Bullheaded

said. “I’m going to cover my eyes when he’s in the box.”
    “He won’t fall off,” Val said confidently. “He’s fighting his way back.”
    Johnny was uncomfortable when he realized Davis was looking him over speculatively, and then hastily turned away before their gazes met.
    “I’ll keep my fingers crossed and my eyes shut,” Davis said.
    Val towed Johnny through the gates without having to show any tickets. Apparently the ushers knew her, because they smiled in recognition and waved her party right through.
    “Look who I found!” Val announced triumphantly.
    Awkwardly, Johnny shook hands with Travis and RJ, remembering he hadn’t with Davis and not knowing quite what to do about it now. RJ merely said hello, but Travis pulled him into a ferocious manhug and pounded his back. “How you doing, kid? You been making a name for yourself. Proud of you.”
    When Travis released him with a final thump, Johnny stared into the ring and blinked, grateful everyone tactfully left him alone for a few minutes.
    “Different view from up here, isn’t it?” Davis asked.
    “Yeah, very.” Johnny tried to remember if he’d ever sat in the stands for a show. His place was always on the ground, right by the gate. It was a revelation to look down to see the riders urging the rankest, badass bulls into the ring for introductions. And then he felt bad for the bulls. With all the noise, lights, and the spurts of flame shooting up, they were spooked. In a way it was funny to see his nemeses all meek and skittish in the ring. His job was to rescue riders from their ire and ease them out of the ring when they didn’t want to leave, and now each one of the animals was nervously shifting around by the gate, waiting for it to open so they could scram.
    On the center platform, Jinks the clown was dancing badly to the music while the ring announcer introduced the riders, beginning with the lowest ranked.
    One by one, the riders sprinted into the ring and lined up in front the platform, raising their fists with typical cowboy bravado while the audience applauded. Johnny knew all their names. As each rider came out, he couldn’t help but remember the times he’d made a save and the name of the bull each of them had been assigned in the draw.
    When Dub Whittaker made his run down the ring, Val grabbed Johnny’s hand. “He’s next. Here he comes.”
    Weird. It was just weird to watch Cody run into the ring from up here, raising his hands above his head with a grin. He looked cocky enough, but he wasn’t, Johnny could tell. By the way Val’s hand tightened around his, she knew too. In a way, he reminded Johnny of how nervous the bulls had been, and he felt sorry for Cody. He must dread his first ride, the way he’d been falling off.
    “Does he know you’re here?” Johnny asked.
    “Of course.” Val nodded. Then she said quietly, for his ears only, “That makes it worse for him. Worrying he might fail in front of us.”
    Johnny was distracted by the bullfighters filing in. It was interesting to sit up here and witness the audience continue to applaud for them. First Vern, then Reese, and then the audience stood up to welcome Chris Bellow back at the urging of the announcer. Johnny got to his feet and clapped also, wishing like hell it was him down there with them.
    After the anthem, the riders filed into the back and the ring announcer matched the names of the rider to the bull he was going to ride.
    Activity ramped up behind the chute and Jinks told corny jokes to kill the time. Johnny was surprised to hear the audience actually laugh. He’d heard the jokes so often, he no longer paid attention to them when he was in the ring with Vern and Reese going over last-minute game plans. God, how he wished he was down there instead of here.

    K NOWING Bobby Blue and Zane had made it onto the Top Cut tour should have made Cody feel proud, considering the improvement in their riding since his class. It hadn’t occurred to him to follow their progress, but the stats the announcer gave were impressive. They were riding carefully, not taking too many chances, but staying aboard and making a score, even it if was on the lower end. Not that he had much room to criticize. He wouldn’t have minded competing directly with them if he weren’t bringing in the same low numbers. Unless he fell off. That would be totally fucking embarrassing, especially as Bobby Blue had been almost lyrical in his praise for Cody when he was