Merry Anna enjoyed watching Adammove about the kitchen. He even cleaned up behind himself, leaving her nothing to do but enjoy the process. His comment earlier rattled through her mind until she just couldn’t keep from asking, “Adam, why do you say that everything is riding on the rodeo finals? Because of the big payday?”
“No, that’s only part of it. My buy-in with that livestock contractor is banking on my brand bringing something to the deal. If I don’t win or do very well, I don’t have a brand to bank on.”
“That seems like a lot of pressure.”
“Or a lot of motivation.”
“Perspective.” She admired how well-thought-out his plans were in contrast to the recklessness of his life. She was drawn to him, and she wasn’t quite sure why. Swirling in her mind was his gentle touch while baking, the rugged cowboy spurring that bull in the arena, and the man whose horses came running to him. She pictured herself with him after a week of him away rodeoing. Him with a bandaged arm, riding his horse one-handed. Her galloping along on that pretty palomino—which would probably never happen, because she just wasn’t fearless like that. She lived a safe life.
“You know, Adam, just because you don’t worry about the risk when you’re rodeoing, it doesn’t change how others feel watching it.”
“Oh, I know that all too well.” He ran his hand through his hair. “My folks barely speak to me anymore because of it. I do understand how they feel, but I wish they could at least try to understand my love for it.”
“That has to be hard.”
“It is. I tried to do everything the way my family wanted. I started rodeoing in high school. My grandpa was one of the best bull riders around. He was my hero. Still is. He had more buckles than anyone I’ve ever known. I remember how my grandma had them displayed in the fancy china cabinet. No china, just gold buckles and bronze statues he’d won over the years. I was so in awe of that.”
She loved how his eyes danced when he talked about it. “I can imagine.”
“I was a high school rodeo champ, and I was ready to walk in his footsteps, but my father wanted me to go to medical school.”
“So you were a goodstudenttoo.”
“Oh yeah. Always honor roll. I rodeoed my way through college. It’s who I am. My father begged me to get that degree, so I did. I didn’t want to let him down. But I couldn’t live that life.”
“So that’s why you have a medical degree and don’t practice? It was their dream, not yours?”
“Yes ma’am. Got my degree in sports medicine. Texas A&M.”
“It’s hard when your family has those kinds of expectations.” She knew how that was, only she’d never even considered pushing back. At least not until recently. Her career inthe family business was never posed as a choice. “Hard to waste all that education, though.”
“Well, I use it all the time on myself and my buddies. I’m very well aware of the dangers of my sport. I have a great relationship with the doctors that work the rodeo too.”
“That took one heck of a commitment to finish medical school. You are a complex man, Adam Locklear.”
“I don’t know about that. It’s hard to disappoint your folks. Dad’s a doctor, and Mom was a nurse practitioner until she finally took an early retirement. Dad’s still practicing. They just always thought I’d go to college and join Dad in his practice.”
“I know how family businesses can be.” She hadn’t meant to say that and hoped he’d let it go. “Expectations and all. I’m sure it was very difficult for you.”
“More difficult for them, I guess.”
She respected him for knowing what he wanted to do. She’d just moved blindly toward what her family had expected from her. It was a good career, but if she’d taken time before going to work in the family business, would she have done something different? Would she and Kevin have ever married? If she hadn’t had such a well-paying job, maybe he would have stepped up and found one of his own instead of lazing and living off her income.
“You followed your dream. That’s really admirable,” she said.
His face flushed. “What was your dream when you were a little girl?”
“I don’t know.” She really didn’t. Her family was always focused on the business. There was no room or encouragement for any other thought.
“You had to have wanted to be something. A teacher or maybe a ballerina?”
“No, my parents were very realistic. Very purposeful, and intentional about everything. We even had our family vacations planned four years out.”
“That doesn’t sound like very much fun.” Adam shook his head. “Well, actually that might’ve been nice. We never took family vacations. I always spent my summers here with my grandfather. We were really close.”
“I didn’t know any different. It was just the way it was. When I wasn’t at school, I was helping with the family business, even if that meant just straightening shelves.”
“You’re never too old to dream. You can make up for it now.”
