by Claire Adams
“Well, it’s a three-round tournament,” George explained. “So you’d have to get out there and ride it three times. But essentially, yes. All you have to do is get out there and ride it.”
I shook my head. “And what do I get if I lose? I mean, the prize money and some free lessons is a great deal, but if all I’m getting out of this is free lessons, and I have to take time off from work so that I can do the training, then I’m really losing here.”
“We’ll reimburse you for all your travel costs,” George said quickly. “This could be a great way to see a little more of the country. Especially if you turn pro.”
“All that aside,” I said, gritting my teeth. This was starting to sound a little fishy.
“If you lose, you’ll lose money,” Larry said flatly. “But as I understand it, you’re no stranger to betting money on the mechanical bull.”
I raised an eyebrow. “News travels fast,” I said. “That was only the one time. Or twice, rather, but with the same guy both times.”
“I don’t care what it was,” Larry said succinctly. He stood up, shaking his head. “George, fine, if you think this guy’s going to be able to do it, I’ll work with him and see what I can do. But I’m telling you, if I pull this off, there’s probably got to be a miracle involved.”
George smiled at his partner. “He’ll be there, ready to train, tomorrow morning,” he promised. Then, he turned back to me, narrowing his eyes at me. “Won’t you?”
I thought about it for a moment, glancing back toward Brent, who was giving me a look. I needed to wrap this up and get back to him before he started to think that I’d abandoned him.
I tapped my fingers against the table, still thinking. Ten thousand was a lot of money. And it was Larry’s comment about betting on the mechanical bull in the past that crystallized things in my mind. Riding bulls professionally came with a lot of risks. It could even result in my death if I wasn’t careful. But if I could pull this off, I’d have the money that Vanessa needed to open her gallery.
There wasn’t really a decision to be made.
“I have to work tomorrow morning,” I said. “Make it the next morning.”
“Fine,” George agreed. “I’ll have the contracts all set up and ready for you to sign before we get started. Just standard stuff about liabilities and such. And then we’ll dive right in.”
“Good,” I said.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Vanessa
I knocked on Trethan’s door and waited patiently for him to open it. When he did, he was all smiles as he pulled me into his arms, kissing me sweetly. “I tried to find you when I was at the ranch today, but I didn’t see you,” he said.
I shrugged. “I met up with Julie for brunch, and then that turned into a girls’ day. We went shopping and got our nails done.”
“Sounds fun,” he said, but I could tell from the way he said it that he was distracted by whatever it was that he wanted to say to me.
I laughed, shaking my head. “Well, come on, spit it out,” I said, holding both of his hands in my own. “You sounded so excited on the phone. I can’t even imagine what it is that’s got you this way.”
“I think I’ve found a way for you to fund your gallery,” he blurted out, looking excited at the very prospect.
“Really?” I asked, blinking at him. “But we’ve all been trying to think of some new angle for weeks now, and no one’s been able to come up with anything.”
“I know,” he said. “But get this, I ran into this guy last night at the Roasted Bison who saw me ride the mechanical bull, and he wants me to compete in an amateur bull-riding competition. He’s setting it up so that I’ll be the total underdog, but if I win it, I’ll get ten thousand dollars in prize money, which you could put toward your gallery.”
He stared at me, clearly waiting for some sort of response, but all I could do was gape at him. “He’s setting you up to be the underdog,” I repeated slowly. “And how exactly do you plan to win it, then? Have you even ridden a real bull in your life?”
“No,” he admitted easily. “But it won’t be long now. That’s part of what George was offering. He’s going to have me take lessons with this guy Larry Cobb in the lead-up to the competition. Apparently, Larry’s some big name who used to be part of the pro-riding circuit before he got into an accident.”
“I know who Larry Cobb is,” I said faintly. “And, he didn’t just ‘get into an accident.’ He got tossed from a bull, and things ended pretty badly for him. The doctors didn’t know if he was ever going to wake up again, let alone know if he was going to be able to walk or ride again. He’s one of the luckiest guys in the world.”
“I know there are risks that go along with bull riding,” Trethan said, sounding a little defensive. “But if I get some good teaching, I really think I could do this. You haven’t seen me on the mechanical bull lately, but I’ve been doing an amazing job. I really think that I could be good at this.”
I frowned, biting my lip. “If that’s what you want to do, I don’t want to stop you,” I told him slowly, but I was still not sure about the whole thing.
It wasn’t just Larry Cobb. There had been plenty of guys who had taken bad falls or been trampled or gored by the bulls. I didn’t want Trethan getting tangled up in any of that.
On the other hand, I didn’t know if I had the right to tell him that I didn’t want him to do it. And, there was something so sweet about his enthusiasm, about how excited he was to be able to bring in that much money to put toward the gallery.
“But there must be something that you’d rather put the money toward if you did manage to win it,” I said, shaking my head. “Ten thousand dollars is a lot of money.”
Trethan kissed me again. “You’re worth it,” he said. “I know how much this gallery means to you. I think it’s the perfect thing to put my money toward. Like I said, I want to help out in any way that I can.”
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. “So the gallery could be a reality?”
“It really could,” he said, nodding his head. He wrapped his arms around me. “I told you we’d figure out a way.”
“We’re not there yet,” I reminded him, even though I loved how confident he was. But I also knew that overconfidence was probably the last thing he needed if he was going to become a successful bull rider.
I couldn’t believe he was willing to do this, all for my gallery. All for me.
That wasn’t the kind of thing that you’d do for someone you were just sleeping with, was it? He was going out of his way to learn something, something that would no doubt be painful, something which was incredibly dangerous, all so he could scrape together the money I needed to fund the gallery.
I was falling for him — hard.
But still, I had to make sure he was considering all the options. “There’s a lot you could do with that money, though,” I said again. “You could buy a new car or a TV or-”
“I’m going to cut you off before you even get started with that,” he said, shaking his head. But he was still smiling. “Vanessa, trust me when I say, there is nothing that I could spend that money on that would mean as much to me as being able to help fund your gallery. Anyway, I expect that when the place takes off and becomes a multi-billion dollar venture, you’ll pay me back my measly ten grand. Then, I will be able to do exactly what I want with it.”
“But what if the gallery fails?” I asked, feeling worried. Of course, I needed to pay him back at some point, but the gallery was a risky investment, even though everyone I talked to thought it was a good idea. I couldn’t let Trethan invest in an uncertain idea. “If the bank refuses to let me take out a loan for it, I couldn’t let you risk your own money on it. It’s too much money. I know exactly how much that could mean for you, given the wage that my dad is paying you.”
He groaned. “Will you forget what the bank said for a moment? Those guys are idiots. They wouldn’t know a good idea if it bit them in the ass. That’s why they’re bankers; t
here isn’t a shred of creativity in any of them.” He paused, putting his hands on my shoulders and staring down into my eyes. “Vanessa, it’s a great idea, and you know it. The whole town is rooting for you, anyway.”
I couldn’t help smiling at him. “Thanks,” I said, leaning up on my toes to kiss him. “I’m glad to have your support.” I bit my lower lip. “But I really am worried about you. Bull riding is a dangerous sport.”
“I know, I know,” Trethan said. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”
“It’s not all about being careful,” I told him grimly. “You also have to be pretty lucky.”
“Oh, do I?” he asked, grinning devilishly at me. “It’s been a few days since I got lucky.”
I laughed and pushed at his shoulder. “Is that all you ever think about?” I asked him.
He shrugged. “When I have a girlfriend as sexy as you, of course that’s all I can think about,” he said, looking as though this were the tragedy of the century. “So, what do you say?”
I sighed. “Unfortunately, I have to get back home,” I told him. “I promised Dad I would have dinner ready by the time he got done with the classes he’s teaching this evening. I had just run out to go to the store and pick up some groceries when I got your text.” I frowned, cocking my head to the side. “But maybe you could come over for dinner, and then afterward, we could have some alone time.”
Trethan grimaced. “I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” he said. “What with your dad being there and all.”
I hated the feeling I got when he said it like that. He meant he didn’t want Dad to find out we were sleeping together. Dad, of course, would assume that we were dating again, and Trethan didn’t want him to get the wrong impression. No big deal.
It hurt, but I tried to play it off, shrugging.
“It’s not like you’ve never come over for dinner with us before,” I said mildly. “Dad even invited you to my welcome home dinner, remember? He won’t think there’s anything strange about seeing you there tonight.”
“Your welcome dinner happened before we were back together,” he said, shrugging and looking sheepishly off to the side. “I don’t know if I could keep my hands to myself.”
I blinked at him and then blushed. “Oh,” I said.
“Oh,” he agreed. He caught my hips and pulled me in close to him, bending down to rest his forehead against mine and trailing his fingertips up over my breasts. I only wore a flimsy bralette, given the summer heat, and it was obvious how turned on I was from his touch. My nipples were already pert nubs beneath the thin material.
Trethan groaned and tore himself away. “If you’re ever going to get back and cook dinner, you should probably leave,” he told me. “Otherwise, I’m going to drag you inside and have my way with you. Again and again and again, for the whole night.”
My breath caught, and I was tempted to call Dad and tell him I was staying at a friend’s house for the night. That I wouldn’t be home for dinner, after all.
But there wasn’t an alibi that I could provide if I did that. It wasn’t like the old days when I could just say that I was over at Julie’s house. I could throw out some other name, but Dad would wonder why he hadn’t heard their name come up before this impromptu sleepover. Anyway, it was a small town, and there was a chance that Dad would go out to eat dinner if I didn’t come home and run into the very person I had used as my alibi.
I sighed and took a step back. “I should leave,” I agreed, nodding my head. But I still lingered there. “Maybe sometime later this week?”
He nodded. “I’m going to be training with Larry for the next few days,” he told me. “So I’m not sure how exhausted I’ll be or what my time will be like. But sometime later this week, for sure.”
I smiled at him and then swooped in for one final, quick peck on the lips. Then, I darted back to my car and reversed down the driveway, carefully not looking back at Trethan because I knew I would never leave if I did.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Trethan
I pulled up at the ranch George had directed me to, looking around the place with a frown on my face. It was clear that George hadn’t bought the place too long ago and renovations were still ongoing. A pile of timber sat off to the left side of the driveway, some of it new and some of it obviously torn from older buildings around the place. The house was freshly painted, as was the bright red barn behind it, but the shed to the right of the house was dilapidated and looked as though it could fall down at any moment. Three fences needed serious repairs, some of which surrounded dirt fields where I could see horses, off in the distance.
With the state of things, no animals should have been around there.
I got an uneasy feeling in my gut, wondering if maybe George had bitten off more than he could chew. Or more importantly, if he had any idea what he was doing.
But then, I saw Larry striding toward me from the barn. He must know what he was doing; he’d been on the circuit long enough. I was just used to the Lazy J, where John ran everything with the precision and attention of a military stable. Anyway, with the number of workmen scattered around the scene, I was sure that things would improve soon.
I didn’t have much of a choice in this, anyway. I told Vanessa I would get the money for her, and her face had been filled with hope when I told her about the plan. In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have told her about it until I was able to hand over the money because if I failed, it was going to be such a letdown for both of us.
But I’d just been so excited about it. Anyway, what was the harm? I wondered. I am the king of the mechanical bull at this point, and riding a real bull couldn’t be all that different, could it?
“Good morning,” Larry said, reaching over to shake my hand in his firm, assessing grip. His eyes scanned my face, and after a moment, he scoffed and released my hand. “You’re cocky.” He walked around me, sizing me up. “I figured as much when George introduced me to you, but I didn’t realize how cocky you were. Overconfidence will get you killed.”
I rolled my eyes. “You haven’t even seen me ride yet,” I said. “Maybe I have a reason to be cocky.”
Larry raised an eyebrow at me. “George tells me that you’ve never even ridden a real live bull before,” he said.
“I haven’t,” I said defensively. “But it’s the same theory as riding a mechanical bull, isn’t it? You just have to find the rhythm of it, move with it. Don’t fight it. Only real difference is that when you get thrown, you have to get out of the way as quickly as you can. But I can learn that. I’m good at falling at this point. I haven’t gotten seriously bruised up in a while now.”
Larry laughed incredulously. “You really think that’s all it takes?” he asked. “Getting out of the way?” He shook his head and flapped his hands at me. “Get the hell out of here. I don’t have time for this. You’re going to break your damn neck, and that’s not the type of publicity George is looking for.”
“What, just like that?” I asked. I sneered at him. “You probably just think it’s too big of a challenge. Or maybe you’re afraid that I’m going to show you up. You’re so bitter about getting injured and not being able to compete anymore that you don’t want anyone else to be able to have that glory, is that it?”
Larry growled and grabbed me by my shirt, slamming me back against the truck, his face close to mine. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he snarled.
“What the heck is going on here?” George asked, coming out to the porch. He stalked down toward us. “Larry, let go of him.”
Larry dropped me to the ground roughly and backed up with his eyes still narrowed at me. I wanted to throw a punch or two. I practically frothed with anger, but I calmed myself down. I needed that prize money. Vanessa needed that prize money. And the only way to get it was if I got Larry to let me show him and George what I could do.
George turned toward me, a frown on his face. “I don’t know what the hell you said, kid, but don’t say it again if
you want to have any part in this competition,” he told me.
“I’m not a kid,” I spat.
He only rolled his eyes in response to that and turned toward Larry. But Larry waved off whatever it was that George started to say and instead pointed a finger at me. “Riding a real bull is nothing like riding a mechanical bull,” he told me. “And if you think it’s the same thing, you’re going to get yourself killed.” He jerked his head. “Come with me.”
I glanced toward George and then followed Larry across the ranch, still marveling at the shoddy conditions of the place. We entered a dark barn, where I could hear kicking from a few of the stalls. Larry led me along and pointed toward one of the stalls. “That’s Ginger,” he said.
I walked closer and peered over the door to the stall, frowning down at the reddish-colored bull there. He wasn’t doing much, just lounging on the hay, but as I looked down at him, he tossed his head and stood.
The thing was massive, an incredible, muscular beast. It snorted, and I could practically feel the heat of its breath from where I was standing.
“Take a good, long look,” Larry told me. “Now, binding a bull’s testicles isn’t common practice anymore, but they’re still going to buck. And imagine the way it’s going to react to the crowd and the noise. He’s not gonna be happy, and you’ll be the closest thing to him. And you’ll be lying there on the ground, prostrate, after being thrown. Ginger charges at you.”
Larry caught my shoulder and pushed me roughly around to look at him. “You run, but you don’t run fast enough. You’re hurt, maybe, from the fall. Your shoulder took a hit, and you can’t lift your arm to climb up the walls at the edge of the ring. What do you think happens to you?”
I swallowed hard, imagining it.
“That’s right,” he said. Something flickered in his eyes, and he looked away, staring down at the bull. “I was the best rodeo rider in the world for a while,” he said. “And, I still got injured in a competition. It’s not about learning how to fall properly. It’s about respecting the bull and respecting the sport and knowing what your limits are.”