Page 23 of Dirty Cowboys
Indie xoxo
Chapter Nine
Indie
Today I feel different—for the first time in forever, I am content. My life is good here, I am making friends, my content has never done so well, and the masked men complete the picture. While I know our sexy meetups can’t go on forever, and at some stage we will have to stop, I don’t plan on rushing to shut it down.
My phone buzzes with a text from Sarah Beth.
Sarah Beth
Wyatt’s practicing at the arena today. Want to come watch? He could use the moral support. He’s nervous about his next ride.
I smile at the message. In the short time I’vebeen here, Sarah Beth has become a good friend. She doesn’t judge my mistakes and actually seems to enjoy teaching me about ranch life. Watching Wyatt practice might give me some good content for my followers, and I need something to distract me from replaying last night on repeat in my head.
Me
Absolutely! What time?
Sarah Beth
Meet me at 2. Fair warning, it’s dusty and loud. Dress accordingly.
I laugh at her message and send her a thumbs up.
After seeing me at the rodeo, she drove up here and gave me some of her older clothes. Normally I would feel bad accepting clothes from someone, but when I told her she laughed and admitted she’d felt bad for me because of the stares I’d been getting.
The day drags on, so to fill my time I reply to comments and upload some new pictures. I get my content calendar for the day marked off right in time to meet up with Sarah Beth at the practice arena, which sits just outside of Copper Creek
When I pull into the parking area, I see several trucks and trailers. I spot Sarah Beth, and she waves me over.
“You made it! Wyatt’s up next. It’s rare they get to come here and train, but this trainer is one of the best.”
I nod and follow her inside. Honestly, it’s not what I was expecting—just a simple setup. I snap some pictures and climb onto the railings next to Sarah Beth.
“So how does this work?” I ask. “Is it just Wyatt today?”
“Wyatt and a couple other guys from neighboring ranches,” Sarah Beth explains. “They rotate through, each taking a few practice rides. It’s good for them to practice on different bulls—it keeps them sharp.”
I nod, snapping photos. Through my viewfinder, I spot Wyatt near the chutes, talking animatedly with an older man who I presume is the trainer.
“He doesn’t seem nervous,” I say, watching Wyatt listen to his trainer.
“He shouldn’t be. Wyatt’s a natural, and he needs to trust himself more.”
The trainer calls out something I can’t quite hear, and Wyatt nods, then walks toward the chutes. Other riders gather around, and I can feel the energy shift as everyone focuses on what’s about to happen.
“First ride coming up!” someone shouts, and I raise my phone, ready to capture the action.
Wyatt climbs onto the rail above one of the chutes, and I can see him going through his mental preparation.
“This is what he lives and breathes for,” Sarah Beth says beside me. “You can see it on his face.”
She’s right. Even from this distance, I can see how much he loves this as he settles onto the bull’s back.
The gate swings open, and suddenly the arena erupts with movement. The bull bursts out, spinning and bucking. I fire off shot after shot, so I can show him later.
Those few seconds don’t feel any quicker the second time I watch him.
