Bullet Simmons never rides shotgun, but there is no question, Tristan McCullough has taken control of the wheel.

Bad boy, bull rider Bullet Simmons has a good heart, he just has trouble in the decision-making department. When he meets Tristan McCullough, he vows to win her over, and convince her that he is worthy of a Lost Cowboy sponsorship. But can he become the kind of man her family’s brand represents? Tristan says she doesn’t believe he can, but there’s something about the cowboy that makes her hope she’s wrong.

Hired as a hand with Flying R Rough Stock, Bullet Simmons, dreams of one day becoming a world champion bull rider. But after the death of his baby boy’s mama, he doesn’t know how he’s going to juggle raising his son, working for Flying R, and riding bulls.

Billy Patterson needs someone to convince his daddy to raise broncs on their ranch in Black Forest. Enter Bullet. If Bullet can help convince him, Billy says Flying R will not only sponsor him, but they’ll arrange for Bullet to have his own personal bull riding coach.

Tristan McCullough swore off bad boys in college when the bull rider she was certain was “the one,” broke her heart. When Lost Cowboy teams up with Flying R Rough Stock to sponsor competitors out on the rodeo circuit, Bullet’s twin sister, Lyric, challenges her to consider sponsoring Bullet. As much as Tristan tells herself she’ll never fall for another cowboy, this one particular bull rider becomes harder and harder for her to resist—especially when she finds herself alone with him for a week at Colorado Black Mountain Ranch.

As we follow Bullet and Tristan’s stories, we also take a peek into the history of beloved characters Bill and Dottie Patterson. What brought the two together, and why has Bill vowed never to have anything to do with rodeo for the rest of his life?

Favorite characters from the Rice and Patterson families pay us a visit, and also serve to help these two “lost” souls come together.

We’ve gotten to know Lyric pretty well in the previous books, we know she has a twin but haven’t really seen him. Bullet is Lyric’s twin, and he’s quite the character. He’s a bull-rider, a flirt, and he has two children, only one of which is with his wife.

As this book opens Bullet’s wife dies, she had bipolar disease and her mood swings were brutal. When Bullet left her sleeping, with her parents due back soon, he never thought she would take her own life. While he feels guilty, he has his child to think about. As such he accepts a position with Flying R Rough Stock and also their sponsorship for his riding.

Tristan and her father own Lost Cowboy, western wear for cowboys. She’s also the face of the company for many meetings. Such is the reason she’s heading to the Flying R to firming up a a sponsorship deal. She feels the almost magnetic pull to Bullet, yet she also recognizes the player in him. He isn’t the type for her company to sponsor. Perhaps though he’s the actual Lost Cowboy, one who needs to find his way.

This is a favorite scene.

The door opened and Bullet walked in, carrying Grey. He’d been standoffish to her since the other night even though she’d tried to apologize more than once. Each time, he’d waved her off.

“Mornin’,” he said, more to Liv than to her.

“Good morning to you, too. How’s my big boy today?” Liv walked over and took Grey out of Bullet’s arms.

“You sure about this, ma’am?”

“There are at least two things I’m sure about. One, you know my name. It’s Liv, and I expect you to use it. Two, Caden has been asking me for over an hour when her buddy Grey is going to be here. She’ll be thrilled to see him, which makes my life much easier.”

Liv unbuttoned Grey’s jacket and went in the direction of the family room, where Caden was playing. Tristan heard the little girl squeal when she saw her playmate.

“He loves comin’ over here.” Bullet shuffled his feet. “And she’s so great to make it seem like she ain’t doin’ me a favor when she watches him.” He looked at the floor, then the ceiling, then over her head, in the direction of the family room. Everywhere but at her.

“Bullet, I want you to know how sorry I am about what I said the other night. What you do isn’t any of my business. I don’t know the first thing about being a parent, or a bull rider. I’m in no position to judge you.”

“I told you before not to worry about it.” He still didn’t look at her. “My life is a mess right now, and I’m workin’ hard to get it right. As right as I can anyway, considerin’ my son no longer has a mama.”

Tristan’s eyes filled with tears.

“It ain’t nothin’ for you to cry about. We don’t need you feelin’ sorry for us.”

At least he finally looked at her. “I don’t feel sorry for you, Bullet. Or Grey. It’s just that I understand—”

“Forgive me for leavin’ in the middle of your sentence, but if I don’t, I’m gonna say somethin’ I’ll regret. I will say this, though.” He walked closer, his eyes boring into hers as he did. “You don’t understand anything about my life, or my son’s life. Nothing at all.”

When Bullet stormed out of the front door, Tristan closed her eyes and waited for it to slam behind him, but it didn’t.

It wasn’t her fault. It was his. But he couldn’t help it. Every time he looked at her, he saw his own shortcomings. He’d wasted a hell of a lot of the last couple of years having fun, not thinking about the consequences of his actions. He had two kids to prove it.
Slade, Heather. Cowboys of Crested Butte Boxed Set Volume 1. Kindle Locations (16672-16696). Sparrow Publishing. Kindle Edition.