Cowgirls Don't Cry

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - JESSE

Throwing my bag down just inside my bedroom door, I stepped inside and fell back on my bed, running my hands through my hair, frustrated and worried. Katie hadn't spoken to me all day, ignoring every attempt I made to talk and avoiding me at all costs. She hadn't been on the bus home either, and I hoped she'd gotten home okay, seeing as Georgie had seemed puzzled by her absence as well, so I figured he hadn't known anything about it.

Anyone who hadn't known Katie for years wouldn't have seen anything wrong with the friendly, though quiet, girl in the hallways, but I knew better. She was sticking to her carefully built up facade, painting on the expressions and laughter, not letting anyone below the surface, but the absence of her bright smile and the dullness of her sky-blue eyes gave away the truth.

We'd sat at our usual table up the back of the cafeteria, but at opposite ends of the same side, with friends in between. Everyone was buzzing in anticipation of the upcoming Georgia State Rodeo, but it was hard to get in on the excitement with so much going on behind the scenes.

Nonetheless, I'd been out training every day after work with my brothers, well aware of the fact that I'd have to make up for the points lost by not competing locally a few weeks ago. Even now, I was about to head out with Cash and Kacey to the local rodeo grounds, where a few practice bulls were being kept in the lead-up to states.

I dragged myself up off my bed and pulled off my school sweater, swapping it for the collared work-shirt hanging off the back of my desk chair. My jeans, belt and boots had been fine for school, so I didn't bother changing them as I grabbed my gear bag off my desk.

I wondered briefly if Katie was out training with Marlow, but caught myself before I glanced out the window to check. She and Hallie had been training together for the past couple of weeks, with Flight seeming to settle down in the steady presence of Katie's little bay gelding.

I swung open the door, gear bag over my shoulder as I buttoned up my shirt, reminding myself once again that Katie didn't want anything to do with me, that she'd very clearly told me to leave her alone.

I'd barely finished tucking my shirt into my jeans, half-way out the door, before Kacey leapt up the steps in front me, waving a piece of paper in my face.

"Guess what, little brother?" he hollered gleefully. "The official papers came through! I'm finally off the junior circuit!"

I scanned the papers in his hand quickly, catching the Professional Bull-Riding America logo stamped on the top left corner and smiling in spite of my mood.

"Good on ya, Kace," I told him sincerely, falling into step beside him as we jogged down the porch steps. "PBR membership all sorted, then?"

"All good to go," he grinned. "No more smashing you juniors for me, anymore!"

"Lucky us," I said dryly, chuckling at his enthusiasm. "I might even have a chance at placing with you gone,"

"In your dreams, little brother," Cash retorted, appearing beside me with his buttons still undone from the quick change. "I'm still in your division, and don't forget about Lane Delta and your buddies from school,"

"Ah, I could take you any day," I replied dismissively, ducking as Cash took a playful swing at my jaw. "How about Chance and Holland? They'll be moving on, too, then?"

"Yep, all the local memberships came in the mail this morning," Kacey confirmed, as we reached his beat-up truck, the dogs whining from their kennels as they begged to come with us. "We'll still be competing at states, but just in a different division,"

"Even better," I joked, catching sight of Katie and Hallie warming up the horses in our ring, and resisting the urge to turn and watch Katie's ride. She and Marlow were something to watch when they were working in sync, though I wondered how well they were riding together after the accident and Katie's current mood.