Lacey sat perched precariously on the top rung of the metal fence that fenced off the back portion behind the grandstand of the booming rodeo. The initial rodeo entrance parade was over and Lance was re-checking the saddle bindings of his mount. She hadn't seen Wesley in a little while. Her blue gaze shifted from the blonde cowboy to sweep across the crowded area behind the scenes of the western phenomenon. There were cowboys of all kinds running around, milling about with horses and quite honestly, she wouldn't know how to pick Wesley out among them. If she didn't stick close to someone in this group, she was going to get lost and quick! Sighing gently, she tipped her boots down, the heels catching on one of the lower rungs of the metal fence to hold her in place. She felt somewhat out of place back here and wondered if everyone thought she looked ridiculous in the get-up Caroline had dressed her up in; almost like dressing one of her Barbies from childhood to match the other girls milling about and hoped she at least looked the part.
Wesley dusted off an old black felt hat as he sat on the tailgate of his truck. He'd parked the trailer and he needed some space out of all the hubbub and people. The leather of the hat band was a little worn and cracked. The silver buckle was tarnished. He tucked his thumb into the sleeve of his shirt and rubbed the metal to bring out the shine a bit. It needed some polish. He'd spent a half hour "brushing" the hat to clean it up and make it look presentable. It hadn't been worn in years. For some reason he'd taken it out of its storage place and brought it along. It was about Lacey's size. He gazed upon the pin that'd been put on the hat band. It was a well earned little jewel of a rodeo queen. He was still wondering if it'd seem too presumptuous to loan the hat to the cute little cowgirl in the making.
Lacey slid down from her perch on the top railing of the fence, her loose blonde hair falling around her shoulders with the movement. Lance was busy with his mount and she needed a breath of fresh air. The loud noise was taking some getting used to, but she loved every minute of it. She smiled to Lance as he looked up, seeing her start to wander off. "Now don't go getting lost, Miss Lacey," he grinned at her, giving her an appreciative once over with his eyes. Caroline had done a good job transforming her into a cowgirl with the tight jeans and borrowed boots, and even the shirt that sparkled in the rodeo lights. Lacey smiled at him beautifully and retorted wittily, "How can you get lost in a place like this? I'll just follow the smell and be able to find you again," she teased.
Lance grunted and chuckled at the girl's wit and nodded. "A'ight. That'll do." He waved her off and turned back to his work, letting her go about whatever had caught her fancy.
Wesley hopped down off the truck and reached with one hand to lift the tailgate and slam it into place. He reached and lifted the handle a bit to let the latch slide into place. The thing had jammed ever since Old Man King had bought the thing off the lot. Again he dusted off the brim of the hat, shaping it a bit with his thumb and headed on back for the grandstands. He almost bumped into Lacey as she stepped outside. He didn't look up much to notice it was her and just stepped back, tipping his hat apologetically. "Pardon me, Ma'am."
Lacey gasped softly as she almost plowed into Wesley and then grinned, seeing he hadn't noticed it was her. She chuckled softly before answering him, "So there you are ... I was wondering if you had got lost in a herd of horses."
He looked up from beneath the brim of his hat and blinked. "Miss King... ah. Yeah... was parkin' the truck." He motioned in the direction of the lot where he'd parked it. He grinned and looked at the hat in his hand. Now was as good a time as ever. He offered it gently to her. "No cowgirl is a cowgirl without 'er hat."
She glanced from his handsome face to the hat offered in his hands and a soft smile bloomed across her lips before dainty hands reached to take the hat from him, turning it in her hands. Looking up at him again, she smiled gently, touched by his thoughtfulness, although she had no clue how to wear one of these. "Thank you, Wesley ... what a thoughtful gesture." She turned the hat again in her hands before lifting it up and pressing it down on her head, tucking her hair behind her ears and then looked to him for a reaction on how it looked. "Do I look completely silly?"
He chuckled and reached for the hat to lift it off her head and turn it the right way. It fit her well. He knew it would. "Rounded side always goes to the back... buckle up front. And no... ye look like yer daddy's girl."
Lacey laughed, blushing as she realized she had put it on backwards and then smiled at his words. "Thanks Wesley ..." She couldn't bring herself to shorten his name like everyone else had. She knew that life on a ranch was a bit different and that certain things, rights, persay, had to be earned. Tucking her hair back behind her ears again, she glanced up at the brim of the hat that was shoved down on her head and hoped that she didn't stick out like a sore thumb before locking her gaze with his. "I think Lance is about to go out. Want to go watch?"
He glanced at his watch and nodded, offering his arm to her. "Yea... we prolly should head inside." As they entered the group of people again, he escorted her through toward where they'd left Lance with his mount. There were all kinds of noises and booming speakers and cheers. The horse was a bit spooked. Her ears kept swiveling this way and that, and then were laid back and she'd bare teeth. Once when another horse jerked near her she threw her head and practically yanked Lance off his feet. Seeing this, Wes let go of Lacey and hurried forward to grab the mare's bridle and yanked her head down rather roughly to control her. "Hey! Hey! Whoa girl.... easy." Wesley was a natural with horses. The instant he was there, he had the mare's attention and she calmed down a bit. Again she tried to throw her head and he swatted her right between the eyes. "Now you listen to me, missy. You behave yerself." He kept a firm grip on the bit as she gnashed it between her teeth and tongue, gazing into those big eyes. "Ya hear me?"
Lacey was secretly thrilled when he had offered his arm but it was short-lived as they approached where she had left Lance. Watching quietly, she couldn't help but smile as Wesley quickly worked to calm the horse and then shifted her gaze to Lance where he was caught between anger and embarrassment over the whole ordeal, practically ignoring her as he picked up his hat from the sawdust where it had landed, angrily brushing it off and shoving it back on his head as Wesley took control of the hell-bitch. She was his best roping horse, no doubt but she was a bitch, pure and simple, when she wanted to be.
Wesley took a stand-off with the horse for a long time. To him, there was nobody there but him, and the horse. He stared into her eyes and held the bit firmly to keep her from spooking or jumping again. When she tried he simply swatted her on the muzzle to make her step back. When he got fed up with her argumentativeness he tugged the bit down against her teeth and tongue, forcing her head to come down with it. "Ya gonna listen or not, missy? I can do this all night."
The mare stamped her foot in irritation and she nickered, trying to pull free of Wesley's grip. Each time she tugged, he just tugged her head down further toward the ground, bending her neck toward her withers. If she kept it up he'd eventually force her to lie over. "You gotta choice, li'l miss. Ya listen... shape up, and I let ya go. Or we can go 'round and 'round all night. Ya ain't givin' Lance shit again."
