“Bingo.”
He chuckles under his breath and then continues, “We were talking sponsorships and how I want to cut down on mine.”
That surprises me.
I turn fully toward him. “What?”
Bryce shrugs. “I’m heading into my final year.”
The words hang there.
Final year.
Even though we’ve all known retirement was coming, hearing him say it still feels strange.
Bryce Raintree has been part of the sport for as long as I can remember. A PBR legend. And the man earned the title.
Seeing him retire is going to feel weird.
He must read something on my face because he laughs. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not dying.”
“No. But it’s gonna be the end of an era for sure.”
“Yeah,” he agrees before continuing, “That’s why I’m simplifying things.” He starts counting on his fingers. “Bull Rope Whiskey, Raintree-Storm Rodeo Academy, and commentary.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Commentary? Really? Rodeo or PBR?”
“Both. Maybe. PBR for sure.”
“You do know that means wearing a sports coat, right?”
“Don’t remind me.”
I nod.
I’ve heard him do broadcast guest spots before. He’s good at it. People listen when Bryce Raintree talks.
“I’ll be doing a lot of press junkets, TV appearances, and promotions this coming year.” He shrugs. “My grand retirement tour.”
Makes sense.
Bryce has always been smart about planning ahead. The guys who struggle after retirement are usually the ones who never prepared for life after rodeo. He isn’t one of those guys.
“That’s not gonna leave a lot of free time. Plus, I’ve got a woman planning a wedding who’d like to see me from time to time.” His grin returns.
“So, something has to go,” I say.
“Exactly. And as you can imagine, Shawn isn’t a fan of walking away from lucrative contracts.”
I chuckle. “I bet not.”
One thing about Shawn Norris: the man wants that commission.
“So, we had a conversation. And we think it’s time.”
“Time for what?” I ask.
He turns toward me fully. “Outlaw Heritage.”
