Tina Leonard - The Twins' Rodeo Rider

“So you’re saying that the legend might not work because you had ulterior motives?” Suz looked at him.

“I’m just asking.” He went back to his original question. “So, theoretically speaking, what would happen if I fell for, say, you? Wouldn’t that negate the charm?”

“It’s never happened. We’ve always operated within the bounds of what’s worked all these years. Never tried to circumvent the system.” She studied him. “You really don’t like Daisy, do you?”

“No,” he said, pretty desperately. “I’m not a superstitious guy, but you folks are giving me the heebie-jeebies with all this charm stuff. I don’t believe it, but there may be something in the water, because I never dreamed I’d see Ty Spurlock settle down. Ever.”

“Yeah, that was a shocker.” Suz shrugged, put on some shiny, clear lip gloss. “So don’t be part of the swim.”

“It’s that easy?”

She turned to him, surprised. “Of course! No one’s forcing you to participate in our town functions.”

Town dysfunctions. He wondered if he was being a dud over what was arguably probably just a fun day in January, something to break up the monotony of an otherwise cold, dreary month.

How he wished Suz was the prize. For her , he was pretty certain he could set new swimming records. “I know you can beat her. I’m not worried.”

Suz’s delicate heart-shaped lips separated. “You’re not?”

Cisco took a deep breath. “Nope.”

“Because you sounded like you were a second ago.”

“I feel pretty good with my champion,” he said, smiling at Suz. “And we’ve got a few more days to teach you. You’ve got this.”

Suz smiled. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” He pulled into the Hanging H’s long drive. “It’s going to be fun. And I saw on the weather report it’s going to be an unseasonably warm day Saturday. Everything’s in your corner.”

She brightened. “Thanks for believing in me.”

“Never doubted you.”

He got out of the truck, and she hopped out, too. She waved goodbye, and went into her house. Cisco took a deep, fortifying breath, and slunk into the bunkhouse to face the teasing he knew he would receive.

Squint and Sam lounged on the leather sofas, drinking what looked like hot cocoa and eating bonbons, Cisco thought with disgust. “Are those chocolate drops you fellows are dropping into your maws?”

“Mmm.” Squint grinned. “They’re called cake balls, but they’re really more chocolate or vanilla frosting than a piece of cake. Here.” Squint tossed him one, which Cisco caught, popping it into his mouth after studying it.

It was sweet, but he’d rather go to Suz for his sugar intake. “Don’t you fellows have anything to do? Besides sit around in the lap of luxury?”

“Actually, we’re waiting on you for the swim report.” Sam grinned. “We’ve already heard from Daisy.”

“Great.” Cisco pondered the beer in the fridge, decided to hit the whiskey instead.

“Self-medicating?” Sam asked, and his buddies guffawed.

“Do I need to?” Cisco came out with three glasses and a full bottle. “Anybody joining me this cold evening?”

“Sure. We’ll toast your doom,” Sam said.

“Hey! That’s my girl you’re talking about,” Squint said. “Daisy is not doom . She’s a radioactively hot baby.” He smacked his lips after taking a shot. “I wish I was the prize so she could win me.”

“Take my place.” Cisco shrugged. “Everybody wins.”

“Oh, ye of little faith.” Sam looked pleased. “Don’t you think Suz can steal Daisy’s crown? Daisy was in here, madder than a hornet. She seems to think you’re giving Suz tips—SEAL tips—on how to win.”

“Suz can’t steal Daisy’s crown yet.” Cisco raised his glass to his buddies, took another shot. “But I have faith.”

His friends grinned at him. “You’re being dishonest,” Sam said. “Your eyelid always jumps when you’re deviating from the truth.”

“Otherwise known as lying like a rug.” Squint held out his glass for a refill. “It’s okay. We get it. But just know my girl was awfully PO’d. She’s going to make some noise about your gaming the holy BC system. And I don’t know what happens then.”

“All hell breaks loose. Who cares?” Cisco shrugged. “There were no tips given. Since Suz can’t swim, it’s not like I can give her a SEAL tip, although I appreciate Daisy’s faith in our navy.”

Sam and Squint looked startled. “Can’t swim?” Squint repeated, sounding dumbfounded.

“Not a stroke.” Cisco eyed his glass, appreciating the amber liquid. It was smooth, as smooth as the slick wet suit that looked as if it had been spray-painted on Suz, much to his appreciative gaze. “It’s okay. She’s got the race in the bag. I’ll be saved, and then you can press your case on the unsuspecting Daisy.” He stared down Squint. “If Daisy’s ‘your girl,’ as you call her, why hasn’t she figured that out?”

Squint shrugged. “It seems her gaze is caught on your ugly mug.”

Cisco laughed. “You are a rather homely dog.”

“Thank you.” Squint leaned back in the sofa. “You want me to help you teach Suz how to swim? I really need her to win this race, for the obvious reason.”

“You?” Sam laughed along with Cisco. “Leg Cramp Man? Mr. Last Place?”

Squint looked devastated. “Never happened before.”

“You’ll redeem yourself one day.” A bright, shiny idea illuminated Cisco’s brain. “Have you told Daisy how you feel?”

“No, dude, that’s not smooth.” Squint didn’t look optimistic.

“It’s because he came in last place in the swim last month,” Sam said, filling in the missing pieces Squint didn’t want to admit. “We overheard Daisy telling someone that she would never date a man who came in last place, behind her gang. That man, of course, was our buddy.”

Squint’s face mapped misery like a human Etch A Sketch. “It was a muscle spasm! People get them!”

Cisco looked at the ceiling, wondering how to salvage the dilemma they found themselves in. “We’ll figure it out. All for one, and one for all, the way it’s always been.” He looked at his friend speculatively. “You believe in all this hocus-pocus around here?”

“Ty swears by it. He’s the one who would know,” Squint said. “He’s born and bred BC.”

“You?” Cisco asked Sam.

“Hell, I don’t care.” Sam grinned. “I’m always going to do whatever I want, and no charm’s going to change that.”

“The selfish bachelor.” Cisco nodded. “But not as selfish as you,” he said, looking at Squint. “If you have such a hot thing going for Daisy, why don’t you just tell her? It could change everything for all of us. Take me out of the boiling pot.”

“But frogs belong in boiling pots,” said Squint, clearly unbothered by his best friend’s dilemma. “I can’t tip my hand. I’ll just wait, as I’ve said, until she’s done chasing after what she doesn’t want. Women do that, you know. It’s all part of the dance.” He relaxed into the sofa cushions, a look of contentment on his face. “I do wish you wouldn’t get my girl all stirred up, though. Makes me sad to see her unhappy.”

Cisco scoffed. “Let’s get on with the planning of this escapade. It’s time for teamwork.”

“What escapade?” Sam asked.

“Like last time, when we all swam the race together to achieve a unified goal. Teamwork. That’s what we’re good at.”

His good buddies looked blank as new sheets of paper.

“No plan here,” Sam said. “I’ve even changed my mind about participating in the race. No reason to since Daisy’s going to win. So, just call me No Plan Sam.”