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Chapter One
Whistle Rock Ranch
July
The steer broke the rope, powering itself into the arena. Panicking, it ran from Wyatt Bonner’s position on the animal’s left side as the rope settled over the steer's head. Seconds later, Virgil Redstar approached from the right. Swinging the rope in the air, he let it go. The crowd whooped when the rope caught one of the steer’s hind feet.
Logan Sawyer cheered with the rest of the dude ranch guests as Wyatt and Virgil continued to demonstrate team roping during the weekly ranch rodeo. Both had competed in high school and college in the same event, as well as participating in saddle bronc riding. Guests at the ranch loved their demonstrations.
Logan worked at an adjoining ranch where his older brother, Quinn Sawyer, was the foreman. A few of their ranch hands participated in the demonstrations. They weren’t paid for their efforts, but the payoff came from the heart-pounding adrenaline rush of the challenge.
“Hey, Logan. Are you going to compete?” Samantha Miller, a Whistle Rock ranch hand, stood next to him, her gaze on Wyatt and Virgil.
“Not a chance, Sam. Did I hear you’re going to ride the barrels?”
“Nah. I’ve never done barrel racing. I hear Virgil has a gal from another ranch driving over. She should be here any minute.” She glanced over her shoulder at the sound of a vehicle entering the parking area. “I think that’s her now.”
Both turned to see a slender woman with long brown hair climb out of an older truck. Pulling out a small duffle, she slung it over her shoulder before walking toward them.
Jeramy Barrel, a longtime ranch hand, rushed to greet the woman.
“Seems you’re right, Sam.” Logan watched as the two greeted each other.
“I’ve seen her around. She played for one of the teams in the baseball league this summer. We talked a couple times. She’s married to a local rancher.”
Barrel ushered the woman around the crowd to where Sam and Logan stood. “Guys, this is Amanda Swanson. She’s here to demonstrate barrel racing. Amanda, this is Samantha and Logan.”
The three exchanged greetings with the women acknowledging they’d already met. Amanda looked past them into the arena.
“Is that Wyatt and Virgil?”
Barrel nodded. “Yep. Those boys have been competing since high school. Quit after college to run the ranch. They make a great team.”
“Has a horse been selected for me?”
“Already saddled. You’ll be riding Sugar, a real fine mare who raced the barrels until Virgil bought her for the ranch. I’ll introduce you.”
Amanda tipped her head at Sam and Logan before following Barrel to the barn. They turned back toward the arena to watch a handful of ranch hands show off their skills at calf roping.
“How have you been, Sam?”
She shrugged. “Good. Busy. The guest ranch brings in a lot of people who’ve never been on a working ranch. There’s always lots to do, which is fine with me. You?”
“Same as you, except no guests to deal with. I wish the baseball league had lasted longer. Seems strange to have nothing to do on Saturday nights.”
Chuckling, she nodded. “I hear you. I’ve volunteered to be on the parks board. The length of the playing season is one of the issues I’d like to bring up.”
“Good to know.”
Her brows drew together. “What?”
“Now I know someone with the inside scoop.”
Gasps and some screams came from the crowd. Rushing to the fence, they saw one of the ranch hands sprawled on the ground, a steer standing about five feet away. Logan was about to climb over the fence to help when Wyatt and Virgil rushed in to check on the cowboy.
“He got his leg caught up in the rope,” Sam said. “The steer must’ve dragged him around the arena before stopping.”
A minute passed before the cowboy sat up, shook his head, then stood. With a lopsided smile on his face, he nodded at the enthusiastic crowd before Wyatt and Virgil helped him out the gate.
