Chapter 4
Verge
“McCoy,” I hear a voice say from behind me as I exit the chutes.
I turn around to see Pierce Drake, a fellow bull rider, walking up to me. If I’m being honest, I fucking can’t stand this guy. If we are talking arrogance, this guy takes the cake. Don’t get me wrong, I get I can sometimes be a cocky asshole, but this dude is just a fucking prick.
I stop, looking him up and down with my rope over my shoulder, lifting my chin, indicating for him to proceed with his bullshit he’s no doubt about to spout out.
“Lucky ride. Dust and Smoke? Meh, he’s getting old. That last spin gave you your win,” he says.
“Nothing like your 5-second ride on Ember’s Edge, that's for sure, Drake,” I quip back quickly, and his mouth drops to the floor before I walk off smirking.
Pierce is one of those who can dish it out but can’t take it, and at this point I don’t know why he even tries coming at me.
“I’ll see you in San Antonio, McCoy,” he sneers. I’m sure it’s the only thing he can think to say considering I just shattered his ego.
Turning around to walk backwards, I wink at him, saying, “Oh, you can count on it.”
Pierce isn’t bad, I’ll be honest. He's currently third in the standings. He did choke this evening for sure, but his ego makes him feel as if he’s first, and he's always trying to psyche someone out with his shit talking.
Why he ever chooses me to shit talk to is beyond me, considering I am an asshole.
Once I leave the chutes, Beau and Cash are making their way toward me.
Trying to be casual, I glance behind them to see if Shiloh is with them, but I’m not shocked when she isn’t.
I saw her, though. When I got on Dust and Smoke, I intentionally made eye contact and winked at her.
The girl can deny it all she wants, but I can tell she has some sort of draw to me, and she’s trying her damndest to deny it.
I can play along for a while. Hell, I have fun with a good chase, and Shiloh is worth chasing. She intrigues me. Her spitfire attitude, the way she carries herself. She’s a natural beauty, for sure, not covering herself in a bunch of makeup, and she’s stunning all the same.
“Hell of a ride, man!” Beau says, cutting through my thoughts, and Cash chimes in, cupping my shoulder with his hand.
“That was impressive. I haven't seen someone ride that well since…” he trails off, no doubt deciding his next words, but I know what he’s going to say. “Since my dad, honestly.”
I smile, about to tell him how much I appreciate that, his dad was my hero, my role model, until I hear a voice behind him. “That’s a stretch, Cash, but I’ll admit it was a nice ride,” Shiloh says. She must have walked up when I wasn’t paying attention.
“Please tell me where I could improve, Boots. I’m all ears,” I chuckle, knowing she wasn’t ready for this smart ass response, but she’s quicker on her toes than I anticipated.
“Your timing out of the chute could use some work, and your free arm was a little sloppy if you’re really wanting my opinion. And I’m not going to repeat myself, it's Shiloh.”
I chuckle, tilting my hat to her, and say, “Noted.”
I know she’s full of shit, but I’ll play along, acting as if nothing she says really gets a rise out of me.
“Come on, Shiloh. You know that ride was damn near flawless,” Cash retorts.
“I don’t mind a little constructive criticism.
It's all good,” I say, winking at her, and she rolls her eyes.
Letting her think I appreciate the tips will probably annoy the shit out of her, and that’s what I’m trying to do to get under her skin.
It’s fun. I continue looking at Cash. “Thank you, Cash.
That was a hell of a compliment from you, man. Y'all's dad is and was my hero.”
At this she glances up, and I see a flash of warmth in her eyes, but she looks to her boots and the warmth is gone just as quickly as it came, but I didn’t miss it.
“Let's go grab some food. I'm starving. Y'all are welcome to join, of course,” Beau says as we all walk to the trailers to head home.
“Yeah, count us in,” Cross says, and she quickly jerks her head in his direction in disapproval before he pushes her with his shoulder. “Come on, don’t be like that. You know I’m always hungry, and we need to celebrate. I think Cash said it was on him if we won,” he jokes, looking at Cash.
“Oh hell no, I paid my dues to Shiloh. I'm already out $100 bucks now. If she wants to split her royalties, that’s between you two.”
I chuckle, then glance at Shiloh, who laughs at her brother and Cross, and that smile is one I personally haven’t seen from her yet.
It’s genuine, and fuck, it does something to my insides I’ve never felt before.
It was like the breath was taken clear out of my lungs.
It’s the first time I’ve seen her be anything but hostile and annoyed.
I then wonder what it would be like to see her smile at me like that. I think it would literally take me the fuck out.
Reaching in my back pocket, I grab my smokes and start packing, reaching for my lighter while everyone grabs their horses to load up. I watch her as she grabs her horse, and I know she feels my gaze on her, but she ignores me as if I don’t exist.
After she puts her horse in the trailer, Cross comes out and swings his arm around her again, and I feel a pang of jealousy in my gut.
Are they together? I wonder. I mean, shit, in the short time I’ve been around them he seems to be super affectionate with her.
Most of the time it does seem in a playful way.
I did notice before I rode his hand on her thigh, and that has my mind wandering.
I shake off the green monster, because I’m not here for a girl. I'm here to win and make it to the top. That way I will have enough money to be on my own and set my sights on the Pbr circuit.
“Where are we going?" Cross asks Beau.
I blow out my smoke, looking to everyone who I gather now is looking at me. I suppose being the odd man out everyone wants you to choose the place to eat, but I don’t fucking know anywhere around here.
Shrugging, I say, “Y’all are forgetting I’m new to town.”
Cash laughs from the driver's seat as the truck idles, and the smell of diesel fuel fills my nose as I take one last pull on my dwindling cigarette before I put it out under my boot, walking to Beau's now idling truck.
“Shiloh, y’all pick,” Cash hollers as they climb in the back seat together. Another indication that they may be together. Why else would they make Cash drive Miss Daisy?
“One Stop?” She says but it's more like a question.
“Sounds good. See y’all there,” Beau says, looking at me. “Don’t smoke in my truck.”
I laugh. “Why do you think I was standing over there?” I say, shaking my head.
I’m not a complete piece of shit. Smoking may be a vice I can’t kick, but I am not one of those people to light up in a vehicle or a home.
I have more sense than that. Smoking wasn’t something I planned on doing, but when my mother got sick and the stress got too much, it was something that brought me comfort in those times and helped with my anxiety that I push down deep.
“Well, come on then, fucker, let’s go,” Beau says, and I open the door to the cab of the truck, hopping in, and we head out to go grab dinner.