Page 18 of Rough Stock
He drew the biggest,nastiest horse they had in the bareback bronc pool, DirtyHarry. The horse with the temperament of an overgrown Shetland pony was so wicked that the livestock company that owned him had trouble getting people to feed and walk him. He was a known biter and if you got too close to his backside, he’d pivot slightly and kick you. The giant pain in the ass was just the kind of horse Jensen loved to draw.
He put every ounce of concentration he had into that ride, and when the buzzer went off, it took the rescue riders another nine seconds to collect him because Harry was so crazy. When they managed to get him off and he slipped to the ground, the crowd was cheering. His score tied another three rides earlier, but that was okay. He’d had the best score the previous night, and they’d just average them.
He was coming out of the restroom and climbing the stairs to the concourse to get a snack before the bull riding event when he ran into Calvin and Amos. “Hey, did you hear?” Amos asked.
“Hear what?”
“The announcement they just made,” Calvin answered.
Jensen had heard the announcer saying something, but he was so intent on getting to the restroom that he hadn’t paid any attention. “No. What is it?”
“Looks like we’ve got a little time off,” Amos said, looking a bit bewildered.
“What do you mean?”
“Next weekend’s event in Saltillo is cancelled.” Jensen started to ask why when Calvin added, “The arena burned this morning.”
If he’d had to guess the reason for the cancellation, Jensen would’ve never thought of that. “Holy shit! Are you serious?”
“Yep. Serious as a heart attack. So we’ll lose that money,” Amos said, his dark eyes sad.
“Well, that sucks,” Jensen muttered. “Maybe they’ll arrange some kind of event later to help make up for it.”
Calvin shook his head sadly. “Yeah. Don’t know what we’re going to do now. I mean, we’re down here in Round Rock, and home is the other side of Saltillo for me, but I can’t afford to just wander around in Texas for two weeks. And the following weekend is Texarkana. Can’t afford to go home and then come back.”
“If it ain’t one thing, it’s another,” Jensen said, wondering what he’d do. Well, maybe he’d have more time with Shyanna. That could be a good thing.
And then it hit him. He knew exactly what to do with that free time. “I’ve gotta get ready for the bulls. Talk to you guys later,” he told Calvin and Amos.
“Good luck,” Calvin called back as he walked away.
Two weeks and then Texarkana. If he could get her to go along with it, his plan just might work.
She was still asleepwhen Jensen let himself into her trailer. “Hey,” she whispered as he sat down on the side of the bed. “How’d you do?”
“Eh, okay. Made my eight seconds. Down by one point. But I was four points higher than the second place last night, so that’ll be fine. How ya feelin’?” he asked as he swept a strand of hair off her face.
“I’m fine. And I’m glad tie-down was earlier. I’m getting hungry. What’s that smell?” she asked, and Jensen reached over to the little table and held up his gift. “A corn dog! Perfect!” she cried out, then reached for it. In seconds she had the mustard packet open and was dipping and munching away, but Jensen saw her wince when she forgot and tried to chew on the swollen side of her jaw.
“We got some bad news right before the bull riding event,” Jensen said, hoping it wouldn’t upset her too much.
“Yeah? What’s that?” she said from around a mouthful of corn dog.
“The arena in Saltillo burned this morning so next weekend’s event’s been cancelled.”
Shyanna’s jaw fell and left her mouth gaping, corn dog and all. “You’re kidding,” she mumbled as she tried to chew and swallow.
“Exactly what I said.” Now to spring his plan, and he hoped she’d go for it. “So after I heard about that, I was thinking. Would you like to get in a little bronc busting and bull riding practice while we’re off?”
“Where the hell would I do that?” she asked as she finished the last bite of corn dog.
“I can call the school where I used to coach rodeo. I think they’d be glad to have me come back and work with the kids as a guest instructor. You could come too, and you could practice that way. You’d have to sign a waiver, and you might not be able to practice when the kids were around, but at least we’d have the livestock and a place to do some practicing. Whaddya say?”
He could see the gears turning as she thought about it. “Is your family there?”
“No, but they’re not far away if you’d like to meet them.”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t think they’d like me.”
