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have to come. Have you ever seen a rodeo?”
    Gabby shook her head. “No, I’ve seen movies, of course, and cowboys on TV, but I’ve never seen a real rodeo before. It depends on when my family is leaving town.”
    Dave and Jed regaled her about tales of bull riding for a few minutes before Cooper sat down beside her and rubbed her back. He said, “Gabby, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. I know you two sort of met the other day, but I’d like you to meet properly. Susan, this is Gabby. She’s staying with me while she works on the ranch.”
    Gabby graciously extended her hand to the striking blonde, who hesitated a beat too long before taking it in the briefest of touches.
    Cooper said, “Sit down, Susan. You two will want to get to know each other. Gabby, Susan’s father owns the next ranch over from us, and provides the bulls for the rodeos y’all were just talking about. Our families have always been close.”
    Susan looked as if that thought were the farthest from her mind, but when Cooper looked at her expectantly, she smiled coolly. “Of course we will. You just come on over any time you want, hon, and we’ll have a grand old time.”
    Gabby smiled, equally coolly. “Thank you for the offer, Susan. It’s very kind.”
    Gabby knew the moon would crash-land on Texas before she would be having a grand old time with Susan Jacobs.
    Susan said, “So what do you do… Tabby, is it?”
    “It’s Gabby, and I do all sorts of things. Right now I’m just learning the ropes, so to speak.”
    Cooper chuckled. “Yeah, we’re not quite letting her drive the combines yet.”
    Susan laughed a little too long at the joke while Gabby just turned red. Susan then felt she had to tell the rest of the table about Gabby’s wreck with the goat, the fence, and the pig.
    When everyone but Gabby had finished laughing, Cooper said, “Well, that’s enough of that story. How’s the barrel racing going, Sue?” He explained for Gabby’s benefit, “Sue here is a champion barrel racer.”
    Susan said, “It’s going great, I have a competition next weekend and another in Oklahoma next month. Will you be able to make it?”
    Cooper shook his head. “‘Fraid not, kiddo. I’m too wrapped up in the ranch. I’ll wish you luck like always though. I know you’ll do great.”
    Gabby asked, “So what do you do in barrel racing?”
    Cooper explained, “Well, you ride a specific pattern around the barrels in the shortest time possible without knocking the barrels over. It takes a very skillful rider.”
    Aggie said, “Cooper rode the bulls in his younger days. Talk about skill…”
    Susan jumped in to gush over Cooper. “Oh, he was fearless. Daddy said he was one of the best he’d ever seen, and he raises the bulls so he’s seen them all.”
    Cooper said, “I was lucky I wasn’t stomped or gored is what I was.”
    Aggie said, “But you are coming to the fair, right?”
    Cooper looked at Gabby. “I think Miss Gabby will still be here by then, it’s just a weekend after her family’s engagement so I think it will be perfect. What do you say, Gabby?”
    Gabby looked around. “Maybe we could invite the rest of the Rennies and have a real invasion.”
    Aggie said, “Perfect, the more the merrier, and the more people paying into the town coffers.”
    The only person who didn’t look happy about this development was Susan, at least until Cooper said, “You are still coming over to help with Blue Boy tomorrow, aren’t you, SueBee?”
     
    * * *
     
    Gabby slapped the paint roller against the barn again and cast a sidelong glance at the training paddock. Susan sat on Blue Boy as he danced close to Cooper, who was looking up giving instructions to Susan. Gabby shook her head, clenched her teeth, and ran her roller down the side of the barn, leaving a red streak. She continued, pressing the roller hard against the wood, sending a spray of fine red paint over her face and hair. She turned again to dip her roller, and