Chapter 5

I reserved two stalls for our four horses ahead of our trip, and I drove straight to the Kay Yeager Coliseum, so we could get them settled. Manny drove in right beside me when I stopped. We were still unloading the horses when I looked up to see Avery Denton and his wife Francine.

“Wade, we’ve been expecting y’all to get here any minute.

“Julie, you look like one of the flag bearers, dressed in those fancy jeans and that white shirt. You better hang close to Wade, or of one of these hairy-legged cowboys will have you cornered.”

Julie told him, “Then he may as well give up before he starts. I’ll never let go of Wade long enough to be cornered by any of them.”

She surprised me with her quick reply, then Julie really shocked me by hugging Francine when she held out her arms for a hug.

“Francine, it’s so good to see you again. I told Wade on the way over here, that I hope you and Avery would be here.”

“Julie, Avery was right. You look like a million dollars dressed in that outfit. I want to tell you up front, there will be photographers roaming this place constantly, taking photos of visitors and horses. I hope they take at least a dozen of you. I just love your long blonde hair and that outfit you’re wearing.”

“Thank you so much. Wade picked this out for me, and I may just let him pick out all my clothes from now on.”

“Hon, it’s always been well known that Wade Hobbs knows horses, and now we can honestly say, he knows beauty as well as he does horses. If I had your looks, I’d dress the part too. Make the most of it and make those cowboys drool when you ride through the arena this morning during the opening ceremonies.”

“Thank you, Francine. This is all new to me and I’m so excited to be here with Wade, Manny and Mandy. They’ve been trying to tell me what all will be on the program for today, and what we’ll be doing.”

She turned to me, and with both her arms around my waist, she leaned close to whisper, “Wade, I need to pee, and I’m going to get Mandy and Francine to go with me. Will you wait here for me?”

“The restrooms are just inside. You go ahead with Francine and Mandy. I’ll go too, and I’ll be right here when you come back.”

Avery walked over to me and I knew he had something to say. He sure did, and I had to smile. “Wade, Francine and I met the man earlier, who put this show together, and he said he’s known you for years. He wanted to know if you were going to be here. When I told him you were, Francine all but put a gun on him, to let Julie ride out into the arena first, with the Stars and Stripes.”

“Avery, I’m not sure Julie will do that. She’s really shy in public.”

“Here they come now, and from the looks of her and Francine, she’s already told Julie about it.”

I turned just in time to catch Julie as she flew into my arms.

“Wade! Francine told me that a good friend of yours wants me to ride out first, carrying the flag! Will you ride beside me? She told me that she knew it would be alright. I’m so excited. I’ve never been to a rodeo and I gave Francine your camera and told her to get lots of pics of us together.”

“Julie! You make me so proud.”

“Wade, you make me proud just being with you.”

“Let’s go help Manny saddle the horses. We’ll need to take Whiskey for a ride, just to settle him down before entering the arena. He’s never been in a parade, nor been ridden out into an open arena where there are loud speakers blaring music.”

“I know he’ll be fine once, I let him know it’s me on his back.”

“He’s your horse now, Julie, and honestly, I think he knows it. Just be ready if he spooks at a sudden noise, or even that tall flag you’ll be carrying. When we ride up to the main gate to get ready for our entrance into the arena, Franklin will bring your flag to you. He’ll have a cup that will fasten to your right stirrup for the base of the flag pole to fit into.

We were making our second loop around the stables, and just before we came back to the main gate, I wanted her to know what was about to happen.

“Julie, when we ride out into the arena, you’ll be the center of attention. There will be TV cameras, personal cameras, and video cameras by the hundreds getting pictures of you. I want you to show them the real Julie Winters because you’re going to be on the front pages of every newspaper in Oklahoma and North Texas, come Sunday and Monday. We’ll try to pick up a few papers for you to keep.”

“Really? I’m excited and I’m so excited to be riding out into the arena at a big rodeo in Texas. But most of all, I’m excited to be here with you. You make everything seem so normal and everyday, just like you do back at the ranch. I can actually feel the difference in me, since I came home with you. Have you noticed that I’m not scared to try new things? Especially when you ask me to wear sexy clothes in public.”

“You were beautiful the day we met, and since then, you have come to realize just how beautiful you can be. You’re not afraid to dress the part and put on just enough makeup to make your eyes and lips look like a photographer’s model.

“Show’em how proud you are to be riding out into the arena, bearing the Stars and Stripes.”

“Francine told me when we were saddling up, that you’d be carrying the Texas Lone Star Flag and riding beside me. I hope she gets lots of photos of you and me side by side. I would love to have one of us enlarged to put in my bedroom.”

“We can do that. Here comes Franklin and his daughters carrying our flags. Show’em what you’ve got, Julie. Pull your hat down tight, stick those titties out and sit tall in that saddle. Hold back on your reins so Whiskey will keep his head up and strut his stuff for you.

“You’re about to become the Sweetheart of the Rodeo. You make me proud, being here beside you, Julie.”

“If we were back at the ranch right now, I would climb over there on that big horse with you, and show you just how much you make me proud of you, Wade Hobbs.”

“Wouldn’t you be afraid I’d grope you?”

“No, because I’ve tried everything I can think of, hoping you’d at least pull me close and kiss me.”

“Until you told me that, I thought you were still afraid of me.”

“I’ve never been afraid of you. But for the past month or more, I’ve been trying not to fall in love with you.”

“You’re getting brave, Julie. Are you sure you want to carry on this conversation?”

“You made me brave enough to tell you how I feel, when you admitted we would be sleeping in the same bed this weekend. Here comes your friend with my flag and you’re going to keep on and I’ll tell you that I love you, right in front of Franklin.”

“I love you, Julie ... Now tell me before we run wild across this arena.”

“I love you Wade Hobbs, and I’ll show you how much, when we get to our room tonight.”

Franklin had Julie’s flag in place and stepped around between Duke and Whiskey. When I looked down, he was smiling. “I’m proud for you, My Friend. Let these folks know how a proud Oklahoma Cowboy shows off his Cowgirl to Texas and the world.”

I had a firm grip on the tall staff of the Lone Star Flag, with Julie beside me, holding the staff of the Stars and Stripes.

I leaned over toward her, “Kiss me, Julie Winters. I’m so happy to know you love me.”

She leaned toward me, and just as our lips touched, the loud speakers blared to announce our entrance.

“I love you Wade Hobbs. Hang on to your hat, Cowboy. This ride is going to last a lifetime.”

“Ride’em Cowgirl. Show’em what you’ve got.”

I spanked Duke on his rump and we were off. She’s right beside me and when I glanced her way, she’s smiling at me. If we had been back on the ranch, I would have pulled her off that wild horse she’s riding.

We made a half circle at the other end of the arena, then pulled our horses up at mid-arena on our way back, with the others lining their horses up on either side of us just as The National Anthem started playing.

When it was over, the crowd was still standing as the roar went up so loud it was like thunder.

I nodded at Julie and she rode out to pair up with me, then we slowly led our procession around the far end of the arena, and made a full circle around the arena, waving to the crowd as they yelled and clapped.

I kept looking over at her, and even now I feel the need to pinch myself to see if this is real.

Outside the arena, Franklin and his daughters took our flags. As soon as I was on the ground, I walked around Duke to see Julie as she swung her leg over and dropped to the ground. I knew she saw me, because she whirled and leaped into my arms when I held my arms out for her.

“I LOVE YOU WADE HOBBS!” She sobbed into my shirt as I held her off the ground.

“I love you, Julie Winters, and I want you to be my wife.”

“OH WADE! REALLY? YES YES, OH HELL YES. I am so happy I’m about to cry and mess up my eye makeup. Put me down so I can find Mandy and tell her.”

“She’s right behind you.”

By the time she and Mandy parted, Julie’s eye makeup was running down her face. I took my bandana and wiped all the makeup off her face as she smiled up at me.

Manny was right in front of me and I expected him to shake my hand. He didn’t, and walked right into my chest with his arms around my waist. He’ll never know what he means to me, and I’m not sure I can tell him now, after he told me...

“Wade, you have made three people very proud of you here today. I hope I live to see the day you have a houseful of boys and girls wearing hats, boots and jeans - laughing as they run across the barnyard to get on their horses.”

“Manny...”

“Don’t you say anything else, Wade! You’ll have both of us wiping tears in front of this crowd.”

“One day, I’ll tell you, no matter where we are.”

“Okay, one day ... just don’t do it today. I’m about to run over right now, as it is.”

Before we had our horses in the stalls, Franklin cornered me.

“Wade, there are at least ten thousand folks here who are thrilled by what you said to Julie after y’all rode out of the arena and got off your horses.”

“That wasn’t on the air, was it?”

“Yep, wide open and in your deepest, most sincere voice. Did you not hear the roar of the crowd?”

“Yeah, but I thought the clowns were still out there making them laugh.”

“Nope. They were cheering you and Julie, and after seeing you ride out with her, they knew it was you and her doing the talking back here. Not only was the mike on, the cameras were on y’all.”

“Well, the way I was feeling right then, they could have put it on TV and I wouldn’t have backed up.”

“I was told the TV cameras were still on Julie, and I don’t have to explain that to you. You, my friend have discovered a diamond that shines all over Oklahoma and Texas ... Hey, that reminds me. I have two tickets to the rodeo in Arlington, starting next Thursday, running through Sunday. Carol and I were supposed to be part of the Grand Marshal Parade, but her Mom is sick and we’ve had to cancel. The tickets are yours and Julie’s, if you want them.”

“I was planning to take her to that rodeo and spend the week with her anyway. I’ll take your tickets and tell her about them later. She’ll ask where we’re going when I head the wrong way.”

“Wade, I’ve known you since we were in the first grade together, and I have to tell you, I’ve never seen you so laid back and happy as you are right now. Congratulations, My Friend and I hope you’ll invite Carol and me to the wedding ... I’m sure you’ll be married there at your ranch, right?”

“Yep, and Julie doesn’t know that part yet, so wait until you get your invitation, before you and Carol mention it to her that you knew about it when we were in Wichita Falls. Oh, and slip me those rodeo tickets now, if you have them with you.”