Heck of a kiss

Chapter One

Two years ago.

We had just finished a rodeo and were ready to go home.

            In case you don’t know about my brother, he was a pick-up man. The person who gets the rider off the bronc and also makes sure that the bull goes back into the pen without hurting anyone. As far back as I can remember that’s what Chad wanted to do.

It was going to be my first rodeo competing, and it was special because we were all together. When we were younger, there were the three of us.

Being the oldest, Chad was the responsible one, the one who was the voice of reason when one of us got a hair brained idea. Then up trotted Jabe who was Chad’s best friend and also was bound and determined to become a bareback bronc rider. Last and least puffed little old me. Honestly I don’t think they would have let me be with them if it hadn’t been that they needed two pick-up men. As it was, we were never apart. When we were older, I decided that I wanted to become a barrel racer. Jabe whole heartedly threw himself into the task of teaching me how.  In high school, Jabe began to compete and of course, Chad was always right there with him. I came to every competition to help them, but I never competed because I wasn’t good enough yet.

When we graduated the boys both got scholarships and went off to rodeo leaving their poor girl behind to go to college.

Anyway, 2 years later and wouldn’t you know it, Chad falls in love and gets married. Of course we were all thrilled. Lesley was a former Miss rodeo who had been injured in an accident and was paralyzed from the waist down.

Everyone knew that they would never have kids, but they proved them all wrong and sweet Mila was born 10 months later. During this time, I had graduated and decided I wanted to try barrel racing again.

My life was absolutely perfect I had an awesome brother, a lovely sister-in-law and a darling niece. Also Jabe and I had started dating.

That day was going to be our first rodeo where we all would be in it, Jabe in bronc riding, Chad as a pick-up man, and me in barrel racing. At this point in time I hadn’t physically seen Jabe in 3 months so you can imagine how we both found it difficult to leave each other.

When it was Jabe’s turn to ride, I held my breath the entire time. Jabe did better than he had all year and managed to get 87 points. I was so proud. Chad did fine, even managing to rope an especially stupid bull before he could attack the rider again, (with the help of the bull fighters of course). Although I wasn’t as good as I would have like, I managed to get third place which was better than I expected.

After the rodeo, I was putting my horse away in the trailer and Chad came over to chat. Being both pumped from the adrenaline we mostly talked about the rodeo and how we had done. He told that he was proud of me and I told him the same thing. When Chad saw Jabe walking toward us, he winked slyly and told me he was going to put his horse in his trailer.

As he was walking away, I shouted my normal goodbye. “Bye, love you big brother!” Although we were twins he like reminding me that he was a week older a weird phenomenon but possible, and very true.

Jabe came over and we both sat on the wheel hub of my trailer and talked about everything. After a while he told me he had to go, I didn’t want to see him go, I knew I probably wouldn’t see him for about 3 months so I would miss him. He bent down and gave me a long kiss then walked away, chaps swinging and spurs jingling.

Slowly I began to put everything away, I was reluctant to leave, not wanting the glorious night to end.

I had just finished packing up when I heard a whole bunch of yelling coming from the arena, to be honest, I didn’t pay much attention at first. Having punches thrown after a rodeo isn’t uncommon. When it didn’t end I began to get curious, I saw Jabe running full tilt toward me and I knew that something was wrong. Skidding to a stop, Jabe only had to gasp: “Chad!” and I was off and running.