The Cowboy Way

by Christine Wenger

  “Okay. I know where you stand. I get it.”

  “And?”

  “And I’m going to ride tomorrow.”

  She concentrated on the dishes again. Then she lifted her head and smiled sadly at him. “Okay. Kevin and I will be there. But if you go down, you won’t see me anymore. I can’t watch another person that I love get hurt.”

  He gathered her in his arms and hung on tight. “Will you at least cheer for me?”

  “Of course I will, and you know Kevin will.” She held his face in the palms of her hands. “Be safe, Jake.”

  “I’ll try.” He kissed her with all the love he had in his heart for her. He wished things could be different, but for now, he had to think of Wheelchair Rodeo—and not himself. If he rode that bounty bull, WR would be set financially for a long time.

  Kevin’s confession had the ideas rolling around in his head. With the money, he could expand to include kids who weren’t disabled. Or even kids in need of psychiatric care. He’d talk to Trot’s child psychologist pal, and get him to commit to some volunteer hours next year. He could even include kids who were starting to get into trouble, criminal trouble. He’d let them work off their anger by pitching in at the ranch.

  There were all sorts of things he could do with Harvey Trumble’s money.

  She walked over to kiss him good-night. “I want you to know that I’ve had a wonderful time at the Gold Buckle this week. You’re doing good things here.”

  “This sounds like goodbye.”

  “It is.”

  He fisted his hands in her hair and feasted on her lips. He wanted to be with her tonight, to make love with her one last time. He wanted to hold her in his arms all night, and wake up next to her in the morning. That wouldn’t happen—not with Kevin in the room next door.

  It was better they part like this anyway.

  “Good night, Beth.”

  “Good night, Jake.”

  Minutes later, stretched out on the couch, he thought that he hadn’t felt this bad since he had to put his first horse down. The day after tomorrow, he’d be saying goodbye to two people he loved with all his heart.

  The next day dawned sunny and breezy. They rode back to the Gold Buckle in time for breakfast. Beth rode alone. Jake shared Lance with Kevin.

  It was a party atmosphere when they returned. Kids gathered around Kevin. Beth heard him say, “My last operation finally kicked in and I’ve been practicing walking. Being in WR made me stronger.”

  Jake walked over to the group. “And Kevin here rescued me. I got thrown by Lance and couldn’t get up. Kevin did some fancy roping of the saddle horn, and I was able to pull myself up.”

  “Way cool.”

  “Awesome.”

  “Totally radical, Kev.”

  Kevin’s eyes met Jake’s and Jake saw that the boy was getting uncomfortable with the attention, so he changed the subject. “Kevin’s withdrawn from the competition, and he’s going to be my ramrod for Wheelchair Rodeo tonight at the arena. Is everyone ready?”

  “Yeah!” yelled the kids.

  “I can’t hear you,” Jake said.

  “YEAH!”

  Jake’s fist pumped the air. “All right!”

  It was finally time for Wheelchair Rodeo. Beth sat in the stands at the Mountain Springs Arena, content to watch Kevin fetch and carry for Jake. It definitely was a miracle watching him walk after two long years in a wheelchair. He was still stiff, sometimes awkward, but when he was tired, he sat down.

  She had felt euphoric when she first saw Kevin walk. But the euphoria had faded somewhat when she realized that Jake might soon be in a chair himself.

  The stands were fairly crowded. The word had gone out on radio and TV that WR had been rained out the previous day and was scheduled to take place before the main event.

  Also before the main event, Jake Dixon was scheduled to ride Twister.

  “Twister,” the announcer said, “has successfully thrown off thirty-five previous riders. The bounty on him is $150,000. The Wyoming Journal is also putting up some nice money. All money will go to Wheelchair Rodeo, the special program run by Jake Dixon and his folks out at the Gold Buckle Ranch right here in Mountain Springs.”

  “I hope Harvey Trumble eats crow,” Beth heard K.C. tell Ramon. “If anyone can ride that bull, Jake can.”

  “He’s not in top form,” Ramon replied. “I don’t think he has a chance. Jake had him twice before and was bucked off both times.”

  Beth closed her eyes and said another prayer for Jake. How could the man be so stupid? Then she saw him down there with the kids and she knew he’d do anything for them.

  She could almost understand him—after all, she’d do anything for Kevin. She took a deep breath and thought positive thoughts. Things had to work out okay.

  During the competition Beth cheered for all the WR participants. Jake saw to it that all the kids got some kind of mention and accolades. They were beaming and so were their parents.

  When it came time for the trophy and ribbon presentations for Wheelchair Rodeo, Kevin handed the awards to Jake as they were presented, until there was nothing left on the table.

  “I have a special award to pass out today,” Jake announced to the crowd. “It’s for a special cowboy who used his roping skills that he learned during Wheelchair Rodeo to help out another cowboy in need. Kevin Conroy, will you come over here, please?”

  Kevin’s eyes were round with surprise. He hurried over and stood by Jake.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” said Jake, “I was the cowboy that Kevin helped.”

  Jake waited for the applause to stop, but the cowboys and the kids wouldn’t stop clapping. Jake stepped back for Kevin to be the focus. Kevin grinned from ear to ear. Finally Jake held up his hands and the applause began to die down.

  “I’d like to present this special award to Kevin Conroy.” He held up a huge gold belt buckle. “I hope you don’t mind, Kevin. It’s a little used. It’s the gold buckle I won at the PBR Finals a couple of years ago.”

  Kevin held up the buckle for the audience to see. The applause was hearty. Lights flashed. Beth wished she had a camera, but Emily was front and center with her own. She’d ask for duplicates from her.

  Jake squatted down and, without hesitation, Kevin hugged him. Beth let her tears flow. It was a beautiful moment in her life, a moment to be treasured.

  She hoped that Jake would make the time to keep in touch with Kevin, and she’d let Kevin call Jake as much as he wanted. She’d certainly like to keep in touch with Jake herself and to see how he was doing. She was going to miss him terribly.

  As Jake and Kevin shook hands, she swallowed hard against the lump of sadness in her throat. There was no way around it. She had to return home tomorrow and get back to work, get back to her life. She had bills yet to pay. With continued hydrotherapy, Kevin would become even stronger.

  But there was no denying that when she stepped on that plane, and they closed and locked the cabin door, she’d be in total agony.

  She tried to relax, tried to shake out the tension in her muscles. Even more terrible than getting on that plane tomorrow was doing what she had to do now: watch Jake ride Twister.

  The volunteers and the cowboys got the kids settled into the stands. Kevin appeared and sat next to her, showing her his Gold Buckle. “It’s awesome, Mom.”

  She traced Jake’s name on the buckle, which was probably worth several thousand dollars to rodeo collectors, but it held more value than that for Kevin. His hero had given it to him.

  And his hero had turned out to be worthy of Kevin’s admiration.

  She put her arm around her son’s shoulders and hugged him to her. “That’s a great reward for a great job.”

  “Mom?”

  “Yes?

  “Do we have to go tomorrow? Really? Can’t we stay here?”

  She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Kev, but that’s where we live. That’s where my job is.”

  “But I thought you liked Jake?”<
br />
  “I do, honey, but Jake has his own life. Our week is over here.”

  How could she tell him that Jake had chosen his bull riding over them? That he might end up severely injured after this ride, or the next, or the next?

  Kevin bent his head to stare at the buckle, and Beth knew that his little heart was breaking as much as hers.

  Much to her surprise, Harvey Trumble took a seat next to her. He was with a good-looking man in his mid-twenties with his arm in a cast. Beth assumed that it was Keith, the man who had accused Jake of breaking his arm.

  “Hello, Mr. Trumble.”

  He looked at her suspiciously. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

  “A couple of days ago. The Last Chance Saloon. I was with Jake Dixon.”

  One side of his lip curled up. “Oh, yeah.”

  “This is my son, Kevin. Kevin Conroy.”

  Kevin leaned across her to shake hands with Mr. Trumble. Trumble seemed surprised, but he took Kevin’s hand. Harvey pointed a thumb toward the man next to him.

  “This is my son, Keith.”

  Keith waved but didn’t extend his hand.

  Kevin waved back. “Hi.”

  “Hello,” Beth said.

  “Whatcha got there, boy?” Mr. Trumble asked Kevin.

  “Kevin was awarded a Gold Buckle from Jake for helping him when he needed it,” Beth said.

  Harvey seemed to lighten up when Kevin showed him his buckle. “What good deed did you do?”

  “I roped a saddle horn so Jake could hold on to it and get up from the mud.”

  “Why couldn’t he get up from the mud?”

  “Because he has too many injuries. He needs some operations,” Kevin told the man. “Dr. Trotter told him to quit, but Jake said that he has to ride Twister to give the money to Wheelchair Rodeo.”

  Puzzled, Beth looked at Kevin. “How do you know all this?”

  He shrugged. “I heard Jake tell Dr. Trotter.”

  Trumble cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.

  “His sponsors are dropping him due in part to you, no doubt.” Beth shook her head. “How could you hate him so much? No matter what happens to him, he’s going to do it for Wheelchair Rodeo. Do you get that, Mr. Trumble? Jake could end up in a wheelchair himself, and he knows that. But you know what makes him a hero? He’s not doing it for himself. Not this time. He’s doing it for the kids.”

  “You tell him, Mom!” Kevin said.

  “Geez, Pop, I didn’t know Jake was hurt that much,” Keith said.

  Harvey turned toward Keith. “Didn’t you tell me that Jake said you weren’t good enough for his sister?”

  “That’s what he said.”

  “Mr. Trumble, Jake told me that no one was good enough for his sister and that Keith continued to put his hands on her after she told him to stop.” Beth looked pointedly at Keith. “What would you do if you were Jake and Karen was your sister?”

  Harvey stood and motioned with his hand. “We need to talk, Keith. Let’s go.”

  He watched his son walk down the bleachers, then he turned to Beth and tweaked his hat. “The money is Jake’s whether he rides the bull or not, but I’m going to try to stop him from riding.”

  But it was too late. The announcer was pumping up the crowd for Jake’s ride. Beth looked over at the chutes and could see only the top of Jake’s black hat. His bull rope was vertical in the air and she knew he was working rosin into it to make it sticky. Then he’d wrap the bull rope around his riding hand.

  A huge screen hanging from the roof of the arena showed a close-up of him, and she could see him concentrating on his wrap.

  “Be careful, Jake. Please be careful,” she prayed.

  “Go, Jake! You can ride that old bull!” yelled Kevin.

  Beth held her breath.

  The chute gate opened. Twister sprang out into the arena and began to spin. He was all muscle, yet surprisingly agile for his nineteen hundred pounds. Snot poured out of his nose in ribbons when he bucked, and true-to-his name he twisted in midair, trying to shake Jake off his back. Jake drifted left, then centered himself—a remarkable feat.

  “Hang on, Jake. Hang on!” Beth screamed. Her nails dug into her palms as she watched the bull spin left.

  “You got ’em, Jake!”

  The spectators were going wild. The clock showed three seconds. It was the longest three seconds of her life.

  Twister reversed the spin. Jake stayed with him, but he was barely hanging on. Then he was over to the side.

  “Five seconds!” Kevin screamed. “Hold on, Jake!”

  Beth sprang to her feet. “Do it, Jake! Do it!”

  Six seconds.

  The bull reversed again. Jake was hanging dangerously over the side of the bull. With every jump, the animal’s hooves moved closer to his face.

  It wasn’t pretty, but he was still in the game.

  Seven seconds. Eight seconds!

  The buzzer rang. Jake let go, but with the bull still spinning Jake was tossed off like a rag doll. He lay on the ground, unmoving.

  “Get up, Jake. Get up!” Beth shouted.

  He didn’t. He couldn’t.

  Her heart sank.

  He’s a good man. Don’t let him be hurt. Don’t let him be paralyzed.

  Clint Scully and two other bullfighters managed to get the bull out of the arena as a team of paramedics helped Jake up. Jake punched the air and flung his hat across the arena. Then the audience was on its feet, going wild.

  Beth and Kevin high-fived one another and hugged.

  On the big screen, Beth saw the whiteness around Jake’s mouth, a sign of pain that probably only she noticed. But, thank heaven, he was alive and walking and didn’t seem any worse.

  She watched as Jake slowly made his way in front of the bleachers where they were sitting. Standing in the arena, he waved to them. Clint Scully came up behind Jake and plopped his hat back on his head, and the two exchanged kidding punches.

  Beth’s throat was raw from screaming. She blew him a kiss. Jake laughed.

  “Yeah, Jake!” Kevin yelled.

  Jake punched the air again. Kevin did the same in return. Then he walked off for the check presentation. This check would be for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars—from the stock contractor who owned Twister.

  Beth settled back in her chair as she watched him accept the check. Then the announcer had the audience do a countdown as to when the Challenge would go live on TV.

  The Jake Dixon Bull Riders Challenge was starting.

  Every rider was introduced and stood in the middle of the arena. After the last introduction, geysers of glittering fireworks sprouted up from the arena floor.

  Jake’s name was announced, and when he walked out, she and Kevin yelled at the top of their lungs.

  Everyone stood for the National Anthem and for a new Cowboy/Cowgirl Prayer written and read by Dex Dixon.

  When the applause ended, Jake stood in the middle of the dark arena, a spotlight focused on him.

  His deep voice vibrated through Beth’s bones.

  “Ladies and gentleman, honored guests of Wheelchair Rodeo, and all you professional bull riders who have joined us today, my name is Jake Dixon and on behalf of my parents, Emily and Dex Dixon, we’d like to welcome you to the Third Annual Jake Dixon Gold Buckle Ranch Bull Riders Challenge.”

  There was a roar of applause. Jake waited.

  “We’ve had some excitement here today, haven’t we?”

  The applause and cheering was deafening. Beth and Kevin added their own encouragement to the noise.

  “And there’s more excitement to come. So everyone…get ready to rock!” Music blared as the lights went on in the arena. Jake waved his hat in the air as the announcer took over.

  Kevin pointed to something in the program, and Beth leaned over to see what he was indicating. Before she knew what was happening, she heard whistles and clapping from the spectators around her and Jake slipped into the seat next to her, the seat that Harvey Trum
ble had just vacated. Those around them in the stands were slapping Jake on the back and shaking his hand.

  “Congratulations!” Beth said.

  “Cool, Jake!”

  “Thanks.” He grinned and took Beth’s hand in his.

  “Are you okay?” Beth asked.

  “Never better,” he replied. “But listen to the announcer.”

  The announcer’s voice echoed through the arena. “Jake Dixon has withdrawn from today’s competition. He told me that he has to tell a certain lady that a gold ring is better than a Gold Buckle. What do you think that means, folks?”

  Jake struggled to get down on one knee, using the chairs on both sides of him as leverage.

  “What are you doing, Jake?” Kevin asked.

  Jake let out a long breath. “I’m trying to propose to your mother. Okay with you, Kevin?”

  “Cool!”

  Beth tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat wouldn’t let her.

  Jake kissed the back of her hand. “Beth Conroy, will you marry me?”

  Beth finally found her voice. “But…your career.”

  “How much more on top could I be? I have you and Kevin. I don’t need anything else. Okay, maybe a couple more little cowboys or cowgirls. Is that all right with you?”

  She laughed, tears in her eyes. “Perfectly all right.”

  “And maybe I’d like to teach bull riding and horseback riding, expand the Gold Buckle programs, maybe go back to school, build a small hotel on the ranch, build us a home…” He stopped to take a breath. “I’ll need your help and Kevin’s. That okay with you?”

  “Absolutely! But what about your surgery?”

  “I’ll let Trot know he can crack me open as soon as possible and fix me up.”

  She dried her cheeks with a swipe of her hand. “I’m so glad.”

  “Well, will you marry this broken-down cowboy?”

  “Honey, if you don’t marry him, I will!” said a lady two rows up. Everyone laughed.

  “Sorry. He’s mine. All mine,” she shot over her shoulder, then turned to Jake. “I’d love to marry you!” Beth bent over to kiss him.

  He pulled her close and they sealed their promise with a kiss.

  “Oh brother,” Kevin said. “Ick.”

  Laughter broke them apart. As Jake tried to stand, several people came to his assistance.