Page 114 of Untamed
When the bull ahead of me leaves the chute, I climb on Asteroid’s back. When I’m comfortable again, I check the position of the rope to make sure there’s no kinks in it.
Only a few seconds left. I want to look for her, make eye contact, see that she’s watching me. I don’t because I know it’ll throw me off. I couldn’t even see her after the autograph session. I didn’t see anyone. I wanted a clear mind of any distractions.
And for some reason, I think of my dad, the only reason I met Maesyn. If it hadn’t been for him dying, I would have never been back in Ellensburg. A surge of calmness passes over me and I feel his presence with me.
“You got it, man. Don’t think about anything but the eight seconds.” Reid pulls my rope tight. I take the rope, wrap it into my gloved hand, and slide my crotch forward until I’m almost sitting on my hand.
It’s time.
With one last deep breath, I nod.
You probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn bulls can come out of the chute a hundred different ways. And you can never predict what their movements will be. I try to remain as upright and neutral as possible in that first critical second. When Asteroid commits out of the gate, I take hold with my spurs, refusing to let go.
With a force I knew he had, he leaps forward, jutting his back legs up and out. He’s what I’d refer to as “droppy,” kicking while his front feet are still off the ground. I counter with my free arm, leaning forward, then quickly leaning back as he dips forward in an attempt to toss me again.
Two seconds.
Asteroid’s force and strength aren’t surprising. I remember it from last year, but his agility when he changes directions is fucking impressive. Being that I studied every ride he’s ever had, I’m able to sense him changing leads, and it gives me just enough time to react.
Three seconds.
Four seconds.
The crowd roars to life with the background music of “Electric Pow Wow Drum” they seem to always play when I come out of the gate.
Five seconds.
The crowd screams in response, seeing history made, but I don’t hear anything. I hear my breathing. I hear Asteroid and the thuds he makes every time he hits the ground.
Six seconds . . . seven. In the final second, Asteroid springs straight up and pitches his head back in a desperate attempt to shake me.
He’s out of luck and the buzzer sounds just in time. Fireworks go off flashing eight seconds.
I did it.
When Asteroid lurches left, I release the rope and jump off.
In the next second, the sounds of the crowd return and I hear and see those twenty thousand people standing and cheering for me. My score?
92.5.
And then, that’s when I seek out the familiar eyes I’ve been dying to see. I don’t remember how the next few minutes play out, or hours for that matter. It’s all a goddamn blur except one moment when I’m standing with Maesyn, and Wyatt’s in my arms after being crowned the World Champion again.
“There’s so much I want to say to you,” I tell her, trying not to drop my overactive kid and his need to attempt to crawl on my head.
Tears surface in Maesyn’s eyes, watching Wyatt, and then me, and I’m not sure if it’s from me, the excitement of the week, or the fact that maybe she’d gotten a little too much smoke in her eyes during all this. She does like to blame her tears on anything but me. “I’m not going anywhere,” she tells me, rubbing Wyatt’s back.
“Yes you are.” I laugh, brushing away the few tears that slip down her cheeks. “You’re heading back to Decatur with me. You’re going to go to college and you’re going to love only me.”
“That seems like an awfully bossy plan.”
I laugh. Wyatt turns in my arms, facing Maesyn. His brow furrows. “No cry, Maes. No tears. Sad.” And then it looks like the poor little guy is gonna cry himself. His bottom lip sticks out, his eyes welling up. He’s a sucker for pretty girls in tears, just like his dad.
Maesyn takes him in her arms, sweeping his hair from his face. “I’m okay, buddy. This is a happy moment.” He wipes away her tears, like I did. “Daddy won. It’s exciting.”
Wyatt grins, looking at me. “Daddy win.”
Watching them together, nothing can possibly come close to this moment. Well, maybe Wyatt being born, but tonight, with the girl on my arm and my boy holding my buckle in the air like his hero made him proud, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. My dream had finally come true.
