Page 32 of Worth the Fall
They were both grumpy about having to be outside the arena during the rodeo, but after a few men walked up to ask about equipment, they jumped right in. I even saw Mickey laugh, and Thompson was practically pulling people wandering around to his booth.
All in all, I was glad we had done it.
And finally, it was Saturday.
Chapter Twelve
I took my time getting ready.
I took out my green floral dress and threw it on. It was one of my favorites, a sundress that clung to my waist perfectly. I curled my hair and put on the sandals Martha had gifted me for my last birthday.
My hands were shaking.
I left the hotel half an hour before the rodeo was going to start. The driver dropped me off right at the outdoor arena entrance, and I was grateful. The entire parking lot was full. The teenagers checking tickets at the gate smiled at me as I flashed my all-access badge, and I walked in.
The music was so loud that it was shaking the seats. The announcer let everyone know the show would start in twenty minutes.
I smiled at Thompson, who again sat in the front row and was surprised when he tipped his worn cap to me.
The best and the worst of the county had come tonight. Rough-looking men and women, real cowboys and cowgirls, families, couples, they were all buzzing with excitement. The food trucks’ smells were wafting through the crowd, making my stomach growl, but I was going to dinner after the show. I couldn’t lose my appetite on an incredibly delicious rodeo burger.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the star of the show!”
I turned around and smiled. “Mr. Na-Dennis, it’s great to see you.”
Did I just ignore the embarrassing scene I had caused the last time I saw him, or would that make it more awkward?
Jo was wrapping her arms around me before I could say another word. “Darlin’! You look so beautiful! I am so glad to see you. We missed you these past few days!”
She sounded like she genuinely meant it.
I hugged her back. “What have you all been up to?”
She gave me one last squeeze before letting me go. “I’ve been listenin’ to boys fart in my backseat!”
I laughed in surprise.
“Jimmy and Alan are married, and they’re the worst ones!” Dennis added. He wrapped his arm around his wife and smiled at her, obviously smitten. “We took our time gettin’ here, that’s for sure.”
“You drive the whole circuit?” I asked in amazement.
“Most riders do,” he explained. “They don’t want to waste the limited money they have on planes, so as soon as it’s over, they jump back in the car.”
“We don’t do it every time,” Jo reassured.
I was still blown away. I was exhausted from loading on a plane once a week; I couldn’t imagine driving back and forth across the country. “How long have Jimmy and Alan been married?”
Jo immediately got out her phone and found pictures. “Jimmy has been married for ten, almost eleven, years; they have three kids. Alan got married about five years ago, and theyhave a little boy and a baby.” She swiped through the pictures of their families.
The girls were stunning, Southern Belles at their finest. They were tall, skinny, and drop-dead gorgeous. The kids were adorable, some of them looking exactly like the Nash family, others taking after their mothers. I leaned in and looked closer at one of the photos.
“Did your granddaughter sing the national anthem in Arizona?”
She beamed at me. “That’s Ellie, Jimmy’s oldest. She did! The kids were missing their daddy, and their poor mamma was tired of being home. Oh, I want you to meet them so bad!”
What it would be like to grow up with her as a mother or even get to have her as a mother-in-law. Her family was so lucky.
“I would love to meet them! If they’re at a rodeo anytime soon, let me know.”
