A COWBOYS REDEMPTION

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

My heart was racing, not just from the excitement but from the nervousness that clawed at my insides. This is Wyatt's first rodeo since being out for a whole year. I'm so excited and proud of him, but I can't lie—I'm scared of how he'll perform.

We walked in, and the first thing we saw was a bull riding show already in full swing.

The crowd was going wild, their cheers filling the air, but I brushed it off.

My eyes scanned the area until they landed on Wyatt and Akhilles standing nearby.

"Come on," I urged the others, leading the way toward them.

I couldn't help but sneak up behind Wyatt, wrapping my arms around him and whispering, "Hey handsome." He turned around, a smile lighting up his face. "Hey baby!" he greeted, pulling me into a tight hug.

I held him close for a moment before pulling back. "Are you ready?" I asked, searching his eyes for any hint of doubt.

Wyatt let out a small sigh. "I mean... it's the first since last year. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared."

I softened, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "Awe, Buckie, I'm sure you'll do fine."

"I sure hope so," he murmured, his voice low but hopeful.

"Well, we're going to go sit down so we can grab a good seat," I told him, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Okay, I love you," he said, his eyes locking with mine.

"I love you too. Good luck," I whispered before leading the others toward the stands.

As we settled into our seats, I spotted Mrs. Heidi sitting alone a few rows ahead. I made my way over to her, smiling warmly. "Hi Mrs. Heidi, how are you?"

She stood up and pulled me into a hug. "Hey my sweet girl, I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm good, thank you for asking. Are you excited for Buckie to get back on the bull?"

Mrs. Heidi took a deep breath, "I am, but I don't know if he is."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He's just been a bit discouraged about riding again," she explained softly.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll do just right," I assured her, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I agree."

But then, Mrs. Heidi's smile faded as her eyes locked onto something—or someone—in the crowd. "I cannot believe he's showing his face here," she muttered.

"Who?" I asked, turning to see who had caught her attention. My heart sank when I saw Wyatt's dad standing a few feet away, eating a bucket of popcorn as if everything was casual.

Mrs. Heidi lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper. "Oh boy, if Buckie sees him, I don't know if he'll do too good."

My blood boiled at the sight of him, the audacity to show up here, of all places, on Wyatt's first day back. Clenching my jaw, I stood up and marched over to Wyatt's dad. His eyes widened when he saw me, but I didn't give him a chance to speak.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded, my voice low but firm.

"Milia?" he said, clearly surprised. "It's nice to see you again."

"I wish the feeling was mutual," I snapped. "Why are you here?"

He chuckled, "I'm here to watch my son start his bull riding season again."

"Right, right..." I laughed, shaking my head. "So you see, this is Wyatt's first time riding since a year ago, and I'm pretty sure if he sees you, he won't do good and he doesn't need any distractions."

He glanced at me, then past me, as if searching for someone else. I turned back seeing Mrs. Heidi was staring up at us while we were talking. "I see," he muttered.

I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a whisper. "I can't force you to leave, but stay the hell out of view because if Wyatt screws up because he saw you? I'll kick your ass myself."

With that, I rolled my eyes, gave him one last glare, and walked back to my seat, hoping that Wyatt would do well despite the unwanted visitor.

??°

"Wyatt, just focus, okay? All you need is ten seconds, and you'll be back where you need to be.

Don't worry about anything else, just focus," Wiley said, his voice steady and reassuring as I watched the bull being pulled out of the pen.

My heart was pounding like a drum in my chest, and I felt my hands trembling as I prepared for what was coming.

"Ten seconds," I whispered to myself, over the noise of the crowd. Ten seconds felt like a lifetime right now. I'd never been this terrified of bull riding until now. It was like everything was riding on this one moment, and the weight of it was pressing down on me.

I took a deep breath and glanced around, the sea of faces blurring together in a wave of cheers and chatter.

Then my eyes found Milia in the crowd, and for a second, everything else faded.

She was having what looked like a heated conversation with some guy.

I squinted, trying to get a better look, and my heart dropped like a stone when I realized who it was.

Beau.

My father.

I felt a lump rise in my throat and looked down at Wiley, my voice shaky as I muttered, "B-Beau is here."

Wiley's head shot up, his eyes scanning the crowd until he saw him too.

"Shit," he muttered, before turning his attention back to me, his expression serious.

"Listen to me, Wyatt, okay?" He placed a hand on the back of my neck, pulling me in closer.

"Do not let him fuck this up for you. He's not here, okay? "

I shut my eyes tight, trying to block out the image of my father, trying to push away the anxiety clawing at my chest. "O-okay. He's not here," I whispered, more to convince myself than anything.

"Attaboy!" Wiley said, patting my neck firmly, just as the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this next rider we have is someone we haven't seen in a while because, unfortunately, a year ago, he took a nasty fall off a bull and developed a concussion that caused him to have epilepsy.

" The crowd let out a collective "Aww," and I felt overwhelmed from their sympathy.

"But thankfully," the announcer continued, "he was cleared two weeks ago, and he's back in the arena!" The crowd then erupted into cheers, and I felt a smile tug at my lips. I lifted a hand and waved at them, the nervousness transforming into something closer to excitement.

The bull was brought in front of me, and I took another deep breath, slipping on my helmet and gloves before swinging my leg over and settling onto its broad back. I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins, my body vibrating with anticipation.

"Let's give a warm welcome back to Wyatt 'Buckie' Buckley, ridin' all the way out from Austin, Texas!

" The crowd went wild, their cheers echoing through the arena.

For a moment, I felt genuinely happy, the rush of being back overwhelming every other emotion.

But then I saw him again—my dad, clapping along with the rest of them.

My smile faded, and I could hear the pounding of my heart in my ears. The gate creaked open, and the bull exploded into motion, thrashing and spinning as it tried to throw me off.

I felt myself slipping, my grip weakening as the bull bucked harder and harder.

But then I took a deep breath, tightening my hold and centering myself.

"Ten seconds," I whispered again, holding on with everything I had.

The rhythm of the bull's movements started to feel familiar, the fear giving way to muscle memory.

A grin spread across my face, the rush of adrenaline mixing with the joy of riding again. "Woo hoo!" I shouted, the sound lost in the roar of the crowd. When I finally let go, I jumped off the bull, landing solidly on both feet, the rush hitting me with full force.

I ripped off my helmet and threw it to the ground, shouting at the top of my lungs, "Let's fucking go! We're fucking back, baby!" The crowd's roar echoed, and I turned to see Wiley rushing toward me, his face lit with pride and pure happiness.

"You did it, Wyatt, you fucking did it!" he said, patting my shoulder, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

I was back.

Back in fucking business baby!

??°

"Baby, I'm so proud of you!" Milia squealed as she ran over to me, jumping right into my arms. I caught her easily, holding her tight as I spun her around, her laughter ringing in my ears. I kissed her, feeling the adrenaline and love all mixed together, making my heart pound even harder.

"Thank you, baby," I murmured as I set her gently back on the ground, her smile lighting up my world.

"Oh, you did so good, Buckie," I then heard my grandma say, pulling me into a warm hug. I kissed her forehead, my chest swelling with gratitude that she was here.

"Thanks, Grandma," I whispered, hugging her close for a moment longer before turning back to Milia.

"You wanna come over so we can celebrate together?" I asked, my eyes locked on hers, the excitement still bubbling under my skin.

"Of course I do, Wyatt. I'm so happy for you," she beamed, wrapping her arms around my waist, holding me tightly. I squeezed her back, feeling the love and support pouring from her.

Then, I heard someone clear their throat, cutting through the moment. I turned and saw him—my dad—standing there with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. My smile faded instantly. "Oh, it's you," I muttered, my voice flat.

He gave me a weak smile. "I just wanted to come over and tell you that I'm proud of you."

I nodded, not really feeling it. "Uh, thanks."

Dad shifted on his feet, looking uncomfortable. "I know how much Winnie loved the bull rides, and I just wanted to say... I think she'd be proud knowing you were riding too."

My heart dropped at the mention of my mom's name coming from his mouth. I clenched my fists, the pain of it still raw. I could see he was trying, but I couldn't get past everything he'd done. I didn't want anything to do with him.

Milia scoffed, her voice sharp. "You really got some nerve even saying her name."

She stepped forward, her eyes blazing. "Also, I said that I'd beat your ass if Wyatt almost fell off, and he almost did! So you know what I—" She moved toward him, but Dad took a step back, his eyes wide.

Before she could get any closer, I grabbed her arm gently but firmly. "Milia, stop," I said, my voice low but firm.

"But he—" she started, but I gave her a look that made her pause. She sighed, crossing her arms. "My bad," she muttered, stepping back with a huff.

I took a deep breath, turning back to my dad. "Look, I don't want any bad mojo with you, but I also don't want anything to do with you. So I forgive you, but please don't ever come back to one of my rodeos again. And please don't ever speak to any of my friends or family."

He stood there silently for a moment before nodding. "Okay. I respect that."

I extended my hand, and after a brief hesitation, he shook it.

"Goodbye, Wyatt," he said, stepping back. He glanced at Milia and shot her a death glare. I didn't like the way he looked at her, but I decided to let it go not wanting to feed into it too much. He turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

I looked down at Milia before I let out a laugh. "Come on, you little feisty thang."

She smiled, her eyes still fiery. "I'm not feisty; I just don't play about my man."

I chuckled, pulling her into a side hug. "Oh, how I love you."