Chapter 5
Chapter Five
The crowd was buzzing, loud enough that Jason felt a little dizzy, but Dillon was in his ear, calm and solid. The man wasn’t working the event, so he could sit and talk without all the heavy breathing and screaming into the mic that came with being a rodeo clown.
“How come Dillon don’t look crazy talking to himself, Bax?”
There was a hesitation, then a chuckle. “He got his phone out. Looks like he’s talking on it. Not bad, for a geek from Idaho.”
“Cool.” Jason had pulled Bogbaby today, who was rank enough, he guessed, especially for where he’d landed on the roster. The bull was a strong son of a bitch that spun toward the right and kicked like a balky mule. Jason could make some money on the ride, if he stuck.
“Yeah. He’s smarter than he looks under all that makeup.”
“That he is.” Hell, Gramps liked him. That was good enough for Jason. Dillon had always had his back, so Jason wasn’t going to make fun of him too much.
“Keep your eyes open,” Gramps told him.
“I will.”
“I mean it, son. Ace is watching.” That deep voice sounded so damn dire in warning.
“No pressure.”
“None at all.”
“You ready, Mini? Your bull is roped and in the chute.” Bax was right there. Always. Solid as a rock, and never letting him get too nervous.
“I’m ready.” He moved like he knew what he was doing, which he reckoned he did, when it got right down to it. Riding bulls was in his genes and in his muscle memory. His eyes didn’t have to help.
He swung over the gate, focusing on the rhythm of rope and glove, of getting his legs down between bull and chute and not getting them too bad squashed. Jason took a deep breath, and he could hear both Bax and Dillon talking.
Dillon murmured. “Okay. Coke took lead, so he’ll be the closest of the bullfighters. Listen to him when he gives you direction.”
Right. He closed his fist around the rope, pounding his fingers closed with his free hand. This one spins toward the right. Remember. Toward the right.
“Head up, eyes on the prize,” Bax called out.
“Yeah, yeah.” Jason had this. He did. He felt as soon as he was in the middle, and he nodded just like he always did, with his eyes wide open. Bring it on.
Bogbaby spun out, the bull leaping out of the gate, heels snapping up as he bucked.
He cleared the gate, because there was no jolt of hooves hitting metal, then turned back to the right.
Spinning and kicking, just like Jason remembered, like Coke and Dillon had drilled into him. Predictable bulls were good.
He forced his eyes open, his free arm up as he spun. Four. Five. Six.
He began to slide to the right, but he kicked out with his right leg, pushing back up until his ass was in the middle like his mind was already. Mind in the middle, and that was half the battle. All bull riders knew that.
“You got this, Jase! Spur! Spur!” Bax was shouting like he always did, too, probably jumping and pounding the rail.
Jason spurred. He trusted Bax with his life and he had to believe it was safe to let it all hang out for the extra points.
The buzzer sounded and he jumped off, hearing Dillon in his ear. “Right! Right!”
He ran right, feeling the hot blow of the bull’s breath on his neck. Coke grabbed him and tossed, and he was flying toward the fence.
He staggered, hands out, and Dillon barked, “Ace!” in his ear just as strong hands caught him and helped him up the fence. “You all right, Jason?”
“Right as rain, Ace!” He grinned as wide as he could. “Not a bad ride, huh?”
“Good one, cowboy.” Ace twirled him away, he assumed toward the gate, so he put his head down to walk, avoiding the camera.
“Head up, Jase. To the right. A little more. A little more.”
He kept moving right.
And there he was, out of the gate with Bax meeting him, taking his arm. He could breathe a sigh of relief. He headed right to the chutes, letting himself be led to his pocket of friends.
“Good ride,” AJ told him, clapping him on his back.
“Thanks. Score?”
“Eighty-seven.” Bax sounded tickled as shit.
“Woo.” That meant he’d have to ride in the short go, he’d bet. That was both too cool and terrifying.
“Yeah. You’ll have one more ride today.” He wasn’t sure Bax sounded all that happy about that.
“I can do it.” Jason barely even felt queasy.
“Good job, kiddo,” Dillon said in his ear. “Cameras coming.”
He pulled his hat down and went for his trademark scowl.
“So sexy.” Dillon was cruising for a bruising.
“Jason! Jason, are you back for real? Your fans are asking.” Whoever that was had a chirpy damn voice.
“I am. Working my way to the big show.” Fucker.
“We’re all waiting to see that.” The lady just went on and on, but he was known for ignoring the non-arena announcers. TV had never been his forte.
“You and me both,” Bax muttered.
“Shh.” Jason had to smile, though. It was actually easier to hide at the big events.
The crowd noises rose and fell, then went quiet.
Damn, someone got hurt.
He shook his head, not wanting to know, really. He had to, but he didn’t want to.
“Come on, Mini. Let’s get a water before they call you up. You’re going to be the leader going into the short go.”
“Who got hurt?”
“Houston again. Damn kid needs to get his mind in the middle.”
Jason shook his head. “He wouldn’t know what to do, iff’n his bell wasn’t rung.”
“I guess so.” Bax chuckled, leading him around behind the chutes.
“I did okay?” he whispered.
“Shit, you looked Ace right in the eye and smiled. I damn near swallowed my teeth.”
“Good deal. I was going for it, you know?”
“You were. This is your season, Mini.” Was that Bax’s hand on his ass?
“It better be, huh?” He flexed. Yeah. Hand. Ass. In public. His cheeks heated but he couldn’t stop grinning.
“No one’s watching, Mini. You’re good.”
“I am. You’re crazy.”
“Yeah. It feels cool to be a little crazy sometimes.”
“It does.” He was getting ready to let things ease up, if he were honest.
Bax led him to a chute, and he grasped the rail. Nothing to do now but wait. “You hungry?”
“Nah. We’ll order pizza at the hotel.” Sharing a pizza with Andy Baxter was one of his oldest things. His dearest.
“Cool. The corny dogs here smell like ass.”
“So long as they still look like dicks, right?”
Bax hooted like a big old owl. “Well, if you’re eatin’ ‘em, yeah.”
“I’d rather have the real deal,” he muttered.
“I know. You win big and buy the pizza and I’m all yours.”
“Heads up,” Dillon said in his ear. “You pulled Bogie for the short go.”
“Rock on. Time to go do my thing again, then pizza and blow jobs.”
Bax laughed right out loud, and he could imagine the guys grinning along and having no idea. No one knew how sexual his Bax really was. No one but him. Thank God for that. “Gonna embarrass myself, Mini. You behave.”
“I don’t know what you’re on about. Not at all.”
“Mmm. Evil man. Okay, we’re loaded. We’ll go after Dale Loomis.”
“I’m the only one who rode in the main round?”
“Yeah. It was a bad night.”
“Shit.” All eyes would be on him.
“You’re in the money, no matter what. Just stick.”
Right. Just stick. Mind in the middle. Keep your fucking eyes open.
He climbed the rail under Bax’s urging. He loaded up, breathing deep and rocking back and forth to make room for his leg.
“You need the 4x4, Mini?”
Jason nodded to Bax. “Son of a bitch is trying to squat on me.”
“Got it. Gramps. He’s getting too low.”
“Come on, you old bitch. Get your happy ass up.” Coke’s voice was rough as a cob and familiar as breathing.
He knew instantly the bull would behave for Coke. It was insane, but the world listened to his oldest friend.
The bull stood up, so Jason nodded, wanting out of the chute before it all went south. This little bull was an easy ride, if he just kept his mind in the middle. He would spin, kick, then let the rider off real nice. Job done.
Up. Down. Up. Down. And in the money. Bingo.
He hit the ground, and Dillon was calm this time. “He’s out already. Just head left.”
“Got it,” he muttered. He walked careful, giving a two-fingered salute to the crowd.
“Good boy. They’ll want you for the check thing. Get your sunglasses.”
“Not a boy, fucker.” He pushed his hat down lower and took his bull rope and glasses from Coke. “Thanks.”
“No prob. Cricket will walk you up.”
“Good deal. Big big check or no?”
“Nope. Check, buckle.”
“Ah.” He would hold up the buckle and wee check and smile.
It was over quickly, and he was moving toward Bax’s voice, trying his best not to stumble.
“Hey, champ.” For a moment he couldn’t place the voice, but then he knew it was Raul, the Brazilian he barely knew. One warm hand grasped his elbow. “They tell me change in light makes you dizzy. You go this way.”
“Thanks, buddy. It’s maddening, no shit. Didn’t know you were here.”
“Came in second. Beat your ride in the short go.”
But I took the event, didn’t I? “I been in my own little world.”
“Mmm-hmm. Here is Andy.”
“Thank you, buddy.”
“Of course. I have your front.”
Jason chuckled softly. Raul’s English was getting better, but sayings were hard. “Your back.”
“Sim. Your back.” Raul clapped him on the shoulder before walking off.
“So all the Brazilians know?” Jason asked.
Bax snorted. “Balta knows. So do Joa and Raul.”
“True that. Balta had to know, right?”
“No shit. Balta would get his panties in a wad if he was left out.” Bax sighed, but Jason thought he was grinning.
“I did good.” He let the pleasure in that wash over him.
“You did more than good, Mini. You won.”
“I did. I got my invite to the big show, Bax. I did it.” He was scared to death. But this was the deal, right? He could be scared, but he couldn’t be a coward. He had to win this shit so he could have the time and money to figure out how to be blind. He wanted to make it work, needed to.
Bax deserved someone who could pull his own weight when they retired. He deserved to fucking be that someone. Somehow.
“You okay?” Bax asked. “I got your go bag.”
“I am. I’m good. Proud.” And that was the truth.
Bax’s fingers closed around his wrist, squeezing. “You’re amazing.”
“I’m yours. Pizza.”
“Blow jobs,” Bax whispered.
“God yes. Please.” He couldn’t stop grinning.
“Soon.” Bax led him past a crowd of folks and he nodded and smiled, trusting his glasses to hide all.
Bax got him loaded into the truck, the sudden silence a touch overwhelming. Jason looked around wildly, trying to see anything, but Bax caught his hand, distracting him.
“Hey. Sorry. I just… Sorry.”
“No big, Mini. I’m starting to figure out shit.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Bax sounded pleased with himself. Really pleased. “I can tell, you know? When you’re overwhelmed.”
Jason wasn’t totally sure if that was good or bad. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be.”
“Hell, I know that, doof.” Bax got the truck rolling. “It can’t be easy.”
He didn’t know. It was what it was. He was fucking tickled that Bax put up with him.
“So, what are we getting on the pizza tonight?” Bax asked, sounding like he couldn’t be more tickled.
“Pepperoni and sausage and onions.”
“Onions burn.”
He burst out laughing. Someone was way more focused on the blow job than the pizza. “Green peppers?”
“They make you burp.”
“Jalapenos.”
Bax whacked his leg.
“All meat, and we get our blow jobs while we’re waiting.” He knew that was a great compromise.
“That’s perfect.” Bax laughed with him now.
“I’m on a motherfucking roll, cowboy.”
“You so are, Mini. Good thing I’m riding with you.”
“No shit on that.”
They pulled up at the hotel in no time, the engine dying off under Bax’s hand. “Come on, Mini. We got a date.”
“Yessir. I’m all in.” In fact, he might even be deeper than that.
Bax made him feel ten feet tall and stronger than the mountains. Winning didn’t hurt that feeling, either.