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Both men turned to look at me, their back and forth suddenly long gone. Pulling off my shoes, I stood and dropped my shorts, then stepped into my jeans and hiked those back up. The whole time, the guys just stood there like they were rebooting.
"Tanner, it's just a bullshit rumor," Isaac said about the time I sat back down to put my shoes on again.
"Yep," I agreed. "A rumor about me being gay, at my home show, when my parents are watching. A rumor that's just a little too close to the truth. A rumor that clearly has the PBR willing to all but fire me, because suspending me for the rest of the season? It's pretty much the same thing."
"Shit," Jorge breathed. "That's Boise, North Carolina, Nashville, California, and all of finals?"
I nodded. "The season. We've got like seven or eight weeks left. Months, guys, and you two can't afford to go without a paycheck."
"Like you can," Isaac countered.
I grunted because he was right. "Yeah, but Cody and J.D. have a way of paying for everything. I'm certainly not going home. Not after this."
The pair looked at each other as if they'd just realized they could do that. They could go home, see their friends and families, and heal up. They could sleep in their own beds, relax for a bit, and wait this out. Hell, they could probably even get jobs!
"They won't keep the alternates," Jorge finally said, but it was almost like he was trying to convince himself.
"I dunno," Isaac grumbled. "Ticket sales are down. Fans like the wrecks."
"And I just became a liability," I reminded them. "So call him. Tell Mr. Sousa you'll get back on the dirt or head home. Guys, I'm not going to blame you either way. This? It's my problem, and neither of you asked for it."
"Kinda did," Isaac told me. "Tanner, we asked for this when we told you to go for it. We asked for this when we picked you out of all the guys trying to impress us. We fucking well asked for this a minute ago when we made it clear that the three of us? We're a pack."
"Like wolves," Jorge agreed, "we will always stick together. I just need to call my wife and make sure she knows shit has hit the fan."
"Fuck," I groaned.
Partly because I hated that this was hurting them. Partly because knowing they were standing with me was making my eyes want to do some stupid shit. They were stinging and I was blinking.
I loved these guys. They sure as shit didn't deserve this, but knowing they were standing with me? It made all of this just a bit less terrifying. Of course, that was when my phone began to buzz on the bench beside me one more time. It seemed my mother wasn't about to give up.
I sent it to voicemail again. Currently, I was at my limit.
Chapter48
I wasn'tthe only one who put on a pair of jeans. In the end, the three of us were still wearing our jerseys and colored Converse high tops, but the jeans made it feel a bit less like we were supposed to be working. And once we were dressed, we tossed our shit in the Red Bull RV, then went to claim the seats that were always saved for us.
Today, they were full. Max, Grace, Dean, and J.D. were there. Not that it mattered. It wasn't like the PBR would kick us out. Yet when we walked up the ramp and towards the group, J.D.'s head immediately snapped over. His eyes narrowed, then dropped to my legs.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
Jorge answered first. "We got suspended."
"What?!" J.D. growled, looking like he was ready to push to his feet.
Dean's hand clamped down on his shoulder, holding him down, but we now had his attention too. That meant Max and Grace fell silent, all of them waiting for some answers before we even made it all the way over.
As casually as I could, I leaned against the railing, facing the group before me. "I got suspended. They refuse to work without me. Antonio Sousa from the PBR's board of directors made it clear they can come back. I'm out for the rest of the season."
"The season?" Max asked.
"Naw," J.D. said. "Fuck that shit. Ain't no way they can keep you out for the rest of the year."
"Five events," Isaac said. "Just looked to be sure."
"Wait," Grace said, moving closer. "What are you suspended for, Tanner?"
I glanced over at the woman, impressed she even knew my name. In truth, I barely knew her. Sure, she was Cody's rep for Under Armour, but I was pretty sure I hadn't said more than a handful of words to her. My problems weren't hers, so why did she look like she was about to pull someone's head off their shoulders?
