Page 57 of Beat around the Bush
It’d been a long day anyway. I should make up some excuse and go home, but I hated cutting my time here because of my dad. I’d left Denver to get away from the effects of this whole thing between my parents, but it seemed it just followed me here.
22
Lennon
“So you thinking of retiring next year?” I asked Beckham from where I sat on the couch. The outside of my thigh was getting cold with the absence of Oakley next to me, and I wished she was back in the room already.
“Not sure,” Beck replied. “I’m still young, and to be frank, I don’t know what I’d do if I wasn’t riding broncs.”
“Could always be a rodeo clown,” Bailey joked.
Beck shook his head. “I don’t look good in makeup.”
“You don’thaveto wear makeup,” Lettie pointed out. “You just wear really bright colors and all that.”
“Would you be a rodeo clown?” Beck questioned her.
“Well, no,” she muttered, crossing her arms.
“My point exactly.” He looked back to me as my parents sat to the left of him, eager to hear his answer. “I’ll think aboutit, but I’m ninety-eight percent sure I’m doing another year at least.”
Callan stayed quiet next to me, but I knew he wished he could convince him to quit. Hell, he’d probably even try to talk him into it before he left.
“Well, we support you either way,” my mom piped in.
He gave her a soft smile. “Thanks, Mom.” But he knew how much it worried them. One wrong move and he could break his neck or paralyze himself for life. He was riding a thin line where being safe was almost nonexistent.
My eyes moved to the empty spot next to me. I should go see if she’s okay. Oakley looked like she was about to throw up when she asked if she could use the restroom. Last thing I wanted was for her to feel alone if she was sick or something.
“I’ll be right back,” I said to Callan before standing up and coming around the couch. I went to the fridge first to grab her a water bottle just in case she needed it, then headed toward the hall. As soon as I turned the corner, I found her leaning against the wall with her head cast down, staring at her lit up phone screen.
“Oak?”
Her head shot up and she clicked her phone screen off as her eyes met mine. She straightened, coming away from the wall a few inches.
“Sorry, I just needed a minute,” she said quietly.
Making my way down the hall, I leaned against the wall opposite of her, holding the water bottle out to her.
“I brought this in case you needed it,” I explained.
Was the hallway always this narrow?
“Thanks.” She took the plastic bottle, but didn’t uncap it.
“Sorry about them.” I hiked my thumb toward the end of the hallway. “They can be a lot.”
She shook her head. “No, they’re great. It’s not them. I love hanging out with them.”
Love. She loved being aroundmyfamily?
I ignored her choice of words as my brows pulled together. “What is it, then? Is everything okay?”
She sighed, then looked down, clicking on her phone screen and holding it out to me.
I read the text, then who it was from. Her dad.
Her parents were getting a divorce. Did she even know? Is that why she was here in Bell Buckle and not home in Denver?
