Page 59 of Big Daddy Bull Riders

“Nope. Family,” Quinn corrected.

Slater grinned. “That’s right. Family.”

“Well they can’t be down here! We got bulls runnin’ every which way!” the boss said. He shook his head. “Clear ‘em out. And get ready. You’ve got two minutes!”

He moved on.

The announcer was talking loudly and the crowd seemed to be responsive. The clowns were out, doing a routine, too, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Everyone except Slater, his family, and Son of Satan.

The animal thrashed his head from side to side. Slater felt kind of bad for him.

“Slater, we’ve all been talking,” Marsha said eagerly, her eyes darting from the bull to its rider. “This is crazy! I mean outright insane!”

“She’s right,” Cane said. “And Walker was right, too. Big Cedar isn’t a place. It’s an idea. It’s us. We can start over anywhere. The important thing is that you’re safe.”

“Listen to ‘em, buddy,” Austin added. “We love you. All of us.”

Slater looked at Mina who was standing there, looking oh so small, tears streaming down her cheeks.

He then looked around the arena, shifting on the bull to take in as much of it as he could. The crowd was ready for some action. Almost twenty thousand folks were crammed in there. He’d disappoint them all if he got off that bull and walked away.

Yet the most important people in his life needed him.

And the two people he loved more than anything both looked worried sick.

His heart broke.

“Mina, honey, do you want me to get off this bull? Do you want me to never ride again?”

She sniffled and nodded. “But I want you to be happy. And if this makes you happy…”

He shook his head. “You make me happy.” He looked at Jackson. “And you, too.” He paused for a moment before asking, “Do you want me to get off this and walk away from it?”

“You know what I want,” Jackson said bluntly.

Slater nodded. “Well, that answers that.” He stood up on top of the snarling beast, leapt to the chute’s slats, and threw a leg over before climbing down the other side.

“Hey!” the chute boss called. “Where are you going?”

“Sorry,” Slater said, taking Mina’s hand in one of his and Jackson’s in the other, “I’ve got to go. With my wife and husband. Or whatever we’re going to be. And my family.” He grinned as the chute boss’ eyes went wide in shock.

The Big Cedar folks cheered.

“Never scare me like that again, Daddy!” Mina said.

“Hey, who gives the orders around here?” he asked with a smile.

“Right now, she does!” Jackson said. “And me too. Don’t ever do that to us again.”

He chuckled. “Fair enough.” He then sighed heavily. “That might seal the town’s fate, though.”

Mina stopped walking and let go of his hand. She pulled out her phone. “Or maybe not!”

“Huh?” Slater said.

When she didn’t respond right away, he stepped closer. “Sweetpea? What’s going on?”

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