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since he dated Dee Tompkins,” Hattie said. “Still bugs him that she became one of Ivy Peters’ girls.”
    â€œThat was a bad, bad thing,” Judy said. “I’m keeping my girls away from thatplace. Ivy’s the devil. She’d probably try to get my team away from me.”
    â€œWe’re not interested in anything except being Hell Belles. Right?” Ava said to Cameron and Harper.
    She thought her friends looked a little guilty—or concerned—but she wasn’t sure why, so she went back to focusing on the issue Judy wanted to discuss with Hattie.
    â€œAnyway,” Hattie continued, “since Trace and Dee broke up last year, he hasn’t been seen with another woman. All Trace does is fish.”
    Ava didn’t want to examine too closely why Trace’s dating availability interested her. She told her heart not to perk up at the news, felt annoyed when it didn’t listen to her advice.
    â€œAnd work,” Judy said. “It’s made him so ornery all the time.”
    â€œAll work and no play,” Hattie said.
    â€œTrace is a very dull boy.” Judy sighed. “Anyway, he flat-out won’t even consider it.”
    â€œTrace says he’ll teach me to ride,” Ava offered.
    They stared at her, so Ava continued.
    â€œAnd he’s got an idea for making us—”
    â€œI know, I know.” Judy waved a dismissive hand. “He wants my girls to be a riding team, a decoration, and not a working squad.”
    â€œIs that terrible?” Hattie asked.
    â€œHow do we set ourselves apart?” Judy asked. “Every girl in this county can ride.”
    â€œYou can’t, Mayor,” Hattie said, and the Belles gasped.
    â€œBut I know a lot about it,” Judy said, with a guilty glance at her girls. “You don’t have to be able to play the instrument to know when the music’s right.”
    â€œYou can’t ride, Judy?” Ava asked, stunned.
    â€œI did when I was a girl,” Judy said slowly.
    â€œShe did until she got her kidney kicked by her horse,” Hattie said, patting her friend’s hand. “Now she stays off horses.”
    Judy sighed. “We’re going to get this figured out.”
    â€œIf you learned to ride,” Hattie said, “Trace might take your idea more seriously.”
    â€œHe doesn’t think a man will let a woman bullfight for him. He says a man wants another man helping him out when he’s facing injury. I should have known better than to pin my hopes on the Outlaws,” Judy said. “But there’s just nobody better, and I want this team first-rate.”
    â€œIf we give Trace’s way a shot first,” Ava pointed out, “maybe he’ll change his mind later. When he realizes we’re all very determined about this.”
    â€œWhy?” Hattie asked. “Why bullfight?”
    â€œI’ve grown up around bullfighters,” Ava answered, “had brothers who rodeod. I heard the stories at night about the bullfighters, and how not every bullfighter is a good one. There are those who make the riders feel real good knowing he’s out there in the arena, and then there’s others they wish weren’t. If you ever had a brother who couldn’t get loose of his bull when his bull was dragging him around like a puppet, trying to kick the life out of him, you’d know how critical it is to have a brave, talented bullfighter in there staying fearless for you.”
    They all gawked at her.
    Ava shrugged. “I’m just saying, maybe some folks don’t think that’s a real job. Maybe they don’t realize that bullfighters aren’t entertainment. The men on the back of those bulls have families they love, families they’re trying to feed, and they deserve committed protection just as much as anyone else does.”
    â€œThat’s probably the reason Trace’s sweet on her,” Judy told