Chapter Twenty-Six
THE CARLISLE RANCH was bustling the afternoon of the rodeo competition. Crowds enjoyed a variety of food vendors, games for kids, live music, and dancing. The arena was packed, the anticipation palpable, as Lucas and the other young riders prepared to compete. Lucas would be competing in barrel racing, bareback bronc riding, and bull riding, and he was stoked. True to their promises, all of the Whiskeys showed up to cheer him on, along with Kenny, who had made fast friends with Lucas the night of the bonfire two weeks ago, and Layla. They’d gone to see Layla’s competition last weekend. Lucas had proudly cheered her on and had been raving about her win ever since.
Juliette was elated to see so many people there to support him. She hadn’t made it to the stands yet. She’d wished Lucas luck and hugged him, telling him how great he was going to do, while silently praying he wouldn’t break his neck. Now she was waiting for Seeley, who was talking with him and Buck.
With the exception of last Saturday morning when Seeley had the ride and rally before the Ride Clean event, he’d been to all of Lucas’s practices the last two weeks. With some prodding from Lucas, he’d also managed to take him driving six times. On three of those occasions, they’d ended up calling Juliette to meet them at the ranch for their big family dinners.
Lucas was loving spending more time there. Juliette hadn’t realized how much he’d needed a bigger circle. They’d met Seeley after the ride and rally, and while he oversaw events, Lucas had hung out with Kenny and Layla, and Juliette had spent time helping the girls with the events they were managing. Lucas had his first motocross lesson last Sunday, and of course her young adrenaline junkie was hooked. He even got Seeley on a bike, which Billie said was a miracle. Motocross had never been Seeley’s thing. But she had a feeling nothing was off-limits for him when it came to spending time with Lucas.
She looked for them now, but they were no longer where they’d been talking with Buck. She spotted Lucas and Seeley having a private, and what looked like a serious, conversation. Seeley was standing in front of Lucas with one hand on Lucas’s shoulder. She wondered what was being said, but she wasn’t worried. So much had changed the last few weeks, she knew whatever it was, Seeley was handling it with equal amounts of tact and love. He’d become Lucas’s other person —the loving, protective father she’d always known he’d be—and because of that, Lucas was thriving.
They all were.
That was why she was so torn. She desperately wanted her father to pay for what he’d done, for the years she, Seeley, and Lucas had lost and the trauma he’d put them through. Two weeks ago, she’d asked Seeley not to make a move because Lucas was having such a hard time. Now she didn’t want him to call Reggie because Lucas was finally settling in.
Was this the universe’s way of telling her there were more important things to worry about than vengeance?
Seeley and Lucas looked over, drawing her from her thoughts.
She smiled at them, feeling like the luckiest woman on earth, despite what her father had put them through. She had a second chance with the man she adored, and he and their son were finally right where they belonged. Together .
She went to them, needing to give Lucas one last hug for good luck. “I love you so much, and I’m so proud of you.” She squeezed him a little tighter before letting go. “Go out there and show them what you’re made of.”
“I will.” He looked out at the stands and waved to everyone who had come to see him.
They all waved back, and Layla and Kenny held up a banner they must have brought with them that read Let’s Go, Rodeo! Layla shouted, “You’ve got this, Rodeo!” The nickname Tiny had coined for him had caught on, and Lucas answered to it proudly.
His fist shot up in the air victoriously, but it was his heart-stopping, ear-to-ear smile and the memories of her and Seeley doing practically the same thing in this very arena a lifetime ago that had Juliette reaching for Seeley’s hand, praying Layla wouldn’t be too big of a distraction for Lucas while he was riding.
“Lucas, remember what I told you,” Seeley said firmly.
Lucas nodded curtly. “I’ve got this. Don’t worry.” He headed for his coach.
“What did you tell him?” Juliette asked as they headed for the stands.
“To keep his mind on the bull, not his girl.”
“Good, but that’s probably easier said than done at his age. Should I be worried? Because I am.”
“Nope. When you used to watch me, I wanted to impress you, and I was even more focused on staying on the bull. When I told him to keep his mind on the bull, he said nothing was going to stop him from winning.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Then he said he had big boots to fill.”
She melted inside and stopped in her tracks. “He said that?”
“Yeah,” he said with an almost silent laugh, and pulled her into his arms. “I think we’re almost over the hump, darlin’.”
“I hope you’re right, but he is a teenager, so let’s not count our chickens yet.”
“I’m counting mine. Every damn one of them.” He kissed her again.
Birdie hollered, “Get a room!”
They made their way over to sit with the others.
“Is our boy ready and focused?” Tiny asked.
“He is,” Seeley said. “And he’s thrilled that y’all are here.”
“We’re thrilled to be here,” Dare said.
“This brings back memories,” Wynnie said. “I’m already nervous.”
“You and me both,” Seeley said as they sat down in front of his parents between Dare and Cowboy. He took Juliette’s hand. “It’s a whole different rodeo from this side of the gate.”
Tiny patted his shoulder and said, “Better get used to gritting your teeth, son. Watching your boy on a bull never gets easy.”
The announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers. Seeley took Juliette’s hand as the din of the crowd quieted and the event began. Juliette filled with a mix of exhilaration and trepidation as they watched kids compete in barrel racing, tie-down roping, saddle bronc riding, and bareback. The horses were beautifully strong and the riders, focused and athletic. The sounds of hooves pounding dirt, the snapping of ropes, and the cheers of the crowd heightened the excitement. But nothing topped the sounds of Seeley’s family and their friends cheering on Lucas like he was king of the rodeo.
He took first place in barrel racing and second in bareback. As he climbed onto a bull in the chute, Juliette could hardly hear her own thoughts for the whoops, cheers, and whistles ringing out for Rodeo . Even Gus was cheering his heart out. She squeezed Seeley’s hand.
“He’s got grit, darlin’. He’s got this,” Seeley said reassuringly, and lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles.
“I know” came out as nervous and hopeful as she felt.
The bull exploded out of the gate, bucking and twisting, and Juliette held her breath. Come on, baby. Stay on. That’s it. As the seconds ticked by, Lucas clung to the rope, holding one hand in the air, his body jerking and flailing with the bull’s powerful and unpredictable bucks, rears, kicks, and spins as it tried to throw him off.
Juliette’s heart pounded as the tenths of seconds flashed on the clock and Lucas fought to stay on the massive animal. The eight-second buzzer sounded, and they all shot to their feet, shouting and cheering. Seeley hugged Juliette as Lucas leaned into his hand and kicked his leg over the bull to dismount. The bull reared and twisted, sending Lucas flying head over feet. The crowd gasped as he landed on his back like a rag doll.
“ Getupgetupgetup ,” Juliette begged, but Lucas lay as still as steel. Panic flared in her chest and she reached for Seeley, but he was already gone. She saw him leaping over the railing, tearing across the dirt toward Lucas as medics appeared and other men wrangled the bull.
She ran down the stands with Cowboy and Dare flanking her and realized Tiny was ahead of them, blazing a path through the crowd. As they rushed around the ring, she couldn’t see Lucas. The medics and Seeley were leaning over him. Ohgod. Please! Please let him be okay!
Seeley and a medic helped Lucas to his feet, and Lucas’s arms shot up, and he turned toward the crowd triumphantly. The air rushed from Juliette’s lungs, relief flooding her as the crowd erupted into applause, cheers, and whistles.
By the time they made it to Lucas, the medics had finished their evaluation, and they were talking with Seeley. Juliette ran straight to Lucas, looking him up and down. “Baby, are you okay?” Behind her, the guys were asking the same thing.
“I’m fine . Did you see me ride? I’m in the lead!” he exclaimed.
“We all saw it,” she said. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart, but are you sure you’re not hurt? What happened out there?”
“I got the wind knocked out of me. It’s not a big deal,” Lucas said, as the rest of Seeley’s family caught up to them.
“You didn’t get the wind knocked out of you,” Seeley said sternly, and turned to Juliette and the others. “He got knocked out. The medics cleared him, but we’re going for a CAT scan, just to be on the safe side.”
“Aw, come on!” Lucas complained. “I’m not even dizzy.”
“You were knocked out ?” Juliette asked with renewed panic. “Why did you say you got the wind knocked out of you?”
“Because I knew you’d freak out,” Lucas said.
“That’s my job , Lucas. I’m your mother.”
“Lucas, honey,” Wynnie said. “It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
“Tiny, tell them I’m fine,” Lucas pleaded.
“Son, your parents are both doctors. They know what’s best,” Tiny said firmly.
Lucas rolled his eyes. “They’re animal doctors.”
“Hey, you were out long enough that I want to be sure you’re okay. We’re going ,” Seeley said, leaving no room for negotiation.
“Dude, you don’t mess with head injuries,” Dare said. “Trust me on that, Lucas. Billie still has gaps in her memory from a head injury she got over a year ago.”
“ Fine . I’ll go, but can we just stay for the awards?” Lucas asked as cheers rang out for the last bull rider.
As Lucas turned to watch the show, Juliette looked at Seeley, and said, “What do you think? You said the medics cleared him?”
“They did. They said if he gets a headache or feels nauseous, dizzy, or has trouble breathing or chest pain, we should take him in. But he was out , Jule, and it took a bit for him to come around. We can let him stay for the awards, but I’d feel better if we get him checked out right after. I’ll ask Cowboy to take Warrior back to your place.”
The crowd exploded with excitement, and Lucas shouted, “I won! Mom! Doc! I won!” He threw his arms around Juliette and Seeley. “Congratulations, baby!” Juliette said as Seeley said, “You did it, buddy! King of the rodeo!”
With the entire arena cheering him on, the Whiskeys louder than all the rest, Lucas made a beeline for Layla.