by Amy Vastine
“Whose fault is that?”
It was a rhetorical question, but he answered it anyway. “Mine. All mine.”
Sara was quiet for a second. She didn’t have a snide comment in response to his honesty. “Well, I can’t promise she’ll want to talk to you. Don’t be disappointed if she has little to say.”
“That’s fine, Sara. I get it. Whatever happens happens. I’ll take what I can get.”
Again, she had nothing to say to that. “Then I guess we’ll see you when she’s done.”
She hung up without a goodbye. Ruby and Levi came back into the barn. Ruby didn’t look too pleased, and neither did Levi.
“Violet, what do you want to do? You can go practice with your dad or come watch Boone’s daughter. It’s up to you,” Ruby said. Her arms were folded across her chest.
Violet wrung her hands. She didn’t want to disappoint her dad, but Boone knew she also wanted to see Emmy. They had talked about her enough that Violet had to be curious.
“I kind of want to see Boone’s daughter. But I want to ride for Dad, too.”
“It doesn’t matter to me what you choose, honey,” Ruby assured her. Boone noticed she only spoke for herself and not for Levi. “Whatever you want is fine.”
Levi didn’t bother to offer her the same assurances. He clearly wanted her to pick him to prove a point.
Boone decided to put in his two cents. “There’s plenty of time to practice after you watch Emmy. Let’s head over to the arena now, and you and your dad can warm up as soon as she’s done.” He started for the exit. If they really wanted to come, they would follow him.
The arena was a flurry of activity. A small crowd stood in line outside the concession stand near the entrance. People lined the fence, and a smattering of spectators sat in the white folding chairs along the curves of the ring. Boone learned the hard way that those were VIP seats. An older gentleman in a blue suit coat told him to move along when he tried to enter the roped-off area.
“I think we’re supposed to go sit in the stands,” Ruby said, pointing to the spot where the general public was seated. The entire Wynn family had followed him. Levi didn’t seem too happy about it, but Boone didn’t exactly care how he felt.
“If I’m not VIP, I don’t know who is,” he argued.
Ruby leaned in close. She smelled like berries, and it was distracting. “This is not about being a celebrity. This is about watching your daughter,” she reminded him.
Being humble was not easy. They walked over to the stands while Boone scanned the crowd for Sara. He finally found her seated in one of the chairs in the VIP section on the opposite side of the arena. Part of him wanted to know how she got seated there when he didn’t. The other part knew it was probably better that they couldn’t sit by one another even if they wanted to.
Emmy’s class came out one at a time. There were twelve competitors, and Emmy had drawn the first spot. She entered the ring on a gorgeous black pony that reminded Boone of Renegade.
The announcer introduced her to the crowd, and those who were paying attention clapped. Boone climbed the bleachers and found a spot where they could all fit. Ruby sat next to him, and Violet sat between her parents.
“She’s different than I pictured her,” Violet said. “I didn’t think she’d be blonde.”
Emmy had the same coloring as her mother. She was a mini-Sara except that her eyes were the same shape and color as Boone’s.
“She’s beautiful,” Ruby said. She placed her hand on his leg and gave him a reassuring pat. “Breathe.”
He appreciated the reminder.
Emmy performed well. He wanted her to be happy with how she did. She was one of the younger competitors in this age group, and he was proud of her for showing such calm under pressure.
He clapped a little longer than everyone else when she was finished and couldn’t help but smile. It had been a long time since he’d watched her do the thing she loved. He never wanted to miss another competition.
“She did a great job,” Ruby said.
Violet shared her assessment, as well. “She was awesome. Did you see that lead change when they were loping the figure eight? Perfect.”
The anxiety began to build again. It was time to go down and say hello. Emmy was either going to tell him to get lost or ignore him altogether.
“Should we say hi?” Ruby asked. “We could all tell her how great she did.”
Her support meant more than she would ever know. Without her, he wasn’t sure he’d have the courage to leave the stands. He felt paralyzed by the fear of his impending rejection.
Sara was standing beside the horse when Boone approached them. Emmy noticed him first.
“Dad?”
Boone wasn’t sure what had happened to his voice, but he couldn’t make his mouth work. He wanted to take her in his arms like he used to when she was little, spin her around until she giggled so hard it hurt.
Ruby threaded her fingers through his and gave his hand a squeeze. That snapped him out of his stupor.
“Hey, sweetheart. You did amazing out there.”
Sara stared at Ruby and Boone’s interlocked hands. “Who’s your friend?”
“Ah, this is Ruby. Ruby’s daughter is competing in the Future group.” He introduced Violet to his ex and daughter. He didn’t bother to mention Levi.
“You did really awesome,” Violet said. “Your dad brags about what a good rider you are all the time. I thought he was exaggerating like he does about how famous he is, but he was pretty right on about you.”
“Thanks,” Emmy said, dismounting from her horse. She gave her mother a questioning look. “Did you tell him to come here?”
Sara shook her head.
“I didn’t know you were competing today,” Boone explained. “I’m sure glad you were, though. It was nice to see you ride.”
Emmy seemed unsure how to respond. With Ruby and Violet there, she apparently didn’t want to make a scene.
“Well, it was good to see you, Boone.” Sara’s manners were greatly improved thanks to the presence of strangers. “We have to head back to the barn.”
He got the sense that she didn’t want him to come with them. There was no way he’d get a chance to speak to Emmy alone, so this was it. He’d have to say what he’d been feeling in front of everyone. “It was really good to see you, Em. I remember what you said on the phone the other day, but I want you to know that I’m sorry for the way things have been and the things I’ve done, and even more sorry for the things I didn’t do that I should have.”
“What do you want me to say, Dad? Sorry doesn’t change what happened.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I just want you to know that I love you and I’m going to show you by doing better.”
Emmy didn’t reply. She led her pony past them and out of the arena. Boone felt sick. The tension in his shoulders was painful. It was humiliating to be dismissed by his child in front of other people. Having her reject him privately had been bad enough.
He needed to go. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, and the last thing he needed was to cry in front of everyone. He bolted outside in search of a place to hide. He ducked behind an equipment shed. Crouching down, he pressed his fingers against his eyes to stop the tears from coming.
“Boone.” Violet’s voice was quiet and full of unnecessary sympathy.
He stood back up and blinked away those darn tears, trying to keep himself from looking even more like a fool. “Don’t worry about me, Vi. Go practice with your dad before your group is up.”
“I need to tell you something, and then I will.”
He sniffed loudly and tried to pull himself together. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I deserve everything I get from her.”
“Just don’t give up, okay?” She tugged on her
ponytail. “It matters that you keep trying. The worst thing you could do is give up. That would only prove you never cared. This is a test.”
Boone wrestled with the guilt of making his daughter question his love for her. “I hope you’re right.”
“I’m right. I know exactly how Emmy feels. She’s just way braver than I am.” She glanced back. Ruby and Levi were a safe distance away. They could see them but not hear what Violet was saying. “I’m too scared to put my dad to the test.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I think he might fail.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
RUBY’S HEART WAS BREAKING.
“What is the deal with this guy? And why do you let Violet have anything to do with him? Because he’s famous?” Levi put his hands on his hips and scowled in Boone’s direction.
“We don’t care that he’s famous. I can’t explain it.” Boone and Violet had a bond that defied logic. They were both hurting for opposite reasons. He suffered because of his failures as a father, and Violet struggled with the pain of her father failing her.
Yet somehow they found a way to heal one another. Violet accepted Boone and his failures, allowing him the chance to prove he could be a good person, and Boone made Violet feel like she was worthy of his time and attention.
It made Ruby love the two of them more than she thought possible.
The realization almost caused her to fall over. It hit her like a ton of bricks. She was in love with Boone. There was no doubt about it.
“Well, that one magazine is right. Celebrities are just like us. They have ex-wives who treat them like crud. Guess money and fame don’t protect you from that.”
Levi made her blood boil. “Why do you do that? Why do you always make it out like you’re the victim? You know why Violet is attached to Boone? He reminds her of you.”
“Of me? Why, because his ex-wife turned the kid against him like you’re trying to turn Violet against me?”
Ruby put both hands on her head. He was beyond frustrating. “I’m not trying to turn her against you. And Boone hasn’t been there for his daughter, but he’s at least trying to change and take responsibility for his mistakes.”
“You want to move her across the country so that I never see her again. What do you call that?”
“I call it trying to protect her from constant disappointment.”
Levi’s face changed. The angry lines in his forehead faded. The corners of his lips dipped down. “Is that what I do, constantly disappoint her?”
Ruby blew out a breath. “I think the real question is, do you want to, and if not, what are you going to do differently?”
Violet gave Boone a hug, and the two of them emerged from his hiding spot. Ruby wanted to wrap her arms around him, as well. She wanted him to know he wasn’t alone.
Levi and Violet decided to get Sassy to the practice ring while Boone and Ruby took a walk, promising to meet them over there.
Ruby didn’t miss the way people were beginning to stare a little longer, whisper when they passed by. As soon as Boone had approached Sara and Emmy, he had outed himself to anyone who had paid attention. Boone had told Ruby more than once that he and Sara were constantly in the tabloids when they were going through their divorce. This little reunion wouldn’t go unnoticed.
“I thought it could have gone worse,” she said when they finally found some privacy along the practice ring fence.
“That was because you and Violet were standing there. Sara has an image to uphold. She’d never make a scene in public.”
“Well, I think Emmy was surprised to see you, and not in a bad way. It meant something that you were there, even if she’s still guarded.”
“That’s what Violet said.” He winced and gave his shoulder a rub. “She told me not to give up. And she’s really nervous about asking Levi if she can live with him.”
“She told you that?”
“She’s scared to test him. She doesn’t think he’s going to choose her.”
Ruby knew that was true, but it still hurt to hear it. “I’m not sure he even realizes how much is riding on how he handles this.”
Boone turned and slipped his good arm around her waist. His touch sent the butterflies fluttering. “No matter what, she’s got you. And she knows that without a doubt. You’re a good mom, Ruby. Stop thinking different.”
She wasn’t sure what came over her, but Ruby lifted up on her tiptoes and kissed him. Right there in the middle of everyone. She didn’t care if people were gaping or taking pictures with their phones. She needed to show Boone how she felt, and this was the best way she knew how.
Kissing Boone was like floating high above the ground in a hot-air balloon. There was reasonable fear that was quickly eased by the beauty of the ride. Everyone and everything else seemed so far away, making them untouchable.
“What was that for?” he asked when she came back to earth.
“For being real.”
* * *
VIOLET’S CLASS WAS much bigger than the one she had competed against at the last event. Ruby sat between Levi and Boone, too distracted by what was going to happen after the ride to concentrate on the action in the arena.
“She’s perfect so far,” Boone said. He put his arm around her and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Violet’s got Sassy doing everything she’s supposed to do.”
Another, younger rider wasn’t so lucky. The pony he rode started backing up when everyone else was stopped. The boy tried to get it under control, but the horse began to gallop around the other competitors. Another horse took that to mean it was playtime and began to chase after him. Ruby’s heart raced right along with them. She watched Violet holding her reins for dear life. Somehow she managed to keep Sassy still.
Levi also breathed a sigh of relief. “She would have been so mad if that guy threw her off her game. Violet is not someone you want to mess with.”
Boone chuckled. “No, she is not.”
They went down to meet her when it was over. Violet unclipped her helmet and took it off.
“Did you see me hold her still when that horse ran off? She wanted to go, but I kept telling her she was a good girl, and she stayed put.”
“You did awesome, Vi,” Ruby said as Sawyer helped her dismount.
“What did you think, Dad?”
All eyes turned on Levi. He pushed back his cowboy hat and narrowed his eyes. His long pause made everyone anxious.
Finally he spoke. “I think I just saw the future rodeo queen. You did awesome, like your mom said.”
Violet’s face broke into the proudest smile, and her chest puffed out a bit. It was everything she had hoped to hear.
“What do you think, old man? Am I going to be as good as Emmy someday?”
Ruby loved it that even after getting her dad’s approval, she still wanted Boone’s. “I think you’ll be tough competition for her real soon.”
The awards ceremony proved that to be true. Violet ended up scoring high enough to put her in the top five in her class, and Emmy won a second-place ribbon. Boone looked like a proud papa during both announcements. He sent Emmy a text congratulating her, and she actually sent back a thank-you. Ruby watched Boone take a screenshot of it, like he was afraid it wasn’t real and needed proof.
Levi stuck around until they had Sassy all loaded up and ready to go back home. This was the part of the day that Ruby had been dreading. The whole day had been a roller-coaster ride. Things were so good right now, the last thing she wanted was for it to all come crashing down. Violet hadn’t said anything yet, and maybe she was thinking the same thing.
“I’m real proud of you, Vi. You should come with me to the Rhea County Fair Rodeo next weekend. Maybe I can make you proud,” Levi said as he walked them to their car.
“Can I?” Violet asked Ruby. It wasn�
�t like her to look for Ruby’s approval.
“I don’t see why not.”
“Cool,” Levi said. “Maybe I’ll come get you a couple of days earlier and we can just hang.”
Ruby cringed. She hated when he made this kind of plan. The maybes and the we shoulds always turned into not this time or I can’t in the end.
“Well, Mom and I have been talking, and we wanted to ask you something.” Violet took a second to get her thoughts together. “We were wondering...well, I’ve been wondering how you would feel about me coming to live with you...maybe...you know, for a little bit.”
This was it. Ruby braced herself for whatever came next. She hoped he’d let her down easy. Maybe he’d use the current custody agreement as an excuse. Or maybe he’d tell her he’d like to start being more consistent about visits first. Ruby watched Levi’s face for some sign of how he was going to handle this. What she wasn’t expecting was what she got.
“I think that’s a great idea,” he said.
Ruby imagined she looked like one of those cartoon characters whose eyes popped way out of its head while its jaw dropped down to the ground. He wasn’t supposed to say yes.
“You think it’s a great idea?” She needed to clarify in case she had only dreamed those were the words that came out of his mouth.
“It’s a better idea than moving to Seattle,” he replied.
“School starts after Labor Day. I already registered her in Grass Lake. There’s a lot to think about. Don’t you think you should think about it?”
“We can talk about everything when I come get her for her visit. How about that?”
That was a terrible idea. The whole thing was a terrible idea. Violet couldn’t leave Ruby alone and go live with Levi. The man had no idea how to be a 24/7 parent. He barely managed being a once-a-month parent.
“Okay,” Violet answered. She hugged her dad around the neck, and he lifted her up off the ground. She laughed like a carefree child, something she hadn’t been her entire life. He set her down and kissed her on top of the head.