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“You were fantastic,” he exclaimed as she slipped from the saddle and they started walking back to the barn. “I knew you could do it.”

“Thanks to you and your wonderful training.”

“Nope, the credit is all yours. I’m so proud of you.”

“And I’m proud of Apollo. He was such a star,” she declared, beaming up at him. “You’re the best horse ever.”

“How does it feel to win your first trophy at a big show like this?”

“I’m not sure I have the words. It’s absolutely amazing, and I suddenly have so much energy.”

“Yeah, I know that high, but in a little while it will wear off and you’ll be tired, especially after everything that happened today.”

“I still can’t believe Courtney attacked me the way she did…or that I own Henry. Thank goodness I don’t have to work tonight. I’d be spilling soup on people.”

“We still have to celebrate. Why don’t you come over. I’ll cook something up and you can unwind.”

“I’d love that.”

“The vet said we should probably wait until the mornin’ to transport Henry,” he continued as they entered the barn aisle. “He and Apollo can hang out here until then.”

“Okay, but I want to come back and check on them later,” she said, as she led Apollo into the cross ties.

“Absolutely, and I need to swing by my other horses as well, though they’re used to bein’ at shows. Unless you need me for anything else I need to check in with the others before they leave.”

“You go ahead. As soon as I put Apollo in his stall and give him his grain I’ll go home. I’m dying to tell mom and dad the news, but I want to call them from the comfort of my couch.”

“Sounds like a plan, and Heather,” he murmured, suddenly bringing her into his arms, “I feel like I won too. We finally connected after all this time.”

“What took you so long?” she asked, tilting her head to the side and shooting him a wink.

“You are one sassy girl.”

“I try.”

“Come to the ranch around seven and we’ll talk about that some more.”

“Okay,” she said with a grin. “And Blake, I know I’ve already said it, but thanks for all your support with Henry.”

“Hey, you know I believe every horse deserves a second chance.”

Leaning down and lightly kissing her, he turned and marched away.

“My gosh, Apollo, hasn’t this been a day for the books,” she murmured, giving him a treat. “You have a new barn buddy, we won our class, and Blake and I have found each other. They say things come in threes. I guess it’s true.”

* * *

Heather lived above a garage on a modest cattle farm. Though it was just a single space with a small bathroom, it was inexpensive, comfortable, and convenient. Located halfwaybetween the Smoky Hill township where her parents lived, the Moonshine Campground where she worked, and Blake’s ranch just a mile further down the country road, she considered herself lucky to have found it.

The only issue was the rickety staircase.

It was outside, and when it rained the wooden steps would become slippery. In winter when the temps fell below freezing they were treacherous. But at least she had a carport for her truck so it didn’t get covered in snow.

Rolling to a stop and carrying her trophy, she made her way up the steps and into her humble home. Placing the prize on the small dining room table, she stared at it for a moment, then flopped down on the couch and called her parents. They were thrilled with the news, and asked her to bring it over as soon as she could so they could see it and celebrate. Her brother was pursuing a law degree at SMU, and she imagined the house felt empty with both of them gone, so she made it a point to visit at least twice a week.

“We’ve been thinking about you all day. I do wish we could have been there, but you know how busy the shop is on a Saturday.” her mother exclaimed. “By any chance do you have a video?”

“I’m not sure, but I’ll check with Blake. There are cameras all over that place, so probably. And, uh, I have some other news. It’s a long story, but I now have a second horse. His name is Henry. He’s a big dapple grey, about five years old.”