Page 49 of Spurred On

She sighs dramatically before getting off the makeshift futon/couch and comes to sit next to me on the bed. “Well, we can’t have you being sad on the road, so I guess I can pencil you in. You’re turning out to be a stage five clinger, you know that?”

My laughter rumbles through my chest. “What can I say? I’m a man obsessed with his woman.” Grabbing the back of her head, I pull her into a kiss. And with every movement of my lips, I show her how much I care for, love, and adore her. I haven’t said it yet, partly out of fear that saying them out loud will suddenly make this too much for her, and partly because it’s a first for me, and I don’t know how.

Ava and I hop out of my truck and head toward the arena. We’ve got three nights of riding this weekend, and I intend to earn big moneytonight. Having my own little good luck charm will make that even easier.

Ava helps me carry in my lighter riding gear. I won’t get my own dressing room here, but that’s alright. Some of the fun is shit talking to the boys in the dressing room anyway.

Doug comes around the corner with Sully, who’s sporting a smile when he sees who I dragged with me. Although, I don’t know why.

“Maverick, are you headed to the dressing room now?”

“Yes, but only to drop off my stuff. I am going to show Ava around and then get dressed out.” I walk away before he can tell me what he had planned for me and how I need to ‘focus’. He hasn’t even said anything yet and I can already feel myself getting pissed off.

We walk through the back of the building and through painted cement hallways until we reach the rodeo attender’s spot. “Alright, I will be right back. I just need to throw this in my locker.” I lean down and kiss her pink cheek before heading in.

We arrived early enough that the locker room is pretty empty. I keep my head down and throw my stuff in my assigned locker before heading back out. With Doug sulking around, I feel anxious to get back to Ava. The last thing I need is him getting her alone.

Walking back out, I find Ava and capture her hand in mine as I begin showing her behind the scenes of the rodeo. The last time she joined me, it was a busy day, and I wasn’t able to provide her with a full tour, but I’m correcting that now.

“Can I see the animals?” she asks, already scanning for where they might be.

“You won’t be able to see them until we’re in the arena. They’re pretty well guarded beforehand. No one cares more about thoseanimals than those of us who rodeo. They do their job, and our job is to keep them safe.”

She nods as she takes in the new information. “I guess I never thought of that. Well, cowboy, what else is there?”

“You want to see the inside of the chute?” I ask, and judging by the way her eyes light up, I am taking that as a yes.

The smell of dirt and livestock permeates the air, the bright lights shine on the arena as we walk through huddles of teams and attendees. The media is out with force tonight, and I make a strong effort to dodge them as we walk to the chute.

“Alright, over there behind that tarp is where they lead in the bull. Here in a little while, the riders will all draw their bulls. Then they will get led up here when it’s time to ride.”

“So how do you stay on? Just by holding on to the pummel on the rope?”

“Well, I use rosin to make my rope and glove sticky, and we wrap our rope around the bull so it stays secure. Plus, my legs have a death grip on whatever beast I am riding.”

“What happens if you fall off?”

I don’t know how to tell her I just hope like hell I can get my hand loose. Most times, it comes off fine at the end of the ride, but I have had a couple of broken arms and hands in my day from being unable to get loose. “I know how to get my arm out, it just takes the right angle.” Kind of the truth, but mostly not. I don’t need her to worry about me when I’m out here.

I walk her around for about fifteen more minutes. When I start cutting it down to the wire, I walk with her to the shopping level. “Alright, I have to go, but if you come down in about an hour or so, it should be riding time. You’re always welcome by the corrals,too.” I gave her a lanyard with backstage access to roam wherever she wants. She’s officially part of Team Ryder, and the lanyard is another indicator. I lean in, my hand cupping the side of her face and as I peck her on the cheek. When I pull back, I find myself not wanting to leave her. My thumb brushes over her cheek for a few seconds. “Alright, sweetheart, I gotta go. See you soon.” She nods with the corner of her lips quirked up as I walk off.

As I make my way through the arena and back toward the dressing room, I find Doug leaning against the cement wall when I make it back.

“I was worried you were so preoccupied with your little ‘wife’ that you were going to miss check-in.” He doesn’t even bother to look at me, which pisses me off even more.

"I’m not in the mood for your passive aggressive shit today, Doug. I’ve been doing this for years.”

“You sure seem distracted to me. Exactly like I warned.” He has not the slightest idea what having her here does for me. It does the opposite of distracting me. It makes me want to perform even better for her. She grounds me in a way that his small brain could never understand. Probably why he’s still alone.

“Funny, I wasn’t aware you were a mind reader, Doug. Tell me, what am I thinking right now?” He levels me with a stare that says he isn’t entertained, but I don’t care, I am. Giving him shit back is actually a good time. I should have started doing this sooner. “I’ll give you a hint: it's two words…”

“You were never like this before. I don’t like what she’s doing to you.”

“Fuck you, Doug. That’s what I was thinking. And you better think fucking twice before you start insulting the woman I love or you’ll find yourself out of a job.”

He lets out a curt laugh. “Love? Son, the only thing you have time to love is bull riding. Your sole focus needs to be the sport if you really want to be the best. You know why? Cause if that woman loves you, like you claim to love her, at some point, she’s going to ask you to quit. And then all of this will have been for nothing.”

My anger boils so hot in my blood I debate if I’d get kicked out today for knocking him on his ass, but I take a deep breath and choose a different option. “You’re wrong. She’s different. She supports me for me, unlike your sorry ass. Don’t forget, Doug. I sign those checks you love so much. So you better watch your mouth.”

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