Learning the Ropes

by T. J. Kline

  In the quiet of the barn, her ringtone sounded again and she saw David was calling her again. Mama Bear kicked the wall between them with a loud crack.

  “Easy, girl,” her father murmured. “Apparently, she’s not a country music fan. Why don’t you take that outside,” he suggested. “She’s acting extra crabby this morning.”

  “I’ll just text him back.”

  Her fingers tapped over the keyboard.

  Can’t talk now. Will call back later.

  “He’s a good guy, you know. I don’t think he’d ever do anything to deliberately hurt you.”

  “Who?”

  “Chris. Who else would I mean?” He poked his head out the door of the Mama Bear’s stall as Alicia moved toward where he worked with the mare. “I always hoped you and he might become more than just friends.”

  “Dad, I was texting David.” She hoped her voice didn’t sound as disappointed to his ears as it did to hers. “He wants me to have dinner with him this weekend after the rodeo.”

  He ducked back into the stall. “You should.”

  She laughed and leaned against the door of the stall. “You just finished telling me you wanted to see me end up with Chris and now you’re telling me to go out on a date with David?”

  Her father finished with the mare and closed the stall door behind him as Alicia leaned on the handle of the rake. “Honey, I know you’re serious about getting to the Finals. Your mother and I have both seen how hard you work to get there but there is more to life than competition. I don’t want to see you so focused on winning that you forget to enjoy the journey or to find someone to enjoy it with.”

  She paused and inhaled the scent of the fresh pine shavings. Shame overflowed in her chest as she looked at her father. She’d been so worried about getting a place for her parents, trying to help him achieve his dream, that she hadn’t bothered to notice how concerned he was for her happiness.

  “Dad,” she began but he cut her off.

  “I know what you’re going to say. You love rodeo, but I also know how much you love kids and teaching them to ride. I’ve seen you when you fill in for Bradley giving lessons here. You’re good at it.”

  Alicia shook her head and laughed at her father. “Dad, what does teaching kids to ride have to do with dating Chris or David?”

  “Well, I’m hoping that someday you’ll be teaching my grandkids to ride.” Her father ducked back into the stall she was supposed to be cleaning. “And you’re not getting any younger, you know.”

  “Did you just call me old?” Alicia wadded the empty plastic from the shavings into a ball and tossed it into a garbage barrel outside the stall door. “Dad, I’m not in any hurry to find a husband or have kids. I’ve got enough to worry about taking care of you,” she teased.

  Ali pictured Chris and David in her mind. Even if she were looking, she wasn’t sure either one was husband material. One was so afraid of commitment he practically ran in the other direction when he saw anything remotely close to a relationship and the other can’t decide who he’d rather please, himself or his father.

  “THERE IT IS.” David walked toward Chris, carrying his saddle over one shoulder. “Where’d you find my phone? I’ve been looking for it everywhere.”

  Chris slyly cleared the text message thread from the phone and held it out to David. “It was sitting in the tack room. You must’ve set it down and forgotten it.”

  David’s brows dropped forward in a frown. “I don’t remember taking it out of my pocket.”

  Chris shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe you dropped it and Dad picked it up so it didn’t get broken.”

  “Huh,” David took the phone and touched the screen. “Is this a call to Ali?”

  Crap! Chris had forgotten to clear the call log. He watched David press the button to return her call. It’d be better to admit now that he’d been calling her, pretending to be David before David made a fool of himself.

  “Wait a second.” David waved him off. “David, hang up,” Chris instructed.

  David hung up the phone and set the saddle down. “What?”

  Chris shifted his baseball cap back on his head, nervously. “I asked Ali out to dinner after the next rodeo.”

  “What? I thought you said . . .”

  “No,” Chris clarified, “I called her, pretending to be you.”

  David crossed his arms over his chest and clenched his jaw tightly. “I don’t need you meddling, Chris. I can ask her out myself if and when I want to.”

  Chris tipped his head at David, dubious. “Really? Because you were doing so well before I introduced the two of you.” What the hell? Like his mother said, if he was in for a penny, he was in for a pound. “And I’ve been texting her since Sunday,” he confessed.

  “Damn it, Chris! Contrary to what you think, there are other things in life besides screwing women and having fun. Some of us actually want to make something of our rodeo career.”

  “That’s priceless coming from a guy who went home with one of the easiest women on the circuit the other night.”

  “I told you, nothing happened.”

  “I’m supposed to believe you when you say it, but when I say the same thing, you call me a liar. Look, you like Ali, right?” Chris saw the look in David’s eyes change from frustration to what almost looked like concession. “You have fun together, so what’s the harm in going out to dinner?”

  David’s mouth scrunched up and he frowned, shaking his head. “Well, for one, she’s got this really annoying guy friend. Says he’s known her since high school and he’s always around. To be honest, he’s kind of a pain in my ass.”

  Chris laughed, relieved that David wasn’t mad. He still wasn’t sure why he was trying so hard to get them together. But he wanted to see her happy and if Ali was dating David, this desire for her would go away again. He didn’t date taken women, especially not his best friend’s, so life would get back to normal, with him dating a new woman at every rodeo and thoughts of white picket fences be damned

  “Yeah, well, rumor has it, that pain in your ass isn’t going to be there. He’s got to get back and help his dad pick up a new bull so he’ll have his own truck.”

  “You will?”

  Chris nodded. “That means you have Ali all to yourself. Now, go call her and let her know where and what time.”

  David grinned and reached for the saddle, dialing Ali with his thumb as he headed for the tack room.

  “You’re welcome,” Chris yelled after him.

  “THERE YOU ARE.” David looked up in time to see his father heading his way. “You should be out warming up.”

  David turned back toward the tack compartment of his trailer. “I’m fine, Dad. Chris and I have been working him out all week, the horse is warmed up. We’re ready.” He saw Alicia riding by on Beast and waved. “We’re still on after your run, right?”

  She turned her gelding and stopped at his trailer. “Yes, unless you want to change your mind.”

  David smiled up at her. He wasn’t sure what was stopping Chris from keeping her all to himself but he wasn’t about to question his friend’s lapse in judgment. Chris’s noncommittal nature was working to his benefit for a change.

  “Not a chance.” He saw her eyes flick to his father before widening a bit in recognition. “Alicia, this is my father, Colt Greenly. Dad, this is Alicia Kanani.”

  His father tipped his straw cowboy hat back and stepped forward, reaching up to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  “I’ve heard your name since I was little, Mr. Greenly. You’re quite a legend.”

  His father tucked his thumbs in the front pockets of his pants and shrugged modestly. David clenched his jaw. He hated when his dad pulled this humble cowboy bullshit. This wasn’t the man his sons saw. This was the act he put on for fans. They never saw the hard, demanding man who pushed his boys to win, no matter what the cost. Part of that cost had been their mother who’d left when they were only seven because she couldn’t deal with her husba
nd and his heavy-handed ways.

  He watched as Alicia talked briefly with his father, impressed that she didn’t fawn over him the way most people did although she remained quietly respectful. She asked him insightful questions as he became animated at her attention, offering suggestions. It didn’t take long for her to wind him around her finger easily, he thought.

  “I’d better go. I have to warm up my other horse,” she apologized. “It was really nice to meet you, Mr. Greenly.”

  “Colt,” he corrected, amiably, smiling up at her.

  “Colt,” she agreed before turning to David. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  David smiled up at her, looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with her tonight. For the first time, it would be just the two of them. No crowds and no Chris. Oddly, he wouldn’t have minded the crowds. It was Chris he was glad to have gone. Whether Chris wanted to admit it or not, David wasn’t blind. He could see there was more between them than a long-standing friendship. The more time David could spend with Ali alone, the more he might be able to endear himself and solidify his relationship with her, without the shadow of Chris. For the first time, in a very long time, he thought about a future after rodeo, one where he could settle down and have a family. A real family, not like the one he grew up in.

  He watched Ali ride toward her trailer where her buckskin gelding was tied.

  “Frickin’ trashy bunnies,” his father muttered under his breath.

  David took a deep breath, willing himself to control his temper as he clenched his hands into fists at his sides. He turned to face his father. “She’s not a bunny, Dad. Her father’s a trainer. She’s in the top ten standings right now.”

  His father shook his head and gave him a disdainful sneer. “They’re all trainers, son.” He pointed toward Ali’s trailer. “You need to stay away from that girl. I guarantee, she’s looking for some cowboy to take care of her, help her pop out a few babies and sit on her butt getting fat.”

  Like he was going to take advice about women from a man who couldn’t even keep the only one willing to stay through his abuse. David stepped into the trailer, wanting to get away from his father’s prying eyes and jerked his Western shirt from the hanger, slipping his arms inside. His father followed him, standing at the doorway.

  “Trust me. It’s exactly what your mother did.”

  “This isn’t about you and Mom.” He sighed, forcing back the angry words he wanted to throw at his dad about how his mother had tried to make it work with him, tried to get him help with his drinking and gambling, had lied about all of her black eyes and stitches, until he finally threw her out. “Look, I’ve got a run in about ten minutes. Any other words of wisdom you’d like to impart before I go out there?”

  His father narrowed his eyes and his voice grew serious with a warning tone David remembered from his youth. “Don’t get smart with me, boy. I’m only looking out for you. Look what happened to your brother.”

  David wanted to argue that his brother was deliriously happy, married to a wonderful woman, and expecting their first son. His brother was running a successful cattle ranch and training rope horses with several championship buckles under his belt.

  He kept his mouth shut because it wouldn’t do any good. His father only saw that he wasn’t roping any more, wasn’t winning any more buckles, and wasn’t keeping the family name in the top standings any longer. It didn’t matter that he was content with the life he created for himself because it didn’t serve Colt Greenly’s vision. David brushed by his father and checked his cinch before slipping a foot into the stirrup, ignoring the older man.

  “David, I mean it. Focus on the National Finals and leave the bunnies for these guys going nowhere.”

  David refused to answer his dad and jerked his rope loose from the tie on his saddle as he headed into the practice arena. Setting his loop, he took a few practice swings on a nearby roping dummy as his father’s words continued to echo in his mind.

  What if Alicia was just looking for a husband? Weren’t most women? But she wasn’t pursuing him, it had been the other way around. Besides, they weren’t anywhere close to that point in their relationship. He wondered if he could he marry someone like her, from a background like hers? It made him feel like a snob but he wanted to find a like-minded woman, someone just as driven as he was. He knew her mother had immigrated to this country before she married Ali’s father. They obviously understood hard work but as nice as they were, they seemed content to work for someone else, helping build someone else’s fortune rather than their own. David didn’t understand that mindset. He sought freedom, in his rodeo career and from his father’s overbearing demands.

  He looked back at his father, waiting on the other side of the chain link fencing, watching his every move with a critical eye. What would Alicia say if she saw what his father was really like? He knew his father couldn’t keep up this performance forever. He might be able to fool people for a few minutes but anyone who spent longer than that with him got the full effect of his bitterness.

  “Hey, you ready?” Chris rode up, interrupting David’s spinning thoughts. “What’d your dad want now?” He jerked his chin toward the fence line.

  David shook his head. “Just the usual.” He looked out into the arena, picturing their perfect run in his head the way he did before every go-round. “Just do me a favor. Don’t miss today, okay?”

  “Wouldn’t think of it.” Chris laughed. “Last week was a fluke. I’ve got this,” he said confidently, nodding as the cowboy at the back gate let them into the arena.

  Chris looked relaxed as he settled himself into the header’s box and it showed in the way his gelding settled in, calm but alert. Contrary to the way David’s horse pranced into the box, pawing at the ground nervously. David circled him to settle him. He knew the horse was picking up on his frustration from his latest conversation with his father. He should have walked away far sooner than he had. David took a deep breath and forced himself to focus on the task at hand.

  The more he tried to forget the argument about Ali, the more it seemed to demand his attention. He tugged his reins backward, trying to get his gelding to sit back into the corner but instead, he lifted onto his hind legs, rearing slightly. David knew he had to settle the gelding or they’d never make it out of the box. He circled him around again, taking another deep breath, trying to calm his own tension. Chris shot him a concerned look. David knew if this went on much longer, Chris was going to have to let his horse move. It didn’t bode well for their run.

  “Come on,” he growled under his breath, backing his gelding up again. He took another deep breath and adjusted his rope. His mount’s muscles twitched under him but he remained in the corner of the box. David knew this was the best they were going to get and nodded to Chris.

  Chris gave the cowboy manning the gate a nod and the chute opened, allowing the steer to burst from within. The horses jolted forward as the barrier rope snapped, signaling a clear run. Chris was quick to throw his loop, snapping up the slack in the rope and dallying it around his saddle horn, making a sharp left turn, giving David a clear shot at both hind legs.

  David tried to focus on the way the steer’s feet were landing in the soft dirt and timed his swing. He knew as soon as he tossed his rope he’d twisted his hand too much, dropping the tip of the rope. It slapped the side of the steer’s feet instead of landing in front. David jerked backward but he knew he’d missed and quickly rebuilt his loop. Chris circled the steer but David knew far too much time had ticked by to put them into the money. He tossed his loop, catching only one hind leg and pulled the rope taut. The announcer called their time, including the penalty for missing one hind leg, and David dropped his head forward as he headed to the back gate. He glanced up at his father in the stands and knew by the way his shoulders were thrown back as he stormed down the stairs and his exaggerated limp, David wouldn’t be talking to him until the next rodeo. He’d let his father down again, he’d let Chris down, and now he was s
upposed to face Alicia and pretend to have a pleasant dinner. He couldn’t do this.

  David hurried back to the trailer, not even waiting for Chris to join him, and unsaddled the gelding. He wanted to sneak away but he knew Chris would come by to talk. It was the last thing he wanted to do right now, especially considering how much grief he’d given Chris for missing last week.

  “David,” Chris called, walking his gelding to the trailer. “Hey man, don’t worry about it. We’re just having a couple of off weeks. It’s fine.”

  David paused with his hands gripping the cinch. “It’s not fine. We needed to win, Chris.” He couldn’t help but think about his father losing their home and how he’d come to David, for the first time, to help save the ranch. His father actually asked him for help and he wasn’t man enough to provide it.

  “Calm down, it happens.”

  David spun on him. “Not to me, it doesn’t. I’ve been working toward this my entire life and I can’t let myself get distracted now.”

  “Fine,” Chris agreed. He sighed, slapping David’s shoulder. “I know you, and next week we’ll win first like this never happened. In the meantime, go to dinner with Ali and have a good time tonight. I’ll see you Monday at my parents’ place to practice.”

  “You’re not listening.” David brushed Chris’s hand away. “I said I can’t afford distractions—we can’t afford them. That includes dinner tonight. My dad’s right. I have to remember what’s most important and not throw this all away now. The last thing I need to do is complicate everything with a relationship.”

  “David, you can’t stand Ali up. She’s about to go out and do her run.”