Bullheaded by Catt Ford

you all’s advice about technique. I learned all that from my daddy. Just give me the secret.”
    “The secret?”
    “Yeah, the secret. How you stay on.”
    “Superglue,” Travis joked. “Spread plenty on your butt before you get up there.”
    Cody laughed. “So, you want to know the secret, the ultimate keep-it-quiet, lowdown wisdom only a top bull rider knows?”
    “Yeah. Give me that and I’ll get this done on my own.”
    “Okay, here it is.” Cody leaned closer and lowered his voice to a loud whisper. “Don’t fall off.”
    “Funny. Real funny, dude.”
    “And true.”
    “Don’t be shitting me, man.” Bobby Blue scowled at the four cowboys. Their faces were serious but their eyes were laughing.
    “Also, and this is really important, make sure your dick is positioned right in your pants before you get on the bull. Maybe even wear a cup.”
    “What the fuck? Are you for real?” Aubrey asked.
    “For real. It sucks if you’re banging around down there when you’re pointing the wrong way.” Cody nodded seriously. “Truth.”
    “I’m strong enough to make any bull sorry.” Bobby Blue pushed up his sleeve to show off a vein-popping bicep, smirking at the other boys, who were less brawny.
    “Doesn’t matter how strong you are, the bull is ten times stronger. That bull weighs over a thousand pounds more than you. You’re probably, what? A buck forty soaking wet? How you gonna win against a ton of pure muscle? Lifting a few more weights isn’t going to do it.”
    “Well, you could force—”
    “Not about force. It’s about countering the moves. You do the right thing at the right time and you rob the bull of its power.”
    “This is all bullshit.”
    Cody nodded wisely, trying not to smirk. “Yep, there’s a whole lotta that in this sport too. Try not to step in too much of it.”
    Considering the red flush on Bobby Blue’s face and the way Aubrey was glaring, Cody thought it was just as well his mom created a diversion at this point. He was in danger of having half of his first class run off on him. Or over him.
    “Hey, Cody, hi boys. How’s it going?” Val waited for RJ to open the gate for her and walked her pony into the ring.
    She sat as straight on the horse’s back as if she were a teenager, her silver ponytail streaming down her back from under her hat, surveying the class as if she found them somewhat less than impressive.
    “Hey, Mom, right on time. I’m just about ready for you.”
    Val swung her leg over and slid down from the horse’s back. She patted its nose before handing the reins over to Cody. “Don’t hurt my pretty baby, now. You boys take it easy on her.”
    “You’re going to make us ride a horse ?” Aubrey seemed almost as disgusted as Bobby Blue. “A mare ?”
    Jerking his head at Johnny, Bobby Blue said, “He gets to ride a bull and we get a horse?”
    “Cajun Spice isn’t just any horse,” Val scolded him. “She’s won more ribbons than you’ll ever see in your life.” She walked over to Travis and linked her arm through his to stand there and watch.
    “You’re not sitting on top of one of my bulls until I think you’re ready, and none of you have proved it to me yet,” Cody said. “You stay on Spice for eight seconds and I’ll think about letting you on a bull. How’s that?”
    “Eight effing seconds on that pony? Let me at it.” Bobby Blue pushed forward and went to grab the reins from Cody’s hand.
    “Just a second. You sure I’m not setting you up here? You don’t know anything about this horse or where it’s been.”
    “I don’t care where it’s been. I been on some rank bulls in my life. I can handle any horse alive.”
    Bobby Blue grabbed the reins and hoisted himself up and over onto the horse’s back. Cajun Spice looked around as if to check he was securely settled, and then she turned into a hurricane, bucking and twisting high in the air.
    “Two point three seconds,” Cody said, looking from his watch to where Bobby