Chapter Nine #2
Taking that in, Jeremy’s eyes unfocus as he recalls that picture the on set photographer had taken of them racing on horseback through the water together.
His expression had looked so free. He wonders how obvious it was all along that Jeremy wasn’t over Clark.
Thinking about it now, he’s not sure if that adds up to anything of substance or is just meant to torture Jeremy in the decision he must make.
Riding hard through the concourse tunnel, the bright lights that surround the rodeo’s riding arena spray out brightly on Jeremy as he gallops Asher out into the wide arena.
Willmaker Ranch’s flag flies high above Jeremy, holding it out in its holster by his saddle’s side and letting it fly next to him as he rides Asher along the perimeter of the arena along with some of the other competing cowboys and cowgirls with their own flags.
The county rodeo is officially in full swing, the filled bleachers all standing for the National Anthem.
The first category up is Jeremy’s personal favorite, bareback riding.
He waits behind the pin, arms crossed on the top rail as he stands above the ground.
Each cowboy gets on bucking broncos, most of them getting thrown before eight seconds, but Jeremy’s eyes are trained on Barry instead.
The ranch hand is one of the two pick up men, riding out to the arena after the cowboy gets off the bronco.
The contestant hops onto the back of Barry’s saddle as the other pick up man wrangles the horse.
“Number twenty-three!” The announcer calls Jeremy’s number over the mega phone.
He climbs over the railing to the main pin where a raging horse is kicking the back gate as rodeo workers do their best to keep him down.
The announcer continues as Jeremy gets in position, “Jeremy Munday! A local here in Limerick, Colorado, representing Willmaker Ranch! Number twenty-three, here we go!”
Hopping on the bronc’s bare back, Jeremy holds his left hand in the air as his right grips the leather strap of the riding rig and keeps his spurs above the horse’s shoulders.
The horse is already mad as hell when the buzzer rings out, gate opening wide and the bronco immediately bucking out of the chute.
The crowd roars around Jeremy as he leans back and rides the angry beast, twisting in different directions and kicking wildly.
He maintains his balance while rhythmically spurring the animal, toes turned outward and form impeccable.
As soon as it starts, it’s over; the buzzer goes off again marking the end of the round.
Barry and the other pick up man ride out into the arena, the one man taking the riding rig strap from Jeremy as Barry rides up along the bronco.
Jeremy transitions from the trotting and neighing bareback horse to Barry’s saddle with one leap.
Barry’s close now, Jeremy’s legs against the back of Barry’s thighs as they share a saddle.
Riding away, the announcer calls the judge’s score out: “And… Ninety-three! A ninety-three, folks! That shoots number twenty-three, Jeremy Munday, to the top ranking!”
The crowd erupts with applause, swelling Jeremy’s chest as he looks around at the blur of faces that enjoyed his performance.
The score is based out of a hundred, so getting a ninety-three will be near impossible to beat at this fairly small county rodeo.
Barry turns his head as he gallops the horse around the arena and back to the gate, “That was amazing!”
Jeremy touches Barry’s arm as they ride on, Barry doing another victory lap for Jeremy as the crowd cheers.
Jeremy keeps looking around the crowd, searching for familiar faces.
Yana is there with Marie, both of them standing up and cheering.
But he doesn’t see who he’s looking for, turning back around and wrapping his arms around Barry’s waist as they speed to the gate so the next cowboy can compete.
There are only a few more bareback riders after Jeremy who attempt to get a higher score.
It doesn’t happen, that being Jeremy’s own personal highest score he’s ever gotten.
The first perf ends and the announcer calls out Jeremy as the winner of the bareback riding portion of the rodeo.
Jeremy punches his fist in the air as the cowboys around him applaud him and pat him on the back.
That prize money cinched, Jeremy focuses on the other performances to come.
Next is steer wrestling, leaping from Asher’s back onto a steer and wrestling it to the ground in the shortest amount of time.
There, he ranks first again. After that is a performance he skips, team roping, because it requires a teammate; Jeremy’s always performed at the rodeo solo, and him not participating won’t hurt his overall standing.
Afterward, there’s saddle bronc riding - similar to bareback riding but with a saddle - and he scores a ninety, putting him in the first once more.
Not pushing his luck, he doesn’t expect much out of the tie-down roping competition, chasing a calf and roping it, but he ends up getting the fastest time in that perf as well.
Body already all beat up, he tries to relax before the bull riding while the cowgirls compete in barrel racing.
The final performance, and the one that makes Jeremy the most nervous, is the bull riding.
Getting on the bull inside the box, Jeremy follows the same rules as the other roughstoke events.
He gives the gatekeeper a nod, hand held high in the air, and the buzzer goes off.
The chute opens and Jeremy’s propelled forward by the pissed bull.
The yanking and throwing of the bull’s kicking is much rougher than that of a bronc, every bone in Jeremy’s body getting rattled and tugged apart.
After eight seconds, the buzzer rings out and Jeremy unhooks his arm from the bull rope.
He goes head over heels behind the bull’s ass, landing on his feet and quickly getting out of the way so the bullfighting rodeo clown can get the bull away from him by leaping into a barrel.
Barry rides out into the arena and Jeremy hops from the ground onto the rump of the horse as Barry canters past. The announcer reads out his score, only just getting him into first place.
Barry says over his shoulder, voice loud over the rowdy crowd, “I think that makes you the all-arounder!”
Jeremy’s aiming for it, wanting to get All-Around Cowboy at the end and be awarded the additional prize money.
He’s anxious now, knowing what’s to come.
More than any of the competitions today at the rodeo, Jeremy is most nervous about after this is over.
He’s thought about it and made his choice, knowing there’s no turning back.
Him winning today is only further validation that he’s making the right decision for himself.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer calls out after the end of the bull riding, “Thank you all for coming out tonight. Now, please give one last big round of applause to our All-Around Cowboy for this year’s Limerick County Rodeo: Jeremy Munday!”
Galloping Asher out of the concourse tunnel again, Jeremy rides around the arena one final time and waves to all the people in the bleachers.
The rest of the competitors ride out after him, making a long line that circles the perimeter and wraps back around to the tunnel.
Jeremy figures this will be his last time riding Asher, stroking her black neck and tilting his head down below his hat brim so no one can see his teary eye.
In the back end of the arena now, the night air is crisp and calm while Jeremy rides Asher for as long as he can.
There’s a crowd forming behind him as the rodeo goers file out of the bleachers and gather in the parking lot up ahead.
Jeremy’s making his way to the trailer when Barry’s horse trots up beside him.
They look into each other’s eyes and Barry nods, saying, “Yana says she saw you packing your bags.”
Biting down on his lip, Jeremy tilts his hat back and nods to Barry.
There’s an understanding in their shared gaze, Barry speaking it into existence, “You’re leaving. But not with me.”
Jeremy stops Asher, turning to Barry and saying with his full chest, “I’m sorry.”
Barry nods, sniffing harshly and saying, “So that’s it then. We’re going our separate ways.”
“I will always wish you all the best,” Jeremy tells him genuinely.
Turning his dun horse around, Barry gives Jeremy a small smile and says, “Goodbye, Munday. You sure are one hell of a cowboy.”
As Jeremy watches Barry ride away, there’s a strong feeling in his gut that although it’s painful to let him go, it’s for the best. He hates that it’s as simple as that, but there is so much truth in the interaction.
Jeremy and Barry had started their relationship on a whim, had been floating by casually and effortlessly relying on each other for sexual gratification.
But beyond that, there wasn’t much to their connection beyond a friendship.
Turning his head forward again, Jeremy sits atop Asher for a moment and watches as people filter around him to get to their cars - going on with their lives.
“Hey! Jeremy!”
Looking over, Yana is fighting the crowd to cut over to him, waving her arm over her head. Glad to see her, Jeremy dismounts Asher and gives her a sideways hug as she gets closer. She’s smiling wide, arm tightly squeezing him as she says, “You did so good!”
“Thanks,” Jeremy smiles back. Biting his lip, he offers the reins to her and asks, “Could you take Asher back to the trailers for me? I need to find someone.”
She takes the reins, brow furrowed as she asks, “Is it Rezai? Are you leaving with him?”
Looking dearly at his friend, he tells her, “I can’t explain it now. I’ll call you though, I promise.”
She takes a step forward, asking, “When will I see you again?”
“I don’t know,” he smiles softly, reassuring her, “But you will.”