I don’t give a shit about this game and trying to stay on the raft. I don't want to be the king of anything without her. If I’ve got her in my arms, I think I’m okay with sinking.
Chapter 7: Mae
“I am so excited for tonight!” Georgia squeals, looping her arm through mine and pulling me closer to her side.
“I am too, but I have a really demanding family in my section that wants hot dogs and ginger ales. I have to go!” I laugh, unraveling myself from Georgia's grip and sprinting back to the concession area kitchen to fill my tray again.
It’s been two weeks since I started working at the rodeo, and my days have been spent eagerly anticipating the nighttime. Driving to Lonestar Junction for work has become the highlight of my day, especially the stolen glances from Cody and the few moments we've been able to talk alone.
His disheveled, deep brown hair, piercing green eyes, and irresistible smile has always seemed to find me wherever I’m working for the night and I’m dying to get to know him better and hear what he thinks of me. Does he know who I really am? Does he look at me as just his cousin’s new friend?
Or is he as wildly attracted to me as I am to him?
I fill my tray, brushing my long blonde hair out of my eyes as I sprint out of the kitchen and back towards my section, careful not to drop any food or drinks. Down the steps I race, heading towards the family engrossed in watching a bull chase a cowboy around the ring.
“Took you long enough,” one of the boys in the family sneers as hesnatches a soda from my tray without a thank you.
I force a polite smile, swallowing my frustration as I set the rest of the food and drinks down on the family’s table. They don’t so much as glance in my direction, their attention firmly fixed on each other. Just as I turn to make my escape, the mother reaches out and grabs my wrist, her grip unexpectedly firm and a bit unnerving.
Her manicured finger jabs toward today’s button pinned to my skirt—one of Dolly’s infamous, cheeky creations. Today’s says,“Why choose one? Ride a cowboy AND a horse?”
“That,” she says, her voice dripping with condescension, “is highly inappropriate and offensive for a place where families are present.”
Her tone carries the kind of righteous indignation that makes my stomach churn, like I’ve personally offended her entire bloodline with a simple pin. For a second, I just stand there, unsure of what to say. But the weight of her disapproving glare—and the fact that her hand is still clamped on my wrist—forces an automatic response.
“I’m sorry,” I mumble, my voice barely audible over the buzz of the crowd.
She narrows her eyes, clearly satisfied with my half-hearted apology, and finally let’s go. My wrist tingles where her fingers had dug in, and I’m already mentally drafting the story for Dolly. There’s no way she’ll let this slide. She’ll track the family down, find out who they are, and get them banned from the rodeo indefinitely. Nobody messes with Dolly, and absolutely no one lays a hand on her servers.
Still fuming, I dash up the steps to put as much distance between myself and the table as possible, my boots clattering noisily on the metal stairs. I’m so caught up in my own irritation that I don’t notice the solid figure at the top of the steps until I nearly barrel straight into him.
A pair of strong hands catch me by the waist, steadying me before I can trip over myself. My gaze snaps up, and there’s Cody, looking down at me with a lopsided grin that’s equal parts amused and concerned. His touch is firm but gentle, and for a second, I’mreminded of the afternoon we spent at the pool two weekends ago—when he’d wrapped those same hands around my waist to pull me into the water with him, whispering in my ear that he had me.
“Whoa, where are you running off to?”
“I think you mean where am I running from? That family in my section is the worst.”
He peeks around my shoulders and looks at the family I just left, two teenage boys a few years younger than us along with their mom and dad.
“I think I recognize the kids from our high school. Want me to go scare them?” he asks.
I laugh. “No, I’m good. My shift is about to be over, and they have their food and drinks now.”
“Good.” He smiles. “Happy birthday, by the way.” His voice is soft and smooth as he shoots me one of his signature smiles.
I blush. "Thank you.”
“You feel any different now that you're an adult?"
“Not really.”
He laughs gently. “Going to do anything crazy? Get a crazy piercing, or a tattoo? Stick it to your parents and leave town?”
I wish…
Turning eighteen in theory has always sounded nice, adulthood, independence, but in reality, my parents will always maintain control over me given the position that they hold within Texas and the money they use to control my life. I can’t even imagine a world where that safety net and money doesn’t follow me and dictate all my plans.
“I don’t think so, but I’m excited to celebrate with Georgia tonight.”
