Page 105 of Forever Enough

“Not today, Monster!” I shouted as I transitioned fluidly with the bull.

It felt like a lifetime before I finally heard the buzzer. Mac’s Monster gave one last buck as I was letting go and I took a nice flight. How I landed on my two feet was beyond me, but if I was being scored on landing, it would have been a perfect fucking ten.

“Jesus Christ, those direction changes,” I said as Jessie, one of the bullfighters, jumped between me and Mac’s Monster.

“Looks like he has it in for you!” he shouted as we both ran from the damn thing. Once they got the bull out of the arena, Jessie slapped me on the back. “You showed him who was boss.”

I took off my helmet and held it up in victory as I faced where I knew Mom, Avery, and Mackenzie were sitting. I saw the three of them on their feet clapping and yelling something. I pointed to Mackenzie, and she pointed back, a huge grin on her face.

“That is Bradly Littlewood’s third qualifying ride, and he’s your new leader with a 90.50 ride!”

Glancing up, I saw my score of 46.75, and Mac’s Monster’s score of 43.75.

When I looked back at my father, he was grinning as he tipped his hat at me. Yeah, I was definitely going to go out on top.

Chapter Twenty-Two

MACKENZIE

I placed my hand over my heart as I watched Bradly climb onto the bull. He had on a black vest, jeans, and black chaps that made him look even sexier, if that was at all possible. Ty was with him, along with Dirk.

He’s going to be okay. He’s going to be okay.

Closing my eyes, I thought back to just a few minutes ago when he’d looked through the crowd and our eyes met. The way he smiled made me nearly melt into a puddle right there on the spot. Then he’d slipped his helmet on and made his way over to the chute.

Merit told me that the bull he’d drawn had yet to be ridden for the full eight seconds. And to top it off, his name was Mac’s Monster. Who names a bull monster?

“Bradly will be fine!” Avery shouted over the loud music and cheering crowd. “This is like a walk in the park for him.”

I ran my sweaty hands up and down my thighs as I nodded. I’d only seen him ride that one day after Christmas, and he’d made it look so easy. This? This was entirely different. Bulls were trying to jump over the chutes, some slipped on their way out of the pens and landed right on the riders. They even kicked and stomped on the riders and bullfighters. My anxiety was on overload.

Merit reached for my hand and held onto it as they started to play AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” and the crowd really went wild. Apparently, each rider had their own song for competitions.

Then the gate opened and Mac’s Monster tore from the chute. He bucked so hard and so high that I felt Merit grip my hand tighter, as Avery grabbed my arm and dug her nails into my skin.

The three of us watched as Bradly seemed to move right along with the bull, perfectly in sync. If the bull turned one way, Bradly was ready. If he twisted and jumped, my man seemed to float along for the ride.

“He’s going to do it!” I heard Merit cry out. “Do it, Bradly! Cover that bastard!”

My head snapped right to gape at Merit before I turned back to watch Bradly. Avery was yelling out as well, but all I could do was hold my breath as I watched.

Then the buzzer came, and Mac’s Monster tossed Bradly into the air. I screamed and prepared for him to hit the ground hard. When he landed on his feet, the crowd erupted in a roar of applause and cheers.

I jumped and screamed along with Merit and Avery, before we started hugging each other. Turning to look back at the arena, I watched as Bradly was congratulated by the bullfighter. He took off his helmet and held it up, then turned to look up at us. He pointed to me, and I couldn’t help the smile on my face. I was so incredibly proud of him that I felt like I was going to burst.

Then the announcer said his score, and everyone erupted again.

“That is Bradly Littlewood’s third qualifying ride, and he’s your new leader with a 90.50 ride!”

Merit and Avery jumped as they shouted something I couldn’t hear. All I could focus on was the man I loved.

“That’s a good score, right?” I asked Merit as she laughed and nodded her head.

“It’s an amazing score!” she replied with a hug. “Come on, let’s head on back.”

We had passes to go in the back with all the bull riders and stock contractors. As we made our way, I felt my heart rate pick up. It always did that when I knew I’d be seeing Bradly. Back behind the scenes, everything seemed chaotic. Bulls were ushered to and from the arena in little chutes that took them this way and that. I would never have guessed we were in Manhattan instead of a ranch in Montana.

His uncle told me that Bradly had a couple of interviews he needed to do before they’d let him go. I stood off to the side with Ty, Dirk, Merit, and Avery as a female reporter got ready to speak. Bradly looked completely at ease with a camera right in front of him.