Free Cowboys & Kisses by Sasha Summers

rodeo too. This town knows how to celebrate, if I remember correctly.”
    Wyatt sat forward, propping his forearm on the table. My gaze wandered, resting on the way the tendons in his arm shifted as he picked up his glass.
    “You going to run today, Allie?” Dax asked.
    I didn’t jump. I was proud of that. But the grin on Dax’s face told me he’d been watching me and he knew I was fixating on Wyatt…on his freaking forearm. I was losing it. “Yeah, I should.” I sighed.
    “You didn’t eat anything.” My mom sounded worried.
    “I will,” I offered, standing up and clearing my plate. We’d all picked up a few of Wyatt’s good manners. “When I get back.”
    “Okay.” She was clearly in too good a mood to argue.
    I pulled a water bottle from the refrigerator and headed out the front door without a backwards glance. By the time I’d circled the track a fifth time, I was dripping sweat. It had to be over a hundred degrees. The cicadas were chirping loudly. The air seemed to move, like steam rising off a fresh-made pie. And the grass crunched beneath my feet. We need rain.
    I risked a glance at the house as I passed, but the boys were nowhere in sight. Because they had the day off. I shouldn’t be looking at them anyway.
    Two hours later I was climbing into the back of Dad’s truck. I tried not to wince at the sight of my father in boots, pressed jeans, and a straw cowboy hat—but I don’t know if I succeeded.
    My mom was still smiling and peaceful. Maybe she was on new medication?
    Dax, however, was completely wound up. Instead of his usual grunge t-shirts and baggy jeans, he was wearing the same slim-legged jeans as our father. I was relieved to see he still wore his combat boots and a t-shirt, albeit clean and anti-establishment-message-free.
    “Molly going?” I asked quietly as we turned into town.
    His panicked look was all the confirmation I needed. “Allie—”
    I held up my hands. “Not a word.”
    He smiled, his easy-going sweet smile. “Thanks.”
    “Doesn’t mean I’m not thinking it, though.” That made him laugh.
    We parked in the parking lot of the grocery store and climbed out. I had no idea there were this many people in Black Falls, Texas. Or maybe they were all here for the parade? Which was kind of…pathetic. This was the best show around? A bunch of old people in full cowboy get-up. Sixty-something-plus women with way too much makeup on and hair sprayed so stiff it wouldn’t move in the light breeze that blew now and again. Kids wearing toy gun belts and riding their stick horses around their parents seated in lawn chairs or sitting on the tailgates or fender wells of pickup trucks.
    I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling a little underdressed. I was in shorts and a tank top. And flip-flops. It was hot. Really hot.
    There wasn’t much room. All along the parade route, cars and trucks, a few bicycles, and a horse or two lined the street. We ended up wedged between a truckbed full of loud senior citizens and a mini-van with the hatch open. There must have been a dozen screaming kids inside, so I moved closer to the senior citizens.
    “Who’s this pretty little thing?” one of the women asked.
    My mother had already introduced herself and Dad, while I’d tried my best to avoid one of the dirty, screaming kids launching pretzels from inside the van—making gun noises with each throw.
    “This is Allie, our daughter.” I heard the laughter in Mom’s voice. She knew how I felt about kids. “Allie, this is Mrs. Gunter.”
    I turned, going around the side of their truck to shake the old lady’s offered hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Gunter.”
    “You and your brother are twins?” Mrs. Gunter asked. “You look nothing alike.”
    I smiled. “I’m fine with that.”
    Mrs. Gunter laughed. “Oh, you must meet my grandson. That boy will trip over his tongue when he sees you.” I honestly didn’t know what to say to that, so I just kept smiling.
    Dax was laughing