Oliver

I pulled my Stetson on as I stepped outside of the Ranch house. The iron gray skies overhead promised more snow, and a deeper chill carried on the wind.

I found Lucas inside the largest corral, his broad back toward me. He held the rope’s neatly looped excess and wound his right arm to work the kinky twists out of a lasso. Lucas flipped the rope around in the air, before adding another coil to his growing collection.

I slowed as I approached. Lucas ...