Chapter 37 Verge
Verge
Pierce did wind up dead after that night, we saw in the papers a few days later.
He died from internal bleeding and a severed spine.
No one suspected any foul play as far as we know.
We haven’t been able to prove Cash or Tuff had anything to do with it, but we also haven’t asked.
I meant it when I told Shi not to go snooping or asking questions she didn’t want the answers to.
Cash, after a couple days, was back to his normal self.
Quiet and observing, but not too far off.
As much as he’s trying to hide it I can tell he has a thing for Tyler.
I don’t know if it’s out of respect for Cross that he hasn’t made a move or if it’s his past whispering in his ear, creeping up on him.
I can’t say I’d have the heart to get back out there if anything ever happened to Shi, so I don’t ask.
We can only hope that one day he will find happiness.
Beau seems to have found himself a girl named Blake when we first got here.
They haven’t left each other's side since they met. The only time you see them apart is if they are doing events. I’m happy for him.
Maybe he will finally move out of his parents’ house and Uncle Clark and Aunt Kate will get the alone time they’ve been longing for. Who knows, it’s Vegas, though.
Tyler is back to her spunky self, and we all appreciate it; it's like she brings a little piece of Cross’ wit and humor everywhere with her. She and Shi are thick as thieves, and it makes me happy for them. They need each other.
Shi and I just finished warming up when we hear that it’s Beau and Cash’s turn to rope. We’re conveniently two rides after them, wrapping up the team roping for the evening. We walk over to the gates to watch.
“These two cowboys are neck and neck with a sister and cousin in the team roping. Heading, we have Cash Hillard on Tommy Gun, and heeling, we have Beau Lock riding Carmen by Design.”
I look at Shi, smiling, and she says, “I won’t be mad if they beat us, but I will be a little butt hurt.” She laughs.
I burst out into laughter. “Butt hurt?”
“Yeah, what?”
I shake my head, laying my reins on Havoc's neck, still laughing when I say, “What are we, in middle school?”
“Shut up.” She laughs.
“I love you, Boots.” I tell her though my chuckle.
“Yeah, yeah, I love you too.”
We look up and the chute pops open, and Cash is quick, quicker than I’ve ever seen him move, to be honest, scooping up the calf quickly and dallying right, and Beau scoops the steers feet, pulling back and dallying himself.
“Wow, it's going to be a tough time to beat 4.1 seconds,” the announcer says.
I look at her, and her eyes are wide before she grabs her reins and says, “Looks like we have our work cut out for us.”
“SHILOH.” We hear from behind us, and we turn around to see Tyler standing on the gate with something behind her back and, as always, she’s smiling with Liz by her side. Even though Pierce is no longer an issue, we all still prefer Tyler to not wander off alone, especially Cash.
Shi looks at me, gesturing for me to follow, and we walk up to the gate, and Tyler says, “Just wanted to say, you both got this.” She brings a black hat from behind her back with a feather in it, and Shi’s eyes mist over as she looks to Tyler.
“He would have wanted you to have it. He left it in my trailer that night after your last run,” Tyler says.
Cross always wore his black Stetson with a hawk feather tucked into the side.
“Tyler…” Shi goes to say, and she shakes her head.
“I loved him with all my heart, Shi, but you were his person, his best friend. He would want you to have it,” she insists.
Shi nods, taking her brown Steston off and handing it to Tyler to hold as she places it on her head, and I smile at her. She looks back at me as a tear falls down her face, but she smiles. She looks back at Tyler.
“I freaking love you, bitch,” she laughs out, and Tyler bends over laughing.
“I love you too, dearie,” Tyler says in her British accent.
“Shiloh Hillard and Verge McCoy, make your way to the boxes.”
We hear over the speakers, and Tyler says, “Now go kick your brother’s ass, I believe in you two.”
As Shi turns to walk that way, Tyler is about to walk off when I say, “Hey.”
She turns to look back at me, and I say, “Thank you for that.”
“Seems my efforts were not futile,” she replies again in the British accent and winks at me while walking off with Liz, who is smiling up at us.
I laugh, remembering the night her and Cross put me and Shi in the same room together and said the same thing the very next day, given we were together exactly how they planned.
I laugh, walking off to follow Shi to the shoots.
Once we make our way into the box, the horses, per usual, are amped. Shi makes her way to the heading box and I in the heeler box. The steer makes its way in, and we both ready our ropes, looking at one another.
“It’s the final round, and like I said before, these two are neck and neck with sibling and cousin. Who will win the 2026 NFR? In the heading box, we have a fan favorite, Miss Shiloh Hillard riding Let’s Riot. In the heeling box, we have Mr. Verge McCoy riding Queen of Havoc.”
She takes a steadying breath, looking out to the crowd, her eyes seem glossy before she pulls it together, letting out a breath and readying her rope, looking at me.
I wink, indicating I’m ready when she is, my rope ready in my right hand and my reins held tight in my left.
I sit back, pushing my heels down so Havoc doesn't shoot out from under me as soon as that gate plunges open.
She nods, and the chute flies open along with the steer.
Riot lunges out, and she swings her rope twice over her head before lading the rope smoothly over the steers horns, pulling right, and I swing my rope over my head, scooping up the hooves she perfectly centered for me, dallying my rope around my saddle horn, and the smile beaming across her face is enough to take me the fuck out just like the first time she smiled at me like that.
“Ladies and gentleman, there you have it. The team roping champions of the 2026 NFR with a time of 3.8 seconds.”
She throws her head back laughing as tears fill her eyes, and I walk Havoc over to her as we walk out, leaning over, laying a kiss on her perfect lips before I say, “Wee doggie, Boots.”
She laughs again, and I can’t explain the feeling exploding inside of me right now.
This girl saved me in more ways than she knows, and I can’t even form the words to thank her.
All I know is after my last ride here in a few hours, I’ll be doing exactly the things I set out to do from the moment I laid eyes on her. Make her forever mine.