True Love Waits

Chapter Seventeen

            "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Maleena shouted angrily, kicking the tire on her trailer. She let out a frustrated groan at the sight. 

             "What? What's wrong?" Chandler asked, walking around the trailer to where Maleena stood, with her hands on her hips. "Oh." He said, seeing the flat tire.

           "I really don't have time for this." Practically stomping to her truck, Maleena began to unhitch the trailer. 

          "Here, I will help you." Chandler jogged to the garage to grab a socket wrench, helping Maleena get the tire fixed on the trailer.

          As quick as the NASCAR pit stop crew, Maleena and Chandler changed the tire, and Maleena was finally on her way to the rodeo grounds. 

         Looking at the clock on her dash, Maleena bit her bottom lip, hoping there would still be a way that she could run barrels tonight, even though it was five minutes past when registration closed. 

        As she drove her truck down the long line of other trucks and trailers, desperate to find an open spot in the packed lot, Maleena saw Cody jogging towards her truck. By the time she parked, Cody was already getting Stryker out of Misty's trailer. 

       "Cuttin' it awful close there, ain't we cowgirl?" Cody asked with a grin as he walked Maleena's horse to the side of the trailer. "What happened? You're almost always the first one here." 

       "I don't want to talk about it. Let's just say it has not been a good day." Maleena said bluntly, pushing down her hat on her head, tightening the stampede strings under her chin. She grabbed the lead rope from Cody, turning to get her tack out of the trailer.

        "Okay. Well, if you change your mind, I'm here for you." Cody smiled, handing Maleena her saddle pad.

         Ignoring Cody's comment, she asked, "Am I even goin' to be allowed to run tonight, or am I just wasting my time being here?"

         "I already talked to Sophie at the registration table, and I was able to check you in. Here." Cody pulled out the exhibitor number paper out of his back pocket. "How can I help you?" He asked, retreating his hand when Maleena didn't take the paper. 

         Maleena had just finished saddling her horse when she said to Cody, "You can help by pinning my number to my shirt, please." 

         "Of course. Turn around." Cody made a circular motion with his hand. 

        Maleena turned, moving her hair out of the way so the back of her shirt was exposed. Cody carefully pinned the thin white number on the back of Maleena's shirt, giving her shoulder a pat once it was secure. 

           "There ya go. You're all set." Cody smiled when Maleena turned around. Her face was painted with a little bit of makeup, dolling up her already beautiful features. She was wearing a solid bright blue pearl snap shirt, with the front yoke outlined in silver thread. Her jeans accented her thin frame perfectly. Even though she was rushing around like crazy, in a frantic panic because she was running so late, Cody still thought she looked beautiful, like always, and he wanted so bad to tell her that, but he just had to keep being patient until the right time came. 

       "Thanks." Maleena mumbled, mounting Stryker, knocking Cody out of his spell that Maleena seemed to have cast on him. 

        "Good luck out there." Cody smiled up at Maleena, adding, "I will see you afterwards." 

        Maleena nodded her thanks, leading Stryker to the arena gate just as Aisley, the blonde barrel racer who seems to have an out with Maleena ever since she had a quicker run a few weeks ago, left the arena.