“BRAXTON, ARE YOU IN there?” Bill yells, as his big, meaty hands thump, thump, thump on the camper door.

“Yes, Bill. I’m coming.” I open the door for him, pushing my hair out of my eyes and running my fingers through the rest of the crusty mess. I was so tired after my ride last night; I didn’t take a shower. I went straight to bed, and now I’ve got bull snot matted in it. Fuck.

He and Walker Campbell enter my kitchen. “Well, at least we know it wasn’t you. Your sleep-filled eyes show you just woke up.”

“What’s happened?” I pick the sleep out of the corner of my eyes and rub the rest of it away with water from the kitchen sink. Thank God for being worn out and keeping me out of trouble.

“Someone’s stolen the merchandise money again. We just counted it from last night. It was locked it up in the security bag and put away while waiting for the bank to open.” Bill takes a seat at my table and removes his hat. “Where’s Noa? Maybe she saw something.”

“Her friend is in town from home. She stayed in the hotel across the street with her last night. As far as I know, she’s still there. She canceled our regular morning workout. I seriously doubt she’s even up.”

“You and she are usually the only ones up at the butt crack of dawn, but not when I need you. Shit.”

“Sorry, Bill. Taurus gave me a run for my money on that last ride. I popped a few of those anti-inflammatory pills and passed out.” I slide my boots on and pull my pant legs down over them. “How many people have come to the business office this morning?”

“No one. That’s the problem,” Walker says, raising his voice. He’s on the edge of frustration with this problem.  He pounds his fist on the counter causing the dishes to rattle.

“How many people have keys? They had to get in some way.”

“As far as I know, me, Sally, Walker, and the other two security guards are the only ones who have the keys. I’m just bamboozled at how this keeps happening.” He wipes the sweat from his face with a wadded handkerchief he pulls from his pocket. “C’mon, Walker. Let’s go see if the Harkins’ saw anything.”

Bill struggles to unwedge himself from in between the table and the bench, before finally hoisting his belly out of the tight spot at full force. “Do you need some help? I’m up. Might as well put me to good use.”

“No, Braxton. We appreciate it, but we’ve got to get a quick handle on this, and you’ve got training...” Walker shuts the door on Bill midway through his sentence. Alright then. I won’t help. I make a pot of coffee and stretch out my shoulder while waiting for the brew cycle.

Damn, I miss Noa. It’s been two nights since I’ve spoken to her. I saw her in the arena last night, but never even got to meet her best friend. I think it was the blond girl, hanging over the railing that she was talking to, but I’m not sure.

I miss not smelling her shampoo in the bathroom right after her shower. Or listening to her hum as she waits for the coffee to brew.  And how she taps on the cutting board with the knife as she dices her fruit for her yogurt.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Someone’s knocking on the camper door. I swing the door open, and it’s Wes Stanton. “Morning, Brax. Is Dr. Knight around?” His bloodshot eyes tell me he’s still hung-over from the night before. He barely made his last eight second ride, but he got his points. The bull got more points than he did, drunken fucker.

“No. She isn’t here.” I hiss at him, not sure if my attitude is because she isn’t here or because he’s asking for her.  It’s an even mix of both.

“There’s no need to be pissy, Braxton. I’ll find her later.” He steps off the stairs, stumbling for his balance. He’s so damn skinny it’s almost sickening.

“Yeah, much later. Like Never,” I holler to his back. He raises his hand and flies his middle finger flag at me.

Drunk motherfucker. He needs to stay away from Noa. First I find him in her yoga class, and now he’s snooping around in the early morning hours looking for her. Nope. Not happening. I’m gonna put a stop to that as soon as she comes home.

An hour and a few cups of coffee later, keys rattle in the door and laughing bursts out from a voice I don’t know. “All my life, I never thought I’d be visiting you in a camper. If Marlena Knight could see you now, she’d beat you with her pearls and torch this place.” They are both laughing hysterically as the door swings open, and they enter. 

Noa looks up surprised to see me as she drops her bag on the couch. My eyes narrow at her, and the unspoken accusations from her friend. I dump my cold coffee down the sink and walk to the back door.

“Your new boyfriend was here looking for you.” Bile rises in my throat at the vision in my mind of my words. I step down on the makeshift stairs of cinder blocks and push the door closed behind me. My name fades on her lips as the door closes on her words.

I’m not gonna get mad at her friend. I’m sure it was an inside joke that someday I would understand. It was an opportunity comment that I am going to let slide.  Besides, my place is clean, and it’s not my permanent home.  Why am I rationalizing this to myself?

I walk over to the arena and decide to hang out for a while. Maybe it’ll take my mind off Noa and Wes. Damn it. Even my brain is putting them together in one sentence. I’ve warned her a hundred times to keep her guard up and stay away from him. I don’t know what to do now.

“Hey, Cowboy,” Mandy hollers at me from the barn as I pass one of its open doors. She’s combing her horse, Thunder, after her arena practice. I pet his soft nose, as she digs in her pocket for an apple and hands me her pocket knife to slice it with.

“ You ready for tomorrow night?” I slice the apple into quarters, releasing the sweet smell into the air. Thunder starts nuzzling the top of my hat, and I hold out a thick slice for him.”

“I’m ready physically. I struggle with the mental part. Dad’s been trying to teach me how to get out of my head for years. 

“Well, if anyone knows how to overcome struggle, it’s Virgil. Why don’t you come and join the Yoga classes that Noa, I mean, Dr. Knight, is teaching? It's helped my back and shoulders for stretching and has improved mental clarity.”  I hold out the remaining slice of apple in the palm of my hand for Thunder to take. He tickles my palm as he scoots it around before taking it. “Good, boy.”

“Noa, is it?” She laughs, teasing me, just like we were kids. Mandy has always been able to make me laugh, even on my darkest days of crying over the mess of my life in her parent's camper.  She’s grown up here on the circuit and understands the hardships of being on the road. The Harkins’ are dear friends of mine and have rescued me from myself more times than I care to count.

“I corrected myself. C’mon, we do share a camper, or at least we do for a few more weeks.”

“No, no. It’s cool. You know I’m just teasing you, but watch the rumor mill. It’s already going around about moaning noises and other such stuff coming from that back bedroom. “

“I know. Trust me, I’ve heard it, and I think she’s heard it too. People are going to gossip, but as long as we know the truth— I’m ignoring it. You can’t defuse a bomb after it’s already gone off, you know?”

She starts snickering laughing, as she finishes brushing and then plaiting Thunder’s tail. Her giggles are still coming in little spurts as she looks up at me sporadically.

“What’s so funny?” She shakes her head without a response, clamping her lips shut.  I grab the hose nozzle and hold it like I’m going to soak her with it. She’ll tell me under threat of a soaking. Her hands fly up to cover her face, just as I release a tiny bit of water spray at her.

She sprints from the stall and barn screaming my name and runs into Noa and her friend. She circles behind them for a second, using them as protection against me.

I twist the nozzle closed and drop it on the ground, holding my hands up in surrender. The big grin on my face is hard to contain while Mandy’s still laughing. She walks back towards me cautiously, turning slightly towards Noa, “How do you live with this brat?” It takes all the strength I have not to acknowledge the dropped jaw and hurt look in Noa’s eyes as we walk back into the barn giggling.

“What’d you do that for?” She rolls the hose back up and hangs it on the wall, far away from my reach.

“You started it with the laughing. Tell me, what were you laughing at?” I close the stall gate, securing Thunder inside.

“The image of a PBR daily post headline popped into my brain ‘Braxton’s Sex Bomb.’ It was funny, so I laughed.”

“That’d be more troublesome to my publicist than funny, so don’t go starting that rumor.” Her bottom lip juts out in a pout and her eyes narrow at me, but she knows I’m kidding when she quickly smiles again.

“Aww. You’re taking all the fun out of my lonely existence. Jon’s already gone. Don’t take away my rumor mill gossip.”

“Speaking of Jon, have you heard from him? Is he safe?” She shakes her head and holds it up to the sky, trying to prevent the instantaneous tears that have welled up from falling.

Jon Whitestein is a good man. Scratch that. He’s a fucking phenomenal genius. He’s a software developer for lack of a better term. He invented the most advanced zooming software technology you can get for aerial photography. He’s over in the Middle East right now working with the government on some top secret project.

“He’s okay. We’ve already spoken this morning. It’s been hard with the time differences as we move around. But this is a good time zone for us. I’m glad we’re here for a while, at least.”

“Alright. I’m glad to hear he’s safe and well. I’m gonna get over to the arena for some extra practice time. Behave, and stay away from idle gossip and chatter. It’s all lies and innuendo.” I wink at her and softly touch Thunder on the nose before heading back outside.

Inside the arena, I enter the locker rooms and hear hushed whispers in the therapy cubes. It’s Noa and a more profound voice talking lowly. I edge along the wall to get within better earshot of their conversation. I look around, and no one’s coming, so I lean against the wall and listen.

“I’m afraid you’re going on the injured report, Wes.”

Wes. That rat bastard. Serves him right. My hands clench in anger.

“You can’t fucking do that.” His raised voice echoes off the bare walls.

“I can, and I am. Whatever you did this morning tore your trapezius muscle. That’s not an easy fix, especially when you need to hold your arm up for points. You can’t even lift it past your waist right now.” She sounds calm and in control. Which is more than I can say for myself, my fists are clenched so tight; my knuckles are glowing white.

“Give me the damn pain meds, and I’ll make it happen. I only need eight seconds,” he rasps. A few grunts and groans follow as I hear the table legs screech across the concrete floor.

The sound of paper rips and then nothing. There’s dead silence coming from the room. No footsteps. No exchange of further directions.

My boot scuffs the dirty floor as I take a step to check on Doc, and then I hear talking.  “He’s scary. I was nervous for a few moments,” her friend says. Oh, thank God. I’m glad she wasn’t alone with him, although I ‘m not sure two women would have been enough to handle his rage when it’s unleashed.

“He’s a very sick man, and there isn’t much I can do for him. He chooses to self-medicate with alcohol. You and I both know that’s a deadly combination. Now he’s got a prescription for some powerful painkillers to add to his nightly cocktail. The only thing I can do is make sure a one-ton bull isn’t  added to the mix.”

“You can only do so much; he’s an adult. At some point, he’s got to take responsibility for his own life.  Come on, let’s go fill those ice bags you were talking about.”

“I’m so glad you are here with me. Let’s go.”

A heavy door creaks in the far distance and then slams closed. I’m not sure how Wes got out of the room, but I’m glad he’s nowhere near Doc. I unclench my fists and feel lighter, as I head towards the mechanical bull training area.

Virgil is waiting for me when I practically skipped through the door. “Oh boy! You’re in a good mood. What’s happened?”

“Nothing. Just ready to get out there tonight and get some more points. If I win, then I qualify to start picking my bulls. If I can take the ‘luck of the draw’ out of the equation, I have a much better shot at making quarterfinals and then finals in the fall.”

“I see a man with a plan. Let’s get to it then. I’ve got the buck and spin cranked up to Bodacious level. You ready?”

“Yes, Sir. I’m caffeinated and awake.” He turns the music up loud, and we get to work.