It’s time for Snippet Sunday and we just ended the 123rd year of Cheyenne Frontier Days. While I love the rodeo I’m always kinda glad when it’s over. Fewer people in town and less craziness. Now it’s the craziness of getting the kids ready for school in the fall. High school and Junior High this year. Yeehaw.
But in the spirit of CFD, I’m showing off ROPE A FALLING STAR in preparation for STAR SPANGLED BANNER coming out in September. In this snippet, Tom Colton wonders what he’s going to do now that he’s done with rodeo.
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Negotiating a truck and trailer in a place full of drunk people always proved to be an exercise in patience and vigilance. Both competitors and spectators drank too much to be safe, and Tom was about out of patience by the time he headed for the freeway. I’m so done with this shit.
The frustrated thought opened up a whole can of worms resembling self doubt.
Now what? He’d been on the rodeo circuit so long he hadn’t stopped to think about what he’d do when he retired. But here he sat, barreling down the highway, leaving behind a life of damn near ten years.
Shit oh dear.
Fortunately, he had the Triple Star Ranch, a three hundred acre spread on Lodgepole Creek that he shared with his father, Trip Colton. His dad would understand his need to get out. Trip had been a famous rodeo clown or bull fighter back in the day. He’d saved many a cowboy with his skills at deflection. But when he’d been gored by a rank Brahma, his body damn near shut down. It had been the scariest moment in Tom’s life aside from his mama’s death from cancer when he was three.
The wail of sirens and the flash of lights jerked Tom back to reality as he headed for home. Three fire trucks and an ambulance screamed past him as he moved over. Where the hell are they going on such a tear?
His gut sank as he caught the scent of smoke on the wind coming in his open windows and the dull glow of a fire up ahead.
Oh, shit, is the Triple Star on fire?
He slowed the rig enough to make the turn at the end of the off-ramp, but floored the accelerator to haul ass toward home.
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It’s probably a damn good thing he went home. 😉 There are several great authors on the Weekend Writer Warriors list, the Snippet Sunday Facebook group, and the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. A few of my favorites are, P.T. Wyant, Karen Michelle Nutt, Veronica Scott, Jessica Subject, Kathy Griffith Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel.
Here’s the blurb for ROPE A FALLING STAR:
Available Wide Now
Only the best stars fall…
Three time bronc-riding champion Tom Colton’s dream of a fourth title ends when he draws Wooden Nickel, a mean little bronc with more twists than a maze. With his heart no longer in rodeo, he figures it’s time to go home to the Triple Star Ranch, the PTSD therapy ranch he and his dad founded to help others with trauma in their pasts. Tom just wants a little time to nurse his hurts and consider his next move.
Amber Hillcrest started out as a Triple Star client and stayed on as a massage therapist. Her dog Nimbus keeps her PTSD in check, but her heart remains bruised. She knows she’s too old and too broken for love, especially with the son of her boss, but he’s hot enough to fill her fantasies for years to come.
Amber tries to keep it professional between them, but Tom proves too irresistible with his big heart and charm. But someone is sabotaging the Triple Star and the neighboring Fantasy Ranch, and an ex-girlfriend keeps coming around, trying to reconnect with Tom. Tom’s hands are full of problems instead of the luscious massage therapist. But when Amber gets kidnapped, Tom will move heaven and earth to get her back and tell her how he truly feels.
love the intro to the story and hope he’s completely wrong with the assumption that his father’s property is on fire.
Also – love the Snippet Banner 🙂
Thank you, Iris. He’s pretty spooked about a lot of things, but this definitely makes him focus.
You’re welcome to use the banner if you’d like. 🙂
A thoughtful and exciting scene. I enjoyed the switch from contemplation to horror.
I didn’t want him to get too maudlin even though his career was ending. This was a good distraction. Thanks for commenting, Aurora. 🙂
Oh dear, there’s a lot going on here for the poor guy! But I’m totally caught up in this story and I love your hero. Can’t wait to read more – great snippet!
Thank you very much, Veronica. He definitely has a lot to think about. 🙂
Great story! I’m glad to hear there’s going to be another one in this series soon. Can’t wait.
Not the homecoming he was hoping for…