Page 9 of Riding the Line (Willow Ridge #2)
Fuck, how is it only just properly hitting me that this summer might be the last time I get to see Cherry every week?
That this time next year I’ll be down one more person in my life, watching at the sidelines with the rest of her family as she soars off towards whatever faraway dreams she’s planning to chase.
‘Go on,’ I say, shuffling my hand so that it accidentally knocks against hers again.
‘Diet Coke is better than normal Coke. For or against?’
I snort. ‘What if I’m neither?’
All of Sawyer’s bull-riding achievements are relayed over the loudspeaker, every prize echoing through the now silent crowd.
‘How can you be neither?’
Sawyer settles himself onto the bull, readying the rope.
‘I’d much rather have a Pepsi.’
Cherry makes a disgusted gasp, pressing a hand to her chest. I’m just about to turn and grin at her but the gates fly open, and she grabs my forearm. Her fingers grip at my tensed muscles, pulsing with every second that ticks on the large screen timer.
Sawyer’s body effortlessly rides each buck and jump of the bull, absorbing the beast’s frenzied movements with his arm outstretched in the classic L shape.
The bull’s a hooker for sure, trying its best to throw Sawyer forward.
Still, the whole time Sawyer’s got a smug grin plastered across his face – visible since he stupidly refuses to wear a helmet – like he feeds off the fear and adrenaline.
The buzzer finally sounds, and we all jump to our feet, cheering louder than anyone else in the arena. The girls scream their hearts out, Cherry’s hat falls off, and some of Wolfman’s beer goes flying over me and Wyatt as he bounces with pride, throwing a fist in the air.
But I don’t care. Sawyer made it.
‘Yes, Nash!’ Wolfman yells, howling afterwards.
Sawyer leaps off the bull – but it follows him, catching one of his legs with its horn. He tumbles into the dirt, head smashing against the ground before he rolls awkwardly. A couple of bullfighters try to coerce the beast away from him, another running to Sawyer’s aid.
Sawyer scrambles to pull himself out of further harm’s way, seeming to give up once the bull is taken out of the ring. Then, he just lies there, face down on the ground, head in his arms, as the bullfighters begin to surround him.
The silence as we all watch is deafening.
None of us has let out a breath since he hit the floor.
My heart rattles in my chest.
Cherry’s fingers grip my forearm tighter, still having not let go. She might be the only thing keeping me standing right now.
Several brutally long seconds stretch out before Sawyer suddenly springs to his feet, wolfish grin appearing as he waves to the crowd, enjoying the drama of the moment far too much. He laps up the tsunami of applause that follows as he circles the arena.
Relief crashes through me like a wave.
Cheering and music infiltrates my senses again.
I can finally breathe.
Fliss and Rory are hugging, Wyatt and Wolfman have grabbed each other’s shoulders as they bounce. I don’t know what comes over me, but there’s so much emotion brimming inside me that I suddenly wrap an arm around Cherry, tug her into my side, and plant a kiss against her silky hair.
She instantly freezes, her celebratory squeal coming to a halt, which cuts my own cheer off, realisation of what I just did dawning on me.
Cherry’s wide eyes blink up at me, her dark-red lips parted. When my gaze lingers on them for too long – mostly because I’m trying to figure out my next step to save myself from this situation – her teeth bite down on her bottom lip.
I’m out of choices and hate that my next move is to drag Cherry towards Rory with the arm still wrapped around her, pulling Rory into our embrace too.
I press a kiss this time to Rory’s cheek, laughing as I do, hoping that it stops her from thinking too far into what just happened.
That I like to kiss all my friends when I’m happy.
Which everyone here knows I definitely do not do.
And I’m not looking to start showering Wyatt and Wolfman with smooches any time soon.
Rory receives the hug with joy and peppers both me and Cherry with kisses on the cheek too, squeezing us tighter together.
‘Oh gross, get off me,’ Cherry grunts, but she laughs through every word as she squirms to push Rory and I away with plenty of force. She shakes her head at us before falling back into her seat, and I chuckle to veil the breath of relief I want to let out.
‘Oh, you love it, really,’ Rory jests back, attempting to smack another big kiss against Cherry’s cheek when she drops to the seat beside her.
I don’t know why I even worried about Cherry’s reaction – she gave me the exact same response she would have to Sawyer or Wolfman. Because I’m just another of her brother’s annoying friends. Exactly how it should be.
I finally settle back down into my seat ready for the next bull rider, keeping my hands in my lap, away from the edge of my seat where they might brush Cherry’s again.
When the next rider climbs into the chute, we stay silent, and I send up another prayer.
Except this time, it’s for me, asking for the strength to survive this last summer with her.