Page 34 of Sunshine

“We should probably eat something,” Wells answers, eyes bouncing to me. He’s wearing an olive-green pearl snap button-down and dark jeans, his black cowboy hat resting neatly in his lap. Apparently, rodeos call for dressing up. “Not sure we’ll have another chance.”

Kasey shifts the truck into park and nods toward the other side of the lot, reaching for his own hat from where it’s tucked between the dash and windshield. “There’s a Waffle House,” he says. “I could eat some waffles.”

Both of them look at me like I’m the deciding factor in all this. “Sounds good.” I shrug.

Inside, Kasey and Wells order the All-Star Special (Wells asks for the pecan waffle, and Kasey opts for chocolate chip) and I ask for the bacon, egg, and cheese hashbrown bowl. For another small stretch of time as we quietly sip our coffee—or, in my case, orange juice—life feels normal again. But as if on a timer, Jason’s face floods my mind and I remember why all of this is anythingbutnormal, and I start to feel a bubbling panic in my gut at being here.

“You okay?” Wells asks from where he sits next to me,pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts as Kasey pretends to watch something out the window.

I nod. “Yeah, I just . . .” My heart fumbles as I work to figure out what to say.

But he seems to understand, because he nods and looks down at the table. “Let yourself feel it as it comes,” he murmurs, so gently and carefully that the corners of my eyes begin to burn. Luckily I’m saved by the waitress who brings us our food, and we all quietly dig in.

We make it to Dickies Arena just before noon, and Kasey parks the trailer in a dirt lot that holds hundreds of others. I hop out of the truck behind Wells and look around at all of the people who are here to compete—the only rodeo I’ve ever been to was the small circuit at the county fair Jason took me to five years ago, and it wasnothinglike this.

There are horses everywhere, and at their sides are cowboys who look like they know how to rope and ride—and not just for sport. Even in December, they have sun-kissed faces from days spent beneath the wide-open Texas sky, and the dirt on their boots is proof of the hard work they put themselves through. My gaze snags on Wells and Kasey as they lead Kasey’s horse, Ghost, out of the trailer, and I’m suddenly struck by the realization that they’rerealcowboys, too.

Wells’s eyes catch mine, and for the first time since I’ve been home—since everything’s changed—I see that spark in his gaze, like a burst of lightning, the same one that was there at the last rodeo I watched him compete in. I can’t help the small smile that grows, a whisper of something good that I’m desperate to cling to.

I’m about to ask when his event starts but three girls cut between us from the front of the truck, their attention whollyfocused on the guys. “Kasey!” one of them shrieks, a beautiful Black girl with long braids that drape across the back of her plum tank top. She throws her arms around his neck and her tan cowboy hat knocks against his, sliding back across her head and almost falling off.

Kasey lets out a huff from the impact, lips curving into a smile as he reaches up to press her hat back down. “Madison, always good to see you.” He pulls back to look at her. “How’s Jeremy?”

Madison shrugs. “He’s still out for at least another six months, but he’s working through PT, trying to keep his head up.”

Kasey nods, his dark blue shirt wrinkling as he folds his arms across his chest. “Good. It’s been a few weeks since I talked to him. I’ll give him a call soon.”

Madison smiles. “He’d like that.”

Kasey turns to Wells. “You remember my brother?”

“Yeah, of course, how could I not?” She reaches to hug Wells, who leans into her embrace.

“Hello,” he says, eyes catching mine before dropping to the ground.

“Good to see you,” Madison says, and turns to her friends. “This is Riley and Nicole . . . I’m mentoring them this season.”

Kasey whistles. “You ladies must be good if you have Maddie here overseeing your training.”

Riley, a tall girl with freckled skin and auburn hair, flashes a wide smile. “Who better to learn from than the best?” Madison playfully shoves her on the shoulder.

“You riding today?” Kasey asks Riley.

She nods. “Our event is up soon. We’re headed to get our horses.”

“Good luck.” Kasey grins.

Riley makes a point to let her gaze linger on his arms before looking back up at him. “Maybe we’ll see you after?”

He gives her a small shrug and a devilish grin. “Maybe.”

Madison rolls her eyes. “And that’s our cue. Good luck out there, guys.” She leads Riley and Nicole toward another trailer, and Kasey gives Wells a shit-eating grin. “Fucking barrel racers,” he laughs, slapping an open palm against Wells’s shoulder before moving to the end of the trailer to unload his horse.

Wells shakes his head. “You okay?”

I’m surprised by the question. Sure, those girls didn’t notice me standing here next to Kasey’s truck, but I don’t mind. It’s actually nice to be around people who don’t know me and couldn’t give two shits about the emotional turmoil I’m going through. “Definitely.” I nod, then gesture toward the other cowboys meandering around parked trucks, some leading horses deeper into the arena. “So . . . how does all of this work?”

Wells’s brow furrows. “The rodeo?”

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