Rodeo Sweetheart

by Betsy St. Amant

  Ethan reached again for Sam’s hand. And slowly, carefully, she threaded her fingers through his.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Ethan’s heart raced at the gentle contact with Sam. He swallowed against the knot rising in his throat. “Do you forgive me? I did lie to you—at first because I was doing my job. But then to protect you. But I’m done, Sam. No more manipulation. No more false pretenses. It’s just me.” His hands shook and he squeezed her fingers, hoping she couldn’t feel the desperation in his touch. “Hopefully that’s enough.”

  “Oh, I think it’s plenty.” Sam smiled up at him and his stomach pitched like he was riding a roller coaster—or maybe a bull. Her lips parted slightly and he automatically leaned closer.

  Angie cleared her throat. Sam winced. “Sorry, Mom.”

  “You don’t have to apologize.” Angie gestured toward the arena. “But I believe they just called your number. Your dad’s number.” Her eyes darkened with emotion.

  Sam shook her head at Angie’s drawn expression. “I can’t do this to you, Mom. I thought I could, but I can’t. It’s not worth it. Even if we lose the farm.”

  Angie crossed her arms. “I don’t want to accept Mr. Ames’s offer, especially if he’s turning our beloved property into a mall. But with this termite issue, I’m not sure how the ranch will survive otherwise.”

  “Unless I ride.” Sam’s eyes shut briefly and she sighed.

  “I have an alternative plan.” Ethan tugged at Sam’s hand to get her attention. His next statement would either seal their relationship or ruin it for good. But he had to try. He couldn’t stand by and let the Jenson farm go to ruins when he had the means to stop it. “Look, I’m buying Noble Star for your ranch, and that’s that. You can think of it as a business investment or pay me back however and whenever you want, but I’m doing it.” Or maybe you’ll marry me in the next six months and the stallion will become mine along with your heart. He smiled, hoping Sam couldn’t read his eyes. Too soon for the M word—but not for long.

  Sam’s mouth opened and Ethan gently tapped her chin to close it. “And that’s that.”

  “Ethan, I can’t let you do this.” Angie touched Ethan’s shoulder, stepping closer as a family carrying popcorn shouldered past them toward the stadium seats. “It’s too much.”

  “You don’t realize all you two have done for me.” Ethan slipped his arm around Sam’s waist, glad the pressing crowd gave him reason to lean closer to speak. “You Jenson women showed me how a family is supposed to operate. Without that inspiration, I might never have gotten the guts to quit my father’s business and try life on my own. So consider this my gift back to you.” The purchase would negatively affect his savings account, but at the moment, he could think of no worthier cause. He’d figure it out—get a real job or even two. Whatever it took.

  Angie’s eyes filled with tears and she nodded slowly. “I can do that. Sam, can you?”

  Ethan tucked a lock of Sam’s hair behind her ear and she studied his expression before nodding slowly. “I think so. But we will pay you back.”

  His heart swelled with the reality of what she was entrusting him with, and he smiled in relief. But there was a catch. “I wasn’t finished.” He cupped Sam’s chin in his hand and held her gaze. “I want you to ride.”

  “What?” Sam’s eyes widened. “I thought that was the whole point of your offer—to keep me from riding. It’s all you’ve wanted since you got here—for various reasons.” She rolled her eyes.

  “The main reason was because I was worried about you.” Ethan drew his hand from her face. “But I know you, Sam. If you don’t do everything in your power to meet your goals, you’ll never be happy—and you’ll end up resenting me for buying Noble Star, even if you pay me back. You’ll always wonder what if.”

  “And what if I win?” Her eyebrows quirked into a question mark.

  “Then the prize money will go to the ranch and the cost of repairs for the termites and whatever else you need.” Ethan gestured toward the arena and the bulls waiting in the chutes. “It’s your choice. I support you regardless.”

  “But, Mom…” Sam’s voice trailed off and she cast an anxious expression at Angie. “I can’t. You’d never forgive me.”

  “If it’s important to you, then do it.” Angie’s voice, soft and firm, barely rose about the noise of the spectators and announcer.

  “Are you sure?” Sam’s cheeks flushed.

  “Make your father proud, honey. He’d want this.” Angie turned Sam toward the chutes. “You’ve worked so hard to get here. If you want to do this, we’ll be in the stands cheering you on.”

  Sam stumbled toward the pen, looking over her shoulder only once before giving a determined nod. Her gaze lingered on Ethan, then with shoulders shoved back, she marched toward the bulls.

  Angie gripped Ethan’s arm with white knuckles. “I hope I’m not making a mistake.”

  Sam really hoped she wasn’t making a mistake. She quickly made her way toward the pen, half hoping she was too late and her call was over. But the other cowboys by the pen motioned for her to hurry.

  “Just in time.” Cole appeared to her right and guided her to the chute. He hoisted her onto the fence. “Where’ve you been?”

  She swung one leg over the rail. “Ethan and Mom are here.”

  Cole’s lips twisted. “Good. But don’t get distracted.” He gave her a final boost.

  Sam gasped as she settled on the bull’s wide, leathery haunches. Too fast, too fast. She couldn’t catch her breath, couldn’t think. Couldn’t process. Her legs gripped both sides of the bull automatically and Cole helped her wind her hand around the rope.

  “Hang on tight.” He cinched the cord tighter. “How’s that feel?”

  Sam wiggled her gloved fingers beneath the rope. “Secure.” Right. Like there was anything secure about what she was going to do.

  A cowboy hanging on the fence nearby squinted at Sam beneath his hat. “You ever done this before?”

  Sam managed to shake her head once before two other riders to her left laughed. “Good luck, darlin’.” One nudged his friend with his elbow and shook his head.

  “Shut it or beat it.” Cole gave the group a menacing glare and they quickly snapped their mouths closed and looked the other direction.

  “And now, contestant number seven, Samantha Jenson.” The announcer’s drawl rang through the arena and a hush blanketed the crowd. Sam sucked in her breath. She must have accidentally scrawled her full name on the sign-up form. Now the entire arena knew she was the only female contestant of the night. Could she really pull this off?

  “Focus.” Cole’s voice brought her back to the present, away from memories of her dad and away from Ethan and Angie sitting exactly six rows up in the bleachers.

  “Looks like we’ve got a potential Rodeo Sweetheart here tonight.” The announcer chuckled. “Good luck, honey!”

  “Why does everyone keep saying that?” Sam gritted her teeth.

  Cole flashed a white smile and dropped backward off the fence. “Good luck.” He tipped his hat at her and nodded to the chute attendants.

  The buzzer sounded, the gate opened, and Sam bit back a scream. She squeezed with both legs until her leg muscles felt numb. The bull rocked forward, wild and out of control. Sam struggled to keep her eyes open. She tried to focus on the giant beast’s head, so she could predict which way to lean. Just like on Lucy. No, who she was kidding? This bull was bigger, meaner, and faster—not to mention more likely to chase her when she fell off. Sam forced the thought from her mind. Hang on, hang on.

  The seconds ticked by but felt like months. Dirt stirred by the bull’s hooves slapped her face. Her body ached but adrenaline drowned out the cry of her muscles. Somewhere behind her, Cole’s voice rang through the noise and cries of the spectators, and she focused on his encouragement. Then Ethan’s cry rose above the crowd. “You can do it, Sam!” She clung to his words as she twisted left, then right.

  “Two seconds left!�
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  Sam wasn’t sure who yelled those inspiring words but she clenched her teeth and found a deeper level of strength. Two seconds. She could do this. Not for her dad, not for the ranch, but for herself.

  The bull gave a final buck just as the buzzer sounded. Sam’s arm dropped like a limp noodle from her death grip on the rope and she slipped from the animal’s broad back. Run, run! But she collapsed to the ground, her legs unable to support her, as the bull pounded the earth. Dirt crowded her vision and she coughed, curling into a protective ball. A flash of red and yellow to her left proved the rodeo clowns were doing their job, and within seconds the bull was at the other end of the arena.

  Sam struggled to her knees. It’s over, it’s over. The chant echoed in her mind but all she could hear was the roar of the spectators, on their feet and applauding. Cole jogged to her side and helped her stand. “Samantha! Samantha!” The crowd cheered and stamped in rhythm.

  Tears pressed Sam’s eyes as she smiled at Ethan, who was clapping so hard she thought he might sprain his arm. Tears poured down her mom’s face, and matching ones slipped down Sam’s cheeks as Ethan, Kate and Angie began making their way down the bleachers toward the arena. She’d done it. But there was one last thing to do.

  She tugged off her dusty cowboy hat and threw it high above her head. It spiraled into the air in a blurry, tan arch. This one’s for you, Dad.

  Ethan met her at the side of the pen. Sam scooped up her discarded hat before climbing over to join him. She dropped into his arms. He squeezed her in a tight embrace and then stepped back to meet her gaze. “You were amazing.”

  “I was terrified.” Sam laughed and her throat felt raw. She’d done it. Now it was a matter of waiting for her score. But she was already a winner—even if it felt at the moment she had spaghetti noodles for arms.

  Ethan’s hands rested on her waist and she forgot the ache in her muscles. “By the way, did I tell you I was leaving the real estate business?”

  Sam shrugged. “I sort of figured that when you said you left your father’s company to come warn us about him.”

  “Well, I forgot to mention there’s one more sale I still have to make.”

  Sam frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “You know that vacant property down the street from Kate? One hundred acres, small catfish pond, three-bedroom ranch house?”

  Sam nodded. “It’s been for sale for months.”

  “Not for very much longer.” Ethan grinned.

  Sam’s eyes widened. “You mean—”

  Ethan cut her off with a kiss, which she gladly returned. She wound her arms around his neck and breathed in his spicy cologne.

  Angie and Kate joined them by the pen, and Sam reluctantly ended the kiss. Angie looped her arm around Sam’s shoulders and squeezed. “They’re about to announce the winners.” The relief dripping from her voice nestled in Sam’s heart and she hugged her mother back. It was over. No matter what happened from here, they were going to be okay.

  “You did so good!” Kate squealed and joined the group hug around Sam. “Just don’t do that again anytime soon, okay? I think I was just as nervous as you were.” She clutched her stomach.

  Cole stepped up beside them, and elbowed Sam’s ribs. “It’s in the bag, kid. That bull was mean.”

  “Now you tell me.” But even sarcasm couldn’t dampen the joy bubbling in Sam’s heart. The farm still needed the money, but even if Sam didn’t place, she’d found what she was looking for. Peace. Contentment. Happiness.

  And Ethan. She looked up at him and smiled, then realized she’d been tuning out the announcer.

  “Contestant number thirteen, George Daniels, eighty-nine out of a possible one hundred points.”

  Sam winced. That was a great score. Her nails dug into Ethan’s shirtsleeve and Angie’s arm tightened around Sam.

  “Dennis Montgomery, contestant four, seventy-two!”

  Cole sucked in his breath. “You should be next.”

  The announcer paused as papers shuffled over the loudspeaker. “And finally, contestant number seven, Samantha Jenson, with a score of eighty-eight. Congratulations to our winner, George!”

  “Second place!” Cole ruffled Sam’s hair. “Not bad, kid. There’s a cash prize for that.”

  “Sam, I can’t believe it.” Angie grabbed her into a hug. “Your father would be so proud! I’m so proud.”

  Sam hugged her, then pulled back. “I want the farm to have all the money.” She reached over and took Ethan’s hand. “Use it for whatever we need the most, Mom. If we need to keep running the dude ranch, it’s fine by me.”

  “Are you sure?” A puzzled frown tightened Angie’s brows. “But the breeding business—”

  “Sam, it’s your dream.” Kate’s head tilted to one side. “It’s what you’ve worked for this whole time.”

  “I’m sure. If it hadn’t been for our family’s new venture into dude ranching, I’ve have never met Ethan.” Sam grinned at Cole. “But if you do keep the dude ranch, you have to hire Cole some extra help.” She winked and Cole laughed.

  Angie nodded. “We’ll figure out all the details later. With your prize winnings, we have options now.” She brushed a tear from Sam’s cheek. “Go get your check, baby. We’ll meet you at the truck.” She motioned for Cole and Kate to follow her, leaving Sam alone with Ethan—or as alone as they could be in a crowded arena.

  “I’m so proud of you, Samantha.” He winced. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to quit calling you that.”

  “No, I want you to.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “At first I was riding for money. Then for my dad. But I realized something while I was out there on that bull. Mainly, that I was crazy.” She shuddered and laughed. “But secondly, that this was for me all along. I needed to make peace with the past. Mom finally moved on from Dad’s death. But I couldn’t do that without proving to myself what I was capable of.”

  He smoothed her hair. “You’re the strongest woman I know.”

  “I realize now that being strong outwardly wasn’t being strong emotionally. Like my mom said, sometimes I’m so strong that I live in denial. I had to accept my dad’s death—not drive myself crazy trying to prove myself to him or to his memory. I finally feel like I’ve made him proud. Not because I rode a bull, but because I realized it’s okay to move on, to live like he would have wanted me to.” She smiled. “So call me Samantha. I think my dad would like that.”

  “I can do that.” Ethan wrapped his arms around Sam and she snuggled against him with a sigh. “Exhausting day.”

  “No kidding.” She laughed hoarsely.

  “Looks like you didn’t win the title of Rodeo Sweetheart after all.”

  “Titles are overrated.” Sam mumbled into his shirt, inhaling the crisp aroma of laundry detergent mixed with the familiar scent of horses and leather.

  “You’ll always be my sweetheart,” Ethan whispered into her hair, and she shivered.

  “Promise?”

  “Isn’t a real cowboy as good as his word?” Ethan smiled.

  Sam grinned back. “I don’t see a real cowboy around here.”

  Ethan stiffened in protest. “Hey, I’ve made some real progress—”

  “You didn’t let me finish.”

  He quirked an eyebrow.

  Sam tightened her grip around him and rose up on tiptoe to meet him face-to-face. “I only see the one man capable of lassoing my heart.” She pressed her lips against his before Ethan could argue.

  But from the way he kissed her back, she knew he wouldn’t have anyway.

  Dear Reader,

  Like most girls, I went through a horse-crazy phase that never really went away. After begging God for a horse of my own for years, you can imagine how ecstatic I was when my parents finally granted my wish in junior high. I became the proud owner of a paint horse named Bo, and although we had to sell Bo when I got into high school, I still carry sweet memories of him to this day. So when I first got a glimpse of Sam’s story, I grew excited,
eager to dive back into my horse-crazy roots and paint my readers a word-picture on a Texas ranch.

  In June 2009, while writing this novel, my husband and daughter and I took a trip to see my mother-in-law in south Louisiana. I told my husband I wanted to take a picture of me on one of her quarter horses, thinking it’d be a cute way to promote this book later.

  Well, I got my picture, but I don’t think it’ll ever be printed. About thirty minutes after I took the picture and rode for a bit, my mother-in-law mounted the same horse and had a traumatic accident. She was in a coma for months and as of today, we’re still not sure what level of brain activity or physical function she’ll ever get back.

  This book was hard to write. Not just because of the deadlines I faced during times of family crisis, but because I was hurt. I was scared. I was mad. I didn’t know if I wanted to even think about horses, much less write about them. But I kept on, and with God’s help and the encouragement of my friends, I did it. And I’m glad. Because I know for a fact that if my mother-in-law was physically able to today, she’d get right back on the horse she’d fallen from.

  So this is my tribute to her.

  Many blessings,

  QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  Sam’s family ranch is everything to her. Have you ever been particularly attached to a house or piece of land before? Why?

  One of the reasons Sam is so anxious to make her family home what it used to be is because of her father. Have you ever tried to do something in honor of a lost loved one? What was it?