Chapter 33 Verge
Verge
Icalled the rodeo secretary and got everything squared away as far as me stepping in to heel for Cross.
They were made aware of the situation, and I’m not surprised.
I did ask if Pierce was banned, but they said until trial and proven guilty, they unfortunately can’t do anything about him still being there and participating.
I really wanted to pop off at the lady on the other end of the phone, but I know it’s not her fault, so I reined it in.
I walk outside and light up in frustration.
How can they let that motherfucker out and just walk around as if he didn’t kill a man in cold fucking blood?
I pinch the bridge of my nose with my cigarette between my fingers, remembering that night.
The look in his eyes right before he passed.
So helpless, yet all the while unafraid.
I knew he was a good man. But damn, we could all be so lucky to be dying and just accept it.
Love whines, snapping me out of it, looking up to me with concerned eyes. I crouch down, taking a drag and petting her, saying, “I’m good, girl.”
I hear gravel crunching and look up to see Beau pulling in and wave. He gets out of his truck, walking toward me. “It’s a miracle I’m early,” he smiles.
I laugh, taking another drag before I say, “And Cash is late.”
He looks around, confused, before he says, “Well, motherfucker.”
“Get your horse out, I'm sure he will be here soon,” I laugh, putting my cigarette out and throwing it away.
He groans while walking to the back of his trailer, and I see the girls walking up in the pasture with the steers. They must have come back from the graveyard when I was still on the phone.
I walk to the arena and open the chutes as they herd them in, and they both smile at me. I smile back, hoping today can be a good day. I know the weight of the last month has been weighing on us all, but shit, we could all use some smiles and laughter.
As we get the steers in, we all walk back to the barn to saddle our horses. Beau walks up with Carmen and ties her to the post beside the arena before walking up to us.
The girls untack Merle and Ally Cat, brushing them down and putting them back in their stalls, then grab Riot and Midnight as I grab Havoc, and Beau asks, “So, what’s going on here?”
“Verge is going to heel for Shiloh,” Tyler responds, and I look at her to see her smiling at me with a spark in her eye that she had when Cross was around. It’s not a full flame, but she’s coming back, and it makes me happy.
“Is that right?” Beau asks, leaning on the stalls as we all tack up our horses.
“Yeah, gotta finish what we started,” Shi says.
I smile at her, and she winks at me. I go to say something, then hear Cash pulling back up in the driveway.
He steps out, shutting the door, and Beau says, “The one time I’m early and you’re late.”
Cash laughs before he says, “Sorry, went to see Uncle Tuff. He’s still planning on bringing his bulls to the NFR.”
I snap my head in his direction, surprised, and he shrugs before he says, “He said he already had signed up and didn’t feel right backing out.”
“Well, at least he will be there with mom,” Shi says.
“Your mom is going to come?” I ask, surprised because she doesn’t seem to really leave unless she’s going to the store.
“Yeah, she comes to Vegas,” Shi responds.
I nod, happy that she will be there. I had wondered why she never came to their rodeo’s, but I’ve also never asked because I didn’t want to pry open any old wounds.
Cash walks past us to get his horse, and I don’t miss his subtle once-over of Tyler as he walks by.
I keep my thoughts to myself, though. From what I know, he hasn’t so much as glanced in another girl's direction in six years, and I get it.
Tyler is beautiful. I shrug it off and finish saddling Havoc, and we all take our horses to the arena and mount up.
“I’ll take first, putting the steers in and out since I break away,” Tyler says, and she ties Midnight to the post beside the arena.
“Thanks, bitch,” Shi teases, and Tyler laughs, shaking her head. I’m glad to see them both happy. I don’t know what they talked about on that ride, but it seems as if the weight of the world has been lifted off of both of their shoulders.
Last night, Shi seemed like she was a little better too. Did I expect her to be fully in control? No. But I did notice before she fell asleep the worry in her demeanor when she mentioned Tyler, so I’m glad they went off together and figured things out.
“Shiloh, do you and Verge wanna go first?” Cash asks as him and Beau lope their horses in circles.
“Yeah, we can,” she reluctantly says, and I sense her worry bubbling up. I walk over and put my hand on her arm.
“You okay, baby?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she takes a deep breath, looking down, then back up to me, “I love you. Thank you for this,” she says.
“I love you too, Boots.” I wink, and she laughs.
We warm our horses up for a while, then Tyler yells, “Okay, let's get it going.”
We line our horses up in the chutes. Havoc is a little more amped then Ally Cat was, but I can handle it.
“She will shoot right out from under you, so be prepared,” Shi says as Riot hops up and down in the chute.
“Thanks for the heads up,” I reply, pushing my heels down and readying my rope.
“You good?” She asks, looking me up and down.
“Let's go.” I smile and give her a wink.
Shi looks to Tyler and nods. The chute springs open, and she wasn’t lying, Havoc shoots off. I gather my reins, holding her back long enough for Shi to swing her rope around the steer's horns and pull it to the left. I swing my rope, scooping under the steers back legs and dally backing up.
“Nice!” Tyler yells, jumping up and down with a smile beaming from her face.
Shi smirks, nodding. “Not half bad, but you need to choke up on her. There is a reason her name is Havoc. You get ahead of me and we’re fucked.”
“Yes ma’am,” I reply. I’m good, but I’m not Cross, and I know it. I’ll take her criticism all day long if it will make me better for her. I'm here for it. In all honesty, I could get used to this. Having an animal I can control and making my girl happy. Count me the fuck in.
We practiced till late afternoon, then went inside, and Liz had dinner waiting for us.
Shi barely let anyone else have a turn until Cash told her she had to.
I get it, though, she wants our timing perfect, and I can’t say I blame her.
I’d say I need to practice my bull riding, but I snuck off to a few jackpots during the last month; again just biding my time.
I didn’t think anyone knew, but I know Cash did.
I spotted him at a few of them. I said we all took the month off of rodeo, and we did.
I, however, found a few jackpots to hit up considering if I don’t ride, I have no money.
If I win the title at the NFR, I’ll be solid for a while.
After we told everyone goodnight, we made our way out to the loft, and Tyler came with us, walking to her trailer. We decided at dinner to hit up Cheyenne tomorrow to add to our points before we hit Vegas in two weeks.
“Night, y’all. See you both in the morning," Tyler says.
“Night, girl,” Shi says, then looks up to me. “I know you’re going to want a smoke before we turn in, so do that and I’ll shower,” she says as she kisses me.
“Okay, hey, let Love out for me so she can go potty before bed?” I ask her, and she laughs.
“What?” I say, packing my smokes.
“Nothing, just funny to hear a tough cowboy like you say potty.” She giggles.
“Shut up, Boots.” I laugh, lighting my cigarette.
She shakes her head and heads upstairs, and as she opens the door, I hear Love running down them. She bolts past me to do her business.
I take a drag and look down, blowing the smoke out, honestly annoyed that this habit of mine has gotten so much worse.
Before Cross, I thought I was about rid of it altogether.
I had for sure cut down, but shit, the whole month she didn’t speak to me had me on edge.
Maybe with time, though, I can get back to not needing it as much.
“Love, let's go, girl,” I say, and she perks her ears, following me upstairs.
As I walk in, I hear the shower turn off, and I try to keep my dick in check.
I don’t need to jump her every time I know she's naked or changing in my proximity, but damn, the thought is not lost on me after last night, that’s for sure.
Love barrels past me, making a beeline for the bed, and I laugh at her as she jumps up, circling around and laying at the end of it.
I walk over to her, petting her soft head, smiling. I hear the bathroom door open, and she’s wrapped in a towel, soaking wet, fuck me.
“Are you trying to torture me?” I laugh.
“No, I just forgot my clothes here.” She laughs, putting her wet hair behind her ear.
“Uh-huh. Liar.” I tease.
She laughs, then points to the shower. “It’s all yours.”
I snag my boxers off the dresser and kiss her on the head, and she drops the towel all together, and I groan.
“You stink, sir, go get a shower.” She laughs.
I grab her by the waist and bite her ear, and she laughs, swatting at me. I then pick her up and bring her to the shower with me. As I walk, I pull my shirt over my head and kick off my boots and pull my jeans off as she laughs hysterically in my grip.
“Verge, I just took a shower.”
“Yeah, well, you can’t drop a towel right in front of me and expect me to just do nothing. I had full intentions of not jumping you, but you, ma’am, sealed your fate standing there naked,” I laugh.
She shrugs and still can’t stop laughing. Fuck, I missed this.
After I turn on the water, she tries to run out, still laughing hysterically, and I swing my arm around her waist, pulling her into the shower with me, and we stay in there loving each other until the water turns cold.