Page 91 of Hung Up
The announcer is going over my stats as I slip onto Goliath’s back, working my hand securely into the rope. I let my eyes fall closed, taking a few deep breaths as I tune out the crowd around me. If there was a time to focus, to make sure I pull out all the stops, it’s now. As that familiar calm washes over me like a warm blanket, I open my eyes and nod.
The door flies open, and Goliath tears out into the arena. I only feel a twinge in my ribs when he whips around, and I have to lean with him, my thighs clenching tightly against his midsection. He bucks more than he spins, and I keep my arm up as I brace against his jerky movements. It’s not until I leap off at the buzzer that I realize how close we were to the wall. I take off my hat and wave to the crowd before I climb out of the arena, spotting Faith coming jogging around the corner.
My feet just hit the ground when she leaps into my arms, giving me a tight hug. I wrap my arms around her without hesitation, swinging her gently from side to side before setting her back down on my feet. With one hand on my shoulder, shebeams and points at the screen with the other. I turn, watching as the final score comes in, and I can’t stop the smile from growing on my face as I watch my name move from spot three up to two.
Once I turn back to Faith, she hugs me again, but this time, when she pulls away, she kisses me. I hesitate for a moment, caught by surprise, before I kiss her back. It doesn’t last more than a few seconds, but those few seconds were seen by at least half the workers and a quarter of the riders. When she breaks the kiss, her arms fall away from my neck, the corners of her lips tipping up before a look of recognition takes over her face.
“What did you want to ask me before?”
The question is on the tip of my tongue—what are we? Where is this going?—but they seem to lodge in my throat. My need to know isn’t as great as my fear of finding out this is still temporary, so I wrap my arm around her shoulders and say, “Nothing, Sweetheart. Let’s go find a good spot to watch the others.”
Ignorance truly is bliss, I guess.
35FAITH
FORT WORTH
the man I deserve
It’sday two of the elimination rounds, and so far, Bryce seems to be the only one these elimination rounds are detrimental to. He keeps jumping between spots twenty-four through twenty-seven, and only twenty-five riders make it to the championships. Despite his forfeit ride earlier in the season, Wyatt is sitting in twentieth, Lee in eighteenth, Stetson in ninth, and Kai and Jesse in first and second.
According to the guys, usually those in the top five get to decide if they want to ride each day or not, due to there being a major discrepancy in scores at this point in the season. However, this is the first time in twenty-two years—at least, that’s what the reporters told me—that the top thirty-six have been only a few points behind the person in front of them.
Which means no one is skipping a single ride.
I’m sitting with Kai, Georgia, Stetson, Rylie, and Jesse in a lounge area that one of the sponsors had put together with a snack table and some drinks, rides still an hour out. Jesse’s got his hand resting on my thigh, Georgia is curled into Kai’s side,and Stetson has his hand resting on the back of Rylie’s neck. It’s odd to see the three pairs of us together in this manner, but it also feels right. It’s a sight I would love to see more often.
“So, how are we feeling about rides today?” Georgia asks, glancing up at Kai before looking between Jesse and Stetson. “Nervous? Ready?”
“I think that question is more directed at Stetson,” Kai states, humor lacing his tone. “He’s got some catching up to do to be where Pretty Boy and I are right now.”
I point a finger at him, my eyes narrowing. “Hey, I’m the only one who gets to call him that. Come up with your own nickname.”
“Hmm,” Kai hums, cupping his chin with his thumb and pointer finger. “Oh, how about Sugar?”
I watch Jesse’s face contort in disgust. “Absolutely not.”
“Buttercup?”
“Really?”
“What about Baby Doll?”
I’m trying my best not to laugh at the look on Jesse’s face, but once Rylie starts laughing, I find myself doing the same. He turns to me with an expression of mock hurt. “How dare you not come to my rescue?”
“I don’t know,” I say through my giggles. “I think Buttercup might be a winner.”
“Thank you, Faith.” Kai flashes me a wink, and Jesse groans beside me, no doubt knowing that he will definitely be called that for the rest of the season, at least. “So, Buttercup, how are we feeling?”
He tips his head back, looking up at the ceiling as he mumbles, “Lord, please save me from this embarrassment.”
“Is Buttercup really worse than Pretty Boy?” I ponder genuinely.
“Please,” he starts, tilting his head as he gazes at me. “At least one has a compliment embedded in it.”
“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask,” Stetson says, speaking up for the first time since we sat down. “Those letters you have embroidered on your jeans. Are those?—”
“Faith.”
