Page 35 of Rough Stock
“The kid who climbs up in the middle of the table and eats a stick of butter?” Jensen asked, pointed at her, and laughed.
“Yep?that would be me,” she said, feigning embarrassment.
Roger pretended to huff. “You’re a bad influence, Strader. Now we’re off talking about kids eating butter instead of riding bulls. Shyanna, one more ride and break for lunch.”
“Yes, sir,” she barked up to him. Damn, the guy was a slave driver, but honestly, he was precisely what she needed.
The last bull he’d picked was a big Brahma named Mergatroid. Shyanna took one look at him and felt a little sick. He had a crazy look in his eyes, and his red and white mottled coat did nothing to make him seem less imposing. Everything about the animal terrified her, not to mention he was the biggestbull she’d ever seen.Dear god, do I really want to do this?she asked herself. But she knew that when she went to an event, she could wind up with any bull there, so she figured she might as well get ready.
The chute handlers were waiting, and it seemed to take her an unusual length of time to get ready, but taking her time had paid off earlier in the day. Now Jensen was watching, and what would he think if she failed miserably?I can’t think about what anybody else thinks. I’ve got to concentrate on the ride, she told herself firmly. They loosened the rigging strap several times and shifted it, tightening it back down and letting her try out her grip until she got it the way she wanted it. She worked the rosin into the rope and her glove, folded her fingers down, leaned back, and nodded.
The big Brahma burst out of the gate like he had wings, and as soon as those front feet went down, Shyanna’s feet went up.Like you’re dancing, Roger had said earlier, so she loosened her waist and let the bull lead. She could feel herself moving with him, her arm flexing as she went up and down with him, and suddenly there was a pickup rider beside her. She let go, missed the pickup rider, and sailed through the air, landing hard on her butt, then scrambled for the railings as the bull charged toward her.
The student clowns did a good job of deflecting the bull and he took off at a lope through the gate to the holding area. Once she knew he was secure, she climbed down and dusted herself off, then limped toward where the guys sat. “How was that?”
Jensen held his hand out palm up toward Roger. “Pay up, Potter.”
“Aww, shit. Why’d you have to go and ride it out?” Roger whined toward Shyanna.
Her mouth fell open. “Did you bet against me?”
“Well, uh, I?”
“Some instructor you are! Pay the man!” she yelled at him and pointed at Jensen.
“Yeah. Pay me,” Jensen echoed, laughing.
“I take it I did okay?” Shyanna asked, glaring at Roger.
“Okay? You stayed on that bull for eight seconds and more. I can’t remember the last time I saw anybody stay on him for the full eight, much less longer. You’re doing great. Of course, I’m such a great instructor that?”
“You bet against me. Save your lies, mister,” Shyanna said with a wink. “I’m hungry. Where’s the food?”
“Coming with us, Roger?” Jensen asked as he rose and made his way down the stands toward Shyanna.
“Nah. But thanks for asking. Maybe tomorrow. I’ve got a student I’ve got to go meet with. You’ll probably be back before I get finished with him so, if you are, go ahead and look at some of the other bulls. Start watching how they move, how they turn, how they react to humans even in their pens. You can tell a lot from watching animals,” Roger said and waved as he headed up the stands. “I’ll catch up with you guys in an hour and a half or so.”
Jensen led Shyanna across in front of the holding pens and out the alley of the arena into the sunlight. “What sounds good for lunch? Right up the road there’s a pizza place, and a little diner that has plate lunches, and?”
“I want you to take me to a place where you hung out when you were a student here,” she said with a grin.
“Okay. Dakota Joe’s Feed and Bait it is.”
When they sat down with their menus, Shyanna was thrilled. They had all kinds of pub-type foods like jalapeño poppers, loaded potato skins, and some kind of quartered grilled cheese sandwiches smashed flat like chips with a homemade corn salsa to scoop up. Everything smelled fantastic. They were laughing and talking when they heard a female voice say, “Hey! Hi, y’all!”
Shyanna turned to see Amber and SammyJo sitting two tables away. “Hi,” Shyanna answered unenthusiastically. Trying to make friends with other women had never worked out well for her.
“Hey, girls, how are you?” Jensen said when he looked back and saw them.
“We’re good, CoachStrader. We’re loving taking care of your horses,” SammyJo said.
“Yeah?”
Amber grinned. “Yeah. I love Cobra, but he’s kinda snotty.” That made Jensen chuckle. “But Rhubarb is a beautiful horse, and so gentle too.”
“Thanks,” Shyanna said and gave them a weak smile. What was she supposed to say?
“Have you had her long?” SammyJo asked.
