Her Rodeo Cowboy (11 page)

“Y
ou ready for this?” Luke asked Montana as they tugged the feed sack over their legs. They'd tied her left leg to his right leg with the twine that Stanley handed them.

“I'm always ready for a little competition,” she said, narrowing her eyes, teasingly preparing for battle. She let her gaze swing slowly around the gathering group, sizing up the competitors.

“You're looking serious. I need to warn you that I've never done this before, so I hope you don't get too disappointed.”

“Hey, you need to focus, Luke Holden. Focus and get a little can-do spirit. Look at me.” She took his face between her hands and turned his face toward her. “Now read my lips and repeat after me. ‘I can do this.'”

He chuckled. “I can do this.”

“See, it's all better now. We're going to do this, aren't we, fellas?”

Stanley and App were standing in front of them. Each man had his arms crossed over his chest as he studied them with critical eyes.

“You might better tighten up that thar string,” App grunted.

“That's right. Too much slack can lead to tripping,” Stanley said, looking like he wanted to jump in and take over the tying.

Luke grinned as he reached down and studied the string once more. “I've got it handled, Stanley. Don't worry.” He shook the string, noting that it was loose but comfortable.

“I don't know about that. It still looks a little loose. A loose string kin trip you up and throw off yor hop-'n'-run move.”

“Hop-'n'-run move? What's that?” Montana asked, getting a kick out of Stanley's serious attitude.

“It's the way you get the job done,” he said.

“Yup,” App butted in. “You hop together—like this. Then you run one step together with the outside legs—like this.”

Everyone around enjoyed the demonstration from Applegate. The skinny stick of a man was dressed in his starched jeans and shirt, topped off with his pristine, go-to-town straw Stetson—he'd explained to her the difference earlier, when she'd told him she liked his new hat. He'd beamed and told her it wasn't new, it was just the one he wore to church on Sunday. His everyday hat had gotten eaten by an ornery old goat at the petting zoo. “I had to go home and get my church hat—stinking goat. I couldn't be up here at the rodeo without
wearing a hat.” Montana smiled as she watched his demonstration carefully.

“We can do that,” she said to Luke.

He nodded seriously, and showed her some of his new can-do spirit. “Sure we can. Would you mind doing that again, App? Just in case we didn't get it the first time.”

App frowned. “It ain't that easy ta do. Yor tryin' ta be funny, Luke Holden, but I'm tellin' ya, this is the move ta win….” His voice trailed off when Erica walked up with a cowboy in tow. She glared at Montana and then at Luke, before she snatched the string and burlap sack from Stanley, who'd shut his mouth the instant he saw her walk up and held out the armload of bags he had to hand out.

She sat on the hay bale across from Montana and gave her the evil eye. Montana thought it was a little ridiculous that she was continuing to act the way she was. Montana looked away, while Luke was concentrating on tightening the string around their ankles. “If you tighten that any more, we aren't going to be able to feel our feet,” she said in a hushed tone.

“Sorry, but I don't know how to make this better.”

She knew he meant the thing between him and Erica, and not the string cutting the circulation of her foot off. Montana tried not to look at Erica, but she couldn't help herself. Erica caught her looking and glowered at her. Montana tried to let it slide by focusing on her group again, but there had to be a way to make this better. She caught App's eagle eye.

“You two 'bout ready to do this?” He hiked a bushy
brow. “Ain't no call to get intimidated by a little unpleasantness.”

He, of course, was talking loud enough to wake the dead. “App, behave,” Luke muttered, looking perplexed by the entire issue.

“I am. The way I see it, we're all adults here, and we can act like it.” He looked sternly at Erica, reminding Montana of a schoolteacher giving a child a warning in class for misbehavior.

Erica crossed her arms in a huff and glared at the cowboy sitting beside her. He was watching the mini-drama unfolding in front of him with all the enthusiasm of a man about to get a healthy tooth pulled.

“Are you going to just sit there and let him talk to me that way?” she huffed.

The cowboy looked at her with a hint of humor in his eyes. “Hey, you're the one who threw tea all over Luke. Grow up, Erica.” Without another word he dropped the string he was holding, tipped his hat and strode off. Fury destroyed Erica's face and she turned the color of an eggplant. She threw the sack down and stormed after the man who'd just humiliated her in front of everyone.

Luke had behaved like a perfect gentleman.

Montana was impressed. As hard as Erica had pushed, he'd barely even voiced his frustration. It was far better than the way she'd have handled it. Yet she knew that was the Christian way to handle it. Though he didn't talk about his faith much, in small ways she saw how he lived it. It wasn't put on to impress others.
It was a true faith, a quiet faith lived through character, honesty and trying to do the right thing.

Talk about getting the wrong impression of a person right from the get-go. Boy, had she done it.

The three-legged teams got downright rough when it came to winning. Montana soon learned that, before the next festival, she was going to have to practice if she wanted to make any kind of mark in the world of three-legged racing.

“I still can't believe we got whupped,” Luke said, laughing as he and Montana made their way over to the cow chip throwing contest thirty minutes later.

“Well, the hop-'n'-run didn't work for us.”

“But that wasn't all our fault. It was partly due to that other couple who tried out the maneuver, got tangled up and took us out.”

“They did kind of resemble a bowling ball.”

“And we were the pins.”

“More like sitting ducks,” Luke grumbled. “I still should have been able to get us up and make it across the finish line before we did. We got ‘plum whupped' as App and Stanley would say. They were not too impressed with us.” He chuckled so hard his shoulders shook. Looking at him she found herself smiling, too. It had turned into a great day.

Hooking her arm in his, she felt closer to him than she wanted to, but she wasn't worrying about it at the moment. Like he'd said earlier, she needed to relax where they were concerned.

“We did just fine,” she said, then halted dead in her tracks at the cow chip competition. “Whoa, Nelly!”

The last thing she expected to see after they'd gotten whupped in the three-legged race was a line of women raring to throw cow chips! But there they were, lined up, studying the pile of chips, trying to figure out which one would fly the farthest. It was serious business.

“Looks like I have a little more competition here than just Lacy.” She spotted Lacy and headed toward her. She was grinning and waving them over.

“Hey, just remember to be positive. A little can-do spirit and you've got this.”

She rolled her eyes. “I think I've created a monster.”

“Nope, I was like this before I met you.”

“Oh, that's so good to know.”

He threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Montana's stomach erupted in butterflies. She wasn't sure how much longer she could stop herself from falling for Luke.

 

The stands were full, and that put huge smiles on the matchmaking posse, as they worked the welcome station next to the entrance of the arena building. App and Stanley, along with Sam, were helping out at the booth, while Norma Sue's husband, Roy Don, was the announcer, and Hank, Esther Mae's husband, was helping work one of the gates. No doubt about it, they were all having a good time seeing familiar faces and reconnecting. It was part of the fun for all the older people of town, and Lacy was thrilled to be meeting them, too. She and Tate were acting as greeters. Last time Montana had glimpsed them, they'd been busy. This was
why Montana was shocked when she saw Lacy come around the corner of the barn, where she and her horse were warming up before their barrel race. Lacy was clipping along just short of a run as she halted in front of Murdock.

“Looking good, Miss Queen of the Cow Chip Toss,” she cooed, rubbing Murdock's forehead and grinning up at Montana.

“Thanks, Mrs. Barely Runner-Up.” It had been big fun, and she'd only beaten Lacy by a nose. “I feel good. I'm hoping our good fortune in the cow-chip toss will continue on.” Lacy's smile beamed up at her. “You can do it. You and Murdock are ready, and I know God's going to smile at your efforts.”

“Thanks, Lacy, really. What are you doing out here? Don't they need your smiling face at the welcome table?”

She waved a dismissive hand. “Naw, I left little man Tate in charge for a few minutes. It's all good.” She chuckled, then placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head. “I wanted to come out here and see you before your ride. Can you dismount and let's say a prayer?”

“Sure, I'd love to.” The instant Montana's feet touched the ground, Lacy threw her arms around her.

“I love you, Montana! I just want you to know that. And I know, whatever happens out there, God's going to be with you. Win or lose, you've trained hard and given it your all, and you'll give God the glory. I feel it in my heart of hearts that you're going to do great. Yep, yep, yep, I do,” she sang, grinning widely. Just
the joyful sound of it made Montana feel positive and happy. “Now, let's talk to God, girlfriend.”

Montana's heart was pounding as Lacy said a quick, heartfelt prayer for everyone's safety that night, and for victory for Montana, if it be God's will. After she finished, Montana hugged her tightly, holding on for a long moment. “Lacy, you don't know what coming here has meant to me. Thank you so much.” She let go, but kept talking. “I was floundering in anger and bitterness when you reached out to me. You've helped me start finding myself again.”

Lacy's brilliant blue eyes glowed with warmth as she smiled deep into Montana's. “I love you and I know you've still got a lot going on inside your heart. I know you're hurt and betrayed and all kinds of mixed-up things going on in there. I'm praying you give it all to God. Just give it to Him and let Him show you the freedom that comes from giving all your troubles over to Him. But right now, you have to focus. Let God help you do that, too. Now, get in the zone,” Lacy grabbed her by the arms and turned her toward Murdock. “Get on this horse and then go out there and fly, baby, fly!”

 

Luke had a death grip on the rail as he watched for Montana and Murdock to step into position for the next run. Standing on an elevated walk beside the arena's chutes gave him the perfect vantage point to see both the arena floor and the alley where Montana would begin and end her run. He watched another rider as she and her horse made the last barrel and charged back toward the alley and the finish.

The times had been good tonight, and yet he knew if Montana was on her game she'd take it. But that required her focus, and he wasn't sure she was there. Not after their incident behind the popcorn stand earlier that afternoon. He was nervous as he waited for her turn to come up. Nervous knowing that if she didn't win, it could very well be his fault. He hadn't meant to cause a problem.

Roy Don called her name out over the loudspeaker, and Luke watched Montana move into position. He almost hunkered down so that she couldn't see him. He didn't want to distract her in any way. Then he realized how ridiculous that was. There was no way she could see him amid all that was around her. Thankfully, from the intense look on her face, she wasn't thinking about anything but the barrels. This was good. This was what she needed.

Murdock snorted, ready, his body quivered with the excitement and energy, waiting to explode out of the gate the instant he got the go-ahead.

“Settle down,” Luke murmured, despite the fact that Montana couldn't hear him. “You've got this, Babe. You've got this.” He said a silent prayer and his fingers tightened on the cold steel bar, felt it biting into his palms.

“Not nervous, are you, bro?” Jess asked, walking up to stand beside him. “Any tighter and you're going to bend that rail.”

Luke acknowledged him but didn't spare him a glance, not wanting to miss the moment Montana charged the gate. “I want her to win.”

Come on, girl, give your all. Focus.
She was riding hard. Murdock was blazing. They kept their pattern close, Murdock dug in as tight as he could rounding the first barrel. He was so low as he made the turn that Montana was on the level with the barrel, her knee just missing it by a breath of air as they headed toward the second barrel.

“She's doing great,” Jess said.

She was, and from somewhere in the stands he heard her name being yelled above the rising roar, as others realized they were seeing an extraordinary run. He knew Stanley was one of them, and Esther Mae, too. And others she'd touched in some way. As she rounded the last barrel, as clean and close as was possible, Luke's spine tingled. His fingers had welded themselves to the rail for life or he'd have jumped over the chute into the arena. Man, he was proud of her.

Her expression was totally intense, as she and Murdock moved as one at the speed of light toward the timing point. Relief hit him the instant she passed the mark and her unbelievable time clicked onto the reading.

“She did it!” he exclaimed, grinning like a kid with a new pony.

Jess grinned back. “Yeah, bro, she did it all right. Now, do you want to fess up and admit that there's a
little
more going on between the two of you than friendship?”