Page 12 of The Wildest Ride

“No one says that. I am not going to a rodeo on my vacation. Next thing, you’ll want to drag me to a high school football game. There’s no way in hell.”

“No way in hell? Even for the Devil?”

Diablo responded in a droll voice. “My favorite thing about that joke is how it never gets old.Evergreen, you might say. Don’t you have something to do? Something a regular adult human would be doing?”

AJ shook his head. “I’m free as a bird outside of practice. Retirement is great.” He winked, knowing it’d infuriate Diablo even more.

“Great. I’ll let your mom know you have so much time on your hands.”

AJ’s smile disappeared. “You wouldn’t.”

Diablo took his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it.

“Do it, and I give Nana your regular email address.”

Diablo’s phone went back into the pocket. He opened his arms wide, and AJ went in for the hug. After three years on the road, it was good to be home. Even if “home” was just the house he’d bought for his mom, a rusty old gym, and a short visit from a friend.

When he’d heard CityBoyz was about to close, he hadn’t thought, just acted. The old rodeo mailing lists hadn’t let him down. Neither had PBRA. Why would they? His little stunt was precisely the kind of thing they were looking for for the Closed Circuit: drama—a way for the rodeo to snag the interest of those tech-addicted kids.

He didn’t doubt they would arrange for it to happen that way if he couldn’t make it on his own merit. The story was just too good:AJ Garza puts off retirement to compete in the PBRA’s first-ever Closed Circuit rodeo tour—for a youth rodeo charity!

But he’d qualify. There still wasn’t anybody out there who could beat him. He wasn’t retiring because he was slipping. Even now, he was in a class all his own. He was just getting tired of beating himself up. He’d broken his collarbone three times, had six concussions, had his forearm crushed by a bull, dislocated his right shoulder countless times, and nearly had his head stepped on by a bronco. And he’d done it not in the name of competition but just to beat his own records.

There was no challenge in it anymore, and nobody liked a show-off, especially one that didn’t know when to quit. He should be grateful he got to go out on top. Rodeo chewed most cowboys up only to spit them out broken with nothing to show.

Diablo cleared his throat. “Earth to AJ.”

AJ started. “Sorry, just thinking. It’s good to be back. Strange.”

Diablo gave the room another three-sixty. “I know what you mean. You going to get your own place?”

“Eventually. After the circuit, now. Probably someplace nearby.”

“Here? You could afford to live in Piney Point.”

“What for? I’m going to be here all the time anyway.”

“Why bother, then? Just stay at your mom’s.”

AJ laughed, “And endure the long line of friends’ daughters...”

“How’s that any different than the long line of bunnies and club rats?”

“Can’t sleep with friends’ daughters.”

“Can’t sleep with anybody under Meredith Garza’s roof.”

“More to the point.”

Diablo laughed. “Like anybody wants a rodeo cowboy who lives with his mama and doesn’t know how to quit anyway.”

“Better that than a slick-talking Devil in a black suit.”

“As always, your humor reaches the height of sophistication.”

“That’s your gig, man.” AJ winked. “I’m just a yokel.”

“Right...”

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