Chapter 15
Five years later …
“What kind of numbers are we looking at here?” Jensen asked, shuffling through the paperwork they’d brought in with the agenda.
Martin Gates, head of the membership committee, answered. “We’ve got at least a hundred and twenty wanting to do this.”
“But can we?” Cliff Hill asked. He was the newest board member, but he knew rodeo inside and out. He’d worked for the biggest association in the nation for years, and his experience and input were invaluable.
“Nothing in the bylaws that says we can’t,” Corbin Ligon, their resident legal consultant, answered.
“Good. The women barrel racers want to form their own sister association under our umbrella, and I say we go for it. We need a vote?” Jensen asked.
“Yep. Somebody make the motion.”
“I will,” Corbin chimed in.
Thirty minutes later, the USPCA had a new organization, the United States Professional Cowgirl Barrel Racing Association, or USPCbrA, under its charter. “And we’ll call it Cobra, in honor of your horse, if that’s okay,” Cliff said.
Jensen’s heart twisted just a little. He still missed that old horse, but with the addition of the two he’d bought from Stag, plus Rhubarb and Rainmaker, he had a full house. “That’s fine. I think that would be a great way for him to be remembered. Any other business?”
“Just to let you know, there’s a push from a group of guys to form a gay cowboy rodeo association, if we would welcome that,” Corbin said.
Jensen looked around the little group, and they all nodded. “Set up a meeting with them and we’ll talk, but honestly, I think it’s about time somebody made that move. They need to be recognized. They’ve been shut out of the circuit for too long.”
Cliff nodded. “I’m all for this. We can help them and show everybody that we’re progressive at the same time. It’s a win/win.”
“You said you had something?” Walt Coopman asked Jensen.
The association president leaned back in his chair and tented his fingers over his belly. “Yeah. I want to start a junior bull riders program. What do you guys think?”
“I think it’s a great idea,” Cliff answered.
“Me too,” one of the other board members said in agreement.
The door flew open and a pair of little feet pounded across the room. “Daddy!”
Jensen held out his arms and a beautiful little three-year-old girl leaped into them. “Hey, princess! What are you doing here?”
“Mommy goin’ to da store. Can I stay wit you?”
“Sorry,” Shyanna said as she stuck her head in the door. “I tried to stop her, but she’s fast!”
“Yes. You can stay with me, but you have to sit here on my lap and be quiet until we’re finished,” Jensen said.
“No. I wanna sit wiff Mr. Walt,” she said, wiggling out of Jensen’s arms and heading to Walt, who picked her up, kissed her on the cheek, and set her on his lap. “Otay. Time fow a meeting. Smack da table wiff you hammah like on TB, Daddy.”
“I’m not a judge, baby,” Jensen said and rolled his eyes. “When are they supposed to be here?”
His wife’s smile made his heart sing. “Tomorrow afternoon. I know they’re not staying with us, but I’ll be cooking dinner for all of us, so I’ve got to get some groceries. See you in a bit.” Jensen watched as Shyanna waved and disappeared from the doorway.
His life had changed a lot in five years.
The association had an actual home in Memphis, it had grown over three hundred percent, and Chloe Dawn Strader was the apple of his eye.
The happiness he felt every day was something he never thought he’d have.
“Well, let’s finish up, gentlemen,” he said as he picked up his pencil to finish his notes.
An hour later, Jensen walked the board members to the main doors of the office building, chatting as he went.
Everyone had wandered out into the parking lot except for Walt.
The older man leaned down to give Chloe a kiss on the cheek and the two men watched as she headed straight for the receptionist to get a piece of candy from the dish on the young woman’s desk. “You miss the events?”
Jensen nodded. “Yeah. Of course I do. Shyanna does too. We were just talking last week about how she’d like to go back into the circuit now that Chloe’s a little older.”
Walt’s brows shot up. “You’d let her do that?”
“Let her?” Jensen replied, laughing. “I don’t let Shyanna Owens-Strader do anything!
She pretty much does as she pleases and I’m just along for the ride!
” He watched as Walt broke into laughter, then said, “Actually, I don’t like the idea, but if she wants to, I’m okay with it.
As long as one of us is around for Chloe, I guess the other can act a damn fool all they want. ”
“She was a pro,” Walt said with a smile. “So were you.” He seemed to falter for a few seconds before he asked, “So are you going to stay with us?”
Jensen could only shrug. “I don’t know. I mean, I love being here and running the association, but I love the farm.
The university has offered me another teaching position, complete with a rodeo coaching position, and I’d love to do that.
And my brother and parents really need help with the farm. I’m torn, Walt―I really am.”
“Whatever decision you make, I know it’ll be what’s best for your family. But I have to tell you, the last four years with you at the helm has made all the difference in this association.” Jensen could tell he meant what he was saying.
“I appreciate that. I do. Hard decisions.” Jensen folded his arms across his chest. “I’ll eventually have to make them. I just hope I make the right ones.”
Shyanna Dawn Owens-Strader wandered out of the building, down the front steps, and to her big SUV.
She’d spent all morning taking care of the horses without Jensen’s help, since he’d had the board meeting.
While she was doing that, Chloe had managed to get into the flour and coat everything in the living room with it.
Either that baby monitor wasn’t working or the slick little monster had learned how to sneak out of the room without being heard. Shyanna would bet on the latter.
The idea of cooking for everyone excited Shyanna a bit, even in the tiny kitchen of their little rental house.
Aunt Jessi’s visit was exciting enough, but her cousin, Rachel, was coming.
She’d been born after Shyanna and Jessi lost touch, and she’d never known she had any other family until Jessi had apologized for Rachel’s absence at the wedding.
Meeting a relative from her own generation was more than she ever could’ve asked for, and she hoped someday she and Jensen would have a place large enough for Jessi or Rachel and her husband to come and stay for a while, or maybe all of them at once!
That would be so much fun. Her phone rang as she drove, and she hit the button to answer it. “Hey!”
A female voice sang out, “Hi, honey! How are you?”
“I’m good! You doing okay?”
Dora chuckled. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. So’s Roland. Leo wants to strangle him. He told Mr. Byers over at the next farm that we’d buy his property. Didn’t bother to talk to either of us. But we’re doing it anyway. And that’s why I’m calling. I’ve got a question for you.”
Oh, lord. What the hell is she going to ask me? Shyanna wondered. “Yeah? What’s that?”
“The farm has a house on it. Three bedrooms. Would you and Jensen be interested in it? As an off-time place?”
Shyanna had to pull over into a parking lot because her hands were shaking so hard. “Oh, god, Dora, we were just talking last night about how we’d really like to move back to be close to y’all. Are you sure about this?”
“Surer than anything else I’ve ever been sure of. So is that a yes?”
“Yes! It’s a yes!”
“Do you need to ask Jensen?”
Shyanna laughed. “No! If he doesn’t want to do it, Chloe and I will just leave his ornery ass behind and come by ourselves!”
“That’s my girl,” Dora said, laughing along with her. “We can iron out the details next week when you guys get here for your visit. Give my granddaughter a kiss for me. Oh, and that ornery ass son of mine too,” she said with a laugh.
“Will do. Love you, Dora.”
“Love you too, sweetie. Can’t wait to see you. Bye.”
“Bye.” Shyanna hit the button and sat there.
Their biggest dilemma had just been resolved.
She didn’t have to ask Jensen―moving back to be near his family was something he’d been dreaming about.
He’d already talked to Roger about a teaching position at the school someday, and he’d been assured that not only would there be one for him, but there’d be a coaching position too.
And that would mean an opportunity to go to events.
She knew he’d missed the circuit and the competition.
She missed it too. At least she’d been able to keep competing until she’d found out she was pregnant with Chloe.
Jensen had stopped as soon as he took the position with the association, and traveling to rodeos with students would be a dream come true for him.
Would she go back to competing? Even though she’d done extremely well before Chloe’s birth, things had changed.
The woman she’d been was gone, and Shyanna was glad.
All that loneliness and pain had been swept away, and in its place, a family, friends, and love.
Oh my god! We’ll be near SammyJo, Gretchen, and Amber!
she thought. Amber had taken a position teaching at the university, and SammyJo and Gretchen had decided to hit the circuit and make names for themselves, Gretchen in the new USPCbrA and SammyJo in steer wrestling and calf roping.
Amos came back to his newfound home in Forrestville every time he got a chance, still traveling the circuit and still crazy mad in love with Amber.
Everybody in their little circle was happy and loved.
And Max Barlow, Jimmy Fuller, and Wallace Bergman were rotting away in a federal prison. Poor things! she said to herself, maniacal laughter ringing in her head.
Stop thinking about that shit. Thank god it’s over. She pulled back out onto the street. She had to get to the store and get dinner done before Jensen got home. They needed milk, bread, cereal, juice, and … a pregnancy test.
Yep. They were going to have a lot to talk about at dinner that evening.
Hope you enjoy it, and stay in touch to find out about the next book in the Small Town Southern Boys series, coming in early 2026!