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"Dad, are you having a watching party again?" I asked.
"Maybe." He sounded happy. Maybe even proud? "That's why I needed a new TV, Cody. I'm the only one with this streaming subscription, so they have to come to my place to watch it live."
"Well, here's hoping I don't have a wreck and ruin all your bragging rights," I joked.
"If you do, I got the photo album right here, ready to go."
That was his big threat. If I got hurt bad enough to end up in the hospital, he was bringing pictures of me as a kid riding sheep. Sadly, that photo album also had me as an awkward tween, a dorky teen, and more. Knowing my dad, he'd gladly show all of it off, and my goal was to make sure no one ever saw any of it.
"I'm inIowa," I reminded him. "Means I have time to get healed up and bail before you get here."
"Don't count on it. See, my little girl's making me a rich man," he reminded me. "Nah, I'm giving you hell, Cody. You just make sure you ride clean, and I'll be a damned proud man. All I want is to see my little girl make it home in one piece, you know."
"Promise," I said. "And I'll do my best with that staying-in-one-piece thing, but the bulls might have other plans. Now I gotta go. Need to stretch."
"Good girl, and you tell your friends thank you for getting you there. Be nice to that boyfriend of yours too." He meant Tanner, since he didn't know about J.D.
"Always am," I promised. "Bye, Daddy."
"Bye, kiddo," he said.
I locked my phone again, but now I was smiling. "He's having another watching party," I told J.D.
"Aw naw," he grumbled. "My mama never wanted to watch. Said it scared her too much. My little sister started showing clips to her friends after I made some bucks, but just to brag."
I giggled at that. "Or to scare them off. I mean, you do have a reputation."
"Yeah, I do," he agreed. "Now get your shit. Let's go see how these bulls are going."
Together, the pair of us gathered up our ropes, helmets, gloves, tape, and all the things we'd need for a ride. Then we turned and headed for the chutes. In that short little time, things had been happening, and the moment we were close enough, I heard the groan of the crowd, letting us know someone had hit the dirt hard.
"I'm on a bull called Speed Bump," I said.
"Second in the Unleash the Beast rankings," he recited from memory. "He'll come out and give you a few good flying leaps before bucking backwards, but he likes to go to the left."
"I like left," I pointed out.
"Which means you'll get a damned good score," he said, slapping my back just as we reached the stairs that let us get high enough to see the arena - and all the bull riders trying to strap in for their rides. "Just brace for those flying leaps, because he ain't messin' around."
"Traveling?" I asked.
J.D. shook his head. "Naw, I mean like all four feet, and high. He'll twist too, so get in there, Cody. With Speed Bump, if you're gonna ride him, ya gottaridehim."
I nodded, taking that in. "Can do."
"Know ya can." He paused, looking down into a chute. "And this is another hell string."
"Ok?"
"Because that's Overdose." He flicked a finger at the bull being strapped in.
"Shit," I breathed, remembering the bull that had fallen on me in Tulsa.
"Only gonna get worse," he told me. "The closer we get to the end of the season, the more the big bulls are gonna show up. Cody, it ain't gonna get easier."
"Which means I have a chance for some impressive scores," I assured him just as a gate clanked.
The pair of us stopped to watch as Overdose flew out of the chute and plunged into the arena. The rider on his back didn't stand a chance. The guy was slung forward, far out of position. His heels came up, and as the bull reared up again, the man flopped back. The next lunge the bull made propelled the guy forward like a damned catapult, giving him some air to go with the no-score.
