Page 74 of Leading the Blind
Bax exploded. “Goddamn it, Mini. You could have been cut in half! That fucking bull had your goddamn number! I lost ten years off my life.”
“I kept my feet under me!” He could holler too. “I did everything right!”
“Your body might know what to do, but you’re already hurt. Jesus, Jase! What are you gonna do if you get kicked in the head again? I cain’t take this.”
What the fuck was wrong with Bax? He knew that this was what they did. Cowboys rode and they got hurt when they fell off.
“Jason. We got our own place now. We can just go home. Just quit.” Bax moved close but didn’t touch.
“The finals are coming, Bax. I could win the year.” It could happen.
“That’s still eight events away! Even if you took a few off…”
He reached out, whacking Bax with his cast by accident. “Andy Baxter, I am a cowboy. I ain’t gonna lie down and die. I’ll heal up.”
“What if you catch your head again? What if it knocks you senseless? What if?—”
Jason growled. “Dammit. What if, what if, what if? I cain’t live like that! I got to do this!”
“Why? What the fuck is so important about the fucking finals?”
“Because I said I’d do it. Because that was what I swore!” And he didn’t know what happened after that. He didn’t know what worth he’d have. If he could do this—this one big thing—then maybe the fact that there was fifty plus years of not knowing and being in the fucking dark looming would be okay.
“Jesus, Mini.” Bax sat on the bed, the squeak telling Jason he’d just flopped down. “I’m scairt. That’s it, right there. I’m afraid you’re gonna get killed.”
“You know as well as I do that’s a thing.” He made his way over, easing himself down. “I got to try. It’s the only thing I know how to do, and if I win…”
“What’s the chance of that? Cotton’s on your ass, Eduardo, Kynan—you got to be damn near perfect.”
“Then I’ll be damn near perfect.” Ninety-five. He’d ridden today for an eighty-six and a ninety-five. That was as close to perfect as he could ask for.
“But—”
“No buts,” he said firmly. “I got one chance, and we got the best team ever. Coke, Dill, Nattie, Emmy. Hell, Cotton would turn out for me, even though I’d never ask him to. And I need you on my side.”
“I am.” Bax took his good hand in one of his. “Always. Just hate seeing you get kicked around.”
“I wasn’t having fun, that’s for fucking sure. My back is killing me.”
“Let me get you another ice pack. You want to clean up? I’ll order some supper when Coke and them get up if they come before you get out of the shower. I can wrap up your cast.” Bax was babbling now.
“Kiss me.”Tell me you’ve got my back, Bax.
Bax pulled him around a tiny bit and kissed him long and slow, like he meant every brush of lips and tongue against his. “I love you, Jason Scott. Don’t you forget that.”
“I won’t. I never do. I’m riding for us. For forever, you know.”
“I know.” Bax leaned against him for a little bit, then sighed. “Okay, let’s get all that dirt and bull goo off you.”
“Yeah. Gross.” He let Bax ease him up to sitting. “Ninety-five points, man.”
“It was a hell of a ride, Mini.” Bax sounded much better. He probably needed to eat too. “That bull is gonna hurt someone.”
“I bet they retire him to stud after this season.” Jason had no idea who owned that one, but most of their contractors knew when it was time to get a bull out of rotation. Bodacious had set a precedent for head bashers back in the day. “I’d have been okay if it wasn’t for my damn cast.”
“Uh-huh. Get in the shower, Mini. You stink.”
He chuckled, letting Bax tape his cast up in plastic, then getting into the shower to scrub up. The world had righted itself again, and Coke and them would be up for supper. Like always. Some things were eternal.
