Page 43 of Ace of Spades (Hidden Creek Ranch #1)
WESTON
THREE MONTHS LATER
“I’m standing here with Weston Langford from Cedar Creek, Montana, celebrating his now third championship win—Weston, how does it feel to remain defending bronc riding champion?”
I turn to the camera, flashing a bright smile as I speak into the rodeo reporter’s mic.
“It feels amazing, Leslie. There’s nothing that compares to the rush.”
“And you had a tough draw— Devil’s Ticket , son of Widowmaker—how did you feel when you drew the bronc?”
I look past Leslie to the group forming around us, my eyes roaming until I spot a set of amber ones. Hailey smiles at me, her eyes gleaming with pride, her pale yellow button-down tucked into her jeans, with her new trophy buckle catching the arena lights.
“I’m not gonna lie to you, Leslie—I was just a tad bit nervous. Sure, I knew he was bound to get me a decent score if I managed to hang on, but I also wanted to make sure I walked out of here in one piece.”
“I gotta say,” the blonde reporter asks, her perfectly tailored blouse and felt hat free of dirt. “I remember interviewing you for your last two wins, and I don’t recall ever hearing you admit to being nervous. Why now?”
“Well, I got someone waiting for me at home now.”
I find Hailey with my eyes, offering her a wink that causes a bright flush to bloom across her cheeks. The reporter follows my gaze, a knowing smile pulling at her painted lips.
“Well, Weston—congratulations again on your three-peat. It was a wild ride, one that I’m sure not many bronc riders would have been able to stick. How do you plan to celebrate?”
A smirk pulls at my lips as I walk over to my friends, my chaps brushing through the dirt.
The camera follows me as I stride right up to Hailey and scoop her up in my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist as she throws her arms around my shoulders.
The group cheers as I plant a kiss on her lips, one of my arms roaming up to grab her by the nape, deepening the kiss for the world to see.
“I see,” Leslie laughs into the mic as I break the kiss.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” I tell the camera. “Hailey Sorrels—Rookie of the year, women’s all-around champion, and the best damn cowgirl to step foot in this arena.”
“Congratulations to you both,” Leslie smiles, panning back to the camera. “Now that’s one talented couple right there. ”
She continues reporting as I turn my attention back to my girlfriend, re-adjusting her cowboy hat as I meet her eyes.
“You won, baby,” she tells me, her voice cracking as her eyes water.
“I sure did,” I tell her, bringing my lips back to hers. “In more ways than one.”
“I love you,” she whispers as our friends rush us, Leslie moving on to interview some more competitors.
“I love you too, Sorrels.”
More than you know.
Watching Hailey win earlier tonight had been amazing.
The highlight of my night, though? Watching the pure joy in her eyes as she realized just how many people she had in her corner.
Everyone had come to watch—with the exception of Mike and Rhonda, who had stayed back at the ranch to handle operations.
Even though they hadn’t been able to make it, they had insisted on Dakota video-calling them during Hailey’s run, and then had equally celebrated and chastised my sister for how much she had yelled and jumped up and down as Hailey competed.
Her mom had cried. I doubted she’d ever say it out loud, too put together to admit her emotions. But I had seen it with my own eyes—Lenora Sorrels had not only shown up for her daughter, but she had shed tears of joy as Hailey had broken the arena record in barrels.
We’d all been there for her—her mom, Dakota, Chance, Rafe, Beau, Chelsea, Debbie, and my mother.
Every single one of us had cheered at the top of our lungs, swarming her and Casino as soon as we were able to get to them.
The tears in her eyes had said it all—she had finally accepted the love.
She was happy, I was proud, and I wouldn’t have traded any of it for the world.
“My big brother is a three-time world champion!” Dakota practically screams, turning heads around us as she slams her small body into mine, her arms wrapping around my waist.
“Atta boy!” Beau tells me, clasping a hand on my shoulder.
“Oh, I’m so proud of you,” my mom tells me, clearly holding back tears as she joins me and my sister in a group hug. I can’t help but chuckle, smoothing down her hair as I give her a peck on the forehead.
“Had me on the edge of my seat there for a minute!” Chance exclaims, coming up next to pat me on the back. “What a ride, man.”
“Proud of you, Bubba,” Rafe chimes in, coming up to give me a quick hug as my mom and sister release me. Chance holds my sister to him, his free arm loosely thrown over Hailey’s shoulders as I try my best not to walk over and swat his arm away.
It turns out that Chance and Kota had been fooling around behind our backs ever since the rodeo back in February when he had stayed back at the ranch due to his injury—the same night that Hailey had invited me to sleep in her camper to get out of the cold.
They had spilled the beans about everything after the fire, and though it had taken a bit of time for me to adjust to seeing the two of them being together, I had to admit that they were a perfect match.
Lenora walks up next, clearing her throat.
“Good job, Weston. ”
I let out a chuckle, reaching out to pull Hailey’s mom into me, clearly catching her off guard. She doesn’t complain, her arms hesitantly lifting to hug me back. Lenora had made things right after William’s arrest, taking over her ex-husband’s company and liquidating all assets.
She had gifted the trailer park to my mom, halted the resort project, and set things in order. Though she had moved a few states away after everything that had gone down, she regularly came back to visit the ranch and made efforts to come watch her daughter compete quite often.
I look around at the people surrounding me. This was it—my family. The most important people in my life, all irreplaceable, and all loved beyond measure.
Hailey beams, walking over to place her small hand in mine. I peer down at the small tattoo on the inside of her finger, the tiny spade with the letter A to its left. She’d asked me to come with her to get it, a symbol of the family she’d made and the love we’d found.
I’d found my Ace of Spades, and she’d found hers. And if there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that I’m damn sure the luckiest man alive.
“Let’s go home,” she whispers, and a smile quirks at my lips at hearing her call the ranch her home.
Our home.
“Yeah,” I tell her. “Let’s go home.”