The Rancher's Daughter by Pamela Ladner

then talked to his old friend a while.  He spent the night and got up the next morning and left.  He was going to start rodeoing, again .  Maybe, it would take his mind off the woman who’d broken his heart, not once but twice. 
                  He arrived at the rodeo arena early and signed in.  He entered the bull riding , saddle bronc , and bareback events.  He figured maybe just maybe one of them would kill him and put him out of his misery.  He found a couple of his old friends were still competing and he joined them behind the chutes.  The seats started filling up with people.  The announcer started things off riding out on his paint horse around the arena.  The pledge and a prayer was said.  The light show began and the flag girls rode out and circled the arena. 
                  His adrenaline started pumping.  He helped a friend get ready in the chute.  The big black stud blew snot and snorted his annoyance.  His friend nodded and the chute gate opened.  His friend hit the dirt, quicker than he could snap his fingers.  There were two more guys before him and he went to get ready.  He had drawn a big bay mare.  She was a good bucker.
                  He waited his turn.  The scores were all low so far and he thought he might actually have a chance.  He positioned himself on the horses back and nodded his head.  The big bay mare bucked with all her might.  She gave it her all and Heath struggled to stay in the middle as he spurred at a steady rhythm .   He stayed on the required eight seconds.  He jumped of landing on his feet and tossed his hat in the air.  The crowd cheered the new comer. 
                  The announcer joked about it being beginners luck and the crowd laughed.  His score was announced and it put him in third.  Not bad for a beginner, the announcer said.  Of course, he wasn’t really a beginner.  He’d rodeo’d awhile when he was younger. 
                  He scored well in all three events.  His arm was sore though.  He had not prepared for this and he was feeling it afterward.  He took his winnings to a hotel and checked himself in.  There was another rodeo in a week across the state and he planned to make it too. 
                  He got some rest and headed out the next day.  He made one rodeo after another.  He was on top of the world and while he was riding, he was able to get Josey off his mind.  He carried her picture with him for good luck and before each event, he would take it out and kiss it then stick it back in his wallet.  After he rode, he’d taken to getting down on his knees and thanking God for taking care of him.  He’d grown closer to God too.  He’d been attending cowboy church, and he’d stopped drinking. 
                  Everyday he got a little better and became more himself, but he never went a day without thinking of her.  He couldn’t help himself.  He would move on but he would always love her.  She was in his every thought. 
                  He rose in the ranks at every rodeo.  He would make nationals if he kept winning.  He started riding with his old friend from rodeo to rodeo.  It saved money when two people were providing gas money.  They were both doing well , too.  When they didn’t have a rodeo to get to, Heath stayed with him on his ranch, and helped out.  He kept busy to keep his mind from wandering.  If he let his mind wander, he got depressed. 

Chapter Thirteen
     
                  Josey was driving everyone crazy.  She hadn’t done anything but bite everyone’s head off.  Sam had moved to town and put in his resignation.  Josey, felt like it was her fault so she tried to take up the slack where she could.  She was grouchy and everyone avoided her.  She was doing her job and Sam’s job too.  All the paper work was making her head hurt.  She had never noticed how much paper work she had