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CHAPTER TWO

FERRIS

I hadn’t been to a rodeo in years. This shit was lit.

I’d been going to trail rides lately. Although I’d never competed, I enjoyed spectating and saying what they could have done better, like I was the professional.

I talked big noise about it, too, just like I did when I was watching any other sport, especially basketball, since I played in school.

It was all in fun though. My cousin had convinced me that I needed to come out here and watch all the talent Southeast Texas had when it came to rodeoing.

For Easter, I normally kicked it with my parents and siblings and watched my nieces and nephews hunt eggs.

However, Asad had other plans. Since his dad was a rodeo professional, they always attended.

Couldn’t nobody fuck with Mr. Red back in the day when it came to steer wrestling.

His stepmom, Mrs. Shana, was cold with it too.

She did steer undecorating and was Mr. Red’s hazer.

She still competed from time to time, but Mr. Red had long since retired from that event.

Sometimes, he still team roped with Mr. Zayson.

I was kin to Asad on his mother’s side of the family, but I was extremely familiar with his dad and stepmom.

Everyone in the rodeo industry knew who they were.

They had multiple NFR titles between the two of them.

Plus, Asad’s brother was steer wrestling now and would be showing off his skills today, .

. . him and his best friend, Carter, better known as Carter Legend.

He hated for people to call him Lil Legend at the big age of twenty-seven.

Because the rodeo industry was familiar with both their fathers, they were constantly referred to as Lil Red and Lil Legend.

As we sat in the stands, ready for the show, a tall ass drink of water walked in front of us. Fuck! She was fine as hell. Asad said, “Milana, you not competing today?”

When that sexy ass woman turned to us, she smiled slightly. “No. I didn’t enter this year. I’ve had a rough month.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry about your grandfather.”

“Thanks,” she said as she glanced at me.

“Oh, my bad. Milana, this is my cousin Ferris.”

She frowned slightly but extended her hand to me. I slowly shook it while I licked my lips. Her tall, milk chocolate ass had me sweating already, and it wasn’t even all that hot outside. “Nice to meet you, beautiful.”

She smiled. “Thank you. Nice to meet you also.”

I wanted to hold her hand for the rest of the rodeo, and I was more than sure she could tell, because when she tried to walk away, I was still holding it. She looked back at me, and I said, “My bad. I didn’t wanna let you go.”

She blushed then hurriedly walked away. I watched her until she sat with another woman who was just as beautiful as she was.

“Damn, nigga. You feeling her?”

“Hell yeah. She’s beautiful.”

He nodded as he glanced over at them. “Yeah, she’s pretty, but a little too thin for my liking. Now her fine ass cousin Ashanni? Nigga, I’d give her whatever she wanted. She just a lil too young. That’s why I haven’t tried to shoot my shot.”

“How old are they?”

“I think Milana is twenty-two, and Ashanni is twenty-three or twenty-four.”

I nodded. “I see what’chu mean.”

Asad was like thirty-two, so he was damn near ten years older than Ashanni.

I was only six years older than Milana. As I stared at her, her eyes met mine.

She smiled and looked away, talking to the lady next to her.

Her slanted eyes and thick lips were mesmerizing.

She was on the thin side, but I loved her tall ass just the way she was.

She had to be nearly six feet, and she wore flat boots.

I could only imagine how tall she would be with heels on.

I loved tall women. They just seemed regal to me. I was only six three, so if she wore heels around me, she could possibly be taller than me. What was crazy was that I was sitting here imagining that I would have the opportunity to see her again. Turning to Asad, I asked, “How do you know them?”

“You know the Hendersons?”

“Yeah. The ones with the rice and shit?”

“Yeah. Her mama is Tiffany Henderson. Her dad is Legend’s cousin and famous tattoo artist, Ryder Semien.”

“Shit! I knew her ass was royalty. So the old man that got attacked and killed was her grandfather. That was sad, man.”

“Yep. She’s a barrel racer, and her mama was the first woman?—”

“To bareback and win a championship. I read up on that shit a few years ago. Her mama is a rodeo queen. She ain’t have a choice but to be royalty. She any good?”

“Is she any good? Nigga, she’s a professional.

This is lil amateur shit right here compared to what she do.

Her cousin Karima is on a break because she’s pregnant, so they’re expecting Milana to come in and sweep shit up.

She’d been coming in second to her cousin whenever they competed against each other.

A couple of her cousins are competing today, though, so that’s probably why she here. ”

The entire time he was talking, I was staring at Milana.

I had to find a way in. She had to be mine.

Since she was a Henderson by blood, she probably lived in Nome.

People talked about them all the time, saying how they practically owned and ran all the businesses in Nome.

She looked over at me again and smiled slightly.

Yeah, this shit couldn’t be over with soon enough.

As the rodeo got started, I unashamedly watched her and how she responded to different events, trying to learn her mannerisms. There was a couple of Hendersons that did team roping.

I could tell they were just getting started in the event, but she was on her feet, cheering like they were the best out there.

Then she cheered for a guy named Rylan Douglas.

When I noticed Ashanni cheering, too, I figured he must’ve been related as well.

“You gon’ stare the fucking clothes off her or what?”

I turned to Asad and shot him the finger. “Just because you and yo’ baby mama didn’t work out and Ashanni ain’t old enough, don’t mean you gotta hate on me.”

He chuckled as my phone chimed. When I saw a video come through from my brother, I knew it was of his kids searching for Easter eggs.

I clicked on it and smiled as I watched them.

This was my first time missing Easter with them.

My niece was probably gonna light into my ass the next time she saw me.

She was only five, but her lil ass thought she was grown as hell.

Giving my attention back to the dirt, I was just in time to see Red Squared get ready to steer wrestle.

Having his dad haze for him was beyond cool.

Asad said sometimes his mama hazed for him as well.

He had a little sister that I just knew would have been on the rodeo scene as well, but she wanted no parts of competing.

She rode horses, but she didn’t want to be in the limelight that way.

She chose to focus on school and was now a teacher.

When they took off, I watched that nigga wrestle that steer in five seconds.

He was on track to being just as good as his dad.

However, five seconds was amazing. He fist pumped the air then hugged Red.

When they left the dirt, I saw Milana get up.

I figured she was going to get something to eat, so I decided to make my way down too.

I saw Asad in my peripheral slowly shaking his head as he watched me, but fuck him.

I had moves to make. When I got behind the stands where we were seated, I saw her standing in line at a dessert stand.

After further inspection, I saw Mrs. Harper and her daughters, selling cookies and cupcakes.

She didn’t sell treats at any of the other rodeos anymore, just the Easter Rodeo.

I noticed Milana was talking to the twins along with Ashanni and another young lady.

While I didn’t want to interrupt them, I knew I had to talk to her.

Walking over to them, I stood quietly as I waited behind them.

All except one of them were fairly tall, but Milana was the tallest. They were chatting it up and laughing until one of the twins asked, “Have you talked to Aunt Tiff yet?”

“No, but I plan to call her tonight. The last time I tried to talk to her in person, she slapped the fucking taste out of my mouth. I can’t risk that happening again. Plus, I don’t wanna try to force her to talk if she’s not ready. I talked to my daddy though.”

They nodded, and one of the twins glanced at me and frowned. When the other saw her face, she looked at me and did the same. They looked like mean asses. The others turned to look back at me, and when Milana’s eyes met mine, she smiled. “Y’all, this is Red Squared’s cousin, Ferris.”

Ashanni and the other young lady smiled, and they both said hello, but those twins maintained their frowns. One of them said, “Ferris? Like Ferris wheel?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, man.”

They looked at each other and smirked then turned back to the front to order their desserts. Milana looked like she was trying to stifle a laugh. That was probably what her slight frown was for when Asad first introduced me.

“I’m sorry. They have no filter.”

“It’s okay. Neither do I. You single?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because I think you’re beautiful, and I didn’t want to openly flirt with someone else’s woman.”

She gave me a head nod, but she didn’t say anything else. “Would it be okay if I gave you my number and we get to know each other?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Ferris. I’m not looking to get to know anybody right now. I have a lot on my plate, and excuse my bluntness, but niggas ain’t shit.”

I frowned. Clearly, she’d been hurt. “Damn. So you just gon’ group all of us in one category though?”

“Yep, until I feel like I want to get to know more about you. That time may never come.”

She was tripping. I wasn’t down for knowing a woman with such a negative disposition. Still, I was curious, so I asked, “Why?”

“Because I have to be cautious with men these days. I chose to refocus my energy on my family and my career. Life is already fucked up without possibly adding another fucked-up situation to it. I don’t even want to take a chance getting to know anyone.”

She didn’t really answer my question, but it was cool.

I could understand her stance for right now, but she said that time may never come.

If she wasn’t attracted to me, that was all she had to say.

I didn’t think that was the case, though, because she definitely expressed her views on niggas as a whole.

I only nodded in acceptance and remained quiet until it was time to order my dessert. “Hey, Ferris!” Mrs. Harper said.

“Hey, Missus Harper.”

“I’m surprised to see you here. You came with Asad?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Despite technically not being related to Red Squared, as Milana told her cousins, I still knew all the people they were friends with, especially Mr. Legend and his family.

I met them when I was a teenager and had gone to Mr. Red’s house to visit Asad while he was there for the weekend.

I lived in Beaumont, so Nome was like the midpoint between Beaumont and Liberty, where Asad lived with his mother, Lacey.

After I got my cookies, she asked, “Are you going to Red’s house after this?”

“No, ma’am. I have to head back to Beaumont so my niece won’t kill me. That’s even if I leave early enough.”

“Oh, yes. Miss Kam gon’ take care of you when you get there. Well, enjoy the cookies, baby.”

“Thanks, Missus Harper. I know I will.”

When I walked away, I saw Milana glance at me from where she was standing, talking to her cousins. There had to be something more to why she didn’t want to talk to me. She seemed just as interested as I was, but whatever. I shot my shot, and it didn’t go in the hoop. That shit happened sometimes.