Chapter 2
2
H arper Sullivan lifted her camera and snapped a few photos before holding it down again to look at the images on the screen. It was often a challenge to get the lighting right when she was working a nighttime rodeo. The stadium lights could be tricky. She wanted to get in a few practice shots before the crowds arrived, so she clicked a few more images of the horses and riders trotting around in a circle. The distinct smell of dirt, sweat, and animals mixed together and tickled her nose.
Everything about the rodeo was as familiar to her as her own childhood home. It had practically been her second home since her teenage years. Some of the memories she would rather forget, but mostly being here made her feel like a kid again.
“Hey Harper,” Riley Kennemer called out, walking toward her with a clipboard. Riley was the arena director over multiple rodeos since Mr. Rawlings retired last year.
Harper smiled as he neared. “Hey Riley, it’s good to see a familiar face.”
“I’m glad to see you too. Amelia is up in the booth. She’ll want to say hi,” Riley said of his wife. “We were excited to hear you were coming to our part of the world.”
Harper lifted her camera. “Happy to be here. I can’t believe I haven’t worked this event before, but then again, I was mostly based in Kentucky when I was working for Cassie,” Harper said of her former boss. “South Central Rodeo Promotions hasn’t quite been the same since Loranna took over. I asked to travel a little more.” She didn’t give the real reason for that.
“I hope we’ll see you at a lot more of our events,” Riley said. “Do you need anything from me?”
“I don’t think so. I’m just getting in some practice shots. I would like to talk with the announcers and get some shots with them before things get started tonight. And if the entertainer has anything in particular he wants me to capture…” she paused and laughed, “or any danger I need to stay away from, just let me know.”
Riley laughed too. Rodeo entertainers were known for cooking up some mischief. “As far as I know, there aren’t any fireworks involved tonight.”
Harper nodded. “Good to know.” She winked as she knew he was thinking of the performance gone wrong at a rodeo a couple of years ago. “We wouldn’t want to set the merchandise table on fire.”
“Exactly. Well, if you need anything, let me know. I’ve got a few more things to take care of.” He tapped his clipboard before he walked away.
Harper watched him go and thought how different he seemed than the reckless bull rider she had known only a few years ago. That was an exception rather than the rule. Most rodeo cowboys didn’t like to grow up.
She took a while longer to walk around the arena, checking out all the angles and finding the best spots to stand. A good view of the entrance was a necessity. She glanced around at the empty stands and imagined just a couple hours from now when the crowds would fill the seats. She would be sure to get plenty of photos of the audience. Nothing showed the fun of a rodeo like people laughing and smiling, or with their mouths wide open in shock.
Harper winced and hoped there wouldn’t be too much shock at tonight’s event. She shook her head to remove the images that flashed in her mind. No, tonight would be great. She would focus on the fun and excitement of the sport she loved to capture. Even if sometimes it also terrified her.
Lawson tugged on his belt as he stood watching the ceremony begin. He had attended enough rodeos as a kid to know the drill. Horses paraded around the arena in a circle ridden by some of the competitors. Many of them were cowboys who were younger than Lawson, but much more experienced than him. Not necessarily in riding a horse. He’d been in the saddle since he was practically a toddler. But at the rodeo events, he was still a novice. He and his brothers had played their own version of rodeos as kids. They would pretend to perform for a crowd and time each other to compete at roping cows. But this wasn’t his parents' ranch, and he wasn’t a kid anymore. Tonight, he would climb on a real bull and hold on for dear life in front of a crowd of people. Tonight, he would be a real rodeo cowboy.
His heart threatened to pound out of his chest at the thought. It was equal parts thrilling and terrifying. Lawson squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and tried not to think of his mother’s face if she knew what he was doing.
Then a rider bearing the flag rode into the arena and the first few notes of the “Star- Spangled Banner” played over the loudspeaker. Lawson stood at attention and whipped his cowboy hat off his head and over his heart. When the anthem ended, he took a deep breath and moved away from the fence. He wasn’t sure he could stomach watching the other competitors before it was his turn.
He might get some good sense and walk away.
As he turned away to walk away, suddenly he bumped into something and stumbled back a step. Blinking in shock, he tried to focus on the woman now standing in front of him. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said quickly. “Are you alright?”
She barely glanced up at him. “I think so.” Her gaze was on the large camera lens in her hand.
“Oh no, is it damaged?”
She lifted her chin, looked him up and down, and then smiled in amusement. “Is my camera lens damaged from bumping into you? What do you think you are, the Hulk?”
Lawson chuckled. “I guess not. I’m sorry, though. I wasn’t paying attention.”
She brushed her long, strawberry blonde ponytail over her shoulder, causing it to sway across her back. “No harm done. But if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.”
Lawson was too surprised to say anything else, so he moved quickly to the side and watched her pass him. Her ponytail fell over her shoulders as she bent down to unzip her camera bag to swap out her lens. Straightening, she effortlessly attached it and swung her bag behind her back before she stepped up on the railing and hooked one elbow over the fence. She pointed her camera at the arena and began snapping pictures.
Without a doubt she was a professional, not just a girl with a camera hobby. When she turned slightly, he caught sight of the badge that read “South Central Rodeo Association Photographer.” Lawson rubbed his chin and continued to watch her. What kind of woman made a life out of photographing rodeo cowboys? He grinned, sure that he would like whatever kind of woman that was. As she moved around taking photos, Lawson’s nerves fell away as he saw how confident she was in her work.
All too soon he remembered that he needed to focus on his upcoming ride. Suddenly he wondered what this mystery woman would think about him when he entered the arena. Would he stand out in the group of competitors? Or was she involved in rodeo because she already had a cowboy for a boyfriend? Lawson shook his head. Where did that come from? He wasn’t here to win over a lady friend. This was for him. Rodeo was the one thing he had that didn’t have anything to do with his brothers, Whispering Oaks, or the Macklin name. He was going to make his own name. And that started tonight.
He couldn’t let himself be distracted by a woman he didn’t even know.
Moving down the entry to the staging area, he narrowed his eyes and turned his attention to the upcoming event. He would compete in broncs first. That was the event that had first caught his attention as a kid. Those big horses trying to throw a cowboy. A memory unfolded of the first rodeo he attended. He must have been around five or six when he sat in awe of the cowboy who held on for the eight second ride. Then he jumped off while the horse was still kicking his feet high in the air. Lawson had watched as the cowboy slung his hat into the air, and he hoped right then that one day he would do the same.
Of course, his mom had shot that down pretty quickly. Lydia Macklin, as the wife of a rancher and the mom of seven boys, was her own version of sweet and tough. She had endured a lot on the ranch. But she couldn’t see the point of putting yourself in harm’s way for entertainment or sport. She had let each of her boys know she didn’t want them getting involved in rodeo. And Lawson had respected her opinion all these years. But it was time to be his own man. He was responsible for his own health, and his own medical bills.
Taking his spot among the group of competitors, he waited and watched as the other competitions commenced.
“Macklin,” a loud voice boomed.
Lawson raised his hand and moved toward the man. He tugged his hat on tight, hoping it would survive the ride. It was his favorite.
When the competitor before him finished and the bronco was through the exit gate, Lawson climbed up on the platform to the chute and stared at the horse in front of him. The nameplate on his side read, “Inferno.” Lawson put on a brave face, but inside he shuddered. The horse was big and shook his head to show he was already mad.
Lawson mounted the horse and looped his hand through the rein and held on tight. He looked up and nodded. His heart thudded hard against his ribs, and his brain shrieked at him to stop this madness as the horn sounded and the gate flew open.
He thought he would always remember his first rodeo performance. Instead, a few moments later, he heard the buzzer announcing he had lasted the eight seconds, and the pickup man on the horse beside him tugged him off the bronco. Lawson had no idea what had just happened. The seconds were a total blur.
The crowd cheered, and Lawson took a deep breath as he looked around, stunned. As he climbed down and walked to the exit of the arena, a slow smile crept over his face.
He had done it. His first real rodeo event. And he couldn’t wait to do it again.