Page 4 of Headstrong Cowboy
It had been a few years since he’d competed at the annual Copper Mountain event.He’d even won the bull riding competition.Had the belt buckles packed in storage to prove it.
The month of September was always when the rodeo was held.How on earth hadn’t he connected the dots when he’d planned this trip?Easy...he hadn’t allowed himself to think about anything to do with bulls and competing.He’d been so focused on dealing with recovering from his injury, signing the contracts to sell his oil business, packing up his life, and finding the letter and photo that changed everything, he hadn’t allowed himself to think about anything else.
“Are you okay, sir?”the receptionist asked, concern coloring her voice.
Mentally shaking his head, Ryder smiled as he collected the keys and packet.“I’m just fine, thank you, darlin’.”He touched the brim of his hat and sauntered toward the elevators, keeping his gait straight so that no one saw his limp, and pushed all thoughts of attending any one of the rodeo events out of his mind.He would be staying as far away from those showgrounds as possible.
He thought he’d accepted the end of his career.Guess he hadn’t, because his heart ached at not being able to jump on the back of a bull again.To not get that adrenaline high when the bull did that first leap and twist.To not feel elation when the buzzer sounded and he was still sitting on top of that bull.
The ride up in the elevator passed quickly and soon Ryder was in his room, gazing out the window over Main Street at the banners strung high and prominently promoting the upcoming rodeo.
He’d been fooling himself, thinking all it would take would be a few weeks and a new venture for him to deal with the pain of losing something that he loved.Something that had defined him for so long.Being a bull rider had given him purpose and had taken him from a boy who hoped he could be someone to a man who was celebrated among his peers.Not that life on the road going from circuit to circuit was easy, but over time he’d had successes which had allowed him to live reasonably comfortably.Now, though, he didn’t have to worry about money at all.If he wanted, he could live in hotels for the rest of his life and not run out of money—not that he wanted that existence.Not after what he’d found out.
Ryder turned away from the window.He could stay and wallow about what could’ve been, or he could do what he came there to do—find his heritage.
How he went about that would have to be done carefully.He couldn’t flat-out announce what he wanted to do.He needed to be smart about it.Needed to plant some seeds and hope that somehow, his good fortune when it came to land would rise again.The only way to achieve what he wanted was by heading to the local Realtor’s office and setting things in motion.
He collected his wallet, hat, hotel keycard, and headed down to the lobby.He adjusted the brim of his hat so that it sat low over his face so he wouldn’t have to see or speak to anyone.Not that anyone would know him in town.He wasn’t a regular.And it wasn’t like anyone from the circuit would be in town yet.They generally arrived a few days before the rodeo, not a couple of weeks early, like he was.
Ryder stepped outside and rolled his shoulders, easing some of the tension in them.He took in his surroundings.Copper Mountain rose majestically against the bright-blue Montana sky.The last vestiges of a summer breeze brushed across his face.The sidewalk was busy and people were going about their business, paying him no attention.
He headed toward the real estate office he’d spied as he drove down Main Street.Would there be any properties available in the exact location he was seeking?Could he be that lucky?He would tell them what he needed, where he would prefer to be situated, and then hope for the best.
Ryder’s dream for a working ranch was so much more significant now than it had been when he’d first thought about it.He’d thought proximity had made him want to work with cows after his rodeo career had finished, but now he knew differently.It was in his blood.Thisplacewas in his DNA.
He may have only been back for half a day, but already he felt at home here.Surprising, considering he’d never felt that way before, even on the land he’d purchased in Texas.Funny how things worked out the way they were supposed to.
Before he entered the small office, he scanned the listings in the window.There were a lot of houses, and if that was what Ryder was looking for, he’d have picked out a couple to look at.But that wasn’t what he was there for.He wanted land.A very specific piece of land in a very specific spot.
He pulled open the door, a small bell tinkling overhead as he entered the premises.A woman sat at one of the desks and smiled, pointing to the phone and then holding up three fingers.Ryder got the message—she would be three minutes.
“Are you sure?I find that hard to believe,” the other woman said.
Didn’t sound like a business call to Ryder, but who was he to judge?It might have been a potential buyer talking about something they’d seen at a house.
“You think she’s seriously going to sell?Her girls will have a big say in whether she does or not.She’s got a decent amount of land in a good location, so I’m pretty sure she’d get a good price for it.Keep me updated if you hear anything more.I’m still dubious that she’ll sell.Bye.”The woman put the phone down and stood.“Sorry about that.Hi, welcome to Berry’s Real Estate.I’m Lucinda Berry.How can I help you?”
Ryder took her outstretched hand in his, his mind full of the snippet of conversation he’d heard.Who was selling?
Was the property near Marietta?
How much land was available?
Was it in the area he wanted?
The questions swirled around, but he kept them in.“Hi.Ryder Chamberlain.I’m looking for a ranch or some land I could turn into a working ranch.Do you have anything available?”
“I don’t have anything at the moment, but you never know.There’re always properties coming on the market.Are you looking anywhere in particular?”
Again, he wanted to ask her about the phone call, but he had to respect her for not immediately bullshitting him by saying something would be coming up soon.“Yes, I’ve studied the area and I like the area off 630 Road.I’m looking for about fifty acres.”
“Okay.Why don’t we sit down and you can tell me everything you need and then I can start looking around for you?”
As much as he’d hoped to find a property where he wanted as soon as possible so that he could fulfill a longed-for wish, not to mention get a head start on things before the harsh winter came, he knew that may not happen.At the end of the day, though, he would get the land he wanted and, finally, his ranch.
No matter what he had to do to achieve it.
Twenty minutes later, he walked out, not anywhere further in his search than he had been when he’d walked in.Ryder hadn’t asked Lucinda about what he’d overheard while he’d been waiting to speak to her.If that land came available, and the fates were looking down on him, and it was in the area he wanted, then he would hope she’d call him.
