Odds are Levi’s never going to make his move, so I put my money on Willow.
Who now hands me a prescription for painkillers.
“Nah, don’t need those.”
She tilts her head. “If you say so, Superman.”
“Good, great.” I jump off the bed and throw my shirt back on before doing up the buttons, wincing as I do.
“You sure?”
No way.
“Nah, I’m good. Thanks though, hey.”
“Anytime, cowboy.” She walks me out with a smile that would swallow Lake Superior, and I make my way back to the chutes to help out.
Only when I make it back, the last rider is working his rope, getting himself down on a bull called Tornado. Brady.
Better him than me.
“Hello again.” An airy voice falls in at my left.
I see the giant lens attached to what looks like an expensive-as-hell camera before I can raise my gaze to her face.
“Do you mind?” She pushes past, climbing up the railing to get a better shot at Brady strapping to Tornado.
Levi grabs for her. “Ma’am, you shouldn’t be up there. Not withthatbull!”
She bats him off, raising her camera to capture a shot.
The flash goes off.
Tornado rears, sending Brady scampering backward into the waiting hands of the chute cowboys, who haul him up and out. The photographer screams, falling backward and into the dirt. Levi lunges to catch her and doesn’t make it.
Tornado snorts, ramming the chute with his head.
The photographer moans, rolling to her side before pushing onto all fours... and collapses.
It’s then we notice the broken bone protruding through her jeans.
The bull continues to dance in the chute like he’s determined to see her pulverized into the earth, if only he could break through the steel rails holding him back.
“Medic!” Levi cries, falling to the woman’s side. She clings to him, tears streaming down her dirty face.
“Just breathe, we’ll have you out of here real soon, okay.” Levi is removing her camera strap from her neck, making way for her to lie on her good side. “That was real damn stupid, you know that?”
She sobs. “I needed the shot.”
“Yeah, well. You got more than you bargained for.”
Cowboys have started to crowd around when Willow and her assistant arrive with a stretcher. “Paramedics are at the canteen, be here in a minute.”
Of course they are.
We roll the woman onto the stretcher as Willow looks her over.
“What the hell were you doing so close?” she scolds as she inspects the leg.
