Page 87 of Fool for You
Letting go of the reins, I leaned over, touching the top of the barrel, feeling it steady beneath my hand right before Charming ramped up again to aim his nose at the third barrel. I looked behind me for a second, and the barrel was still standing.
Yes!
We rounded the third, and the breath I had been harboring ever since my foot touched that barrel let loose—and I laughed.
The colors came back into the crowd, the cheers reverberated through my ears, and the announcer’s voice hit as soon as I saw that time on the clock. Twelve point seven.
I beat it by one fucking millisecond.
“With a time like that,” Hawkins’s voice roared through the speaker above my head. “That’s going to be hard to beat. I can guarantee you, barrel racing’s princess took it home with that time! Quinn Compton just flew through the dirt, breaking the arena record twice this summer—unbelievable!”
Charming slowed as we moved through the gates. The one person I wanted to see right there, sitting on the gate with his feet locked behind the metal, his cowboy hat skewed on his head, and the cocky grin I loved brighter than the lighting in the arena. While Charming was still in motion, I swung my leg over and jumped, landing with a bounce right in front of Wyatt. Before I could climb the gate like I planned, he jumped, and his hands were cradling my face, his mouth covering mine.
“I am so…” he said against my lips. “In awe of you. I can’t believe I saw that, I can’t believe—”
“Believe.” I cut him off, kissing him again, draping my arms over his shoulders.
“I’ll take Charming, and you know they are going to want to talk to you. I hear you beat an arena record tonight.” He leaned back, and his smile grew, his lips lush from our kisses.
Mine widened as I looked into his baby blues. An arena record. I beat the arena record.
“Barrel racing’s princess, Quinn?” I froze at that shrill voice.
I met Wyatt’s gaze, biting my bottom lip. I felt his fingers drum against my waist, and his quick nod gave me the courage to turn around and come face to face with my mom.
“Mom,” I said flatly.
“What’s with the new title?” she asked, folding her arms over her chest. Her hair was winged, perfectly stiff, and her jewelry that hung from her ears, neck, and wrist glittered even in the low lighting of the black dirt. She was royalty, not someone who would be here around the livestock animals, but here she was, her eyebrow perched up a little too high and her lips twisted—not even a hint of praise for her only daughter.
“Wyatt gave it to me,” I replied.
“I think it’s a bit childish, don’t you?”
“Mom—”
“And now the entire Reno Rodeo is going to be blasting it on social media, the Cowboy Channel will pick it up—”
“I hope they do,” I heard Wyatt mutter as he stepped closer to me.
“What will everyone think that you gave yourself this title, one you most likely didn’t earn? I’ve followed your times. I know what you’ve done this year. Your father has been keeping me up on it since you won’t, and Quinn—this is just the last straw I can take.” Her voice rose, and her arms dropped to her side. I could see the moment that anger seeped into her eyes, and something happened to me at the same time.
I found myself not giving a shit.
“This is allyoucan take?” I pointed at her, making sure my feet were solid in front of Wyatt. “I’m sorry, but what exactly have you been taking? I moved out of your house. I found my own place. I hired my own trainer. I bought my own horses. I got myself here with no support from you, Mom,” I shouted, gesturing towards the arena. “I just broke the fucking record! Or did you miss that because the only thing you got was the nickname my boyfriend gave me? You said you’ve been following my times? Did you happen to miss the one I just ran? Twelve point seven, Mom. Twelve. Point. Seven. I’d like to see your precious Kelly get that score. I have worked so hard. I have done everything and have gotten nothing from you in return but disappointment. So if anyone has taken anything, it’s me.”
“Now, Quinn—”
“No…Mom, you don’t get to interrupt me. I have been dying for your praise. I have been praying for you to say something the least bit supportive…but all I get is that the nickname is childish? Mom…” I dropped my arms to my side, my shoulders slumping as the fire left my body. “Do you even care?”
She blinked, heaved a sigh, and folded her arms.
“I expected better from you, Quinn.”
I shook my head. “No.” I raised and dropped my shoulders all in one breath. “You don’t.” I looked at my mother, trying to find a tiny bit of love there—but felt nothing. The only thing that was there…was void and empty. “I can’t worry about this anymore. I can’t see you and let it ruin my entire career. If you see me, please don’t talk to me. I’ll do the same if I see you.”
I turned back to Wyatt and touched his chest gently for some feeling of warmth before I reached to grab Charming’s reins. I held my breath and waited. I listened to her exasperated sigh, and the footsteps that took her, the slight jingle of her jewelry fading as she got further away.
“Hey, wait,” Wyatt said softly, laying his hand on mine that was resting on his chest. “You just broke the record—and won the championship—so…” He nodded towards the arena. “You need to get back out there.”
