Amy crossed the finish line in forth. She knew her dad's expression before she seen him at the end gate. His eyes were closed tight his bottom lip perusing against the top as hard as he could. He turned away from the track slamming his hand on the fence rail as he walked away. Amy sighed glancing at the other racers. Part of her just didn't feel into it anymore. She didn't get excited like the other riders around her. She just felt tired. Tired of getting up at the crack of dawn to practice. Tired of her dad's constant criticism. Tired of just riding for fun. She watched as the winner smiled brightly happily shouting something at his parents. Amy jumped down off Storm and removed her helmet. She was frustrated too. She walked slowly avoiding Tim's gaze as she got to the truck and trailer. Tim seemed to sense her feelings. Cause for once he didn't remark on how she did. Instead he took the lead line from her and put Storm into the trailer. He exited patting her on the shoulder. "It's okay. That was a touch one."
"It shouldn't have been." She said still watching the winners from the sidelines. She would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed she didn't win or at least place. She knew she shouldn't feel that way but she did. Maybe her dad had rubbed off on her or maybe it was hereditary.
"You tried your best, kiddo." He said not knowing what to say. He's noticed her behavior at practice the last few times and she wasn't too excited to race today. He had chalked it up to Ty having to cover at the shop even though it was a Saturday his usual day off. But clearly it was more then that. "Is everything okay?" He threaded lightly.
"Uh? Yeah." She said turning back to glance at him peeling her eyes away
"Sweetie, as hard as it may be to believe you can tell me anything."
Amy sighed. "I'm sorry, Dad." She bit her bottom lip before rounded the side of the trailer and going to the truck.
Tim glanced at Jack and Lisa in the stands who were still chatting with someone he assumed to be from Lisa's social circle. Deciding they still had a few minutes to talk. Walking over to the passenger side of his truck he leaned against the door.
"I don't want to race anymore." Amy whispered.
Tim pursed his lips. He knew this was coming. "Why's that?" He asked.
"I don't know. It just doesn't feel the same anymore." She shook her head. "I don't get excited about it. I just want more." She looked up from the ground.
Tim placed his hand on her shoulder. "I understand."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Your not mad?" She was kinda shocked.
"Nope." He shrugged.
"First you give your blessing over Ty and now this. Are you okay?" She joked.
"Very funny." He laughed pulling her into a hug.
"I'll finish the circuit. But after that I quit." She said both shaking hands.
"Deal. That'll give me enough time to find a new rider."
"Someone I approve. Your not letting just anyone ride Storm." She smiled hugging him again.

Lisa served the potato salad as they sat down to a late lunch after the race. Everyone had been quiet and both feared Tim had been upset at Amy. It was Jack who broke the silence first. "That was a hard race today. But I think you did great."
"You'll be better next race." Lisa said handing the platter of hamburgers to Tim.
"She could have done better." Tim said giving Amy a sideways glance. Amy smiles.
Lisa and Jack eyed each other not understanding. "Well, I think that's being a little harsh."
"No, Dad's right. I could have done better." Amy said taking a bite of her cheeseburger.
"Okay, I mean if you say so." Jack said trying to be supportive. But still thinking he was in an alternate universe.
"I was distracted. Lucky to even get forth place."
"Ty said he was sorry about missing this race. But he already asked for the day off for the big one coming up at the end of the month." Jack said.
"It's not Ty."
"Then what?"
"I'm quitting." She blustered out eating her burger avoiding eye contact.
"Why?" Lisa asked.
"I want more. I want to get back to treating horses." She said like it was nothing.
"She's going to finish out the season." Tim said too unbothered by it. Jack and Lisa exchanged looks again. How was he so calm.

Amy turned at the sound of the door to the loft. Ty smiled not expecting her to be there. He throw his backpack down. Amy got up from his bed. "Hey, sorry I'm late." They kissed. "How was your race?" He picked up his backpack and removed his shoes.
"I got forth." She said casually.
"So I didn't miss anything eventful." He pulled his greasy tshirt off over his head.
"I quit."
Ty stopped in his tracks turning to see Amy standing by his dresser. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Yeah, I wanna move on."
"What'd your dad do?" He asked abandoning his fresh shirt and walking over to Amy.
"Nothing. This was my choice."
"Why?" He didn't mean it to sound like it did.
"I wanna work with horses. That's why I decided to take a year of school. To see what I could do. To figure stuff out."
"Okay."
"Well, it's been a few years and I don't think being a jockey is for me." She pauses. "To be honest I should I have figured that out already. I had the same conversation with my dad over show jumping."
"Really? You kept show jumping?" He grabbed her hands.
"Yes. He bought me a horse and became my coach. Was trying to prove to me he could be there for me. Wanting to make up for all those lost years. I was terrified to tell him I didn't want to compete anymore. It was the same year Ashley was dealing with the same crap with her mom. She lasted longer then I did on the circuit before telling her mom she'd had enough."
"Yeah, she was a monster." He remembered back to working for the women.
"How do you feel about it?"
"I support anything you wanna do." He wrapped his arms around her. "Wanna go into town and catch a movie?" He started peppering kisses down her neck causing her to giggle.
"Yes. Ty! Stop!" She tried to push him away but he kept a tight grasp. "Ty!" She squirmed away from him. "You need a shower."
"Do I?" He grabbed her again making sure to push his sweaty chest against her. He pushed her back onto the bed.
Amy leaned up on her elbows. "I'll go get ready. But I feel neither of us is going to watching much movie." She winked at him before crawling off the bed.

Ty rounded the corner to find Amy cleaning stalls. When she came out to put the shovel load into the wheelbarrow she was wearing one of Ty's baseball hats instead of her usual cowboy hat. It made Ty chuckle as he tried to hide his grin. She was turning him on. "Well, don't you look cute." He joked covering his mouth with his hand to hide the smile.
Amy turned around startled. She had thought she was alone. "I didn't want to go back to the house for my hat." She said embarrassed.
"And why not?" He wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Because, someone kept me out late last night. And the last thing I need is a talk from Grandpa."
Ty nodded. "True. I was told once any part of me that crossed that line would be removed."
Amy broke away from him laughing. "Well, nice knowing you."
"Come on? Give me my hat back." He said attempting to chase her. Amy darted around the wheelbarrow just out of reach.
"Bet you can't catch me?" She teased racing out of the barn and into the back field. Ty doing his best to keep up.
Before too long both were laughing so hard neither could run anymore. They collapsed into the tall grass. "I've never had more fun then when I'm with you."
"Same here." Ty said.
Amy swatted at him. "I pour my heart out and all you got is same here."
"You are the best thing that ever happened to me." He said smiling tucking her hair behind her ear.
"That's better." She layed closer to him putting her head on his shoulder.
"You think about the future?" Ty asked after a few minutes of silence and staring at the sky.
"Yeah, sometimes I guess." She said looking at him instead but Ty kept his gaze on the clouds.
"I don't want to be anywhere else but here."
"Yeah, there is something special about Alberta." She agreed.
"No, I meant here with you." He turned his head to look at Amy. To catch her expression.
Amy smiled widely slightly blushing. "I couldn't think of anyone better to have by my side." She wrapped her arm around Ty nuzzling into the crock of his arm.
Ty smiled kissing her forehead as he pulled her in closer. He looked back up at the sky. As crazy as it sounded he couldn't wait to be laughing in this grass years from now married to Amy with maybe a few kids running around acting crazy. Until Amy he didn't exactly know what kind of future he wanted. Or even if he'd get to have one outside of prison. But now he wanted nothing less then a life with the horsey girl he fell in love with the minute he met her.