A/N: I will post links in my profile to explain some of the events in rodeo, and some terms. If there is anything at any point you do not understand I will try my best to explain it.

Stephenie Meyer owns everything I am just playin in her world.

In this story Bella is 25, she married James when she was 22 , they were married for 3 years.

Edward is 28.

***Thanks to StephieB for being my unofficial Beta. ***

Chapter One

A Phoenix Rises From the Ashes

BPOV

"Jacob!!! When you called me I thought you said you had a horse I would be interested in, not this bronc who looks like she has seen her better days." There in the round pen has to be the most starved down mare I had ever saw. Her eyes were dull and her coat was a lifeless yellow color, I could tell she had probably been a beautiful mare at one time but life had not been kind to her, but she still had enough spunk to rear and buck herself right up into a frenzy as Jacob tried to catch her.

Jacob Black, horse trader extraordinaire. Man what was I thinking? Letting him talk me into coming all the way down to the Quileute reservation to see his latest purchase, I should kick myself. But since my divorce I don't have much money to buy a finished barrel horse so I have to make due.

"Ahh now Bella, she is not that bad, besides the ole guy I bought her off of said that she actually has won money on the circuit." Jacob finally gets her caught after what seems like hours standing in the Arizona heat.

After the divorce I decided to move back to Phoenix, to be closer to my mom and I also desperately wanted to get my ass back on a horse again.

I walk over to her and can sense she is scared to death. The mare's trust in humans is shot to hell and back. I wonder to myself, how could anyone be so cruel, to one of God's creatures? She has a nasty scar on her right back leg and on closer inspection I find a brand on her left hip, and I gasp and look at Jacob.

"Jacob I know this mare, this is the mare that Tanya Denali rode at the 2005 National Finals Rodeo! Phoenix that was what Tanya called her!" I had heard her training methods were borderline cruel, and if this mare was any indication of that, the rumors I heard had to be true.

I try petting her but she jumps sideways. My heart breaks for her. To have once been at the top of her game, than to be used and abused and discarded like yesterday's news, just makes me sick. It is than that I realize that me and this broken creature are one in the same and that we need each other more than I care to admit.

"Alright, Jacob how much?" I try to sound like I know what the hell I am doing buying a horse, but to be honest, this is actually the first horse I have gone out on my own and bought. Renee always trained them and put me on them. My stomach is a bundle of nerves; I shift from foot to foot and bite my lip.

"Hmmm, I don't know Bella, she has been to the NFR ya know, and that makes her worth go up."

Ok now that just pissed me off since Jacob Black wouldn't know a NFR Barrel Horse if it came up and bit him on the ass. He only knew that because I just told him!!! I try to rein in my anger and remember that I am dealing with a horse trader. "JACOB BLACK, you know as well as I do that, that scar on her back leg sure the hell is not going to sell this mare. You will be lucky if you get another offer on her, if I were you I would take what I could get!" Shit, fuck, damn! I hope he bought that because I know that I will not be the only one to recognize this mare. Jacob is deep in thought, all I can think of at this particular moment is how much I need this mare and honestly she needs me too.

"Alright Bella, here is the deal, I will take three thousand for the mare."

"DONE!" I scream.

"Wait there darlin'. I'm not finished….Three thousand and you have to agree to go on a date with me." Ok I did not see that one coming! That sneaky bastard! It is not that I would be opposed to a date with Jacob Black he was in fact very good looking. His complexion is a dark russet color and he has long black hair that he always has kept in a ponytail for as long as I have known him, not to mention he is almost six foot five and all muscle.

Hmmm milk does do a body good, god Bella snap out of it!

I know it has been a long time since you have gotten laid but we are here to buy a horse!

"Alright Jacob, it is a deal!" A date is a small sacrifice to make for Phoenix and me to start living again.

***End Note: Please review and let me know what ya think, I will update regularly and like I said I will be posting links in my profile to rodeo events. ***