The other Dutton

Kill the Messenger Part 2

I sat on the couch waiting for Rip. My bare feet tapped on the hardwood floor. I watched him walk in. He must have seen something in my eyes because he sighed before saying "I don't have the energy today."

"Well that's to bad because I do so sit down." I said and pointed to the seat next to me. He sighed again but sat next to me. I went to start talking but he held up a hand to stop me. A frown came to my lips.

"Carly you can't baby him. He's a grown ass man. He needs to learn for himself. You can't hold his hand." Rip said. But I could only hear my dad saying nearly the same thing to me about Rip.

"Funny because that's what my dad said about you to me." I said with a quick raise  of my eyebrows. "Rip I'm not asking you to baby him but just go easy on him. I just have a feeling it's not going to be an easy road for him. Expecally with the look Fred gave him."

"Ok. I'll try to let up a little. But just a little. I hate that guy Fred."

"Me too." I leaned in and whispers thank you in his ear before kissing his cheek. I got up to go start dinner when I was pulled back in to his lap.

"That wasn't a real kiss." He crumpled. I could help the smile that came to my lips. I leaned in and kissed him.

"Better?" I asked when I pulled back.

"Better." He agreed.

I took a deep gulp of air. I sat in the alley way with Star beneath me. This was first rodeo with out Lee. I knew my dad was here. But he wasn't here for me. He was here to talk to an old friend. His boy Toby rode bulls. From what I saw he wasn't too bad.

"Ok folks. Here is the girl that we've fallen in love with. With two NFRS under her belt and home town hero Carly Dutton and her horse that she calls Star!!" The audience clapped and cheered. I pushed my hat down more on my head and started Star down the alley. Star was filling frisky today. She was crowhopping and rearing up just a bit. When time was right I  let her go. We raced to the first barrel. The turn was perfect. We went to the second. Star turned a little to tight. The barrel was going to go down but I reached out a steadied  it. We ate up the ground and turned around the third one. As we went home I kicked Star to go faster. She found another speed as we made our way home.

"Time for Miss. Dutton was 15.7. And folks she just broke the arena time!" After all the girls had went went and few of them even close to my time. But I was the winner. I threw my fist up in the air as I petted Star. She knew she had done good. I felt like Lee was smiling down at me from the heavens. 

I walked in the house after the rodeo seeing Rip getting ready to leave. "Why can't you do this crap during the day so you can stay in at night?" I asked as I leaned against the door frame.

"Because darlin not as cool in the day plus somebody would see me." I rolled my eyes at the first comment.

"You know you could stay here an help me celebrate my win tonight." I suggested with a sly smile and a wink. He came and wrapped his arms around me.

"I would love too but he's the guy that examined the body. Says Lee wasn't capable off shooting the guy." I was very much aware of everything going on.

"Then go at him." I said then kissed him. I then made my way to the bedroom.