Georgia's Gamble [A Historical Fiction Novel; The Pratt Chronicles Book 1]

Prologue/Chapter 1

Georgia Pratt

Brenham, Texas, 1905

The grass. The dirt. It was all so fresh.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the fields, casting a soft, golden light that stretched across the pastures like a warm blanket. The air was crisp, filled with the scent of dew and the quiet rustle of the grass as it swayed in the breeze. I breathed it all in, feeling the stillness of the morning settle in my chest. There was a calm to this place that I loved—before the day really began, before the ranch woke up.

I leaned against the fence, my eyes locked on Arlo, who was bounding around the pasture like he owned the whole world. He was only a year old, still just a colt, but to me, he was everything. I'd been there when he was born, had watched him take those first wobbly steps, and now I was watching him grow into something strong and powerful. His chestnut coat gleamed in the early light, and I couldn't help but smile, pride swelling up inside me.

"Look at you go, boy," I whispered, a grin spreading across my face as he kicked up his heels. "You've got all the fire in the world, don't you?"

Sometimes, I felt like he was the only one who understood me. Out here, with just the horses and the open fields, everything felt right. Simple. Like this was how life was supposed to be. But as much as I loved the ranch, there was a part of me that felt restless, like I was meant for more than just the paths set out before me.

I knew what was expected of me—everyone did. The Pratts had been ranchers for generations, and I was a part of that legacy, like my brothers and sisters. My life was supposed to follow the same pattern: grow up on the ranch, take care of the horses, maybe find a nice local boy, settle down, and carry on the family tradition. It was a good life, a steady life. But sometimes, when I watched Arlo racing across the fields, I felt a flicker of something more—a yearning for something bigger than the life laid out so neatly before me.

I rested my chin on my hand, watching Arlo as he galloped, his mane flying wild and free. "I wonder if there's more out there, boy," I said softly. "More than just this ranch."

But I knew those were dangerous thoughts, the kind my family wouldn't understand. To them, everything was simple: the ranch was our life, and there was no need to go looking for anything else. But I couldn't help feeling that I wanted something more—something beyond the familiar paths of home.

"Guess it doesn't matter," I muttered to myself, pulling my gaze away from Arlo to look out at the horizon. "I've got a job to do."

But as I watched the sun rise higher, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, I made a promise to myself. I wasn't just going to stay in the lines that had been drawn for me. I was going to make something of my own, even if it meant going against everything I'd been taught.

I turned back to Arlo, who had slowed to a trot, his eyes bright as he looked my way. "We'll go far, you and me," I whispered. "Just you wait. You're going to be a Champion like no other"

And in that moment, with the morning stretching out before us and the future a thousand unspoken possibilities, I felt a spark of hope, like maybe—just maybe—I could have the life I was dreaming of.