Bullheaded

standing still.”
    “You’re the one who sent him to me, Sam.” Cody smiled as he reminded him, feeling as though he’d passed some kind of test. He had to pull himself together; he was here on business, not to moon over Johnny. It was annoying to find that Johnny was looking better than ever. Maybe he was right to bring Dub along. “You ought to know.”
    “I like it when an older rider is confident enough to pay it forward to the young ones,” Sam said. “Some get too uppity to give back and bull riding is all about community.”
    “Cody’s always been good with the boys coming up,” Dub confirmed. “Takes them under his wing, like.”
    “Mentoring is a big part of our sport. Great to see what a good job you older riders have done. And you too, Dub. I’ve seen you do your share.”
    Cody hoped the older man didn’t notice his wince at the term “old.” How he hated that feeling! He wasn’t old, dammit! “That bull Bobby Blue was mounted on now—”
    “You’re not going to tell me your bulls are better now, are you?”
    Actually, that was exactly what Cody had planned, but the sardonic twinkle in the older man’s eyes made him stop and think before he replied. “At least as good, I’d say. They’re young, I know, but their dam and sire both have great bloodlines: Motherbucker and Fool’s Gold.”
    “Great DNA, but your young ’uns haven’t been proved in the ring. Even the best lines don’t always pan out when you get them in a noisy ring with all the lights and the noise. Not without proper training.”
    Dub interjected, “Cody studied breeding in college. Got some kind of degree in genetics. Plus, I’ve seen his young stock while he was training them. Got some winners there, if I don’t miss my guess. I wouldn’t mind taking a turn on them my own self.”
    “Fool’s Gold was a high-money bull five years in a row, and had a career buckoff percentage of ninety-two. His get have to start somewhere.” Cody hoped he didn’t sound like he was pleading.
    Sam gave him a shrewd look. “I don’t start bulls without stats in Top Cut. Not even in the touring division. If I give you a couple of slots with the county fair rodeos for the summer, can you fill them? That’s ten weeks, one day a week. I don’t work bulls two days of the week, unless I’m flat out of reride bulls. I pay a quarter of the price earned in Top Cut and no travel unless they start pulling good scores. If they do, I’ll bump them up to the touring division at half pay. What do you say?”
    Cody would have sent his bulls for free just to get a start in the contracting business, but he wasn’t going to tell Sam that. He pretended to consider the offer as if he had to convince himself to settle for the lower fee. “I think I can work with that. It’s a good start. You’ll see, they’ll score high.”
    “Shake on it.” Sam stuck his hand out. “I’ll hold you to it.”
    Cody shook, but from the corner of his eye, he was aware of Johnny’s every move down in the ring. He was glad to have a few of his bulls contracted out, but now that he’d seen Johnny, he knew he’d have to stay away from the touring division for the summer even if his bulls were contracted for the tour. At least until his anger died down enough to be polite to Johnny if they came face-to-face.
    He missed riding. He needed to get back to it. The NBR Top Cut was on break for the summer, and Johnny was working the summer touring division. Cody could place his bulls with Sam and go ride in the exhibition schedule with Dub. Every point and dollar earned during the off time would just add to his win in the fall. He could get RJ and Travis to travel with the bulls.
    That’s what he was going to do. But first he wondered if he could ditch Dub to find some action. Maybe it wouldn’t be a good move after he’d practically begged his friend to come along with him, but he needed some relief.
    Sam Wells left the box, and Dub turned to Cody with a big grin and stuck his hand out. “Well, well, here’s to your start on becoming the next big stock contractor.”
    Modestly, Cody said, “If my bulls work out. It’s only the summer fairs. Sam didn’t say anything about the Top Cut division, not that I could ride my own bulls. Wouldn’t be ethical.”
    Dub clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, you gotta retire some time. Then you can run your bulls in all the divisions.”
    “Dammit, why is everyone all over me about retiring? I’m not that