The Cowboy Meets His Match Read Online Free PDF Page B

the last person on earth she’d want to run into, he imagined, unless it was an opportunity to offer her suggestions. Still, he would’ve loved to watch her race. Maybe he could in the future.
    He sat and pulled a small notebook out of his shirt pocket and jotted some notes. Later, when he was back in his room, he’d update his PowerPoint, giving his initial thoughts, and incorporate the pictures he took this afternoon, pointing out how he’d redo the midway and food stands. He put the phone in his shirt pocket and headed back to his truck. He wanted to assess the roads leading into the rodeo grounds, which needed to be included in his overall plan, but as he drove away, he kept thinking of seeing Erin ride. When he worked on a rodeo, he never let his personal feelings interfere. There were a couple of times when the ladies he’d worked with wanted to take the relationship to another level, but he never did.
    But this time—he stopped the thought cold.
    What was wrong with him? Since his brother’s wedding, Sawyer had been having all sorts of weird thoughts, and he chalked up his reaction to Erin as post-wedding blues. Did men get those? Surely that was the explanation.
    * * *
    Stepping into the house after her ride, Erin ran into Aunt Betty. Her salt-and-pepper hair hung in two braids, tied off with twine. Her colorful skirt and white blouse, belted at the waist, were her normal garb. Auntie preferred traditional Navajo dress. Besides, she teased, she couldn’t fit into jeans the way Erin and her sister, Kai, could.
    Mother had called her sister after Dad’s stroke to come and watch over Erin’s younger brother, Tate, a senior in high school. Mom thought Tate needed Betty’s calming influence. Erin knew she should’ve come back with Auntie and Tate on Sunday, but wanted to stay to see how her father responded to the treatment the hospital provided.
    â€œThere you are. When I didn’t find you, I knew you were out on Dancer.”
    â€œI can’t fool you, can I?” Brushing a kiss across her aunt’s cheek, Erin walked to the sink and got a large glass of water.
    Betty studied her. “What’s wrong, Daughter?”
    In her mother’s family, grown aunts and cousins called the younger members of the family Daughter or Son . It meant you were never alone and always had eyes on you, which was both a blessing and a pain. Erin thought about trying to divert her aunt’s question, but no one got anything by Aunt Betty or Mother. They were nabbed every time they tried. Erin and her sister had learned not to try. Unfortunately, their brother, Tate, hadn’t.
    â€œI went to the board meeting in Dad’s place. They hired the other person who applied for the job.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter with those men?” Betty shook her head. “Someone should knock them in the head. They know you and how you’ve given to this town. If someone wants something done, you get a call, and that includes the children of board members. And they are not shy about asking for your help. You remember when Mel asked you to help Traci get through Algebra One? He wanted her to pass the class, but with you and your father tutoring her, she made a B minus. And then there was Chris Saddler’s boy wanting help with his science project—”
    â€œThat’s enough, Auntie. It’s done.” Erin didn’t want to dwell on what was. She slipped her arms around her shorter, rounder aunt. “Thanks for believing in me,” Erin whispered into her aunt’s hair.
    â€œYou carry too much on those small shoulders. Not every problem is yours to solve, Daughter.”
    Erin stepped back, blinking her eyes. “True, but I have ideas on how to help the rodeo, and I cannot turn away. Besides, Dad wanted me to take his place on the board.”
    Shaking her finger, Betty said, “Rest and take care of yourself. We don’t need another bird