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"Well, yes," Lisa tried, "but how long are you two really going to be doing this? Tanner, you should be worrying about a career. I could get you a position with the college's mailroom. It's entry level, but there's a lot of room for advancement."
"And then what?" Tanner asked. "I can sort mail? That's more respectable than what I'm doing now?"
"It's a start to a real career. You can't be a rodeo clown forever!"
I felt my teeth want to clench on his behalf. "He's not a clown."
"Whatever it's called this week," Lisa huffed.
"And what does it lead to?" Paul pressed. "When you get too old to jump and roll like you are now? Seriously, Tanner, what is your plan? You won't be a young man forever."
"Well," Tanner tried, "announcing is always an option. So is judging. Since I'm already well-known on the tour, and I have a good working relationship with the PBR, it's more likely for me to get one of those positions. They also pay well, Dad."
"And will keep you on the road. Do you really think your wife will be happy with that? Your kids? You need to pull your head out of the clouds and think about real life! Thirty isn't too far away. Just look at your sister. She's already a project manager. You're looking at a chance to work in a mailroom!"
"No, Mom is looking at having me work in a mailroom," Tanner clarified. "I'm rather happy with what I do."
"Cody, will you talk some sense into him?" Paul begged. "I'm sure you'd much rather have a stable family, right?"
"Not really, no," I told him. "I am impressed that no matter how often either he or I try to tell you we enjoy a different lifestyle, you refuse to listen. I think it's actually impressive how you've decided there's only one way to be successful - your way. So you know, that's not how it works for everyone. For me, this is my only chance to get out of a small town. It's the only way I'll ever do anything besides work at the local gas station. For Tanner, it opens up other opportunities. And then there's the big thing you keep missing."
"What's that?" Paul asked, sounding very annoyed with me.
"He's good." I flicked my brows up, daring him to deny it. "Tanner Burns is a household name among PBR fans. He's good enough that people watch the stream just to see him work. He's not kinda good or good enough. Tanner is the kind of bullfighter others are measured against."
"Yeah?" Tanner asked, looking over at me.
I nodded at him. "Yeah. You're always first.Always.Trust me, we notice. Seeing your purple shoes is when we know we're safe."
"That's all I'm trying to do," he assured me.
"To make up for Madelyn?" Lisa asked, her question a little too pointed.
Tanner's entire body changed. "Mom, I don't want to talk about that."
"You haven't told Cody?"
"Mom!" Tanner hissed.
"Who's Madelyn?" I asked, thinking it might be his sister.
Lisa was much too happy to fill me in. "She's the reason he became a rodeo clown. When she died, he dropped out of high school and ran off to join this circus."
"Mom..." Tanner grumbled again, but softer.
I just shrugged. "Well, that sounds like one of those talks that takes more than a couple of weeks before it should happen." Then I lifted my chin and met Lisa's eyes. "Or were you trying to scare me off?"
"She's trying to make me quit the PBR," Tanner explained.
"Don't talk to your mother like that," Paul snapped.
"Cody, you need to know about Madelyn," Lisa insisted. "You see, Tanner was supposed to give her a ride home. He didn't, so she rode with a friend who'd been drinking."
"I was seventeen," Tanner hissed.
I glanced over, finding his jaw clenched tightly. His hazel eyes were hard. Every muscle in his body was tense. This was the way he'd looked when he'd charged into that room to save me. This was the Tanner who wasn't necessarily nice, and his parents were pushing hard enough I was wondering if he'd snap.
"Tanner?" I asked, reaching over for his hand.
