Free The Bull Rider's Brother by Lynn Cahoon Page B

now. And you gave me the most amazing gift today.” He spun her around and wiped her tears. “We can’t change the past. All we can do is live today and plan for tomorrow. Where we go tomorrow … .” He shrugged. “We need to make those decisions.”
    JR’s voice came from the table. “I thought we were working on the pumps, then going to the rodeo tomorrow.”
    Lizzie grinned and lightly pushed James away, patting his arm.
    Leave it to JR.
    “You’re right, but I think your dad was talking about the future, not just tomorrow.” She took her cup and sat down at the table with JR. James followed her lead.
    “Like how he’s not going to travel so I can teach him to fish?” JR reached for a second cookie, the first already gone.
    Lizzie sucked a painful breath and shut her eyes. “Maybe. We’ll see. And that’s your last one. You’ll be hyped on sugar and never get to sleep.” Lizzie brushed the hair out of her son’s eyes. He was growing up too fast.
    James grinned at JR. “I’m a fan of your mom’s chocolate chip cookies, too. In fact, they’re why I started dating her.”
    “If I remember right, my mom’s apple pie cinched the deal.” Lizzie recalled the first night James had shown up for dinner at the house. The menu had seemed more like a Sunday supper: mashed potatoes, fried chicken, bacon–green beans, and an apple pie for dessert. Her mom had gone all out for Lizzie’s first steady beau.
    “We have to reel him in good, Elizabeth.” Her mom had smiled when Lizzie commented on the spread.
    “I’m not fishing here, Mom,” Lizzie had complained. “We’re just dating.”
    “From what I’ve heard he’s a good boy. You could do a lot worse. Like dating his wild brother.”
    Lizzie had bitten back a laugh. Dating James meant dating Jesse, too, since he was always around.
    Her mom had brushed Lizzie’s bangs out of her eyes. “You’re growing up so fast.”
    Lizzie hadn’t known what her mom was talking about then. She did now. Looking up, she realized both James and JR were watching her.
    “What?”
    “Earth to Lizzie, where did you go?” James reached for her hand.
    “I’ve been right here, why?”
    JR jumped in. “We asked you a question, twice.”
    “You caught me. I was thinking about Grandma.” She straightened. “What did you ask?”
    “JR wanted to know how long we dated.” James squeezed her hand. “I told him I loved you from the minute we met, in what, fourth grade?”
    “Seriously, James, I had my eye on you long before that. Remember Mrs. Taylor in first grade?” Lizzie smiled at JR. “We didn’t have kindergarten back then. We were thrown straight into the hard stuff.”
    “I remember Mrs. Taylor.” James nodded. “She looked like a grandma. She used to read to us every day right after lunch.”
    “Story time. I think it helped calm everyone down from recess.”
    James seemed surprised. “You were in Mrs. Taylor’s class? Why don’t I remember you?”
    “Because I was quiet and scared and you were hanging with Annie.”
    “I remember Annie. She let me see her … .”
    “James!” Lizzie interrupted. “There’s a child at the table.”
    “I was going to say, she let me see her lasso. Her dad had a miniature one made just for her. Where is your mind, Liz?” James nodded at JR. “Besides, I think he’s out for the night.”
    JR leaned against the table, his head in his hands, his eyes closed. A gentle snore came out of his mouth, proving James right.
    Lizzie stood and walked over to pick JR up. “It’s been a long day. He’s tuckered out.”
    James appeared at her side. “Let me take him.”
    Lizzie nodded. “His bedroom’s this way.”
    They headed up the narrow stairs to the top floor. “After we get him to bed, I’ll tell you what else Annie showed me. Or maybe I’ll show you?”
    “Hang onto that thought, stud. I think we have more important things to talk about than exhibitionist Annie. You know she became a stripper down in Vegas