Page 158 of Knot Your Problem, Cowboy
“Are they that bad?”
“Doesn’t matter. Ridge isn’t a statistic.”
We walk through the rest of the arena, Walker showing me the judge’s booth, the timer’s station, and so much more.
Before long, we’re heading back toward the truck, but I pause at one more poster. Ridge’s face stares back at me, frozen in that moment of perfect control.
“Nine days,” I murmur.
“Yep,” Walker confirms, wrapping his arms around me from behind. “You scared?”
“Terrified.”
“Me too,” he admits quietly. “But not of Ridge riding. Of what happens if we don’t raise enough. Of losing the ranch. Of watching you lose your home.”
“It’s your home too.”
He turns me in his arms to face him. “Home is wherever you are. The ranch is just land and buildings. You’re what makes it home.”
“When did you become such a romantic?”
“When a sassy city Omega crashed into our lives and turned everything upside down.”
“Best accident ever,” I murmur, pulling Walker down for another kiss, only for his phone to buzz between us.
He grabs it from his pocket, frowning. “It’s Cash.”
Walker opens the message, and his whole expression lights up. “Holy hell. Listen to this.‘Some country music fan page shared Soph’s blog, and donations are flooding in. We’re at three hundred grand. Site crashed twice. Phones ringing off the hook. We might actually pull this off.’?”
My breath catches, tears burning hot in my eyes. “Three hundred thousand?” I whisper.
Walker grins widely, spinning me up off my feet before I can blink. “We’re over halfway there!”
I’m laugh-crying into his chest now, clutching him tightly. “This is real. We can do this.”
He kisses my temple, still grinning like a fool.
“Come on,” I say, tugging his hand toward the truck. “Let’s get back to the ranch.”
As we drive away from Thunder Creek Arena, I look back at those posters one more time. Nine days. One ride. Two hundred thousand to go.
We have to make this work.
Because failure isn’t an option when you’ve got three Alpha cowboys willing to risk everything for their home.
Even if it means watching the man you love climb onto a dangerous bull.
God help us all.
31
SOPHIA
Five Days Later
The parking lot of KMTN Rural Radio is nearly empty when Cash drives his truck into a spot near the entrance. We’re close to over half an hour outside our town, in Raven Hill, because apparently this tiny station broadcasts to half of Montana despite looking like someone’s converted garage.
Cash cuts the engine but doesn’t move to get out. His fingers drum against the steering wheel.
