of life she’d be able to build with Shane when she was a little jealous of the dream he chased. Truth was, she blamed their demise on the rodeo.
The band invited her to sing a few more songs, and when she finally stepped off the stage with an adrenaline rush and smile of satisfaction, she searched the bar, but Shane still wasn’t anywhere in sight. Not that it mattered. She was perfectly capable of having a nice evening out without Shane Langtry. She’d been doing it for years, but if she was honest with herself, she’d concede that she did enjoy having him around.
Bridgett leaned into her once she was back in the booth. “I assure you he left empty-handed tonight.”
“Bridge, I’m not his keeper.” Lexi pulled her hair up and off her shoulders. “He’s a free man.”
“Oh, please, Shane hasn’t been a free man since you two broke up after high school. Someday you two will get a clue,” Bridgett said.
Kendra set a folded note and two beers on the table and popped the tops off. “Compliments of the man in the tan shirt at the bar.”
The three women turned to look at the stranger. He lifted a hand to wave and tipped his hat as Lexi read his scribble.
“Did you read this?” Lexi asked.
Kendra shook her head.
Lexi’s eyes narrowed as she rose from the booth, grabbed both bottles and honed in on the man.
“Oh, dear, what’s she going to do?” Kendra asked. “Charlie’s going to be ticked off at whatever it is.”
“This isn’t going to be good,” Bridgett replied. “I’ll settle our tab because I have a feeling this night is about to end.”
Weaving in and out of the crowd, Lexi approached the tawny-haired, middle-aged man with a mustache in dire need of a trim. She lifted her hands in front of her, the longnecks dangling from her fingers.
“Did you send these to my table?”
He winked. “I sure did.”
“So you thought it was appropriate to ask—how was it you put it?” Lexi unfolded the note and read it aloud. “For a redhead-and-brunette sandwich? Honestly, if that’s the extent of your creativity, I think we’d be incredibly bored.”
“I, uh, I can teach you a few things.” The man leered at her chest, making his greasy hair all the more obvious.
“Really? I can teach you a few things, too.” Lexi winked in return.
“I bet you can.” He openly gave her body a once-over while making a disgusting clicking noise with his tongue. “Where do we start?”
“Lesson one.” Lexi held