ENTANGLED 16

as they stepped into the house zane and margarita saw emily and cassie had the table set and were putting dishes of food on the table. margarita turned to zane,"well you wont starve to death thats for sure". zane introduced cassie to margarita.who was friendly but kept a reserve attitude. margarita went to the kitchen sink and began washing her hands, cassie turned to emily" just like at home."she giggleed. the four of them sat down to a hot meal. twice dureing the meal zane had asked his mother the condition of the cow herd. she had brushed him off in order to keep up small talk with cassie. cassie had kept a jovial attitude while margarita was solom. zane was sitting on pins and needles waitting for his mother to say something or do something to turn cassie away. when the meal was over emily started cleaning the table and preparing to wash the dishhes.margarita stepped up " em, you and zane sit out side, go do the chores. cassie and i will wash the dishes" zane almost wanted to grab cassie and run out the door. emily didnt say any thing but just walked out side. zane stood there a moment until his mother motioned him out. as they were cleaning the table cassie started washing the dirty dishes. when rinsed they went into a drying rake. soon mararita stepped up and said "whats your plan for zane?" cassie stopped washing the dish in her hand, she looked at margarita" i have no plan. we just barely started seeing each other. all the time he was working for my dad he kept to himself. he told my dad he had you and emily to take care of. i suppose that still holds. after he takes me home tonite i dont know if we will even see each other again. its his call. i hope to see more of him. " margarita was in shock about cassie being so straight forward but she didnt show it" its not just em and me, its this ranch. its all we have and we need zane to help. when he isnt working off some place else." " look at it this way, if he keeps seeing me you will have a extra free hand. but its his call."cassie didnt back down a inch. margarita started drying the dishes in the rack. she was stumped. this little blonde haired peice of fluff wasnt what she seemed. as she dryed the dished she watched cassie out the corner of her eye. she had to think on this a while.

KETCH

he was born into a family of rope competiters. his great grand father was a tough roper. his grand father was right there. his father went down the road to the rodeos with that rope talent. and now this young 20 year old is stepping into the arena with some of the toughest ropers the world of rodeo has produced. but those men know what he is bringing, he is bringing the heat. from the day he was born he was pointed in this direction. his earliest toy was a peice of nylon catch rope. as he grew everything was a potential target stationary or moveing . the rope became a extension of his arm. jr. rodeos fell behind him, he entreed college, but at this, the highest paying event for timed event cowboys he passed up a college rodeo and entered this one. he was the yougest competiter, he was rideing a green horse in one of the events, he hadnt competed in one of the events he was green to it. but as things progressed it became clear he was there to win the big pay out. the other ropers may not of feared him, but they respected him they knew that name he was born with stood for something. he didnt miss, and he did it quick. through out the event he consistantly placed in go rounds in different events. in the fourth round he set a record for the fastest time on 5 events. it put him with in 9 seconds of the leader, he was tromping on his heels, in the fifth go round he kept the pressure on up to the last event the steer tripping, the event he didnt work at. but that quick catch and the good horse under him posted a 13 second run. more pressure. the leader had a bobble in his run but was still able to hold on to the win by ONE SECOND! and like his ancesters he quietly loaded his horses and went back to school and then ime sure he will return to the ranch in arizona. ketch did the family name proud. 20 years old and competing with veteren roprs and only missing first place by one second. he s a roper of the truest form.