As the two of them start to bicker, I take the opportunity to fully take a look at Kai. The sleeves of his long-sleeved top are rolled up, revealing tattoos on both arms, and there’s one on the side of his neck that trails up behind his ear and disappears in his curly hair. His dark hair is a stark contrast to his paler skin, and his mustache sits atop a near-perfect, gorgeous smile. Much like all the riders, his muscles strain against his shirt, and he’s donning a cowboy hat—but he’s the only one wearing a white one.
“—don’t see you staying on for the full eight. What do you think, Faith?”
Hearing Kai say my name drags me out of my perusal of him. All three of them are staring at me, but it’s Jesse who raises an eyebrow. “Oh, no chance.”
“Them is fightin’ words,” Jesse says in a teasing tone, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I thought we’d already hashed this out, Sweetheart.”
“I don’t recall having such a conversation.” I feel my lips threatening to tip upward, so I turn my attention to Kai. “Let’s go, Mr. Eight Seconds. I have a few questions for you.”
Kai takes a couple steps toward me before throwing a look back at Jesse. I don’t see what the look is, so of course I can’t read what it was, but by the look on Jesse’s face? I’m suddenly curious to know. Once we’re halfway down the hall, I stop and turn to Kai, giving him an easy smile.
“Full disclosure, as I’m sure you’re well aware, I’ve never interviewed a bull rider before, so please go easy on me.”
Kai chuckles as he leans against the wall, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Something tells me you’ll do just fine, darlin’.”
My shoulders tense at the nickname and I have to remind myself it’s just a term of endearment for these southern boys. I roll my neck before forcing the smile back on my face, but I can tell by his furrowed brows that he noticed the slight shift. Before he can comment on it, I pull the small notebook out of my pocket and untuck the pen hiding behind my ear.
“This is very informal this time around,” I inform him as I scribble in the top right corner to make sure my pen works. “My team won’t be with me until next week. I’m just getting my feet wet.”
“Perfect. Ask me anything. I’m an open book.”
I mimic his position, resting my back against the opposite wall. “To be frank, you’re the one everyone’s got their eye on, so most of this ride to the championships we’re covering will most likely be covering you. Can you handle that?”
“Of course.” He nods, shrugging his shoulders. “This is the easiest part of this job.”
“Tell me how you got into bull-riding.”
“One of my favorite things to talk about.” His grin showcases a dimple in his left cheek. “My father was a bull rider and won the championship five years in a row until he got injured. He’sspent the last fifteen years mentoring and teaching upcoming riders.”
My eyebrows lift. “And he wasn’t worried about you going into the same profession that caused his injury?”
“He knew I would do what I wanted to do and damn the consequences.” Kai readjusts his position on the wall, crossing his ankles together. “So he figured he might as well teach me everything he knew and then some so I wouldn’t end up hurt like he did. My mother, on the other hand? She never watches any of my rides and makes me call her after each one to let her know I’m okay. Dad watches me, but she won’t believe anything until she hears it from me.”
“That’s kind of sweet.” He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Let’s chat briefly about your ride tonight. I saw you drew a bull notoriously known for knocking riders off before the buzzer. Were you nervous when you saw your pick?”
Kai rubs his chin for a moment as if deep in thought. “Not really. The thing I’ve learned in my time of riding is if you draw a hard bull and you go into it thinking it’ll be tough, it usually is. It’s like they can sense your stress and worry, almost like when you walk a dog and they can sense your emotions through the leash. Confidence is key in a profession like this, and I try to exude and carry as much confidence as I can before I climb onto that bull. I truly believe it’s the thing that’s kept me unharmed up to this point.”
“I’ll keep positive thoughts that it stays that way,” I tell him as I jot down key words from what he just said, since I left my phone in the media room. “How did it feel for you tonight when you realized you are one of the few who stayed on for the full eight seconds?”
“He’s not the only one who lasted the full eight.” We both turn at the sound of a familiar voice, and I groan softly as Isee Jesse come strolling down the hallway. “You missed a great show out there.”
Kai tenses slightly, pushing himself off the wall and moving so he’s standing in a way that blocks Jesse from me. My brows furrow at the action as Kai crosses his arms over his chest once more, but his knuckles are white where they grip his bicep. “We’re in the middle of an interview, Hayes. Can’t you butt out for two seconds?”
“Woah, okay.” Jesse holds his hands up in a form of surrender, confusion evident on his slightly dusty face. “I’m sorry, man. I was just on my way to the locker room to get my stuff so I could change. I wasn’t trying to step on your toes.”
“But you wanted to interrupt, hence the unnecessary comment.”
I raise my brow and bite my lip before I say, “He’s right, you know.”
“My apologies.” He tips his hat at both of us, that smirk plastered on his face as he squeezes past Kai so he can continue down the hallway. “I’ll see y’all tomorrow. Good ride tonight, Casey.”
Jesse disappears down the hall with not so much as a look back at the two of us, and Kai doesn’t relax until he’s out of sight. He runs a hand down his face and sighs loudly, resting so he can lean his head against the wall, his hat popping off his head. I catch it before it can hit the floor, holding it between my fingers as I study him for a moment.Not sure if this is something I have the right to be asking about.
“I’m sorry about that,” he says, his head still against the wall as he stares at the ceiling, not making eye contact. “I know that being the youngest on the tour this year means I’ll be the one being picked on the most, but sometimes I just want to bask in my success before that happens, you know?”
“You’re only the youngest by ten months, and Jesse is only two years older than you. From where I’m standing? You're more mature than he is.” Kai laughs at that and finally looks at me, so I give him a reassuring smile. “I can’t say that I know how it feels to be picked on, but I do know what it feels like to have to fight to enjoy your wins. Just remember that even if you can’t in the moment, that doesn’t make them go away. No one can take those from you.”
His smile is one of appreciation as I hold his hat out to him. Kai grabs it but doesn’t put it back on, instead taking the opportunity to study me. “I’m sorry for what I said when you came out of the media room before. It wasn’t cool of us to be talking about you behind your back like that, and my comment wasn’t exactly appropriate. I know a lot of us thought you’d be all stuck-up-city-girl, but you’re really not. I’m looking forward to having you here.”
