Rodeo Nights Read Online Free

he and Kalli rode together, they fixed their stirrups only two holes apart.
    “Jeff’s got a good crew up in the press box,” Tom said, breaking into Walker’s thoughts as they circled the arena.
    “Announcer, scorekeepers ‘n’ all. Veteran group. You shouldn’t have trouble there.”
    They’d passed the web of metal-tubed fences that formed chutes for timed events and moved around the stadium until they stood by the grandstand, looking across the arena to the staging area for roughstock events. This was topped by a small set of bleachers dubbed the Buzzards’ Roost for spectators who liked to watch the cowboys’ preparations, with the press box above that.
    A few people were already in the stands. Out-of-towners, Walker figured. People not accustomed to driving five minutes to events with easy parking.
    “How about the rest of the crew?” he asked Tom. “Pickup men, judges, timers, stock sorters, chute tenders…”
    “Should be fine. You know how Jeff organizes. ’Course, there’s likely to be some turnover. ’Most always is. Especially with Jeff out of the picture right now. You’re going to need to set some folks’ minds at ease about newcomers running the rodeo. Not just the committee, but the merchants and your crew. Even the cowboys. There’s enough uncertainty in rodeo— They like to know who they’re dealing with. Hell, you know that. But that’s something Kalli might not be taking into account with her talk of changes.”
    Walker felt the force of Tom’s look, but didn’t take his eyes off the pens that held tock for tonight’s show. Horses, steers, calves and bulls. Rounded up from the Jeffries ranch west of town and trailered here, they were rotated out each night before new stock was brought in for the next day’s performance. The animals looked fit; Jeff wouldn’t stand for anything less. The cowboys would soon learn
that
wouldn’t change.
    “Could be people’ll be worrying this might be less of a show without Jeff running it,” Tom said. “The people in town have felt safe recommending the rodeo to visitors because they know folks’ll get their money’s worth. They’ll be more cautious for a spell with you and Kalli running it. Changes could make it worse.”
    Behind them someone shouted that Tom had a phone call in the office. “Keep going. I’ll catch up with you,” he instructed.
    Changes...
    Walker had opened his eyes one summer to find his tagalong buddy of the past six years transformed. And the way she’d looked at him... No man could ever want more. At nineteen, he’d been just old enough to know seventeen was too young, and young enough to suffer hell’s torments as each kiss and touch brought them closer. He could still sweat in memory of that summer’s frustration.
    Then he’d made her his. He’d thought forever.
    A girl. Twenty when they’d married, just past twenty-one when she left. Maybe if they’d waited the way her family wanted, instead of getting married one week after she finished college. Or maybe no amount of waiting would have helped.
    “Walker, you old sonuva—”
    The slap on his back was nearly as jolting as the disruption of his thoughts. A seamed face beamed at him from under a cowboy hat that barely reached Walker’s shoulder. Without consciously moving, he’d nearly completed a circuit and now leaned against the fence by the Buzzards’ Roost.
    “Hey, Gulch. How’re you doing?”
    “I’m doing just fine for an old man, which you took every opportunity of telling me I was when you were a smart-mouthed kid. And you?”
    Walker grinned. When he’d started rodeoing in earnest, Gulch had been wrapping up his competitive career and Walker had thought him ancient. Since Gulch had then been about a year younger than Walker was right now, he appreciated the irony. From this spot in Walker’s life, Gulch Miller didn’t seem such an old guy.
    “Can’t complain.”
    “You never did even when you could,” Gulch said with a clicking