Her Homecoming Cowboy Interview

How exciting to have Colt Holden the hero from HER HOMECOMING COWBOY by Debra Clopton a August 2012 release from Love Inspired Romance .

1.     “Colt tell me the most interesting thing about you,” I asked the well known bull rider. He’s a little cocky looking with a twinkle in his eyes that always drew the ladies and the kids. No so today, it was hard to get this interview. I had to corner him at Sam’s Diner in Mule Hollow, Texas where he’s been hiding out since the horrible accident last month. He’s lost weight and his eyes are dull.

He shrugs his shoulder. “I guess that would be that I love rodeo--riding bulls to be exact,” he says without much emotion. “It’s always been my life, driving from one rodeo to the next, racking up points to be the World Champion…at least that was the most interesting thing, now, since the accident none of that matters anymore.”

2.     I feel bad for him but have to ask the questions that I’m paid to ask him. “Can you tell me what do you do for fun?” Yeah, it was a stupid question and his scowl tells me so.

“Right now,” he said, staring at his cup of coffee for a minute. “I’m just holed up at my cabin trying to figure out my life. I killed a family. I don’t deserve to have fun.”

3.     I was supposed to ask him what he puts off doing because he dreads it, but I just can’t do it so I skip that question.

4.     “What are you afraid of most in life?” I ask him, feeling the pull to this man who is obviously in deep emotional pain.

He lifts troubled eyes to me and my heart clutches. “Living,” he says, flatly. “I don’t deserve it.”

5.     I have no words for a moment, caught up in his pain. Wanting to make things better for him but not knowing how. So I continue my interview. “What is the most important thing to you?”

“Finding a way to make things right. But I can’t see how I can ever do that.”

6.     “Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?”  I’m hoping he tells me the Bible because I know that’s the book where he can find the peace that I know he needs in his soul. He shakes his head. “Can’t concentrate on them right now.”

7.     I’m pretty sure I know the answer to this question before I ask it. “If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?”

His hand balls into a fist on the table beside his coffee. “I’d change my life. Because if I hadn’t been rodeoing so hard and heavy I wouldn’t have been on that road that night when that drunk came out of nowhere and slammed into my truck and…a family would still be alive if I hadn’t been on the road between rodeos.”

8.     Not exactly the answer I was thinking but somewhat. I skip the next question about if he has a pet and make up my own. “What do you need?” I ask, wanting to know myself.

He takes a long breath, his chest rising then falling. “I don’t really know. I don’t feel like I deserve to need anything. But I guess I need a miracle. I need…God—if He’s listening, to help me find my way. More, I need to find a way to help ease the pain of the family of the ones I killed.”

9.     I pray that God would send him someone, or something that would show this honorable cowboy that he has something to live for. Looking hard at him I ask my last question. “If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?”

Colt’s sandy eyebrow hikes. “I wouldn’t have been on that road that night. Look,” he says standing up. “I’ve got to go.” He tips his hat and strides from the diner.

I close my notebook and watch as he goes.

Sam, the diner owner ambles up on his short bowlegs and stuffs a fist to his hip.

“At thar boy is in a world of pain. I shor do hope the good Lord steps in soon.”

I nod. “Me too, Sam. Me too.”

Sam fills my coffee cup. “God needs to sends Colt someone to help him laugh again…” the old man straightens and grins. “Yup, that’s it. He needs a reason to smile again. I think I’ll pray on.”

I watch Colt back his truck from the drive out front. His handsome face troubled and know that I’ll be praying for him to smile too. And I wonder…just how is God going to make it happen?