“You can’t miss even one?”
“Every ride is a chance to win, and each win counts if I’m going to have a shot at the finals. I can’t risk giving the other guys an opening to pull ahead. If I get so hurt that I can’t ride, that’s a different story, but this injury isn’t enough to keep me out.”
“I’m not going to say anything else about it. It’s your choice.” She held her hand up and shook her head.
“Come with me next weekend. It’s not too far. Cool little town called Boot Creek. Let me teach you about the sport. I think you’ll understand it more if you join me.”
“Fine. I should. You’re right. I’m making assumptions,” she reasoned. “I reserve the right to not like it, though I’ll give it a fair chance.”
He couldn’t hold back the grin. “Good. Thank you for that.”
“No problem. I know we’re neighbors and I probably should’ve realized this, but I didn’t know there was so much land over here beyond the tree line.”
“My grandparents owned all this and more. I used to love getting lost out here as a kid.”
“It had to be so freeing to be surrounded by this kind of beauty.” She took a sip of water. “I didn’t have anything like this in my life when I was growing up. That horse trailer is as big as my first apartment.”
He laughed. “Yeah, a splurge. I can carry four horses, and the living quarters are so convenient. To be honest, though,I’m a bull rider. I don’t need a horse for my event, and I never have time to go horseback riding on a vacation with friends, so it was overkill. I bought it with some of the money my grandpa left me. He and I used to talk about taking our horses and riding trails across the country. It never happened.”
“Sorry about that.”
“We’re not promised tomorrow.” He shrugged. “Grandpa always said that. I just never thought he’d go so soon. No warning. No time to do those things we’d planned.”
“I’m sorry.”
All of a sudden, heavy raindrops fell, plopping against the awning.
“I didn’t see that coming,” she said.
“Me neither, and I’m usually pretty good about that kind of stuff.”
The rain stopped as quickly as it started, a typical Antler Creek storm.
“Look!” Adam pointed across the pasture. A perfect rainbow stretched over the whole landscape.
“It’s beautiful!” They stood side by side, looking at nature’s colorful splendor in silence.
“I never get tired of this,” he said.
“I can see why.” She sat in the chair under the awning. “This whole town is amazing. I feel so different here.”
He sat down next to her. “Good people. Great scenery.”
“Fascinating friends.”
He pointed to himself. “Me?”
She cocked her head. “Yes, you. You’re a mishmash of all different things. Fearless when you rodeo. Patient when teaching me to ride. Kitchen savvy. Business owner. I can only wonder what you’ll surprise me with next.”
“Just wait until I do some real cowboy cooking for you tonight. Cast iron on the firepit.”
“See?” Her lips pressed together. “One continuous surprise.”
“That sounds like a challenge.”
She laughed, but he didn’t. Instead he reached for her hand. “You can help me gather all the ingredients for our meal. I think you’re going to enjoy this surprise.”
Adam started the fire, and then together they spent the next hour chopping and dicing and getting things ready. There was an easy vibe between them that didn’t require filling the quiet space with idle conversation.
