“I’m just...just...”

“You’ve got a hell of an attitude, little girl. And someday it’s gonna get you in trouble.”

“How do you know it hasn’t already?” she asked, lifting a brow.

It took him a minute to decide what she meant. If she was talking in innuendo or not. He decided ultimately that she wasn’t.

“Because you’d have learned,” he said.

“I’m a Dodge. We never learn the first time.”

She urged her horse forward and headed down the trail, and he did the same, allowing her to lead the way. Not just so he didn’t have to listen to an extensive critique on his form, which he imagined Jamie wouldn’t hesitate to give.

But because he enjoyed watching her. There was something fascinating and innate about the way that she worked with different horses.

“So you’re fixing to leave?” he asked.

“In a couple of years,” she said.

“That long from now?”

“I’m not sure I’m in competing form for professional barrel racing, not just now. Plus, I have to go through the process of turning pro and all that.”

“Sure. Familiar with it. Gotta get your card.”

She laughed. “Yes, and not embarrass myself. And also have the money to get started.”

“So that’s why you took the job with me.”

“I love working for Wyatt, but the pay is shit.”

“And does he know that you’re looking to get into the rodeo?”

“No,” she said, whipping her head around to look at him. “You can’t tell him.”

“I’m not that close with your brother. I’m not going to go talking about your business.”

“Good.”

“I think you overestimate the connection men have.”

“I don’t think so. Things come up. Why wouldn’t you mention it? I just need to make sure.”

“Why don’t you want him to know?” Gabe knew a fair amount about family expectation, but he was curious to know why, at her age, the influence of her older brother meant that much.

He’d been young when he flung himself into the rodeo headlong, and angry at his dad. Angry at the way the old man had tried to take control of his life, determined to prove that he couldn’t.

He was the oldest, so he’d considered that act to be a trailblazing one. One that would hopefully make it easier for Jacob and Caleb.

Now, his ideal rebellion would have been to buy a ranch and do what he’d been wanting to do on his father’s ranch there. But he’d had no money.

Still, he understood those angry impulses coming from somebody with no real power or understanding of the world. Someone fighting against a parent. He understood it less in context with her life.

“I don’t want his opinion or his interference. I don’t want him to make any phone calls to make it easier for me. I don’t want him spending his money on...a new horse trailer or giving me a bunch of money for hotels.”

“Yeah, what kind of monster would do something like that?” Gabe asked.