Page 10 of Bull Riders Don't Swoon

“Me?” Jackson cocks his head.

“Yeah, you. You’re like the brother I never had. Watching you finally make it to finals and fall in love last year…seeing you achieve everything was inspiring. I applied myself and was more disciplined because you proved it was possible.”

Jackson’s eyes are all shiny and I didn’t mean to be so intimate, but he really did all those things for me, and I’ll miss his steady presence at our campsites.

The beagle returns, Carrot is her name, some kind of inside joke with Jackson and Riley and he throws the ball for her again before sipping his iced tea.

“As an only child, I can say the same about you, Jamieson. It’s been my pleasure to work alongside you and watch you grow.”

Riley rubs Jackson’s back with a warm smile. “And you still will. Just not as often. Rodeo is what you love. I know I’m the new guy to the group, but this isn’t over. It’s just a change, Jamieson. He’s still here for you and rodeo will always be a part of Jackson.”

Jackson nods and kisses Riley softly before turning to me.

“What he said.” Jackson glances around the yard that’s filled with our rodeo friends and family. “Where’s Griff? Didn’t he come with you?”

“He was supposed to, but he called me last minute and said he was running late, and he’d meet me here.”

Griff never runs late. He’s always punctual and never out of line. But this winter he’s been different. He’s cancelled our plans multiple times at the last minute and if I didn’t know better, he’s been avoiding me.

He’s been my best friend since we met at university and my sister likes to say we’re attached at the hip. I wish he’d let me in on what’s bothering him so much. We’ve always been close and lately it feels like he’s pulling away and I can’t help but wonder if it’s something I did.

“Is he okay?”

“As far as I know, he is.”

Jackson nods in thought and Riley excuses himself to help Gabe when a large burst of flame rises from the BBQ.

“Should you go help them?”

Jackson smiles and shrugs. “I’ll wait it out. But I should make some rounds and say hello to people.” He smacks me on the shoulder. “I’ll catch you later, J. And don’t worry, you’ll be fine this year without me.”

After Jackson leaves to mingle with everyone, I duck behind his barn and pull out my phone. There are no texts from Griff, and the ball in my stomach clenches. He should be here by now. It’s what we always do to start the rodeo season. One last get together with our friends and families before we spend most of the summer away at events.

Even my sister is here and she’s so city I’m surprised she shows her face at something as low key as a backyard BBQ.

I hit dial and wait for Griff to pick up, but it rings and rings with no answer. Stuffing the phone in my pocket, I stride towards the front of Jackson’s house. Maybe Griff is already here and didn’t turn his phone on.

Not seeing his car, I call him again. Not because I think this call will end any differently, but because I need to feel like I’m doing something.

“Come on, Griff. This isn’t like you.” I mutter as the unease grips me tighter.

Finally, the telltale wheeze of his old car’s engine sounds in the distance and I walk to the end of the driveway to watch Griff’s white Ford Neon come into view. When he finally parks along the shoulder of the road, he walks towards the house with his hands in his pockets and his head down.

“Hey, I was worried something happened to you. You’re never this late.”

Griff’s head snaps up, and I immediately inhale a sharp breath.

“Jesus Christ, Griff, what happened?” I growl before pulling him into a tight hug. I welcome the relief that swamps me when he hugs me back. “Are you okay?” I whisper, and his head nods against my chest before he steps out of the hug.

My hand instinctively cups his cheek, the one that’s turning shades of purple right in front of me. Griff pulls away as soon as I touch it.

“I’m sorry. That was dumb.”

Griff squeezes my wrist, assuring me it’s okay. “I almost didn’t come, but I know it’s tradition. I didn’t want to let you down.”

Something tightens in my chest over those words. This is what he’s been keeping from me, and I don’t like that it caused physical pain. That someone did this to him.

“I would have come to you, Griff. You’re my best friend. Why didn’t you say anything?”

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