P. E. R. A.

Chapter:9

"Blake could you stop." I asked my boyfriend. Yeah dad let me date a guy. "Why?" He asked as he continued to kiss my cheek. "Please?" I asked him nicer. He wrapped his arms around my waist as we watched a movie I didn't want to watch.

Michael texted me asking if he could meet me for a practice. "Hey I gotta go." I told him. "Why?" He asked. "Career baby." I told him and got up out of his lap.

He groaned and let me go. I left his house and drove to mine. Dad was retired and actually was proud of me for winning. Michael pulled in after I did with his trailer.

I put a bridle on Jolly and got my glove and rope. Then I climbed onto my horse and we practiced for a while. "So when do you go to your first rodeo?" Michael asked.

"Sometime after February next year." I told him. "Still need a partner?" He asked. "Might find one there." I told him. A truck pulled up in front of the barn. A man and woman got out.

"That might be one of my sponsors." I told Michael. I rode over to the side of the ring and tied Jolly to the railing. "May I help you?" I asked them. "Uh yes we are looking for Bailey Willingham?" "I'm her." I told them.

"We're with rope like a girl and were told to bring you these things." The woman said. "Oh and I'm Deserah." She added. The man got a saddle, bridle, and a breast piece out of the back seat.

I led him over to my trailer and opened up the tack compartment. "Just set the tack on a saddle peg." I told him. My phone rang. The caller id said 'rope like a girl.'
"Hello?"
"This is Bailey Willingham right?"
"Yes this is she."
"Oh Deserah and Mitch should be there if they aren't already."
"Their here."
"May I talk to them?"
"Sure."

After Deserah got off the phone she gave me it back and said it was a pleasure to meet me. "It was a pleasure to meet you too." I told her. They left and in pulled a very familiar truck with a trailer.

"Jolly no!" I yelled at my horse. It stopped quickly and jolly went straight for the right side. A guy got out and led him away from the truck.

"Jolly." I said angrily. He led Jolly back up to the barn. "Thank you. He's been a handful the past four years." I told Jesse. "Yeah Dally's been the same way." He told me.

Kollin and Nick got out of the truck. "Still looking for a heeler?" Jesse asked. "Pretty much." I said as we walked to the barn. "I forgot to ask if you saw me rope at high school nationals."

"I got bored and sat in the truck but I heard the news over the loudspeaker." He said. I smiled. "So what were you doing before we pulled up?" He asked. He looked much more buff than I last saw him. "Getting the rest of my award from national." "Mind if I see?" "No. I have to fix the bridle up anyway." I told him.

We walked with Jolly over to my trailer. Jesse tied Jolly to the trailer as I got the bridle. It said 'rope like a girl' along the cheek straps. Jesse looked at the saddle and the other tack items that I got inside the trailer.

"Did you see the shirt?" He asked stepping out. "No." I replied. He showed me the shirt. It said, Live. Love. Rope. Like A Girl. It was cool.

"Cool." I said looking at the shirt. He laid it over his shoulder and I went back to the bridle as he stepped back in. "What are you going to do with the pink halter?" He asked showing me.

"Use it when I start traveling." "And when is that?" He asked. "After February." I told him. "Then would you travel to Oklahoma to meet me?" He asked. "You know I wouldn't mind." I told him. He smirked at me which wasn't very often.

"I know. Do you think he's lonely out here?" He asked. "Like how?" I asked. "Like he misses an old friend." Jesse told me as he sat down next to me. "Why?" "Well what if I left Dally here to give him a break from traveling and then you could bring both horses when you come to get me?" He asked.

"I can manage an extra horse." I told him. "Would you? It would give my dad and Nick extra room in the trailer. I can leave his tack here in your trailer if you don't mind." "Not at all. Especially my new partner." I told him.

He smirked again. "Thanks." We walked to his trailer and got Dally out. "Hey pretty boy. How are you?" I asked Dally. He nickered and nuzzled me. "He'll be fine here." I told Jesse. "I know." He said.

"Need a place to stay the night?" I asked. "We're on our way to Atlanta." "Then you three are staying." I told him. "Yeah and there is no arguing with you on that. I'll go tell my dad that we got a place for the night." Jesse said before leaving me with Dally.

"Come on bud let's get you settled." I told Dally. He followed me over to get Jolly and I put both away with water and oats. What Jesse didn't know was that I was going to spoil Dally.

Boots sounded off the walls. I poked my head out of Jolly's stall and closed it making sure it was locked. "Thank you for the lodging tonight. Helps with the budget." Kollin told me.

"No problem." I told him. "And the extra room in the trailer." He added. I shrugged and led the way to the house. This was my own place I bought with my own money. It was bought with cash that I won from tie down events held at least once a month.