The Bull Rider's Brother Read Online Free PDF Page A

lose? “Sure. Call me this week and we’ll finalize plans.”
    For some reason as Cash walked away her mom’s favorite quote kept coming into her head: The devil you know, Lizzie, the devil you know.
    Sucking in a breath, she pulled out her cell phone. Speaking of devils, how was she going to keep JR home and out of sight for the two days before James would be on his way to Sioux Falls? The answering machine picked up her call.
    “Hey guys, pick up.” She waited for a few seconds then left a brief message asking them to stay home. She didn’t hold out much hope they’d get it before they left for town, but she’d tried. She had even less hope of them actually listening to her plea if they did hear the message. Sighing, Lizzie signed for the check and finished her coffee. It was time to find Barb and see if had any ideas on how to keep JR and James separated.
    There had to be a way. She uttered a silent prayer.
    God, I know liars never prosper and it’s breaking one of your commandments, but please help me keep my secret.
    • • •
    “Lizzie looks great.” Jesse sped toward the rodeo grounds. He glanced over at his brother, slumped in the passenger seat. “Okay, I give, what’s up with you?”
    “Besides the fact I can’t get you to commit to a summer schedule? And the fact the one woman I could see spending my life with is here, in town, and I’m screwing it up again by catering to your every whim?” James could feel his neck getting hot under the collar of his western shirt.
    “Whoa, buddy. You make me sound like a needy old lady.” Jesse grinned. His eyes were covered by another pair of the three hundred dollar sunglasses he bought and lost like cheap toys.
    “You are a needy old woman.” James shot back. He settled into the seat. This wasn’t Jesse’s fault. How could he prove to Lizzie how much he’d changed when he still let Jesse run him ragged every waking moment of the day? Jesse didn’t need him running his life. Time to make his own life. Whether here or the place he owned near Boise. But he couldn’t keep running around like a teenager. He didn’t want to. Not when he remembered everything he’d wanted with Lizzie. “Sorry Jess, I have a lot on my mind.”
    “Like I said, Lizzie looks great. You’d think she was still Homecoming Queen. A lot of the girls we graduated with have kids and a few extra pounds. They look like moms. Not Lizzie. She looks amazing.” Jesse turned up the radio, humming along with an old Garth Brooks song.
    “How do you know I’m thinking about Lizzie?”
    “Dude.” Jesse turned and lowered his sunglasses. “Seriously, did you see how hot she looked this morning in those Ropers? I can’t believe you could eat sitting next to that.”
    “You don’t need to be looking.” James slugged his brother. Lizzie always looked amazing — and damn it now the heat under his collar had less to do with being pissed at Jesse and more to do with wanting Lizzie.
    The truck cab quieted for a few minutes. Jesse pulled the truck off the highway onto the dirt road leading up the hill to the rodeo grounds. Then —
    “Angie wants to spend some time with you.” Jesse’s comment came from nowhere.
    “I don’t even know why she’s here. I told her and I’ve told you, I’m not interested in a conversation or a relationship.” James grabbed his hat as they parked, the dust still flying from the road.
    “Give her a chance, James. She wants to get to know us.”
    “Maybe she should have thought of that when she took off,” James bit out. Three months ago Jesse had returned from a night of carousing accompanied by the surprise of a lifetime: their runaway mother. “Angie,” as she called herself now, had apparently been following the rodeo circuit looking for them since she’d seen Jesse’s name listed among the riders a season or so ago. Wanting to make amends. James shook his head. “Jesus, what were you thinking having her come here of all places?”
    “I