Love & Rodeo (20 page)

“
I don’t know how. I don’t know how to let her go.”

Levi’s thoughts came back to the present and the phone call from Luke. Maybe this was his chance to let her go and move on with his life. Lord knows, he’d spent enough time on her. Lord knows he’d suffered long enough. If she wanted him, she would’ve come back to him a long time ago, but she didn’t and now it was time for closure.

When Levi reappeared, Carly was awake and pulling on her jeans from the night before. He hated this part. It was awkward and he always tried to get out of the room before she woke up, but this morning he was unsuccessful.

“
Good morning.”

“
Hey, cowboy, you’re up early.”

“
I’ve gotta be heading out. Heading to Tonkawa today.”

“
Is that home?”

“
No. Tulsa is home. Tonkawa is where my next gig is.”

“
Oh, well, maybe when you get back into town you could give me a call.”

She threw her card on the bed beside him before she leaned in and kissed him. She walked out the door and Levi hoped he’d never see her again. He sat on the cheap hotel bed and never wanted to find himself like this again. He pulled out his phone. It was time for a change and the only way that was going to happen was facing her.

“
I’ll do it” Levi punched into his phone and hit send to Luke.

He checked out of the hotel, climbed into his truck in time to hear his phone go off.

“
I owe you one. Text me when you are on your way. Thanks again!”

He threw his truck in drive and headed home.

“
Levi? Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Joan asked when he told her where he was going with his packed bag.

“
It’s just for two weeks.”

“
Haven’t you put yourself through enough?”

“
Mama, that was three years ago.”

“
I know, Levi, but I’m not an idiot. Danielle talked to me. She told me that she left because you’d call out to
her
at night when you were sleeping.”

“
Mama, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“
Maybe you should just get over her.”

“
I’m trying, Mama. Besides, I’m not doing this for her. I’m doing it for Luke.”

“
I still think it’s a bad idea.”

“
Well, it’s not up to you.”

“
No. No it’s not.”

About that time, Emma, Levi’s youngest sister walked into the kitchen.

“
Where are you going?” she asked as she kicked his duffle bag.

“
Gonna go to Tonkawa for a couple of weeks to help Luke out.”

“
Isn’t that where Kallie is?”

“
Why does everything have to be about her?”

“
It’s just that she’s been coming up a lot lately.”

“
I’m not talking about this anymore. I’ll be home in two weeks.”

Levi kissed his Mama on the cheek and walked out to his truck. Climbing into the driver seat, he texted Luke to tell him that he’d get there around seven o’clock.

Two hours later, he was pulling down the long driveway to the Lazy K and to Kallie.

What the hell am I doing?
He thought to himself. The ranch house was in sight now and he could see someone on the porch with a small—was that a goat? He laughed to himself as he pulled next to her truck and shut off the engine. Sitting there for a minute, he rubbed his head. Was he ready for this? Was he ready to face her again? Sure, he said he was over her, but was he really? He got out of the truck, grabbed his duffle bag and then headed toward the front porch. He was at the foot of the steps to the front door when Kallie walked out onto the porch holding the goat. She hadn’t seen him yet, but she was wearing a yellow sundress and her hair cascaded over her shoulders. She was gorgeous. The way the evening sun radiated off of her sun-kissed skin made her almost irresistible.
Easy there, cowboy.
He reminded himself that he wasn’t here to get caught up in her all over again. He was here to help Luke and to find closure. She looked up and their eyes met, stopping her in her tracks. She sat the goat down.

“
Levi.”

“
Hey, Kallie.”

“
Luke didn’t tell me that you were coming.”

He wasn’t surprised. If Luke would’ve told her, she would have turned him down.

“
Well, I’m here.”

“
Yes, you are.”

She bit her lip and Levi exhaled at the sight of her.
Damn, those lips.

“
Well, come on in. We’ll get you settled in before I show you the grounds.” Relief settled over him, he was surprised she let him stay. He half expected her to turn him away.

He climbed the steps and walked through the screen door into an entryway. In front of him was a large set of stairs to a small landing. Kallie walked to the left into a large kitchen with a long table on one side, and a gourmet kitchen on the other. Something delicious filled the air.

“
Smells good in here.”

“
Yeah, it’s Sunday. Nora and I usually have Sunday dinner together.”

“
Nora? She’s here?” Kallie and Levi talked about Nora so much and ultimately she was the reason Kallie had ended it, but he’d never met her before.

“
Oh, yeah. She ran upstairs to change. She’ll be down shortly.”

He watched Kallie turn.

“
Well, this is the kitchen.” He followed her into a large family room. “This is the family room and general gathering area.” She showed him a small restroom behind the stairs and then they headed upstairs. “This is Nora’s room and this is the main bathroom for upstairs. I hope you don’t mind sharing with Nora. She’s usually pretty quick.”

“
It’s fine.” Levi smiled at her.

She showed him the office and then his room. “This used to be Luke’s room. We changed it to a guest room a while ago. Um…there are two more rooms down the hall, but they are guest rooms so you want to steer clear of there.”

Levi nodded.

“
Well, I’ll let you get settled. Dinner is in ten minutes.”

“
Thank you.”

He watched as Kallie retreated down the stairs and couldn’t help but notice the way her hips swayed as she walked. Something inside of him stirred. It was then he realized he was in a world of trouble.

Chapter Twenty-One

Kallie hurried down the stairs and right out the front door. She pressed her back against the side of the house and took a deep breath as all sorts of emotions attacked her.

“
Damn it, Luke!” she said to herself.

Closing her eyes, she tried not to remember the tribal art tattoo peeking from under his shirtsleeve. Something inside of her aroused as she remembered his unruly hair. It was a little longer than when they were together, but he was still as handsome as ever. The way his eyes ran over her skin, woke something she’d put to rest long ago. She should’ve known Levi would come. Secretly, she hoped for it, but now that he was here, Lord help her. Just then the door opened and Nora peeked out.

“
What are you doing out here?”

Kallie looked at her nervously. “I’m just getting some fresh air for a minute.”

Nora gave her an odd look. “Okay? Did you want me to set the table?”

“
Oh, yeah. I’ll help you.”

Kallie followed Nora into the kitchen and together they set the table for the three of them. As Kallie was putting her casserole on the table Levi walked in.

“
Oh, um…Nora? This is Levi Cavanaugh.”

Nora looked at Kallie. “
The
Levi Cavanaugh?”

Kallie wasn’t an idiot. She knew her sister had known about her pregnancy and she knew that Levi was the father. Kallie gave her the warning glare.

“
I don’t know about
The
Levi Cavanaugh.” Levi joked.

Nora laughed.
If he only knew.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Levi looked at Kallie “Really?”

“
Uncle Luke talks about you a lot. He told me that you were the one who took Kallie from him.”

Levi smiled. “Who got who in the end?” His words hurt.

“
True,” Nora agreed.

They all sat down at the table and started to eat.

“
So how many times did you win NBRA World Championships?” Nora asked.

“
Uh…twice. 2012 and 2013.”

“
So why aren’t you riding this year?”

“
Taking a break. Hanging out with the family. Figuring things out mostly.”

“
You have kids?”

“
Oh no. No kids. I have a younger sister your age. She barrel races.”

“
She’s pretty great,” Kallie told her sister.

“
You met her?”

“
Yeah. Levi and I traveled together on the circuit. We stayed at his parents’ house when we were in Tulsa.”

“
I didn’t know that.”

Kallie hadn’t told anyone for fear of starting a fight. “Yep.”

She looked at Levi who was looking back and forth from her to Nora. Their eyes met and Kallie quickly looked back at her plate.

They finished dinner and Nora set to the dishes.

“
I guess I should show you the grounds before tomorrow morning. Everyone will arrive about nine o’clock. They get an hour to settle in and then we’ll get started.”

“
All right.” Levi nodded.

She started in the front barn where all the barrel horses were kept.

“
We have twenty-two horses. We alternate each day for the ten riders. We grain at seven o’clock in the morning and six o’clock in the evening. They get two flakes of hay in the morning and evening. Hay is in the loft. The ladder is right here. The tack room is down just a little ways to the right. There are fifteen saddles in there with all the riding equipment needed.”

They headed to the outdoor riding arena next. After that, she showed him the bulls and the practice shoot. She explained Luke’s program with precise detail as she showed Levi the outbuilding where the mechanical bull and riding barrels were. After that, she showed him where the guests slept. There were two guest suites, one for guys and one for girls. Each building had two bathrooms and ten cots set up. She also showed him where the barn hands and cook slept through the week when they were here.

“
Anything else?”

She squinted her eyes and racked her brain. “Yeah, I have a day-by-day list of activities in the office. We can head back up to the house, and I’ll get it so you can look it over.”

They turned and started for the house.

“
You and Luke have a great set-up here.”

“
Yeah, it works. It took us a few sessions to get our stuff together, but the Lazy K has been good to us.” Kallie smiled at him.

“
You seem happy,” Levi told her.

Happy enough…
Kallie thought to herself.

“
I am. I love it here and I love teaching people how to barrel race.”

They walked along quietly for few minutes.

“
Thank you for coming down here and helping us out. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you said no.”

“
It’s no big deal. I mean, I was just helping at home until I decided what I want to do next. I’m happy to help out a friend.”

He flashed her a smile and her heart raced.

He’s engaged you idiot!
Kallie told herself.

“
So how much land do you guys have?”

“
A hundred acres.”

“
Really?”

“
I know it’s not a lot, but it’s enough for us and what we’re doing.”

“
No. I think it’s great. I know after you won your NBRA World Championship, you were a little lost with what you were going to do. You’re doing something great and something you love.”

She smiled at him.

“
Nora seems happy,” he added.

“
She is. Her birthday is in three weeks and she’s about to get her license. I’ll probably never see her after that. I’m trying to get my fill now. How’s Emma Jean?”