Cowboy Summer - 5. Rodeo Cowboy

“How long has it been now?” Pal was standing leaning against the slatted wooden fence that ran around the edge of the sand school, thick dark arms folded as he chewed on a grass stalk.

Sam nipped across the hoof beaten sand and jumped up to sit on the fence next to the man who was, for all intents and purposes, his father-in-law.

“What, a week? He’s made some great progress. They both have.” The big Texan set his boots on the fence and looked back to where Rhydian was loping the school with Shura. The pair glowed with the confidence of their connection, “Turns out riding suits him.”

Rhydian brought his horse to a walk along side Caleb and stopped when the older man beckoned to him.

“Hey Rhyder?”

“Yeah?” Rhydian bent low in the saddle, his balance fine as he craned to hear Caleb’s whisper soft voice as he glanced between where Sam sat and the lasso in his hands.

“How’s your throwing arm today?” Caleb handed the lasso to the boy, “If you can rope him at a canter, I’ll win the bet.”

“What do I get out of it?” Rhydian was already fingering the rope, his eyes fixed on the blond cowboy.

“We’ll take you with us to rodeo tonight.”

“Deal.” Rhydian fitted the rope into his hand and then trotted a diagonal line across the school. He turned at the short end and began to canter up the other side. He direction meant that he would come up behind where Sam was sitting, half turned, talking to Pal. Rhydian swirled the rope as he rounded the far end, squeezing Shura into a faster lope as he swung once, twice, three times, then let the lasso loose as he approached Sam. The rope found its mark, fell neatly over Sam’s head and shoulders, and though Rhydian instantly slowed Shura, he held the rope and fetched Sam neatly off the fence and face first into the sand. The big Texan got up spluttering and spitting sand.

“Why you lil’ fucker!” Sam’s tan was fading into his pink blush at being bested, “I cannot believe you put him up to that!” Sam whirled on Caleb to find the other man bent double with silent laughter, and softened immediately, “Yeah, alright you win.”

Rhydian circled around to stand Shura near them.

“What does he win?”

“Oh wouldn’t you like to know?” Sam gave him a look with an arched brow that made Rhydian think that yes, he very much would like to know what Caleb had won. But he knew there was no way Sam was going to tell him.

“So then,” Caleb had finished laughing and had managed to compose himself enough to throw an arm around his boyfriend, “Rodeo tonight then. Rhyder’s gonna come watch some real cowboys in action.”

*

Rhydian knew he was acting excited, like a puppy going for a walk, but he didn’t care. Caleb was driving the big beat up pick up and that meant that he was sitting at the far end of the bench seat next to Sam. Best of all he was wearing one of the Texan’s shirts over his own white t-shirt and to Rhydian’s mind, he looked a bit like he belonged; cowboy boots, jeans that were clean but dusty from riding and Sam’s loose fitted checked shirt over the top. Sam was wearing a black pearl button snap shirt and looked like a god with his cream felt Stetson. The cab of the pick-up wasn’t big enough that they were sitting too far apart, and every time Caleb took a corner Rhydian pressed his advantage and thrilled at the feeling of his thigh and hip pressed through two layers of denim against Sam’s own.

His first real rodeo in the company of people who believed in his abilities, taught him to ride properly, and Sam who smiled like Rhydian was the best kind of shiny new toy.

The rodeo stadium was surrounded by cars and trucks of every type and the music blaring from the speakers mounted in the car park Rhydian thought it sounded more like a gig than a rodeo. Caleb left the truck on the end of the line and the three of them strode towards the ring.

Caleb and Sam knew everyone, or so it seemed, and Rhydian was lost by the fourth or fifth firm calloused hand he shook. So many big manly cowboys, many with mates or brothers or girls in tow, talking in thick accents and in jargon that he didn’t understand. There were things he knew: loping, hooves, a good leg, great buck… but mostly it was just a wash of confusion as Caleb and Sam discussed the ins and outs of the rodeo with people who were just like them. The whole place smelt of dust and hay and horse and dung and Rhydian stared at everything. There were horses and trailers all over the place, and it looked like several people had ridden here rather than drive. Rhydian stuck his hands in his pockets and watched a man with his horse.

The cowboy was obviously going to be in the show, because he looked more polished than Sam in his white piped shirt and a suede jacket with fringing along the back and sleeves. The horse was a palomino, all rigged up for going in the arena, and Rhydian watched the man clicking and talking to the steed as he stroked it and checked over the legs and feet. Then he put the last hoof down and saw Rhydian watching. He grinned and touched his hat. Rhydian blushed. He’d been so focused on the horse and the strange feeling of missing Shura that he’d not instantly noticed how beautiful the other man was. Dark hair, stubbled jaw, and a deep working-in-the-sun kind of tan.

Sam was suddenly at his shoulder and Rhydian shivered as the warm hand landed on his shoulder.

“You wanna go say hi?”

“Er…”

“C’mon bud.” Sam pushed him along with him as they crossed the sand. Within feet of the other man he raised his hand and called out.

“Hey Jase!”

“Sam. Whose your friend?”

“This is Rhyder.” Sam jabbed him with his shoulder and Rhydian stepped forwards quickly, feeling silly.

“Hi!” He sounded too bright and too loud in his own ears. “I’m staying at Iron Hill Lake.” Shut up Rhydian, he kicked himself mentally at the bizarre long silence that followed, “Er… I like your hat.”

“Thanks Rhyder,” Jase took his hat off and dumped it on Rhydian’s buzz cut hair. It was too big, but warm, musty, and Rhydian felt suddenly special. “So who have they given you for your stay?”

“Shura. He’s dapple grey.”

“Pretty,” Jase took a step back and rubbed the neck of his own palomino, “This is Sugar. She’s my best bulldogging horse and I love her to bits.”

“You’re not in for roping too are ya?” Sam moved past Rhydian and his hat and stroked the big broad shouldered palomino, keeping a distance between himself and where Rhydian and Jase stood.

“Not tonight no. There’s a couple of big riders from down south in roping this evening, so I fancy my odds better in bulldogging. Better money.” Jase filched his hat back from Rhydian, “Sorry pretty one. I’m gonna need that in the ring. You’ll watch for me right?”

Rhydian felt his heart thud under his ribs, and his riding jeans got suddenly tight in the crotch when Jase rubbed a rough hand over his short hair, and sent chills running down his spine as he smiled.

“Y-yeah.” Rhydian knew he was beaming like a thousand watt bulb, but he couldn’t stop, “I bet you’ll be great.” He patted Sugar’s neck before he stepped back. He had to step back, because Jase’s dark eyes and strong stubbled jaw were making his head spin just a little bit at that distance.

Jase dropped the reins of his horse and walked forwards, the toes of his big black cowboy boots touching Rhydian’s own grey leather. His hand moved up Rhydian’s arm, palm splayed over his shoulder, warm and dry, before his hand cupped the back of the boy’s head. Apparently Jase was fascinated by the texture of Rhydian’s short hair.

“Maybe Sam can train you up to be my outrider at the next show uh?” Then he moved back and clicked, “C’mon Shug!”

Rhydian watched Jase and Sugar walk away towards where other horses and riders were assembling and tried to remember how to breathe now that Jase was not standing next to him. When Sam’s hand landed on his shoulder he felt guilty.

“Come on you, we gotta get in the stands for the girl’s events yeah?” Sam shook the back of his neck gently as he steered him back to where Caleb was waiting.

The stands around the rodeo area were six rows high and packed with people. It was a nice warm evening in Northern California, and rodeo was a happy place to be. Caleb found them seats somewhere in the centre row and Rhydian craned to see what was happening in the chutes down below. He couldn’t see Jase and Sugar right away, and his concentration allowed him to miss the conversation Caleb and Sam were having behind him.

“Seems a bit smitten, babe.” Caleb settled into his seat and adjusted his hat absentmindedly.

“Better smitten with Jase than being dangerous around the yard Cay,” Sam wrapped an arm around his boyfriend’s shoulder and smiled, “It’s a just crush.”

“A crush on the biggest player we know?” Caleb tucked a stray blond curl behind Sam’s ear and touched his tanned cheek. “This isn’t going to end well.”

“Well,” Sam stretched out and crossed his boots, “As long as he’s not crushing on me.” Sam stroked the silk soft curls of his boyfriend’s hair, “Sit down Rhyder. Barrel racing is about to start.”

Rhydian watched the girl’s barrel racing in a sort of daze of amazement. Every horse came out of the starting gate at a full dead run as though being chased by the horsemen of the apocalypse. Every girl crouched in her saddle, bent over the neck of her steed, reins in hand. The horses whipped around the barrels faster than Rhydian thought possible, turning in spaces seemingly way too small for the size of each horse’s feet. The horse’s spun and turned, raced between the barrels like lightning and all Rhydian could do was stare. After the first three or four he was whooping and hollering along with everyone else in the stands.

“Having fun?”

“They’re amazing!” Rhydian was beside himself with excitement, “Could I learn to do that?”

“Only with a lot of practice,” Sam replied. “I’m gonna go get drinks, you want a beer babes?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.” Rhydian blushed as he realised that both he and Caleb had answered Sam’s question simultaneously, “Sorry.”

“You can’t drink Rhyder,” Caleb said quickly, and Rhydian felt like he’d been kicked in the ribs. “He’s too young.”

“Oh he can have one. Back in a flash.” Sam nipped out the end of the row and quickly vanished from sight into the crowd of hats, people selling snacks from trays around their necks, trailers and vans hawking everything from pulled pork sandwiches to riding gear. Rhydian tore his eyes from the preparation on the sand as Caleb came to sit beside him.

“Rhydian.” It was distinctly not a question, “You can’t keep doing this.”

“What?” Rhydian tried to look away from the stern expression in Caleb’s dark eyes, but to no avail. Caleb could out stare a rattlesnake.

“You know what.” Caleb wrapped a hand around his forearm and caught his attention like a fly in hurricane. What with Sam being physically bigger Rhydian tended to forget how strong Caleb really was. His arm hurt almost instantly as Caleb gripped hard. “I know that being a teenager sucks. I remember it well. But if you don’t lay off my boyfriend, the next three weeks will be really hard for you. He’s mine.”

“I…” Rhydian cowered in his seat, even after Caleb let go of him. He wanted to say any number of snide things: like that if Sam was really Caleb’s, then why should the native man be worried at all? But nothing he could have said would have been welcome and Caleb’s shoulders were high and tense in a way that Rhydian felt sure meant violence. “Sorry.”

“Heya boys,” Sam returned like a breath of hot fresh air, his big smile immediately disarming the hostility between the two, “Here you go babe,” he handed Caleb his beer with a kiss, then passed another bottle to Rhydian. The teenager sipped nervously. “Well?”

“People drink this stuff?” Rhydian frowned at the bottle in his hand, wishing he actually wasn’t thirsty so that he wouldn’t have to drink it.

“I thought as much,” Sam filched the bottle from his hand and replaced it with an old-fashioned looking glass bottle full of something fizzy and slightly yellowish, “IBC cream soda. That, you’ll like.”

“Good call,” Caleb leant against Sam’s shoulder while Rhydian sipped the delights of his first cream soda. “Bulldogging’s next. Jase should do well.”

“What is bulldogging?” Rhydian settled into his seat, deciding for now to enjoy his drink and think about what Caleb had said later on.

“So you have a bulldogger and an outrider, or hazer. The outrider runs alongside the steer and keeps the little bugger in line.” Sam set his beer down between his feet and started drawing lines in the air as he spoke, “The bulldogger has to get in the right position to leap from his horse and then you wrestle the thing to the floor. You have to get all four legs in the air. Winner does it fastest.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

“It can be. But then, all rodeo events are dangerous. Here we go.” Sam pointed out to the ring and Rhydian saw two horses lined up outside a chute, facing into the ring. Then the klaxon went, the chutes opened and the steer came out running like a mad black streak.

Rhydian watched with his heart in his mouth. By the time the cowboy in the brown hat had gotten the steer’s legs in the air, Rhydian was on his feet. His heart was pounding so hard that his ribs ached, his voice trapped somewhere deep in his chest where he couldn’t find it. The whole thing had taken seconds, and Rhydian could not wrap his head around the physics of how the man had jumped off the horse and onto the steer, had avoided being gored by the horns and managed to pin the weight of the little black bull underneath himself. It was amazing, and part of Rhydian’s mind wanted nothing more than to run down to the walls of the corral, jump over and join in. He resisted.

Jase and Sugar were up third, and their outrider was a man on a pale horse that looked like Boy Latte only smaller and less pretty. The steer he wrestled with was brown and white in dapples, with big horns and an attitude to make the devil proud. When Jase scanned the crowd, Rhydian sat up straighter, and prayed that the wave and the sexy smile were meant for him. Jase whacked his horse with his heels and Sugar was a fast girl. When he jumped off the horses back, Rhydian was petrified, but Jase was stronger, faster and meaner than the steer, and when the klaxon went to announce the finish the big cowboy beat his fist on the ground in triumph. A two second win.

In the next break between events Rhydian went with Caleb and Sam to get hog roast sandwiches and squealed with delight when Jase caught him around the chest and shoulders.

“You enjoy the show?”

“Y-yes!” Rhydian was grinning, and he caught Sam looking at him sideways with a half-smile.

“You guys wanna come watch the rest from the back of the chutes with me?”

“Hell yes!” Rhyder blushed, hot pink creeping up his cheeks, “Please?” He added lamely.

“Hey Rhyder.” Rhydian turned at Sam’s voice. A hot flash of guilt at being so delighted to see Jase was replaced with joy when he saw what Sam was holding. The big Texan stepped forwards and placed the black pinch fronted, broad brimmed felt hat on his head and settled it there with his palm, “Now you’re a cowboy.”