Page 34 of Ever's Last
“Ever. If you can beat her, you stay.”
“And if we can’t?” Natalie asks.
“Top six stay.” I thought it was five but it’s his call.
“Ever, show them what you got,” Carlton cheers. And I take off. I take the barrels with ease. Turbo is a dream competition horse. I round the third barrel and it’s all downhill. I know I made great time.
“Fourteen seconds,” Linc cheers as I cross the line.
When I dismount, some of the girls gulp.
“Ladies, this is a competition to win this man’s heart. Merry, you’re up first.” The girl is petite and looks petrified.
I help her onto the horse, giving her a few instructions.
“You’ll do fine,” I say.
“Go,” Linc yells, and Merry takes off at a jog. I want to laugh but none of them have ever done this or been on a horse. She doesn’t knock down any barrels, which is good.
“One minute,” Linc yells as she crosses the line.
“One minute?” She is aghast.
“One minute for your first time isn’t so bad,” I reassure her, “and the others haven’t gone yet.”
“Thanks, Ever. You should start doing this again. You’re really good.”
“Thanks,” I blush.
One by one, the girls try. I knew no one would come close to my time.
Skye does it in thirty seconds which surprises me since I once competed against her. What is her play?
The last contestant is Natalie. Stepper needed a break, so after the sixth girl, I saddled Marks.
Natalie winks at me when she mounts the horse, and when Linc yells go, she’s off like a banshee. Memphis told her she didn’t have to go since she stumbled and fell when she got out of the car, but she insisted she give it a shot.
“Holy shit,” I mumble.
She rounds the third barrel and I’m on edge. I know it’s not an actual competition, but what the hell? If Natalie were competing for real, for money and the blue ribbon, I’d have my work cut out for me, she’s fierce
“Fifteen seconds.”
“Holy shit,” Linc says behind me.
She dismounts and hands Linc the reigns.
“Natalie.”
“I was married to a cowboy on the circuit.”
“Wow. Did you compete?”
“No, I hated being gone all the time. He loved it, and I loved him. I would fly out to several a year when it was circuit, but never competed. His sister taught me for fun. But it’s a rush.”
There’s a lot more to the blonde-haired lawyer with a nasal voice than meets the eye.
“Well, Memphis, we will give you a few minutes to make a decision. Linc has the times. Ladies, head up to the sofas.”
