They headed out as the bosses landed on them. Sandy met his eyes, expression serious. “How’s Sam?”
“He’s in surgery.” His voice wobbled. “They don’t know.”
“Fuck.” The single word was bitten out and Sandy shook his head.
“Jesus, Beau. His head?” Ace looked gobsmacked.
“Yeah. Horn hit him. Doc says it’s speech, not motor or anything, but…” His throat closed right up.
“He’ll make it. He’s tough.” Ace nodded, like that was that.
Sandy stared at him from under the brim of his hat. “How’re you holding up?”
“I’m freaking out.” Sandy was hard to read, being the corporate man, but Beau knew he cared.
“You won the championship, the money.” He held up one hand. “I know you don’t care right now, but it’s true.”
“I know.” He’d give it all up if he had to. “I guess that means I can skip the short go.”
“No.” Sandy actually sounded sad.
“No?” Beau stared some more. He’d done a lot of that in the last two hours.
“I’m sorry, man. We’re getting picked up by the network. You have to go and have the whole yay I won thing.”
Ace nodded. “We’ll run you first, we won’t ask you to stay, but we need you there.”
“I don’t. Ace, you know.” Sandy may not, but Ace knew what Sam was to him.
“I know. I’m sorry, Beau, but we have to have you there. The sponsors are going to freak. I’ll make it easy, but you have to show. The arena’s sold out.”
Beau blinked, his throat closing right up. He looked at Dillon, who squeezed his hand, and Balta, who nodded. “One of us who rides later can stay here,sim? We can wait and be here for you. For him.”
Joa nodded. “I’ll bring you. I have my truck. Besides, I didn’t make the cut.”
“I can’t. I can’t ride.” He just knew it would kill him.
“Bullshit.” Ace knelt down in front of him. “It sucks. It sucks hard. Still, he did it for you, and you’re not gonna let him down.”
“Ace. Ace, if he goes…”
“He won’t. He’s a cowboy.” That made him stop, made him swallow back his fear a little. Ace knew shit. Beau didn’t know how, but Ace almost always called it. If Ace thought Sam would cowboy up, maybe he could believe.
“Beau. I’ll stay, if you need me, too.” Ace winked. “Hell, Bell might wake up just to tell me to get the fuck away from him.”
“He might.” Okay, He could go. “Tomorrow, though. Tonight I’m getting a bed here.”
Sandy nodded. “Is Doc here? Do we know anything else?”
“I don’t. I. Can you talk to him?” Doc could be a hard man to pin down.
“Yeah.” Man, corporate suits were good for something.
“Thanks.” He gave Ace a look. “Press people going nuts?”
“You know it. We got protesters, too, saying we’re abusing Geronimo.”
“How? Because Balta was beating him with a hat?” He’d bet that bull had not a scratch on him.
