Page 107 of The Hearts We've Broken
“Come on, Mikey! You’ve gotta ride!” The announcer in the background could be heard as the clock climbed up to eight seconds.
When the buzzer went off, the bull spun a couple more times before Mikey was able to jump and run to safety. The bull, too distracted by the bullfighters, didn’t pay him any attention as the camera zoomed in on Mikey, who took off his helmet and held it up in the air in triumph.
“He’s back and better than ever, folks! I’d say MikeyTucker has played his cards very well and that’ll earn him a…ninety-one-point-five for the win! Mikey Tucker is your bull riding champion! What a comeback!”
The television broadcast replayed his ride, displaying his score on the screen before fading out into a post-ride interview.
A reporter shoved a microphone in Mikey’s face. “Mikey! How does this victory feel after coming off an injury?”
His lips curved into a smile. “It feels great. It goes to show that a little setback means nothing when it comes to my career. I’m determined to make it all the way this year and prove everyone wrong.”
“Any plans to celebrate the win?”
“I have a few ideas.” The camera zoomed in on his cocky smirk. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a flight to catch.” He spun on his heel to walk away, and cameras flashed in the background as other people raced toward him, firing question after question at his back.
“Do you have a new girlfriend?”
“What happened between you and that other girl?”
“Is this part of your plan to celebrate?”
Mikey turned around to address the reporters. “Not that it’s any of your business, but there’s somewhere I need to be, and it’s very important to me.” He fixed his gaze on the camera and winked.
I was just about to head out to grab some food when knuckles rapped against my door. I wasn’t expecting anyvisitors, so I looked through the peephole to see who it was before opening it.
What the?—
Standing outside my apartment, still in his dusty jeans, pearl snap shirt, and the baseball cap he always wore backward, was Mikey.
I swung open the front door and threw my arms around him, breathing in his scent—leather, pepper, and sage. Pulling away, I asked, “What are you doing here?”
“Celebrating my win.”
I was still struck that he was even here. A hundred questions bounced around my head, but only a couple rattled off my tongue. “But don’t you need to be at another rodeo soon? Why didn’t you celebrate with the guys?”
“Because I love you, Juniper. I never said it before—that day in the bar—but I knew then. I’d known well before then that I love you. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”
I widened my eyes, completely rendered speechless.
The thing about Mikey, though, was that his love didn’t need to be the loudest in the room for me to realize it. He may have been the loudest person in the room—boisterous and someone you could always count on for a laugh—but his love was calm, steady, and unwavering.
Even when our relationship was supposed to be pretend, he showed it in the quiet moments. He showed it in his gentle vulnerability and the way he defended me to his friends, his fans, and every person who believed they had the right to his personal life just because he was a professional athlete.
Even though we’d hit some speed bumps along the way, in the end, he still showed up for me andhe chose me. AndI’d continue to choose him, because the best kinds of love were hard-earned. Fought for.
Love—and life—wasn’t easy, but if you could take the bull by the horns and just hang on for eight seconds, the toughest parts didn’t feel impossible anymore.
I knew that now.
I took a deep breath before looking him straight in the eyes. “I love you, too. And I’m proud of you. I’m proud ofus.”
Everything that had happened this year—my world being turned upside down, the media questioning his career, his friends—led us to this moment. To now.
For once, I’d never felt so at peace with the unknown.
In this moment, I was choosing to let go of the pain of the past—not feeling chosen, not feeling seen, despite so desperately wanting those things. I chose to let go of the anger and the spite—with the knowledge that I’d be a better person for it.
I was ready to let go of Ava and Brady, too.
