ANNA SAT IN THE STANDS OF THE SMALL RODEO grounds with Abe and Violet, waiting for Richie’s turn at calf roping. Correction, Richard’s turn. At fifteen, he’d made it clear he detested his old nickname. Anna tried to comply, but it wasn’t easy. He’d always been Richie to her. Almost from the first moment he drew breath.
“Look, Abe.” Violet pointed at the program in her hand. “Emma Carter’s taking photographs of all of the events. We’ll have to buy some of the ones she takes of Richard.”
Abe nodded but said, “We’ll see. Might not be able to afford them. You forget how famous Miss Carter is these days.”
“No, look. She’s giving a special rate for photographs from the rodeo. We can actually have some framed Emma Carter’s on our walls of our son and his horse.”
Anna touched Violet’s wrist. “Richard’s up next.”
The boy sat astride a tall bay gelding named Rocket. Richard had started training the horse—the last foal out of Goldie before the brood mare had passed away—for roping events a couple of years ago, and both horse and rider were shaping up to be winners. Championships would bring more notice to the Quarter Horses of the Leonard ranch. That would be a good thing. Despite all of the mares he’d added over the years and all of the yearlings and two-year-olds they’d sold in the past decade, Abe still considered the horses a side business. Anna dreamed they would become much more to him. The way they were to his son.
A calf bolted from the chute, bringing Anna’s attention back to the rodeo. Rocket—as good as his name—shot out of the box at a gallop. The lariat sailed through the air, the loop falling over the calf’s head. Before the horse could slide to a full stop, Richard vaulted from the saddle. He hit the ground running, one gloved hand sliding along the rope. In what seemed a heartbeat, Richard grabbed the calf, flipped it onto its side. With Rocket keeping a steady tension on the rope, Richard used the piggin’ string he’d carried in his mouth to tie three of the calf’s legs together. Tie complete, he put his arms into the air to stop the clock. Then he returned to Rocket, stepped into the saddle, and urged the gelding a few steps forward to relax the tension.
Anna held her breath as they waited the six seconds required. The calf struggled but didn’t get loose.
Applause went up from the spectators, and it grew louder when the announcer called out his time. Nine point eight seconds. It was the best time so far. Professional calf ropers could get the job done in seven seconds, so this was an amazing time for an amateur, especially one as young as Richard. It showed the boy’s dedication. All those hours of practice were paying off.
Before Richard left the arena, he looked into the stands and waved at Anna and his parents, grinning from ear to ear.
“I think I’ll go down and see him,” Anna said as she stood. “Waiting until the event is over to see if his time will hold up is going to drive me crazy.”
She hurried down the steps and walked around the corrals and pens at the far end of the arena. Trucks and trailers were parked all over a field on the north side of the rodeo grounds. Horses were tied to quite a few of the trailers. Some were munching on hay. Others were being groomed by their owners. Others stood snoozing, eyes closed, tails swishing.
The Leonard truck and trailer came into view. Anna saw Rocket tied near the back of the trailer, the left stirrup tossed over the seat of the saddle. A few steps more and she saw Richard. Only he wasn’t alone—and he was too busy kissing a girl to see Anna’s approach.
When she was only a few steps away from them, she cleared her throat. “Excuse me.”
Richard hopped back from the girl, flushing crimson as he spun toward Anna.
“That was a fine run, Richard. I see you’re celebrating even before you win.”
“Uh . . . yeah . . . uh . . . Anna, this is Claudia. Claudia Durst.”
“Hello, Claudia. I’m Anna McKenna.”
The girl—who looked to be Richard’s age or a little younger—tilted her chin. Defiance lit her blue eyes. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
How could a word like ma’am make Anna feel so much older than her thirty years?
“And you.” Anna’s gaze returned to Richard. “Calf roping’s about over. You’d better get back to see if anybody beat your time. I’ll finish unsaddling Rocket.”
“Okay. Thanks, Anna.” His gaze shot to the girl. “I’ll see you later.” Then he strode away. Long strides. A man’s strides.
“I’m gonna marry him someday,” Claudia announced, sounding sure, as only one her age could sound.
In her heart, Anna felt a little boy’s hand slip from her grasp.