Page 86 of Storm Warning
His horse takes off like a bullet from a gun. In the course of a heartbeat, he swings the rope over his head. My eyes don’t blink, I can’t seem to look away in the hopes he performs poorly. With a final revolution, the rope sails through the air and right around the steer’s horns.Damnit. I was hoping he’d miss. He wraps the rope around the horn of the saddle as his horse slides to a stop in the deep arena sand. The determination on his face is more than evident as he jumps from his seat, racing for the now struggling calf. In a split second, he has it on its side. Everything happens so fast, it’s hard to register if he’s making the right move or not.
A familiar touch rests on my lower back and I meet Rhett’s gaze before we both focus on Dad. As much as I hate to admit it, it’s kind of mesmerizing to watch. Brutal. Fast. Intense. He ties the calf’s feet and takes a step back, the timer going off to signal the end of his run. Three long seconds pass with thesteer laying tied up on the ground, and then the entire place erupts with praise.
From the sounds of it, his run went flawlessly, but I find myself wishing he would have failed while I’m here to witness it.
“Damnit,” I huff. “I was hoping he’d do bad.” My gaze returns to Rhett, my statement coming out more irritated than intended, since it’s not like any of this changes that he’s good at what he does.
“As far as I’m concerned, he did,” Rhett whispers as his lips curve ever so slightly upward.
I rotate my body toward him, grabbing the collar of his shirt, and pull him down for a kiss. “Thank you for not being angry with me. I should have told you everything. I just have avoided my feelings and thinking about him for so long, I thought maybe I could pretend my life before leaving home never existed at all. It honestly didn’t even feel like it began until I met you.”
“Angel, ya don’t have to explain.”
My dad exits the arena and forces his reins at a guy who must do all the tending to his horse. A cocky smile resides on his face, as always, as he strides through the crowd. He could have stayed with the riders, like the other contestants did, but I think he finds this win as a reason to rub it in my face.
Jolene scurries back to his side and sticks her nose in the air, as if she has anything to do with his talent. He’s pompous, but she’s a close second. They are perfect for each other.
Rhett and I lean against the steel rungs as they walk back in our direction. A few people try to stop him, but he ignores them. The second he stands in line with us, I hear Rhett clear his throat and feel myself tense.
“Hey, Slayton.” He speaks loud enough that anyone close pauses to listen. Their attention alone would stop me from pressing forward, but he pays them all no mind.
My dad turns toward us, question and arrogance crinkling around his eyes. “What?” he hisses.
Rhett takes a few steps closer to him and tosses his old buckle at his feet, the sound of metal clicking as it rebounds off the dirt and hits my dad’s boot. Everyone’s eyes follow it, then find their way toward my dad’s face.
“Ya couldn’t spot gold a mile away.” He says it with such disdain you’d think he spat in dad’s face.
This isn’t just a gesture to show me he isn’t afraid of my dad or that he is willing to fight my battles, it’s a promise that he sees me as more than the thrill of the rodeo.
Shockingly enough, he doesn’t retaliate, he picks up the buckle and brushes the dirt off its surface. I can tell by the look in his eyes he knows what buckle he’s holding and he frowns. He tosses it back on the ground and walks away. Proof that even one of his greatest accomplishments doesn’t mean anything to him.
Some people gasp, while others laugh. They don’t understand the depth of what Rhett just did. To an outsider looking in, it’s just another rodeo dick-swinging contest. One champion pitted against another. But to me it’s much more.
53
KAYLEE - NOVEMBER 13, 2004
I’m a planner.Planning makes things easy. I know when they will happen, and I have control of what those things will be. But all the planning in the world would never have convinced me I’d be here in a moment where someone pickedme.
I believed my whole life that at the end of the day people liked comfort, they liked sticking to what they know, and, most importantly, they liked to pick themself no matter what. The root of their actions, even if they seemed to be in your favor, always revolved back around to what they could gain.
This isn’t one of those times. Rhett, doesn’t care about the love he has for a rider he’s looked up to his whole life, nor does he care about his reputation and what potentially making a scene might mean for him. I don’t think he’s thinking about the possibility of a scene at all. His heart is so pure and genuine, I know without a doubt in my mind that all he’s thinking about is me. And for the first time in my entire life, I know what it feels like to be chosen… To beloved.
I’m now surrounded by our friends and Rhett’s family. My heart feels whole. We all grip the steel bars as we await Rhett’sfinal ride of the year, the ride that determines whether or not he makes it to PABRA. I want this for him so badly it hurts. He deserves the world, and I wish I could give him this win, as well as anything else his heart ever wanted, because he’s done that for me.
“Ladies and gentleman, let’s give a warm welcome to our final rider of the night. A champion who came back from a nasty accident earlier this year. One who has taken the last several events by storm. Bring those hands together for Rhett Rogers.” The announcer’s voice circulates throughout the arena, the pep in his voice making it obvious he’s just as excited to see this ride as all the people cheering in the stands.
I notice as Lettie clutches Henry’s hand, squeezing tight the moment they make contact. I’m sure she’s nervous. Hell, I’m nervous too. I can’t help but wonder if this is tradition. If every time he’s ever performed she’s been worried, or if fear has set in since his accident.
“Now, as y’all know, we’ve been doing today’s competition a little differently. Drawing from a pot of bulls as the riders turn approaches, rather than at the beginning of the competition.” He forces his hand into the pot and I hold my breath.
Henry pulls Lettie closer to his chest and kisses her forehead. A move Rhett has made time and time again for me. My lips curve up into a small smile, knowing that this is the type of love he’s been raised on and the same type of love he gives.
The announcer removes his hand from the jar, leaning his head back slightly as if he can only see the slip of paper if he scrunches his nose, and looks through the bottom of his glasses. He clears his throat. “Helfire,” he announces the name, and my stomach drops. Oh God. It’s the bull that hurt him. What if he gets in his head? I meet Lettie’s gaze and find worry gleaming in her usually warm stare. Without even thinking, I place her hand in mine, squeezing tight. And even though she doesn’t smile, she squeezes my hand right back in reassurance.
“He’s got this.” Her words are laced with certainty, like she’s doing her best to convince the both of us not to be scared.
My eyes force their way toward the exit of the locker room. To the right are the announcers, and to the left is the sound table. Rhett clears the doorway and everyone erupts in praise.
