The Bull Rider Wears Pink by Jeanine McAdam Read Free Book Online Page A

new smile of
John's. Warm and welcoming, even disarming which made her
want to forget about getting rid of him. Cassidy found herself anxiously
smiling back and if Kevin got wind of her reaction it would be embarrassing.
But maybe her nerves were not because of this shiny, new John Risk, they were a
result of her having to get on a bull in the next two minutes. Cassidy had
practiced a lot, however, this was her first time in a
real ring, with a real bull, and real people watching.
    The announcer shouted Cassidy's
name then added a plug for Caleb and Logan, trying anything to get the
minuscule crowd excited. Among the cheers there were a few boos. Someone had
the nerve to yell, “Bull riding is for men.”
    Cassidy wanted to yell back, then
don't come to the women's competition, but she didn't instead she climbed up
the chute. She'd prove she was just as good as the men. As she threw her leg
over to the other gate and hovered above the bull she glanced at Kevin. He
didn't look happy with her and maybe that joke about breaking her coccyx was
serious. She really wished she could be the kind of mom that stayed home, baked
cookies, and did nothing embarrassing. But she wasn't. The adrenaline that was
pumping through her veins at that moment was something she couldn't ignore.
    She eased herself down onto the
bull. Then she wrapped her right hand around her pink rope. John climbed up the
rail and helped her pull it tighter. The animal shifted its weight. The smell
of rosin and livestock invaded Cassidy’s senses as she took a deep breath. She glanced
at Kevin again. The left corner of his mouth lifted slightly. That was all
Cassidy needed, she nodded at her son as she lifted her left arm and gave the
gate man her signal.
    “Good luck,” John said as the bull
charged out of the gate. Immediately Crosshairs swung his head to the right.
Cassidy shifted her weight left and was able to keep her center of balance. With her left arm flapping in the air, she rode the next wave and
the one after that. The twenty-five or so people that made up the crowd actually
got to their feet.
    Then the buzzer sounded. Cassidy
had won the battle. She stayed on the entire eight seconds. While thinking of
Kevin and coccyx’s she let go of her bull rope. One more buck and she landed
gracefully in the dirt on her knees and not her backside. The kid should be
happy, nothing in her performance was mortifying or even close to embarrassing.
She pulled herself to her feet, dusted the dirt off her pink chaps, and waved
to the crowd.
    Then, because she realized she
could actually do this and do it well, she ripped her helmet off and threw it
in the air. Except she couldn't celebrate for long, Crosshairs was mad and he
was looking for her. Maybe he'd never been bested by a girl. She ran over to
the fence and climbed up the rail just as he was getting ready to charge.
Finally with ribbons of snot hanging from his nose the bull left the ring.
    Cassidy jumped down. She took a bow
to a chorus of boos and cheers. Ignoring the boos she
took another bow. God, she felt good. She hadn't felt this good in a long time.
The announcer was yelling something about woman versus beast and Cassidy pumped
her fist in the air.
    After she left the ring, but with
the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, she looked for Kevin. She was
hoping he'd run over and give her a hug but he didn't. He shuffled over with
his hands in his pockets and eyes wide. His mouth was even shaped into a little
circle.
    “What did you think of that?” she
asked him loudly. She wiped at the sweat dripping off her forehead. She
wondered if her skill and talent had left him at a loss for words. Later she
would remind him that nothing came easily without lots of dedication and
practice.
    However, to her dismay, his
surprised expression quickly changed to embarrassed. He looked down at his boots
and kicked the dirt. Wait, he had no right, she had won. He shouldn't be acting
like that. But she didn't have