Desperate Times by Hildred Billings

Author:Hildred Billings
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Lesbian Romance
Publisher: Barachou Press
Published: 2018-05-22T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

The dust settled once the truck pulled out of the fairgrounds.

“Boy, the course is gonna be a beast this year,” said Jorge, the man in charge of that year’s rodeo. The dust dissipated, revealing the other fair hands marking out the course that Tess would make hers by the end of the fair. “Hope you’re ready, former Rodeo Princess.”

Tess grimaced. Senior year of high school crowned her the Rodeo Princess. Granted, she busted her ass to achieve the title, but she wasn’t crazy about being a “princess.” Especially when Jorge looked at her like that. “I’m not really princess material anymore.” She dug her boot into the dirt. “But I am definitely getting that trophy this year.”

Tanned arms wrapped over the fence Jorge and Tess leaned against. “You’ve been after it for a few years now.”

“Don’t remind me.” Every year, Tess tried her luck at the obstacle course, and every year she nearly made first place. Sure, the names of the other women changed from time to time. Sandy Garner, Tilly May, Jo Hart-Farris... powerful women on top of a horse. Women Tess admired for their skills. Women Tess wished would be sick that year. “I’m ready, though. This is gonna be my year. Been practicing like an utter fool for quite a while now.”

“That so? Well, day after tomorrow they’ll start letting y’all practice. Get ready for the press. It’s gonna be bigger than ever this year.”

Something like that didn’t deter Tess. The press from all over the region could come until the end of time, and she would be too focused on her work to care. Two years ago, Jo Hart-Farris won the national title. Now Tess searched the stands of the arena to see if her rival was around.

“I’ve gotta go, Tess,” Jorge said, shaking her hand one last time that day. “Hope to see you perform at the fair, but don’t forget to enjoy the rest of it, too!”

Tess promised that she wouldn’t. However, she could make no promises to herself. She could enjoy the rest of the fair the moment she had that trophy in her hands. I should head back. Sweat beaded beneath her flannel shirt. Got other plans tonight. She checked her messages. A big fat text from Sidney waited.

“We still on for tonight?”

Against Tess’s better judgment, she sent an affirmative.

If that were the case, she better get going, indeed. It was an hour’s drive back to her town from the fairgrounds, and that was without traffic on the highways. That time of year, there was always traffic.

By the time she rolled back into town, it was late enough in the day to make going back home pointless. Why should she, when she was supposed to meet Sidney later that evening? Tess already burned a tank of gas going to the fairgrounds. What a pain.

She ran some errands, from the post office to the bank, but soon exhausted things to do. Her truck was roasting by the time she hopped into the cab and checked her watch.

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