The Cowgirl Meets Her Match (Elk Heights Ranch)

by Kristin Vayden

  Sterling sighed. “Yeah.” He hated admitting it.

  “I’m sorry,” she answered softly.

  “It’s okay. I’m doing better, according to the doctor.”

  “Yeah, you really are, Sterling. Are...” She paused. “...are you being responsible with your pain meds?”

  She speared him with a direct gaze.

  “Yeah, I am,” he answered, but there was a lingering feeling of uneasiness that settled over him.

  “Good. Hey, do me a favor?” Laken asked.

  Sterling waited, wary.

  “Call Cyler. I think we all need pizza tonight,” she added with a warm smile.

  Sterling relaxed.

  Sometimes the best thing after a hard day was good people.

  Good beer.

  And good pizza.

  CHAPTER 12

  Harper woke up early Saturday morning, needing to get a move on. The barrel race in Naches started that afternoon, and she wanted to get there early so that she and Spartan could have a moment to relax. As with most barrel races, the more experienced riders went first, then the lower divisions as the night progressed. So hopefully, it wouldn’t be a late night, and she could duck out of there soon after she raced. All she wanted was a quiet evening of Netflix and a beer.

  Life might be boring but at least it was predictable and secure.

  She started the coffeepot and headed outside. Last night, she and Jasper had hooked up the trailer to her pickup, so all she needed to do was double-check her tack and load up Spartan once she was ready.

  As she went into the barn, Spartan nickered, pawing the ground. He had spotted the trailer and was itching to go. He loved to race almost as much as she did.

  The wind in her face, the speed, the way she had control...

  It spoke deep to her soul.

  She gave her horse a quick pat on his neck and headed back to the house, Spartan’s impatient whinny following her.

  A smile teased her lips as she heard him whinny again. The screen door slammed shut, and she winced, hoping she hadn’t awakened Jasper or Kessed.

  When she didn’t hear any grumblings from their room, she headed to the coffeepot and pulled down a travel mug. She filled it to the brim and opened the fridge door, grabbing the sack lunch she’d made the night before. As she passed the pantry, she balanced the mug and sack lunch in one hand, and grabbed a granola bar for breakfast. This time, she was much more careful to let the screen door shut slowly and made her way to the pickup. The sun was well over the horizon, but it wasn’t past eight a.m. Naches wasn’t too far away, but registration started early, and the racing started at noon. So, she tucked her food and coffee into the truck and tossed her keys onto the driver’s seat. She ran back to the house and quietly ducked inside to grab her purse then closed the door and screen door. After tossing her purse in the truck, she headed to the barn. Spartan nickered a greeting and bobbed his head impatiently, ready to go.

  “All right, all right,” Harper groused good-naturedly. “Let’s get going.”

  She led the horse out of the stall and toward the trailer. It was an old, faded white one-horse trailer, but it did the job. Spartan waited while she swung the trailer gate open. As she led him forward, he took a funny little step then led with his right hoof into the trailer. Like most horses, Spartan had a foot he liked to lead with. The quick shuffle-step assured that he could do just that.

  Harper tied off his halter to the trailer’s hook at the end and patted along his body as she stepped down. She made sure everything was set up correctly then swung the gate closed, double-checking it was secure.

  “You ready?” she called to Spartan.

  He met her gaze through the bars of the trailer.

  “Good. You didn’t really have a choice,” she told him and headed to her pickup. The motor started right up, and she slowly eased out of the drive. Her truck’s engine roared with a little more emphasis with the added weight of the trailer, but that was to be expected. Spartan wasn’t a small horse.

  She turned on the radio and sipped her coffee as she took the freeway toward Yakima. The fall air was crisp and clean, energizing her as the canyon was bathed in the sun’s rich glow. Fall was probably her favorite time of year.

  As usual, she kept an eye on the trailer behind her. About an hour later, she took the cutoff toward White Pass and away from Yakima to the Featherland Ranch where the Fall Frenzy was held. She noted the other trucks with horse trailers that were heading the same direction, all probably competing. Her blood pumped with excitement at the anticipation of the race.

  As she pulled into the Featherland Ranch about a half hour later, she was grinning with full excitement, impatient to get racing. Slowly, she took the gravel road to the arena and parked in the pasture set aside for the competitors and their trailers. After killing the engine, she stepped into the freshly mowed grass and inhaled deeply. The scent of horses, grass, and dirt sang to her, and she walked back to check on Spartan. He whinnied as soon as he saw her, and pawed the trailer floor and making a racket.

  “Knock it off,” Harper scolded kindly. “I’ll be right back. I gotta make sure I’m all set and registered.”

  She blew a kiss to her horse and headed toward the barn. A long line of people were checking in, and she recognized several faces. The Frenzy was a fun event, and usually pretty family friendly. They encouraged kids to compete and even had a potluck on Sunday night after the last race. Harper had never stayed for it but had heard it was a fun time.

  A few other people arrived and filed into line behind her, some of them familiar, one in particular. Harper steeled herself with a deep breath. Cassie Markston was one hell of a barrel racer.

  And she damn well knew it.

  Cassie had the current time to beat in their division this year, and that wouldn’t have been so bad, if she hadn’t crowed about it incessantly. It didn’t help that Cassie also had a tendency to ask about Jasper.

  Every. Freaking. Race.

  And every time, Harper was more than honest about his almost-married status.

  It pissed her off.

  Harper tamped down her more aggressive nature and focused on the line ahead, hoping maybe Cassie wouldn’t notice her.

  Her luck lasted long enough for her to check in and get a race time, but she knew it had ended when she turned to head back to the truck and Cassie’s big brown eyes zeroed in.

  “Hey, Harp.” Cassie gave a small wave, her gaze immediately flickering around Harper as if searching for someone else.

  I wonder who? Harper groaned inwardly. She was thrilled Jasper wasn’t planning on attending. With his and Kessed’s wedding coming up in two weeks, they had plenty to do and had asked if she’d be okay with them sitting this race out.

  “Hi, Cassie.” Harper forced a kind smile, not halting her pace as she moved toward the pickup.

  “Wait, is your brother going to be here?” Cassie asked, predictably.

  Harper glanced behind her and didn’t stop. “Nope, wedding’s coming up. He’s busy with his almost-wife. Bye!” She hurried on, knowing she was simply dodging the bullet temporarily.

  She heaved a sigh of relief when the girl didn’t follow her. She headed to the pickup and soon was tying off Spartan to the trailer while she got him all saddled. She loved to deck out her gear for races. The flashy silver and turquoise detail work on her saddle always added that extra splash of sparkle that she loved so much. She wore her blinged-out jeans and larger belt buckle, as cliché as it was. Her boots had turquoise stitching that matched the embellishments on her saddle and also on Spartan’s bridle. The bright color stood out perfectly against his dark coat, making it flash when they raced.

  Soon she was applying the finishing touches and glanced at her phone.

  She had one hour before the racing started. She’d be one of the first to compete, so she ne
eded to warm Spartan up before they were actually timed. She unhooked the lead rope and grabbed the reins. After grasping the saddle horn, she slung herself onto Spartan’s back, murmuring softly to him as she led him away from the trailer.

  Pickups with trailers made a steady stream into the pasture as people continued to arrive, and Harper paused as she waited to cross over toward the arena. Several others were heading the same direction, and she nodded a greeting. The arena gate was wide open, and Spartan filed in, his dark ears perked up, alert. He pawed the ground restlessly when she pulled back on the reins, eager to get around the barrels.

  “You’ll get going soon enough. Wait for a second,” Harper whispered softly as she petted his neck. But she understood his anticipation. Her heart pounded an excited rhythm as she took in the layout of the arena. It was the usual setup, with the barrels rolled away to give more room for the riders to warm up their horses, but soon those barrels would be rolled back out, and the timing would begin. Each second counting. Each turn making or breaking your chances.

  Some people jumped out of airplanes.

  Harper rode like the devil chased her heels.

  And loved every moment.

  When she finished taking in the arena, she urged Spartan into a walk around the perimeter. On the second pass, she warmed him up into a trot, her grin widening as she relaxed into the familiar rhythm. The fall air blew across her face, cooling her in contrast to the intensity of the Indian summer sun. Others joined in around the arena, and Harper urged Spartan into a lope, keeping him from going too fast, yet warming up his muscles so that he’d be ready to go when their number was called.

  Shit.

  Harper glanced down and realized she hadn’t put on the number given to her from registration. Sighing, she pulled up the horse, and he impatiently slowed down, tossing his head.

  “Easy,” Harper scolded gently.

  Spartan settled but chewed his bit in a frustrated manner as she turned him toward the arena exit. Heading toward the trailer, she caught sight of a familiar truck.

  Her brows pinched as the vehicle pulled into the pasture. The familiar electric blue wasn’t an uncommon color for a Ford, but it wasn’t common either. She almost followed it but turned toward her trailer instead, her priority being to find her number and get ready to race. Once she reached her trailer, she slid off the saddle and picked up the packet from the passenger side of her pickup. Sure enough, the number was safety pinned in the middle. The black numbers stood out against the white cardstock as she pinned it to her shirt just over her tummy and slammed the door closed.

  “Okay, we’re officially ready now.” She arched a brow as she walked to Spartan and caressed his nose.

  He exhaled his warm breath across her hand.

  “Let’s try this again.” Harper sighed then mounted back on the saddle. Turning the horse back toward the arena, her gaze focused on a petite blonde and a tall, broad man beside her. As they crossed in front of another approaching pickup and headed toward the arena, she could have sworn it was Laken and Sterling.

  But why would they come to her race?

  She hadn’t invited them.

  Not that she didn’t want them there; it had just never crossed her mind.

  Her heart picked up speed as she guided Spartan back toward the arena. Each time she tried to get a clear view, something or someone would block her line of sight.

  When she crossed the dirt road and had a clear path to the arena gate, she scanned the crowd. It was mostly people waiting to race, but a few spectators were scattered throughout in lawn chairs and leaning against the iron fence. She scanned through the people and a grin spread across her face when she recognized Laken.

  And Sterling.

  Spartan sidestepped when she tugged his head away from the arena gate, but he settled down and followed her direction, carefully moving past several others waiting near the fence.

  “Hey!” Harper called out, flickering her gaze between Sterling and Laken, trying to keep the focus equal when she was tempted to keep her eyes on Sterling.

  He was wearing a blue flannel button-down shirt, his skin a golden tan and his gray eyes hidden behind aviator sunglasses.

  “Hi!” Laken waved enthusiastically. “There you are! We were looking for you!” She jumped from her place on the fence and strode toward Harper.

  “I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here! This is a nice surprise.” Harper grinned in appreciation.

  “Well, someone wanted to test his newfound freedom.” Laken arched a brow then glanced over her shoulder to where Sterling was following.

  His lips spread into a wide grin as he reached into his pocket and then dangled a set of keys.

  “Ah, so you’re saying the roads are no longer a safe place.” Harper winked.

  “With you driving, they never were to begin with,” he shot back, taking off his sunglasses and giving her an amused grin.

  “Eh, that’s your opinion.”

  Laken shook her head. “So, you’re racing soon? Kessed said you’re usually one of the first, so we had to hurry if we wanted to see you.”

  “Yeah, I usually am.”

  Spartan stomped impatiently.

  “Easy,” Harper murmured softly. “I thought you were doing wedding stuff with Kessed today.”

  Harper flickered a glance to Sterling, quickly gauging his reaction. It was almost habit, but she was relieved to see that his expression hadn’t been affected by her question.

  Maybe he was really over it. Her heart did a little leap at the prospect.

  She glanced back to Laken, pushing back her emotional response.

  “We got most of it done this past week. Right now, it’s more of the hurry-up-and-wait game. Which sucks, but at least we’re not scrambling,” Laken answered.

  “Yeah, better to be prepared.”

  “Plus, with this one’s new clearance to drive, I figured it might be smart if he had a traveling buddy,” Laken teased as she grinned at her big brother.

  “Wow, thanks. You really know how to make a man feel small.” Sterling bumped his sister’s shoulder jokingly. “But it is probably a good idea. As much as I really hate to admit it in front of you—and you.” Sterling arched a brow as he met Harper’s gaze.

  “You might not live it down.”

  “Pretty sure I was never going to anyway,” Sterling replied, beleaguered. “So, when do we get to see you do your thing?”

  The announcer came over the PA system and gave a fifteen-minute warning.

  “Soon.” Harper smiled.

  “I’ll finally get to see you in action, see if you have moves to back up all that hot air you give off,” Sterling goaded. His head tilted, showing off the cut of his jawline as he issued the challenge.

  Damn, he looked good, and Harper glanced away to keep her thoughts together. Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze with a challenging one of her own.

  “I’ll remember that hot air comment next time we go around with Margaret. Your therapy just got an upgrade.”

  “Ouch.” Laken grinned.

  “Challenge accepted.”

  “Ten minutes,” the announcer started. “Will the first participants please get ready?”

  “That’s my cue.” Harper glanced to the opening gate and back. “I’ll see you guys in a bit.”

  “I’ll be waiting to be impressed,” Sterling told her.

  “Yeah, that won’t take much. Trust me.” Laken smacked her brother on the shoulder.

  “I know.” Harper arched a brow and grinned at Sterling, who was enduring the ribbing good-naturedly. She gave a tiny wave and directed Spartan back toward the arena entrance. Several others were already lined up, and she took her place toward the back where her number correlated with the others.

  Soon the announcer welcomed everyone to the race and went through several details
.

  Spartan blew out a frustrated breath and chomped his bit.

  “I know. I’m impatient too. Hold up. We’ll get our turn.” Harper glanced around, noticing several familiar faces. Cassie was toward the front of the line, one of the first to race. Harper exhaled a breath. It would be nice to know the time to beat.

  It could also be a little intimidating if Cassie had a particularly good run.

  Her thoughts then flickered to Sterling. For once, she hoped Cassie’s fixation stayed on Jasper.

  Sterling was an even more enticing prospect.

  Damn it all.

  Just thinking about it made her frustrated; a heat burned in her chest.

  She tried to think of what it was....

  It wasn’t jealousy.

  She was being possessive.

  Immediately, she wished that Sterling and Laken hadn’t come. Not only was she all bent out of shape from this new reaction, but if Cassie caught wind of Sterling, Harper would never hear the end of it.

  She blew out a frustrated breath just as the announcer called out the first rider’s name.

  The crowd cheered on the racer, and soon the time was called, signaling the race over.

  17.89

  Not bad.

  But easy to beat.

  She forced her head back into the game. Focus.

  Leaning down, she breathed in the scent of leather, horse, and fresh air. She listened to Spartan’s breathing, the sound of horses all around her. Finding her center, she exhaled a slow breath, running the race around the barrels through her mind, again and again. Slowly the line moved up, and with each race that started, she mentally ran through the barrels with Spartan, leaning, breathing, making mental notes on what to remember.

  Cassie’s name was called, and Harper listened, hearing the thunder of her horse’s hooves as they wound around the barrels and then through the gate.

  17.44

  Harper exhaled a tense breath.

  That was a good time.

  Really good.