Her Rodeo Cowboy by Debra Clopton Page B

holding Tate in her arms out of his mind. Her bright eyes, her soft skin, and the gentle look of a loving mother touched him. He thought about that all the way home. She was focused, perceptive and interesting. He was drawn to that. As a rule, he didn’t talk about his personal life on his dates. At least not like he and Montana had done. He didn’t care to rehash a past that he hadn’tenjoyed nor been able to control. He didn’t like thinking about his dad. What kind of man would destroy his own life and then almost destroy his own sons? It was something he’d never understood. And nothing he’d ever talked about. Though there had been a moment there when he’d been tempted to tell Montana everything. He’d been tempted to see what her take on his dad would be. How she’d analyze Leland Holden. She’d pegged his mom’s motivations dead-on. Like hitting the nail with a hammer in one strong strike she’d done so with his mom. It was almost as if she understood because of insight. Deep insight that only came from a true understanding.
    Pulling into his carport, he turned off the ignition and sat staring out at the darkness. What in Montana Brown’s background gave her that kind of insight into his life?

Chapter Eleven
    â€œL uke! Watch it—the calf,” Jess yelled from where he was separating the calves from the herd. The air was thick with the sound and scent of dusty cattle.
    â€œSorry,” Luke said. “My fault.” He was supposed to be opening the gate.
    â€œWhere’s your head, man? That’s the fourth calf I’ve had to cut out again.”
    â€œIt’s on Montana,” Colt called from where he was giving shots at the chute. “I heard he got set up last night.”
    â€œOh, really now,” Jess rested his arm on his saddle horn. “Why haven’t I heard about this? I’m in town way more than Colt.”
    â€œI thought we were working cattle. Not talking about my private life.”
    That got hoots of laughter from both his brothers.
    Colt gave the calf its shot, looking up as he released it from the steel chute. “Private. What’s private about it? All they’re talking about between conversationsabout the rodeo and festival is you and Montana. What I heard at the diner first thing this morning was the posse got you out there to a false committee meeting. App said you had dinner with Montana.”
    â€œHow did App know?” Luke asked.
    â€œHe said Hank came in around six. Esther Mae had been out at Norma Sue’s—at the real committee meeting—and came home all excited about you and Montana having dinner together.”
    Luke scowled. “How did they know we had dinner?”
    â€œSo you did have dinner.” Jess was all ears now.
    â€œI’m not denying it. I went out there thinking I was going to a committee meeting and it was just Montana watching Tate while Lacy and Clint went on a date. We ended up having dinner and talking.”
    â€œSo, what did you think of her?” Colt stared at him through the bars of the squeeze chute. “I figured she might have sent you packing. Did she know it was a setup?”
    â€œShe realized what was going on before I did. And I like her. She’s…” He paused, thinking about the evening. “She’s observant and funny and interesting.”
    He saw the wide-eyed look that passed between his brothers. “What’s wrong with that?”
    Jess straightened in the saddle. “Nothin’. We didn’t say anything. You, on the other hand, said plenty.”
    â€œI had dinner with her at her cousin’s house with a sleeping baby. What’s the big deal?” He wasn’t sure why he was being so testy, but he was. He’d had dinner with other women, no big deal.
    â€œColt, you ever seen him get defensive over a woman?”
    â€œNope. Never. What’s up with that,