Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 89170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Dad grabbed my vest and leaned in. “Cover this bull, son.”
He stepped away as I raised my hand and gave the nod. The gate opened and Tank took off. Everything else around me faded away while Tank did his damn best to get me off his back. But I wasn’t going to have it.
He spun, jumped, kicked, and spun in the other direction, giving me the fight I needed. I heard the buzzer, got my hand out, and did my best to clear the bull as I leapt off of him.
The moment my feet hit the ground, I looked for Tank. He was going after a bull fighter, so I rushed back to the chute, jumped up on the pen, and felt my father grab my ass to yank me up.
His strong arms folded around me as he hugged me.
“Jesus Christ, where did you learn to ride like that?” he asked, pushing me back and grinning. I could see the pride all over his face.
“I learned from the best of the best.”
“Bullshit,” Uncle Ty said from the side. “You learned from three of the best.”
That was something I couldn’t argue with. Hunter and Bradly both came up and gave me a hug.
“Fucking way to cover it, dude!” Hunter said, a proud grin spreading across his face. Bradly repeated almost the same sentiment.
Then I saw her. Standing in the background with a look of relief on her face as she watched me interact with my cousins.
“Excuse me, boys. I have a girl to kiss.”
She met me halfway and once again threw herself into my body. I wrapped my arms around her tightly and held her close.
“I love you, Georgiana Crenshaw, and I don’t ever want to walk away from you again.”
She drew back, tears streaming down her beautiful face. “I think two times is enough.”
I slowly shook my head. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
She pressed her fingers to my lips. “Listen.”
They announced my score. I was the last rider up, and I had the highest score.
Her eyes gleamed with pride, and a wide smile broke out on her face. “You won.”
Pulling her back into my arms, I said, “I sure as hell did, and not because I rode a bull named Tank.”
Chapter Twenty-One
GEORGIANA
After the bull riding event was over at the charity rodeo, the fun started. Or, at least, that was what Morgan said as she dragged me over to the concession stand for what she stated was a rodeo must-have. Corndogs and funnel cake. The only difference with this rodeo was that everything was inside a large, open barn. Rodeos weren’t a normal event for the dead of winter, and for a last-minute charity fundraiser, the town had done an amazing job. Of course, it helped that there was an indoor arena that Brock, Ty, Tanner, and Dirk had all gone in on with some other folks a number of years ago.
Blayze had wanted us to leave right away, but when his father and mother told him it would be rude, he’d been forced to make the rounds with Brock, Ty, and Dirk. Bradly had joined them as well, so it wasn’t hard for me to slip away from all the “shop talk.”
“Jesus, Blayze acted like I was stealing you forever when I suggested going and getting food,” Morgan said. “Does he even care that we’ve been on the longest flight of my life?”
I chuckled. I had to admit, I was exhausted, and the last thing I was looking forward to was a corndog.
“What did you say to him? What did he say to you?” Morgan asked, right as Rose spotted us and called out our names.
“Georgiana! Morgan!”
“Rose!” I hugged her as hard as she hugged me. “How was school?”
She rolled her eyes. “Good. I’m so glad it’s winter break. I need it.”
“Amen to that!” Morgan handed me a beer I hadn’t asked for.
“Oh, I didn’t want—”
Rose took the beer from me and winked.
Morgan turned and handed me my corndog and funnel cake. She eyed Rose drinking the beer and hissed, “If your mom and dad see you, Rose Marie, you’re going to be in so much trouble.”
“Then we’ll make sure they don’t see. Besides, I’ll be twenty-one soon.”
Morgan rolled her eyes and handed Rose a corndog. Rose shook her head. “I want the funnel cake.”
“Too bad, I don’t want the corndog so…”
We made our way through the crowd and to a large table where a slew of Shaw and Littlewood family members were gathered. Even Stella and Ty Senior were among them.
The moment Stella spotted me, she smiled big and bright.
“Oh, my darling girl! You’ve come back.”
Moving my arms out to the side so she wouldn’t hit the corndog or funnel cake, I attempted to hug her. Blayze appeared at my side and took a bite of the corndog.
“You can have it,” I said as he waggled his brows and divested me of the disgusting dog.