Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
The sound of the crowd from the arena usually got me fired up, sparking that side of me that yearned for the chase, begged for the adrenaline rush, but not today. I’d been feeling off for the last month, and I knew Chance, my roping partner and best friend, could sense it. Truth be told, neither one of us had been ourselves for a while, and neither of us would admit that our hearts had been somewhere else other than roping.
“Tanner?” Chance asked.
“Yeah, sorry, I was taking a minute,” I said as he rode up next to me and stopped. He stared out at the same scene I had been captivated by only moments ago.
“Is your head in this ride, dude?” Chance’s voice sounded strained.
“My head’s in it. Yours?” I asked, motioning for Trigger to turn and face Chance. Trigger was my five-year-old gelding I’d bought when he was three from a friend of my father’s for five-hundred dollars. Never dreamed he’d turn out to be such an amazing horse when I first broke him. He was cowy, meaning he could watch a cow come out of the shoot and stay on it like no one’s business. We were a perfect fit, and he was one hell of a horse. With Trigger, I had four Wrangler NFR Qualifications and one World Championship as a header. This coming year I had a feeling we would be on top again if Chance and I stayed healthy, didn’t break our damn necks, and got our shit together. Three months ago, it had been pretty much all I had thought about. Winning another championship. Then everything seemed to shift when I had gone home for my brother Ty’s wedding. That was the day I had met her.
Timberlynn.
I glanced back to Chance and waited for his response. He paused, and it spoke volumes.
Chance rubbed the back of his neck. “Honestly? No, I ain’t in it. Not at all. I think it’s the end-of-the-year shit. Or maybe she’s still in my head. I don’t really know.”
I nodded because I had no clue what to say to him. It had been a long year for both of us. Chance and I had been best friends for as long as I could remember. It hadn’t been a surprise to anyone when we started roping together. The two of us were the male version of Forrest Gump and Jenny’s peas and carrots. We just worked together so well. Me the header, Chance the heeler. And we were good. Damn good. When we had our shit together, that is. This year, hell, this year had been a challenge for both of us, though, and we had been tested a lot.
Chance had found himself in love, and I had found myself without my best friend for the first time in years. Not that I wasn’t happy for him, mind you, because I was. He had met a girl, fell for her, asked her to marry him, and without another word, she left him. Just like that. Left him for some city slicker guy who promised her the moon and stars under the bright lights of New York City. I think a part of Chance knew she would never have been happy with him on the road as much as we were now. It takes a strong-ass woman to handle a man being on the road for months at a time, knowing the temptations that we are faced with on a daily basis. The damn buckle bunnies were in abundance, no matter the venue or the city. That was the name given to women who prowled around rodeos looking to hook-up with the cowboys, especially those who won buckles. Some of them had even been known to steal the buckles as some sort of trophy.
“You’re better off without her, you know,” I finally said after we both sat there in silence for a good minute or two.
He sighed. “Yeah, I know. Still fucking hurts, though.”
“You sayin’ you want a longer break than just Christmas?” I asked, already knowing his answer. Hell, I was hoping for the same answer I wanted to hear.
“It was a rough year last year. Your ankle injury and all. My whole…I’m in love…debacle. I know we haven’t missed a New Year’s Eve Buck & Ball before, but I feel like I need some time off, Tanner. I’d like to just be home with my folks, spend some time with the family. Help my dad out on the farm. Just…take a few weeks’ break, maybe even a month.”
I let a small chuckle slip through. Chance gave me a slight smile because I’m positive he knew I was feeling the same way.
“Maybe we both need a break,” I said as I looked back at the arena. “You thinking what, Alexandria, then we head back out on the circuit? That gives us a good month at home.”