“No shit.” Laughing, Balta stared at everyone, dark brown eyes bright with humor. “Come on! Stop staring, huh? Get your shit and go.”
Eduardo starting laughing and Joa shook his head, heading in to get water from his cooler.
Balta gave him a smile that seemed warmer, kinder. “Look at my toes, Joa.”
“Did you break something?” He glanced down, wincing at the dark, bruised thing. “Did you get Jonesy?”
“Doc stopped by.” Balta waved a hand like it was nothing. “Sam brought me ice.”
“Hrm.” Balta lied, Joa could tell. “I’ll go see if they’re waiting for you.”
“No, no. Just ask Jonesy to get me the cast Doc promised.”
Sam nodded, yawning. “Who got hurt?”
“Packer. Shoulder.”
They all winced.
Poor Packer. He had bad shoulder troubles. Balta sighed. “Remind me to send him a care package, huh?”
“Sim.” He waved and jogged down the hall to sports medicine. Doc was in there, dealing with the last things. “Doc? A cast? For Balta?”
“Huh? Oh, shit. No, get his ass in here so I can do it up right.” Doc was awful grumpy. There would be no arguing with him.
“Okay. Sure. Yeah. I’ll be back.” Jogging back and forth counted as cardio.
The crowd had dissipated, leaving Balta, Beau and Sam. “Doc wants you, Balta. I can help.”
“Oh, damn it. Why isn’t he busy?” Sam helped him lever Balta to his feet, though, and they all started down to sports medicine.
Doc and Jonesy were standing there. Staring. Waiting.
“Ta-da. Balta.”
Beau chuckled. “See, Doc? We follow orders. He gonna be able to go to supper? I’m buying.”
“I don’t see why not. He’ll just need a soft cast. He’s broke it enough to know what that feels like.”
“Well, there you go.” Beau clapped Joa on the back, looking on top of the world.
Joa blinked over, nodded. Poor Balta. That foot was awful swole. The next rides would be hard.
Balta was smiling, though, and the lines around his mouth were not so deep, thanks to his nap, Joa would bet. He looked fine.
Joa shook his head and headed to gather his gear and Balta’s and load it into the truck. He had a check. He had gas and hotel fees for them and some for the bank. Beau was going to buy supper.
Life was good.
