Everything accountant Montana Brown thought she knew about love and marriage goes topsy-turvy when her parents split up. Shaken, she heads to Mule Hollow, Texas, to stay with family and take a chance on an old dream: being a cowgirl. With all her might, she tries to resist the charms of a too-handsome cowboy. Luke Holden is going after his own dream of expanding his ranch. A wife isn't on his wish list. But the Mule Hollow matchmakers are fixin' to lasso Luke and Montana together—with a little faith and love.
Today we're interviewing the hero from HER RODEO COWBOY by Debra Clopton. Sit down and enjoy!
Luke, tell us the most interesting thing about you.
“I’m not much on talking about myself, but, well, I promised Norma Sue Jenkins I would do it. This interview is a kind of promotion for the three Mule Hollow Homecoming Rodeos her and the other ladies are planning for the summer. Since I got the contract to supply the livestock for the rodeos I want them to do good and I feel an obligation — Excuse me, you want to know what’s my passion, what makes me tick? Well, when you put it that way it’s easy. Building a legacy for future Holden’s is what I’m all about…that’s what makes me tick.”
Luke, tell us the most interesting thing about you.
“I’m not much on talking about myself, but, well, I promised Norma Sue Jenkins I would do it. This interview is a kind of promotion for the three Mule Hollow Homecoming Rodeos her and the other ladies are planning for the summer. Since I got the contract to supply the livestock for the rodeos I want them to do good and I feel an obligation — Excuse me, you want to know what’s my passion, what makes me tick? Well, when you put it that way it’s easy. Building a legacy for future Holden’s is what I’m all about…that’s what makes me tick.”
What do you do for fun?
“I like to ride out and check the fence line. Sunsets from the saddle are something to see. I date a pretty good bit--I’m not looking for serious though. Not ready for that and even the matchmaking posse of Mule Hollow—you know, Norma Sue and her two partners in crime Esther Mae Wilcox and Adela Ledbetter Green. They “tinkered” with my love life a time or two, but even they realized I was a lost cause until I’m ready. Sunsets, diner and a movie. That’s what I do for fun. Marriage—nope.”
What do you put off doing because you dread it?
“Doing this interview. (chuckle) Talking about myself—yup, that’d be it right there.”
What are you afraid of most in life?
“I’m afraid of not being the man God wants me to be. You know my dad let me and my brothers down and the heartache from it cuts deep. But, I see parents letting their kids down, in different ways all the time, so I don’t feel sorry for myself. You know that spunky, barrel racer, Montana Brown—her dad let her down too. She has major hurt going on in her heart because of it. I feel for her and want to help her heal from the pain she’s feeling. Something about that cowgirl gets me in the center of my heart. I…I guess I’m kind of afraid of that too, you know, really opening my heart to someone.”
What do you want out of life?
“I want my brothers to have a family and feel the love that they never knew as kids. I sometimes think about finding someone special for myself…but, again, I’m not sure I could risk opening my heart. It’s just easier not to go there.”
What is the most important thing to you?
“Me and my two younger brothers, Jess and Colt, have recently bought a ranch. I’ve worked hard on other folk’s ranches ever since I was fourteen and the responsibility of raising my brothers fell on my shoulders. Putting solid roots down in God’s green earth, that will hold and flourish for Colt and Jess’s future kids--when they get around to getting married...that’s what’s important to me. And then there’s Montana—I can’t get her off my mind and helping her has become real important to me.”
Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
“I read the Bible...and everything I can find about ranching.”
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
“I think I would change my looks—I know that sounds weird for a guy, but I look a lot like my dad…women tend to like the way I look and that would make most men happy I guess. But when I look in the mirror I see my dad, the man who hurt my family in the worst way by loving the bottle more than us. Sometimes I think it would be nice to just see me when I look in the mirror. But, God sees my heart so that’s what I try to see too. I’m starting to hope that’s what Montana Brown sees…”
Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
“Just my cow dogs and my horse.”
If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
If I could go back in time as an adult man to when my dad was first beginning to start drinking then I’d go in a heartbeat. I’d go tell him about the man I’ve become despite him. I’d tell him about Colt and Jess and how proud I am of my brothers—I’d tell him he really missed out when he checked out on us. But mostly, I’d tell him about the Lord…because if he’d have had a relationship with the Lord then my family’s history would have been rewritten. Of course, God’s in control of all that and I’m not looking back…now, if I could go to the future and see where this thing with Montana Brown is going—that’s what I’m curious about.
“I like to ride out and check the fence line. Sunsets from the saddle are something to see. I date a pretty good bit--I’m not looking for serious though. Not ready for that and even the matchmaking posse of Mule Hollow—you know, Norma Sue and her two partners in crime Esther Mae Wilcox and Adela Ledbetter Green. They “tinkered” with my love life a time or two, but even they realized I was a lost cause until I’m ready. Sunsets, diner and a movie. That’s what I do for fun. Marriage—nope.”
What do you put off doing because you dread it?
“Doing this interview. (chuckle) Talking about myself—yup, that’d be it right there.”
What are you afraid of most in life?
“I’m afraid of not being the man God wants me to be. You know my dad let me and my brothers down and the heartache from it cuts deep. But, I see parents letting their kids down, in different ways all the time, so I don’t feel sorry for myself. You know that spunky, barrel racer, Montana Brown—her dad let her down too. She has major hurt going on in her heart because of it. I feel for her and want to help her heal from the pain she’s feeling. Something about that cowgirl gets me in the center of my heart. I…I guess I’m kind of afraid of that too, you know, really opening my heart to someone.”
What do you want out of life?
“I want my brothers to have a family and feel the love that they never knew as kids. I sometimes think about finding someone special for myself…but, again, I’m not sure I could risk opening my heart. It’s just easier not to go there.”
What is the most important thing to you?
“Me and my two younger brothers, Jess and Colt, have recently bought a ranch. I’ve worked hard on other folk’s ranches ever since I was fourteen and the responsibility of raising my brothers fell on my shoulders. Putting solid roots down in God’s green earth, that will hold and flourish for Colt and Jess’s future kids--when they get around to getting married...that’s what’s important to me. And then there’s Montana—I can’t get her off my mind and helping her has become real important to me.”
Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
“I read the Bible...and everything I can find about ranching.”
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
“I think I would change my looks—I know that sounds weird for a guy, but I look a lot like my dad…women tend to like the way I look and that would make most men happy I guess. But when I look in the mirror I see my dad, the man who hurt my family in the worst way by loving the bottle more than us. Sometimes I think it would be nice to just see me when I look in the mirror. But, God sees my heart so that’s what I try to see too. I’m starting to hope that’s what Montana Brown sees…”
Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
“Just my cow dogs and my horse.”
If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
If I could go back in time as an adult man to when my dad was first beginning to start drinking then I’d go in a heartbeat. I’d go tell him about the man I’ve become despite him. I’d tell him about Colt and Jess and how proud I am of my brothers—I’d tell him he really missed out when he checked out on us. But mostly, I’d tell him about the Lord…because if he’d have had a relationship with the Lord then my family’s history would have been rewritten. Of course, God’s in control of all that and I’m not looking back…now, if I could go to the future and see where this thing with Montana Brown is going—that’s what I’m curious about.
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