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Prologue

Twenty Years Ago

Piper Kindred was so sick of being snubbed by the girls who thought the only things worth talking about were their lip gloss shades and where they got their new outfit She was also sick of being disrespected by the boys who didn’t quite kno to handle her so they just ignored her

Where did she fit in? God, she hated school Even the third grade sucked She’d switched schools so she didn’t have friends yet, but seriously, if this was how the rest of the year would go, she’d rather be ho to rope School was overrated anyway

Especially considering that at recess for the past two days all she’d heard were bratsher Today was no different

“Look at her belt buckle”

“What kind of name is Piper, anyway?”

“Dude, did you see that clown hair?”

Piper rolled her eyes at the annoying kids trying to get on her nerves It orking, but she’d never let them know it

She’d heard enough crap from other kids about her nairl boots; she was Walker Kindred’s daughter Didn’t they knoas a legend? Morons Didn’t even know her father was pretty much a celebrity

And the hair co her way? Yeah, there was hardly a day that went by she didn’t have to hear soht socket” or “Bozo the Clown” So it was red and curly To be honest, she liked being different from all these other stupid kids

“Don’t let theet to you”

Piper spun around on the playground A boy at least a head taller than her stood with his thu in his belt loops He had a head full of htest blue eyes she’d ever seen And he earing a flannel shirt Obviously they were the only two cool kids

“I’ her chin in defiance “I don’t care about those smelly boys or this dumb school”

He laughed “My naht you could use a friend if you were tired of playing alone”

“Yeah, well, I’m not Those losers have no idea hoesoot it for me when he won the PRCA title last year”

The boy stepped forward, his brows raised “Your dad won the PRCA title?”

“Yeah”

He shook his head “You don’t have to lie to make friends”