Page 21 of Brett and Rowdy
“You’re kidding, right?” He couldn’t believe that.
Rowdy shook his head. “No, I was twenty-two, going on twenty-three.”
“Jesus, Rowdy.”
“I know, right? It’s hard to fathom.”
“Did it hurt?” He crossed his eyes, looking down at his mouth in shock.
Rowdy shook his head, “No. I mean, obviously I was out when I got kicked. I was in a coma for about a week and a half. But it was just like somebody turning off the lights, and when I came back around, the lights were still off.”
“Was it worth it?” he asked.
“Was what worth it?”
“I mean. You were riding in the rodeo, right?” Surely Rowdy regretted it.
“I was. I was trying to raise the money to start a cutting horse remuda on the ranch. Those babies are expensive.”
That hadn’t answered his question. “So, was it worth it?”
“I have cutting horses.” Rowdy shrugged. “I don’t know how to answer that kind of question. I mean, if I could, if I’d known then what I know now, would I have gotten on that particular bronc? No. But I didn’t know. I had no way of knowing that was going to be the bronc that did it. Or that this was the accident that ended my rodeo career. Then though, I don’t know what possible good it would do to ask that kind of question, so I don’t bother.”
“You’re not real deep, are you?”
Brett realized the women were all staring at him in pure shock.
Rowdy chuckled, the sound oddly at ease. “I’ve made my peace with things. And if by not terribly deep you mean that I’ve managed to make my life, and I’m satisfied with it? Then you know what? You got me. I have a good life. I have an amazing kid. Horses, cattle, my daddy’s in good health. I live in the mountains. I can go fishing whenever I want to…”
Why was he so goddamn mad? Because he was. He just wanted to hit Rowdy hard enough to make him hurt the way Brett had for so many years. “Oh, that’s good. Glad you left town then, huh?”
“Now I never promised I was gonna do anything but. I don’t belong here. I was so mad at my mother for marrying that fucker, for taking me away from my friends, my family, my ranch, my horses. There was no way this was ever gonna be home, but I was honest about that. I think, if you remember correctly, I asked you to come with me.”
He snorted. “We were kids. Where were we gonna go? Besides that, you had a baby.”
And that was that.
“I did.” Rowdy’s smile proved that he wasn’t sorry about that at all. “It is the most glorious thing that ever happened in my entire life.”
How was he supposed to compete with that? Rowdy was happy with a family. He had a life and money and…
How the fuck did he end up jealous of a blind man? “I think it’s time for me to go.”
“Jesus, Brett, is it so hard to be happy for Rowdy? Just for a minute?” Ashley slapped her hand down on the table. “I mean, it’s not like he and I were sleeping together when you weretogether. You were broken up well before I ever found out I was pregnant.”
“Jesus! You said that out loud!”
“You’re still in the closet?”
How dare Rowdy sound so shocked? He glared at Rowdy. “Like you’re not.”
“Fuck no, I’m not in the closet. Are you kidding? It’s hard enough to get laid in the middle of nowhere, you honestly think that I’m going to just hide it? No, in fact, we’re known for being gay friendly. I mean, we’re not rainbow flag waving up front, but I mean, we’re mentioned in all the gay travel magazines. They know that my place is owned by family. That’s good.”
“So, what, now you identify as gay?” Not bi?
Rowdy looked absolutely confused. “Yes… what is wrong with you?”
“Girls, do you wanna go dance? Because they’ve got a little dance thing set up. Let’s go over here to the bar and dance.” Crystal and Ashley and Susan all disappeared like smoke.
