Wrecked (20 page)

CHAPTER 21

This being a small town charity rodeo might not be
the big leagues,
as the announcer had put it, but that didn’t mean that Wade didn’t have to be on the ball.

When he wasn’t working to protect the bull riders, he was still in the arena. He was there just in case anything went wrong with the bareback or saddle bronc riders that the pickup man couldn’t handle. He untied the calves during the tie-down competition. He even helped put the five-year old girls and boys on the sheep for the mutton bustin’.

There was downtime now and again between the individual events and his duties, but not enough for Wade to run over to see either his daughter or the woman who had his body on high alert.

Seeing the two were sitting next to each other made his decision to not try and talk to them until the event was over even easier. There definitely wasn’t time to explain to Brittany who CeCe was, if he even could explain that to his daughter without revealing too much about their history.

Hell, explaining who CeCe was to Brittany would require Wade know what CeCe was to him first. He hadn’t quite figured that out yet. He’d wondered about it though, pretty much on a daily basis since leaving her in California.

Wade didn’t go over, but he watched them whenever he could, catching a glimpse here and there. He’d glanced over at one point to see them talking. The curiosity nearly had him vaulting over the rail and trotting over.

What the hell could they be chatting about? Him? Modeling? He found neither option comforting. Quite the opposite. Disturbing was a more accurate description.

Two hours passed with Wade trying to keep an eye on Brit and CeCe while working the rodeo. It was like trying to fight a battle that had two fronts, when just his job should have had his undivided attention.

Finally—amazingly—he made it to the final event without having gotten himself or anyone else hurt or killed. He just had to get through the bull riding. Then he could—what? Introduce the two females who’d had him on edge all day? Take them both to eat?

CeCe and Brittany, at the same table of the diner in Wade’s hometown. That was an interesting idea. Scary as hell, but interesting.

This little corner of the world was where he’d grown up. Where Brit had been born. Where his ex-wife and his own family still lived.

Where even a whisper of news caused a wave of gossip among the locals that rippled throughout the town.
 

“Wade!” The sound of Lucky, one of the two other bullfighters, calling him broke Wade out of his deep thoughts.

“Yeah?” Wade turned.

Lucky was standing a few yards away. The three—Wade and his two fellow bullfighters—were already in formation in anticipation of the bull riding. They stood ready, spread out in a triangle with one man on each corner for the best coverage of the action about to happen.

“Just a heads up. The first bull is a real ball buster.”

“Aren’t they all?” Wade snorted.

Lucky tipped his head to the side. “You’ll see. But this rider is good. He can handle him.”

Wade glanced at the chute in which a little muley had been loaded. Eyeing the bull, with its short legs and no horns, he had to wonder about the validity of Lucky’s warning.

The rider he’d referred to was straddling the rails above the chute, about to lower himself onto the bull.

Everybody in the area—those milling around behind the chutes, the other competitors, the stock owners, the rodeo personnel—all stopped what they were doing to watch the ride. That told him a lot.

On the circuit Wade worked, he’d only seen the arena go still for the best. The one percent of riders who guaranteed a great ride every time they got on the back of a bull.

When a rider was extra good, or a bull real rank, everyone in the know paused to take notice. When the two came together in one ride, history could be made.

Maybe Lucky was right about this match up. Wade took a step closer, his focus completely on the chute.

The animal reacted to the rider’s weight on his back. The bull was a real chute buster. It was as if it was trying to knock the chute apart, kicking out behind him before rearing up in front.

In spite of the challenge the bull presented, the rider made progress getting ready for his ride. He took his wrap and immediately shifted forward, getting up close to his rope.

He eased his legs down and the bull’s bad behavior increased but Lucky had been right that this guy was a veteran and knew how to handle himself in the situation.

Even though there was no way the bull was going to settle down and let him get in perfect position, the rider nodded his head to the gateman.

He got the hell out of the chute, fast, quick and in a hurry because any rider knew being in the chute with a bull misbehaving like this one was the most dangerous place to be.

The moment the gate swung open the bull turned out and to the left, spinning into the rider’s hand.

Horns or not, the little muley proved he was one hell of a bucker, but the rider did what he was supposed to do.

He kept his chin down, his eyes focused on the back of the bull’s head, his free arm out and in front of him. He pivoted at the hips to absorb the power of the bull’s jumps.

A mastery of the basic skills. Textbook perfect form. That’s what made a rider be able to cover even the toughest bulls and if he could hang on for eight seconds, would earn him a damn nice score.
 

It was one hell of a ride. The rider held on until the buzzer sounded.

In position in case the kid got hung up, Wade bounced on the balls of his feet, prepared to move in.

The rope released and the rider leapt off on the outside of the spin, landing on his feet, before falling to his knees.

He half limped, half ran away from the danger zone as the bull stopped bucking and turned in a slow circle.

The animal knew who it was who rode him. In an arena with three bullfighters and a mounted safety man, the damn bull picked out the rider and took off after him.

The rider’s limp disappeared as the bull went after him, sending him leaping for the rails to get up high and out of the way in a move that literally saved his ass.

Wade shouted to the bull, waving his hat to try and draw the animal’s attention.

When the bull saw he couldn’t get to the rider, and that the out gate was open wide and waiting for his exit, he took off at a trot. Without a backward glance, the bull headed for the back where he knew he’d find his feed bucket and some nice shavings to lay down in.

These animals weren’t as dumb as most people thought. Even so, it was nice to see this bout was done.

After planting his hat back on his head, Wade stooped down and grabbed the bull rope that had fallen off the bull shortly after the rider jumped off.

The rider hopped down off the rails. A visible limp returned as he walked toward Wade to retrieve his rope.

“You a’ight?” Wade glanced down at the leg the man favored. He could see every step was an effort.

The pain was clear in the rider’s expression.

“Bull pinned my leg in the chute. Right on my bad knee.” Gasping for breath, the rider had trouble getting out even those two sentences.

Wade glanced at the scoreboard. “Well, you’re in first place now. That help that knee feel any better?”

Still breathing as if he’d run a marathon, the rider let out a short laugh. “Yeah. Little bit.”

“Thought so.” A paycheck at the end of a tough event always did make the riders feel better. Grinning, Wade slapped the guy on the shoulder. “Good ride, bud.”

“Thanks.” The kid limped his way to the riders’ out gate as Wade had to think one more time how he had the better job.

Both professions had risk, yeah, but at least his had a guaranteed paycheck at the end of the night. And Wade’s career in the pros hadn’t ended in his early thirties like it did for so many riders in the higher level of the sport.

Aches and pains aside, it was a pretty nice gig. And speaking of gigs, this one was not over yet. Wade trotted back to his spot to get into position for the next ride.

This being a smaller rodeo, there were only a half a dozen more bull riders to go and they went fast.

Soon, Wade was done with his responsibilities—at least his responsibilities to his employer for the day. His duties regarding his daughter were another matter.
 

“Dad!” And here she came, headed in his direction.

And then there was CeCe . . . She trailed a few feet behind Brittany, looking uncertain.

His worlds were about to collide, if they hadn’t already while the two had sat next to each other for the past two hours.

“Hey, baby girl.” Wade wrapped his arm around his daughter’s shoulders. “Did you meet CeCe?”

“CeCe?” Brittany turned big, innocent eyes up to him.

“That’s me.” CeCe took another step toward them.

Brittany drew her brows low. “You said you didn’t know anybody.”

“No. You asked if I knew any of the riders, which I don’t. You didn’t ask if I knew one of the bullfighters.”

Brittany’s eyes widened at CeCe’s answer and Wade decided he had better nip any potential conflict over the misunderstanding in the bud. He could always diffuse tension with a joke. “You have to be specific with CeCe. She’s a city girl.”

“I know. That’s why I’m surprised. I figured she’d call you a rodeo clown like most city people. But she used the right word.” There was a dusting of admiration in Brittany’s tone and Wade couldn’t be happier.

Call it a crazy hope, on so many levels, but he’d be thrilled if CeCe and Brittany got along. Of course, that depended on CeCe wanting to stick around for a while.

As she frowned and crossed her arms, he had to wonder if she would. “How did you know I was from a city?”
 

“You really have to ask that question?” Wade snorted as both he and his daughter sent CeCe a look of disbelief.
 

CeCe scowled. “I guess not.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “So, you want to grab some dinner before I drive you back to your mother’s place?”

“Mom said to come right home.”

Of course she did. Why give Wade any extra time with his own daughter?

He sighed. “Okay. I’ll take you straight home then.” But he intended on taking the long way. “CeCe?”

She lifted one perfect red brow. “Yes?”

“Would you like to take a ride with me to drop off Brit and then grab a bite after?” After being away from her for over a week, he’d like to both grab and bite CeCe.

She pursed her lips together and he could see her deciding. “I can do that. I just have to make a call. The pilot’s waiting for me to tell him when we’ll be leaving.”
 

“It’s getting pretty late. Why don’t you tell him you’ll leave tomorrow morning?” There was so much more behind Wade’s question. So much he couldn’t say in front of Brittany. He hoped CeCe would hear the unspoken plea.

Stay.

For the night. For much longer than that but he’d settle for tonight.

Her blue gaze met and held his. After a pause, she nodded. “You’re right. Tomorrow would be better.”

“Wait. You have your own pilot?” Brittany’s shocked question broke the tension.

CeCe smiled. “He came with the jet.”

“Whoa. Are you serious?” Brittany’s surprised gaze moved from CeCe to Wade.

“Believe me. It’s true. Come on. We can talk about it in the truck.” He loved his daughter, but today he was looking forward to dropping her off so he could welcome CeCe to Texas properly.

Today with CeCe had been an unexpected but welcome gift. He was going to grab it and hold on with both hands for as long as she’d let him.

CHAPTER 22

Brittany waved good-bye from the door of her mother’s house. The front door had barely closed when Wade threw his truck into gear, burning rubber as he peeled down the road and around the corner.

There he parked and turned toward CeCe. Pulling her toward him, he crashed his mouth into hers and kissed her the way he’d wanted to since first seeing her leaning against the rail at the rodeo.