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Leaving Camp Hope was hard, and Charlotte kept glancing back in the side mirror until they followed the road around a bend and the camp was no longer in sight. At that point, she let out a long sigh. “I think that won’t be the last I’ll see of Camp Hope.”
“Oh, yeah?” Emilia asked from the driver’s seat. “Does that mean you’re going to take the California residency?”
“I think so. I’m waiting for confirmation,” she said, looking out the windshield at the clear blue sky. “Anytime now!”
Emilia shook her head. “Well, at least you know where we are headed next. Are you eager to see Austin again?”
“Yes, and nervous, too,” she said.
“Because of the kiss?” Emilia lifted her brow.
Of course, she had told Emilia what had happened. She needed to have a sounding board, one that knew her. Speaking with Josie had been a release, but it had been a one-way stream. Emilia asked question after question, which often left Charlotte looking at the events from a different perspective. Those new perspectives allowed her to see possibilities she hadn’t seen before.
“A little, yeah. I mean, that changes things…at least for me, but what if it didn’t for him? I keep expecting to see him and have him decide he’s changed his mind. That’s why I have to trust and why I need to go, not just for him, but for me.”
“That’s why you’re competing, even though it’s a section higher than you have completed before?”
“Yeah,” she gulped, “and another reason I’m nervous.”
Emilia waved away her nerves. “You got the competition, Char. I mean, you’re already at that level, you just don’t know it.”
“It is fun,” Charlotte said. “Teaching those kids reminded me why I love vaulting. I think I had Meeting Hall into the competing side of things this summer, and I forgot why I’m here.”
“Oh, you mean your relaxing summer trip?” Em peered at her and shrugged. “I can’t say it’s been relaxing, but it has been entertaining, for sure.”
“You’re never going to want to do this again…” Charlotte said with mock lamenting.
Emilia laughed. “Ha! It was my idea in the first place, remember? I’ve loved every moment.”
“Thank you.” Charlotte looked at her friend, feeling a wave of gratitude overflowing from her as she did. “I’m not sure how you knew I needed this or what it would bring me to—”
“You mean who…:” Emilia winked.
“Well, who but what, too…I’m closer to God than I have been, actually looking to Him for direction rather than begging for Him to follow mine.” Charlotte rested back against the seat of her truck. “It’s a pretty incredible feeling, you know?”
“I know,” Emilia said. “That’s the reason we are here. There’s no way I could have come up with the idea of spending the summer rodeoing.”
The mountainous countryside slowly opened up to the high Sierra desert, straightening the road and opening up the view. A pulling sensation came from the mountains behind her, and Charlotte longed to stay in the beautiful terrain that had welcomed her. A small still voice seemed to tell her, All in time. You’ll return.
Peace filled her as she gazed across the flat, rocky terrain, knowing that her journey could take her anywhere, but the most important place for her to be was in alignment with God, and that went everywhere with her.
NINE
The rope slid through Austin’s hand. His eyes continued to focus on the brass of the buckle around the steer’s horns until a jolt of success struck him as the loop slipped around its target and settled into place. His movements, and that of Buckley’s, were so automatic that he didn’t even have to think as they turned the steer to the left and tightened the line the moment Adam’s rope hooked the steer’s hind legs.
Another beautiful round.
Austin finally drew in a breath, only to hold it while awaiting the announcer’s call of the time. The run was flawless, so the time would be their final score, and if they kept it under four seconds again, they would only need three more wins to hold their position at Nationals.
He chased the steer into the holding pen and then trotted Buckley alongside Adam on Turbo to the gateway. The crowd parted, allowing their prancing horses space, but Austin held back, holding out for the time.
The moment the announcer said, “Three and —”, the crowd erupted into a roar, canceling out the end of his score. Buckley startled, fighting against his reins, and Austin urged him out of the crowd before someone got hurt. Once in the practice arena, he gave Buckley his head to let him shake out his pent-up energy.
Adam hollered, racing Turbo around the arena before they both slowed to a steady trot. His younger brother came alongside him, grinning from ear to ear. “Only three more, bro!”
Austin allowed the joy to sit within him, knowing it would only be momentary, but holding onto it all the same. “Did you hear the complete time?”
Adam shook his head. “Nah, just the three, but isn’t that enough? No one else got under four and we’re in Reno.”
