Page 32 of The Hearts We've Broken
Isabelle and Ellison shook their heads.
Colter gave a noncommittal shrug. “Heard the name a couple times, but I don’t know her, no.”
Reid followed with a similar sentiment, but Hayden’s face had turned white as a sheet. He looked like he was on the verge of throwing up and quickly excused himself.
“What’s his deal?” Mikey turned his head toward Hayden’s retreating figure. No one knew, so we all turned back to the arena as she rounded the last barrel and her horse sprinted home.
“Fourteen-point-six-seven seconds!” the announcer cried out as the camera focused on her once again, a small smile creeping into her cheeks at the recorded time.
“Do you need anything from concessions?” Mikey patted my knee as he stood.
“No, I’m okay, thanks.” I shook my head.
When he left, Isabelle moved over into his seat. “So, how are you liking it so far? Pretty fun, isn’t it?”
“I’m enjoying it much more than I thought I would,” I admitted. On the rare occasion I’d go to a rodeo with Ava and Brady, I usually spent the time on my phone, not caring to watch the events. I’d count down the minutes until we could go home and get away from the dust and crowds of people.
“I can relate to that. I hadn’t gone to many rodeos before Ellison met Colter and before I met Reid. But now I can confidently say I’m hooked.”
“You could say she gotroped into all of it.” Jake nudged me playfully as he wiggled his eyebrows, a goofy grin on his face.
“Ha ha, you’resofunny,” Ellison deadpanned.
“I mean, they thought it was funny.” Jake gestured to Colter and Reid, who were chuckling quietly.
“They would.” Isa scoffed. “They’re teamropers, of course they think it’s funny.”
“I’m a roper, too,” Jake pointed out.
“I don’t know if that helps your case,” I muttered.
Isa smiled. “See, she’s on our side.”
“Does she really get a say, though? I mean, she’s dating Mikey.” Colter laughed.
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t see how that has anything to do with this. Why do you guys give him so much shit anyway? He’s not that bad.” I tried to keep my tone neutral, but the way they always made fun of him kind of annoyed me.
“To be fair, he wasn’t like this a couple weeks ago,” Ellison suggested. “Maybe he’s changing.” She looked at the others, giving them a bit of a pointed look, and they quieted down. “It’s a good thing. He needs someone to rein him in a little bit.”
Too bad I wasn’t going to be the one to do that, at least not long-term. I still wasn’t exactly sure what Mikey’s motive in all of this was, but I didn’t really care. I had my own agenda, too, and I knew he and his friends would see me differently if they found out.
Rule number four: no feelings.
Mikey came back just before the last barrel racer started her run, holding a hot dog and a large soda. “You guys were nice while I was gone?”
“Your girl actually told us off,” Reid told him, and Colter nodded beside him, affirming what happened.
“What do you mean?” Confusion shone in his eyes.
I shrugged. “I just said I didn’t understand why they give you so much shit, because you’re not that bad.”
Something like gratitude flashed across his features, butthen cocky arrogance overtook them. “Well, she’s right. I’m the best. You guys would be lost without me.”
Why does he do that?
Before I could say anything, the lights in the stadium went low again, and the announcer introduced the bullfighters and the rodeo clown who would be protecting the bull riders.
Mikey leaned forward in his seat, eyes trained on the arena as the lights came up again and the first bull rider matchup was read out. He had a fire in his eyes. A passion that I wasn’t sure could be extinguished any time soon.
