Page 46 of Big Daddy Bull Riders

But Mina’s stomach was in knots, and she feared what the night would bring.

* * *

It was evening when Mina took her seat.

Her Daddies had allowed her to go down and see them for a few moments but then gave her strict orders to get away from the chute and to the safety of the stands. She’d thought about asking why they were down there if it was so dangerous, but decided to hold that comment.

She felt jittery. How dangerous was this? There was no way it could be safe, she knew. But surely the professionals took steps to mitigate the risk. People’s lives were on the line.

Jackson had bought her a big soda and a box of popcorn before sending her up to the stands, but now, with her stomach in knots the way it was, she could barely enjoy the treats. She just wanted this to be over. She needed both her Daddies safe.

Wasn’t there another way to save Big Cedar? Why did Slater have to be so stubborn?

She drew a deep breath, tried to relax, and sat there waiting impatiently for it to end.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Down in the arena, in the tight chute, Slater sat atop the snorting bull.

He could feel the energy radiating off the magnificent beast. It was about to give him one hell of a ride. How long that ride would last, well… that remained to be seen.

In reality, Slater knew it would only be seconds. He prayed at least eight. Normally, eight seconds ticks off the clock so fast you can barely count them. But when you’re holding on for dear life, trying not to be launched into the air, it was an eternity.

He pulled on the rope and made sure it was tight.

“How you feeling, brother?” Jackson asked. He was standing on the other side of the wooden chute, his feet on the second slat, making him tower even taller than he was.

“Like I’m crazy.”

“Well, you are crazy. Damn crazy to be doing this again.” Jackson paused. “You sure you want to? There’s still time to climb down off that thing.”

The bull snorted, as if saying Jackson’s idea was probably for the best.

Slater ignored the animal.

“I’m going to see this through. And the next one. And the one after that. All the way down the line until I have the money the town needs.”

Jackson sighed. “Nothing I can say will change your mind, huh?”

“Nope.”

“Then just promise me you’ll be careful.”

Slater looked to see the concern in his friend’s eyes. “I’ll be as careful as I can be. You have my word on that.”

He didn’t have to say that the best laid plans of cowboys went out the window the second a bull started twisting and turning. But he didn’t need to. Jackson knew.

“Thirty seconds,” the chute boss called out. “You ready, son?”

“Ready,” Slater yelled back.

Slater heard the sound of the announcer’s voice filling the arena, announcing him. His stomach flipped a nervous somersault, and he tried to tell himself to calm down, but it was no use. How could one be calm in a situation like that? Anyway, it was the adrenaline that kept you moving. And moving kept you alive. He didn’t need to be too calm.

“You get to those pickup men as soon as you can,” Jackson said, referring to the cowboys who waited in the arena, eager to help a rider stay clear of the bull once he was flung off.

The rodeo clown would do his job, too, drawing the attention of the angry animal.

---