"So, Cowboy," Alex asked Walker, "Planning on joining that rodeo coming up tonight night?"
"No, I thought maybe we could go dinner and dancing tonight, but, if you would rather me ride a 2000 pound bull for 8 seconds..."
Walker pulled her closer to him.
"Oh, YOU!" Alex playfully slaps his arm. "Of course I wouldn't rather you ride no bull."
"Hey, you are the one who asked."
Walker softly kissed her lips.
"Well, I guess we had better get ready if we are going." Walker smiled at Alex.
"I am done with my cases until tomorrow. How about you?" She asks.
"Looks like things are slow, and no paperwork."
Walker looked at his desk, then smiled back up to Alex.
"Okay, I can head over to my apartment now. See you around 7?"
"I'll be there!"
They kissed and Alex walked bristly to her car while Walker finished up a few things, then he went to the ranch.
"We're going to give them one heck of a rodeo tonight boss!" Randy, one of the cowboys told Jake Morgan."
"You boys had better make sure this will be a night to remember. Don't let nothing slip." He warned. "I am paying you cowboys too much money to have any slip ups.
"Hey, boss, we can handle it." Travis agreed.
"You better hope so." Morgan warned his boys.
"Ok, we tell the other cowboys that this stuff will improve their riding skills guarantee. We give them the first shot free, that will get them hooked to keep coming back for more." Randy ran their plan back by to the boss once again, just to insure that they had it right.
"Yes, and they had better believe every word you say. I want every cowboy in that rodeo to buy this from me. I will be there to watch your progress and if one decides he wants more tonight, then I will let you know how to get up with me, okay." Morgan stressed his point.
"Yes boss." they answered.
Walker got got dressed up, suit and tie and then stopped by the barn to give the horses carrots. Now then he only had two more stops to make before Alex.
Alex got dressed in a lovely V neck blue dress, left her hair hang down and put on the pearl cross that Walker had gotten her for Christmas. She sat down and waited for her cowboy to show up in worn tight jeans and a old western shirt shirt.
Walker stopped by the Jewelry Outlet to pick up his special gift, and then by the flower shop for a dozen roses.
"Finally, I think I remembered everything she had said."
He recalled a conversation he had over heard with Alex and Kim.
"I just wish Walker would dress up, get her roses and have a nice peaceful night of dinner and dancing." She had told her good friend.
Now, Walker was going to make that wish come true for her.
Looking at his truck, he noticed it was the papers scattered around on the seat and Amigo's saddle that was thrown in the back. Dirt covered the outside from the chase he had across the muddy field.
"Darn, I can't take Alex to a fancy restaurant in this".
Walker turned around and went back to the flower shop.
"Yes sir, we can do that. That would be no trouble at all." the clerk told Walker.
"That's great, thank you." Walker paid the clerk and followed her out.
Jake and Travis stood by the bull gates with there drugs, seeing a young handsome cowboy come up to the gates, Jake went over to him.
"Hey there buddy! Riding tonight?"
"Yeah, sure am. My first rodeo!" he answered.
"Well, my buddies and I take this little pill here. It really calms our nerves and we ride so much better. A lot of cowboys around here take this. Hey, I'll tell you what! This is your first rodeo., so what do you say I let you try this for free tonight. If you like it, come back to me and we will discuss the prices of it and if not. well we never saw you." Jake showed the cowboy his pill.
"Well, I guess it won't hurt, would it? I mean if the others take it, then, it must be legal." the boy took the pill.
"This is going to be so easy! Like giving candy to kids!" Travis said as they went off in search of other cowboys.
Morgan sat in the benches and watched with pleasure.
Walker went up the steps and softly knocked on Alex's door.
"Hey Cow b... WOW!" Alex stepped back for a minute. "Walker? Are you the same man?" She asked seeing him in a three piece suite, hands behind back."
"WOW! Look at you, Cinderella! "
Walker stepped in and pulled his hands in front of him.
Alex saw the dozen red roses and a small gift wrapped box.
"Well, if I am Cinderella, you must be my prince charming.!"
She smiled and gently kissed his lips......
"This is just a start. Are you going to open these?" Walker asked still holding the flowers and box.
"Oh, um, yeah, of course."
Alex took the flowers and box and laid them on the coffee table while she went to the kitchen to get water for the flowers.
Walker smiled as he watched her put the flowers up.
"Surprised?" He asked.
"Yes, I am."
Walker just smiled knowing what was waiting out side.
Alex fixed the flowers in the vase and sat them on the coffee table. Then she opened the small card.
To the Bluest Eyes and Prettiest Lady in Texas:
I love You
Love, Walker
With tears of joy in her eyes Alex threw her arms around Walker.
"I love you so much, Walker!" She leaned back and gently kissed his lips.
Then she picked up the small box and opened it. Inside she found a gold ring with diamonds made into a little heart and small ruby in the center of them.
"Turn it around."
Alex did as Walker said, and on the back she saw the engraved letters:
"Til Death Do Us Part CW & AC"
"Oh, Walker, I love it It...it's just beautiful!" Alex slipped it on her figure and turned back to Walker.
"Anything to show my love to you." Walker grinned at her. "So, are we ready?"
"Sure are!"
Alex grabbed her jacket and they went out the door hand in hand.
"Walker? Where's the truck?"
Alex glanced around the lot.
"It's not lonely."
"What is THAT suppose to mean?"
"You'll see."
Walker silently lead her down the steps and to a long black limo...
"No, Walker... it can't be.." She said in shock.
"Huh? Can't be what?" he asked as the door was opened and Walker stood back for Alex to climb in.
"You did this? How?" Alex asked.
"Don't worry, it wasn't hard."
Alex smiled at Walker and climbed in, Walker sat next to her and picked up two glasses and some Red Wine and sat them on a pull out tray in front of them, then leaned over and got some Strawberries and whipped cream from the little cooler on the side.
"Walker? How on earth did you ever know?" Alex asked.
"Know what? That you liked Red Wine and Strawberries with Whipped Cream?"
"What my dream has always been."
"Good guess?"
"Oh, Walker. What will I ever do with you?" She asked, taking leaning over, and taking the strawberry dipped in whipped cream from Walkers hand.
"What will you ever do without me." He grinned
"Welcome to the Billy Bobs Texas Rodeo!" Came an announcer
"Our first cowboy out of the shoot today is Jake Collies of Dallas! He is on Charger."
Jake braced himself for the ride and nodded. Charger ran and bucked out of the chute. The cowboy stayed on it's back with one had up and hills at the beast's shoulders until the 8 second bell rang.
"Jake Collins!! What a cowboy. Score, 90! Now that will be a tough one to beat ladies and gentlemen.
Jack threw his hat at the crowd and went over to the young cowboy.
"See I told you, those pills can do wonders, can't they."
"Yeah, I guess they can....." the young cowboy answered.
"Hey, kid, don't go running your mouth about them. I give them to the people I like. If I don't like you, you don't get them. Understand?"
"Yeah. I can do that."
The limo pulled to the door of Dargo's, one of the best restaurants in town. Walker tipped the driver as the door was opened for them.
"Thank You sir, I'll call you when we are ready to head home."
Alex and Walker went hand in hand though the door, where they were seated by a window, over looking the Dallas Skyline.
"Walker, I must say, I am impressed." Alex told him as they sipped some wine, waiting for their food.
"With what? The Dallas Skyline?"
"No. With you. I never thought you could be SO romantic."
"Anything to make my lady happy." He smiled.
"The next cowboy coming out of chute 6, is Chris Roberts of Fort Worth, riding Bullet, the meanest, biggest bull in the west. Tonight will be this cowboy's first ride. Good Luck Chris." The announcer finished as the gate swung open.
Chris let out a loud Whoop as the bull bucked across the ring. He felt like he was flying, he could do anything. At the sound of the 8 second bell, he jumped off the bull's back and ran in front of the bull.
Before the rodeo clowns could get to him had mauled the cowboy to the ground, killing him.
Walker got up early the next morning, ready for another days work. throwing on his clean cowboy cut, black wranglers, boots, and black Stetson the black and white western shirt Alex had gave him for his birthday, Walker went out and took care of the horses and let them out to roam the pasture.
Climbing in the RAM, Walker turned the radio on and headed to the office.
"Good morning Dallas! It is now six o'clock in Texas and the news today is... Chris Roberts, a cowboy competing in the bull riding event last night at the Billy Bob's Texas Rodeo was killed after jumping off the bull. The coroner found illegal steroids and narcotics in his blood. There will be two more rodeos, tonight and tomorrow night."
Walker flipped off the radio. Chris Roberts. He knew the kid. He was a good boy, he would never do anything illegal, all he wanted was to be a bull rider. The news stayed with Walker all the way to the office, by the time he got to his desk, his mind was made up. Something was wrong at that rodeo, and he was going to find it.
"Hey Pard, what's up?" Trivett asked.
"Just something on my mind."
"What is it man?"
"Chris Roberts was killed last night at the Billy Bob's Rodeo. They found steroids and narcotics in his blood. Chris wouldn't do anything illegal like that. I decided to sign up for the bull riding event. I may find something."
"You sure partner?"
"Yeah, I am sure. I have to do it."
"Okay, be careful and call if you need anything."
"I will, don't worry."
Walker picked his hat up and headed to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Billy Bobs. I am going to join the rodeo tonight. I will call you when I can."
"Man, boss, that boy was sure out of it last night. Ha, just think, he thought he was better then old Bullet." Travis laughed.
"Yeah, but they found the drugs we have to be more careful now." Morgan stated.
"Want us to lay low?" Randy asked.
"Yeah, just a little. Let this blow over."
Walker pulled up to the Billy Bob's Rodeo ring. He saw an older cowboy standing at the gate, looking the bull over.
"Hello."
"Hi, can I help you?"
"Yeah, I was wanting to join the bull riding tonight."
"You? Do you know how dangerous this is?" The old man asked.
"Yeah, I've rode a time or two before. I am ready..."
"Okay, just sign this sheet, be here at 6 tonight."
"Thanks."
Walker signed in as Rick Moore of Springtown, Texas. Age 49. Bull: Bullet
"You know that bull killed a man last night."
"Yeah, I know. That's why I picked him." Walker answered.
Randy was standing at the end of the gate watching Walker. After he saw the RAM pull off, he approached the older man.
"Hey, Mac! New one?"
"Yeah, Rick Moore of Springtown. 49, and look at this, he choose Bullet to ride. Guess he thinks he can handle that beast."
"Yeah? Well. I'll show him. What time is he coming back?"
"Six."
"I'll be waiting."
"