Chapter 53
I woke up Thursday afternoon in a bed that was too messy for one person, hearing the sounds of the TV out in the living room, and smelling something amazing - which made my stomach pissed. That was enough to convince me to start my day with a shower.
Under the steaming hot water, I put together the pieces of what I'd done. I also tried to ignore my shame about it. And yet, when I finally made it out of the bedroom, Tanner had a coffee and some boring toast ready for me. A nice, easy breakfast that respected the massive hangover I had.
It was J.D. who told me they knew about me trying to kiss Jake. He said it in a way that made most of my shame evaporate. He told me about Jake sticking around to tell them about it, and wasn't shy at all about praising me for chasing what I'd wanted.
But did I want it? Well, him. Or had it just been too much to drink?
Thankfully, I didn't really have time to worry about it.
This was the last day of our break, and we still had a few more things to figure out.
J.D. called Max to double-check that everything was on the up-and-up.
He also asked about his chaps. Tanner went to talk to Jorge and Isaac.
Likely to get more about what had happened at the bar, but also to make sure they were on the same page too.
What those men didn't do was grill me about Jake. They didn't pick on me, or ask about my feelings. It was as if they'd forgotten completely, but I knew better. These two were showing me it was ok in their own way, but I wasn't quite sure how to ask them about it. So I didn't.
And that night, we stayed in for no other reason than to finally get to enjoy the room. Tanner actually cooked dinner for us, served up on boring hotel plates, but it was homey in a way I wasn't used to. When J.D. put on a movie, the three of us curled up together in some tangle on the couch.
I woke up with Tanner carrying me to bed. There, I cuddled up against J.D., with Tanner wrapping his arms around both of us. Then I slept - hard.
The first alarm to go off the next morning wasn't mine. It was also from a song, and the line I caught simply said, "bull rider." The voice sounded like Johnny Cash, but it was silenced before I could figure out if I'd heard that one before.
"Tanner, turn off her alarm," J.D. whispered.
Tanner murmured something that sounded like agreement, then the mattress shifted. Sadly, I was awake now. Alarm or not, I wouldn't be going back to sleep.
"Pass me my phone," I grumbled, "and I'll order breakfast."
"Deal," Tanner said.
Then, one by one, we managed to get up, clean up, and find the proper clothes for the day.
For the first time in far too long, J.D.
pulled out his black-and-red shirt. Tanner was wearing black shorts with a nice, new version of that rainbow shirt.
On the front was a small logo over his chest. The back?
It not only had the Deviant voodoo doll in their standard blue and green, but the red ring around it matched the words "Deviant Rescue Squad," written underneath.
The middle of the rainbow was purple, but the left sleeve was red, the shoulder was pink, and the hip on the bottom right side was blue and then turquoise.
"I like it," I told him.
But the morning was chaos. We grabbed food while packing what we'd need for the day. We sucked back as much coffee as we could get in. Both J.D. and I called out for some piece of gear we were sure we were missing, only to find it in another bag.
Then it was time to go.
Since Tanner was meeting his guys at the arena, and Rhaven had already told him she was there, making sure this was going to go off without a hitch, we rode to the arena together. It was a short trip, and the traffic for the event wasn't slowing things down yet, but we wanted to get there early.
"We need to draw our bulls," J.D. reminded me.
"Does everyone know we're actually riding?" I asked. "I don't know if anyone told them."
"They'll still draw," J.D. assured me. "Just like we will. And if the Pbr thinks they can sideline the wolf pack-"
"Deviant Rescue Squad," Tanner corrected. "The other group of guys is still sponsored by Red Bull."
"Wolf pack," J.D. insisted. "And if the Pbr doesn't let you work, then we'll strike." Then he smiled. "And Mama is coming. She's gonna pick up Isabella, because she wants to watch you, Cody."
"Nice," I said, deciding I liked having a fan. That it was J.D.'s little sister made it better somehow.
And I had this vision in my head about how things would go when we arrived. Tanner would split off like he always did, but this time he'd kiss the shit out of J.D. first. Then me, just so everyone knew our thing was real.
Yeah, that didn't happen.
We barely stepped into the convention center before the first man spotted him. "Tanner!"
Then came more. Men stopped what they were doing to call out something. Some clapped. Plenty hooted in approval. With so many looking at us, I was pretty sure "subtle" was out of the question - until Tanner cupped my face and kissed me.
"I have to go that way," he told me, gesturing to the other end of the hall.
"We're going this way."
Tanner nodded, then caught J.D.'s bicep. The look those two shared was sweet. Obvious, even. Then Tanner said, "Take care of her, J.D."
"That's your job," J.D. told him. "I corrupt her."
"Yeah, you do." And Tanner simply turned, walking away without looking back.
"Why is that so hot?" I asked J.D. as we headed toward where the line to draw bulls was supposed to be.
"Dunno, but he makes it work," he said, then flashed me a little smile.
Yeah, they were finally doing this. Maybe subtly, but they still were, and damn, I was so ready for it, but also dreading it.
For all I knew, this could blow up in our faces, and not just with the Pbr.
Sure, the other riders said it didn't matter, but that had been when it was more of a theory than reality.
Yet we made it to the line and I realized I had another problem. Right up at the front were the two men I had no clue how to face today: Jake and Ty. They were talking like old friends, shuffling forward together, completely unaware we were back here.
"You good?" J.D. asked.
I nodded. "Yep. I'll make sure of it."
"Yeah, but are you good?" he pressed, waiting until I looked away from them and over to him. "Cody, ya didn't do a damned thing wrong. You finally acted like the rest of us, and Ty's the one who should be groveling."
"Doesn't feel that way," I admitted.
"Still is," he said, patting my shoulder to move me up as the line shifted again.
We were halfway there when a familiar voice called out, "Cody! Oh, and J.D.!"
Which made Jake turn. He saw J.D. first, and then his eyes jumped to me.
A moment later, he offered a soft little smile that made me want to look away, or blush, or something!
Thankfully, just when I was sure everyone around us could see me being stupid, Jackson hugged me from the side, draping an arm over my shoulder so he could lean in.
"So?" he asked, looking over at J.D. "Is it true? You're back? Tanner's back? The whole wolf pack is back?"
"All of 'em," J.D. assured him. "And no manhandling my rookie, boy."
"Shit," Jackson said. "That's my mentor!"
"Good," J.D. said, shifting over so Jackson could slide into the line with us.
"So, we're riding?" I asked Jackson.
He gave me a confused look. "I'd think you'd know better than me."
"I know Tanner's here, and I know he's supposed to be working the bulls today. I also know the Pbr's been shady lately, but I'm wondering what the other riders are saying."
"We're saying," Wes called to us, proving he'd overheard from a few places back, "that if they give us what we want - the wolf pack - then we're finally going to make some money again!"
And all around us, the men hollered and cheered. Damn. That one moment proved the excitement was back. The dread that had been hovering over all of us for the last couple events? It had finally been banished.
"Now," Jackson said, "we can start bitching about the scoring not being fair, because my mentor should kick your ass this weekend, J.D."
"Yup," J.D. agreed.
Which made Jackson do a doubletake. "Really? Figured you'd talk shit."
"Naw," J.D. said. "My girl's tougher than me. She got hurt and kept riding. I got hurt and had to heal up. Means she's not rusty and I am. I'm also gettin' real old, and she keeps rubbin' it in my face."
"Careful," Gustavo said, turning back to prove he was listening in too, "we might take that wrong."
"Or right," J.D. said. "I mean, y'all have all seen her ride."
Ok, he was walking the line between hinting and innuendos, but it seemed to be working. Everyone laughed it off, worried more about moving forward in line than trying to analyze my love life. Granted, guys were like that. Well, that was the only explanation I really had.
When it was our turn, J.D. stepped up to the window with me. "Draw her first, then me," he told the woman on the other side.
"Ok, and I'll need the entry fee from both of you, plus your IDs," she replied.
I pulled out my cards and handed them over, but J.D. caught my credit card and pulled it back. "My treat today," he said, flashing me one of his crazy grins. "Trust me."
"Yes, dear," I teased.
The woman checking us in chuckled softly at our banter, but her fingers were flying. First, she ran J.D.'s card. Then, she passed our identification back, turned to retrieve the papers printing behind her, and quickly shuffled everything into two stacks.
"Cody Jennings," she said, passing me one. "J.D." He got the other.
We took our stuff, picked up our gear, and turned while scanning the pages for the name of the bulls we'd be riding. When I found mine, it wasn't an animal I knew: Like A Prayer.
"Who'd you get?" I asked.
He glanced up with a smirk. "Oh, I drew good. Don't even feel bad because I wanna win tonight. You know, for reasons."
"Who?" I pressed.
"Speed Bump," he said as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and turned me for the warm-up area. "And you have that knife I gave you, right?"
"In my bag," I said softly. "I mean, since you're here..."
"Nope." He shook his head to make the point. "Cody, you keep that in your boot. I promise there's one in mine, too. We're doing some real stupid shit, girl. The kinda stupid that hurts as much as a bull, get me?"
"I'll slip it in when I put on my spurs," I promised.
"Good," he said, pausing before a panel no one else was around. "And we stretch. We do it right today. Ride safe, ride smart, but you get in there and get 'er done."
"Yes, sir," I replied, grinning to show the respect was mostly a taunt.
"Now don't be like that," he shot back playfully. "Never know, maybe I like that sorta thing."
So I leaned closer to his ear. "Nope. You like being a good boy."
But before I could pull away, someone else said, "Oh, telling secrets now?"
The sound of his voice was calm, smooth, and so easy. It sent chills down my spine, but probably not for the right reason. No, that was Jake, and his voice came from right behind me.
I spun to find him claiming the spot on my other side. "Still hungover?" he asked.
Well, fuck. My face was already burning and I hadn't even managed to reply!
"Nope," J.D. said. "My story's that she was blackout drunk, don't remember shit, and you..." He gave Jake a look that was half friendly and half death glare. It was actually impressive how he managed it. "You will not throw her off, Jake."
"No, sir," Jake agreed. "I did, however, want to see if you two were planning on hitting the bar after this. You know, to celebrate our wolf pack being back... And things."
"She'll be there," J.D. promised.
But Jake just shook his head. "Nope. She can make her own decisions. A very wise man taught me that."
And to my surprise, J.D. glanced away. Was he... embarrassed? What the fuck had happened Wednesday night? Because I'd clearly missed something!