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I walked around Las Vegas in a daze. After riding Red Smoke in the final round a few hours earlier, nothing had felt real. The noise from the crowd was muted. The lights were dimmer. Taxis flew by me and people milled around. I had done it! I won the Bull Riding Finals Championship. Everything that I worked for the last eleven years paid off in beating Jose Garcia. The look on his face when I rode Red Smoke to 95 points was worth the drive out here. I walked back to the hotel and settled on a black bar stool facing a long white counter. The barman poured a whiskey neat the minute I walked in. It was my drink of choice for the last few nights I had been in Vegas.
“I hear congratulations are in order.” He slung a towel over his shoulder and leaned against the bar. He pointed at the large screen in the corner where I was receiving the world championship buckle and talking to reporters. I nodded as I sipped the drink. “That’s a big win. Drinks on the house tonight.”
He slapped the counter before walking away. The amber liquid glittered in the fluorescent lights. It stung my throat as I took another pull of the drink. The stool next to me pulled out, and a busty blonde sidled on to it. She had been sitting in the corner with a couple of other girls. They were decked out in what city people call country outfits. Tight flannel shirts tied above their belly buttons, oddly shaped straw hats, enormous belt buckles paired with tiny Daisy Duke shorts that even Lindsay the waitress at Susie’s Cafe wouldn’t wear. The cowboy boots had pointed toes and not an ounce of manure on them. Dee would not be caught dead in that. She would be wearing her jeans and worn-out boots with a T-shirt. A ball cap with a horse would sit on top of her head. I shook my head to clear my thoughts
“What are you drinking, cowboy?” She batted her extra-long black eyelashes at me as her baby blue eyes latched on my left hand. She leaned her shoulder against mine. I tried not to cringe, so I slid my stool away from her.
“Whiskey.” I emptied my drink and set it on the counter. The bartender filled my glass before walking away.
“What’s a handsome guy like you sitting here by yourself?” She ran her hand up and down my bicep. Her fake red nails pinching the skin a bit. I slammed the next drink back.
“Thank you for the compliment. But I am in a relationship.”
“But honey, she’s not here. And I heard that you’re a good time.” She purred. She pressed her body into my shoulder. Definitely, a buckle bunny and only interested in one thing.
“I’m not interested.” Her hand fell from my arm as I pulled away from her to head back to my room.
I shut the hotel door behind me and sat on my bed. It was lonely in the room. It was sterile with its white sheets and black floors and black and white furniture. I wished I had someone to share this moment with. Delilah was the one person I wished the most was here. My brother, Kurt, was fine, but he already flew home to Dallas. I wanted to see Delilah’s smile and the way her eyes lit up when I looked at her. I wanted to feel her in my arms and to hear her voice first thing in the morning. I missed her more than I thought. I pulled out my phone. No text message or call from Delilah. Kaleb and the rest of my family sent their congratulations. Even my mother and father sent emails from wherever they were on their mission trip. Pete and Damien sent messages. But no message from the one person I wanted contact with more than anything. I sighed. My fingers punched in the numbers for her. It rang four times before going to voicemail. Her voice said to leave a message after the beep. I missed her to my core, and I wished every night she was here with me. I hoped I didn’t ruin what we had forever. I prayed I didn’t mess up so badly she wouldn’t want me back. I hoped that she could understand why I had to do this. I hoped that she had watched me on TV. But all I could say was:
“Hey, Dee. It’s me. Call me back.”