Bullheaded

up in no time, no problem,” Travis said provocatively. “Maybe someone should call him.”
    “Be my guest if you have his number,” Cody said stiffly. “Just give me a day’s notice so I can clear out.”
    “You know you want him back,” Travis said. “How about if I just help out a bit? I could call him, ask him to—”
    Cody stood up and shoved his chair back so hard it hit the dishwasher. “You don’t know what I want. Just shut up!” He stalked out and slammed the door so hard the windows rattled. He was so angry he was shaking and had to lean on the door to compose himself if he didn’t want to break something. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but the windows were open, and Cody froze in place when he heard RJ’s voice.
    “You shouldn’t tease him like that, love.”
    “Someone’s got to bring him to his senses. He’s been thinking Johnny was just going to come crawling back. Well, he ain’t. He’s got his pride and Cody’s got more than enough for two people. Somebody has to get this party started,” Travis said.
    “Cody’s a proud man,” Val said. “It’ll take him a little time before he’s ready to admit what he wants.”
    “A proud idiot.”
    Cody didn’t like hearing that, but he was dying to know what his parents thought.
    “Thanks a lot for pointing out I raised an idiot,” his mother said.
    “And you did a great job of it. What would you call him?”
    “I call my darling son a handsome daredevil,” Val said.
    “Okay, a handsome daredevil who’s also a top-ranked idiot,” Travis said.
    “He’s so angry,” Davis said in a worried tone. “He’s not paying attention to business.”
    “Because he won’t give in to what he wants. Stupid male pride,” Travis snorted.
    “You ought to know,” Val said. “I seem to recall when you and RJ once—”
    “Ancient history.” Travis waved it away hastily. “Besides, RJ came to his senses, apologized, and then I—”
    “Funny, I don’t remember it that way.”
    Travis blustered, “We’re still together. That says it all. We didn’t cross the line like Cody did when we had a difference of opinion.”
    “Cody didn’t cross the line, he floored it and roared past at a hundred sixty miles an hour,” Val said. “His normal speed.”
    Davis sounded anxious as he said, “Maybe I should go after him—”
    “No, hon. He’s got to work this out for himself, even if he is doing it slower than a glacier,” Val said.
    “I’ve never seen him so angry.”
    “Maybe the ice is beginning to melt. About time too. I miss having Johnny here.” Val sounded hopeful, and Cody was glad to hear he wasn’t the only one missing Johnny.
    “I’m worried he’ll get himself hurt, riding a bull in a foul mood like that.”
    “He hasn’t hurt himself yet and he’s been riding most of the summer,” RJ rumbled. “He’s good. Too good to get hurt because he’s pining.”
    “Yeah, but he ain’t been scoring.” Of course it would be Travis who pointed that out.
    “Leave it to me, boys. I shall sting like a butterfly and ride him like a bucking bronc when the time is right,” Val said. “He just needs a little push in the right direction. What he needs is a woman’s finesse.”
    When they changed the subject to chores for the day, Cody finally was able to tear himself away, tiptoeing so they wouldn’t know he’d heard their conversation. At least forewarned was forearmed, but instead of feeling backed into a corner, Cody found himself hoping his mother would confront him soon. It went against his pride to ask for advice, but she was the one person in the world he could consider confiding in.

Chapter 13:
Silver Bear

    W HEN he was in the ring, sometimes he glanced at the crowd in the stands while they were getting the next ride ready, but usually it was mostly a nameless mass of faces and colorful shirts and hats. No one ever stood out too much, and it wasn’t a place Johnny would have thought to scope out for a hookup. He would never have expected to find a gay man sitting there, but if the hottest man in the world had been there, he would have overlooked him because it was usually so jammed.
    Tonight was different. It was probably the flash of the silver hair, thick and lush and just long enough to catch the eye, even in a crowd. The man under it wasn’t bad either. When he stood up in the expensive box to cheer, Johnny could tell he was tall and stocky, bigger than Cody. Then Johnny turned his eyes away quickly