The Queen of Honduras Came to Texas to Buy Bulls, and Fell for the Shortest Cowboy in the Arena novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: Pennies

The laughter started at the back of the barn and rolled forward.

Not everyone laughed.

But enough of them did.

Clyde stood beside me on the dance floor with his hat in his hand.

"Come on, son!" Strother waved his glass. "Don't be shy! Somebody give him a box to stand on!"

That got the biggest laugh of the night.

Clyde put his hat on.

He walked to the stage.

I watched him climb the three steps.

Strother put a heavy arm around his shoulders and pulled him in.

The top of Clyde's hat came to Strother's chin.

"Now this boy's daddy, God rest him, was a fine cattleman," Strother said. "And this boy here, well. He's doing his best."

He squeezed Clyde's shoulders.

"When the bills come due, Clyde come to me. And I helped him out. Forty head of the best bulls in Presidio County. And I want to thank him, because without this little man, I'd have nothing to sell a queen."

The crowd clapped.

Strother lifted his glass to me.

"Majesty! Come sign, and we'll cut that cake!"

Clyde hadn't said a word.

He was looking out over the crowd, at nothing.

His jaw was tight. His ears were red.

His hands hung at his sides, open, the way they'd hung in front of that horse.

I'd watched him take this twice now.

I wasn't going to watch it a third time.

I walked to the stage.

Elena stepped into my path. "Majesty, the pen is on the table."

I walked around her.

Andrés said my name.

I walked around him too.

I went up the three steps in my long navy dress.

On the stage, standing next to Strother, I was taller than he was.

I hadn't known that. Neither had he.

He had to lift his chin to keep smiling at me.

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