Chapter 14 Juniper
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
juniper
The energy in the arena seemed to crackle around us as we watched night two of Mikey’s Super Series. I hadn’t seen him since the morning because of his busy schedule, and nerves swirled through my body in anticipation of his ride.
I didn’t realize I was bouncing my leg until Isa looked at me and rested her hand on my knee to stop it.
“Sorry,” I mumbled an apology as the steer wrestling began. “I’m just nervous?”
“That’s understandable,” she reassured me. “I’m just here to let you know everything will be okay. Things can happen, but he’s a professional.”
“How do you get past it? The fear of something terrible happening?” I asked, biting my lip. Hypothetically, my question would just be part of the act, but I was genuinely concerned.
Ellison chimed in. “Honestly, you don’t get past it, you just get used to it. They know the risks when they sign up for this. You just have to trust them and the animals.”
On the trip down to Houston, I had made a comment about being surprised that she was still involved with rodeo after her dad died but was promptly corrected and told that she avoided them until she met Colter.
“Doesn’t all of this hurt the animals?” The question slipped out, but none of them seemed to be phased by it.
“Some people do think that rodeo is animal abuse, but they’re truly so well taken care of,” Ellison explained without judgment.
“This is what they’re born for, and animal care is at the forefront when it comes to rodeos.
A lot of these events are actual practices used by ranchers.
Once you consider the events in a working, practical context rather than for entertainment, you see it in a different light.
Of course, there are some people who will never understand, but these athletes and the ranchers and cowboys who do this for a living take great pride and care in these animals.
They’re just as much athletes as the humans. ”
I nodded in understanding, although I still rolled my lips.
“Ellison could go on and on about this topic, June, so just understand that accidents can happen, but for the great majority, these animals are treated like royalty.” Isa chuckled, giving the SparksNotes version of Ellison’s lecture.
“Hey, I’m just trying to provide a different perspective. Education on the topic leads to understanding.” Ellison shrugged. “Seriously, though, if you have questions, any of us who grew up around the sport and the culture would be more than happy to answer.”
The guys nodded and grunted in agreement, not having anything to add to Ellison’s statements.
“She’s also a vet tech and has been on call for some of the smaller rodeos back at home to help. She knows her stuff,” Reid pointed out.
I clasped my hands in my lap. “I definitely wasn’t trying to discredit the sport or lifestyle. It’s just very different from what I’m used to,” I admitted. “I’m grateful to be learning, though. Spending time with you all has opened my eyes a lot to this life.”
Jake, who was sitting behind us, clapped me on the back. “We’ll make a cowgirl out of you before you know it. We can be quite convincing. Just ask Isa.” He gave her a playful wink, and Isa just rolled her eyes with a grin.
“Noted.” I snorted.
The rest of the events went off without a hitch, and bull riding was up next. After the lights went low and the bullfighters were introduced, the first bull rider exploded out of the gate on a nasty bull named Diablo. Although he did his best, he didn’t stay on for eight seconds.
“Folks, you all saw his eighty-seven-point ride last night. Tonight, the bull he’s drawn is Payback. Michael ‘Mikey’ Tucker. Let’s go!” The announcer drew out Mikey’s name, and shortly after, the chute gate was pulled. The bull flew out, kicking its legs back and spinning wildly in a circle.
My eyes widened, and I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palm. It wasn’t a long time, but the seconds seemed to drag as Mikey continued to hang on, his free arm flailing in the air.
“Come on now, Mikey! Get it!” the announcer yelled out.
The bull whipped around, thrashing its head from side to side, dust flying up all around it.
The eight-second buzzer went off, and a wave of relief washed over me as I released a breath.
“How’re you doing over there, June?” Jake chuckled, probably noticing my anxious demeanor.
I waved him off as the announcer called out Mikey’s score. “Eighty-five for the Montanan!”
After Mikey’s recent performances, the comments on social media seemed to calm down a bit.
The fans were starting to realize that he was serious about bull riding and didn’t come to Houston to play around.
There were the occasional comments about his relationship status, but they were few and far between at this point.
I knew he told me to avoid them, but I couldn’t help it.
Reid, Isa, Ellison, and Colter slid into a half-moon booth in the back corner of the bar, leaving just enough space for Jake, Hayden, and Mikey to squeeze in. I stood at the end of the table, awkwardly shifting my feet.
“Should I just go get a chair or something?” There wasn’t enough room for all of us to fit. There was hardly enough room for the seven of them as it was.
“Oh, Juniper, here, you can have my spot.” Jake started to slide out of the booth on the opposite side of the table, but Mikey waved him off, grabbing my hand and pulling me onto his lap.
“She’s good right here, aren’t you, Peachy?” He flashed a cocky grin as his hand settled on my denim-glad waist, fingers splaying out.
Before I could answer, a server walked up to our table. If our seating arrangement phased her, she didn’t show it. “Can I get y’all some drinks?”
The guys ordered themselves a round of Pendleton shots and some beers, while Ellison ordered a tequila soda, and Isa ordered a Malibu lemonade.
You could tell a lot about a person by their drink order, something I’d learned from a few years of bartending.
I’d decided all of their drinks were fitting based on what I’d seen from their personalities.
I ordered a Cosmo with Tito’s and Cointreau instead of Triple Sec, and specifically requested that the bartender go light on the cranberry, asking for a lime wedge instead of concentrate. The server raised a brow at me, but I was particular and knew what I liked.
“I’ll be right back with those.” Our server spun around on her heels, walking toward the bar, and I couldn’t help myself from stealing a glance at Mikey to see if he was watching her leave.
But he was only looking at me, something like admiration in his gaze. Butterflies stirred in my stomach, and I did my best to hide my smile.
Mikey brushed a stray hair out of my eyes, planting a gentle kiss on my cheek.
My phone buzzed with a text message notification.
Rudy’s Angels
Liv
Juniper!!!!
You do realize you’re famous right?
NiCool
Dude you’re all over social media right now
Trust me, I know
Liv
How’s it feel?
Besides the comments telling me I’m a buckle bunny whore who will get dropped in a week? Fine, I guess lol
NiCool
Damn Junie that sucks
I was about to type out don’t call me that for the millionth time, but I stopped myself, a stupid grin pulling at my cheeks.
Liv
Don’t listen to the haters. You’re a badass, June.
AND YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A FAMOUS BULL RIDER
Thanks guys
Giggling to myself, I turned off my phone, sliding it into my back pocket.
“Who was that?” Mikey put his hand on my shoulder.
“Liv and Nico.” I playfully rolled my eyes at their antics. “They wanted to let me know I’m famous.”
He chuckled. “Sounds about right.”
“I mean, people seem to be letting up on you guys, that’s a good thing!” Isa said, never looking up from her phone. “Hopefully it means they’ve accepted that you guys are a legit couple.”
Mikey and I exchanged a look, but it was so fast the others wouldn’t have noticed.
I’d spent the morning with Isa and Ellison, because Mikey had media appearances. The topic of Mikey and my relationship came up briefly, but I thought I’d handled it well enough.
“How are you doing with everything?” Ellison asked as she sipped on her iced white chocolate mocha.
We’d ended up at The Corral, a coffee shop not too far from the stadium. Ellison and Isa had said it was one of their favorite places to go.
I picked at the label on my drink. “I’m fine. I think it’s Mikey you should be checking on. This has more to do with him than it does me.”
Ellison hummed in acknowledgment, and Isa cocked her head.
“Wait, so you’re actually dating Mikey?”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Yes?”
She leaned back in her seat, straightening her posture and raising her hands a little. “I’m not judging. I’m just…surprised? You seem so normal.”
“Thanks?”
“Mikey just isn’t the type for commitment,” Ellison interjected. “It’s been a bit of an adjustment for all of us.”
“Interesting.” I looked at my drink, still pulling at the corner of the label, the condensation from the drink dampening it.
“I hope you know we’re happy for you guys.” Isa recovered, like she thought she might have offended me.
Heat rose to my cheeks, and I looked up. “Thanks. Deep down, I think he’s a good guy, he just has a weird way of showing it.”
I’d wondered early on why exactly he needed a fake girlfriend, but I didn’t really question it. At the time, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer. Now, the further we leaned into the act, I wondered if there was something deeper behind it.
“What, you think the media suspects it’s a fake relationship?” Ellison nearly choked on her drink, bringing me back to the conversation.
“I mean, plenty of celebrities get into relationships for the sake of PR.” Isa shrugged.
“I’m not saying that’s what this is.” She gave us a quick once-over.
“I mean, look at them. Mikey can hardly keep his hands off her, and he’s never brought a girl around us as much as he does Juniper.
There are too many factors for it to not be real. ”
“I’d say this is your hopeless romanticism coming out, but you have a point.” Ellison seemed to accept what Isa was saying, and the rest of the guys nodded like they couldn’t see any flaws in her reasoning.
I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth. We were clearly faking it well if the people closest to Mikey weren’t suspicious. I mean, that was what he was obviously doing. Faking it. Making it believable.
None of this was real.
“We’re right here, guys,” Mikey cut in.
A guilty expression flashed across Isa’s features. “Yeah, sorry. Don’t mean to be speculating about your relationship in front of you.” She laughed without humor.
“We’re happy for you, man,” Colter added. “I think this is good for you. I like seeing you focused on the rodeo. It’s also nice not having to meet someone new every week. We might have been wrong about you.”
I didn’t think anyone else noticed, but Mikey’s smile faltered, all emotion draining out of his eyes. I didn’t want to see the other guys as bad people—I didn’t think they were. But I also didn’t think they understood the effect their little jabs and comments had on their friend.
No one deserved that, no matter how many bad decisions they’d made in the past.