That Saturday I was getting ready to race when a beat up pickup pulled up followed by a couple bikes.

I ran my hand down my horses neck as Opie got out of the truck and a couple of guys followed him.

"Hey Ope," I said. "Nice to see ya again."

"Hey pretty, this is Jax and Juice," he said.

"You're the one dumb enough to fall for our boy," Jax said.

"Oh I'm hurt," I said. The announcer called my name.

"That's me. I've gotta go get ready. See you in a bit," I said. I returned to my horse and hopped up into my saddle quickly. I led her over to the corral where I was racing and we waited about three minutes before I was up.

I ended up beating my personal best which got me second in that event. I was smiling brightly as I led my horse back to the trailer and one of the ranch hands was up.

"I have no idea what you just did but it was awesome," Opie said. I laughed and shook my head.

"Barrel racing," I said. "Come here." I led him and his friends over to my horse and introduced them to her. They tentatively pet her.

"She's a baby," I said. "She won't hurt you."

"You gonna teach me how to ride?" Opie asked.

"I can," I said, standing next to my horses head as I pet her gently. Jax and Juice were staring at some of the women surrounding us and I scoffed.

"I'll mannered city men. None of these women will ever want to be with any of you," I said. "They don't do misogyny."

Ope laughed a little and quickly stifled it.

"Juice is too pure to be a misogynist," Jax said. I smiled at that softly.

"He seems like a good guy," I said.

"Wow darlin, so what do you take me for?"

"Jax, I doubt you want that answer," Opie said.

"I'll be polite," I said with a smile. My cell phone started ringing in the trailer, causing me to jump and run to it.

"Hey, I know you're at a race but something kind of came up," one of the ranch hands said before I even got hello out of my mouth.

"What kind of came up?"

"Alvarez is here. Said he needs to talk to you," he said.

"Put him on the damn phone," I said.

"Hello mija," he said.

I could feel eyes on me and turned to give Opie a reassuring smile. He was watching me carefully.

"Hello Marcus," I said. "Who ya looking for this time?"

"Alex owes me money again," he said.

"Do what you do," I said. "I can't bail him out."

"I'll bring him back," he said.

"He's more trouble than he's worth," I said. Marcus chuckled and thanked me before the line went dead.

"What was that about?" Opie asked as I returned to them.

"My guys like to get into debt with Marcus Alvarez and he was close with my father so I always turn em over. Plus he protects the ranch when we need him," I said.

Opie nodded a little and slung an arm over my shoulders. "We've gotta head out soon, but that riding lesson?"

"Tomorrow, 8am, I'm going for a trail ride," I said.

He nodded and Jax was shaking his head as Juice flirted with one of my friends.

"They'd be cute together," I said softly. Opie laughed and I smiled at the sound. It would be hard and it would take work, but I really wanted to make things work with Opie.