Page 42 of Austin
Kristen’s phone dinged as the security man gave her one last hard look, for good measure apparently, then continued on his way. She pulled the phone out of her purse. Austin.
‘Go to the room. I’m going to be a while.’
Kristen went to look out the tall glass windows that flanked the door. Both men were looking her way, as if fully expecting her to check on them. With a sigh, she turned toward the lobby and crossed to the elevator. Fine. She’d go to the room and worry there. Although, it appeared that Austin still had the situation well under control.
She hated the unknown. Hated unresolved situations.
Hated being told what to do.
She let herself into the room, wondering how long Austin was going to be.
Not long, it turned out. She’d barely gotten into bed when the door opened and Austin walked around the partition and turned on his bedside light. She pushed herself upright. “No black eye, I see.”
He blew out a breath and sat on his bed. “Nope.”
“Where’s…” She hesitated to call the guy his friend.
“In his room a couple of floors down.”
“How’d you get him past security?”
“Never underestimate a bull rider.” She frowned at his non-answer and he said, “Got lucky. Slipped by while he was busy dealing with someone else.”
“You depend on luck a lot, don’t you?”
“Have to. Skill can only get you so far. Circumstance and luck do the rest.”
She didn’t argue the fact. “If you don’t mind telling me, what was the deal between you two? How did you steal his job?”
Austin started prying off his boots. “He got busted down to the minor league tour. Started drinking too much. His sponsor took notice.”
“And he blamed you?”
“I got his sponsorship today.”
“Seems like he’s responsible for that.”
“He’s young. Only nineteen.”
Kristen’s mouth flattened. “All the same.”
“Bull riding is a tough gig.”
“I noticed.”
Austin stood, his hands resting loosely on his buckle. He shook his head, then headed for the bathroom as Kristen burrowed deeper into her blankets. A few minutes later he came back out and she listened as he undressed, turned off the light and then slid into bed.
“Is he going to be okay?” she asked in a low voice.
“No telling.” There was a flatness to his voice. Resignation to things he couldn’t change, but wanted to.
Kristen pulled the blanket around her a little tighter. Austin’s life, his chosen profession, was fraught with uncertainty. How on earth did he deal with it, day in and day out? But deal he did.
“Are you okay?” she asked in a low voice.
“Fine.”
He didn’t sound fine.
