Page 50 of The Cowboy's Redemption
“Always,” he said.
Epilogue
Dana blocked outthe noise and the lights, the decades of hopes and the dreams, and focused on the upcoming ride, transmitting as much calm to her horse as she could, considering how eager they both were.
Tanoa had proved herself to be an amazing competitor, as Otto Hart horses tended to be, and Dana loved her to pieces.
But Redemption…
She patted the mare’s neck. Her registered name was Hart’s Redemption. Levi had picked it for her. And never had a horse been better named.
Now seven years old, Redemption was everything her genes predicted she’d be. She had Lady’s steady persistence and excellent nature, along with her sire’s larger stature and physical strength. She wasn’t quite as pretty on turns as her dam, and she swung dangerously close to the barrel—so close that Dana had to slow her down sometimes, when Redemption fought to cut loose—but Dana always let her take charge on the home stretch to appease her.
They’d won three of the last five rounds and were favored to win the NFR world championship this year. Dana’s career winnings had just passed the million-dollar mark, an elite milestone, but this final ride for the world title had eluded her so far.
Her whole family was here to cheer her on—Levi and their three daughters, aged six, four, and two, her parents and Levi’s, and Levi’s brothers and sisters and their spouses. They’d taken over most of their hotel floor, which worked out great as far as snagging babysitters went, but not so great for the other guests, who’d probably prefer a decent night’s rest. So far, thankfully, no one had complained.
This was Redemption’s second year at the finals, and the lights and the music and the crowd didn’t bother her one little bit. Last year she’d caught a barrel, taking them out of the running, but this year, she was on fire.
Redemption, eagerly listening for the signal and needing no prompt from Dana when it came, took off like a rocket. They exploded into the arena. Dana was only vaguely aware of the crowd. She knew where Levi and their girls were waiting and watching, and she’d look for them at the end of the race.
They took the first barrel. Dana signaled Redemption to keep her from cutting too close. They rounded the second, and Redemption’s hind end dropped so low, Dana’s boot stroked the dirt. They swung round the third barrel and headed for home. The crowd hit their feet when Redemption blew past the gate.
She reined Redemption in at the end of the alleyway. The horse was so pumped she wanted to run, and danced on her hind legs, too energized to sit still. Dana saw Levi sprinting toward them, waving his hat and pointing at the board.13.10.They’d beaten the arena record by a hair. Now she was as pumped as her horse.
Two more competitors completed their final rides, and the championship was hers.
She and Levi celebrated in their hotel room that night by ordering in pizza to eat with the girls. They sat around in their pajamas and watched a movie on the TV. They’d had to adjust date nights over the years, turning them into family affairs.
That didn’t mean she and Levi didn’t find time for themselves. Later, after they’d tucked the girls into their beds, they nestled into their own and broke out the champagne.
“Congratulations, Mrs. Harrington. That was quite a ride,” Levi said, clinking his glass against hers.
His mother had brought along crystal stemware from Montana for them for tonight—she’d had that much confidence in Dana.
“The whole journey to get here has been quite a ride,” she replied.
After a whole lot of discussion, they’d sold their shares in the business to Ford so they could focus on their respective careers. Levi’s field of study was cattle, and while he’d helped Ford get up and running, Dana hadn’t wanted the Shannahan connection to be the starting point for every interview of her entire career.
For the first few years, whenever anyone tried to paint her as a tragic figure to rekindle public interest, she’d politely pointed out that not only had she moved on, but the rodeo world had as well, and her husband played a big part in both. The bulls from the Endeavour breeding program were highly sought out for their speed and buck-off percentages, not how many riders they’d injured or killed.
From Dana’s perspective, while the money and the title were great, her dreams were right here in the room with her.
She set her drink down, cupped Levi’s face, and drew him in for a kiss that promised him more where that came from when they got home to their bedroom. He smiled that sleepy smile that stretched to his eyes and promised her things in return. Great things. Wonderful things.
Not once had that smile let her down.
“I love you,” she said. “Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for making me into a winner.”
“You were always a winner,” Levi said, kissing her slowly and a little indecently, considering there were kids in the room. “I’m just along for the ride.”
The End