Cooper Land and Cattle

Chapter 3 - Vegas

Four Years Later........

The lights came up like a Christmas tree getting power. Maggie had never seen anything like it. The Vegas strip was beautiful, not beautiful like the mountains but in a totally different way. The airplane banked again to give her an even better look before it turned to take a final approach and land. Maggie cursed the airport and the many people in a hurry to go everywhere. It seemed like an hour before she was able to find a cab. Maybe she should have rented a car. Should she check into her hotel or go straight to the Thomas and Mack center. She thought it might be wiser to keep her hotel reservation by checking in. Her ticket had a seat number so she was insured to have that. "The Wynn, please" she told the driver. She would get the hotel to get her a second cab when she was ready to leave. It was finally real, she was in Las Vegas! She could not believe when she got the call that Jack Merret would be in the top ten and from what she had been watching he really had a shot to take it all.

Jack, in the National Finals Rodeo, who would have thought that. Well, he was not going to call home and brag, but Maggie would not be at home watching on a television as he got his buckle, she would be in the stadium. Jack had always been there for her and this was the one time she could pay him back. She would be there cheering him on when the awards were being handed out.

Maggie checked into her hotel and had the door man hail her a second taxi to the Thomas and Mack Center. She would get there in time to see it all, what a relief. As she got out of the taxi to enter the large auditorium she saw a familiar cowboy hat out of the corner of her eye. It couldn't be, did Will share the same idea, Maggie yelled Will's name but he didn't hear. She walked up behind him and yanked his shirt.

"Excuse me," Will said in irritation but then realized who was pestering him "Maggs!" The smile on his face grew and he sweeped her off her feet. "This is going to be perfect," Will exclaimed. Will grabbed her hand and started to pull her toward the cowboys entrance.

"Can we go in here?" Maggie questioned.

"Only if you have a pass, and guess what, I have a pass.You have a press pass. This is a plan coming together!" Will said with confidence.

"Okay, how did you get it?"

" You don't want to know," Will refused to look at Maggie because he knew she would look right through him. He didn't like using his money to get things but how many times does your best friend ride in the National Finals. As he glanced back to face her skepticism he knew she would force him to come clean. " I bought it off a cowboy that broke his leg. I am his agent according to my ID. I am not proud, but I did it. I couldn't figure out any other way down to the dirt when he won."

"Will, this is one time I am glad that my best friend has brains and money!" Maggie said beaming up at him. That smile made the world shine for Will, it seemed nothing could ever make this moment better. Even when Jack won tonight it would be this smile that Will remembered. They made it past security and down unto the floor. They were lead to seats just off the bull pen. Behind the shoots were saved for paying customers. The seats were good but not great.

"Get down, Get down." Will whispered.

"Why"

"Jack is coming to look at the bull" Will warned.

"I thought he would have done this hours ago," Maggie complained from behind her seat.

"Must be running behind." Will said from bending over the top of Maggie like he was looking for something he dropped. Just as Will looked up Jack looked straight at him. He thought he was busted but it seemed like Jack just skimmed over him. As Jack walked back to the cowboy hut, Will started to breath easier.