“Yessir.” The agreement came immediately. He’d do anything for Beau and Sam. They were good friends.
“I need you to come on over for a few days. We’re doing some practice bulls.” Beau’s smile went crookedy. “Your phone ain’t workin’.”
“I know. It’s broke. So’s my truck to take the phone into town to fix it.” He was having a rash of shit luck. Sister had made sure no one had done cursing on him, declaring that it was a broken heart.
“Well, shit, Nutbutter. I’ll stop on the way through and get it fixed for you. You got someone who can fix your truck while you’re gone?” Beau glanced at Junior.
Junior nodded. “Surely will. I owe you for the work you did on my house.”
“Thanks, ami.” Landon meant it. “Sister will give you the money for the pump.” Laurel had egg money tucked back for just that kind of thing.
“Not a problem, man.”
“Bubba? You leavin’ again?” Laurel stood, frowned at Beau. “There something goin’ on?”
“I need Landon’s help, honey.” Beau held out a hand to her, pulling her in for a hug. Sister made Mr. Beau seem big, even as short as he was.
“Oh, okay. You want some sweets for the road?” She kissed Beau’s cheek.
“I’d love some.” Beau and Sister, they was friends, and Beau treated Laurel like a princess. That made Landon happy, because Laurel didn’t have too many of them.
“Be right back. Junior, you tell me what all you need, money-wise?”
Junior answered, following her like a big lumbering bear.
Beau nodded toward the old red truck, and Landon grabbed his go-bag out of his broke down and followed.
“You got to promise me you won’t say nothin’, Landon.”
“Yessir.” Whatever it was, he’d take it to the grave.
“Jason Scott is comin’ down to practice some.” Beau gave him a sideways kind of glance. “He cain’t see.”
“I reckoned something was weird, but it weren’t my place to question y’all. It gon’ get better, his seein’?” Jason Scott was the best bull-rider ever. It would be a shame if he had to quit.
“Nope.” Beau spat on the ground where they stood waiting for Laurel to bring cookies. “But he can ride. He can win the big show.”
“But he cain’t see. They gonna let him ride?” Doc barely let him ride when he broke his leg.
“They don’t know he’s blind, petit frère. And we ain’t gonna tell them.”
“Ah. Je vois. So I’m coming to help get him better ready?” He could do that. Weren’t no rider on earth like Jason Scott. Not nowhere. Hell, Landon had seen him ride, and if that was how he rode blind with no real practice, it could only get better.
“We need good people who won’t talk. Gramps Pharris will be down, too.”
Landon nodded. “You know I’ll do what you need, just point me and shoot me.”
“Good man.”
“He is.” Laurel had sent Junior off and came to them with a huge plastic bag. “Here’s bread, cookies, and some cobbler for Mr. Sam.”
“Oh, lady, you are a queen among women!” Beau scooped Sister up and swung her around, careful of the bag. “I’m gonna bring you a pig, honey, when I bring Landon home.”
“Oooee,” Laurel hooted. “We’ll have a roast.”
“Yes, ma’am. I promise.”
“You’ll bring your fiddle?” Laurel did love to listen to Mr. Beau saw those strings.
