He saddled and bridled Flash. After putting on his riding gloves, he joined his brother in the corral to put his horse through some paces. With the right animal, everything felt right. Flash felt right beneath him.
Brandon rode alongside him. “It’s like old times, bro.”
Kit nodded. “Feels good to be riding with you again.”
“You don’t know what it means to me.”
“Sure I do.”
“Scott feels terrible.”
“I can imagine, but accidents happen. Corky will do a great job for you.”
Brandon checked his watch. “It’s time for me to head back in for the parade.”
“I’ll be right beside you when it’s time. I bet you’ll do it under 3 seconds.” To bring down the steer in 2.9 would be hard to do but it wasn’t impossible.
“I’ve got to get in that range to keep my average.”
“Hold that thought.” They high-fived.
Kit watched with pride as his brother rode in. Flash was frisky so he rode him around for a while then headed to the arena to wait their turn. Natalie would be in the bleachers by now.
He patted his horse. “We’ve got to do our best tonight. Brandon needs a win and we don’t want to disappoint Natalie with a poor performance.”
In the background he could hear the “Star Spangled Banner” sung by a local country singer, then the roar of the crowd and the applause. Finally came the announcements to open the San Antonio Rodeo.
“This is it.
” He walked Flash inside to a place where the other hazers were lined up. Some of the riders were familiar and they nodded to him. Because of his standings, Brandon would be second out of the box. Kit found his spot in line. Before long it was time for him to back into the box on the timed-event side of the arena.
“Next up, Brandon Saunders, mounted on his champion horse Ringo, from Marble Falls, Texas. Tonight his substitute hazer is Miles Saunders. They were known in the past as the dynamic brother duo!”
Kit heard a roar from the crowd. He watched his brother on the other side of the chute. He looked fierce. Kit knew that rush of adrenaline every rider experienced while they waited. When Brandon nodded his head, they released the steer and Kit rocketed out of the box to bookend the steer and ride close enough to touch it. Brandon picked it off fast while Kit rode on to rein in his brother’s horse.
“That’s a time of 3.0! Brandon is definitely on his game tonight!”
A huge roar went up from the crowd again.
The relief Kit felt left him overjoyed for his brother. After losing Scott, he’d had to fight through the bitter disappointment, but tonight he’d pulled it off. When the last steer wrestler had performed, the announcer said Brandon’s time was the best of the night. Hallelujah.
Since his brother had to wait around to pick up his gold buckle for the night, Kit left both horses with Brandon’s team and walked back to the trailer to get his clothes and put them in his car. Then he headed to the bleachers. Now that his part was over, the only thing driving him was the need to be with Natalie.
Even from a distance he spotted her gleaming honey-blond hair. He had no idea where Luckey or Vic had positioned themselves, but it didn’t matter because she looked happy. There was an empty seat next to her and Amy sat in her stroller in front of her, drinking water from a bottle.
As he walked toward her he heard a familiar voice. “Miles?”
It was his mother, but he’d been so intent on reaching Natalie, he was slow on the uptake. She sat on Natalie’s right side and grasped his hand. “I’m so proud of you boys I could burst.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
He bent to kiss her cheek, but his gaze had centered on another pair of eyes that were focused on him, glowing a hot green. Kit moved past his mother.
“You were fantastic out there,” Natalie said in a quiet voice. “Come and sit down.”
As he stepped around the stroller and took his seat, Amy saw him and held up her hands, dropping the water bottle. “Kit!”
Not immune to that entreaty, he undid the strap and pulled Amy into his arms. “Did you see the horses?”