“Good to have you back, McCallister,” he says, louder this time, like it’s for anyone listening.
He turns and heads off toward the far end of the chutes.
Before I follow, I glance back toward the stands without thinking.
Hadley’s still there.
Still bouncing on her toes like she’s got too much energy for her own body, waving both arms now like I might’ve missed her the first time. Riley stands just behind her, hand steady on her shoulder, watching everything.
I shake my head under my breath and push off the rail, cutting across the dirt toward them.
“Hey,” I say when I reach the fence, resting my forearms on the top rail.
Hadley beams up at me. “You did it!”
“Yeah?” I ask, a hint of a grin pulling at my mouth. “You think so?”
She nods hard. “You didn’t fall.”
“High bar,” I tell her.
She giggles, leaning closer like she’s already decided this is her spot now.
I glance up at Riley, holding her gaze for a second. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
Her expression stays steady. “Hadley wanted to come.”
“That right?” I look back at the kid. “Guess I owe you for the support then.”
She nods like that’s already understood.
Riley doesn’t say anything else, but she doesn’t pull Hadley back either.
That’s enough for now.
I straighten and tap the rail once. “I’ve got to get back,” I tell Hadley. “But I’ll come find you after.”
“Okay!” she says, like that’s a promise I better keep.
“It is,” I reply.
I step back, giving Riley one last look before I turn away, heading back toward the chutes where everything feels a little less simple than it did five minutes ago.
Something doesn’t line up.
Not the words.
Not the timing.
Not the way Colt kept looking past me like he was waiting on something.
I shift my stance and glance out across the arena again without meaning to, scanning the edges instead of the center this time.
Movement where there shouldn’t be any.
A truck beyond the lights.
Parked too far back to be part of the crowd, angled just enough that I can’t see inside.
