A collection of short stories for my Tyler Owens fic, "Sun To Me"! The story may be over, but I can still write the southern sweethearts ;) The short stories range from characters, to plot, to angst or fluff. However, I do NOT write smut or anythin...
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(Guys I am so sorry for this one, like severely 😭 Tyler isn't the only who was sort of 'forced' to quit rodeo. Because God knows how dangerous it is. I've seen that and it sucks)
The soft glow of moonlight filtered through the curtains of Lainey's childhood bedroom at her mother's ranch in Little Rock. Tyler lay awake, his arm draped protectively over Lainey's sleeping form, savoring the rare moment of peace amidst their hectic lives on the rodeo circuit.
The sudden vibration of his phone on the nightstand shattered the tranquility. Tyler reached for it, careful not to disturb Lainey, and frowned at the unknown number.
"Hello?" he whispered, slipping out of bed and into the hallway.
"Is this Tyler Owens?" A grave voice asked.
"Yeah, that's me. Who's this?"
"Mr. Owens, I'm calling from University Medical Center. I'm afraid there's been an accident involving a Mr. Eddy Higgins."
Tyler's blood ran cold. "Boone? What? What happened?"
"Mr. Higgins was severely injured during a bull riding event. He's been brought in with multiple fractures and internal injuries. He's in critical condition, and we're doing everything we can to stabilize him."
The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Tyler leaned heavily against the wall, his legs suddenly unable to support him. "How... how bad is it?"
The doctor's voice was sympathetic but clinical. "I won't sugarcoat. It's serious, Mr. Owens. He has several broken ribs, a punctured lung, and there's concern about internal bleeding. He's being prepped for emergency surgery as we speak."
Tyler's mind raced, images of Boone - laughing, joking, always larger than life - clashing violently with the reality of his friend lying broken in a hospital bed. "I... I'll be there as soon as I can," he managed to choke out.
Ending the call, Tyler stumbled back into the bedroom, his vision blurred by unshed tears. Lainey stirred, sensing his distress even in her sleep.
"Ty?" she murmured, sitting up. "What's wrong?"
Tyler's composure crumbled. "It's Boone," he said, his voice breaking. "There was an accident. He's... he's hurt bad, Lainey."
Lainey was fully awake in an instant, her arms wrapping around Tyler as he sank onto the bed. "Oh God, Tyler. What happened?"
"Bull riding," Tyler said, the words bitter in his mouth. "They said he's got multiple fractures, internal injuries. He's in critical condition."
Lainey's grip tightened, her own eyes filling with tears. But when she spoke, her voice was steady. "Okay. Okay, we need to go. Now."
Tyler looked at her, grateful for her strength when he felt like he was falling apart. "You don't have to-"
"Don't even think about finishing that sentence, Tyler Owens," Lainey cut him off. "Boone's my friend too. We're in this together."
