Bullheaded Read Free

crapshoot and he loved it. Loved the challenge, the physicality, and the risk of his chosen profession. He just loved to ride.

    “C AN ’ T complain about your work, rookie.”
    “Thanks, Vern.” Pleased with his leader’s praise, Johnny felt a smile tug at his lips but tried not to let it out.
    “It’s okay, you’re allowed to pat yourself on the back once in a blue moon.” Reese was always quick to tease. “That was a nice save.”
    “Especially since we haven’t been working together as a team that long.” Vern backed up the DVD and played Johnny’s save of Cody again in slow motion. “Teamwork. It’s what keeps us all safe. When you grabbed that bull’s attention, Reese was able to slip in and tag him.”
    “You’re the one who played kissy-face with him, boss,” Reese said, lazily pointing at the screen where Vern was teasing the bull by putting his hand on its head and staring it down before darting away in the direction of the exit.
    “Hey, we’re all sporting a big red S like Superman on our chests. A night with no one going to the emergency room is a good night by me.” Vern replayed Johnny’s aerial somersault again and snickered. “Good thing at least one of us is young and athletic, Reese.”
    “You calling yourself old?” Reese asked, pretending to clutch his heart in shock. “’Cause I’m not ready for the back pasture yet.”
    Vern ignored him and spoke to Johnny. “I heard you know Cody outside the circuit.”
    Answering the real question, Johnny said, “Yeah, I work for him on his ranch. But I hate seeing anyone get hung up like that.”
    Vern gave a quick nod of approval. “It’s a good night when we all get to go home, riders and fighters. I couldn’t ask to work with better partners.”
    Reese wiggled his eyebrows and gave Johnny a wink. “That’s like getting a fucking gold star. Better remember it, Johnny. Our fearless leader don’t give them out so easy.”
    “I’ll treasure the memory forever,” Johnny assured him, and Reese chuckled.
    Vern stood up and held out his hands. The other two joined him in a circle and bowed their heads as he said a quick prayer of thanksgiving for their safety in the ring that night. “Okay, see you boys tomorrow. No drinking and staying out late tonight.”
    Watching the slim, bow-legged man amble down the hall, Johnny asked, “He always bring up about not boozing it up?”
    “Nothing to do with you, kid. He’s AA and proud of it. Been in recovery twenty years steady. Couldn’t ask for a better partner to fight bulls with.” Reese picked up his hat and put it on. “Last time he had a drink, he ended up with a broken shoulder in the ring. ’Course, he was younger then. Just wants to make sure we all keep safe.”
    “Oh, I thought it was because I’m Diné. Some people think we’re all drunks.”
    “Nah. He don’t think that way. He knows being a drunk ain’t a race thing.” Reese tipped his hat. “Get some rest, rookie. We get to do it all over again tomorrow.”
    “Will do. You too, Reese.”
    Johnny let the other man precede him into the parking lot and stood still to take in a deep breath of air. Then he grinned to himself. He was beginning to get used to the way Vern analyzed the entire night’s action while they watched the DVD after the event. At first Johnny had thought it was his way of keeping them safe by pointing out where they fucked up, but right from the start, the three of them mostly worked together as if they had some kind of ESP. Rider injuries had been fairly minor since he’d come up from the NBR touring division. He’d thought it might be tough stepping into a regular team as a substitute after Chris Bellow got hurt, but from the start it had been an easy transition, thanks to Vern and Reese.
    One thing he had noticed, though, was that during the time Vern was yakking at them, all the riders and tour staff went off to the bars, and it dawned on him maybe all Vern wanted was some way out of the