Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
ABBI
Five Months Later…
“ G od, I’m so nervous.” My hands are wringing in my lap, my knuckles white. The whole family, and I do mean the whole family , including Amy, Sierra, and Hugh all the way from North Carolina, are here with us. We even have two little babies here. Polly and Ryan’s three-month-old daughter, Charlotte, and tiny August, Summer and Chase’s one-month-old, are here to cheer on their Uncle Brady.
We’re at the world championships in Vegas, and my man is riding tonight. Of course, none of us are allowed to be in the stands watching. We can’t go out there until he’s finished.
“He’s going to be great,” Amy assures me, squeezing my hand.
Amy and I have become good friends over the course of this year. No one understands the life of a bull rider’s woman like another bull rider’s woman, and she’s been invaluable for my mental health.
In addition to the concussion and separated shoulder earlier this season, Brady suffered broken ribs and a pulled groin, which really pissed him off.
No sex for a month was not easy on my cowboy.
But despite all the injuries, he came into this championship at the top of the standings, and he’s favored to win tonight.
There was no way that his family would stay away for this. I made it very clear that wild horses couldn’t keep me away.
So, this is the compromise we made.
“There’s not even a TV in here so we can watch,” Jake grumbles.
“That’s the point, son,” Ryan reminds him with a laugh.
“He’s about to start.” Hugh, the only one allowed to have video in here, is watching his phone. “It won’t be long now.”
I close my eyes and hang my head. Please let him be okay.
“My daddy is gonna win,” Daisy announces. “He’s gonna win. ”
She’s been calling him daddy for months, and it’s so adorable. Brady melts every single time, and Daisy knows it.
My very not innocent daughter has been getting away with murder. She even managed to talk Brady into not one, not two, but three mini Highland cows.
Because, as he said, why shouldn’t he make all her dreams come true?
“He’s done,” Hugh announces. “And he’s running out of the arena.”
“Thank God,” Joy whispers, and looks over at me with tears in her eyes.
That’s it. Brady’s bull-riding career is over. He’s officially retiring.
We jump up and run out of this stuffy room, headed for the arena. He was the last rider, and it’s been announced that he’s the official world champion, and I can’t see him.
“Over there,” Chase shouts, pointing, and then I see my cowboy. “He’s already giving interviews.”
I make my way through the crowd, with Daisy’s hand firmly in mine, and before we can reach Brady, I see that motherfreaking Jen sidle up next to him. Brady scowls, and I can’t hear him, but I can read his lips when he says Fuck off.
That’s right, bitch, you can fuck all the way off.
When Brady glances our way, his face transforms into the biggest smile.
“Excuse me, I need to hug my family.” He rushes to us and pulls us in. He’s sweaty and filthy—it’s amazing what only eight seconds on a bull will do—but I don’t care.
“I’m so proud of you,” I yell into his ear. “So damn proud of you, Cowboy.”
“Thank you,” he says and kisses me right on the mouth, for the whole world to see. I don’t pay any attention to the cameras flashing around us. “I love you so much.”
“I love you .”
“Me, too!” Daisy’s jumping up and down. “Me, too, Daddy!”
Brady lifts her in his arms, and then we’re surrounded by the rest of the family with hugs and congratulations.
“Come on,” Brady yells out. “I want my whole family on that stage with me.”
“Aren’t you Dirks Johnson’s widow?” I hear behind me as a reporter approaches Amy. “Ma’am, I’d love to get a word from you.”
“Later,” Amy says. “I’ll stick around to talk after the ceremony.”
“You don’t have to talk to them,” Brady assures her, but she just smiles and shakes her head.
“I want to. Dirks would be so proud of you, Brady. I should say something on his behalf.”
It’s not often that I see Brady at a loss for words, but Amy has managed to render him speechless.
The next hour is a blur of excitement. And when Brady is finally awarded the trophy and the coveted gold buckle, along with the million-dollar check the size of a couch that makes Daisy’s eyes bug out, the arena quiets so they can hear his speech.
“Wow,” he says and takes a deep breath, looking out at the crowd. “You guys have been with me for a long time. Through a lot of injuries and a lot of heartache. Some great rides.”
He waits for the applause to die down.
“This season was a roller coaster ride, but I’m grateful that I managed to stay healthy enough to make it through to the end. As always, I need to thank the fans, who never fail to wow me with their dedication to this sport. My family is truly the best. I love them with all my heart, and I’m grateful for their support through what is always a chaotic season.”
He turns to me and grins, and I get butterflies in my stomach.
“This lady right here is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I can’t thank you enough for everything you bring to my life every day.”
He thanks Daisy in the cutest way ever that has tears coming to my eyes, and then he pauses and looks over at Amy, swallowing hard.
“Someone is missing here today. When I started this sport, I met a guy named Dirks Johnson.”
The arena explodes in applause, and Amy wipes a tear from her cheek.
“He was my best friend. Probably the best damn bull rider that I’ve ever seen. That man was talented. But more than that, he was a good man. A devoted husband and a loving father. The best friend I’d ever had, aside from my brothers. Dirks was the kind of guy who gave 100 percent of himself in everything he did, and that included getting on a bull. And it cost him. He’s not here with us today as I stand here to accept this honor and to announce that this was my final ride.”
He has to stop talking as the deafening noise surrounds us. Finally, he gestures for everyone to quiet, and they do.
“I’m stepping aside so that young riders can do what they love, and that’s how it should be. How it’s supposed to be. I wish my friend was here to retire with me so we could have a beer and talk about the old days.” He smiles faintly, then shrugs a shoulder. “Thank you for an amazing career, for allowing me to do what I love for so many years. This was one hell of a way to go out.”
He passes the microphone back to the announcer and then wraps his arm around my shoulders and buries his lips in my hair.
“Let’s go,” he says. “I’m starving.”
After celebrating with the family for a while, Brady and I decided to take Daisy back to our suite to order room service and relax.
He needs to ice the ribs that he tweaked again. Of course, he was stoic and didn’t let on that they were killing him.
My stubborn cowboy.
“This is a good burger,” Daisy says as she takes a bite.
We’re all sitting cross-legged on the king-sized bed, our plates in front of us, enjoying our meal.
“I almost forgot something,” Brady says and walks out of the room for a second.
Daisy and I share a look, but she shrugs as if to say, I don’t know.
When he returns, he sits on the bed again and grins at me.
“What are you up to?”
“I love you more than anything in this world.” He sets our plates back on the table by the bed and takes my hand in his. “I’ve been waiting a hell of a long time for this. I didn’t want to make this one last promise to you until after the season was over. I couldn’t make this promise to you until I knew without a doubt that I’d never ride another bull again.”
His thumb brushes over my knuckles as he stares into my eyes.
“I promise you that I will love you, no matter what, for as long as there is breath in me.”
I bite my lip and feel the tears spring to my eyes. Holy shit. We’re doing this. Right now.
“You are the reason for everything in my life. You are the light and the goodness that I didn’t know was missing. I can’t wait to move into our home, to make more babies, and to live this life with you, every day, knowing that no matter what happens, we choose each other.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a sparkling diamond ring, and Daisy starts to jump on the bed with glee.
“Will you marry me, Abs? Will you make me the happiest man in the world?”
I look up at Daisy, and she giggles. “I already said yes, and he made me keep this secret until tonight. Please say yes, Mom.”
“You already asked her?”
“Well, yeah. If she wasn’t in on this, there was no way you would be.” He reaches out and catches a tear on his thumb. “Don’t cry, baby. I can’t stand it when you cry.”
“Happy tears. Of course, I’ll marry you, Cowboy.”
He slides the ring onto my finger and then kisses me long and slow and deep until Daisy makes a choking noise.
“Do we get to be Wilds now? For real?” Daisy asks.
“Yes, ma’am,” Brady says with a wink and then turns back to me. “Wild will be the last name you ever have.”
I can’t help but laugh at that. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
“Hey, what if I get married?” Daisy asks, and Brady’s face goes pale.
“Absolutely not. ” He shakes his head. “No way. Not happening.”
I take his face in mine and kiss his lips. “Breathe, Cowboy. We have a few years before we have to cross that bridge.”
“I love you, Blue Eyes.”
“I love you, too.”