The crowd thought the boy in the wheelchair was helpless-until the wild mustang lowered his head to his boots

 ears, nobody cheered.

Jonah buckled it with fingers that shook so badly he had to stop once. Cinder stood over him, breathing hard but staying. Walt leaned on the rail with his hat low and said only, “There.”

Caroline cried later, in the truck, where Jonah pretended not to notice.

August burned the ranch brown. Jonah’s shoulders thickened. His palms continue reading …