Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
But Jennings knows I worry. He keeps his mind clear, his focus strong. He knows he’s not just living for himself anymore. Or even just for me.
He’s living for his family.
He does a fanciful dismount from the bull, rolling off it and to his feet. He’s getting clever, being more of a showman than just a skilled rider. With a round of applause, he takes a bow, then goes to calm down his bull.
Usually I’d prepare to go out behind him, but I’ve been taking my leave from my performances recently. I went as long as I could, but the doctor eventually put a hard limit on how long I could keep riding hard before I needed to take it easy for a few months.
I wait for Jennings in the dressing room and it’s not long before he’s bursting in, his hands all over me. “Have I told you how beautiful you are today?” he says, pulling me close and looking right into my eyes.
“Yes. Several times.”
“Then I think it’s time for your hourly reminder. You’re beautiful, Junebug. And always will be.”
He knows that pregnancy has been tough for me. It’s taken me off Fillia for a bit, and there’s all the usual hormonal nonsense that comes with the territory. It’s been quite the ordeal, but it’s how we wanted to start our family, so I struggle through it. It’s not that bad knowing I have his support.
Jennings kisses me, his hands going down my body. My flesh ignites with need from his touch, just like it’s the first time. I want him. I need him. This has been so very important in managing those aforementioned hormones.
He picks me up, and I’m immediately hit with intense pain and let out a gasp that’s not the kind he’s used to.
I grit my teeth and start taking deep breaths.
“What’s the matter?”
“The baby. It’s coming.”’
I’m a week off of nine months. I should have expected this, but Jennings is on the ball. He grabs a bag we’d been carrying around and takes my hand. “Let’s go. We need to get you to the hospital ASAP.”
I take his hand, letting him lead.
We rush to his truck as I brace for the contractions and the pain. Wincing all the way.
But I take comfort in Jennings. He’s keeping his cool, but I know him enough to know that he’s just as anxious as I am about all this. About doing the right things, about taking care of me, about the oncoming responsibility that is being a father.
He does everything right. He gets me to the hospital, gets me checked in. He’s right there beside me through the worst of it, never letting go and being a constant calm face by my side.
It isn’t easy. It’s immensely painful, in spite of the drugs they give me. But I hold myself together. It’s a messy, chaotic experience.
But it’s all worth it when they give her to me.
Our darling baby girl.
She’s everything I ever wanted.
Jennings holds me his new daughter close.
We’re a family now.
And I’m over the moon.
I can’t wait for what the next chapter of our life brings.
EPILOGUE 1
JENNINGS
After she said yes, we had one hell of a year together. The shows had to go on, of course. We had a contract to honor. And as long as we were together, we didn’t really care. Up and down the West Coast, we continued applying our craft, pushing ourselves harder and gaining some national notoriety.
We even considered some way of bringing our act together, but we couldn’t really think of how to combine the grace of her barrel riding with my trying not to get dumped on my head. Oh well, we were just together apart in this case, doing what we both did best.
Danny came around to us too. Still recovering from his nasty spill, he became a backstage helper for the rodeo. He’s up and walking, in a bit of pain still, but he’s determined to one day climb on a bull again. Knowing him, it’s mostly out of spite, not wanting to let the bull think he won.
All the while we planned the wedding, awaiting the day we’d get a break from our touring and have the ceremony.
It all feels like just a way of formalizing it, really. June and I are already committed to one another and fully enjoying our relationship. Every night, even. And when we’re in Burly, she’s in my home way more often than her parents’.
But it’ll be nice to call her Mrs. Junebug Rowdy.
Even if she insists she’ll still be announced as June Jenkins when she rides out. It’s nice alliteration and a branding thing. I completely understand.
The day is finally here, though. We’re at the Rowdy Ranch, and like every wedding we have, it’s a big family get together. The Roughs, the Rowdys, the Jenkinses, the Landons, hell, it’s hard to keep track. It feels like the whole town of Burly is here and a pretty sizable chunk of Home is here as well.