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"Shit, I'm just helping out," Jake assured me.
"Really helping," I agreed. "About as much as I am, and I'm in love with that girl."
"Well, shit," Jake said.
"But," I said before he could start backtracking, "if you're serious about her, then just take care of her, ok?"
That made Jake stand up and face me. "What?"
"Cody," I said, as if he had no clue who I was talking about. "She's one hell of a woman. She loves talking bulls, and she knows her shit, Jake. J.D.'s right, and she's going to be a contender. She cares a lot more about making a name for herself than impressing us boys, but it looks to me like she's letting you in."
"And I'm pretty sure she has at least one, if not two very real boyfriends," he countered.
I just shrugged. "This is the PBR. Pretty sure none of us are looking for limits. All I'm saying is if your plan is to get with her, then be good to her. Because if you treat her like I did, I'll break your fucking legs."
Which made Jake chuckle. "I respect her, Ty."
"You're hot for her," I said, calling out his bullshit. "C'mon. Every guy here is. She's beautiful, she's good, and she gets what we do."
"And she's taken," he reminded me.
"Not as much as you'd think," I muttered, reaching up to reset my hat. "I just fucked up. She gave me a chance, and I fucked that shit up bad."
"Yeah?" He clasped my shoulder. "Well, you wanna know how to fix that?"
"Ok, how?"
"You do the one thing for her she can't do for herself."
My eyes narrowed, not quite following where he was going. "And that is?"
"You make it clear we men aren't against her. You, Ty, let the world know our little cowgirl is a fucking bull rider. You, a man, say the part people ignore when it comes out ofhermouth. That is how you fix this mess with her. You make it damned clear that even when she shoots you down, you still believe in her ability to ride."
I turned my eyes back to the arena just as another rider got slung into the wall and stayed there. This had to be injury number ten, although I'd lost track while talking to Jake. It was also a damned good metaphor for what he was asking me to do.
I'd fucked up with Cody. Hannah said I had to fix my shit for me, not for some woman. So if I wanted to be the kind of man someone like Cody could respect, then I needed to stop playing it safe. I needed to step up and take the hits so she didn't have to.
The kind of hits she couldn't, and this time it had nothing to do with Austin.
Chapter53
Things were moving slowly today.Every ride was going bad, and far too many of these guys were getting hurt for it. I was just trying to keep track of what ranking we were at so I'd be ready when it was my turn, but beside me, my dad was watching the new bullfighters closely.
"They're slow to get in there," he said.
"Yep," I agreed. "And they're worried about getting kicked or run over."
"They are," he said, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the railing behind us. "That means you can't rely on them, Cody."
"I know," I promised.
"Now, it don't mean they're bad," he went on. "Just means they aren't as experienced as Tanner and his friends."
I chuckled. "So that's what you're calling Jorge and Isaac now?"
"Yep," Dad said, but his eyes were locked on the man in green. "He's not bad. If you need help, you aim for the green one, ok?"
"If I need help," I told him, "I'm already screwed, Dad."
