enough. This was his family’s ranch, and he was disrespecting their memory by letting it fall to pieces. That’s when he pulled himself up by his bootstraps and got to work.
He fixed the barn, rebuilt the porch around the house, and gave everything a fresh coat of paint. The vegetable garden, as sizable as it was, had to be ripped up, tilled, and replanted.
As he took control of his life, his weight soon came back down and he was able to compete again. It was hard at first, which is why he kept all of the low ranking ribbons.
Soon, though, the long fight began to pay off. The ranch blossomed, his body worked and moved how it used to, and he began to win again.
That was the real meaning behind the trophy room, and when he steps in there, it reminds him why he works so hard.
That night, listening to his story, Colleen realized she’d fallen in love with this man. His strength and quiet nobility moved her in a way no one ever could.
For the rest of her life all she wanted was to be here, with him.
Chapter 4
After that, she took to her chores with a vengeance, and then some. It became a game to finish the tasks he’d given her and then get to some of his before he could.
They’d laugh when the porch would already be swept, or the animals fed before he’d had a chance to go out there. She cheered him on as he practiced for the upcoming competition, and in time, she realized the finer points of what he needed to do.
When he asked how he looked, she could give small tips about how he’d leaned too far, or could cut off some time on his roping.
With every passing day, her worry faded that Roland would just magically show up one day. Each day he never came, she became more secure in her life.
In weeks, she never even thought of Roland anymore. The ranch and Tucker became her whole life.
The day of the competition finally came. Tucker and Colleen got his horse into the trailer and off they drove.
She’d never been so excited! All of his hard work was about to pay off.
As they pulled up to the show grounds, she asked “Are you nervous?”
Tucker chuckled. “Every time.”
“Still?”
“Yep. Never gets easier, but that’s kind of the fun. Never gets old.”
There were so many people. It took a couple hours to settle in and get everything taken care of.
Tucker insisted she sit in the stands as he was used to taking care of the prep by himself, and needed to concentrate.
With her there, he wouldn’t be able to focus. Colleen found that oddly flattering and gave him a kiss on the cheek for good luck.
As she found a seat, she looked around at all of the denim shirts and cowboy hats. There she was in her boots wearing the same thing. It was crazy how much she felt like she finally fit in with something.
Everyone was so excited to watch, and she soaked in their happiness. The competition started with bang. In an instant she was whooping and cheering along with everyone else.
After watching Tucker practice so much, she could point out to herself what the others did right, and what they did wrong. It was like getting a special inside look at the sport. They were all so good! She thought Tucker had been gifted, but after watching the others perform before him, she started feeling even more nervous.
Then, she saw him on his horse at the gate. He was up next. Colleen clenched her hands together, her whole body tensing up.
The gun fired, the gate flew open, and he was out in a flash. It was like lightning! She’d never seen him so focused.
As he and his horse moved and spun, she caught glimpses of his face. The set of his jaw, the hard lines of his shoulder, the keenness in his eyes. The man was a knife blade.
When he finished after roping the calf, hands up, stepping back from it, Colleen realized she’d been holding her breath the whole time.
They did event after event, and each
He fixed the barn, rebuilt the porch around the house, and gave everything a fresh coat of paint. The vegetable garden, as sizable as it was, had to be ripped up, tilled, and replanted.
As he took control of his life, his weight soon came back down and he was able to compete again. It was hard at first, which is why he kept all of the low ranking ribbons.
Soon, though, the long fight began to pay off. The ranch blossomed, his body worked and moved how it used to, and he began to win again.
That was the real meaning behind the trophy room, and when he steps in there, it reminds him why he works so hard.
That night, listening to his story, Colleen realized she’d fallen in love with this man. His strength and quiet nobility moved her in a way no one ever could.
For the rest of her life all she wanted was to be here, with him.
Chapter 4
After that, she took to her chores with a vengeance, and then some. It became a game to finish the tasks he’d given her and then get to some of his before he could.
They’d laugh when the porch would already be swept, or the animals fed before he’d had a chance to go out there. She cheered him on as he practiced for the upcoming competition, and in time, she realized the finer points of what he needed to do.
When he asked how he looked, she could give small tips about how he’d leaned too far, or could cut off some time on his roping.
With every passing day, her worry faded that Roland would just magically show up one day. Each day he never came, she became more secure in her life.
In weeks, she never even thought of Roland anymore. The ranch and Tucker became her whole life.
The day of the competition finally came. Tucker and Colleen got his horse into the trailer and off they drove.
She’d never been so excited! All of his hard work was about to pay off.
As they pulled up to the show grounds, she asked “Are you nervous?”
Tucker chuckled. “Every time.”
“Still?”
“Yep. Never gets easier, but that’s kind of the fun. Never gets old.”
There were so many people. It took a couple hours to settle in and get everything taken care of.
Tucker insisted she sit in the stands as he was used to taking care of the prep by himself, and needed to concentrate.
With her there, he wouldn’t be able to focus. Colleen found that oddly flattering and gave him a kiss on the cheek for good luck.
As she found a seat, she looked around at all of the denim shirts and cowboy hats. There she was in her boots wearing the same thing. It was crazy how much she felt like she finally fit in with something.
Everyone was so excited to watch, and she soaked in their happiness. The competition started with bang. In an instant she was whooping and cheering along with everyone else.
After watching Tucker practice so much, she could point out to herself what the others did right, and what they did wrong. It was like getting a special inside look at the sport. They were all so good! She thought Tucker had been gifted, but after watching the others perform before him, she started feeling even more nervous.
Then, she saw him on his horse at the gate. He was up next. Colleen clenched her hands together, her whole body tensing up.
The gun fired, the gate flew open, and he was out in a flash. It was like lightning! She’d never seen him so focused.
As he and his horse moved and spun, she caught glimpses of his face. The set of his jaw, the hard lines of his shoulder, the keenness in his eyes. The man was a knife blade.
When he finished after roping the calf, hands up, stepping back from it, Colleen realized she’d been holding her breath the whole time.
They did event after event, and each
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