Chapter 8
Wynonna hated the rodeo, but she would be damned if she let her baby sister sit by herself at the first rodeo in town since braking up with Champ. Regardless of the intentions, she was uncomfortable; while her biker chick aesthetic wasn’t too off the mark for the crowd, she still stuck out like a sore thumb.
“Thank you for coming with me,” Waverly said, “It means a lot,” She was actively trying not to notice Champ on the other side of the arena, a gaggle of girls fawning over him.
Wynonna followed her eyes and had to keep herself from vomiting, “I don’t get it, he’s not even that good of a bull rider,”
Waverly could feel herself get defensive for him, if anything out of reflex, “He used to be good. Up until he got hurt last year,”
Wynonna rolled her eyes, “When is our girl competing?” She asked slapping Waverly’s knee.
“We don’t own Nicole,” Waverly shot her a look, “We hardly even pay her. But Team roping is up next,”
Wynonna sat back in the bleachers, relatively uninterested, “Well, I’m excited to see her and that man of hers. Doc has been talking them up,”
“Her and Dolls aren’t dating,” Waverly said a bit more defensively than she had intended.
“Oh, really? I just figured because if she’s not at our place she’s with him,” Wynonna said, “So you mean that tight ass is single?”
Wynonna pointed at the duo standing by their horses getting ready to mount off to the side.
Waverly nodded. Yeah she is, she thought before realizing that Wynonna had meant Dolls.
“I mean to my knowledge Nicole is, but I don’t really know Dolls. She doesn’t really talk about him much,” Waverly said.
“I doubt either of them will be single long. Nicole is pretty and sweet and the new young thang in town. And Dolls wont be single for long with me around,” Wynonna rubbed her hands together.
“What about Doc?” Waverly raised an eyebrow.
Wynonna suddenly had a look on her face that said she had been caught, “What about him?”
“Aren’t you two… involved?” Waverly wiggled her eyebrows.
Wynonna tried to play it off and scoffed, “Sex doesn’t mean we are in love or anything,”
“Ok Wynonna, ok,” Waverly waved her sister off.
“I know you and Chump just broke up, but when are you going to get back on the horse?” Wynonna asked.
“On the horse?” Waverly looked at her incredulously.
“The best way to cure a broken heart is to get laid, its scientifically proven,”
“I would like to see that research,” Waverly chuckled, “I don’t know. Maybe I just need to be single for a bit,”
“Well don’t wait around too long, Nicole is going to snatch up the last few available guys worth dating in town before too long,”
Waverly laughed, “Oh, I doubt that,”
Before Wynonna could follow up with that the announcer called for the crowds attention as the next two ropers got positioned into the shoots.
Nicole was on the back of a chestnut gelding, one hand on the saddle horn and one with rope in hand. The shoot attendant pulled the timing rope across the box in front of Nicole. Dolls backed his horse into the box on the opposite side of Nicole. They both were wearing crisp looking black pearl snap shirts with “Holiday Farms” written across the back in bold white lettering.
He nodded his head, and like a flash the shoot opened. Dolls horse sprinted after the steer, and Dolls quickly looped the horns of the steer, his horse pulling to the side to turn the steer.
Just as the steer starts to veer left, Nicole threw her rope and caught one of the steers legs, her horse pulling back to stretch the steer out as Nicole wrapped the rope around the saddle horn.
“Damn it,” Waverly cursed.
“What? They caught the thing, what went wrong?”
“They had a really good time, but because Nicole missed one of the feet on the steer, they get a 5 second penalty, now they aren’t exactly a lock for the short round,” Waverly explained.
Ultimately the pair’s time qualified them for the short round in 4th place.
They both backed up into the box one last time for the night. Dolls nodded, and shot out after the steer. He looped the head, only getting one horn, but it was enough to get the steer turned. Nicole deftly looped the heels and the roping horse dug in and pulled the steer taught.
Nicole and Dolls grinned at each other. Nicole’s horse walked forward to give the steer slack and Dolls jumped down to untie it.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the Purgatory Invitational Team Roping Champs, Nicole Haught and Xavier Dolls,”
Waverly jumped up and down, dragging Wynonna to a standing position too. Waverly let out some whoops.
Nicole looked into the crowd, spotting the small brunette jumping up and down excitedly with a smiling, but uncomfortable looking, Wynonna next to her. Nicole smiled and waved up at her crew.
“Good job, Nicole,” Dolls slapped her on the back as they remounted their horses and did a quick round through the arena before exciting.
“Well shit, Waverly, Nicole is super good,” Wynonna was grinning ear to ear. She would never admit that she had enjoyed herself watching them.
“Wait till you see her barrel race,” Waverly let out a whistle.
Waverly bounded down the bleachers, weaving through the crowd. She made her way back and found Nicole.
Waverly ran up to Nicole and wrapped her in a hug with such force that it knocked Nicole’s hat back, “You did amazing!”
Nicole smiled as she reciprocated the hug, “Thank you,”
Waverly let her go and Nicole readjusted her hat.
Wynonna came up slower behind them, shaking Nicole’s hand, “Nice work out there lady,”
“Thank you, Wynonna,” The pair followed Nicole as she went to get Whiskey saddled up.
“So, Dolls, is he…. on the market?” Wynonna asked leaning up against a post.
Nicole laughed, “Yeah, at least I think so,” Nicole synched a strap on the saddle.
“You don’t know?” Waverly asked.
“We are partners, no best friends. We don’t really talk about that kind of stuff,”
“Well, maybe you can introduce us sometime,” Wynonna winked at the redhead.
“I can certainly try,” Nicole nodded as she double-checked her chaps were synched and her hat on tight.
“Alright, we will leave you to get ready,” Waverly, gave her a quick hug before ushering Wynonna away.
They got beers and a bag of peanuts to share before returning to their seat.
Champ had doubled down on his events, and Waverly begrudgingly watched his attempt at bulldogging. Waverly chuckled at the sight of him on a horse, he had never been a good horsemen. But at one time he had been a semi decent bulldogger. He had originally quiet bulldogging because the other cowboys called him daddy’s boy and called him out on not doing a whole lot of farm work of his own.
He rode out after the steer, the guide horse staying close. Champ slid off the horse and hooked his arms around the horns and tried to twist it to the ground. He dug in with his legs but couldn’t get the steer to fall.
“Aw that’s too bad. Ladies and gentlemen, give ole Champ a round of applause,” The announce called out as the steer trotted away. Champ was now sitting on his rear, and he slammed his hat into the dirt.
“You know, that isn’t a good look on a grown man,” Wynonna said softly to Waverly.
“No it is not,” Waverly crossed her arms.
They sat through the rest of the bulldoggers until the consolation round where Champ got a second chance to maybe make some money.
This time as Champ tried to slide out of the saddle he missed the horns, grabbing the steer’s neck while simultaneously getting his foot stuck in the stirrup on the opposite side of the saddle. He let go of the steer as the horse veered off, his foot still stuck.
He grabbed his leg, trying to pry his foot free, bouncing along the side of the horse. One of the cowboys running safety detail grabbed the horse to slow it down while another rode up and swiftly cut Champs foot free. Champ tumbled to the ground, rolling in the dirt.
Waverly could feel her heart in her throat. She might not care for Champ like she used to, but she couldn’t stand the thought of him getting hurt. He stood up, hobbled over to his friend who helped him out of the arena.
“Even I don’t think he deserved that, the injury and the embarrassment,” Wynonna let out a low whistle.
“I hope he’s ok,” Waverly could feel the worry in her stomach.
“He’s a tough kid,” Wynonna patted Waverly’s leg. She could see the worry on Waverly’s face and understood it.
They sat through the rest of the bulldoggers. Wynonna cringing at how brutal steer wrestling was. Waverly shifted side to side in her seat, both anxious for the barrel racing to start.
Waverly quickly typed out a text to Chrissy to ask her if she knew if Champ was ok. She knew Chrissy was one of her few friends who would understand and wouldn’t make any snide remarks.
Chrissy’s reply was short, but gave Waverly a sense of relief, “Doctor on call said he should be fine. His knee is bothering him a bit but not enough to keep him from riding. I think his pride is hurt more than anything,”
Waverly shot Chrissy a thank you and tucked her phone in her pocket.
Nicole swung herself up into the saddle, patting Whiskey lovingly on the neck.
“You ready, girl?” Nicole asked her. Nicole knew the answer. They had already warmed up and Whiskey felt good, like a well-oiled machine, but a machine with a mind of its own. Nicole steered the bay to the holding shoot. She had two barrel racers in front of her. The proximity to the arena made Whiskey antsy. As always Nicole had to fight a little with the mare to stay calm, to not burn herself out before they even got out the gait.
Soon they were next. Nicole held the horse back, Whiskey taking pleading steps forward, as Nicole waited for the signal to go.
She let the horse go, and they were off. Nicole guided the horse around the first barrel, making a tight full circle around the barrel, Whiskey bursting out of the turn to the next barrel, turning on a dime. The last barrel went just as perfect as the first, and it was time to turn and burn.
Nicole let the horse go all out, using the excess length of reins to keep the horse going straight while letting out “Ya”s to encourage the mare.
After hitting the last time sensor Nicole pulled up slightly, slowing down the horse slowly. She listened for the time.
“With a time of 15.01, Nicole Haught and Whiskey take the lead,” The announcer called before the next round.
Nicole pumped her fist and patted the horse, “Good job girl, good job,”
Nicole cooled her horse down and prepped for the short round. With a time like that she knew she would be going in either first or second.
A familiar looking chestnut horse rode up next to her. Nicole instantly recognized the blonde from her first rodeo in Purgatory not too long ago.
“Damn, you are going to run us locals out of town at this rate,” The blonde smirked.
“Not my intention, but thank you for the vote of confidence,” Nicole gave a smile.
“I missed you at the barn dance last time out,” the blonde pulled her horse up fairly close, she reached out a hand and Nicole shook it, “I’m Amanda,”
“I got side tracked, it’s nice to meet you, I’m Nicole,”
“Well, if you are looking to get side tracked again at the barn dance tonight, just let me know. You’ll find me near the bar,” The blonde gave her a wink before turning her horse away.
Nicole watched Amanda’s horse trot away. She shook her head, unsure if Amanda was serious or just trying to get in her head before the short round.
In the end it didn’t matter if it was Amanda’s tactic or not. Whiskey and Nicole were a force to be reckoned with. In the short round the team turned in a 14.7 time, locking in the event win for the evening.
Nicole would argue that the $1,000 and the belt buckle was nothing compared to the prize of having Waverly slide up next to her at a table, a beer for each of them.
“A beer for the Rodeo Prodigy,” Waverly said.
“Thank you very much, but please never call me that again,” Nicole laughed.
“To two buckles, twice in a row,” Waverly clinked her bottle against Nicole’s.
“It’s pretty crazy, isn’t it?” Nicole smiled.
“Well, I for one, am very impressed,” Waverly admitted.
“And I am very flattered,”
A local band occupied the stage in the dimly lit barn-bar. They started up in to a line dance.
“Do they have line dancing in Indiana?” Waverly asked.
Nicole nodded, “It’s the Midwest, not a foreign land,”
“Well, do you know how to line dance?”
Nicole threw back the remainder of her beer and stood, offering her hand to Waverly, “Do I ever,”
Waverly took her hand and they headed out onto the dance floor with a sizable group. The pair joined a line and Nicole could feel the butterflies in her stomach. Despite her outward confidence, it had been a minute since she had last line danced. The first song wasn’t one she knew, so she tried her best to follow along with what Waverly and the rest of the crowd was doing.
As the song came to an end the crowd clapped. Then the band started right up into a familiar song that garnered the hoops and howlers of everyone on the floor. The opening bars of Cotton Eyed Joe rang true and clear in the dance hall.
Nicole threw one arm over Waverly’s shoulder and Waverly linked up to the person next to her. The chain stomped once, kicked, took three steps back and then shuffled forward. They followed the pattern like old pros, and Waverly was surprised at how easy it came to Nicole after watching her struggle slightly at the first song.
Waverly couldn’t help but smile as the chain broke apart to the beat of the song to turn and mimic throwing a lasso. They all linked back up and continued the pattern until the line dance classic came to an end.
The band transitioned into a slower song meant for couples dancing.
“How about a two-step?” Nicole asked, offering her hand to the smaller women.
“If I’m being honest, I don’t know how to two-step,” Waverly admitted.
Nicole gasped in mock horror, “Really? I just figured they teach western dancing in schools out here. Well, I’ll teach you. I promise I’m a great lead,”
Waverly felt herself blush and hopped that the dim light hid it from the ever watchful eyes of Nicole.
Waverly took the taller women’s hand, resting her other hand on Nicole’s arm.
“See, you already know the proper position for the dance hold,” Nicole said, “You are like half way to two stepping,”
“Follow my lead,” Nicole said. She walked them forward, two quick steps, and two slow steps. After the first set she called the steps out loud to Waverly, “Quick, quick, slooww, sloowww,” Nicole repeated.
Waverly quickly got the hang of it and soon they were smoothly two stepping around the dance floor.
“This is a lot easier than I had anticipated,” Waverly smiled up at Nicole.
“Clearly its all in the teaching,” Nicole winked.
“There you go with that big head of yours again,”
Nicole deftly spun Waverly to the song without missing a beat.
Once the song was over the pair headed back to their seat and Waverly got them each a new drink.
“You didn’t tell me you knew your way around a dance floor,” Waverly eyeballed Nicole.
“You never asked,” Nicole paused. She could see Champ over Waverly’s shoulder. He was limping, but making a steady pace towards them.
“Waverly, We got trouble, 6 o’clock,” Nicole said.
Waverly turned around to see an intoxicated Champ limping and staggering their way. He had gotten thrown on his first bull of the night and clearly had been pounding back the pills and the beers ever since.
“I saw all of that you know,” He said motioning to the two of them.
“All of what?” Waverly asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
“All that… dancing,” He grasped the table next to him to lean against.
“Champ, you are fucked up,” Waverly stated the obvious.
“You used to never line dance with me. Why are you line dancing with her?” Champ pointed a finger at Nicole.
“I wouldn’t line dance with you because you never wanted to!” Waverly reminded him, “And Nicole and I are friends, so why don’t you back off,”
“You know, there are plenty of rumors about Purgatory’s newest hotshot barrel racer going around,” He looked Nicole up and down. He seemed to think for a second before hobbling away.
“What the heck was that?” Waverly asked before taking a long draft form her beer.
“It looks to me like you dancing with me threatened him,” Nicole observed.
“And what was that line about there being rumors? Who would ever talk ill of you?”
“Waverly,” Nicole gave her a look while motioning to her outfit, “I’m not that hard to read. It’s not like it’s a secret or anything,” Nicole said.
It took a second for what Nicole was saying to click in Waverly’s head, “Oh… about you being a lesbian,”
Nicole nodded, draining the last of the contents of her beer.
Nicole looked back out at the dance floor and spotted Dolls and Wynonna dancing, “Looks like Wynonna got her answer,”
Waverly’s jaw almost hit the floor. Her sister didn’t dance, “ Oh my god, Wynonna does not dance, at least not to country music,”
“Looks like she does now,” Nicole chuckled.
“She must have it bad for him,” Waverly shook her head, “She thought you and him were an item,”
Nicole spit out the last sip of beer, “I’m sorry, what?”
“Yeah she thought you two were dating. She was really surprised when I said you weren’t,”
“Oh, that’s hilarious,” Nicole shook her head. She grabbed Waverly’s empty glass, “Want a refill?”
“Yes please, I’ll hold down the fort,” Waverly responded, dramatically claiming the empty table by spreading her hands wide on it.
Nicole snaked her way through the crowd to the bar. And waited for an opportunity to flag down the busy bar tender.
“I thought you might not show up once again,” Amanda’s voice rang over the sound of the music.
Nicole turned to her right to see Amanda, still dressed in her white chaps and matching shirt, seated on a bar stool.
“I didn’t get side tracked this time,”
“Let me buy you a drink,” Amanda offered, the intention of her actions clear in the sparkle of her eye.
Nicole looked down a moment then back up at Amanda, “I’m sorry, but I’m here with a friend,”
Amanda’s eyes darted to Waverly across the barn, “Yeah, I saw you two dancing. Too bad,” Amanda shrugged, “Waverly is as straight as they come,” Amanda said the second part in a more hushed tone for only Nicole to hear.
Nicole was beginning to think that that assessment wasn’t 100% accurate, but she wasn’t going to say anything, “We are really good friends, and my friend needs me tonight, I’m sorry,”
“Suit yourself,” Amanda turned and flagged down the bar tender and directed him to Nicole, “When you are done playing house with Waverly, call me,” She slipped a napkin into Nicole’s shirt pocket.
Nicole collected the two beers and headed back to their table.
“Well that was weird,” Nicole said with a puzzled look on her face as she handed Waverly her beer.
“What was weird?” Waverly asked.
“I got accosted at the bar by a barrel racer named Amanda,” Nicole fished the napkin out of her pocket, “Even when I turned down her advances she still insisted on giving me this,”
Waverly took the paper napkin from her and looked at the number scrawled across it.
“Ah, you met Amanda Kesler. Nice girl, didn’t know she swung that way though,” She handed back the number and took a drink, “goes to show you cant always read people,”
“That’s very true,” Nicole nodded.
“Can I ask why you turned her down?”
Nicole thought for a second to collect herself. She didn’t want to tell Waverly the real reason, that she said no because she had a hopeless crush on her, “I’m just not feeling it. Plus I promised you I would stick with you tonight,”
“Don’t let me cramp your style, Nicole,” Waverly nudged her. Her own words rang hallow in her own ears. She didn’t want Nicole to have any ‘style’ with anyone else.
Nicole pretended to contemplate it, “Hmmm, I’m having plenty of fun right now with you,” She clinked her beer against Waverly’s.
“Nice dancing out there Ms. Haught, Ms. Earp,” Doc tipped his hat as he approached the two women.
“Thank you very much,” Waverly beamed.
“And nice rodeoing today,” He placed his hands on his belt.
“Thank you sir,”
“And if I might say, that logo looks nice on your shirt,” He gently plucked the lettering on the back of Nicole’s shirt.
“Thank you so much for the sponsorship, it means the world to us,” Nicole said genuinely.
“Well, I am glad to help,” He looked from Nicole to Waverly, “I will hurry along now. I would hate to infringe upon your evening together once again,”
Doc tipped his hat and moved on, disappearing into the crowd.
Nicole and Waverly stumbled out of barn, “You are not driving home,” Nicole observed, “And I cannot drive you home either,”
“Can I crash with you in your trailer?” Waverly asked.
“Of course, but its tight quarters,” Nicole warned.
“That hasn’t been a problem for us in the past,” Waverly smiled.
Nicole could feel the butterflies in her stomach, “Fair enough I guess,”
They made their way back to Nicole’s trailer. Nicole flipped the light on and they spilled into the small living quarters, Waverly bumped into Nicole and she steadied her.
“Careful there,” Nicole smiled down.
Nicole turned and grabbed the whiskey out of a cabinet and poured two glasses, handing one to Waverly. Nicole took her hat off, setting it in the wardrobe and kicked off her boots.
Waverly leaned against the counter, sipping the whiskey, “You haven’t learned yet have you,”
“I have yet to experience a reason to not give an Earp whiskey,” Nicole unbuttoned her shirt reveling a black V-neck t-shirt, hanging it up.
“Do you own stock in basic cotton v neck shirts?” Waverly asked, tugging lightly on the material.
“Does Wynonna own stock in a leather jacket company?” Nicole countered.
Waverly tipped her glass before draining its contents.
"Hey, I still want to talk to you about that night you slept over at our house," Wavlery said, emboldened by the liquor.
"Waves, we don't have to if you don't want to," Nicole insisted.
"I'm not crazy am I?" Waverly asked, "There's something going on here, right?"
"Yeah, I mean I think it might be more of a personal thing though," Nicole was uneasy and unsure as to why Waverly would suddenly want to discuss her sisters drinking habit now.
"I mean I think it's personal for the both of us," Waverly motioned between them.
Nicole screwed her face up in confusion, "Maybe we should talk about this another time. Ready to hit the hay?”
Waverly wasn’t ready for bed yet but also didn’t know how to convey what she was feeling to Nicole.
“Yeah, as long as the bed isn’t made of literal hay,”
“I promise, its not,” Nicole chuckled.
Nicole helped Waverly climb up into the sleeper compartment. She flicked off the light and climbed up after her. They slid under the covers.
“I hope you don’t mind if I koala you again,” Waverly snuggled close to her.
“Trust me, I don’t mind one bit,” Nicole said, her voice revealing a bit more than she had intended.
Waverly smiled. Wrapping her arm around Nicole.