“I’d like that. A lot.”
“Good. Now while we get our work done, I want you to tell me all about this horse.”
Epilogue
Fourteen months later . . .
“You’ll make sure she gets extra feed?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And spend a long time brushing her down.”
“I will.”
“And check her feet after you take her across the parking lot.”
“I promise.”
Tanna laid her face against Madera’s neck. “You did good, girl. Damn good. I wish I had a wreath of roses to drape around your neck because them Kentucky Derby winners ain’t got nothin’ on you.”
Madera snorted.
“Tanna,” Berlin hissed, “you’re up next.”
“Ladies and gentlemen. Please welcome your CRA World Champion, Tanna Barker!”
She straightened her hat, wiped her tears and took off across the soft dirt covering the floor of the MGM Grand Arena. Two cowboys offered her a hand and hoisted her onto the podium. The podium helpers, two young cowgirls, lifted up the saddle and the championship belt buckle. Tanna waved both her arms to the crowd, her heart beating madly.
“So, Tanna Barker, how does it feel to be CRA World Champion again?”
“Amazing. Stunning. Humbling. I’m thrilled to be here.”
“It’s been a rough couple years for you. Did you ever think you’d make it back? And if you did, you’d make it back on top so quickly?”
“Hell no. I mean heck no.”
Laughter.
“What are the secrets to your success?”
“Support is key. Chuck and Berlin Gradsky of Grade A Horse Farms partnered me with Madera, the best little horse in the world. My sponsors rallied around me throughout the year. It’s been a great year in so many ways. So I’m dedicating this win to my fiancé, Dr. August Fletcher, who believed in me and supported me on this hard-fought journey getting back to doin’ what I love.” She raised the belt buckle. “This win is great, but he will always be the best thing that ever happened to me because I wouldn’t be here if not for him.” She swallowed hard, taking a moment to get her emotions under control so she didn’t break down like a blubbering fool in front of two hundred thousand people. “Lastly I need to give a shout-out to my friends in my Wyoming hometown, who are sitting in the Buckeye right now, cheering me on. Next round is on me!”
“Wyoming?” the announcer repeated. “But aren’t you from Texas?”
“I’m proud to be Texas born and raised. But my heart and my soul, my life, and my home, is in Wyoming.”
After she said it, Tanna realized truer words had never been spoken.
Two hours later . . .
“Sugar twang, what did you say you do for a living?”
She smiled coyly. “I didn’t say. But a shot of Patrón would loosen my tongue a whole lot.”
He flagged down the bartender.
The look on her face said sucker.
After knocking back the tequila, she confessed, “I don’t normally share my occupation because it tends to be viewed as . . . a bit dangerous. But I’ll make an exception for you, chief.” She slid her hands up his chest, grabbing the lapels of his suit coat. “See I’m a world champion barrel racer. A four-time world champion barrel racer. In fact, I just won my fourth world title tonight.”
“That right? Well, congratulations are in order.”
“Yes, sir.” She batted her eyelashes. “I won a really big gold belt buckle. But if you wanna see it, and get a personal demonstration on how well I ride, well, ace, you’re gonna have to come up to my room.”
Fletch laughed. “Too many people in there right now to suit my taste. But I do have a private room reserved for later tonight if you’re interested.”
“I’m very interested.”
“So you’re just killing time in a honky-tonk . . . until the right man comes along?”
“Nope. I’ve already bagged and tagged my Mr. Right. Just waiting for the paperwork to go through that makes it official.”
He grinned at his bride to be and twisted a springy tendril of her hair around his finger. Since he’d last seen her on the winner’s podium, her long locks had been swept up into an elaborate hairdo and her makeup had been redone. Tanna always looked beautiful, but tonight an extra glow of happiness and anticipation surrounded her. “You look spectacular, sweetheart. I’m the luckiest man in the world.”
She curled her hand around his neck and pulled his mouth to hers for a kiss. A long kiss. In the past fourteen months they’d learned to take their intimate moments when they could. It didn’t matter that they were in a rowdy bar on the Vegas strip. As far as they were concerned, they were the only ones in the universe.
Tanna broke the kiss, but she held him in place, resting her forehead to his. “Holy shit balls, Doc. Can you believe I won tonight?”
“No doubt in mind you’d win since you are the very best at what you do.” He snuck in another kiss. “I’m so damn proud of you, Tanna.”
“I’m proud of me too. But I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Nice speech, by the way.” In the last ten days, he’d nearly gone hoarse cheering her on from the stands in the arena. His hands hurt from clapping so much. And when his tough and sweet Texas cowgirl had defied the odds and scrambled onto that podium to claim her victory, he hadn’t bothered to wipe away his tears.