Peppermint Winter

Chapter 18

Tanner pulls the bar and the calf shoots out.

Before we know it, the calf is stretched and Tanner is releasing it.

"Nice job! what was the time on that one Tanner?" Kayden asks him.

"13 seconds," he replies.

"That's our lowest time yet!" I say joyfully.

"I think we have a great shot at winning. Professional team ropers usually get anywhere between 4 and 12 seconds. This is just youth roping, I'd say we've got this in the bag." Kayden says.

"Well good, because I'm exhausted and it's late. I'm gonna need to rest up, we've got a long day ahead of us." I slide off the saddle and lead Pepper back to the barn.

Kayden follows with Dart, and we both tie or horses up to stall posts. We rub them down and then take them over to the bathing pit.

"I can't wait for tomorrow. I've only been in a show once, and it was barrel racing on General. I wonder how Pepper will do," I say as we spray our horses down with water.

"I don't know, but hopefully better than last time. I've already arranged with the Davidson's for me to take off work for the competition. Oh and by the way, it's a pretty far drive to Utah, about five hours. We'll tack them up when we get there." Kayden says.

We finish bathing them before wrapping their tails and putting them up for the night. It's about 7:00 pm when we're all done with everything.

"I'm gonna hit the hay," I say as we enter the house. "night,"

"Set your alarm for 4:30, we're leaving at 5. Goodnight," he says going into his room.

"Okay," I go into my room and grab a towel before heading to the shower.

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I wake to my alarm going off. I force myself to get up and get dressed.

I put on some jeans and a plaid shirt, then I slip on my boots. I go downstairs and fix myself some coffee and toast for breakfast.

I'm eating when Kayden walks into the kitchen. "Okay, I just loaded the horses into the trailer. When you're done we can go."

"Did you eat yet?" I ask.

"Yeah," He takes a seat on the barstool next to mine.

We talk for a few minutes about the competition until I'm done eating.

"Okay, let's go." Kayden says and we get up, walking out the door.

It snowed again last night. it's been snowing very night lately. I walk over to the trailer to check and make sure Pepper is okay.

"Are you ready girl?" I murmur, reaching my arm into the trailer to stroke her mane.

I go get in the truck and we pull out of the driveway, heading towards Utah.

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We have been driving for a while now, but it's still dark.

I hold out the map I'm reading, trying to figure out where we are. I hold my flashlight over where we live, then over to our destination.

"I'm so bad at reading maps," I groan.

"It doesn't matter where we are, I know which way to go."

"I know, but I'm bored. There's nothing else to do."

"Didn't you bring music or something?"

"Ugh, that's what I forgot!" I smack myself in the forehead.

"There are magazines in the glove box," he chuckles.

"Gee, thanks," I say sarcastically.

I find a horse magazine and look up, just in time to see a deer jump out of the bushes and into the road.

Kayden slams on the breaks and swerves right, causing me to smack my head on the windshield. That's the last thing I remember before everything goes black.