Page 89 of Hung Up
“It appears there’s more to it for sure, considering he forfeited his ride to go see her.”My eyes widen slightly. How on earth do they know that?“Here’s what one of the riders had to say.”
Kai’s face appears on the screen, a microphone in front of his face.“Look, we’ve all grown fairly close this year compared to other years. We all want each other to do the best we can. And Faith has become one of us. We all love her here and were upset when we heard she might be unable to complete the season. Sowhen Jesse made the decision to leave, forfeiting his ride so he could go make sure she was okay, it was a no-brainer for all of us. We didn’t just do this for Jesse, we did it for her, too.”
Tears well in my eyes and I sniffle involuntarily.“Wow. It appears that not only has Jesse made a huge impact this season, but Faith Thompson from All In has, too. That’s amazing to see. It makes you feel good to see that kind of friendship amongst a group you wouldn’t expect to be that close.”
“It’s definitely refreshing to say the least,”the retired bull rider says.“And it looks like we haven’t seen the last of Faith, either. Rumor has it, an invitation has been extended for her to come back next year. Maybe we’ll be able to see this romance blossom firsthand.”
My jaw drops at that kernel of information, and Jesse’s head whips toward mine, a smile on his face.“I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of upset women out there.”They both laugh.“Well, I guess that’s it for our post-event wrap-up. Tune in tomorrow, where we will hopefully be able to watch some rides.”
I turn the television down as the music starts to play, slumping back against the couch. The riders forfeit their rides so Jesse would have a chance. They threw away their opportunity to get ahead. Too many emotions are running through me to begin comprehending, but there’s one thing I know that needs to be done.
“Well,” I say, reaching for my laptop and flipping it open. “Looks like it’s time for us to book some tickets. Can’t let their sacrifice go to waste.”
“You’ll come with me?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
34JESSE
FORT WORTH
whatever you need, Pretty Boy
Thanksto the selflessness of the riders last weekend, I managed to keep my spot in third. Of course, not every rider was so enthused about the decision of the many, Carson being one of them. He’s sitting in second and hasn’t been my biggest fan since a few years ago when I beat him out the weekend before finals.
But whatever, not my problem. Not everyone can be my friend.
Speaking of friends, everyone was super supportive of Faith and me. Of course, some of the guys were surprised, but the ones closest to me weren’t. While they may not have known outright what was going on, hiding my feelings toward her wasn’t something I was exactly good at. Although I will say that Faith got a kick out of hearing from those who were surprised that, because of how she acted toward me, they thought I was just some love-sick puppy who just couldn’t stay away.
I mean, they weren’t entirely wrong.
But the one person I hadn’t heard from was Wyatt. Everyone had called and texted us after the news coverage and welcomed us back Sunday morning with hugs and congratulations as if we had just gotten married instead of Faith finally admitting she wants me, too. Not that it’s any less special to me.
His radio silence has had me on edge, despite Faith’s best attempts to reassure me. If there was one person who had an inkling and could see what was happening without his suspicions being confirmed, who had reservations, it was Wyatt. He made it pretty obvious to me that he didn’t like how things were unfolding and how I was handling it in those few times we had talked about her. And I know he was just worried about me, but now that things have worked and I’m happier than I have been in a long time, I thought he would’ve come around.
But his lack of acknowledgment makes me fear otherwise.
Which is why I came to the arena an hour early and am trying to hunt him down. He’s had this weird habit ever since he decided this was going to be his last season of coming in before everyone else and sitting in the quiet of the arena. So when I walk down the tunnel, I know exactly where to look.
He’s sitting in the stands, directly in the middle, staring blankly at the dirt ring below. I take a quick second to get my bearings, to prepare for the possibility of this not going how I want it to, before I walk up the steps and down the row, leaving two seats between us.
“I can’t believe this is going to be the last time I’m here,” he says quietly, a strain to his voice that I’m not used to hearing.
“It doesn’t have to be.” I tilt my head to look at him. “You haven’t announced your retirement yet. You can still back out.”
He runs a hand down his face. “I made promises I intend to keep. I can’t do that to her.”
I nod in understanding, letting the silence hang between us. I want so badly to start yapping, to ask a million and onequestions, and get to the bottom of whatever this weird, sudden tension seems to be between us. Wyatt has been my best friend for longer than most, and it kills me to even consider the possibility that this might be our new normal. I refuse to accept that.
“Let me ask you something,” I start, unable to handle the quiet any longer. “How did you know that Annie was the one?”
“She always supported me, made me happy, and made me a better man. She didn’t walk away when things got tough; she never once made me doubt how she felt about me.” He turns toward me, and the look on his face has me bracing for what he says next. “The love of your life will be the love you don’t have to fight for. It should come easy, for both of you. It shouldn’t ever be this complicated.”
My brows furrow, a frown overtaking my face. “That’s your version. Some things are worth fighting for. Faith is worth fighting for.”
“I fear it’s not going to end the way you want it to,” he admits, sadness now seeping into his tone, causing a lump to form in my throat. “I’m worried you just accepted whatever she gave you without asking what it means for the two of you.”
“What do you mean?”
