He nodded weakly. "Yeah, rumors move fast back here. Chute attendants said that's what it looks like, but there's no confirmation."
"I heard they were doing CPR," I admitted. "I guess that's basically the same?"
"Yeah," he breathed, moving to lean beside me. "I mean, they'll keep up the 'life-saving attempts' until a doctor calls it in a hospital. Means they don't have to say anyone died on the dirt."
"A technicality," I grumbled.
"And one that could happen to you," he pointed out, bringing us back full circle. "Or me, or any of us. So are you in the right headspace to get on a bull, or do you want to scratch?"
I scoffed. "No, I'm fucking riding."
"Ok." And Jake stood back up. "Then I'm pulling for you. When it's my turn, you're pulling for me."
"I'm bailing before the awards," I warned him.
But that only made him duck his head to hide a chuckle. "Same. I think most of us are. You headed to the bar with us?"
"No," I said. "I want to get Tanner out of here before Mr. Merrill finds him."
Jake turned me toward the chute I'd be using, guiding me that way. "Ok, then I'll get someone else to pull."
"No, I can - "
But he cut me off. "Cody, getting Tanner out of here before that asshole sees him is more important than pulling my rope. I'm going to bet he's your ride, and that boy will not leave you alone in this mess. So please get him out of here so we have a chance of getting him back?"
"Ok," I relented just as Ty jogged up the catwalk, clearly counting chutes.
"Cody?" he called.
"Ty!"
That made him stop hard, looking over to see us. "Jake, you pulling for her?" When Jake nodded, Ty kept going. "Ok, Brazil is on the left side. I mean, our left. Tanner and J.D. are on the right. Cody, if anything goes wrong out there, you get to the closest wall and get over."
I was ready to say I had this. Habit had taught me bravado worked best to remind these guys I could actually do this, but the look on Ty's face? There was something that convinced me today was not the day to mouth off.
"I will," I said instead. "Thanks, Ty."
He slapped my shoulder just like he would with the guys, then headed off again. I turned to watch him go, realizing this was Ty's way of dealing with shit. He distracted himself. He tried todosomething so he wouldn't have time to think about it.
Just like he had with me.
But before I could start to dwell on that, Jake pulled my rope from my shoulder and passed it to the chute attendant. "Get your helmet on, girl," he ordered.
And my glove. Yeah, I was a little more scattered than I wanted to be, but I couldn't back out. This entire event felt wrong, but riding was my only option, so I made sure my glove was taped on a little tighter than normal, double-checked the straps on my helmet, then looked over at my bull.
He was a little white thing. Cream, maybe? I wasn't sure, but nothing about him stood out. I also knew that didn't mean anything. He'd been ranked in the middle of the pack, so earlier I'd been convinced this ride was going to suck. Suddenly, I didn't feel as upset about it.
"You good?" Jake asked one more time.
"I got this," I promised, and he stepped over the chute to grab the tail of my rope on the other side. I watched as he tugged it into place, then moved to stand on the rails over the bull's back. This was happening. I was doing this.
It would be fine.
Glancing back, I checked to see how long I had until my ride, but Jake made a noise, making my head snap over to him instead. Pointedly, he tipped his head down at my bull, making it clear he didn't want me distracted.
"Don't want my rosin to cool off," I explained as I reached for the tail of the rope.
"I'm watching them," he promised. "You focus here, because I do not want either of your guys to cut off my balls. Hell, your boyfriend would probably stop there, but your bestie?" He shook his head, but the smile that curled one corner of his mouth proved he was trying to taunt me.
