A Cowboy's Heart

“Don’t I wish! In order to win it, I’ll have to beat Dustine’s time along with several other unknowns at the moment. That’s a tall order.”

“You’re the best barrel racer on the circuit this year, Liz. In my official opinion, you’re a shoo-in. To the winner goes all the pickings.”

“Thanks for the morale boost, Connor.” She patted her pillow. “As long as we’re talking about the future, after you’ve won your sixth title, have you thought about getting involved with the Pryor Mountains National Wild Horse Refuge?”

He laughed. “What did you say? I don’t think I heard you correctly.”

“Oh, I think you did.” She egged him on. “When you rescued and adopted Firebrand, you got yourself a real prize. The horse refuge needs people like you. Your voice would carry a lot of weight, politically.”

A look of surprise crossed his face. “Are you a lobbyist, too?”

“I’m just a vet who’s an interested bystander and would love to see someone like you, with real clout, protecting Montana’s natural resources. It’s the second feral horse refuge in the U.S. Gus Cochran, one of the leading equine geneticists, concluded that the Pryor herd may be the most significant wild-horse herd remaining in the States. These animals don’t exist anywhere else, and they need advocates.”

He held himself so still, she realized she had his attention.

“Do you remember Wild Horse Annie, a secretary at an insurance firm in Reno?”

“I know of the Wild Horse Annie Act.”

“Well, she was obviously a wild horse advocate who lobbied for passage of a federal law to prevent hunting the herds from helicopters, and motorcycles that terrorized the horses and caused extreme cruelty.”

“Amen to that.”

“Because of her, the Hunting Wild Horses and Burros on Public Lands Act was passed in the late fifties, banning the hunting of feral horses on federal land using aircraft or motorized vehicles.”

“You learn something new every day. Tell me more,” he urged with a genuine smile.

His honest interest pleased her. “Seven years ago, the last three slaughterhouses in the U.S. were closed, all because certain interested parties discovered that some of the excess wild horses being sold had been sent straight to the slaughterhouses and killed.”

He shook his head, signaling his disgust.

“When they intervened, the BLM had to suspend the sales program. After investigating, they resumed the sales, but only after implementing new requirements to deter buyers from killing the animals.

“There’s a ton of work to be done for their preservation. Your grandfather has a huge ranching reputation in the state. For his prominent grandson, Connor Bannock, to get involved in the fight to preserve the very kind of horse that will bring you another victory in the arena... It would be doing a great thing for man, horse and country. Of course, you’d have to do that work along with your regular ranch work. It would be stretching you to the max, too.”

The next instant Connor swung himself to the floor with masculine ease and hunkered down in front of her. His brown eyes searched hers for a full minute. “What’s behind all this?” He was asking a serious question.

“Ever since you started working with Firebrand, I’ve wanted to talk to you about it. He’s a very special horse, and you knew it right away. Not everyone has an eye for good horseflesh like you. Ralph said your father was the same. It seems you inherited that trait. I understand it was while he was looking over the best horses on the reservation that he met Jarod’s mother.”

“That’s true.”

“If you were to salvage a couple more stallions like Firebrand, you could start your own stud farm. The filly Jarod gave Sadie came from Chief, another feral. Think about it!”

His brows furrowed. “Where did that idea come from?”

“From you! Before your parents died, Sadie and I were over in your backyard throwing horseshoes with Ralph. We happened to overhear you tell Jarod you wanted to establish a stud farm to bring in more money. I thought it was a fabulous idea, but then your folks were killed. I could see you had your hands full with the regular ranch work and your grief.”

“That was a terrible time,” he whispered.

“I know, but I’ve thought about your idea ever since. Do you realize your stud farm would be unique if you advertised that you only used adopted feral stallions? There are horse lovers everywhere who’d be excited for a foal from a sire like Firebrand. You’d be preserving the bloodline of horses that have roamed these mountains for centuries. It gives me chills just to think about it.”

“You’re not the only one.” He showed her his arms with raised bumps. She couldn’t believe it. “I had no idea you heard me,” he murmured, “let alone that you would still remember.”

“We hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but both of us thought you should do it. You wouldn’t have any competition.”

He cocked his dark blond head. “Where have you been all my life, Liz Henson?”

“Right next door, working on my dream to be a barrel racer.”

“You worship your dad, don’t you?”

He could see right through her. She nodded. “He should have been able to realize his dream to be a pro bull rider, but it didn’t happen.”

“So you’re doing this for him.”

“Probably somewhere inside I am. He had to work so hard for everything all his life. Daniel Corkin was not an easy taskmaster.”

“No.”

“My parents couldn’t have more children. I was it, and I was a girl. He needed a son. All I could do was be the best at something and decided to try barrel racing. Mom encouraged me because she knew what it meant to him. Sadie raced with me.”

“Don’t take me wrong, but your talent surpassed hers and everyone else’s at those early rodeos. All you needed was the right horse.”

“Thank you.”

“There was never any jealousy between the two of you, was there?”

“Or between you and Jarod. If you must know, my mother suffered over not being able to have another baby. That’s why she was so happy when Sadie turned to her for everything after her parents’ divorce. With Sadie’s mom in California, there was no one else to love her except our family. Sadie was a sweetheart. Still is.”

Connor’s eyes grew suspiciously bright. “I agree, but I have to say you’ve been blessed with exceptional parents, Liz. There’s nothing I’d like more than to see their little girl take the prize in Las Vegas. I’m here for you in any capacity you need.” His voice throbbed with emotion she could feel clear through to her insides. “Ask anything of me and I’ll do it if it’s within my ability.”