Chapter 9
COLTON
“All right, I can do this,” I tell myself, staring at the front door. “You rode bulls professionally for the last fifteen years. You will not run from some small wildlife creatures.”
Taking a deep breath, I push the door open and step quietly into the house.
Immediately, I notice the squirrels seem to have made themselves at home on top of one of the shirts I left out in my haste to get the hell out of here the other day.
I’ve put off coming back here as long as I could, but it’s been three days, and I’m tired of wearing Hayes’s clothes.
“We’re just going to get my bag, my guitar case, and a few other things I left behind, and then I’m out of here,” I whisper to myself, grabbing my phone and taking a quick picture of the animals before heading back to my room.
Once I’ve silently closed the door of my bedroom, I do a quick check to make sure it’s safe before sending the picture to Lucy. I’m not sure if this still falls in the friendship category, but I figure the worst that can happen is she won’t respond.
Colton: See, I told you. They’re vicious.
Lucy: *laughing emoji*
Lucy: Yeah, they look downright terrifying.
Lucy: Also, I guess this is my reminder to change your name in my phone. ;)
Colton: Just wait until they wake up.
Colton: Haha, yeah I changed yours too this morning.
Lucy: I can’t believe you’re standing that close to them.
Colton: I’m not too proud to admit that my phone has incredible zoom capabilities…
Colton: But as long as I’m quiet and they stay asleep, I think it’s fine.
Lucy: I need an update when you get home about how that goes.
I pause at that, because despite the fact that I’ve been staying at Hayes’s for the last few days, I haven’t seen Lucy since the night we had dinner with her mom. Deciding to call her on it, I type a quick text and press send before I can think too much about it.
Colton: Does this mean you’re done avoiding me?
Lucy: Wow, somebody thinks pretty highly of himself…
Lucy: How do you know I haven’t been staying somewhere else, or that I’m just that busy?
Lucy: Not everything revolves around you, Cowboy.
I freeze, worried I pushed her too far. I wasn’t trying to be an asshole. But the last thing I want is for her to feel like she has to sneak around to stay away from me in her own house.
Lucy: I’m kidding. There may have been a little avoiding. But I promise I’ll stop now.
Colton: Deal.
Colton: See you tonight, roomie.
Slipping my phone in my pocket, I make quick work of gathering my things. God, how did I get myself into this situation? It’s just my luck that I finally find a woman who I think is attractive and makes me laugh, but every part of me knows I can’t have her.
I meant it the other day when I said I’ve become a bit of a nomad.
At first it wasn’t on purpose, but since my parents’ divorce, I’ve lost touch with most of my family.
Hayes is really the most consistent friend I’ve had since college, and I know, regardless of how close we are, he’d never be comfortable with me pursuing anything with his sister.
“Colton? You in here?” I hear from outside, and I cringe at the fact that Hayes most definitely just woke up the squirrels. I was clearly so lost in thought, I didn’t hear him pull up. Scrambling for my phone, I dial his number and wait for him to pick up.
“Hey, I’m outside. Are you—” he starts, but I interrupt him.
“Quiet, dude. You have to be quiet.”
“Uh, what’s going on?” my best friend asks, lowering his voice a little. “I knew you were coming to grab your things, so I thought I’d come to—oh fuck!”
“Yep, that’s why I was telling you to be quiet.”
I fight to keep my composure as I hear the scrambling in the other room, finally losing it when I hear Hayes let out a squeak of terror loud enough to be heard through the walls.
“Come on now, dude. You ride bulls for a living, too. Don’t tell me you’re scared of them!
” I yell with a laugh, making my way over to the window of the bedroom and pushing it open.
After throwing my bag out and gently setting my guitar case on the ground, I duck through and step outside, moving quickly so that I’m outside to see Hayes make his frantic exit.
Just like I did yesterday, he scrambles outside, letting out another whimper of terror, before slamming the door shut behind him.
“Holy shit, you were right. Those things are fucking terrifying,” he yells, bending over and trying to catch his breath.
“Hell if I don’t know it,” I tell him, chuckling at his reaction.
“Okay, fine. I take it back,” he murmurs.
“Thank you,” I tell him. “Now, I’ve just gotta figure out what to do about them. I’ve called pest control, and haven’t had any luck. And I don’t want to kill them. I just don’t want them in the house.”
“That’s fair. I’ll try to get another number for Andy’s pest control business.”
“Thanks, man,” I tell him, straightening my hat from where it got tilted on my head in the chaos.
“You got everything you need?” Hayes asks, looking at the items I’m holding in my hands.
“If I don’t, are you volunteering to go back in and get it for me?” I tease.
“Hell no,” Hayes says with a shiver.
“Yeah, me either. But yes, I’ve got what I need. Now, let’s get out of here. It’s hot as hell.”
“It’s August in Alabama, of course it’s fucking hot as hell out here,” Hayes points out, and I ignore him.
As we walk to our truck, Hayes asks, “It’s been a couple days since we really talked. Have you heard anything about the animals you had your eye on?”
“No, Sam’s supposed to call me any day now, though.”
“Are you ever going to stop being secretive and tell me what’s special about these animals you’re wanting? Why can’t you just go to the stockyard like everyone else?”
“Because,” I tell him, refusing to get into my plan in case it doesn’t work out. “I promise once I know something, I‘ll fill you in.”
Hayes mumbles something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like “stubborn asshole,” but I ignore him as I open the door to my truck and get in.
“See you at the house.”
“Hey, I have good news for you,” Sam says as soon as I answer the phone later that evening. “I talked to a few of my contacts, and I’ve got you three bulls and four horses like you asked.”
“Hell yeah,” I mumble, setting my guitar down on the ground beside me.
Music has always been what helps me work through what’s coming next, and the two months without being able to play because of my cast were absolute hell.
Since then, I’ve found myself playing even more than usual, trying to work through what the rest of my life should look like. “Is Diesel one of them?”
“Yeah, he is. He’s gonna cost you a pretty penny, but I got Mr. Wallace to agree to sell him to you,” Sam answers, and instantly, I feel a sense of calm settle over me.
I know it won’t make sense to most people why I care so much about these retired rodeo animals, particularly the bull who ended my career, but I know this is the right decision.
I know a lot of the retired animals go on to live good lives after the rodeo, but that isn’t always the case, and after feeling a little thrown away by the sport myself, it just makes me feel like I’m still a small part of the scene where I spent the last fifteen years.
Plus, animals were always in the plans for this place anyway.
“You’ll have to find some heifers at a stockyard, but other than that, this should get you a pretty good start,” Sam continues, and I smile.
“Hell yeah, The Last Lasso is officially a go,” I say, letting out a whoop of excitement.
I had the idea to create a farm for retired rodeo animals when I was in the hospital, and the name had come to me immediately.
I’m hoping to eventually expand it to be a full commercial farm, and it’s one of the things that’s kept me going after I realized I wouldn't be able to ride anymore. I’m not sure if it’s the healthiest coping mechanism, but it’s brought me a lot of peace, and now it looks like it’ll become a reality.
“Thank you. Do you know how soon I can get them?” I ask, anxious to get everything moving.
“Give them a week or two, and then you should be good to go on the cattle,” Sam says before adding, “but the horses will probably be about six months out. I’ll talk to them again and let you know.”
“Great, that gives me time to fix up the barn later this season. Thank you, Sam,” I tell him, and he grunts in acknowledgement on the other end of the line.
“That’s not the only reason I’m calling, though. Are you still mentoring that Hayes kid?”
“Yeah, I am. I’m actually at his house right now. What’s up?” I ask, curious as to where this is going.
“Well, we had a few last-minute drops for the team season. I thought about him, and his name’s been floated around here a few times as someone who could be a real contender.
But I didn’t know if it was something he’d be interested in or able to make work.
He’d have to come out to Louisiana by the end of the week, so I know it’s kind of last-minute.
I know it’s none of my business, but I just think it would be really good for him from a career standpoint. Are you willing to talk to him?”
I feel a small pang of sadness at his question, the reality of the fact that I’m really done riding, hitting me again.
Team riding had always been something I thought I’d get around to eventually, but the timing was never right.
I allow myself to feel sad over the fact that this would have probably been my year, but I quickly push it to the side and channel that excitement for my best friend. “Oh, shit. Are you serious?”
“Yeah, because I’m known for my jokes, kid,” Sam says sarcastically, and I can’t help but laugh.
“You know, you’re right. That’s my bad,” I say with a chuckle. “But I’m almost certain he’d be interested. Give me thirty minutes and I’ll call you back.”
“Sounds good. Just let me know,” Sam says, and I agree before hanging up.
Pushing up from my chair, I walk out to the old barn where Hayes mentioned he was going to train earlier this afternoon. I find him in the middle of the barn, working out.
“Hey, I have some news,” I call out over the music he has pumping through the rodeo. As soon as the words are out of my mouth, one of the pigs runs across the room, charging towards me at full speed. “Holy shit, how do y’all get anything done around here?”
“Denise, let him be,” Hayes tells the pig, as she looks up at me with her big eyes, waiting for me to pat her head. “So, what’s your news?”
“Huh,” I ask, bending down to pet the wiggly pig at my feet.
“Oh, right. I know you were planning on taking the fall off, but Sam just called and wanted to see if you’d be interested in joining the team circuit.
Apparently, there’s been a bunch of people dropping, and your name’s being floated as someone who could really come in and dominate if you decided to compete. ”
Hayes freezes, his eyes widening. “Wait, are you serious?”
I nod, wanting to chuckle at how similar our responses were. “Yep. But you need to be in Louisiana in two days.”
“Wait, but what will I do about the farm? I know Lucy and Amelia think they can run this place all by themselves, but with Mama down too, there’s just no way,” Hayes says, the disappointment obvious on his face.
“Is that your only hesitation?” I ask, a plan already forming in my head.
“Yeah, pretty much,” my best friend confirms.
“Well, what if I offered to help take care of things around here? Then would you go?”
Hayes’s eyes widen as Denise bumps her snoot against my nose, reminding me that she still wants attention.
“I mean, yeah. But, Colton, I can’t ask you to do that. I promised my dad before he died that I would look after this place along with my mom and my sister.”
I shrug. “Isn’t making sure that I’m here to help out kinda like looking after it too?
Everything here will be taken care of, and you get a chance at riding with some of the biggest names in the industry this fall.
You’ve put in the work this season, and you’ve had really good rides earlier this season already. I know you’re ready. You should do it.”
Hayes pauses, and I can tell he’s considering it. “You’ll look after everything? Treat my mom and sister like they’re your own?”
I cringe inwardly at that description because the thoughts I’ve had about Lucy are far from sisterly, but I push the thought aside. “I’ve got you, man,” I promise.
“Then I guess I need to go get packed,” Hayes says, his face breaking into a big smile.
“Hell yeah, you do,” I tell him. “I’ll call Sam and let him know you’re coming.”
“Thanks, man,” he tells me, walking over and slapping my back in appreciation. “I couldn’t do this without you.”
“And don’t you forget it,” I tease as he heads off into the house.
I give Denise one more pat before straightening and rubbing my face with my hands. Now I just have to figure out how I’m going to survive living alone with my best friend’s little sister who’s now very off limits.