Love Under the Western Skies

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ

ᴍᴀᴅɪꜱᴏɴ

➵➵➵➵➵➵➵❂➵➵➵➵➵➵➵

The rodeo grounds were flooded with reporters.

I was leaning up against the arena fencing with Rhett, the little boy asleep in my arms as we waited for Steve to finish this round of questions. Every day I spent with the boys was another day my heart was fracturing because I was going to have to leave eventually, Montana could never be my home, my life was in Houston, and my Dad was in Houston. I couldn't leave him, I was all he had. Right?

"Mind if I join you?" Kristina propped her elbow up beside me and I laughed, gesturing to the spot.

"Be my guest."

"Something bothering you?"

I gave her a tight smile and a shake of my head. "No," I tried to act nonchalant but I know that I gave myself away, I was never good at hiding my emotions. "Okay yes, but first I want to thank you for whatever you told Dad, not having to hide my relationship with Steve has been extremely nice," Kristina nodded, wrapping her arm around the bars of the iron fence, "Just, when I went to Montana I thought I would hate Steve, but instead I've fallen in love with him," I froze when I realized what I said. Love. I had only loved one man in my life and it was my Dad, now I was in love with the cowboy that kept stealing looks at me. "Don't tell Dad!"

Kristina looked at me with sincerity, like she was listening, something I wasn't used to receiving. I was raised with men, my father's friends were men, and although they had wives, I never bonded with anyone. And as much as my Dad tried to keep the line of communication open with us, it was nearly impossible for me to share my emotions with him, it just seemed like it would be easier to talk to a mother figure for that. And I was severely lacking in that department. "Do you want me to give some advice, or just listen?"

I looked at her shocked, she was giving me a choice, allowing me to set boundaries. "Both I guess."

Kristina lead me over to a table, where I sat down with Rhett in my lap, shielding him from cameras and prying eyes with my sweatshirt draped over him. "You love Steve because he brings out a side of you that you're not used to seeing," I nodded, looking down at the little boy in my arms, I fell in love with Steve because I saw past the tabloid bullshit, I saw him love his little boy and his friends, and the way he had a genuine appreciation for the world and the people in his life. "Madison, if you were to do anything in the world right now, would it be managing cowboys? Is that what you want to do with the rest of your life or are you just doing it to be what your father wants?"

I felt the air squeeze out of my lungs at that question because I wouldn't touch managing with a two-hundred-foot poll if my Dad didn't ask me to do it. I wanted to have a horseback riding ranch, I wanted to coach and pass down my competition knowledge to those entering into rodeo at a young age. It was the one way to stay on a horse after my accident, and I would never get to do it because I had Sawyer Western to deal with. "No, if it weren't for Dad I wouldn't be managing cowboys, I wouldn't be in management at all. I'd be a coach, for horseback riding."

Kristina reached over for my hand, and I slowly placed it in hers. She was such a kind woman and I hoped my Dad stuck with her because I wanted her to be that guiding light I needed so badly. "Your father will love you no matter what Madison, he's never going to be alone, it's one plane ride back to Houston, and he can work from anywhere. You're young, you're supposed to fly the nest and explore the world and fall in love, that's life, it's an experience, and you're taking it away from yourself because you're scared of your Dad being alone. He's not alone, I care for your father, he'll have me, so let me shoulder some of that burden," She looked down to where Rhett started to shuffle, his tired blue eyes blinking slowly, "He loves you Madison, Steve too, those boys need you just as much as you need them, give it a shot, and if it doesn't work out you can always come home."