“No worries. I’ll make sure Roper’s at the signing booth.” It had been his job for years, after all.
“So when you’re not working for me, you’re working for him?” Charles’s tone was teasing. “And… Mister Charlie, hm?”
“What?” Had he said that out loud? Seriously? “I just check on him. He gets into trouble.”
“I imagine he’s been surviving without you for a while.”
“You’d think so.” He found a smile, but part of him was a little worried. “I’m not talking to him on your time, I swear. I’m just a brother.”
Charles put a warm hand on his arm. “Ryder, you can talk to him any time you please. There is no ‘on my time’ when it comes to family.”
He took a deep breath, then reached out and patted Charles’s arm. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
He didn’t know how to say no when Roper asked.
Charles gave him a nod. “Okay. So, who was that guy? Really?”
“He’s the sponsor liaison. He has a terrible job. He has to make the sponsors happy and make cowboys show up on time.” It was a pointless job.
“Oh? And is he actually able to fulfill either purpose?” Charles seemed to be catching on quickly.
“Nope. Not a chance. He’s always yelling or getting yelled at.” No fun at all.
“No wonder he was in such a poor humor. I hope he is well compensated for his efforts.”
“I guess?” He didn’t know. He didn’t really care what all the guys in all the moving parts made. No one ever bitched, so it had to be good.
“So what’s first after we check in? The initial round is tonight?”
“I got us a suite, so we can go on to the room, get cleaned up, and then we can go see all the vendors, have a snack, whatever you want.” He wanted to go say hi to folks, introduce Charles around. “The event starts at seven, and we have family seats.”
“Family seats sound very nice. I want to see everything, so I am letting you lead the way.”
They finally made it up to the desk and got checked in. Charles signed all the paperwork and didn’t blink at the cost of the suite.
The bellman took their bags, and they wandered toward the elevator banks.
“Ryder? Ryder, is that you?” Mackey, the head bullfighter waved at him. The man was magical. He could always tell them apart.
“Mackey!” He waved back, and Charles turned to follow as he went to say hello.
“That no good brother of yours didn’t tell me you’d be here. Does he know?” Mackey looked at Charles and held out a hand. “Mackey. Pleased.”
“Charles. Likewise.” Charles shook with him.
“He knows. He’s… Roper.”
“He’s a shit, but we all love him. You’re looking so much better than last time we saw you. Y’all heading up?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Me too. I left my knee pads upstairs.” Mackey chuckled and shook his head.
Charles held the elevator door for the bellman and everyone else. “Interesting. Are knee pads standard gear for bull riders?”
“I’m a bullfighter. Cowboy protection. I work for a living, right, Ry?”
“You know it.” Ryder owed Mackey and the other bullfighters his life. “Mackey is the head bullfighter. He keeps us safe.”