Wildfire

Love is Useless.

Lacey Donahue

They say judgment comes in many forms, and I experienced it on a stage most of my life. I was judged on my looks and my ability to perform. Then I finally saw my way out, and I took it. I didn’t care what the cost was. I had hoped leaving pageantry behind would give me the freedom I had always longed for. For the first time, I would have the chance to make my own decisions. Then my parents arranged a marriage between me and a stern cowboy to settle their debt that no amount of money could pay. But looks can be deceiving, and freedom must be won, so I would fight until it was mine, no matter the cost.

Colby West
I pride myself on my pragmatism and foresight. My goal always has been and always will be to continue my family’s legacy. I chose to launch West Ranch into its next era. Everything was working just as I planned. Then I missed a payment. I had a plan, but then the terms changed. In my haste to figure out how to pay it as quickly as possible, I was presented with an option that would give me the time I needed to catch up —marriage. I had never given it, or love, any thought. I found it useless. Regardless, I would not be marrying for love. I would be marrying to fix the problem.

What I didn’t see coming was a formidable woman full of resilience that would not only shake my carefully laid plans. But change them and show me a better way, because the cost was higher than I or my family could pay.