Page 76 of Kentucky Nights
“He hasn’t changed much. He’s always kind of been who he is. He’s gotten a little more stubborn over the years, more of a recluse, but what never stopped was the genuine nature of his soul. Granted, he has changed since meeting you.”
“Really? How so? He still seems set in his ways.”
“And he always will be.” Lorcan steals a bucket of popcorn from a man walking by. He whispers, “You dropped your popcorn. Go get another.”
The stranger in the brown cowboy hat listens, not questioning Lorcan in the slightest. Nodding his head, the guy turns around to go to the concessions again.
“Anyway.” Lorcan throws a handful of popcorn in the air, somehow managing to catch every piece. “He’s better with you. Happier. I’ve never seen him truly happy. He always felt cursed, and he doesn’t feel that way with you. He’s lighter. In here.” Lorcan taps the middle of his chest. “He hasn’t done a rodeo in decades, Dru. He is doing this for you.”
“The rodeo? Why? If he doesn’t want to do it, then he shouldn’t. Plus, he could get hurt, healing abilities or not. I don’t like to see him in pain.”
We take a seat in the front row. I’d prefer to sit a little higher, but I also want to be as close to Kentucky as possible.
Lorcan offers me the buttery snack. One thing to know about me, popcorn is one of my favorite food groups.
It’s a grain, so I consider it an important part of my diet.
“You don’t get it yet, do you?”
“Get what?” I ask through a mouthful of popcorn.
“He wants you to see him compete. He wants you to be impressed by him. He wants to win and show you he is better than all the other fools here.”
“I already think and feel that way. He never needs to put himself in danger for me.”
“That’s exactly why he is doing this. Do you know how long it has been since he has put himself in danger? He’s a man at the end of the day, Dru. He wants you to see himbedangerous.”
“Men make no sense. That is a ridiculous way to think.”
“Men are ridiculous. Good thing I’m not like them.”
My brows must reach my hairline when I hear those words come fromhismouth. “Lorcan, you might be the most ridiculous one I’ve ever met.”
Popcorn flies in the air again, and this time, he misses every piece. “Sounds like I’m special.”
I pat his shoulder. “That’s exactly right.”
His irises are fire-lit lanterns in the middle of the night, glowing a color that can only belong to Hell.
Lorcan wipes a fake tear away from his cheek. “That might be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
I knock my shoulder against his, and he misses another airborne piece of popcorn. The lights surrounding the arena become brighter. I’m able to see beyond the gates where all the cowboys are, and I know somewhere out there, Kentucky is with Romeo.
He’ll be fine. He has to be.
A group of toy cars comes flying from one of the chutes where they keep the livestock. The cars range from bright pink to purple. The clowns’ bodies are too big for the children’s vehicle. I remember I had one like it when I was little, and I loved driving it. In that driver’s seat, I was an adult.
Or I thought I was.
Another clown pops his head out from a barrel. When he notices the minicars coming at him, he dips down to protect himself. A pink car smashes into him, tilting the barrel over. Another car comes, and together, they push the barrel around the area with the clown inside.
Each of the clowns has different expressions painted on their faces. A few are wearing smiles while the others wear frowns. All of them are wearing cowboy hats, shoes that are too big, and red noses.
“They are funny, but want to know what I would have done? Instead of using toy cars, I’d use Hellhounds to chase them around. I feel like the screams would be more authentic.”
I don’t have a response to that. I blink at him, dumbfounded.
“Well, yeah, Lorcan. The clowns aren’t supposed to be afraid for their lives while they entertain us.”
