At work the next morning, I talked to my boss and told him what was going on between me and Jenny.
"Well, I guess I could give you an extra day off."
"Thank you so much!" I darted out of his office and called into the rodeo office. Bonnie answered the phone.
"Hey Kathy, what's up?" her voice had a little bounce to it.
"My boss said I could take a day off so I won't be coming to the office today. Sorry." I shifted my weight from left to right, hoping she wouldn't yell at me.
"Well ok then, see you tomorrow!" I hung up, relieved, then I headed out to the rodeo lounge to surprise Stetson. On my way there, I ran into Steve. Before I had a chance to bolt though, he grabbed my arm, aggressively almost. I yanked away from his grip.
"Kathy! Wait!" I didn't stop to listen. I ran through the crowds and into the grandstand complex, and flashed my employee ID as I rushed by the ushers. I ran to the back of the rodeo stands and looked around for the lounge. Finally I spotted some tie-down ropers entering it through a door. I knocked frantically. The door opened a crack. A steer wrestler answered. He towered over me.
"Yes?" he didn't seem too happy.
"Please, I need to speak to Stetson!" He let me in and shut the door behind me. I spotted Stetson over by a table and I rushed to him. "Stetson!" I nearly shouted as I grasped onto him. He turned around, surprised.
"Whoa Nellie! What's gotten into you?" I stepped back and took a deep breath.
"Steve" Pant "he chased me" Pant "here..." I bent down, hands resting on my knees. My face was flushed with fatigue. Stetson's face snapped into a frustrated expression. He slammed down his beer and stormed out of the lounge. Minutes later, I could hear him shouting from outside the door. I grabbed his beer and peeked out the door. Security guards and other cowboys were surrounding Stetson and Steve. Some cowboys were holding Stetson back.
"I told you to back off!" He stalled, "Just...take him away..." Stetson muttered as he turned back. "He ain't worth nothin'..." The guards took Steve away. I looked around, crept out the door and went to hug Stetson. "He didn't hurt you now, did he?" he examined my arms then snatched the beer from my hand. I shook my head. "Ok then." He took a swig of beer then we walked back into the lounge.
He did fantastic today, winning for the third straight time in a row. After he went back behind where they kept the stock, I ran down the steps of the infield seats and ran back to find him. He was leaning against a corral fence that was filled with bulls.
"Stetson!" he turned around abruptly. I ran towards him as he climbed off the fence. "Congrats!"
"I did do well, didn't I?"
"You did, winning your third straight."
