Once they reached the center and parted company, Toly bridled his horse and reached for his Western saddle with its special double rigging. He’d affixed a rubber wrap around the horn to keep the rope dally from slipping when he left the gate.
Checking all the equipment, he saddled Chaz and walked him over to talk to Mills. “So you’re going to ride Dusty tonight?”
He jerked his head around. “Yeah. Is that all right with you?”
“I was just making conversation.” Toly mounted his horse. “Whatever bad feelings you have about me, can you let go of them long enough while we get through this event? I’ll see you at the box.”
Tomorrow when he took Nikki riding, he planned to tell her he wanted to be with her all the time. If she felt the same way, then did she have any ideas on how to treat Mills for the next week? He would abide by her decision until they left Las Vegas. After that, he would pursue her because she had fast become the woman he intended to marry. He knew in his soul she was the one.
Toly reached the area to watch as each set of team ropers awaited their turn. When the second-place team got ready, Mills drew up next to him. Soon it was time for them to enter the boxes. Toly was right-handed and walked Chaz in the left one. Mills entered the right box.
The steer had been moved into the chute between them, its horns wrapped for protection. The taut barrier rope ran in front of Toly’s box and fastened to an easily released rope on the neck of the steer. It was used to make sure the steer got a head start.
Because he was the header, Toly needed to work with a softer rope that had more elasticity to snag the steer around the horns or the neck. Mills’s rope had to be stiffer to rope the hind legs.
As always, Toly said a little prayer for their horses and their safety. These days he included Nikki in his prayer, then called for the steer. But as he was testing his own rope, he experienced that dreaded loss of feeling in his hand and wrist. Dear God, no.
A cold sweat broke out on his body. It was too late to do anything about it.
The roar of the crowd was deafening as the assistant opened the chute and the steer ran the length of the barrier rope. Immediately the gate opened and Toly took off, but he couldn’t do the wraps of the rope around the saddle horn, called the dally. Without being able to execute that critical move, he couldn’t turn Chaz to the left so the steer would follow.
Now that his lower arm had gone slack, the rope rested across his inner elbow. He had to hurl it using the strength from his upper arm and shoulder as the doctor had suggested, and hope it caught a steer horn, one of the three legal catches.
This threw Mills off. He had to make a blind throw, dallying tightly, but Toly couldn’t maneuver his horse to face him or the steer. His partner did his best to immobilize it and stretch out its hind legs. But he only nabbed one leg.
When the official waved his flag, Toly’s gut told him they’d lost valuable time plus gained a five second penalty because Mills didn’t rope both legs. The crowd noise reflected their disappointment. Sure enough their score had been low enough that they probably netted third or fourth place when the scores were averaged. Depending on the scores of the other finalists, their number one standing was now in jeopardy.
In a lightning move he made a grab of the reins with his left hand and turned Chaz around so they could ride out of the arena and down the alley. Once he reached the stall, he dismounted on a run, hiding his right hand under his left arm. Until the feeling came back, he had no strength and it hung lifeless.
He patted his horse’s neck. “Sorry, buddy. You did great out there.” After signaling one of the attendants to take care of Chaz, he slipped out the back of the center past other contestants getting ready for the bull riding. Toly needed time to recover alone and hurried out to the car. Maybe Mills hadn’t seen him leave yet.
He climbed in the backseat and began massaging his lower arm and hand, willing some feeling to come back. His shoulder ached like crazy. For all he knew he’d done some damage there with that throw. This was one time he wouldn’t be able to see Nikki perform.
For this to happen in the middle of Finals, it meant a whole new change of tactics. Toly wasn’t left-handed, but from now on he was going to have to train using his left hand if they expected to win. Over the years he’d thrown ropes with both hands. But the tricky part had to do with the dally. He needed to work on wrapping it with the hand that wasn’t used to doing that maneuver.
It meant no trip to the desert tomorrow. He would train most of the day.
Since they’d planned to pick up fast food afterward, neither he nor Nikki would be cooking tomorrow. No expectations. That was good. While deep in thought, the front driver’s door opened. Mills’s head appeared. “Toly?”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you wait for me?” He climbed behind the wheel and looked around at him.
“I...needed to be alone. You go back and watch Nikki.”
“Not yet. It’s my fault this happened tonight.”
Toly’s head reared. For once Mills was acting very subdued. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“It’s true. I’ve been such an ass, I’m surprised you didn’t quit on me long before now. I have no right, but I’m going to ask you to forgive me for the way I’ve carried on about you and Nikki. She called me out earlier.” Toly decided his older brother was some kind of a prophet. “I know I’ve been a jerk, and it put you off your game.”
“It’s not your fault, Mills. I swear it.”
“Nevertheless things are going to change starting right now.”
The sincerity in his voice sounded real enough, making Toly feel guilty that he hadn’t shared his neuropathy condition with Mills. But he still didn’t want him to know the truth until he’d done some training tomorrow. He imagined his doctor would be surprised if he knew what had happened tonight.
If he thought he could get through the rest of the events using his left hand, then he had to find out. Otherwise they would have to withdraw from competition and that would kill Mills. Toly was determined that for his partner’s sake, he would move heaven and earth not to let that happen. Nikki’s brother deserved and needed to be a national champion.
For the first time in his life, something was more important to Toly than winning. In this last year he’d met the love of his life. Losing the national championship would mean nothing to him personally if he couldn’t have a future with Nikki Dobson.
“The only thing important about tonight is for one of us to be there for Nikki. I’ll be fine. See you two in a little while. If she wins tonight, you’ll have to take her to the South Point to pick up her gold buckle. I’ll ask you to drop me off at the RV park on the way. Don’t worry. I’ll tell her I strained the muscles in my upper arm and shoulder. We don’t want her to worry. Now go, or you’ll miss her event!”
“We still need to talk, Toly. I’ve been too protective of her.”
“If I had a sister, I’m sure I’d be the same way and probably worse, but we’ll hash it out later. Before you go, I want you to know you saved the night with your throw. You got one of the legs, thank heaven, or we’d have ended up with the lowest score of the night and be finished. That’s why you’re the number one heeler on this year’s circuit. Congratulations.”
“You managed to snag a horn, Toly. I don’t know how you did it. We’re still alive.”
“Yep. Now get out of here so Nikki will know we’re cheering for her.”
“I’m going.”
After he shut the door, Toly leaned back against the seat. Some feeling had started entering his arm again. The weakness never lasted long, but tonight it cost them. He couldn’t allow it to happen again.
Until they returned to the car, he went over the new strategy in his mind. He didn’t dare switch boxes with Mills tomorrow night. He’d have to use his left arm to throw and make it work, though it would be harder. He would practice using his left arm before going to the arena.
“Toly?” he heard Nikki call to him some time later before she even opened the front passenger door. Once inside she leaned over the seat to look at him. The fear in her fabulous gray eyes for him was a revelation. It reminded him of the night he’d sought her out at the MGM Grand and she’d been worried about Mills. Things had changed drastically since that night.
“Are you all right? Please don’t let one higher score change anything for you. You’ll still average out first because of all your wins.”
Could any woman be more beautiful, inside and out? “I’m fine, Nikki. All I need to know is, did you win another gold buckle tonight?”
“She did! You should have seen her sashay around those barrels!” Mills spoke up after opening his door. He sounded elated, but it couldn’t match Toly’s excitement for her.
Mills started the car and they left for the RV park. Before she could ask, Toly said, “Much as I’d like to see you get your buckle tonight, I’ve asked your brother to take me to the rig. My shoulder is hurting. I need to put an ice pack on it and get a good night’s sleep. That will solve the problem, but I’m afraid it means a ride out on the desert tomorrow is out for me.”
“Don’t worry about that, Toly. You need to take care of yourself. We’ll stay around and make sure you don’t starve.”
“I don’t want you waiting on me. Tomorrow I’ll be exercising my horses, but thank you for the thought. Hey, Mills—who did the fastest time tonight?”
“Luis Mondego and Kip Jackson from South Dakota. Clay’s team came in second. We were third.”
Toly swallowed hard. At least they’d stayed in the top three tonight. There was still a chance for them depending on how well his practice went tomorrow. By late afternoon he would know if he had to tell Mills the bad news or not.
“Thanks for bringing me back first.” They’d pulled up to Toly’s rig. He got out. His right hand was functioning well enough again that no one could tell what had happened. He stared at Nikki through her open window. “I’d love to go to the hotel tonight. Be assured I’ll be there all the rest of the nights.”
“Thank you, but I’m not concerned about me.” The tremor in her voice got to his heart. “Take care of that shoulder, Toly. We’ll see you tomorrow. If you need anything, call no matter the time.”
Oh, Nikki. Was he ever going to take her up on that offer when this was all over.
Despite her latest win, Nikki awakened early Sunday morning, having spent a restless night at her hotel. Toly’s hurt shoulder had to have caused him a lot of pain for him to go straight back to the rig. He would never ask for help, but she didn’t care. They’d been living in and out of each other’s pockets for a while now and she wanted to do what she could for him.
After washing her hair, she got ready for the day and put on the clothes she would wear in her event tonight. Once she’d exercised her horses, she drove to the RV park with some food from a deli she liked. Why not surprise him with a meal? Hopefully his shoulder would be much better.
Nikki didn’t see anyone around when she parked her car behind the Dobson rig. She left the food in the car and walked over to the barn to find Toly. Snapper was gone, but Chaz was in his stall. Hmm. She didn’t know how long he would be running his horse through the motions.
Finally she walked back to her car and put the food in the fridge of their trailer while she waited for him. The Christmas tree drew her gaze and she turned on the lights. It added a festive air she loved.
Unfortunately she didn’t have Toly’s cell phone number, so she called her brother. Mills wouldn’t be happy about it, but she was long past worrying about his feelings.
To her disappointment it went through to his voice mail. She left a message for him to call or text her back with Toly’s phone number. With her horses stalled at the center, she couldn’t ride out to find Toly. Instead she walked to the barn again, hoping he might have come back, but no such luck.
As she wheeled around to leave one more time, he suddenly appeared at the entrance to the stall on foot, pulling the lead on Snapper. A coil of rope hung from the saddle horn. With that sore shoulder, she wondered if he’d been able to get in much practice.
His eyes played over her, making her senses come alive. “I’ve been thinking about you all day. To find you here couldn’t be a better gift.”
“I’ve been hoping you would come back,” she said in a breathless voice. “I brought us a meal.”
So fast she couldn’t believe it, he dropped the lead and drew her into his arms. “Last night I didn’t get to congratulate you the way I wanted. For a year I’ve wanted to kiss you. Now I’m going to do it, ready or not.”
“Toly,” she whispered his name, melting against his rock-hard body while he covered her mouth with his own. Nikki had never known a feeling like this in her life and came close to fainting from the desire he aroused in her as they began devouring each other. She’d dreamed of being with him, but no dream produced this kind of ecstasy. With his hands roaming over her back and hips, she’d turned wanton, craving his love.
“You’re so beautiful, I don’t believe you’re real.” He buried his face in her hair. “I’ve needed to feel you like this forever.”
She twined her arms around his neck. “I wanted you to kiss me while we were dancing.”
“Only then?” he teased before kissing each feature of her face. “There were reasons I didn’t. Reasons we need to talk about, but right now I can’t think.”
Once again they gave each other one hungry kiss after another and she felt her passion bursting out of control. She had no idea when they would have come up for air if a couple of riders hadn’t come down the aisle and were nearing Snapper’s stall.
Toly moaned before easing Nikki away from him. His peridot-colored eyes held a glaze. She could tell he was out of breath too. The people were getting closer. She moved out of Toly’s way so he could bring his horse inside the stall.
Once the people had passed, he pressed her against the wall. “Let me take care of Snapper,” he murmured against her lips, “then we’ll go back to my trailer.” He gave her another long, hard kiss.
“I’ll help you.”
Together they removed the gear and made certain he had hay and water. Toly’s shoulder didn’t seem to be bothering him as much now, thank goodness.
“Let’s go.” He put his arm around her shoulders and they walked back to the rigs. The sensation of their bodies brushing against each other was another new exciting experience she never wanted to end.
“I put the food in our rig. I’ll get it and come over to yours.”
“That’s a good idea. Mills went out with friends a little while ago, but he’ll be back soon. Until he gets here I have things to say to you in private.”
She felt an urgency coming from him apart from his wanting to be alone with her. What was it about? After retrieving their meal, she took the sack and the Christmas tree to his rig. He’d left the door unlocked. She went inside and locked it again. When she reached the kitchen, she plugged the Christmas lights in, then warmed up the Chinese takeout in his microwave.
He walked in from the other end of the trailer wearing a blue-and-white-plaid shirt. His sensational physique made him look good in anything. “Mmm. All it takes around here is a woman’s touch. Christmas and Chinese. It smells delicious.”
“I hope you’re hungry. I bought a little bit of everything.”
“Just the way I like it. How lucky am I to be waited on by a woman like you.”
She darted him a sideway glance while she fixed their plates. “What do you mean?” Her curiosity was getting the best of her.
He fixed coffee for them. “Exactly what I said. There’s not another woman like you on the planet. I’m not just talking about your gorgeous looks. Let’s face it. No woman compares to you.”
Heat swarmed her cheeks. “Toly—”
“It’s true. But I’m also talking about what you’re like on the inside. I’ve seen how kind you are to the foreman on your ranch, to everyone while you’ve been on the circuit. The crew thinks you walk on water. I’ve also witnessed the deep love you have for your brother.”
Nikki put their plates on the table and sat down with him. “Brothers are pretty special. You would know all about that.” They started eating.
He nodded. “That’s why we need to talk about Mills. You’re the only person who can advise me what to do.”
“If you’re talking about his being so r—”
“I’m not.” He cut her off gently before she could finish. “This has to do with something much more serious.”
“I knew it,” she whispered.
“What do you think you know?”
“I’m guessing you’ve found out why Denise broke up with him.”
“No, Nikki. I’m afraid I’m as in the dark about that as the two of you.”
She stopped eating. “Now you’re making me nervous.”
“I don’t mean to do that. Just hear me out.”
A minute ago he’d said intimate things to her that any woman in love would want to hear from the man she adored. Yet Nikki had the awful premonition he was about to tell her something that was going to turn her world upside down. She wanted to run out of there, but the pained look in his eyes held her spellbound.
“I’m listening.”
Toly hated what he had to tell Nikki, but she deserved to know the whole truth. He especially hated it that he had to say anything when she had an event tonight and needed all her powers of concentration.
“A month before Denise broke off with Mills, I had an incident while I was training that I didn’t tell him or anyone about. Instead I went to our family doctor who referred me to a neurologist in Missoula.”
Nikki’s gray eyes darkened with what he knew was fear.
“To make a long story short, I have a neuropathy in my lower right arm and hand. It’s a nerve that is affected by the tissue around it and causes temporary paralysis. The doctor said that all the years of roping must have aggravated it and that it could come on at any time.”
“I just can’t believe this would happen to you.”
“No one is exempt from the unexpected. Twice during practice in the last two months my hand and lower arm went slack so I couldn’t grip the dally. But Mills didn’t pick up on it.
“My fear of upsetting your brother was so great, I decided to say nothing and hoped we could get through Finals before it happened again. To my horror, when I was in the block last night testing the rope, my hand and arm went slack. My worst nightmare had happened. It came on so fast I was stunned.”
“So that’s why you struggled!” Nikki cried. “Oh, Toly—how awful for you.” She shook her head.
“But not just for me. For Mills too. If he weren’t such an expert heeler, he couldn’t have pulled off snagging at least one of the steer’s hind legs. Now I have a serious dilemma. After seeing the doctor in the beginning, I could have told your brother everything, but I didn’t because I didn’t want us to drop out.”
“Of course you didn’t!”
“We were both going for the championship and the last thing I wanted was to tell him the bad news. He’s worked so hard and has been living for this. But I have to be honest. Last night was a moment I’ll never forget. I had to call for the steer and see it through, not knowing the outcome. You saw what happened. I had to use all the force of my shoulder and upper arm to throw the rope.”
“Then it’s a miracle you caught the steer around the horn.”
“I agree, and another miracle that Mills was able to rope one of its hind legs to win us a third place and give us a fighting chance.”
“How soon did you tell him what happened?”
He stared at her for a few seconds. “I haven’t told him anything.”
Her eyes searched his. “What does he think went wrong?”
“That I just made a bad toss and hurt my shoulder.”
“You did hurt it. How does it feel today?”
“It’s all right.”
Nikki moaned. “No, it’s not.” She got up from the table and paced for a minute. “Tell me more about your condition. Can it be fixed?”
“Possibly with surgery, but there’s no real guarantee.” He didn’t want to talk about the disease. Not until the rodeo was over.
She grabbed on to the counter. “So that’s why you said that once Finals were over, you were giving up the rodeo for good.”
“Yes. Otherwise Mills and I could go on the circuit again next season. But as you’ve gathered, my rodeo days are over. Of course he can team up with another roper going for the championship and enjoy several more years doing it.”
“Oh. Toly—” Tears had filled her eyes. “I’m so, so sorry for you.”
“Don’t be, Nikki. I’ve had a run most guys only dream of doing. It’s your brother I’m concerned about now and that’s where you come in.”
“What do you mean?”
“For one thing, he feels that my mistake last night was partially his fault because he’s been uncommunicative lately. He’s afraid it threw me off. You have no idea how guilty that makes me feel because it’s not the truth. I told him he was wrong in his supposition and hoped he believed me, but I’m not sure he did.
“That’s why I think I should tell him about my condition when he comes back to the rig. He deserves to know the truth. But if he doesn’t have faith in me at this point, then we’ll be forced to meet with the officials and withdraw before tonight’s event.”
Her face lost a little color. “To know what’s wrong with you and withdraw now would kill him.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Toly got up from the table and walked over to her, putting his hands on her upper arms. He rubbed them gently. “You’re his sister. I’m aware how much you two love each other, so I’m begging you to tell me what I should do.”
She put a hand on his chest. “Are these episodes coming more often?”
“Last night was my third one in the last ten weeks.”
He heard her take a quick breath. “Are you in pain after one of them?”
Toly loved her so terribly, he couldn’t help giving her a brief kiss. “No. It’s very strange. Once it’s over, you’d never know it had happened or could happen again. There’s no warning. Nothing.”
“So it’s possible you’ll be free of them for the rest of the rodeo?”
“Yes. That’s what I was banking on while we drove down here from Great Falls in the rig. But he has the right to know that if we go in the arena again tonight, the same thing could happen to me. We might not be so lucky and could end up in last place. That would dash our chances to win the championship.”
She closed her eyes in obvious pain.
“Out of desperation, I went out this morning to practice on the dummy using my left arm and hand. The trick is to wrap the dally fast enough, but it’s incredibly hard when I haven’t done it that way before. Though my left-hand grip is strong, I’ve never used my left arm for team roping.”
“But you could do it?” He heard hope in her question.
“Yes. I can try. You must understand it’s very iffy. I’d have to race out of the box and hope my effort is good enough to come in with a decent score. So... I have a choice to make.”
Nikki’s groan revealed her torment.
“Either I tell Mills the truth now and see if he’d rather withdraw or try to beat the odds of another episode coming on during competition. The alternative would be to tell him nothing and I’ll bungle through the next seven nights using my left arm, hoping he won’t notice.”
“He’ll eventually find out, don’t you think?”
“I don’t know. While he’s in the arena, he’ll be living in the moment so completely that by the time we meet up at the stalls after the event, he won’t realize what I did if I get another episode. But if he does notice, then I’ll have to come clean. The point is, I can’t change midstream. Once I’m in the box, I have to be set. Help me, Nikki,” he begged.
Before she could make a sound, her cell phone rang. Nikki pulled it out of her pocket. Toly let go of her and stepped away. She looked up at him. “It’s Mills. His timing couldn’t be worse. When you weren’t here earlier, I went to the barn to find you, but you were out on Snapper. So I called him and left a message for him to get back to me with your phone number.”
Toly leaned against the counter. “He’s going to want to know why you were asking him for it.”
“I’ll tell him I brought Chinese food for all of us and couldn’t find either one of you.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
She phoned Mills and put him on speakerphone.
“Nikki? What’s going on? Why do you want to speak to Toly?”
“I brought food for all of us and I’m afraid it’ll go to waste.”
“He’s out exercising Snapper and will be back before long. I’m on way to the RV park right now. See you in a minute.”
Toly heard the click and she hung up. “He still didn’t give you my number.”
“No. I’d better unlock the door.” She dashed off and came back. “When he walks in, I’ll tell him you returned and asked me to bring the food here while you iced your shoulder.”
“That explanation ought to work. But before he gets here, I need to know what you want me to tell him.”
Nikki grabbed the chair and unconsciously threw her head back, sending her glossy black hair sprawling across her shoulders. “We need the proverbial wisdom of Solomon, you know?”
Everything she said and did enamored him more. “That’s why I’ve put this on you, because I trust you with my life. So does your brother.”
Her eyes took on a haunted cast. “You give me far too much credit.”
“What pains me most is that you have to carry this burden while you’re facing another event tonight. It isn’t fair while you’re on your way to winning the national barrel racing championship.”
He could hear her mind working. “You’re honestly willing to try using your left arm?”
“That’s why I’ve spent all day practicing instead of taking you out to the desert for a ride.”
She straightened. “Then we can’t let your sacrifice go to waste.”
He let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Thank God you said that.”
Toly would have reached for her, but they heard the car pull up. He sat back down at the table and ate one of the jumbo fried shrimps just as Mills walked in the kitchen.
Nikki flicked him a glance. “Come and sit. Toly got here a minute ago and was starving. I bet you are too. Let me serve you.” She put a plate in front of him and served everyone coffee.
“Thanks. I love char siu.”
“I know.” He seemed to be in a better mood. She didn’t know the reason why, but she was grateful for the slightest improvement.
“How’s the shoulder, Toly?”
“Not bad at all.”
“That’s good. I’ve been going over the numbers. Last night’s third place didn’t ruin our standings. Most of the ropings will pay out over two hundred thousand dollars to the team roping winner. Along with your winnings, Nikki, we could really get going on our future ideas for the rodeo.”
The shine in Mills’s eyes told Toly the right decision had been made to risk everything and stay with the rodeo. His gaze fused with Nikki’s. They communed in silence while he promised to do everything in his power to make them come out on top.
Mills finished off the rest of the food, then got to his feet. “I’m going to the rig to change clothes for tonight. Thanks for dinner. See you out at the car in a few minutes.”
Toly was surprised he’d left the two of them alone. “While I’m thinking about it, we should have exchanged phone numbers months ago. Let’s do it now.” She immediately pulled out her phone and they shared numbers to program. He’d wanted to do that forever.
When they’d finished, she started clearing the table while he got up and filled the dishwasher. “Why didn’t you just ask me for my number?”
He eyed her directly. “The truth?”
“What do you think?”
“Because once your brother and I decided to hook up, he let me know right away you were off-limits, so I didn’t dare go against his wishes.”
A delicate frown broke out on her face. “He actually told you that?”
Toly nodded. “But not in those exact words. I figured he was being so protective of you because you’d lost your parents and he was watching out for you. He also told me you were going through a very bad time after breaking up with the man you almost married.”
“I can’t believe he told you all that. It’s embarrassing.”
“He loves you. I got the hint and did my best to honor his wishes. After all, he and I had a mission to get to Finals and I didn’t want to upset him by chasing after his beautiful sister. Don’t you know you’ve left a trail of male bodies behind that you could line up around the arena at least a dozen times?”
“That’s not true!” She really wasn’t aware of her effect on a man.
He laughed. “You’d have to live in my world. I can name a couple of dozen guys who’d like to get to know you and have personally asked for my help because you’re Mills’s sister. Little do they know they’d have to get past me.”
He loved the way she blushed. “You wanted to get to know me?”
“Do you really have to ask me that question? The minute we were introduced, I felt like I was in free fall.”
“I don’t believe it.” But he saw a small smile break the corners of her mouth.
“Lady?” he whispered, afraid Mills might suddenly come back in. “You have no idea of what I’ve been through trying to get close to you without breaking your brother’s set of commandments. Did you never wonder why we trained so much on your ranch?”
“That was your idea?”
“Yes.”
“Toly—I wish I’d known.”
“Well, you know it now. My mom hasn’t been happy about it, I can tell you. She’s complained for the last year that she’s hardly seen me. It’s your fault.”
Nikki put away the leftovers while Toly finished filling the dishwasher. There was little to do, which was good. “Why don’t we gather our things and go out to the car to wait for him. I want to discuss something with you.”
Nikki nodded. Before long they were ready to leave, grabbing their gloves and Stetsons. She unplugged the Christmas tree lights and they hurried out to the car. He helped her in the front passenger side before climbing in the backseat. She turned around to look at him. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’ve been thinking about last night. On a good night it only takes three seconds or less to throw the rope and set up the steer for Mills. If I get in the box while I’m waiting and don’t feel that change in my arm and hand before the gate opens, maybe I should go for it with my right arm.”
He waited to hear what she would say.
“That’s a judgment call only you can make. I believe in you, Toly, and I’ll be praying for you.” The moment her touching sentiments permeated his being, the other door opened and Mills climbed behind the wheel.
On the way to the center, Toly pondered her words. They reminded him of a seminal moment in his past. He’d been in high school at the time. One weekend after going to the rodeo in Missoula with his dad and brothers, he told them he was going to be a national rodeo champion one day. His father, a former rodeo celebrity, had smiled into his eyes and said those exact words to him.
To think that ten years later, Toly and Mills were on the cusp of fulfilling that dream. This opportunity would never come for him again.
I have to make it happen for both of us, no matter what.
He looked at Nikki. What would he do if she weren’t here believing in him? She’d become his whole world.