Page 70 of Rainbow Rodeo

“Oh, then I have to go.” Buick loved stuff like that, and he knew it. Of course, what Buick loved most was being recognized. “You interested in hanging with us, man? Just wandering for a couple of hours? I promise not to take you on the Tilt-A-Whirl.”

He glanced at Dalton, who kinda shrugged. Dalton would have to be at work long before him, so he could spare an hour or two. “Sure. I have to be back at work at three.”

“Rock on. We’ll explore, the lot of us. It’ll be like old times.”

“Old times. I’ve been gone two months.”

“That’s a long time for Buick,” Jessop said. “He ages in dog years.”

“You been gone longer than that, honey. Been since Christmas, at least.”

Tank thought on that, and he guessed it was true. “I was laid up a while, I guess. I lost track of time in the hospital.”

“I’m just glad to see you. You think you’ll be back for the finals, at least?”

“I dunno.” Shit, he hadn’t even thought of that. If the guys voted him in….

“You got a couple months to fart around here, huh?”

“Hey! I work.” He bit back a grin.

“Yeah, yeah. So you say. This is a great little company, but y’all can’t draw the bulls we can.”

He couldn’t argue that. The big show had the prestige and the cash money. The Jakobys did well, but….

Dalton chuckled, lips twisted. “There’s a place for all of us.”

“No doubt.” Buick gave Tank an ironic look. “It’s a great place to recover.”

“The Jakoby outfit is one of the best in rodeo,” Tank said. “End of story.”

Buick’s brother slid into the booth next to Buick. “Great minds. I was on my way here when you texted. He giving you two shit? Don’t listen to him. He never was dick-all at any real rodeo events.”

Buick popped Dave in the shoulder. “Fuck off, pussy man.”

“It’s true. Most of your big show guys can’t even take a victory lap on a horse.” Dave’s eyes were just twinkling.

“I keep telling Pops we should reintroduce that,” Dalton muttered.

“Cool.” Tank waggled his eyebrows. “I’ll talk to him too.”

“You two suck,” Buick growled, but Dave just hooted.

“Rodeo is all the events, bro. Maybe Dalton will give you lessons.” Dave slapped the table.

Or not, if the look on Dalton’s face said anything.

“I bet there’s someone that would walk you around. Deb maybe. You could be in the grand entrance….”

Tank just brayed out a laugh. “They could put you on a donkey.”

“I will put you over my knee, you butthead.”

“You’ll try,” Dalton muttered.

Tank nodded easily. “That’s not the way it works.”

Dave snorted, and the other guys set to cackling like a big bunch of birds. Yeah, that had been the problem with Buick, in fact. He liked sex… kinda laid-back and mellow. Not so much Tank.

---