Bullheaded

together and Bobby Blue didn’t matter anymore. He really did remind Johnny of a younger Cody and it wasn’t completely a bad thing, especially as he probably had years of saving Bobby Blue’s stupid ass ahead of him.
    Surprisingly, Zane finished high enough to move ahead into round three.
    When all the interviews and applause were over, Johnny waited to catch Zane behind the gate and walked back to the locker room with him. “Congratulations, Z-man. Good ride. Even nailed your first interview.”
    “Thanks, Johnny. I can’t believe I even made it to Top Cut in my rookie year, and here I am riding in the finals. It’s like a dream come true. Thanks to you and Cody, even though I might be cut after the next round.”
    “It’s a chancy sport, but you’re doing great. I’m proud of you.”
    “I’m proud of me too. Don’t suppose you’d be up for going out for a beer later to help me celebrate?”
    “Sorry, I can’t. I’ve got a date.”
    “Good to see things working out for you two,” Zane said quietly.
    “How’d you know?”
    “You seem happier.” Zane heaved an exaggerated sigh. “And I’ve lost my wingman. Although lately it seemed like I was the wingman. But I guess I’m too young to get tied down yet.”
    “You never know. You might like it.”
    “Yeah, if I scored a hottie like….” Zane grinned knowingly and jerked his head slightly at the locker room door.
    “Yeah. Well, they’re out there. You’ll get lucky someday. Good-looking guy like you.”
    “Thanks, Johnny. See you around.”
    “And not under, like, a bull.” With a last slap on the shoulder, Johnny went to find his team.
    It seemed as if things were going Cody’s way again. He’d made it through both rounds, emerging at the top of the leaderboard, trailed by Dub in second and with the two top Brazilians on their tails. Rounding out the top five was Canadian Tate Klein.
    And Chris Bellow seemed to be getting back in gear. He was quick, strong, and on the spot. Maybe it was being in Las Vegas in the finals; it was the most exciting week in the most exciting sport in the world.

    “W ELCOME to the action as round three kicks off. The man who is currently sitting number one at this event is our Leader of the Pack, the California Cowboy, Cody Grainger.
    “That winning swagger is back, and Cody Grainger showed in rounds one and two why he’s the dynamic rider we all like to watch. He DQ’d on his first bull, although he managed to pull it back and make the whistle on his second. Can it last? That’s the question on everyone’s mind. Bull riding is a tough sport, and the finals are tougher than anything these men have faced all year. More rounds, ranker bulls, and more mental pressure, because after this week, there are no more chances to make good. The buck really does stop here, and it’s make it or break it for the entire year.
    “Cody Grainger is not just a tough rider, he’s a smart one, but he needs to establish himself as the rider to beat. He’s not one of the youngest guys in the field, and the sheer physical pounding takes its toll on an older rider.
    “Tonight he goes up against a bull named Renegade Romeo. This pairing could provide some fireworks and he’s got a lot riding on this go-around. Cody has drawn Renegade Romeo five times in the past two years. This bull has thrown him twice, but three times Cody has ridden him for a good score. Let’s see if he is able to exact some revenge on this bull for the last time he bucked off.”
    Ignoring the hot air coming from the ring announcer, Cody ran his gloved hand up and down the rope to warm the rosin, aware of Dub’s grip on his vest and the buzz of energy in the crowd. The bull was restive, shifting in the chute and trying to mash his leg against the fence. Cody grunted in pain as he pulled his knees up out of the way and went on getting a good sticky mess of rosin on his glove. If nothing else, at least it would glue his hand to the rope long enough. The gateman pushed the bull away from the fence with the padded board, and Cody was able to let his hurt leg back down. He almost felt as if the bull remembered their last trip and was nursing a grudge. They were smart enough to, sometimes, and this bull was definitely smart.
    He dangled the rope and the contractor pulled it up on the other side, tugging to yank it tight before the wrap. There was so much riding on this. Cody knew he’d made himself look like a fool all summer and he wanted to