After clearing my throat, I turn back to the group, trying to fight my smug grin from breaking out at the way the two guys shrank into their seats.
‘Ladies,’ I say, dropping into the free seat beside Cherry, with Wyatt and Wolfman on my other side. Thankfully, all three of them turn to me eagerly, meaning Cherry’sthong disappears back beneath her skin-tight jeans. It doesn’t stop me from sliding my arm around the back of her seat after handing her Diet Coke over, though, and throwing one final glance over my shoulder to check the sex pests have stopped gawking.
Even if I did my fair share of the same a second ago…
‘Lifesaver!’ Rory squeals, leaning over Cherry to slip the remaining two Diet Cokes out of my grasp, and hands one to Fliss who smiles her thanks, mousy-brown hair bobbing as she does. Rory clicks the can open and takes a gulp, letting a dreamy expression cross her freckled features. ‘I swear this stuff is better than sex.’
‘I heard that!’ Wyatt barks, shooting Rory a scolding look. Mine and Cherry’s heads volley between them.
‘Joking! Love you!’ Rory giggles and blows Wyatt a kiss, then tosses her copper waves over her shoulders and turns back to Fliss to continue singing along to the last part of the song.
Smiling, I grab my beer from Wyatt before fully relaxing into the seat.
‘What time do you need me again tomorrow to help with that delivery?’ Wyatt asks.
‘Ten, if that works?’ I check, even though there hasn’t been a single time he’s not turned up to help when I’ve needed him – even if it meant scheduling his ranch hands to cover him or picking up the extra work later that evening. Especially when I first took over the bar from grandfather, and even more so when he passed, running a business was new territory but Wyatt made sure he was there to support me. I’m not sure there’s been a day since I lost my mom that he hasn’t been by my side.
‘Always, brother.’ Wyatt clinks his beer against mine with a grin, the endearment hitting me straight in the heart.
It’s then that the music peters out and the announcers’ voices ring through the arena. As always, my heart begins to stutter, picking up its pace as we get closer to Sawyer riding into a life-or-death situation. Memories of hospital wards creep into my mind. Of doctors breaking the bad news to a ten-year-old orphan. Of my grandmother’s words.
‘I’m sorry, Junior. She held on as long as she could. She’s at peace now. But it’ll be okay – you’ve got us now, and us Bennetts are strong. We stick together.’
But what if I’m not strong enough to lose anyone else?
With my free hand, I clasp the edge of my seat to ground myself, feeling the hard plastic dig into my palm. I’ve never been a religious man, but I always send a prayer out at this point, hoping that if there is a higher power, then it might listen to me this time.
My leg bounces as I focus on the arena ahead, searching for Sawyer’s golden hair beyond the chute. Suddenly, Cherry’s knuckles brush against mine as she also clenches her seat in anticipation. I feel a jolt in her hand, but she doesn’t move away. Instead, our knuckles remain connected – barely, but enough that goosebumps spread up my arm.
I feel her lean towards me, though her face remains forward, and she whispers, ‘Seeing as we missed out on our closing argument on Wednesday, I have one for tonight.’
Holding back my smile takes more effort than I’d like.It’s just a game to pass time, but it’s become such a ritual for us now that it honestly makes my day. And right now, it’s distracting me from the roiling in my stomach as I watch Sawyer climb up beside the chute. It’s why it always feels a little empty when she’s at college and can’t make it to as many of Sawyer’s rides – sure, Wyatt was my best friend growing up, but Cherry accepted me as part of the family just as much. It’s why this summer feels more important than any, knowing once she graduates she’ll be packing her bags and saying good riddance to Willow Ridge.
To me.
My heart trips at the thought.
Fuck, how is it only just properly hitting me that this summer might be the last time I get to see Cherry every week? That this time next year I’ll be down one more person in my life, watching at the sidelines with the rest of her family as she soars off towards whatever faraway dreams she’s planning to chase.
‘Go on,’ I say, shuffling my hand so that it accidentally knocks against hers again.
‘Diet Coke is better than normal Coke. For or against?’
I snort. ‘What if I’m neither?’
All of Sawyer’s bull-riding achievements are relayed over the loudspeaker, every prize echoing through the now silent crowd.
‘How can you be neither?’
Sawyer settles himself onto the bull, readying the rope.
‘I’d much rather have a Pepsi.’
Cherry makes a disgusted gasp, pressing a hand to her chest. I’m just about to turn and grin at her but the gatesfly open, and she grabs my forearm. Her fingers grip at my tensed muscles, pulsing with every second that ticks on the large screen timer.
Sawyer’s body effortlessly rides each buck and jump of the bull, absorbing the beast’s frenzied movements with his arm outstretched in the classic L shape. The bull’s a hooker for sure, trying its best to throw Sawyer forward. Still, the whole time Sawyer’s got a smug grin plastered across his face – visible since he stupidly refuses to wear a helmet – like he feeds off the fear and adrenaline.
The buzzer finally sounds, and we all jump to our feet, cheering louder than anyone else in the arena. The girls scream their hearts out, Cherry’s hat falls off, and some of Wolfman’s beer goes flying over me and Wyatt as he bounces with pride, throwing a fist in the air.
