Chapter 1 #2
She did, and the flash popped, white and hot.
The announcer spoke into the mic again, his voice big and smooth. “With everything Enya Moore and Rain have won, this is their first Rio Grande International Average Championship. Enya, what does it take to be so consistently fast over ten rounds?”
Enya laughed, breathless, voice shaking but sure. “Oh man, it takes a great horse, a little bit of luck, a whole lot of favor. It’s been a blessing every run—it’s always a blessing to get on Rain—but to have him be so perfect every time I asked him to be this week was awesome.”
“How cool was it to take the victory lap on Rain and see him get that standing ovation?”
“I loved it. My horse deserves all the credit, and he deserves a victory lap every time, not that I can keep doing those times, but it was just pure fun today.”
“Well, congratulations. Enya Moore and Rain, winning the title at the Grande in barrel racing!”
The sponsor chuckled; his voice had a hint of something she couldn’t decipher. “I hate to be negative at such a positive moment, but he did brush a barrel a couple of times over the ten rounds.”
“Slightly brushed them, that’s it.” She could say so much more, but today was a happy day and not one to lose her temper over a snarky comment. “I couldn’t be happier. Rain rocked them, but they stayed up; that’s all that matters.”
The announcer’s voice cut off anything else, “That’s it, folks—Enya Moore, your new Average Rio Grande International Champion!”
The music rose in volume as confetti fell around her like snow.
Enya raised the buckle high. She was on top of the world, and boy, the view was freaking awesome up here.
Fourteen-point-zero-two and a lifetime of work behind it.
Would there ever be another time when she’d feel this alive?
She didn’t think so, at least she couldn’t imagine it.
Time to pamper Rain a bit. He’s more than earned his grain tonight.
***
The main barn sat at the far end of the fairgrounds, a long line of metal stalls under a roof that still held the day’s heat.
The night outside had cooled, but inside it was heavy with hay dust hanging in the light from the overhead lamps, fans humming at the far corners, and the smell of grain, sweat, and old leather.
Her dad led Rain down the aisle. “He’s still wound up,” he said, glancing back at Enya. “Walk him a bit before you rub him down.”
“I got him.” She grinned when her boy snorted and flicked his ears toward her as if he understood every word.
They passed other riders as they headed to the stall that had been Rain’s home for the past week.
Some of them were already stripping off tack, and others were leaning against stall doors, catching up and relaxing now their work was done for this go-round.
It might be weeks or months before they would have the chance to spend time together again.
A few called her name, offered quick handshakes, or claps on the shoulder.
“Fourteen-zero-two. Holy cow, sister, congratulations. You and Rain made us all look like turtles out there.”
“Just Rain doing his thing.” She smiled at Lyndsay. “You and Buck were right on our heels all the way. Next time you’ll kick our butts and you know it.”
“From your lips to God’s ear.” Lyndsay gave her a fast one-armed hug. “See you in a bit, yeah?”
“Yes.” She turned to follow her dad and Rain. “We’ll show these local Texas boys how Kentuckians celebrate.”
At their stall, as she stripped off Rain’s tack, her dad filled the water bucket, and her momma set out a flake of hay. The rhythm of the small noises, the smell of liniment, and her dad humming a tune under his breath felt like home, no matter what state they were in.
Rain drank like he hadn’t had a drop of water in days, every gulp echoing against the boards.
Enya leaned against the stall door. Exhaustion was starting to creep in, and even her bones ached.
The adrenaline had burned off, leaving a soft ache behind her eyes and the relief that came when everything had gone exactly right.
Her momma came up beside her. “I can sit with Rain for a bit if you want to head over to the banquet tent. Sponsors’ll be looking for you.”
Enya shook her head. “We can all go together in a minute. I want to brush him down first. Maybe I’ll rebraid his mane.”
Her dad chuckled. “You’ve been braiding that horse’s mane since he was two. I think he knows he’s pretty.”
This was their ritual, hers and Rain’s. It was their thing. The sponsors could wait. Without Rain, there would be no prizes, no wins, and a lot less happiness in her world. “He earned it tonight.”
She unraveled the braids that were there and started a new one with slow and careful fingers, working through the damp strands.
The barn fans moved warm air through the aisle, carrying the low murmur of voices from outside, along with music from the beer garden, laughter from the crowd that hadn’t gone home yet, and the steady rumble of generators from the vendor trailers.
Her dad finished coiling the lead rope, patient and neat, with his hands moving the way they always did after a good run. He watched her tie off the braid and tugged on a lock of her hair, “You coming to eat dinner with momma and me?”
“Yeah.” Her folks had earned this moment as much as she and Rain had. They’d traveled up and down the country with her all year. Competing was a team effort, or in their case, a family effort.
Her dad looped the lead rope over a hook and looked at her. “Then let’s eat, baby girl. You can come back to sleep in the stall with Rain later if you want.”
The corners of her lips curved upward, and the tightness in her stomach eased. “I might just do that.”
They walked out of the barn together with the sound of the fans fading behind them, and the air outside hit cooler against her skin.
The smell of grilled meat and spilled beer mixed with the thump of music rolling from the big white sponsor tent.
Strings of lights hung across the fairground, glowing gold and steady, softening the dust that still hung in the air.
The line of trailers and vendor booths threw long shadows, and voices carried between them, low drawls and laughter blending with the metallic ring of a bottle dropped into a barrel.
The night smelled like victory, exhaustion, and money.
Inside the tent, tables filled the space, crowded with riders in dusty jeans and clean shirts, sponsors in polos, and reporters still scribbling notes.
Kids darted between the chairs, chasing each other through the light.
Her dad found a table near the back and pulled a chair out with his boot.
Her momma came from the buffet carrying three plates on a tray and set one in front of her.
“Eat up. You haven’t had anything since breakfast.”
The other seats around the table filled as a few other barrel racers joined them, girls Enya had been running against since junior high, with Katy sitting on her left and Jo from Texas sliding into the chair across from her.
The sound around them settled into a mix of cutlery scraping on plates, laughter, and music drifting in from outside the tent.
Someone passed a tray of beers down the line, and she waved it past, reaching for her soda instead.
The glass was cold against her fingers, and the drink eased the dryness in her throat as she sipped.
Katy leaned toward her, her voice bright over the noise. “That run was wicked fast. I swear your Rain has wings.”
The corners of Enya’s lips curved upward. “Feels like it when he’s locked in.” She loved the familiar warmth that came with good food, friendly faces, and the kind of company that understood exactly what it took to earn a buckle.
Her dad told the story of her first barrel run when she was eight, the one where she missed the turn and rode straight out the gate at the opposite side of the arena, and the whole table broke into laughter.
Her momma wiped at her cheeks with a napkin and tried to look stern, but her eyes gave her away.
For a while, it felt like every long mile, every early morning, and every bruise had led to this moment.
Good lights, good friends, her parents beside her, and Rain bedded down safe in his stall.
When the band started up again, couples moved between tables, boots scuffing against the floorboards. Enya leaned back in her chair and watched the lights sway above the tent poles, her body relaxed, and her heart overflowed with happiness that hadn’t quite sunk in yet.
How is this my life?
She had no idea how; all she knew for sure was, it was freaking awesome.
The fairgrounds had gone soft around the edges by the time the dinner broke up, and the lights dropped to half power.
Laughter faded into a low hum. Everyone was tired but not quite ready to quit yet.
She hummed along with the slow tune the band was playing and spotted her dad standing near the tent entrance with her momma, both of them caught in conversation with one of the sponsors.
Enya slid her arms into her jacket and pulled it around her, the air cooler against her skin, with the smell of rain sitting heavy over the dust and diesel. “I’m gonna check on Rain before I turn in.”
Her momma looked up, the corners of her mouth lifting. “Don’t be long, baby. It’s after midnight.”
“I won’t.” The noise behind her fell away with each step she took.
The lights along the gravel path hummed, throwing long shadows that slid across the rows of trailers and tents.
Somewhere close by, a generator coughed and settled.
The carnival rides at the far end of the fairgrounds turned off, plunging the night into even more darkness.
It should have been weird how quickly everything went from buzzing with the busyness of the fairground, to the almost-as-quiet of their barn in Kentucky when the horses were bedded down and the stable hands had retired for the night.
The only sound that followed her was the scrape of her boots against the dirt and the soft call of a horse from somewhere down the line.
Even the crickets have gone to bed.
She pushed through the door of the barn, and the warmth rolled over her.
For a place as warm as El Paso, it was surprising how downright chilly it could get when the sun went down.
Rain lifted his head when Enya stepped into his aisle, his ears forward, and a soft nicker rolled from his throat in greeting.
“Hey, boy.” She fished a treat from her pocket and moved closer, one hand out, palm open. Rain pressed his muzzle into it and snuffled up the cookie.
Outside, the wind picked up and made the sides of the barn groan a weird noise, and Enya paused to flip up the collar of her jacket. Further down the row, a horse stomped once and went still again. The stillness wrapped around her, deep and complete.
I wish I could find a way to bottle this moment in time, when me and my bestest boy are on top of the world.
A man’s voice carried in from the far end of the barn, and Rain’s ears turned forward again. His body tightened for a second as he scented the air before he relaxed again. Enya ran a hand down his cheek, scratched under his chin, and let her mouth curve upward.
“Nothing to worry about. It’s just someone visiting their horse, like I am with you.
” Her thumb traced the white blaze down Rain’s face.
“I better go back to the trailer or momma will be in here and mutter at us both for not resting after our big day.” She booped Rain on the snoot and stepped out of the stall.
“I should have told Momma I was going to sleep in here with you for sure. But I didn’t, so I have to go back or she’ll worry.
See you in the morning, big boy.” Just before she turned toward the door, the lights overhead flickered once, quick as a heartbeat, “Shit.” She almost laughed at herself for jumping at stupid things.
“Night, Rain,” She called over her shoulder, walked out of the barn, and pulled the door shut behind her.
She walked toward the yard where her dad had parked their trailer on the other side of the barns.
The air carried dust, hay, and the faint edge of rain drifting somewhere beyond the fairgrounds.
Behind her, laughter rolled out from a tent, followed by the thump of a guitar and someone calling goodnight.
Gravel shifted behind her, quick and close.
She turned with a half-smile, expecting one of the riders, or maybe her dad, coming to walk her back.
“Forget something?”
She blinked in confusion at a man she’d never seen before and opened her mouth to scream when he reached for her.
But he was too fast, and before her brain had caught up with what was happening, the cloth in his hand clamped across her mouth.
She jerked, kicked, and tried to break free, but he tightened his hold, keeping her in place as a second man injected her with something, and the world turned sideways.
She was vaguely aware of Rain screaming from the inside of the barn as her knees struck the gravel and everything went dark.