Page 64 of Forgiveness
She fell into her mother’s embrace then her father was there right beside her, his arms wrapped around her as her three brothers stood to the side grinning at her from ear to ear.
“We’re so proud of you,” her father said as he pulled her back into another hug.
“You were great,” Tyler said.
“Thanks.” She smiled at her younger brother.
Her mother glanced at Flux, and Maggie reached for his hand and tugged him to her. “I want you to meet Flux,” she said, tightening her hold on his fingers. She glanced up at him. “Flux these are my parents, and these three guys are my brothers—Tyler, Chris, and Jess.”
Flux held out his hand and shook the hands of her father and brothers and tipped his head to her mother while saying, “Pleased to meet you.”
Maggie ignored her mother’s inquisitive look—there would be time enough to answer all her questions when Maggie returned home in a few days.
“Did you want to go out and celebrate tonight?” her mother asked.
Maggie felt Flux stiffen next to her. “Not really, Mom—I’m totally beat.”
“Of course you are, sweetheart,” her dad said. He looked over his shoulder at the crowd of photographers and reporters. “They’re all chomping at the bit to talk to you. If you need anything, let us know. We’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He threw a quick glance at Flux then put his arm around Maggie’s mom. “We should get going, Nellie.”
Maggie watched as her family walked away then glanced up at Flux and winked. She then took a deep breath and faced the reporters.
As the rest of the rodeo died down and the crowds dispersed, Maggie inhaled deeply, loving the familiar smells she’d known most of her life: sweet hay, dirt, sweat, manure, and buttered popcorn. She doubted she could ever give them up entirely. The win that night opened the door to her future, and anything was possible; it was the most freeing feeling she’d ever had in her life.
Still in the center of the ring answering questions and smiling for the cameras, Maggie thought it would never end. She’d been at it for nearly forty-five minutes and her head was ready to explode.
“We should get Odysseus back to the stalls for cleaning.” Maggie gently nudged Flux and he immediately got the hint that she was ready to get away from the chaos that came with her big win.
“No problem—leave it to me, Duchess,” he whispered against her ear before turning to the reporters and photographers. “Interviews and photos are done. Maggie’s beat and so is her horse. Thanks for showing up.”
“Just one more question.” A balding man pushed forward, a microphone in his hand.
“You don’t hear so good, do you? I said we’re fuckin’ done here.” Flux glared at the man whose face fell, and Maggie suppressed a laugh as love for her man gushed through her.
Flux put a hand on the small of her back, and the tension from the race and the aftermath slowly leaked away. In silence, Maggie allowed him to lead both her and Odysseus to the stables behind the rodeo, where she’d spend the next hour and a half pampering and spoiling the hell out of her horse.
“I’ve never seen anything like tonight. Fuck, this was really the big leagues. I’m glad my ass wasn’t in the ring fighting those damn bulls.” Flux chuckled.
“At least they weren’t pumped up. The Nationals are real strict with that kind of crap. They test all the animals and the competitors. A lot of barrel racers flush steroids into their horses. I can’t imagine doing that.” She stopped and gave Odysseus a quick peck on the side of his face.
“That shit won’t get any of those assholes anywhere. They won’t be able get the big win if they happen to make it here from cheating.”
Maggie nodded. “You’re right. I was just disappointed in Charlie’s decision. I kind of figured he wouldn’t do shit about Eddie because they’re friends from way back. Charlie just told him to stop it—like Eddie’s going to really do that.”
“He won’t be doing it for a while in Colorado at least.”
“Why do you say that?” The faint lines across Maggie’s forehead deepened in confusion.
“Just a hunch. Charlie shoulda thrown that fuckin’ bull rider out on his ass,” Flux said, anger lacing his voice.
“I knew he wouldn’t. Chet’s become the golden boy on the amateur circuit, and if he’d stop using shit to enhance his endurance, he’d probably be a real contender for the Nationals. There’s big money in the rodeo world. But at least Charlie gave him a four-month suspension, which I know didn’t sit too well with Chet.”
“You’re done with the amateur shit now, so you don’t have to see any of those SOBs, including Charlie.”
Maggie laughed. “Charlie’s not bad—he’s just a businessman who can be really greedy. I’ve known him since I started on the circuit, but I’m glad that I’ve moved to the professional level—it’s so much more challenging.”
“You worked fuckin’ hard to get where you are, Duchess. Changing the subject, I wanna take you out to dinner after you finish with Odysseus. We’re in a city that never fuckin’ shuts down, so I made reservations at some fancy-ass restaurant—cloth napkins and all that bullshit. For a second there, I thought your family was gonna blow my plans to hell.”
Maggie paused as she tied Odysseus’s harness to the tethers on either side of the box stall to wash him with soap and water. She tilted her head to one side, enjoying the image that popped into her brain.
