This is the second of two chapters that I am posting today. So, don't miss out on chapter 88. Thank you for reading and please leave a review and let me know what you think.


May 25th, 2015 - Will Rogers Stampede – Claremore, Oklahoma

"What are you guys looking at?" Elizabeth asked as she set a cup of coffee on the picnic table in front of Jack. She sipped from another as she looked over the guys' shoulders at a paper lying in front of them.

It was the final day of the rodeo, and it would begin with games known from Omoksee competitions. Jack and Lee had never competed in them in the past but had watched them many times.

"They are having a bunch of games this morning before the rodeo finals begin, and we're trying to decide if we want to do any.

"What kind of games?" Luke asked as he ran to the table.

Tom handed a second copy to his son, and Savannah, who had been walking with Luke, looked over her brother's shoulder and began to read it as well.

"I want to do this," she signed, pointing at one of the games listed.

"Which one?" Tom asked.

She held the paper in front of her dad with her finger pointing at the father-daughter pick-up.

"Really?" Tom asked with surprise.

"Yes, we can do that on Cash."

"Do what?" Sam asked as she sat on the bench beside her husband.

Tom showed the list to Sam and pointed at the one Savannah had chosen.

"I don't know about that. You've never done anything like that before," Sam signed to her daughter.

"We can practice this morning," Savannah pleaded.

"Let her try," Tom started. "We'll do a few slow practice runs, and if she does okay, then we can enter the race."

"Fine," Sam said as she gave in. "But only after I see some practice runs. What do you want to do, Luke?" Sam asked her son as she read over the list. "What about the flag race?"

"I was actually just thinking about that," the boy replied. "Jake should be good at that."

"I think so," Tom said. "We'll get you signed up when they open."

"What are you guys thinking about?" Elizabeth asked as she continued to read through the list.

"The cowboy pick-up," Jack answered with a smile as he turned his head and looked up at his wife.

"Don't look at me," she replied. "This is all you guys today."

"Lee, wanna give it a try," Jack asked.

"Oh, hell. Why not," Lee answered.

"Maverick has never had two riders on him before. What about Cisco?"

"Sure, all the time. We'll use him."

"Perfect," Jack said as he slapped his hands together. "Cowboy pick-up it is. Woo!" he shouted, excited to do something different and fun.

"Who's riding, and who's getting picked up?" Lee asked.

"Well, I'm taller, so I can probably get on easier. So, you be the rider," Jack answered.

"Sounds good to me. I'd rather not have to worry about pounding hooves," Lee teased.

"What are we talking about?" Rosemary asked, walking up with eight-month-old Stetson on her hip.

Lee handed his wife the list of games. "Jack and I are doing the cowboy pick-up, Luke is doing the flag race, Tom and Savannah are doing the father-daughter pick-up. What do you want to do?"

"This cowboy exchange sounds fun," she said as she laid the paper in front of Lee and pointed at her selection.

Lee read the description, then looked up at his wife. "What? You want to do that?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Are you wanting to jump off the horse or jump on?"

"I can jump off."

"Pounding hooves," Jack laughed, teasing his friend.

"Really?" Lee asked once more.

"Yes, Lee. You don't think I can do that? Or...you can't?" she asked with a side look.

"Oh, I can do it. I just didn't think you'd want to get your pretty clothes all dirty."

"Lee Coulter," Rosemary exclaimed as she slapped her husband's arm. "I'm not afraid of a little dirt, and you know it."

"I know, Baby," Lee said. He grabbed the front of Rosie's shirt and pulled her down for a kiss. "We'll do it, and we'll win."

Stetson leaned forward with his arms out, and Lee took his son and moved him onto his lap. The little boy was facing the table top and began slapping his hands on the weathered wood, laughing at the sounds he made.

"I'd also like to do that," Rosemary added, pointing at the key race.

"You got it," Lee replied and circled the event name.

"Me, too," Savannah signed.

"Key race?" Lee asked.

"Yes, please."

"What's that?" Luke asked.

Rosie explained the race to the young boy, and he asked to sign up for it as well.

"Alrighty, we've got Savannah down for the father-daughter cowboy pick-up with me and the key race." Tom started. "Rosie down for the key race, and she and Lee on the cowboy exchange. Luke is doing the flag race and key race. Jack and Lee in cowboy pick-up. Anything else?"

"How about you and I do the cowboy exchange, Tom?" Jack asked.

"What? Me?"

"Sure. It'll be fun. You can bail off a horse, can't you?" Jack asked with an ornery grin.

"Well, that I can do," Tom replied with a laugh. "Sure, why not."

Once all the games had been decided, and the forms were filled out, Jack, Lee, and Tom took the papers and payment to the rodeo office to submit their entries. As the guys returned to camp, Charlotte could hear the laughter of her sons carry across the distance, and it made her heart happy. She loved seeing how rich in life and love her sons were, and the blessings of God were evident around them.

…..

The games had begun, and everyone that would be competing was on their horses and gathered outside the arena gate. Dakota and a few of Savannah's friends were there and waited for their turns with her.

The flag race was first, and Luke moved Jake closer to the gate. Hearing his name called, he eased the horse through the opening and got him where he wanted. Kicking the horse into a dead run and quickly crossed the arena. At the end was a barrel with a bucket of sand sitting on top with a small flag inside. Luke rounded the barrel while reaching down and grabbing the flag, then urged his horse into an even faster run.

The Thorntons and Coulters cheered loudly from the backs of their horses and their seats in the bleachers as Luke and Jake crossed the timer eye.

"Woo!" Tom shouted from beside Savannah and Cash. "Man, that horse was moving," he said as he turned to Jack.

"Yes, Jake is a quick one," Jack agreed.

They watched from the side as more competitors took their turns in the flag race. Next was the key race, and Savannah and Rosie moved closer to the gate.

After watching a few of her friends go, Savannah's name was called next, and Rosemary tapped the girl's arm to let her know. She guided Cash through the gate, and immediately, the horse began to run in place as Savannah held him back.

"Watch this," Tom said as he tapped Jack's leg.

Feeling ready, Savannah let Cash go, and the horse tore down the arena. They passed through a set of poles, did a super tight 180, then ran back through the poles and down the arena. The entire ride lasted less than twelve seconds, but the smile on Savannah's face would last much longer. She patted her horse's neck as they made their way out of the arena and back to her family.

"Cash has got some speed," Tom said as his daughter reached them.

"He was faster than usual," Savannah signed with a huge smile. "That was fun."

Luke was up again, and he walked Jake back into the arena. Knowing he would run once more, Jake began dancing around more than usual, but Luke maintained complete control over the gelding. When he was ready, he kicked the horse, and they took off toward the white plastic poles.

Unsure what was expected of him, Jake went to the wrong side of the poles, throwing Luke off his task. So, the boy turned his horse back between them, turned him around the end pole, and then kicked the horse back into a run.

"Aww, he didn't do the pattern correctly," Tom said as Luke crossed the arena.

…..

"Jake went to the wrong side, and I wasn't ready for that," Luke said to his father as he eased his horse beside his sister.

"That's alright. He's never done this before and didn't know what to do. You still did great."

"Yeah, I guess. It was still fun, though," Luke added with a smile.

It was Rosemary's turn, and they watched as she entered the arena on a very hot Delilah. The horse was running in place, her back end tucked underneath her, anxious to run. Rosemary held her back and turned her around a few times before letting the mare go.

Delilah dug in as usual, but then the horse stretched out and was quickly across the distance of the arena. Once through the poles, she flipped around on her back legs and launched forward to finish the race.

"How does she stay on that horse?" Elizabeth asked as they watched from the stands.

Stetson was on Charlotte's lap while he chewed and drooled on a horse-shaped teething toy, Brianna was asleep in Frank's arms, and the rest of the kids were lined up on the bleacher seat in front of the adults.

"She's quite the rider," Charlotte replied. "She's been on the back of a horse most of her life."

"I know, but good grief, it looks like that horse would just run right out from beneath her."

The women laughed as they watched Rosemary guide her horse through the gate. Delilah was still worked up and pranced the entire way out.

Rosemary joined her group and moved in beside Lee.

"That was hot," Lee whispered as he leaned toward his wife.

"What?" she asked, giving him a questioning look.

"I love watching you compete. You look very sexy on your horse." Lee kissed his wife's neck, then centered back over his horse.

"Oh, good grief, Lee," she said softly, then gently smacked the top of his thigh.

…..

The cowboy pick-up races began, and the group moved their horses toward the gate. The crowd of waiting competitors had thinned as riders left to put their horses up after their event. The father-daughter one was first, and Tom and Savannah switched places as Tom got on Cash.

"How did their practice go?" Charlotte asked her daughter-in-law.

"The first few tries were not good. She biffed it in the dirt pretty hard. But then they seemed to have found their rhythm, and by the fifth try, she was right up on the horse behind her dad."

"That's good. I'm glad they practiced first," Charlotte added.

"Oh, yes. It was a requirement," Sam said with a smirk.

….

As they walked toward the gate, Savannah was on the ground beside her horse.

Tom tapped his daughter on the shoulder to get her attention, and when she looked up, he asked. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, Daddy," she answered with a smile. "We've got this," she signed.

"Yes. We sure do," he responded. A tender smile crossed his lips as he saw the joy and excitement in his little girl's eyes. "Just remember to let the forward motion of Cash pull you up."

"Okay," she replied.

Hearing their names, Tom signed, "We're up."

Savannah could feel her heart begin to race and her stomach doing flip-flops as she walked into the arena. She looked to the side and saw Dakota and her friends watching her with nervous smiles. Dakota gave her a thumbs-up, then signed, "You'll do great."

She nodded, then began to jog down to the other end of the arena. When she reached the marker, she turned around and waited for her dad.

…..

"I don't know if I can watch this," Sam said as she covered her eyes.

Elizabeth laid her hand on Sam's back and leaned in toward her. "Your daughter will be fine. Tom won't let anything happen to her. She's growing up, you know."

Taking a deep breath, Sam straightened and opened her eyes. "I know. Please don't remind me. Tougher games, boys, riding out on her own...when did she get old enough for any of this?"

…..

Savannah wiped her damp hands against the rough denim of her jeans, trying to dry them off so she wouldn't lose her grip. She saw her father kick Cash, and the pair started barreling across the arena toward her. Tom slowed Cash slightly as he reached his daughter and turned the horse around her.

As he did, Savannah reached up and grabbed the saddle horn with her left hand and the cantle with her right. As her dad told her, she let the force of Cash moving back into a full run lift her from the ground as she swung her leg over his rump. Not quite making it, she held on as tight as she could as Tom reached around his daughter and began to pull her up. She moved her right hand to her dad's back, gripped his shirt, and pulled herself up behind him with the help of her father.

Cash was already halfway to the gate by the time Savannah had gotten seated, and Tom pulled the horse around to a stop when they reached the end. Tom held onto his daughter's leg as they left the arena, then took hold of her arm to lower her to the ground.

"Are you alright?" he asked when he could finally see her face.

"Yes," she answered, smiling ear to ear. "That was awesome."

Tom laughed, swung his leg over the horse, and jumped to the ground. He picked up his daughter in a tight hug and lifted her. "You did great," he said once he released her from his arms.

"You, too, Daddy," she signed back.

Savannah's friends and Dakota were surrounding her now. The excitement caused them to talk too fast at first.

"That was amazing," Lilly tried to sign. But instead, she said, "That was chocolate."

Savannah began laughing, then explained to her friend what she'd said. Once she knew what Lilly was actually trying to say, Savannah taught it to her.

"Are you ready for this, Jacko?" Lee asked as he led Cisco toward the gate.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Jack answered, smiling. "See you at the other end," he added, then began jogging across the arena.

…..

"Jack and Lee are up," Elizabeth said to the family.

"There's Daddy," Colton exclaimed when he saw his father enter the arena.

All the kids slid to the edge of their seats and straightened, focusing all their attention on their fathers.

…..

Jack stood in his place as he watched Lee and Cisco running toward him. Just before they reached him, Jack gave a little wiggle with his butt, then had to jump out of the way as Cisco began turning toward him too soon. As they passed by, Jack grabbed the saddle horn with both hands, swung his leg over the horse, and was sitting behind Lee before the horse had even finished his turn.

Screams could be heard from the Thornton adults and kids as the men crossed the dirt and the timer eye. As soon as they reached the end, Jack jumped off Cisco, reached up, and slapped Lee's hand.

"Woo!" Lee exclaimed. "That was perfection."

"That was awesome, guys," Tom called out as the guys approached him. "Maybe you two should switch over to competing in omoksee events."

"They don't pay as well," Lee joked.

"That's for sure," Jack agreed. "But that was fun," he added with a big grin.

They didn't have to wait long for the cowboy exchange to begin. Lee and Rosie were early on the roster, and they waited just outside the arena gate. Once their names were called, Rosie guided Cisco in while Lee ran to the other end and waited.

When she was ready, Rosemary kicked the gelding into a run and headed straight for her husband. Just as she reached him, Rosemary pulled her feet from the stirrups, lifted her left leg, and leaped from the horse. She hit the dirt with both feet, fell to her knees, and skidded across the ground. Lee had grabbed the rein and pulled the horse around him, gripped onto the saddle horn, and while running alongside the horse, he jumped up and worked his way into the saddle, never allowing the horse to slow.

Rosemary jumped to her feet, slapped her hands together, then pumped her arms into the air and hopped around as she shouted for her husband. Rosie jogged to the closest railing and climbed through it while Lee and Cisco made their way back to their group.

"You were great, Rosie," Lee said when she reached him. He slid off the horse's back and wrapped an arm around his wife. Pressing his mouth to her ear, he whispered, "You are driving me crazy this morning."

Rosemary patted his shoulder and moved her mouth to his ear. "Get control of yourself, big boy. That's going to have to wait."

Letting out a long sigh, Lee took a step back. "I guess if we have to," he said and winked.

Jack and Tom were walking toward the gate when Jack handed his brother Jake's reins. "This boy will take good care of us both."

"Yes," Tom said and stroked the gelding's neck. "I can't thank you enough for giving him to Luke. He's made all the difference in that boy's riding confidence."

"I was hoping it would. He's been a super horse. Ready to give this a try?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Remember when we used to do this as kids?" Jack asked, looking at his brother.

"Boy, do I. Dad was so mad at us," he replied with a laugh.

…..

September 13th, 1992 – Thornton Ranch

"Hey, Tommy, want to try it again?" twelve-year-old Jack asked his brother.

"Yeah. That was really fun," ten-year-old Tom replied.

"Here," Jack said, holding the reins out to his brother. "You jump off, and I'll jump on."

"Cool. Okay."

Jack ran halfway across their arena, then turned and waited for his little brother. Tom mounted the petite horse they called Candy and lined her up with Jack. He kicked the horse repeatedly until Candy ran at the speed he wanted, keeping her in a straight line toward his brother.

Thomas had just stepped out of the barn when he noticed his boys in the arena. He stopped and watched, not knowing what they were up to, and saw Jack standing with his arms in the air.

"Oh, no, they aren't," the man said and started running in their direction.

As Tom reached his brother, he swung a leg over the mare's rump and dove off her back. He hit the ground with his arms outstretched and felt a snap in his left forearm. As Jack grabbed the saddle to pull himself up, he heard his little brother call out in pain and Jack let go.

"Tom? Tom? What happened?" Jack asked as he ran to his brother. "Tom, what happened?"

"My arm. My arm," he called out. He held his arm to his chest and rolled back and forth in the dirt.

"What happened?" Thomas asked, sliding across the ground as he got to his knees beside his sons.

"Tom's arm," Jack replied.

Thomas carefully took hold of his son's arm and turned it one way, then the other. Tom cried out with each motion, and his arm was already beginning to turn colors and swell.

"It's broken," Thomas said, then scooped his son into his arms and stood. "Jack, go get your mother and meet us at the truck. Now," he said with an edge of anger in his voice.

Jack nodded and ran as fast as he could to the house.

…..

May 25th, 2015 - Will Rogers Stampede – Claremore, Oklahoma

"I didn't think he would ever let us ride a horse again after that stunt," Tom said as he mounted the gelding. "We sure put them through hell, didn't we?" he asked, grinning.

"Yes, we sure did," Jack replied and took a few more steps toward the gate. He turned to his brother and asked again, "You good with trying this?"

"Yes, I have a bit more experience with dismounting a horse now." Tom was smiling ear to ear at his brother, just happy to have this one-on-one time with him in a horse event. "Ready?"

"Yes, sir. I'm ready."

They passed through the gate, and Jake immediately perked up and began prancing around. Jack jogged to the other end while Tom kept Jake under control. Once he saw his brother was ready, Tom loosened the reins and let the horse go. Digging in and kicking up dirt, Jake tore across the arena. As he neared Jack, Tom pulled his feet from the stirrups, swung a leg over, resting it on top of the saddle, then jumped off as Jack reached up for the rein.

Tom landed on his feet, running forward, then turned to see Jack grabbing the saddle horn. He swung a leg up, clearing the horse's back, and pulled himself into the saddle. Never slowing, the horse was running full bore toward the gate. Jack gently pulled back on the horse, slowing him a bit, then turned him in a few circles to bring the horse to a complete stop. He patted the horse's neck as they walked through the gate. When he reached everyone, Tom was there waiting.

"Glad we finally did that without you breaking an arm," Jack said as he laughed.

With no one else familiar with the story, Tom shared it as the group made their way to the campsite.

…..

"What was that little butt shake for?" Elizabeth asked as she walked up behind Jack and smacked his ass.

"What?" he asked as he turned around.

"That little butt shake during the cowboy pick-up."

"Oh, that. I figured you were looking at my Wrangler butt anyway, so I thought I'd give you a little wiggle." Jack smiled as his dimples sunk in, and he put his arms around his wife's waist.

"Well, that was a very nice wiggle," she giggled.

Jack had just finished cleaning out Maverick's feet when Elizabeth walked up. He looked around the campsite, then at his wife. "Where are the kids and everyone else?"

"Your mom and Frank, with the help of Savannah and Luke, took the kids to the small playground on the other side of the grounds."

"All of them?"

"Yep. Brianna and Stetson were both asleep in their strollers, so they decided to go now."

"Hmmm," Jack said with an eyebrow wiggle. "And everyone else?"

"Well, I saw Rosemary take Lee's hand and go into their trailer. And I believe that Sam may have done the same with Tom."

"And...what are you doing?" Jack asked as a flame of desire flashed across his hazel eyes.

Elizabeth slipped her hand into his and started to the trailer. Once inside, Jack turned his wife to face him and slid his hands into her hair. He covered her mouth with his and slipped his tongue across hers.

Elizabeth raised her hands to his shirt and slowly began to unbutton it. After sliding the final button through the hole, she pushed the shirt off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

Jack bent down, flipped her hair off her shoulder and away from her neck, then pressed his lips to her soft, warm skin. He moved an arm around her waist and lifted her while he gripped the back of her thigh and pulled her leg up. Jack carried his wife toward the front of the trailer and raised her up onto the bed. As she crawled backwards across the mattress, Jack stepped up onto the bed and moved over her.

…..

A fantastic opening ceremony began their evening. Each of the finalists that would be competing had been introduced and took their trip around the arena. The American flag was flown from the back of a horse, the anthem sang, and the prayer was said.

It was finally time for mutton busting, and Blake and Colton were beside themselves with excitement. They had been waiting all weekend for this moment. With their vests and helmets on, they waited their turn beside the chutes with their daddy and Lee.

It was Colton's turn, and Jack was by his side in the chute, reminding him of what to do. Blake watched his little brother prepare for his ride. The announcer began once more, and Blake looked around at the shifting attention of the cowboys surrounding him.

As the gate swung open and the sheep leaped out, Colton tightened his grip deep into the wool. But as the animal ran straight, it suddenly turned, dumping Colton into the dirt. Jack was soon by his side, gripped his son's vest, and pulled him to his feet. The little boy was smiling ear to ear, causing Jack to laugh.

"I take it you're alright?"

"I'm great," Colton responded. He dusted off his pants and took hold of his daddy's hand.

Chuckling, Jack lifted Colton and carried him to the edge of the arena. "You did a great job, buddy." Jack held his hand up for Colton to give him a high-five.

"Thanks, Daddy," he replied as he smacked his daddy's hand.

"He hit the dirt pretty hard," Lee said when they reached him.

"He sure did."

"Was he laughing?" Lee asked.

"Yes. He thought it was fun," Jack answered. He lowered his son to the ground, and the two boys began giggling over Colton's ride and walked closer to the chutes to watch.

"There's something I've noticed with Blake," Lee said.

"What's that?"

"Every time the announcer talks about who Colton's father is, Blake listens with such intent and watches the reactions of the guys around us. If it had only happened once, I would shrug it off. But he's done it every time."

"I noticed him doing that a couple of times. Even when I was standing with a group of guys talking about bull riding, Blake listened to every word. I thought he was just listening to the stories, but now I'm not so sure."

"What do you think is going through his head?" Lee asked.

"I honestly have no idea. Probably the fact that he has a pro bull rider for a father is still new to him," Jack stated.

"Probably. Hey, he's up soon."

Jack took Blake and waited in line for the next set of sheep. The internal gates of the chutes were opened, and the next batch was run through and loaded into each one. Jack helped Blake into his, where a large ewe was waiting. He lifted Blake onto her back, and the little boy dug his fingers deep into her thick wool and latched on.

"Remember what to do?" Jack asked with his face near his son's.

"Yes. Hold on tight and squeeze my legs."

"That's right. Try to stay centered and balanced."

"Okay, Daddy."

Jack noticed that the announcer had begun his spiel again about who Blake's father was. He looked at his son and noticed he perked up slightly and looked at the people around him. And just as quickly, Blake returned his focus to the animal beneath him.

"Are you ready?" Jack asked.

Blake nodded, then Jack nodded to the gateman.

The sheep zig-zagged across the dirt, trying unsuccessfully to lose the weight off its back. Blake listened hard for the anticipated buzzer to sound, and as soon as he heard it, he let go and rolled off the sheep's back. Once on his feet, he pumped his arms into the air as he ran toward his father's open arms.

"Good job," Jack said, holding both hands up as Blake jumped to smack them.

"That was easy," the little boy said as he skipped beside his father.

"It won't be every time," Jack reminded him.

"I know. It was hard last time."

Jack chuckled at his son's excitement as they headed toward Lee and Colton. When they were closer, Blake began to run toward his brother, and they hugged one another.

"Good job, Blakey!" Colton shouted as he patted his brother on the back. "You did good."

"Thanks, Colt. You did, too. We both did."

"We both did!" Colton shouted and jumped up and down.

"Yes," Jack agreed. "Both of you did wonderfully."

After the final child's ride, all the kids filed into the arena, each receiving a sizeable blue ribbon. Blake was awarded a buckle, and he held it up into the air, waving it back and forth. Jack and Lee took the boys back to the family, and Blake and Colton chattered as they looked over the trophy buckle.

"Can you put this on our shelf when we get home, Daddy?" Blake asked as he walked backward to face Jack.

"Of course, buddy."

Jack watched his son as he turned and ran to catch up with his brother. Thinking about his conversation with Lee, he stopped and took hold of his arm. "Hey, can you take Colt and go sit with the family? I want to talk to Blake for a minute."

"Sure," Lee replied, then hurried to catch up with Colton.

"Hey, Blake," Jack called out.

The little boy stopped and turned around. "Yeah."

"Come here, please," Jack said, then moved to the side to an empty section of bleachers. Once they were seated, Jack turned sideways to face his son.

"Did I do something wrong, Daddy?" Blake asked with concern in his eyes.

"No. Not at all. I just wanted to ask you about something."

"Okay."

"Uncle Lee has noticed how you react when the rodeo announcer is talking about me. I've noticed it, too."

"React?"

"We've seen that you really listen to him and watch how everyone around you reacts to it as well."

"Yeah. Is that bad?" Blake asked.

"No, son. I was just wondering...what are you thinking about when the announcer talks about you being my son."

"Well...I like it," Blake replied.

Jack could tell there was more to it, so he continued his questions. "Is that all? You just like to hear the announcer say those things?"

"Well...," Blake started, then stopped and looked up at his father.

"What is it, Blake? Is something wrong?"

"No...not really."

"Then what is it?"

"Well...we kind of have the same name."

"Yes, we do. Is that bad?" Jack asked, confused by his son's comment.

"Nobody knows that...except you guys."

"What do you mean, Blake? What are you saying?"

Blake took a deep breath, then replied, "I want to be called by my real name."

"Jackson? You want us to call you Jackson?"

Blake just nodded his head with a nervous look in his eyes.

"Why do you want that?"

"Because you're Jack Thornton. And I want to be a famous bull rider like you. So, I want to be called Jackson."

Finally seeing where Blake was going, Jack straightened and looked down at his son. "Blake, you don't have to change your name to be a good bull rider or for people to like you."

"I know."

"Then why do you want to do that?"

"Because I want people to know that I'm your son."

Jack felt his heart sink a little. He reached for Blake and pulled him onto his lap. "Blake, you don't have to change what we call you for people to know you're my son."

"I know. It's just that... it's just... it's already my name, and I want to be like you."

Jack wrapped his arms around Blake and held him tight to his chest. "I love you so much, Blake. And I love that you want to be like me. But you have to be your own person, too."

"What does that mean?" Blake asked.

Jack shifted Blake so he could look into his eyes. "It means that you need to do what you want to do...not just because that's what I did. You need your own dreams and to follow them. Whether you have my name or not will not determine if your dreams come true or not."

"Okay, Daddy. But my dream is to be just like you. I've always wanted to ride bulls since the first time Mommy turned the TV to a rodeo."

"Yes, your mom did tell me that," Jack said, thinking back to when they'd first met.

"So...being just like you is my dream."

Jack let out a hard breath as he kept his eyes locked on his son's. "Okay, tell you what. You think about it a little longer, and I'll talk to Mommy about it. But if this is really what you want, then that's what we'll do."

"Really?" Blake asked as his eyes widened and lit up.

"But you need to think about it. Don't do it because you think people will look at you differently if your name is Jackson."

"But it's your name, too," Blake said again. "Kinda."

"Yes, buddy. It is. And it's very sweet that you want to be like me," Jack hugged him again. "Just think about it some more, please. And if you still feel this way, then that's what we'll do."

Blake's smile grew across his lips. "Okay, Daddy."

"How about we go sit with the family now?"

"Yes," Blake answered, then jumped to his feet.

When they reached the family, Blake told everyone about his ride as he showed off his buckle. Having already shown everyone his ribbon, Colton was now playing with Noel in the dirt. Blake joined them once he was done showing off his prize, and Jack sat beside his wife.

"Where did you two go?" she leaned to him and asked.

Jack shared their conversation, then waited for Elizabeth to respond.

"That's so sweet," she finally said.

"What? You don't have a problem with it?"

"No. Why would I?" she asked.

"Hmmm...I don't know. I thought he should think about it more before making that decision."

Elizabeth laid her hand on Jack's lap. "He loves his daddy so much. And his name is almost the same as yours. I don't see a problem with him wanting to go by it. And later, if he decides to go by Blake again, we'll call him Blake."

Jack looked down at his wife's hand as she spoke and slid his hand into hers. "I guess so."

"Okay, think about it this way. When he's old enough to drive, his license will say Jackson. He'll have to vote under Jackson, get married as Jackson, all of his legal documents will say Jackson."

"Yes, you're right."

"I think it's sweet that he wants to be so much like you. And as he said, he wanted to be a bull rider before you two ever met."

"Yes, I know," he said, turning her hand over and twisting her wedding ring around her finger. "You really think it's okay?"

"Yes, Jack. Blake has been through so many changes this past year that he had no control over. This is something he does have control over. Let's let him have that."

Jack turned in his seat and faced Elizabeth. He lifted her hand to his lips and gave it a lingering kiss. "Have I ever told you that you are amazing?"

Elizabeth giggled, "Yes, I think you have."

"You are an amazing mother, Beth. Blake...Jackson...is lucky to have you. Wow, that sounded strange."

"Saying he's lucky to have me sounded strange?" she teased.

"No, that part is the most natural thing ever," he replied with a laugh and pulled her in for a hug.

The youth bareback had begun, and Savannah was sitting with her family, waiting impatiently for Dakota's turn. When she saw him step up to a chute that a large black horse had just been loaded into, she turned to her mom and dad and pointed in Dakota's direction. He stepped over the gate, lowered himself onto the horse, and began his routine. Donny, his father, was at his side, holding his son's vest to yank him from harm's way if the horse was to act up inside the chute. When the teen was ready, Donny let go, Dakota nodded, and the gate swung open.

Looking as if he was going to make his time, Dakota was riding perfectly until the horse unexpectedly twisted left, throwing the boy off balance, and sending Dakota to the dirt only one second from his goal. He scrambled to his feet and quickly moved out of the way of the animal's impending stomping hooves. Dakota walked into the chute he'd just left and climbed over the gate to join his father and friends on the platform.

Disappointment could easily be seen on the boy's face once his helmet was removed and his father stood face-to-face with him. His hands were on his son's shoulders as he spoke, and Dakota nodded as he listened. Donny wrapped his arms around his son and hugged him, then the pair jumped down and disappeared into the waiting crowd of cowboys.

Savannah turned to face her parents and asked, "Can I go sit with my friends?"

"Yes, that's fine. But come have supper with us," Tom signed.

"Okay," she responded, then jumped to the ground.

"Dakota sure has the skills," Jack commented as he leaned toward his brother. "Give him a few more years of experience, and he'll be tough to beat."

Tom nodded in agreement. "Yes, he is very good," Tom said as he watched his daughter until she reached her friends. "Luke, you need to go get your horse ready."

Luke nodded, stepped off the bleachers, and started toward their trailers.

"I'll go help him," Tom said as he leaned in and kissed his wife.

…..

"Hey, you'll get it next time," Jack encouraged Luke when the boy and his father returned to their seats. "Even the greatest ropers miss now and then."

"Yeah, I know. But it still sucks." Luke turned toward Jack with a slight grin.

Jack squeezed his nephew's shoulder and nodded. "Yes, it does suck," he said with a chuckle.

"That was a great try," Samantha said as Luke sat in front of her. Leaning in, she whispered in his ear, "I've seen your dad miss many times."

"Hey," Tom responded as he put an arm behind his wife. "Don't be telling him that." Tom hooked his fingers into Sam's side and squeezed, causing her to twist and laugh.

"I've seen you miss, too, Dad," Luke laughed.

"Okay, okay. We know that your ole dad isn't perfect. No need to announce it to the world," Tom said as he let Sam go and laid his arms on his thighs.

Sam tightly wrapped her arms around her husband and kissed his cheek, "I think you're perfect."

"And now we all know what a liar your mom is," Tom said to Luke.

Having heard the exchange, everyone began laughing as the first saddle bronc rider entered the arena on an explosive horse, sending the cowboy hard onto the dirt.

…..

While Jack and Lee walked to get their horses, Lee stopped in his tracks and grabbed Jack's arm.

"Would you look at that," he said, motioning to a man sitting in a chair between two horse trailers.

Jack peered around Lee to find Martie's attention buried in the Bible. They watched him briefly as he turned the page, read a bit, flipped it back, and reread the last passage once more.

"Amazing," Lee said. "You'd think I'd be used to things like this, but each time I see God at work, I'm still blown away."

"Me, too, Brother. Miracles never get old."

"Hey, how did the conversation with Blake go?" Lee asked as they started toward the horses again.

"You mean Jackson?"

"What?"

Jack shared Blake's wishes with his best friend, and the man thought it over.

"What Elizabeth said really makes sense, you know," Lee finally said.

"I know. She has a way of putting things into perspective."

"That she does, Jacko. So, we're calling him Jackson now?"

"Not yet. I did ask him to think about it a little longer. If he still wants it, then we'll let the whole family know together."

"Sounds good," Lee said, gently patting Jack on the back. "We'll do whatever he needs."

"Thanks, Brother. I know you will. Now, let's go win this thing."

…..

Cisco was on high alert but listening to Lee as they entered the arena. Maverick's head was up, ears forward, and attention full on Jack's voice. They maneuvered the horses into their respective corners, backed them against the pads, and waited as the men got the steer situated. Lee's eyes remained on the animal, and once it was ready, he nodded his head.

Being certain not to break the barrier this time, Lee held Cisco back for a brief second, then set the horse loose. He watched as his rope landed around the steer's horns, then swiftly pulled Cisco to the left. And just as quickly, Jack already had his lariat encircling the animal's back legs, so Lee spun his horse around, and the pair stood facing each other, with the steer slightly suspended between them.

"4.1 seconds!" the announcer shouted. "That's a new arena record!"

The sounds of the crowd grew in volume as they cheered for the competitors. The roar echoed through the valley and through Jack and Lee's ears as they smiled at one another, moving their horses forward to free the steer.

As the remainder of the teams rode, none came close to Jack and Lee's time, leaving them in first place in the weekend finals. After receiving their trophy buckles and oversized check, they led their horses to the campsite.

"This was a good weekend, Brother," Jack said as he laid his hand on Lee's shoulder.

"It sure was, Jacko. A very good weekend."

…..

Savannah took second in the finals, and Rosemary took first, leaving them both feeling good about their weekend. The women returned to camp while the men remained behind to watch the bulls. Once the final bull rider took his turn, the guys and boys made their way to camp. When they arrived, Elizabeth and Sam were carrying platters of food to the table, setting the final parts of the meal in place.

As everyone finished eating, the men gathered the disposable plates into a garbage bag and took the rest of the dishes into their trailers to be washed. As Jack stood in front of the small sink, rinsing off another pan, Elizabeth stepped into the trailer with Brianna to change her diaper.

"Hey, Cowboy," she said as she gave him a quick kiss while passing by.

"Hey, Beautiful. How's Pey's hand?" Jack set the clean pan aside to dry, then picked up another dirty one.

"She's doing great. I changed her bandage and put more ointment on it, which didn't even hurt her."

"That's wonderful," Jack said as he picked up a towel to start drying.

"Let's talk to Blake," Elizabeth stated as she snapped Brianna's onesie.

"Now?" Jack asked.

"This is something he wants. We should respect that and let him have it. It sounds like he's been thinking about it for a while, right?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Well, then?"

"Okay. Let's have a talk with him."

…..

Jack stood and moved next to the fire pit in the center of the circle his family's chairs created.

"Hey, everyone. Beth and I," he started as he held his hand out for his wife, "have something we'd like to talk to you about." With his wife by his side, Jack turned to his son, "Blake, come here for a minute, please."

The little boy stood before his father and pressed his back against Jack's legs.

"Blake here has informed us about something we'd like to share with everyone. He's been doing some thinking, and we've talked it over, but he would like to go by Jackson moving forward."

Everyone remained quiet for a short moment, then Charlotte stood and crossed to her grandson. "Of course, we will call you Jackson. It's a great name," she said as she knelt and wrapped him in a hug. Holding him back at arm's length, she added, "It will take some getting used to, so we still may say Blake from time to time."

"That's okay, Grandma. It's my name, too."

"Yes, it is, sweetie."

"Jackson is a fine name," Frank said.

"Whatever you want, buddy," Tom added.

"So, he's not Blakey anymore?" Colton asked from Frank's lap.

"You can still call me that, Colt," Blake said, smiling at his little brother.

"Well, Jackson, can you please hand me my guitar?" Tom asked his nephew.

With a smile that reached ear to ear, Jackson Blake picked up his uncle's guitar and carried it to him. The family closed out their evening and extended weekend with singing and fellowship. Many nearby campers joined them once the music began to move through the camps. Savannah's friends trickled in, and they assembled at the corner of the campsite as she and Dakota were teaching a few new teens some simple signs.

Elizabeth had just put Brianna down for the night and crossed the grass to her husband. He was in the middle of playing an old hymn with his brother, and Elizabeth eased her arms around his neck. She pressed her body to his back as she began to sing along with the group. Jack kissed her cheek, then returned to his harmonies with Tom.