Page 3 of Steadfast

“You look great.” He beamed at her with admiration. He put his hands on her waist and brought her in, pressing his lips on hers for one last celebratory kiss of the evening.

Even though they were apart far more often than she liked during rodeo season, moments like those made it all worth it.

“If you two are done kissin’, we have things to do.” Sawyer’s snide voice hit her ears like nails on a chalkboard.

Oakleigh’s expressive eyes flashed with an annoyed glare. “He’s all yours.” Giving Crew’s hand one last grasp, she reluctantly let him go.

Pushing open the heavy double doors, Oakleigh stepped out of the stadium’s side exit and into the dimly lit parking lot. Maeve’s old rusty blue truck was idling there, loudly chugging away and dumping smoke. The driver’s door was propped open, and standing in the glow of the light from the truck’s cab was Maeve. Her arms were wrapped around a husky cowboy with a thick brown beard.

It was Dallas.

Oakleigh leaned against the stadium wall as she gave the two their moment together. Even though he hadn’t joined them in the winner’s circle that evening, Dallas had been present on the sidelines to support Maeve.

She cleared her throat to make them aware of her intrusion. “I’m ready when you are.”

Maeve stepped back and gave Dallas one last glance. Her gaze held an undeniable spark. “Thanks for coming tonight, Dal.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it,” Dallas whispered, focusing solely on her.

Yanking the truck’s door handle, Oakleigh nearly toppled backward as the passenger door fell open with a loud metal screech. When she slid into her seat next to Maeve, she was hit with the distinct fumes of exhaust that had filled the cab. Oakleigh coughed and rolled down the window. Everything in her wanted to blurt out that the truck might need a tune up or perhaps a one way trip to the county dump. However, it was Abel’s truck, and that knowledge alone was enough to remind her to hold her tongue.

Maeve steered the rumbling truck down the dark Montana highway until they finally arrived back at the long dirt road belonging to Callaway Ranch. It had been a quiet drive as both women were utterly wrung out from the excitement of the evening.

“I’m sure you’re going to want to tell everyone about Crew’s win,” Maeve said as they pulled up in front of the sprawling ranch house and stepped out of the truck.

“Yeah, totally,” Oakleigh said as convincingly as she could. Truthfully, there weren’t many people left to tell

Thumbing through her phone in the darkness of the truck, she felt a flicker of loneliness as she scrolled past Mia’s name. They hadn’t spoken in a while. She had offered her a place to stay on more than one occasion, yet Mia seemed to always have one reason or another why she couldn’t visit.

Maybe Paisley?

She knew her younger sister was constantly traveling now that she was surfing under a large corporate sponsor, but she yearned to share her big news with someone who mattered.

Oakleigh — typing…

I know you’re busy. Just wanted to let

you know that we won tonight.

Paisley — read.

Oakleigh’s heart sank. She knew her sister wouldn’t respond. In the quiet solitude, Oakleigh simply posted the selfie of her and Crew with the caption,

Me and my Cowboy, all we do is win!

The response to the post was immediate, and the feedback from her multitude of devoted followers ebbed the feeling of loneliness that she felt creeping in.

Despite the excitement of the evening, Oakleigh willed herself to sleep, knowing the sun would soon rise over the distant mountains, bringing with it her early morning chores.

Chapter 2

Just Look at the Time

When the alarm on her phone started blaring, Oakleigh’s tired eyes awoke in her lavish bedroom. The pure white walls, delicate whispy window curtains that billowed gently in the breeze, and plush bedding were just the touch of coastal luxury that made Oakleigh feel at home. Her room starkly contrasted the rest of the ranch house, which resembled a mountain lodge, trimmed in rich wood that complimented its breathtaking rustic aesthetic.

That morning, the sun was barely peeking through her window, and Oakleigh felt overwhelming tiredness clawing at the back of her eyes. Having called the ranch her home for over a year, she clearly understood her responsibilities. If she didn’t get up on time, the burden of her chores would be placed on Maeve.

In another chapter of life, she wouldn’t have thought twice about shuffling tasks on others, but now she couldn’t bear the thought of letting Maeve down. She felt an obligation to her new found family and the ranch’s success.

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