Chapter 44
I was sitting in Ty's room, hanging out over room service coffee - which was better than the damned Keurig in here - and going over what we could try next when Ty's phone buzzed. He grumbled something about Peter, then swiped and sat straight up.
"What?" I asked. "Bad?"
So he turned his phone toward me, showing me a picture of two men I missed a little too much: Jorge and Isaac. Ok, that was nice, but a moment later I realized I recognized the background.
"They're here?" I asked, sitting up the same way he had.
"Yeah, and Cody's saying we should come meet them. Well, that I should, but she probably has no clue you're here."
"Or she wants to see you," I countered.
The look he gave me was withering. "Pretty sure she's so over me it's not funny. That means the only reason she'd be asking for me is because of this strike, which you're the brains behind. So, let's go get some lunch."
"Sounds good," I agreed, pushing to my feet.
The elevator was right beside his room. From where we were, it was a long way up, but when we reached the top, there was a young waiter standing there like he was waiting. He looked at us both, then took a step closer.
"Are you here to meet with Cody?"
"Uh, yeah," Ty said, clearly confused.
The man smiled. "Her party asked me to show you back. Follow me, please."
Ok, that was some top-notch service. Clearly, someone had tipped him a small fortune to have him wait. Either that, or our timing was impeccable. I didn't know nor care, because a moment later, I saw the group he was leading us to.
I shouldn't have been surprised, and yet I was. There, Jorge, Isaac, and Tanner sat comfortably beside Cody and J.D. There was an empty spot at the foot of their table, clearly meant for Ty. I started thinking of ways to gracefully back out of this when J.D. gestured to the guy.
"Can you get us another chair?" And he grinned at me. "Didn't realize you'd made it here yet."
Ah, ok. That explained a lot. "Yep. Got here last week," I explained.
"And he's been busting his ass," Ty said as he took the spot at the end of the table.
"Scoot down," Cody told J.D. "We can fit him beside us."
"Babe..." J.D. fake-whined. "C'mon, he's gonna bump my elbow or some shit."
"Like fuck I will," I said just as the waiter moved a chair over. "I'll get you some water while you get situated," he offered.
"And everyone here's on my tab," Ty said. Then he looked at the bullfighters. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."
"Same," Jorge told him. "Well, being here at least."
"And here is fucking nice," Isaac said. "I don't remember Nashville being so comfortable before."
"Because we were in that RV," Tanner reminded him.
There was a little sliding and shifting. Soon enough, I'd slid into the spot beside J.D. and next to Ty. That was all handled just as the waiter returned with water and a place setting for us both. Ty and I ordered after hearing the rest already had, and the man left again.
"So," I asked, breaking that moment of conversational lull, "what brings you two to Nashville?"
It was Tanner who answered. "There's a very good chance you're looking at this weekend's Rescue Squad."
"What?" I gasped.
But Ty was grinning. "No shit?"
Jorge nodded. "Yep, the Deviant Rescue Squad. New uniforms, new sponsor."
"And one who demanded us or he wasn't investing," Isaac explained.
"And it feels too easy," Tanner said, glancing at Cody. "I... Until I have a contract, I'm going to keep feeling like this isn't real."
"Same," she agreed.
"Wait, wait, wait..." Ty begged. "So, Deviant made the agreement with you, but what does the Pbr say?"
So Jorge explained all about their meetings. The one that started with a new rep - J.D.'s guy. Then Deviant getting them all suites. That led to this morning with Deviant and the Pbr, and how it sure sounded like it was going to happen, but nothing was in writing... yet.
"Tomorrow," I told them. "Likely, the Pbr is going to hammer out all the dollars for this thing, and that will take a while.
Deviant will put it in writing. The Pbr's legal team will go over it, then Deviant's.
When that's done - since it sounds like they want this finalized before the weekend - the three of you will all get official contracts. "
"And rainbow uniforms," Tanner said. "Nice ones."
"Rainbow?" I asked. "Is that going to be too blatant?"
"Don't care," J.D. told him.
"Nor do we," Jorge said, looking over at Tanner with a brow raised.
"They know," Tanner assured his guys. "Ty and Jake have been filled in on everything with the three of us."
"Good," Jorge said, looking at me with a warning in his expression. "And?"
"And I'm going to assume you know too," I told him. "Do I care? Not at all."
He nodded as if that was all he'd needed.
But Isaac couldn't help himself. "Ok, I get Ty, but Jake?"
"Jake helped me out," J.D. said. "I filled him in."
"And Jake filled me in," Ty said.
Which made Cody's head snap over. "Wait. So now you two know his big secret, but the rest of us don't?"
I just dropped my head and sighed. "Donald Merrill is my father. He was married to someone else - his current wife - when he knocked up my mom."
Cody's mouth just hung open in shock. "Shit. I thought you two looked alike."
"When?" Tanner asked.
"When he paid my fine!" she huffed.
"When?" J.D. asked next.
"Donald fined her for punching Austin," I explained. "I was there, I paid it in front of that prick, and made it clear I could keep going. He hates when I push him because he knows I know enough to ruin his life."
"Thanks," J.D. told me.
Cody grunted at that.
But he simply reached over to rub her back lightly. "Babe, you don't need it now, but you did back then. Just nice to know a few of us have been making sure they couldn't chase you off."
"Ty too," Tanner said.
I snuck a glance at him to find he'd glanced away. No, Ty wasn't smiling at that, but clearly it had been what he'd needed to hear. And yet, there were still a few things this group needed to know about.
"So," I said, "speaking of Ty, you should all know he's been working with Peter McClain-"
"Blue," Tanner told Cody softly.
"Yeah, the guy in blue," I agreed. "Because Peter's father owns Black Hat Ranch."
"Speed Bump's owners," J.D. told her.
I nodded. "Well, that got this weekend's stock contractors involved. They don't want their bulls to get fucked with shit scores. Since Speed Bump is competing for first place in the Unleash the Beast competition, it's important to them. A lot of money is on the line for that."
"And they're not the only contractors pissed about this," Ty added. "I don't know all their names, but Peter told me there are at least five farms calling the Pbr and threatening to sue for breach of contract. Black Hat Ranch has the strongest claim, supposedly, but all of them together?"
"Which," Tanner said, "explains why the Pbr gave into Chance so easily."
"Who?" I asked, not quite keeping up.
"Chance Hunter," Isaac told me. "The owner of Deviant Games."
"One of them," Cody corrected. "I guess the other owner likes to stay out of the spotlight. Rhaven said there's a whole story there, but I didn't want to push. Not with how they've been treating me." Then she sucked in a breath. "Oh! Jake!"
"Hm?" I asked.
"Are you looking for more sponsors?"
"Always?" I said, making it a question because I wasn't sure where she was going with this.
But Cody smiled, and it was the sort that made my stomach do some dumbass shit. "Then I'm going to give Rhaven your number, ok? I mean, how do you feel about voodoo dolls?"
"Me?" I asked, realizing she meant they might sponsor me. "I mean, I'm good with it, if you think you can convince them."
Which made J.D. laugh. "Sorry, Jake. Rhaven brought you up, not us."
And for a moment, I paused, thinking back to last weekend. She'd said she was there to look at the other riders, and I hadn't even thought about the fact she might be looking for more people to sponsor. I should've, but I'd been a bit preoccupied.
"Do they pay well?" I asked.
"Oh yeah," J.D. said before Cody could answer. "Better than any of mine."
"And they don't make you fight for it," Cody said. "More than that, they seem to like the rule-breaking more than the winning."
"And they're talking about paying us to fit 'deviant' into conversation in any way we can," Tanner said.
But Ty was gaping at me. When I looked at him, a wry little chuckle slipped out. "I told you to stop trying to stay in the background."
"Yeah, but if that shit about my father gets out..." I said.
"So we don't let it get out," Isaac said. "I'm starting to realize this group is pretty good at keeping secrets."
Ty just shook his head. "Nope. I think Jake needs to stop being scared of his big secret. Wasn't his fuckup, and it might just be our best weapon."
"But I don't want to fuck up Clay's life," I countered.
"See, that's what's holding me back. Not Donald.
The man's a prick and a half. He also has no clue Clay knows we're half-brothers.
He's trying to keep us apart, hoping his secret will stay safe, but Clay knows.
He also doesn't want his mother to think he's picking his father when he's really picking his job. "
"Sound guy," Ty explained to the rest.
Cody leaned back so she could reach around J.D. and clasp my arm. "How do we help, Jake?"
"I don't actually know," I admitted. "Last week, I would've said this can't get out.
This week? Well, Ty's been doing his best to convince me to stop playing it safe.
I just don't want to put Donald Merrill in a no-win situation.
One where he'll blow everything up for us because I blew it up for him. "
"And yet," Isaac said, "blackmail is a valid option. I mean, the directors used it against Tanner."
"And we're definitely coming out this weekend," Tanner told me. "All three of us, because Cody's going to get caught in the middle of this."
"It's an open relationship," J.D. countered. "Means she might get out of it. I mean, if someone points out that she's just having a bit of fun like the rest of us guys do."
"I can do that," Ty agreed.
"No!" Cody hissed at J.D.
"Cody," Tanner said, "it's probably safer. They really don't need a reason to fuck with you any more."
"But no!" she insisted. "I told you. I'm good with burning it down. All of it, guys."
"And I will still push," Ty said gently. "I will say that, because if it keeps you riding, then it means everyone wins, Cody. The first woman? The first men to come out as... well, whatever that ends up as."
"It'll be gay," I said. "Sadly, it's too easy to say gay, and too hard for half these guys to realize there are more than just two options, so they'll be gay by Saturday."
"And still not gay," Tanner said.
But I waved that off. "We know, man. I promise we know, but that's what you need to brace for. And yeah, the reporters will probably all ask you about what it's like to be the first openly gay bullfighter or some shit. Rider for you, J.D."
"I can roll with that," J.D. said. "I mean, my gayness is so weak I made a name by kicking ass. So yeah."
"I mean, you did tell me to ride like I fuck," Cody joked.
Which made me turn away, trying to bite back a laugh. Yeah, that sounded just like J.D. I had to clear my throat before I could talk in a normal voice again.
"So, with all of this, do we know what we're doing?"
"Not really," Jorge admitted.
"I know one thing," Cody said. "You two need a date. A real one - without me."
"Naw..." J.D. tried.
But Tanner was nodding. "Yeah, I like that."
"Yeah, but I'm not leaving Cody here alone," J.D. countered. "Fuck, Tanner. The shit we've all gotten? And that room might be nice, but alone is still boring."
"We can hang," I told Cody.
"And I want to head to the bar when the guys start showing up," Jorge said. "I mean, Cody, you can be my chaperone, right? Make sure Aubree knows I'm being a good boy?"
Cody gestured at the pair of us. "See? Handled."
"Cody, if J.D.'s driving me, you don't have a ride," Tanner pointed out.
"I have a truck," I quickly offered. "Big one, too. I can haul all of us there."
"And mine works too," Ty said. "I know we've got some Brazilians here already. A few Aussies. I don't think the rest are showing up until Wednesday night, though."
"So Wednesday," Cody said. "J.D., you are taking Tanner out to a nice dinner.
I'm sleeping in the other room. It is going to be a date.
A whole date, not some rushing through it shit because you feel guilty either.
Jake, Isaac, and Jorge are going to be my drinking buddies, and Ty's going to keep me from throwing drinks in anyone's face, right? "
"Sure am," Ty agreed.
I leaned closer to J.D. slightly. "Do it, man. Seriously. You have nothing to lose, they both like the idea, and it means you'll get laid. Besides, we got your back."
So J.D. turned to Tanner. "Babe, can I take you out on Wednesday night? Something nice, maybe even romantic?"
"This time," Tanner told him, "I think I can agree to that."
And the way they looked at each other? Yeah, that was the real deal. They really were done hiding it, and the truth was this looked good on them. Damned good.