Chapter Seventeen

 

 

TANK STARED at Buick from across the table at the IHOP. Him and Dalton sat together, Buick on the other side. Matt, Slim, and Tyler had taken an adjoining booth.

Buick just grinned like he was on top of the world. Tank wanted to kick him under the table. Hard.

“So we have three weeks off, and we’ve decided to see what brought you here. We missed you.” Butter wouldn’t melt in Buick’s mouth.

“Uh-huh. I thought you were headed to Colorado for Cattlemen’s Days.”

Buick shook his head. “That’s well after the Fourth, honey.”

“I’ll get y’all in contact with my brother, Dustin. He’ll get you on the roster.” Dalton’s voice was calm, not cool, but not particularly friendly. Neutral maybe.

“Thanks. I love to ride!”

Tank glared. Even if that wasn’t any kind of double entendre, it made him uncomfortable to hear it.

“What? You know it’s true. I can use all the points I can get, and so can the boys. It’ll bring people in.”

Dalton nodded to that. “If you’re going to ride for a few weeks, we’ll put it on our social media.”

“Cool. Jessop there is famous.”

Tank rolled his eyes, relaxing. “So are you, Buick. How come I never met your brother before?”

“I don’t know, man. He’s a roper. They’re strange birds.”

“Well, he’s here.” Tank waited, watching Buick’s well-known face.

“No shit?” Buick lit up like Christmas morning. “Let me text and see if he wants breakfast!”

So Buick hadn’t even known his brother was around….

Weird.

Dalton chuckled softly. “Not like my people, always in each other’s pockets, huh?”

“Nope.” Buick said it cheerfully. “We’d kill each other.”

“I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want to kill you at least some of the time, B,” Tank teased.

“It’s part of my charm.”

And wasn’t that the truth. Buick Davis was just who he was—bold as brass and brutally honest, free as a bird and uncompromising. Tank adored him and wanted to punch him in the face, all at once.

Dalton made a low noise, but Buick just laughed. “Aw, Dalton, you don’t know me yet. I really am charming.”

“And annoying,” Jessop popped back from behind them.

“Well, we’re tickled to have you riding, one way or the other. I’ll text Dustin.”

“Thanks.” As if that reminded him, Buick pulled out his phone, and his fingers flew. “Telling Dave where we are.”

Lord have mercy. If they weren’t careful, they’d take over.

“You inviting your people, Dalton?” he asked, and Dalton shook his head.

“Sister isn’t a morning person, and Dustin will be wanting breakfast tacos. I’ll pick them up along with Starbucks on the way back.”

“Good deal.” Tank could get behind a Starbucks. He could see why Dalton was an addict. The coffee at IHOP was appalling.

Dalton shot him a wink and a warm grin, one that suited him to the bone. He pressed the back of his hand to Dalton’s leg under the table, sharing the joke.

Buick’s eyes were sharp as tacks, watching him too close. Tank didn’t let it get to him. They’d had fun, but it had never been serious.

Tank was dead serious about Dalton, even if it seemed sudden to some folks.

He knew better. He’d been a good man and turned down a horny kid, but there was a big difference between fifteen and twenty-one, and twenty-three and twenty-nine. A big fucking difference.

Now was their time, and he’d be damned if he let go.

He winked at Buick, who had the good grace to laugh and look away.

What a turd. Tank couldn’t stay mad at him. He was just too happy and loving life too much for anyone to be all grr.

“So, this fair? Is it worth wandering?”

“It’s a little county fair, B. Canning and quilts and little kids showing bulls.”

“Oh, then I have to go.” Buick loved stuff like that, and he knew it. Of course, what Buick loved most was being recognized. “You interested in hanging with us, man? Just wandering for a couple of hours? I promise not to take you on the Tilt-A-Whirl.”

He glanced at Dalton, who kinda shrugged. Dalton would have to be at work long before him, so he could spare an hour or two. “Sure. I have to be back at work at three.”

“Rock on. We’ll explore, the lot of us. It’ll be like old times.”

“Old times. I’ve been gone two months.”

“That’s a long time for Buick,” Jessop said. “He ages in dog years.”

“You been gone longer than that, honey. Been since Christmas, at least.”

Tank thought on that, and he guessed it was true. “I was laid up a while, I guess. I lost track of time in the hospital.”

“I’m just glad to see you. You think you’ll be back for the finals, at least?”

“I dunno.” Shit, he hadn’t even thought of that. If the guys voted him in….

“You got a couple months to fart around here, huh?”

“Hey! I work.” He bit back a grin.

“Yeah, yeah. So you say. This is a great little company, but y’all can’t draw the bulls we can.”

He couldn’t argue that. The big show had the prestige and the cash money. The Jakobys did well, but….

Dalton chuckled, lips twisted. “There’s a place for all of us.”

“No doubt.” Buick gave Tank an ironic look. “It’s a great place to recover.”

“The Jakoby outfit is one of the best in rodeo,” Tank said. “End of story.”

Buick’s brother slid into the booth next to Buick. “Great minds. I was on my way here when you texted. He giving you two shit? Don’t listen to him. He never was dick-all at any real rodeo events.”

Buick popped Dave in the shoulder. “Fuck off, pussy man.”

“It’s true. Most of your big show guys can’t even take a victory lap on a horse.” Dave’s eyes were just twinkling.

“I keep telling Pops we should reintroduce that,” Dalton muttered.

“Cool.” Tank waggled his eyebrows. “I’ll talk to him too.”

“You two suck,” Buick growled, but Dave just hooted.

“Rodeo is all the events, bro. Maybe Dalton will give you lessons.” Dave slapped the table.

Or not, if the look on Dalton’s face said anything.

“I bet there’s someone that would walk you around. Deb maybe. You could be in the grand entrance….”

Tank just brayed out a laugh. “They could put you on a donkey.”

“I will put you over my knee, you butthead.”

“You’ll try,” Dalton muttered.

Tank nodded easily. “That’s not the way it works.”

Dave snorted, and the other guys set to cackling like a big bunch of birds. Yeah, that had been the problem with Buick, in fact. He liked sex… kinda laid-back and mellow. Not so much Tank.

The fact that Dalton was willing to growl and push, though? That melted his butter. Like better than the stuff on his pancakes, which he was looking forward to.

Dave ordered an omelet, they all got another round of coffee, and the pancakes showed, along with bacon and eggs and sausage and hash browns. Fucking A.

Tank fueled up. He would want a corn dog later, but that was as heavy as he could go right before he went to work. It was quiet for a full five minutes, and Buick even let Dave have a few bites until his food showed.

Dalton’s phone started going off, the texts and calls coming constantly once it turned ten.

He glanced at Dalton, then pressed a hand against Dalton’s thigh. “You need to head back? I can go.”

“You know how it is.”

Yeah, he did. Deb, Dalton, and Dustin were the heartbeat of the rodeo, and it was game day.

“I got you.” He nodded at Buick. “Y’all holler at me. Maybe around noon, noon thirty?”

“We’ll tear it up, buddy. I can’t wait.”

“Cool.” He grabbed their bill, then ate the last piece of Dalton’s sausage. No sense leaving it there.

“See y’all this afternoon. Make sure to stop and see Dustin. You can’t miss him.” Dalton raised a hand to the guys.

“Nice to meet you” came in a chorus.

“Y’all have a good one.” Dalton grabbed his hat.

Tank led the way out after paying the bill at the register. Once they made it outside, he glanced sideways at Dalton. “You okay?”

“I am. Dustin’s stressing the lineup, and Deb doesn’t love the setup of the chutes. You know how it is.” Dalton winked at him. “I think they want tacos and coffee and gossip.”

“I bet they do. You haven’t been alone together in weeks.” That was a long time for the Jakobys.

“We’re all eager to get home for a few weeks, you know?”

“I bet. Hell, your dad stayed.” He thought Pops Jakoby was looking forward to letting his kids take more and more of the business.

“Yeah. He’s happy to be there with Momma, I think.”

“She’s something else.” He loved that woman. “What a surprise, them showing up.”

“Yeah… sorta killed the afterglow, but that’s okay. You… they going to be staying with you here?” Oh, that was carefully asked.

“I was hoping to stay with you, baby.” He wasn’t gonna mince words. “I mean, they’re great guys, but they’ll want a hotel. I want to be with you.”

Oh, look at that smile, like the sun coming out from the clouds. “Well, you know I’d love that. You can meet my dogs.”

“I would really enjoy that.” He would. He missed having animals.

“Then we’ll head home Monday morning and be home in time to eat supper at Momma’s.”

“Sounds so good, baby.” It did. God, it sounded fine. Buick and his guys could figure shit out on their own.

“Yeah. Yeah, it does. Dustin will give your buddies a list of events and hotels.”

“Good deal. I love those guys. I do. But Lord they make me feel old.”

“You’re not a bit old. You turn me inside out.”

“Well, you inspire me.” Tank chuckled, pressing his hand over Dalton’s for a moment. “I mean, they’re still out partying every event. I like a beer and a meal and some TV, you know?”

“I do. My favorite part is the burgers and rehashing part of the event. Sitting and bullshitting in our lawn chairs.”

“See? Made for each other.” He needed Dalton to know he wanted to be right where he was.

“I can’t wait to bring you home. I got a nice place.”

“Attached to Dustin’s?”

“We share barns and an outside kitchen deal.”

“That sounds like heaven.” It really did. The twins needed to be close. Tank had never met a pair who didn’t.

“It is. It’s a good spot.” The Jakobys had a huge spread out in the hill country between Austin and San Antonio.

“I can’t wait to see.” Tank drove them back to the rodeo grounds, after fetching Starbucks and tacos, and he found himself reluctant to let Dalton go. “Okay, baby. I guess you got to go work.”

“I do. I have to do my thing.” Dalton grabbed the bags and the drink holder. “I’ll see you this afternoon, sir. Have a good one.”

“Hey.” He leaned over, not wanting to upset the balancing act by grabbing. “I need something to tide me over.” He offered up his mouth.

“Oh.” Dalton moaned, the sound erotic as all fuck. “Yes, please.”

The kiss liked to burn him to the ground.

Tank’s lips were on fire, his whole body tingling, all the way down to his toes. “Now, that’s better.”

“Yessir. I’ll feel your mark, every time I rope.”

“Good.” He nodded happily. “That’s what I want.”

“Have a good afternoon, you. I’ll see you at work.”

“You will.” Tank waited for Dalton to move before he turned off in order to go park. He had about an hour before the guys showed up. He might take a shower.

He might go sit in the trailer and love the fact that his toothbrush was in the bathroom and his gear was in the closet.

How damn cool was that? He grabbed his coffee. That was good shit.

It was good to be home.