Chapter 3
3
L awson watched from the exhibition barn, where Sierra held equestrian trainings, and the ranch had started hosting events. Today was a big event day. Katie had convinced Sawyer a few years earlier that the ranch needed to diversify if they wanted to grow as a business and support all the brothers and their future families. At the time, Sawyer had no idea that Katie would be part of that future family.
Sierra coming to start the training facility had been part of the growth of the ranch. Then she met Jenson and joined the family too.
Event days were exciting. Lawson looked forward to having other people at the ranch, and doing something other than chasing cattle all day. Today was a family-friendly event, and Lawson was overseeing the children’s mock rodeo events. As he carried a bale of hay to the feeding trough, the rumble of an approaching SUV caught his attention. Lawson squinted against the sunlight as the vehicle pulled to a stop in the yard.
The driver's side door opened, and a woman stepped out. She was tall and slender, her long, dark strawberry blonde hair caught the sun, showing off the reddish tint. She wore a worn-in pair of jeans, a faded rodeo T-shirt, and a camera bag slung over her shoulder.
The rodeo photographer.
Lawson's heart quickened as he watched her approach. She didn’t smile as she came near. Lawson couldn't help but feel a spark of curiosity and a flutter of nerves. He couldn’t believe the same woman who had drawn his attention at the rodeo was now standing in his yard.
“Hi,” he said, his brain unable to come up with anything more creative.
“Hello,” she said, tilting her head as if waiting for him to say more.
Lawson realized in that moment that if she recognized him, she might spill the beans to his family.
“I’m Lawson Macklin,” he said, reaching out to shake hands.
“Harper Sullivan,” she said, gripping his hand. “I’m here to photograph the event.”
“Great,” he said, sounding a little too enthusiastic. “My family owns the ranch.” Why did he say that? Did he sound as nerdy as he thought?
She nodded, looking unphased as she glanced around. “It’s a nice place.”
Should he tell her he recognized her from the rodeo? Or would that only mean he had to tell her it was a secret? That might be too much when meeting someone for the first time. Or second time. Maybe he should let it slide and see what happened. Yeah, that made the most sense. He cleared his throat. “I can show you around. What do you need to see?”
“I’ll be walking around and taking pictures basically anywhere the event is happening. You know the crowds, the demonstrations, the kids’ rodeo.”
Lawson nodded. “Sure. I’m about to head over to the kids’ event location now if you want to walk with me.”
“Sounds good.”
As they walked, Lawson tried to think of something to start a conversation. “So are you from around here?” he asked.
“Not exactly. I’m originally from Kentucky, but I travel a lot, so I’m not really from anywhere now.”
“You travel as a photographer?”
“Mmhmm,” Harper said, pausing as she lifted her camera and snapped a few shots of the arena in the distance. She turned in a circle and took more shots of the view of the ranch.
Lawson stopped and watched her. Her focus was intense. She seemed to have forgotten he was even there.
When she finally lowered her camera, she didn’t even look his way before she started walking again.
Lawson chuckled to himself as he fell in step.
“How long have you been a photographer?” he asked.
She cocked her head to the side as if thinking about the answer. “I’ve always been a photographer,” she said.
“Really?”
“In a way. I guess what I mean is I’ve always looked at life as if through a camera lens. But what you mean is how long I have worked and made money taking pictures. Since I was nineteen.” She slowed down for him to catch up to her and gave him a sideways glance. “How long have you been a cowboy?”
He grinned. “I’ve always been a cowboy.”
She smiled back at him. “I can see that. And how long have you been competing in rodeos?”
Lawson stopped suddenly as his mouth fell open. “I guess you did recognize me.”
She lifted one shoulder. “Not at first. To be honest, I meet a lot of men in jeans, a flannel shirt, and a cowboy hat. But I remembered your voice.”
Lawson stuffed his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat. “That was actually my first rodeo.” As he said the cliché words, he laughed. “Wow, never thought I would say that.” He lowered his eyes to the ground trying to find the words. “But um, my family doesn’t know that I’m doing it.”
Harper raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Yeah. It’s just that I wanted to keep it a secret for a little while.”
She nodded. “I understand. I won’t say anything.”
Lawson breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”
“Sierra,” he called out, waving his sister-in-law over. “This is Harper Sullivan. She’ll be photographing the event today.”
“Great!” Sierra reached out to shake hands. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sierra Macklin.”
“Oh wow. Is your maiden name Carter?”
Sierra’s eyes grew wide. “Yes, it is.”
“I remember you from the rodeo circuit. Barrel racing, right?”
Sierra beamed with pride as she placed her hands on her hips. “That’s right. It was a long time ago, though.”
Harper smiled. “I’ve been around rodeos for a long time.”
“Wait, what did you say your last name is?”
“Sullivan” Harper said.
“Are you related to Noah Sullivan?”
Harper pressed her lips together as she nodded. “He was my brother.”
Sierra reached out and put a hand on her arm. “Noah was a great rider. I saw him compete several times, and I liked to think we were friends.”
Harper gave a small smile. “I’m sure he felt the same way. Noah made friends everywhere he went. Everyone loved him.”
Sierra nodded. “Yes, I would agree with that.”
Lawson watched the two women and noted the sad look in Harper’s eyes when she mentioned her brother. What had happened to him?
Harper lifted her camera as she changed the subject. “I’ll be around. I’d like to take some practice shots to find the best spots.”
“Sounds great,” Sierra said. “Make yourself at home. Holler if you need me.”
“Thanks.”
Lawson watched Harper walk away before returning to his own responsibilities. He hoped that his job today would require more time spent with her.
Harper made her way around the event arena. Sierra’s words echoed in her mind. Make yourself at home.
She hadn’t been anywhere close to home in a very long time.
Her parents kept in touch, and her mom always asked her to come home for holidays, but Harper usually found an excuse not to. She still saw her parents, but only when they came to visit her on the road.
Harper had made her life in rented houses, hotel rooms, and rodeo grounds.
Her thoughts drifted to her brother as she adjusted her camera settings and aimed at the excited children as they prepared for the mock rodeo events.
She always felt closest to her brother at a rodeo. Something her parents didn’t understand. Which was evident every time they encouraged her to come home and find a “real job.” He had loved the events and the atmosphere of the rodeo. It had made him happy like nothing else did. Harper hoped by attending rodeos and capturing the images, she could keep his memory alive.
As she moved through the crowd snapping photos of the animated antics of the children, the mixture of nerves and excitement of their parents, and the vibrant expressions of onlookers, Harper felt a sense of belonging that she hadn't experienced in a long time. The laughter, the cheers, and the occasional cry of disappointment created a tapestry of human emotion that her lens eagerly captured.
The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile as she watched a cowboy lean down and talk to a little boy wearing jeans, chaps, and a cowboy hat. His tiny boots looked brand new, and his face beamed with excitement as the man spoke to him. Harper drew closer and snapped several shots of the little boy’s reactions as the man kept his back to her.
She recognized Lawson’s voice as he encouraged the boy and gave him a few tips about holding onto the sheep during the mutton busting event. Just as she snapped one more picture, he stood and turned to face her.
Was it her imagination, or did he blush when he saw her? Surely, he wasn’t embarrassed to have his picture taken. The rodeo cowboys she knew enjoyed any kind of attention they could get.
But then again, most of them didn’t take the time to stoop down to a child’s level and cheer them on. Maybe he was a different sort of man than the cowboys she knew.
She gave her head a little shake. There was no use thinking for any amount of time about a rodeo cowboy. As much as she wanted to be around the sport, she knew better than to make plans with a man who liked to ride bulls.
Her brother had taught her that.
Lawson walked toward her and interrupted her thoughts with a question. “Did you see the little kid dressed as a rodeo clown?”
She laughed. “No, I didn’t.”
“I’ll point him out. You’ve got to get a picture of that. It’s like the next generation of rodeo right here in Shelby Springs.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“Are you just in town only for the event?” He didn’t say that he hoped she would stay longer.
Harper turned to look at him, her camera momentarily forgotten. Her gaze assessed him, and Lawson felt like he was under a microscope. "That's right," she replied, her tone guarded. "I'm just here to cover the rodeo for the magazine. Then I’ll move on to the next event.” Like always.
Lawson nodded, his cowboy hat casting a shadow over his rugged features. "Well, I hope you find our rodeo to your liking. We work hard on this event, and we take pride in what we do here."
Harper raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "Is that so? I've heard a few things about rodeo cowboys. I thought the only thing they take pride in is the score on their ride."
Lawson didn’t hide the flash of irritation that crossed his face. "I reckon there's more to us than meets the eye," he replied, his voice tinged with defensiveness.
Harper's gaze remained unyielding. "I'll believe it when I see it."
With that, she turned back to her camera, signaling the conversation was over. She couldn’t deny that she was intrigued by this man who worked his family’s ranch but kept it a secret that he competed in rodeos. What exactly did that say about him?
As she captured the event, she noticed how Lawson Macklin made his way into her camera lens throughout the day. It wasn’t her fault he was everywhere. And it wasn’t his fault that he looked so good on camera. Still, she needed to keep her focus on her work, and far away from the handsome cowboy who captured her attention more than she wanted to admit.