Champion At Heart (Sequel of Breaking Ice)

Chapter Eleven

Marshall leaned against the fence, looking at his new acquisition with pride in his eyes and a soft smile on his face. A black bull named Tornado, who had the reputation for giving the best calves, and he knew if he wanted his ranch to succeed, he needed to have the best.

Permanently injured, just like him, the retired rodeo bull was now ready to live the life in his ranch, eating, sleeping, and producing offspring.

"It's you and I, pal," Marshall said, taking a sip of his iced cold beer, hoping to refresh. It was getting hotter, and as he sweat underneath that cowboy hat, he imagined how wonderful it would be to see a younger self running around.

Blaming his hallucination on the heat, he saw a little girl giggling, running from the ranch house to him, her head full of dark hair as she wore a cowboy hat on her head.

"Daddy! Look at me! I will be a future cowgirl!" she giggled louder, pretending with a stick horse that she was riding the real deal. "Daddy, are you looking?"

With a smile on his face, he nodded. "I'm looking, baby girl. You are just a treasure."

"Who are you talking to?" Sophia asked, pulling him out of his happy bubble. Shaking his head and clearing his throat, feeling ashamed that his sister has caught him, he replied. "No one. Just thinking out loud."

Sophia frowned and stared at him, folding her arms over the fence, trying to find a real answer to that question. Seeing that he wouldn't give her one, she focused her gaze towards the bull, impressed by the majestic animal standing a few feet away from them, grazing.

She sighed. "Thank you for the paint. It's the perfect color for my bedroom."

"I didn't choose it. Old man Gilligan did. I was thinking of bringing pink," Marshall chuckled, feeling embarrassed. Thomas was right in choosing those shades of colors for his sister, but that made him feel like he didn't know anything about her and it was frustrating.

Sophia scrunched up her nose but joined in the laugh. She appreciated her brother trying and she loved him for that. "That would have been a mistake."

Marshall leaned against the fence again, looking at the horizon where the acres of landscape went on for miles, the green grass shining under the sun and moving along with the breeze gave him a sense of peace.

"Talking about Thomas, he told me you have been spending time there. Is that why you're always late home from school?" he asked–not in the least upset–but just curious.

"Yes. Don't get upset, but he seems lonely all the time, and I stop by to help him and keep him company. He's such a sweet man," Sophia replied as she fidgeted with her fingers. "And it made me think long and hard. I don't think I want to be a rodeo star. Remembering that day of the accident made me think, and I don't want to go through that. So I prefer to focus on the store, and helping around as much as I can."

"Why not? It happened to me, but it doesn't mean it will happen to you. Well, I am all up for you not being in the rodeo, but I have seen you ride the horses and you have the talent for the events. Maybe barrel racing?"

"No," she breathed. "I have other plans. Mr. Gilligan is giving me his store when he retires and when I turn eighteen. If he went to pass by then, he would probably appoint someone to keep an eye on the store in the meantime."

Marshall was surprised at his sister's change of mind, and if he said he wasn't relieved, he would be lying. After what happened to him and that bull, he didn't want her to suffer the same fate. So if she wanted to run a hardware store, then so be it.

But he still asked. "What about the ranch and why didn't he tell me this first? I think my opinion weights on it."

"I love you, Marshall, and you have been amazing at raising me. But you're not my father. You're my brother, and you deserve to let go of the reins for a bit and be happy yourself. You have suffered for so long, and you need a good woman and a family of your own."

"Sophia, you're the only family I have."

"No. You have Aunt Dolly and Uncle Jacob. You also have Jezzah and Bexley, even if they're hours away. But what will happen when I go to college? You'll be alone here, and you need someone to love and care for you."

Marshall shook his head as he didn't want to hear anymore. Walking away from Sophia, he grumbled a few unintelligible words.

"Marshall, you have to. Especially now that you have a daughter!" she blurted, covering her mouth with teary eyes while cursing herself for letting it out.

"What did you say?" he asked, turning around and walking back towards her, his steps sounding as upset as he was getting. "What daughter?" He dropped the beer bottle on the ground, its contents spilling all over the dirt.

At that moment, a black Audi came down the dirt driveway, making Marshall forget for a minute what his sister had said and paying attention to the vehicle arriving.

Saved by the bell, she thought.

"We'll talk about this later, and you will tell me what you meant," he warned before limping towards the unexpected visitor. Sophia stayed behind, upset at herself, hoping he had cooled down enough later to lead the conversation easier. Yes, she knew she was an aunt, and yes, she hid that from his brother, but she was afraid of him falling into that mood he had been in for years, and now that he was much better, and happier, her fear was becoming real.

Marshall stood a few feet away from the vehicle, staring at the woman inside, sunglasses covering her eyes and hands gripping the steering wheel. He couldn't make out who she was, as her hair also covered part of her face, and a vehicle like that was rare in these parts.

Maybe it's someone that's lost, he thought as the back door opened after hearing a loud squeal coming from inside. A little figure stepped out and ran towards him, her dark hair blowing with the breeze, covered by a hat, just like the one he imagined a few minutes ago.

As he looked down, he saw the same boots he had earlier in the store, making his heart palpitate the closer the little girl got.

"Hello! I am Abilene Evans. Are you Mr. Marshall?" she asked with wide eyes, filled with excitement as she extended her hand.

"I am," he replied, hesitantly before he extended his own to shake, feeling the soft skin of her little hands. Brooklyn finally took the courage to step out of the vehicle, standing by the door, keeping an eye on her daughter.

"Abilene, you had to wait," she warned.

"But I couldn't wait, Mama," Abilene replied, even though her eyes were still on the tall man in front of her. So tall, he covered the sun from hitting her face. Her blue eyes shone with the light of day, just like his always did, and that wonderful feeling that suddenly crep up his soul made him frown. "I had to meet him. It has been too long."

Turning his face to see his sister, who stood there, not mentioning another word, he shook his head, coming to the realization that this might be the girl she was talking about.

"Is this her?" he asked, to which Sophia shrugged, shaking her head.

"I don't know. I have never met her personally," she replied as her eyes met Brooklyn's under the sunglasses. The woman that had been like a big sister to her was back, and she didn't know how to feel. She only hoped Marshall took their arrival with a clear head and a good temper.