Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Levi
This whole thing was Tripp’s idea. All of it.
From coming to Blue River to compete, to possibly settling down here.
From asking Marci out to breaking our rules to spend the night with her.
Every move we made was directed by him and now that it’s the morning of the rodeo and he’s broken all of his pre-competition rituals, he’s mad at himself and taking it out on us.
I’m not going to stand for it. I almost always let him take the lead in all things, but not this time. When Marci goes inside to freshen up, I take the oatmeal from his hands and put it on the steps beside us. He’s just staring at it anyway.
He looks up at me with a scowl.
“Knock it off,” I tell him.
“I messed it up.”
I roll my eyes. I've gone along with his little quirks for years and yeah, they’ve served us well, but steak dinners and loaded breakfasts are not the end-all be-all of a successful competition.
“No, I don’t think you have yet,” I tell him. “But if you don’t knock it off, you’re going to.”
He shakes his head. “Everything is all wrong. There’s no way we can win now. Which means we can’t stay. And of course, now I really want to.”
I’ve never seen him quite this stubbornly obtuse, and I don’t love it.
“Life isn’t a game,” I say, smacking his shoulder. “You don’t have to earn the things you want all the time. A steak isn't a reward for a five-mile run, and if we want to stay in Blue River and see where this thing with Marci goes, we can. Even if we don’t win.”
I can tell he’s not convinced, even if he wants to be. And that’s okay. I’m sure enough for the both of us.
I’m sure about Blue River. I’m sure about Marci and I’m sure that Tripp is the best damn bull rider in the west, even without a full night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast. All I have to do is make sure he doesn’t get in his own way,
“Come on,” I say, standing and offering my hand. “That’s enough of this little pissy fit. You made your choices, and now you have to stand on them, come what may.”
“I know, I know,” he grumbles. “I just…” He trails off, then looks at me and grins. “Since when are you so bossy?”
“I can be when I need to,” I tell him. “And don’t you forget it.”
He’s scared. I see it. But he takes my hand, and lets himself be pulled to standing. And just when I’m about to let go, he pulls me in for a tight hug. “Thank you,” he mumbles into my neck. “I know you’re right. I just…”
“Like things the way you like them. I know. And that’s all fine and good, until you get so hung up on the little stuff, you miss all the good stuff right in front of you.”
“I love you,” he grunts.
“I love you too.” I wait a beat, wonder if it’s too early, then decide I don’t care even if it is. “And I love Marci. So come on. Shake it off. We’ve got a rodeo to win.”
Levi
Marci manages to get her shift switched so she can come to the rodeo with us in the morning and work in the evening.
It’s not ideal, and I wish she could spend the whole day with us, but I know how small towns work and I know the diner will be packed this evening when all the cowboys and spectators are ready to eat and drink and be merry.
Tripp is still mostly quiet as we make our way to the fairgrounds, but he’s less outwardly grumpy and when he throws a few smiles in Marci’s direction, and gives her a kiss when he helps her down from the truck, I know he’s taken my words to heart.
At the fairgrounds, we get checked in, make sure we’re all registered and get the schedule, finding out where we are supposed to be and when.
Tripp is tenser than I’ve ever seen him, and I know he’s worried about losing.
About the pact he made with himself about settling down here.
He does things like that all the time, makes little deals with fate to guide our lives.
If x happens, then I will do y. If I win this competition, then we will take a month off. If I beat my personal record then I’ll have the nicest steak money can buy for dinner.
It’s never bothered me before, but this time it feels bigger. More important. Like losing could actually fuck up the course of our lives.
After getting registered, I check in with Marci. The grandstands are empty mostly, but starting to fill up. She’s at the very top. I make my way up there and sit down next to her.
“This is the boring part. It’s going to be a couple hours before the fun actually starts.”
She nods. “I figured. Where’s Tripp?” She half stands and cranes her neck, scouring the area below.
“He’s around here somewhere.” I wave it off. Tripp is doing what he does, and he’s usually off by himself before a competition. I’ve learned not to take it personally.
“What events are you doing?” Her interest feels genuine and I smile and relax, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
“Ah, I’m just doing the easy stuff. Tie-down wrestling and steer roping. Me and Midnight can pretty much do them in our sleep at this point.”
Marci smiles, her eyes lighting up. “Figures. You’ve already proven you know your way around a rope.” There’s a ton of innuendo layered into her words and for a moment all I can picture is her tied up and naked, last night, tomorrow night, all the nights for the rest of our lives.
She waves a hand in front of my face and I realize I’ve missed something. “Huh?” I ask. “Sorry, I spaced out for a moment.”
“Is Midnight your horse?” She repeats her question.
“Oh yeah. We’ve been together for a minute.” I smile easily, thinking about the magnificent creature.
“Where is she? Can I meet her?”
I pause and think. “I do need to go down to the barns and see her. But it could start getting busy soon. You might lose your spot.”
“I don’t care.” Marci beams at me. “I can stand.”
I like her cheekiness and her dedication, but I hope it doesn’t come to that.
I want her to be able to watch us do what we do best, and I know as well as anyone how long these events can be, even when you have a place to sit.
But I decide it’s worth the risk, because I know I’ve fallen for this woman and suddenly, her meeting my horse seems like the most important thing in the world.