I told her good luck, too, before Emma and I went to find a seat in the stands. We waited through “The Star Spangled Banner” and a few riders racing around the barrels set up in a cloverleaf pattern before it was finally Lacey’s turn. This competition was bigger than her last one, so there was an electric eye.
“I’m so damned nervous,” Emma said. “I hope we made the right choice putting Elroy out there. He’s still a baby.”
“If Lace says he’s ready, he’s ready.” I’d seen the little guy running around the barrels we set up on the ranch. He’d looked good. Lacey knew what she was doing. I had a dull ache in my gut, but I always did before she raced. I’d only seen her fall once, and that was back when we were in middle school. She’d jumped right up and got back to work, pushing even harder. That was just how she was.
The announcer boomed Lacey’s name over the loudspeaker. I slid to the edge of my seat, keeping my eyes on the arena. Lacey and Elroy came out. I couldn’t see the expression on her face from way up here, but I knew it was grim and determined from years of watching her do her thing. All of a sudden, she and Elroy broke into a sprint, aiming for the first barrel, the one to the right.
“Come on Lacey!” Emma shouted, pumping her fists.
I turned, watching her so closely, I missed Lacey running Elroy around the next barrel. I put my eyes on the area in time to see her and Elroy hug the last barrel.
“Go, Lacey!” I shouted.
“Finish strong!” Emma screamed, a few seconds after I did.
Lacey bent low over Elroy, kicking gently at his sides to get him up to a sprint, the two of them racing over the finish line and out of the arena.
At the announcement of time — just shy of eighteen seconds, making it a personal best for Lacey — Emma let out a triumphant whoop and turned to hug me. I hugged her back, grinning to see her so happy for Lacey.
Over the last two weeks of getting Elroy ready for the rodeo, I’d watched the girls get closer and closer. Nothing made me happier. They were two of the most important people in my life. I wanted them to be the best of friends. If I wasn’t careful, they might take over the farm and tell me to get the hell out.
We rushed out of the stands to find Lacey back near the corral, pulling the saddle off of Elroy.
Emma ran to her, squealing, and they hugged. “You did so great!”
I hugged her next. “Who knew little Elroy could race like that?”
Lacey couldn’t wipe the mile-wide smile from her face, her brown eyes glittering. “He did just fine. He’s gonna be a good little racer. We might want to hang onto him.”
“We should celebrate tonight,” Emma said, looking at Lacey first, then me. “Let’s get funnel cakes and play games and just have some good old-fashioned fun.”
Lacey and I shared a look and a laugh at how excited Emma seemed by that. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the rest of the day than with the two of them, joking and filling our bellies. I wanted Emma to myself, but I had tonight back at the hotel for that. She’d started staying over at the house most weekends, too, and there was nothing better than waking up to find her snuggled in next to me in the mornings. She smiled to beat all every single time I made her breakfast.
“Let me put Elroy up, and we can go see how the fair is,” Lacey said.
We waited for her by the entrance to the midway, the smell of grease and sugar riding on the breeze.
“I can’t wait to have three or four funnel cakes,” Emma said, her green eyes wide, and I laughed.
“You ain’t kidding, either. I saw the way you ate last time.”
She pushed me a little, giggling herself. “There’s nothing wrong with a girl having a good appetite.”
Lacey came up to join us. The girls laced arms and took off, leaving me in the damned dust, the two of them chattering about how well Elroy had done and what they needed to do to keep him on track. I went along after them, taking in the sights and sounds. There were a lot of people out here, even with the rodeo still going on. Emma went straight to a booth where she could get a funnel cake, ordering one with powdered sugar. I stepped up to pay before she could pull money out of her pocket.
“Damn, I’ll take one, too, if he’s paying,” Lacey said to the attendant.
; I laughed and handed the man behind the counter a couple more dollars to pay for Lacey’s. He handed them their funnel cakes.
“You gonna share any of that?” I asked Emma, who dug right in, tearing off a piece and putting it in her mouth before it’d even cooled. “Or should I get my own?”
She giggled, hiding her full mouth behind her sugar-dusted fingers. “You should probably get your own.”
I gave a look to Lacey, who pulled her plate of fried dough out of reach.
“Don’t think you’re gonna share with me, either, Pete Gains.”