Southern Charms (12 page)

Chapter 23

Elizabeth was walking down the dirt parking area with Val, giggling at her when she would crack on the poor bastards that were trying to untrailer different horses. It was just after dawn when the girls got to the the arena in Dallas. This was Xander’s first rodeo back, yet there were already people in the public parking area to get into the rodeo that day. From what she had been able to gather back at the hotel the night before, Xander was something of a legend in Texas and New Mexico. He would draw bulls and broncs, then ‘get the buzz’, when others were lucky to to be able to walk -or run- away.

She would be lying if she didn’t have a rock forming in her stomach after overhearing a couple of other riders, who were staying at the same hotel they were, talking about some of Xander's past 'lucky rides'. The only thing that put her slightly at ease was that over the few days before they left, she had watched him actually ride Rocky as he broke in his new saddle, softening the stiff leather so it moved as it should.

She didn’t see him before he and Kyle left the hotel that morning, to get to the arena in time for check in.

Being pulled back to the present by an elbow to the ribs, she turned to look at Val. “Yeah?”

Val snickered at her, “Ya thinkin’ too much ‘bout it, Dolly. You gonna have a panic attack if ya don’t settle down some. Unlike most of the other riders you gonna see today, Xander learns from his mistakes. He ain’t gonna showboat to the crowd if the bull still loose.”

Sighing, Elizabeth crossed her arms and looked at the ground, shaking her head. “That ain’t what I’m worried about, Val. I can’t get some of the stories I heard last night about him getting thrown off out of my head. I don’t want to see him get hurt.”

Val snorted hard with a shake of her head. “Then you with the wrong guy, Dolly. Blood, broken bones... injuries of all matter are all part of this kind of life, Sugar Pie. He gonna get hurt, that a fact. Sometimes it gonna be worse than others, but it gonna happen, no two ways ‘bout it.”

A quiet whimper escaped Elizabeth’s throat at the very blunt statement. That was actually one of the reasons she liked Val so much. She didn’t beat around any kind of bush, telling her exactly how it was. Didn’t mean she liked what was said, though.

Looking at her, there was a pleading look in her eyes. “But he always bounces back though, right? I mean, Kyle told me about last year when he got really hurt, and he came back from that.”

Val sighed, biting the corner of her lip as that memory surfaced. That was a nasty chunk which Xander damn near didn’t bounce back from. Making a noise as she clicked her tongue, Val shook her head. “I ain’t givin’ that kinda assurance, Dolly, ‘cause I ain’t gonna be the one to say he will, then somethin’ happens that he don’t. Xander is a hella good rider, but accidents and injuries happen to the best, too.”

The girls fell into silence after that; Elizabeth returning to her thoughts, and Val snickering every time there was a scream of pain from some moron that don’t know how to get a horse off a trailer.

When they got the very last one, Elizabeth saw that it was Xander and Kyle. Xander was leaning on the side of the pickup, his foot kicked up on the wheel, arms resting back on the side of the bed, hands dangling down the sides, a bottle of water in one hand and a set of papers in the other. He was wearing a pair of Wrangler jeans that looked like they were made just for him under the black fringed chaps she got him for his birthday, a black t-shirt,  a crimson handkerchief tied loosely around his neck, with his black Stetson on his head. His just-shy-of-chin-length dirty blonde hair still looked damp from his shower.

Elizabeth was worried about drool on her chin. She also sent a silent ‘thank you’ out to whoever it was that created chaps.

Xander had turned to say something to his brother, only to see his little darlin’ and Val heading their way. He let his eyes run her form, gulping a bit. She was wearing painted-on blue jeans tucked into her black boots, and a clinging little white tank that stopped just above her belly button. Her long hair was hanging down her back with his white and black hat on top her head, his color for the competition tied around it with the excess ribbon draping down the back. She looked like she had just taken a step out of the dream he had last night.

Grinning a bit, he nodded to the girls. “Mornin’, ladies. How y'all feelin’?”

Val just shrugged as Elizabeth looked off to the side, tsking. There was no way she wanted him to know that she woke up still drunk this morning.

Val didn’t care.

“Just fine, Sug, but this little tart here was still drunker than a skunk when I got her up.”

Head whipping back around, Elizabeth stared at Val in wide-eyed horror for beat before admonishing, “Jesus, Val.”

Val just cocked a brow at her. “What? Ya were. Dolly, there ain’t no shame in still bein’ drunk after a night of moonshine. ‘Sides, you were drinkin’ with a bunch of cowboys. Had you been sober when I got to your room, I would be questionin’ what exactly you got goin’ on between them legs.”

Still staring in horror, Elizabeth shook her head. “I am gonna kick the shit out of you.”

Val chuckled while shrugging. “Oh, lighten up, Dolly. I’m just foolin’, so don’t be gettin’ them feathers ruffled now.”

Xander just snorted as he took a drink of his water, then shook his head. “Y'all knock it off.” Setting the bottle in his hand on the side of the truck bed, he rolled the rules and regulations paper up, sliding it into his back pocket before heading to the truck cab. Reaching in through the window, he grabbed something off the front seat and turned back, “Hey, come here, Little Darlin’. I got somethin’ for ya.”

Blinking a few times, Elizabeth walked over to him. “What?”

Once she was right in front of him, he took off her hat, setting it on top of the truck so he could slip the lanyard over her head. Once it was on, he ran his fingers through her hair, pulling it out from underneath. He tightened it on her chest, then grabbed her hat before turning back to the truck window.

Elizabeth looked at the card on the end of the lanyard a second while Xander was doing whatever he was doing. “What’s this?”

Xander was still reaching the window when he answered. “All access pass. It gets ya in, drinks, and food for the day. Plus,” He backed out of the window, turning to lean on the door as he began pinning something to the ribbon around her hat, “It lets you back in the stable area that’s roped off, to keep the masses from spookin’ the horses.”

Looking back at the card, she smiled. “Thanks.” She leaned forward a bit to try finding out what he was doing. When she couldn’t because his hands were in the way, she asked, “What are you doing to my hat?”

Xander glanced at his Little Darlin’ out of the corner of his eye before smiling. “Not a problem, Sugar Britches. All riders get one for their trainer and one for their girl.”

Smiling at him, she offered, “Well, that’s kinda cool. I figured this was gonna cost an arm and leg.”

Smirking wide enough for his teeth to show, Xander turned his upper body a bit to put her hat back on her. “It would have been my arm and leg, Little Darlin’.”

Taking her hat back off, she looked to see what he’d done to it, smiling when she saw the pin. It was slightly bigger than a half-dollar, gold, with the number 25 in the center and ‘Alexander Steele’ going around it in bold, dark black so that it stood out. Looking back up at him, he saw her curiosity as she asked, “What exactly is it?”

Xander rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms and leaned back against his truck. “My number for the event. The pass I gave ya lets the vendors knows that you a guest of a rider. The pin tells them which one, so they can keep track of what goes to who, in case more is gotten than there are credits in the rider’s account.”

She blinked at him as she put her hat on, “Should I be careful about how much I drink then? “Cause, I gotta be honest... I don’t know how sober I can stay and make it through this.”

Snorting as he hooked his fingers through her belt loops, he pulled her to him. “Ya make it sound like you ain’t lookin’ forward to this, Little Darlin’. You gonna hurt my feelin’s.” Chuckling at the look she gave him, he shook his head. “Naw, you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout it. We get credits and shit like that for our placement in events. Since I haven’t been ridin’ in a while, my account hasn’t been touched. Plus, even if ya do happen to go over what’s in there, not like I can’t cover the overage. Kyle has one too, and he drinks like a fuckin’ fish.”

Elizabeth smirked. “Isn’t this kinda girly lookin’ for a guy to wear?”

Xander snorted and grinned. “Only the lady gets a pin. My number is on his pass.” Poking the pin with the tip of his finger, he explained, “You’ll get a new one at every event. They make them different for each venue, so little hussy ex-girlfriends can’t use an old one for free shit.”

Her inquiry came out in a giggle, “Personal experience, Xander?”

To her surprise, he shook his head. “Nope. You the first lady I ever gave one of mine to. Kyle on the other hand, he got experience in that.”

“The little bitch cost me two hundred bucks feedin’ her friends and new beau beer off my number.” Both Xander and Elizabeth turned to see the glare on Kyle’s face, as well as the storm clouds passing through his normally bright blue eyes. After he shook his head with a growl, he handed Rocky’s reigns over to Xander. “You got stable registry in ten minutes. Better get ya ass in gear if you wanna actually ride in all your events today.”

After giving his girl a kiss, he took Rocky’s reigns before climbing up on his back. Clicking his tongue to steady the big baby, he reached out a hand to help his girl up behind him. Once she was situated behind him, he took the folder that had the documents from Rocky’s vet visit from Kyle, tucking it under the front of the saddle while calling over his shoulder. “Hang on now, Little Darlin’. We a distance to go and not the time to do it.”

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Xander’s waist. When she nodded to his question about her being ready, Xander kicked Rocky’s ribs and snapped the reins with a ‘Yea’, prompting Rocky to rear a bit before leaping into a full gallop. A grin come to Xander’s face when he heard a squeak out of his girl as she tightened her grip on him, then the call of ‘showoff’ by Val as he raced the clock before it even started.

While he was nice enough to avoid anything that Rocky would jump over, he didn’t pull the horse to a slower gant until he could see the stables. When Xander did finally pull him to a stop, Rocky bounced a bit, stomping a few times before standing still so Xander could dismount, turn in the paperwork, and get his stall assignment.

The head stable hand turned at the entrance, smiling when he saw who it was. Looking at his watch, he smirked as Xander walked over to him. He held out his hand, grabbing and shaking Xander’s when it touched his palm. “Jesus, Boy. You sure like to cut things close, Dontcha, Steele?”

Xander smirked while chuckling a bit. “Give me a break, Hoss. It’s my first day back, ya ol’ fuck.”

Snorting at that, Andrew held out a hand for the paperwork required to stall personal horses. “Just give me the damn docs, Steele. You in stall 8.” Glancing over to where Rocky was at, he whistled low. “Damn, Steele, she a pretty one.”

After whistling to his girl and waving a hand for her to bring Rocky, Xander grinned at him. “That’s my Lady.” Once she was next to him, Xander helped her off the horse, and did the introductions. “Andrew Martin, Elizabeth Mathews. Little Darlin’, this is Andrew -or Hoss, as ya gonna hear him called. He runs the stables at nearly every event, so ya prolly gonna see him quite a bit.”

Elizabeth smiled at him before holding out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Martin.”

He took her hand, pressing a light kiss to the back her knuckles. “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Elizabeth. And Mr. Martin is my daddy. You call me Hoss like everyone else.”

Her grin widening, she responded in kind. “Then you call me Lizzy like everyone else.”

Winking at her, Andrew smiled. “As ya wish, Miss Lizzy.”

Xander snorted. “Don’t make me hit ya, Hoss.”

Andrew let out a bark of laughter before looking at Elizabeth. “He an easy one to get all riled up, ain’t he?”

Elizabeth giggled while nodding. “Oh, you have NO idea.”

Xander sighed and shook his head a bit, mumbling, “Fuck.” Taking Rocky’s reigns from his girl, he took her hand with the other, lacing their fingers together while smiling down at her. “Y'all two can conspire against me later. We gotta get Rocky put up and go meet Kyle, Mark, and Val for breakfast. We make Mark wait too long, he liable to eat my brother.”

Elizabeth eyed at her watch before cocking a brow at him. “You mean to tell me he’s up at this hour? It’s only ten after 9.”

Xander chuckled as he pulled her along to the stall he was assigned. “He gets up this early if his daddy needs him or there’s food involved.”

Chapter 24

Elizabeth had spent the majority of the late morning walking the stalls with Val while Xander did his normal shit before a ride. What that was, she didn’t know... and really, she didn’t want to. All she knew was that he hardly left the stables before the events started up, and she didn’t care to sit there waiting around while he got ‘in the game’, whatever the fuck that meant.

It was around one when there was an announcement over the loudspeakers that the ‘tie-down wrestle’ was going to be starting followed by two names, the first rider and the ‘on deck’ or second rider. Looking up at Val, she asked, “Should we head to the corral now?”

Val glanced at her from the stall she was at, shrugging before turning back to the handmade jewelry. “I ain’t really a fan of this event. You g’on if ya what. Chances are you’ll find Xander and Kyle ‘long side the fence on the stable side. There gonna be show and the Anthem ‘fore it starts, so ya got time to make it.”

Nodding at her back, Elizabeth made her way through the crowd toward where Val told her she would find Xander. She got there just as the people in the stands stood. Moving next to Xander, who glanced down at her with a smile as he took off his hat, she followed suit while the National Anthem played.

Once the opening show was over, she looked at Xander as the first rider rode into the corral. “So, what’s this event?”

Grinning at his girl, Xander turned back to watch the show. “Well, this event is all about speed, whereas others give ya a time limit. The goal in the tie-down is to be the fastest at ropin’ and hog tyin’ the calf they let loose.” Pursing his lips, Xander grabbed her wrist, pulling her between him and the fence. Lifting her by the hips to where there was a break in the wood, he brought his leg up behind her and under her ass, to help her stay up so she could see over the top of the fence.

Laying the forearm that wasn’t around his girl across the top of the fence, he pointed to a gate on the other side. “That there is where the calf gonna come from. Rossy -the current rider- is gonna chase it, lasso in hand, then try to get it around the calf’s neck. Once he does that, he’ll dismount his horse and hog tie the thing’s feet. When he got the rope wrapped all ‘round it, he’ll put his hands up and the clock stops.

“Now, Ya wanna be fast at this, but ya wanna be accurate, too, ‘cause ya lose points for every time the lasso leaves your hand and ya miss the steer. Ya also get docked points for how close ya are when you rope the thing. The further you are from the steer, the more points ya get to keep. For all the points you lose, it adds time to your score. When the rider raises his hands and steps away, they look at the time you did it in, and then calculate the points lost, addin’ time if they need to. The rider at the end with the fastest time wins the overall event.”

Running that through her mind a couple of times to make sure she understood the rules to the event, Elizabeth turned to the corral when she heard a buzzer, seeing a calf take off out of the gate where Xander said it was gonna come from, then the rider take off after it. She kept looking at Xander when she heard him grunt or make some other noise of disapproval, but by the time she was able to ask what it was about, there was another buzzer calling her attention to the rider in the corral with his hands up.

Blinking, she looked back at him. “So, was that good or bad?”

Xander glanced at the stop watch in Kyle’s hand. After a second of rolling his shoulders, he offered with a thoughtful hum, “Somewhere in between. He was too close to get a good time to beat. Since he was the first rider, he set the bar for the rest of us... and it ain’t very high.”

Elizabeth nodded at that before looking back over the fence. “Is this event safe?”

Xander snorted, shaking his head a bit, “Little Darlin’, you worry too much. No, there ain’t a single event that is completely safe. Few years back, I got hooved in the nuts...”

“I ‘member that. Memory serves, ya carried on like a belle who didn’t win the crown.”

At hearing the new voice, Xander smirked, a dark gleam in his eyes as he looked over his shoulder at the one who could be considered his ‘rival’, then cocked a brow. “Ya mean like how ya shrieked like a virgin on her weddin’ night when I still got the win, Devon?”

Devon’s face darkened no small degree at that. Eyes narrowed, he sneered. “You mangy mother fu…”

Xander cut him off. “You best be watchin’ that mouth ‘round the lady, Smithy, ‘fore I knock your teeth out.”

The most incredulous look ever overtook Elizabeth’s face as she slowly turned her head to look back at Xander. Who the fuck was he trying to kid? He had a dirtier mouth than that guy from the orbit commercial who pulled that nasty ass old guy’s underwear off with his teeth… and he knew it. The worst part was, she didn’t even understand 90% of what came out of his mouth, and SHE knew it was bad.  

Before the little scene could play out anymore, Xander was called up on deck. With a glare at Devon, he grabbed his girl’s hips and gently set her on her feet. “I gotta grab Rocky. Wait here a minute.”

She nodded, and when Kyle grabbed her wrist, she put up no fight when he pulled her in front of him. She did, however, let out squeal when he gripped her by the hips and lifted her up to sit on his shoulders. Wobbling, she grabbed his hands tightly when he offered them up, to steady herself so she didn’t fall off.

Once she was situated, she looked into the corral, waiting for the current rider to finish his run.

Once the little lady on his shoulders quit moving, Kyle let her hands go, draping his arms over her thighs just in case. Turning to look up at her, he saw the worry lines on her face and snorted, shaking his head. “Ya really do worry too much, Sug. Xan’s the national champion in this, has been for the last three years. He gonna be fine.”

Before she was able to say anything back to him, the second buzzer went off, calling an end to the current ride. Taking a peek at the stop watch, he rolled his eyes. Xander was gonna be pissed if no one actually gave him a challenge on his first day back.

Once the rider left the corral, Xander was announced, the stands erupting into a roar of applause. Kyle brought his thumb and pinkie to his lips, curled his tongue behind his lips, then blew a whistle to his little brother. To anyone else, it would just look like he was just cheering for him, but they had system worked out and perfected over the years. Kyle was actually telling him what the previous rider’s time was by how many influxes there were.

Xander turned to look at his brother and nodded, telling him he understood while he did a lap around the arena. As he was passing his girl, he gave her a wink before spurring Rocky into a faster run. When he reached the start point, he gave the signal to the gate keeper that he was ready for his turn. He wouldn’t ever admit to anyone just how much he missed the butterflies in his gut right before the buzzer sounded.

Changing his grip on his lasso, he swirled it over his head as he and Rocky chased the calf. Once he was sure of the calf’s course, he let the rope fly, hitting his mark before tugging the rope back. Tightening the slip knot, he pulled the calf off its feet while dismounting Rocky in the same moment. He flipped the calf to its back, wrapped the rope around the calf’s ankles, tossing his hands up while jumping back from the prone animal, a grin coming to his face as the buzzer sounded.

Kyle glanced at the stopwatch in his hands with a smirk before blowing that same whistle, only this time without as many influxes as the last time.