The Masks We Wear

We played tennis together, belonged to a stream team that went on floats four times a year to pick up trash and worked out together every day at the gym. When I arrived for dinner, I discovered that Linda and Jack were trying to set me up again, much to my dismay and displeasure. They had invited a man to make the fourth dinner guest. I was annoyed as fuck about that. I had brought a bottle of wine and pulled Linda into the kitchen.

"Damn it, Linda," I hissed. "Why you be like this? I told you I hate it! I'm really quite capable of finding my own date if I want one. I was hoping to just come over and relax with you and Jack. Now you've dragged me into this. I'm very tempted to just go home, right now."

"I'm sorry, Simone," she begged. "Please don't be mad at me. Jack just introduced me to Destry last month, and I really like him. I think you would like him, too, if you would give him a chance. Please don't leave, Simone, it would be very embarrassing."

"Why should I give a damn? You don't care about making my evening awkward as fuck," I retorted.

"I'm very sorry, Honey. I shouldn't have done it. Don't you think he's cute, though?"

"I didn't look," I told her. "He's white, Linda."

"Why does that bother you? I know you aren't a racist. I'm your best friend and I'm white. Your dad is white. Reuben was white!"

"Yes, and you see how that worked out. You know I have a rule: no white boys. I'm not some fetish notch on someone's belt. I not about some guy fucking a black girl so they can brag about it at work the next day."

Linda blushed. "You know I don't like you to talk like that, Simone. He's not like that. Just eat dinner, talk to us for a while and then you can go, okay?"

I thawed a little. "Well, if you promise never to do anything like this again, I'll stay. I'm only doing it because I love you."

She hugged me, her little blonde head under my chin. "I love you, too, Simone. So much. I won't ever do it again, I promise. Now come on and let me introduce you."

She led me into the dining room where Jack and Destry were already seated, and I was between them.

"Simone, this is Destry," Linda said. "He's an old friend of Jack's from Winnipeg. He's in town for the weekend. He came about a month ago and I met him then."

I looked him over. I liked what I saw well enough. He was tall and wide, looking like a football linebacker. He had a mop of dark curls and dark brown eyes. His skin was beautiful, I noticed, rosy cheeks and he had a nice tan. He was nearly as dark as I was, but he was a white boy. I decided to be civil.

"Hello, Destry," I said. "What brings you here twice in the same month from Canada?"

"I'm a rodeo guy," he said. "The tour stops here twice this year. I went to school with Jack, and thought I'd look him up. We played baseball together on the college team."

'Oh my God, it just keeps getting deeper,' I thought to myself. 'A damn cowboy! This is ridiculous!' I managed to keep a straight face.

"Do you ride bulls or something?" I asked.

He laughed. "No, I'm afraid that isn't the game for a guy my size. The physics are wrong. That's a little man's game. Most of those guys are about five six and a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet. Do you know what bulldogging is?"

"Is that where these crazy guys throw themselves off a running horse onto a running cow, twist his head off and throw him to the ground?" I asked.

He laughed again. "I guess you could describe it like that. Steer wrestling is another name for it. I'm one of those crazy guys. What do you do, Simone?"

"I'm in fashion merchandising," I said.

He had a blank look on his face. "Umm... okay then," he said. "How's that going?"

I had to laugh. "I run the marketing and design departments for a large fashion house. I manage people, sometimes money, and I design dresses and handbags."

"Would I recognize the name?" Destry asked. "I buy gifts for my sister. My niece, too. Would they like your stuff?"

"There are others bigger," I said. "Give me a call next time you're buying a gift for a woman. I'll design you something unique."

"Really? Thanks, Simone. You don't need to do that, though. I'm sure something you're already selling would be perfect."

"It's cool," I said. "I'll tell you a secret. You can't tell them." I nodded toward Jack, leaned in and gave him a stage whisper. "I love Linda and Jack, and I'll do it as a favor to them." He and Jack got a laugh.

Linda came in with dinner and I got up to help her. Dinner was much more pleasant than I had expected. He was well-spoken and polite, and he wasn't what I expected from a cowboy. He didn't wear boots for one thing, and I didn't hear a single "aww shucks" all evening. He didn't have on jeans with a tobacco ring on the back pocket and he didn't like country music.

I was very surprised to find out that he liked the blues and old jazz. He had on a pair of nice black pants, nice black shoes and a pink polo. His socks were fire, too, with "Adventure Time" characters on them. He told me didn't like cowboy hats and never wore one except when he was performing.

"How in the world did you get into rodeo?" I asked him. "You seem completely counter-culture."

"Well, I was a football player first," he told me. "I got into baseball my junior year of high school when they needed a catcher. I was pretty good at it, and got a scholarship to college. I was drafted by the Blue Jays, but I blew out a knee my junior year of college."

"How did that happen?" Linda asked.

Destry smiled ruefully. It made him look very young and attractive, I thought. "It's kind of embarrassing," he said. "I was chasing a foul ball and stepped on a bat. Nothing dramatic, just a bat a guy had been using in the on-deck circle."

"So what about rodeo?" I asked.

"I was done as a catcher, after that," he explained. "I wanted to stay in college, and my roommate was a team roper on the rodeo team. He loaned me a horse and I tried steer-wrestling. I was good at it, and here I am."

"So you do rodeo for a living?" I asked

"Not exactly, but I do it in the summers." Destry smiled. "Not as glamorous as fashion, I'm afraid, but it pays my bills if I place."

I wasn't terribly interested in anything to do with rodeos, and had never been to one, passing them on TV from time to time while channel-surfing, so I didn't ask any more questions. We played two board games after dessert, and I was ready to go home.

I kissed Jack and Linda, and Destry volunteered to walk me down to my car. That was not what I wanted, but I saw no graceful way out. Destry laughed when I chirped my car doors and he saw what I was driving.

"What?" I asked, a little defensively. "You don't approve of my whip?"

"It's not that," he said. "I figured you for a luxury SUV."

"I have a luxury SUV," I retorted. "I have a Mercedes, but this is fun."

"This," was a 1970 AMX/3, in yellow and black. It was my baby, and one of only 30 that I knew of in the country. "You don't like it?" I asked.

"No, I actually love it," he said. "I have no idea what it is, but I'd love to own one."

"Let me guess," I said. "You drive a giant truck."

"Now you're trying to hurt my feelings," he said. "I actually do have a truck, but I only drive it around my place, and it's pretty normal sized." He smiled sheepishly. "I drive a Jeep Cherokee, most of the time."

"Nothing wrong with that. You probably get a lot of snow up on the frozen tundra," I said.

"Yes, we do. Say, Simone, I'm going to be in town for four days. You want to go to dinner with me one night? I don't know any place to go, but you could show me around."

I sighed, inwardly. I had been afraid this was coming. "Destry, you seem like a really good guy," I started. "You really aren't my type. I'm pretty busy, and I'm not looking for a date."

"Oh, okay." He seemed to take it well, but I didn't like shooting people down like that and felt guilty.

"Okay, see you around." I got in my car and he waited to close my door. He leaned down.

"If you don't mind my asking, what is your type, Simone?"

"I'm sorry, Destry, but I just don't date white boys."

"Why not?" he asked.

"It's complicated," I said. "Trust me, I have my reasons. If I did, you would be right up there. I'm not saying 'never,' I just have this rule."

"Have dinner with me and explain it to me," he said.

I laughed. "You're persistent, I'll give you that."

"So you will?"

"Call me Friday, and we'll see what I have on tap, okay?"

He gave me his phone and I punched in my number. I was a little annoyed with myself for giving in, but he was hot and seemed like a genuinely good guy. If anyone would make me break my rule, it would be him.

I got involved in work and had forgotten all about Friday, when a text from a number I didn't recognize popped up on my phone. It was Destry, and the text said he would call in five minutes if I was free. I had been shutting down for the day, so I texted back, "KK."

He called and we arranged to meet. It was good Greek food, and I made reservations. Destry was already there when I arrived, and we were seated quickly.

We chit-chatted and looked over the menu. He got us a bottle of a nice Pinot Noir, and we had antipasto skewers as an appetizer. It was delicious, and he kept up a running commentary. His fluid gift for gab set me at ease, and we just had a nice conversation.

"Tell me about fashion," he said.

I had to laugh. "Do you want the short or the long version?"

"Let's start with the short," he said. "If I'm still awake, we'll go for the long." The twinkle in his eyes gave him away. He really did have nice eyes.

I got my phone out and showed him pictures of some of my designs. He seemed impressed.

"My niece's birthday is next month," he told me.

"How old is she?" I asked.

"She'll be ten," he said. "Do you think you have something she might like?"

"I have no idea," I said. "Is she a girly girl? How big is she? Does she carry bags?"

He laughed. "No, she's a total tomboy. I've never seen her in a dress, and the only bag I've ever seen her carry is a backpack. She takes one of those everywhere she goes. She's tall for a ten-year-old." He held his hand up to give me an idea.

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Célia," he said. "I really love her, Simone. She's a total sweetheart and I spend all the time I can with her and my sister and brother-in-law."

"I could make her a custom backpack," I suggested.

"Would you? That would be perfect!" He seemed excited.

"I would."

"Umm, I should mention that she's sort of a "function over form" kind of girl."

I laughed. "We can do both. I don't design uncomfortable or impractical shit."

I told him about my family, he told me about the rodeo tour and by the time we finished eating I think we made a favorable impression on each other. I know he did on me. After dinner I found myself being walked back to my car again. I had the Mercedes, this time.

He opened my door and I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for dinner, Destry. I had a nice time."

He gave me that boyish grin. "Yeah, me too. Uh-oh, hey, Simone, you never did explain that rule to me. I'm still around tomorrow. I'm in the finals. Come and watch me and then we'll go out and you can explain after."

Dude had game, I had to give him that. "Destry, I have never been to a rodeo and I have never had any intention of going to one," I said.

"Hey, you should experience it once, then."

"I would have no idea how to behave, and I'm sorry, but I don't have any cowboy boots or a hat."

He laughed. "Do you have any jeans and a Western shirt?"

"I could prolly scrounge something up."

"Okay! So you'll come?"

I sighed. "Yes, Destry, but I'm going to feel completely out of place. A black girl at a rodeo!"

He chuckled. "Actually, one of my good friends is a black cowboy, and his girl will be there. I'll introduce you and you two can sit together, okay?"

I was trapped. "Okay, Destry, but if I hate her or she says 'Ye-haw' one time, you're going to lose my number, got it?"

"No 'ye-haws'," he pretended to make a note. "I'll send the tickets to your phone and you'll have good seats," he promised.

He hugged me, gave me a kiss on the lips, blushed and stepped back. "Just so you know, Simone, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met," he said.

I blushed. Yes, I can blush. "Thanks, Destry. Night."

He watched until I backed out and drove away. Fuck, I thought. Now what have you gotten yourself into, Simone? A damn rodeo. There would be shit-kickers and country music everywhere.

*****

I did have jeans, strategically placed rips in them, but Western shirts? Not this girl. I did have a lace-up top with a bare back in black-and-white cow pattern and I thought I looked pretty hot in it. Some strappy sandals made the fit, and that was as good as it was going to be.

I got there 30 minutes early, but there was already a hella crowd of people. I had to park half a mile away, it seemed, but I never minded walking. I showed the gate my phone tickets and they sent an escort with me. Evidently, Destry had some pull. My phone vibrated and I had a text from him.

"You here? If not, when you get here, meet me in front of the "C" section."

That was where my ticket was, so I just went with my escort. I almost snorted every time I looked at him. He had on a giant hat that made his head look tiny, the biggest belt-buckle I'd ever seen and the obligatory tobacco ring. Jesus, could anyone be any more stereotypical? He was polite, though, so I tried not to stare. He did stare when he thought I wasn't looking. I was used to it.

When we got to the "C" section, I saw Destry. I couldn't help myself; I had to laugh and I couldn't stop giggling. He had the costume. He saw me laughing my little ass off and burst out laughing. He grabbed me, hugged me and swung me around in a circle, barely missing the guy with him with my feet.

"Hey, beautiful. Yes, don't start. I know how I look." He set me down and introduced me to his friend. "Simone, this is Patton James. He's one of my best friends on the tour, and this is his fiancée, Reyes Luna. Guys, this is the girl I was telling you about, Simone Landry."

I shook Patton's hand. He was a wiry little guy, and I towered over him like a tree. He had some kind of grip, though. Reyes grabbed me and pulled me into a hug before I could move. She was even smaller than Patton, and she was a gorgeous little black/Latina, full bodied and with a mane of auburn-tinted black hair.

"We are so happy to meet you, Simone," she said in a delightful accent. "Patton and I love Destry very much and we are going to love you, as well. Come, we will get something to drink and leave the silly men to play cowboy."

I had to laugh, and the guys grinned ruefully. "We gotta go," Destry said. "We'll come back after our events." He kissed my cheek and Patton gave Reyes a scorcher of a kiss.

Reyes was absolutely charming, and she dragged me down to the vendor and we got beer and a pretzel to share. She never let go of me, holding my hand or arm constantly, and she snuggled up against me while we ate our pretzel. She said they were going to love me, but she was impossible not to love. She chattered away in that beautiful little accent and I felt like I had known her all my life in 30 minutes.

They started with calf-roping, and neither of us had the slightest interest in it. I was a little horrified at the way they threw the poor things around. Barrel riding was next, and Reyes told me she was a barrel racer, but never wanted to be on the tour. It was pretty interesting, and those horses and riders were athletes!

They had a section of bull-riding, and Patton was one of the riders. I decided right away that those guys were crazy as fuck. No amount of money could have induced me to get anywhere close to one of those beasts, much less on their backs! Patton rode his for the eight seconds, and made a good score that Reyes told me would probably get him into the final.

It looked like the dismount was painful as hell, but he jumped up and ran to the fence.

"Reyes, how much will he make if he wins?" I asked.

"I think $10,000 for this rodeo," she said. "The most was for winning a tournament, and he got a $35,000 prize."

Well, that wasn't bad, for sure, but damn...

"Will Destry get paid like that?" I asked.

"I am uncertain," she said. "He is very good, but Destry does not stay with the tour all year."

That was news to me. "What else does he do?" I asked.

"Oh, he has a grain and seed business near Winnipeg," she explained. "How do you not know this, Simone?"

"Umm, I just met him," I said. "This is our second time together."

"Ah, well, you have made a big impression on him." She giggled. "He has spoken of little else since we have been here."

Well, that was embarrassing. She caught my blush and hugged my arm even tighter. "I hope I am not talking too much," she said, "but we love Destry and I hope you come to love him. He is a very good man, and you would be perfect for him. Look at you! You are so beautiful and tall. You could be a model."

I had to laugh. I couldn't help it. "I used to be one," I told her. "I quit and now I design and market the stuff models wear."

"See!" she exclaimed. "Reyes knows. Why did you quit? You are so glamorous and I think you would look very good on a runway."

"Well, I never really liked it," I said. "I just did modeling to pay my way through college. As soon as I started my career, I quit modeling."

Just then Destry and another man came riding out on horses. Reyes explained that the other man was a "hazer," and they helped the steer wrestlers. They backed their horses into separate areas and once they settled in, I saw Destry nod. The man operating the gate pulled a rope and the horses lunged forward as what looked like an impossibly large cow with huge horns bolted out of the gate.

In what seemed a flash, the horses caught the cow and Destry launched himself in a dive onto the steer's back. I shot to my feet, horrified and expecting to see him break his neck, but the horse kept running and when I saw Destry through the dust, his feet were ahead, digging into the dirt of the arena, and he had his arms around those horns, twisting the cow's head and bring it to a stop as it flopped over onto its side.

Destry rose to his feet, collected his hat and dusted himself off. I heard the time: 3.96 seconds.

"Is that good?" I asked Reyes.

"Yes, I have seen him close to three seconds flat. It depends on the steer and so many other things. Destry is very good and he has a good horse," she said.

It turned out to be good enough for second place. Patton got bucked off once, but rode his final bull and finished third. Reyes seemed thrilled with that, and gave me a big hug as she squealed when his name was announced.

I had a better time than I ever dreamed I would, mostly due, I was sure, to my awesome rodeo partner, Reyes. Destry came and sat with us for a bit. The bull-riding final was the last event, so it was all over before Patton joined us.

They were staying at the same hotel as Destry, and Reyes and I went to the bar while the guys cleaned up and dressed. We went out to a nice seafood place I knew, and parted ways after dinner. I got a kiss from Reyes and a hug from Patton. They were going back to the hotel, and Destry and I went to a club.

The cowboy costume was gone and he cleaned up casual, but nice. He surprised me on the dance floor.

"Dude, you got moves," I said, as he pulled me in.

"Hah, we both know that you are in a whole different class out here," he said. "You are a spectacular dancer, Simone. You make me look good."

"You are good, for a big guy," I said.

We were dancing slow and closely, and my hands on him could feel those huge arms and the fitness he had. This was a hella hot white boy. That curly mop of dark hair, big brown eyes, a little more facial hair than I was used to, but seriously attractive.