Chapter One
Covered with dust and slightly out of breath, Maggie waved to the noisy crowd, whose whoops and cheers followed her as she rode out of the arena. She had wrapped up the last leg of the barrel riding contest and was competing against the current riding champion.
Besides being a jockey, Maggie was one of the favorite barrel racers on the rodeo circuit and one of the few women who had ever competed in bull riding. Although her brahma riding phase didn’t last long, the fans remembered it.
The announcer called, “Let’s hear it for Black Bart and Maggie Austin! What a ride! It looks like the judges think so, too. Maggie finished this round in 16.8 seconds! Just six-tenths of a second off the top score, that time earns her second place in the Barrel Racing Competition. Congratulations to Gina Hofmeister, our champion for the second year in a row with a final time of 16.2 seconds!”
As Maggie left the area, the cheers continued, filled with encouraging comments from the onlookers. Black Bart was a young quarter horse, owned by Paul Hodgson, Maggie’s biggest supporter and surrogate family. Paul was Maggie’s godfather.
Rather than accompany her parents on a three-day fishing trip, eleven-year-old Maggie had opted to go to the Rodeo Finals and stayed with Paul for the weekend. From as far back as she could remember, Maggie had attended rodeos around the country. She rode horses before she could walk, and anything horse related was a priority for her.
When they found her parents’ wrecked boat abandoned after a storm, a search never found them and authorities presumed they were dead. Paul filed the guardianship papers and raised Maggie like his own daughter. He would have sold his soul to the devil if it made Maggie happy.
Paul had been one of her father’s closest friends. A former rodeo star, like Maggie’s dad, Paul had also been a jockey. After he retired from racing, he bought a quarter horse farm and became one of the most successful trainers in the country.
From western pleasure competition to barrel racing and finally horse racing, Paul had mentored Maggie. Her natural talent, combined with Paul’s expertise, resulted in her rising to the top in quarter horse competition.
“Nice ride, Maggie!” One of her competitors called and a fan shouted, “I think that time clock was off!”
Johnny was waiting for her when she got to the gate outside of the arena.
“Hey, Cowboy,” she said, when she saw him. “Congratulations on that bronco ride!”
Johnny hooked his thumbs behind his oversized silver belt buckle and struck a pose that sent Maggie into a fit of giggles.
“My macho man.” Still laughing, she dismounted.
“Somebody has to do it,” Johnny said drily. “I figured it might as well be me. Come here, Cowgirl.”
He gave her a hug and said, “Congratulations yourself. You rode one heck of a race! Second place in that competition is outstanding.”
“Bart is one heck of a horse,” she replied. “He’s a youngster, too. With those tight turns he likes, can you imagine what he will be like next year? Paul is in love with him. He’s got a winner there.”
“No doubt, he has a good one,” Johnny agreed. “I thought you had Gina beat.”
“Me, too!” Maggie chuckled. “Gina can savor that championship now, because next year it is mine!”
“I don’t doubt that for a minute,” he said as he draped his arm around Maggie’s shoulder and said, “Come on. Let’s grab a drink. It will clear that dust out of your mouth.”
“I won’t argue with that,” she said.
“Hi, Maggie,” Ellen waved as she approached her and Johnny. “Paul got stuck in traffic and asked me to help get Bart settled after his race.”
“I can take care of him, Ellen,” Maggie offered.
“Nope. You go get yourself a drink and we’ll catch up with you a little later,” Ellen replied. “Paul will be here any minute. He might already be back at the barn.”
Ellen led the horse away, and Maggie and Johnny made their way through the crowd to the outdoor bar that was set up near the racetrack. After they ordered their drinks, Johnny said, “I saw that you have a couple of mounts for tomorrow’s races.”
“Yep.” Maggie nodded. “Two for Paul and one for Sonny. I’m really excited about riding Paul’s filly in the Quarter Horse Championship. I’ve ridden her a few times and that little girl is fast!”
“She’s put together well, too. After I checked her out in the barn, I looked her up and saw you were the jockey. I was going to head home earlier but stuck around for the wrap up. I’ll be cheering for you.”
“If I wasn’t afraid of jinxing the race, I’d tell you to bet a month’s wages on her,” Maggie teased. “But I will tell you, that filly is quick!”
“Where’s David?” Johnny asked. “I figured he would be here to watch your ride.”
“He called this morning and told me he was staying in Philadelphia until tomorrow,” she said. “He is completing a deal for that champion brood mare before she goes up for auction. You know, all that money means nothing when you don’t have any time to enjoy it.”
“I hear you, honey. That’s why you should just marry me and we can live happily ever after,” he replied, with an exaggerated wink.
“And ruin a friendship made in heaven?” Maggie asked. “I love us just the way we are, except that I’m still not ready to forgive you for moving out west!”
“That was almost two years ago. You sure hold a grudge,” he grinned.
“Things aren’t working out with David,” she said. “I’m thinking about heading to California in a couple of weeks.”
“For a vacation or for a new home?” He asked.
“I’m not sure. The California tracks will open next month. Quarter horses are my first love, but thoroughbreds are a unique challenge. I want to give thoroughbred racing a try. I’ve asked David to help me, recommend me to a few of his clients, or even introduce me to some trainers and he flat out refuses. He wants me there when he wants me and said that I’m gone too much now.”
Johnny shook his head. “He’s being ridiculous. Since you got together with him, you miss half the rodeos and unless Paul has a horse racing, I don’t see you riding at the quarter horse tracks.”
“If I decide to head out west, would you help me?”
“Of course,” he said and gave her a hug. “Let me know what you need. If you need a place to stay, the ranch has plenty of extra bedrooms and it’s only twenty minutes from Angelina Racetrack. Remember, I worked for Jeff Frazier for a while. He knows everybody at Angelina. I’m sure he’d be glad to introduce you, maybe even offer you some work.”
“What would I do without you, Johnny?”
“You’ll never have to find out.”
“Hey!” Paul called as he approached their table.
“Did you get Bart settled in for the night?” Maggie asked.
“He dove into that feed bucket like he hadn’t eaten in a month,” Paul chuckled. “Wasn’t that one super ride, Johnny?”
“It sure was. Maggie just informed me she plans to beat Gina next year, so keep that horse in good shape,” Johnny grinned.
“I plan to do just that,” Paul agreed. “Congratulations on your latest win! If you don’t have other plans, can you join Maggie and me for dinner? We have a lot to celebrate tonight.”
“Thanks, but I’ve got a flight out in a few hours. By the way, I got in touch with that farm in Mexico. You know, the one you told me about last month.”
“Did they have the stock you were looking for?” Paul asked.
“As a matter of fact, I’m driving to Tamaulipas the day after tomorrow to look at a mare for Casper. The pedigree is perfect and from the video I saw, her conformation is excellent.”
“I’ll be interested in seeing her,” Paul said. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” He checked his watch. “I should get going. I’ll be cheering for that filly of yours tomorrow!”
Paul replied, “I’m going to bet half a month’s wages on her!”
Johnny left and Paul said, “I’m getting hungry. How about you?”
“I’d like to take a shower and change into clothes that don’t smell like a horse,” Maggie replied.
Paul laughed. “And that’s the difference between cowboys and cowgirls.”
When they finished their drinks, they drove the short distance to the local motel, where most of the rodeo attendees stayed during the week. After a shower and a change of clothes, she met Paul in the lobby.
“Sonny told me about a new barbeque place in town. Shall we give it a try?” Paul asked.
“Absolutely!”
After they found a table and ordered dinner, Paul asked, “Have you given any more thought to full-time thoroughbred racing?”
“I have,” she said. “David is dead set against it. He said that the rodeo circuits keep me busy enough, without flying all over the country to follow the thoroughbred meets.”
“I don’t want to cause a feud, but it doesn’t make sense for him to take that position when he does exactly that,” Paul said wryly.
“That is what I argued,” Maggie shrugged. “I think the issue is that the rodeos only last a few days, but the meets last for months. He wants me at his place, whether he’s there or not. I’m beginning to think moving in with him was a big mistake.”
“Sometimes it takes a mistake to get pointed in the right direction,” Paul replied.
He sipped his water, then continued, “I understand why the thoroughbreds are calling you. I love the quarter horses, their temperament, and agility. But there is nothing like the long stride of a thoroughbred, racing down the stretch in a twelve-furlong race.”
“Exactly,” Maggie agreed. “Thoroughbreds run to please themselves.”
“Yes, they do,” Paul said.
Maggie studied her silverware and smoothed her napkin before she looked at Paul, and stammered, “I haven’t told David yet, but I’m thinking about going to California for the fall meets.”
Paul smiled sadly. “I’m not surprised,” he told her.
“Johnny lives close to Angelina Racetrack and said that he could arrange for me to meet Jeff Frazier. Jeff is one of the top trainers there,” she said in a rush.
“You can’t go wrong working with Jeff.”
“Do you know him?”
“We have crossed paths quite a few times,” Paul grinned. “He is an honest trainer with some really nice horses, particularly Frazier’s Fury.”
“I haven’t even met him yet. Wouldn’t it be exciting if things worked out, and he hired me?”
“It sure would, even though I’ll miss you like crazy. How does Johnny know Frazier?”
“Johnny worked for him for a while. When he inherited his uncle’s ranch, he left to work his own place.”
“That’s where you come in, right?”
“Exactly. When I talk to Jeff, I’m going to offer work in the barn, groom, exercise the horses, anything he needs. Hopefully, I can move into riding for him.”
“It sounds like you’ve already packed up and ready to head west, kid,” Paul said.
Chewing on her lower lip, she replied, “It does, doesn’t it?”
“Having your jockey’s license is a plus,” Paul said. “Are you and David splitting up for good?”
“I’m not sure that our relationship is strong enough to survive us being separated,” she admitted. “But I need some space. He gives me anything I ask for except for the freedom to live the life I want.
