He jumped up, threw his fist in the air, and then spun around until he found the section of the arena where he knew Tristan was sitting. He looked straight at her and stood perfectly still until the announcer gave the score.

Bullet won the round with an eight-five-five point ride on K-Bar’s Rusty Rags, which pushed his season earnings to $431,230 and beat his next closest contender, who sat at $407,475.

Bullet Simmons was the first rookie ProRodeo cowboy to win a world title in his first year since Hall of Famer Joe Beaver won the tie-down roping in 1985 at the first finals held in Las Vegas.

The crowd went wild, but Bullet didn’t take his eyes off Tristan. When PRCA’s Clown of the Year, Timmy Islip, approached him in the arena, the crowd went silent.

“Damn, son,” Timmy said to him through the mic. “I ain’t never even heard of you before.”

Bullet laughed, and then thanked Bill Patterson, Buck Bishop, and the guys from Flying R Rough Stock. He put his hand over his eyes to shield the glare from the bright lights. “And I’ve got a question for a very special lady who’s here watchin’ tonight.”

Catcalls and hollers sounded from around the audience. When everything quieted down, Timmy handed the microphone to Bullet. He walked forward a couple of steps, to where Tristan, who had run down the aisle, was standing at the rail.

Bullet knelt down on one knee but kept his eyes riveted on her. “Tristan,” he began. “I wore these chaps, tonight, believing they’d bring me good luck.”

Tristan smiled and nodded through her tears.

“And tonight, I won the world title for bull riding.”

She nodded again.

“So I’m just wonderin’…you think Lost Cowboy might consider sponsorin’ me now?”

The crowd was on its feet, roaring and cheering for him again. Bullet couldn’t hear anything above the beat of his own heart. Timmy put his hand on Bullet’s shoulder and guided him toward the chutes.

He looked over his shoulder in time to see Tristan wave and blow him a kiss.

2014

“Look at him,” Dottie nudged Bill. “Just look at him. That’s our boy. Billy’s the World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider.”

Bill closed his eyes, just briefly, and said a silent prayer of thanks to God, for keeping his boy safe.

Epilogue

Tristan put the finishing touches on the story of the Lost Cowboy who found his way.

It was Bullet’s story, but it was so much more than that. She had two more drawings to do, and when she finished, she’d send them off, along with the manuscript, to the designer who would turn it into a book ready to be published.

It would be the first book in the Lost Cowboy series—picture books for little cowboys and cowgirls, who could read about their heroes, and dream of one day becoming rodeo champions.

She already had the idea for the second book. It would be about Bill Patterson and his wife, Dottie, and how, even though he gave up his own chance to be a rodeo champion, his son, Billy, grew up to win a world title instead.

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Source: readsnovelonline.net