LITMIR.BIZ

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      “Dammit! I forgot about that!”

      She checked her watch. “You have to be there in an hour. You might want to—”

      “Shower and shave?” he asked.

      “Might be a good idea since you are going to be on television.”

      “I remember now.” He adjusted his crutches to get up from the chair. “They are doing a segment on bull riding.”

      “Here’s some more news, Reed. I am now your personal assistant, too. In addition to my other duties here in your father’s office, I am supposed to ‘facilitate your recovery,’ according to your agent and Luke.” There was an incredulous tone to her voice, like she couldn’t believe she had to add Reed’s circumstances to her original duties. “Also, Mr. Kessler is worried that you keep missing your appointments and public appearances. And you are supposed to keep your leg elevated. I also have to make sure you make the appearances that your agent arranged. Sounds like a contradiction. And I’ll be getting paid extra.”

      “Then I’ll make it worth your while!”

      “Don’t even think about it,” she said. “But tell me about your knee.”

      “The medical staff think that my meniscus might heal on its own. I’ll need surgery if it doesn’t.”

      “Then you’ll have to keep it up whenever possible. Now, go and take a shower, and make it quick. And if it sounds like I’m nagging you, it’s because I am!”

      Reed saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”

      He hated being laid up, but he was getting a kick out of the fact that she agreed to look out for him. “I’m getting back to the PBR as soon as I can. The Beaumont brothers have the first three slots tied up. I can’t stay on the injured list for any length of time or some young rider will take my place.”

      “I hear you, but first things first. I’ll get you to the TV station, since you can’t drive with a torn meniscus.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” He tweaked his hat with his thumb and forefinger, and crutched to his room, where he’d tossed his duffel bag.

      After pulling out clean clothes, he went to the bathroom off the bedroom he would forever think of as his. He shucked off his clothes and adjusted the shower water until it was just lukewarm.

      No matter how far away he was, he always wanted a home to come back to, and the Beaumont Ranch was the place. For some reason, it felt even more like home with Callie here.

      And if it wasn’t for Amber, they would have lost the ranch completely in a tax auction. Thankfully, Amber had made it a point to go to a PBR event and told Luke that he’d better get back and rescue the ranch, not only from the auction block but from the damage that Hurricane Daphne had done eighteen months prior.

      Luke had contacted Jesse and Reed, and the “Three Musketeers” sprang into action and sank every penny they received from their bull-riding winnings into fixing up the ranch.

      Reed took the fastest shower of his life. He got dressed, grabbed his crutches and went back to Big Dan’s study, where he found Callie hard at work.

      * * *

      CALLIE’S HEART DID a little leap in her chest when she looked up and saw Reed in the study.

      His hair was sticking up in places and it was still wet. He looked...gorgeous.

      He wore a long-sleeved baby blue shirt that stretched across his muscled chest.

      “So, you’re my new personal assistant?” He grinned, then winked.

      “Don’t go all juvenile on me.”

      “But we’ll have fun,” Reed said.

      “Don’t bug me, Reed.”

      “Is that a challenge?” he asked.

      “It’s a fact.”

      “We’ll see about that, Miss Callie. We’ll see.”

      Callie couldn’t help peeking as Reed walked to the front door. That cowboy could really work a pair of jeans, even on crutches. No wonder the buckle bunnies were always after him. Reed was one hunk of a man.

      But she wasn’t interested. Her past love life was like a soap opera and she was canceling the show. She didn’t want to think about her past relationships now, if ever.

      Callie found her car keys in the deep recesses of her purse and held the door open so Reed could crutch through. His aftershave wafted around her. Pine and leather. Strong scents. Strong, like Reed.

      No. She wasn’t going to think things like that. He was just a client, not boyfriend material. He hadn’t been after high school and nothing had changed. In fact, she was even more wary of getting involved with yet another man.

      Callie was just tired of putting effort into another relationship. She was tired, just plain tired.

      Reed’s magnetism was lethal and, therefore, Callie had to be extra cautious. She had to reinforce that wall around her and wear a Kevlar vest to protect her heart.

      They both slid into her ancient SUV and Callie turned the key. It started with a moan and a groan, but it started. She patted the dashboard. “Good job, Ruby.”

      “Ruby?” Reed asked as she aimed the vehicle toward the long exit out of the ranch.

      “It used to be red, but now it’s mostly faded to pink. I should call it Pinky.”

      He grinned. “I’m guessing that it’s about ten years old.”

      “Close. It’s twelve years old.”

      He chuckled. “You really should put it out of its misery.”

      “Then what do I drive?” she asked.

      “Another car. Maybe something newer.”

      “When you find a money tree, let me know where it is.”

      “Oh, I see. Sorry.” Reed was quiet for quite a while before he started talking again.

      “Callie, I’ll never forget the day and night of our senior prom. I loved taking you and showing you off. And at graduation, when you were valedictorian, your speech was a pitch for the graduates to stay in Beaumont and make it bigger and better. I liked that.”

      “I figure that only about one-third of them moved. I’ve kept track throughout the years. Some even returned.”

      Reed snapped his fingers. “Let’s throw a reunion. We can have it at the practice arena on the ranch. I’ll order some tents. It’d be great to see everyone.”

      “You want to have a party on the same spot where you practice riding bulls?”

      “Yeah. I don’t have any practice bulls here yet, if it’s the manure you’re thinking of.”

      Callie couldn’t plan a party right now. She had enough work to do being the personal assistant to the Beaumonts. “Um, uh...maybe when I have everything organized, having a reunion is something to think about.”

      “Don’t you ever have fun, Callie?”

      “Basically...no. Not since high school. I’ve been juggling many balls in the air. I have responsibilities and obligations.”

      “Responsibilities and obligations? Sounds serious.”

      “It is. They are.” She decided to change the subject because she sounded like such a dud. Maybe she was, but such was life. “I liked the prom. If I remember correctly, Tiffany McGrath, head cheerleader, was the prom queen and you were king.”

      “I wonder what Tiff is doing now.”

      “She lives on Maple Street and has three kids. She married Josh Nelson. Remember how everyone called him Nerdy Nelson? He’s not.

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