Brody glanced out into the arena, then made his way back toward the chutes. He really needed a good ride today. Not just because he needed the money, although that was obviously a factor: he loved his brother, but he was coming on thirty years old and eager to move out of the older man’s apartment and into his own place. Not that Eddy didn’t probably need the extra income, but there were plenty of other guys in the circuit that would pay for a spare room close to the arena.
But Brody also had a shift first thing in the morning, and he was pretty sure The Dalton wouldn’t appreciate him limping around the hotel during his song and dance numbers. In fact, he knew it, because he’d done it before. He was hoping for a promotion up from assistant-- there had been whispers all through the place since McKinley’s had gotten Best Attraction in the reviews. So he needed to be on top of his game.
His name was called, and Brody adjusted himself carefully as he settled into the saddle, gripping the knob tightly. An alarm sounded, and the horse bolted, and Brody hung on for dear life...
Not bad. He hadn’t won, but in this amateur arena, he’d done fairly well, and was walking off with a good chunk of change in his pocket. The man hadn’t bothered stripping out of his gear as he lay out in the back, waiting for Eddy to finish his own run. There was a smattering of people meandering around, but no one seemed to notice the bronc rider sprawled over a pallet of hay, and Brody was fine with that. Or at least he thought no one had noticed him...
It took him a second to realize the voice was addressing him, and he looked up, blinking to bring the person into focus. “I’m sorry, what?”