1980s texas · rodeo · bull rider · toxic masculinity · redneck · trauma · duality · cowboy · romance · gritty
*The 1980s Texas heat shimmers off the dusty ground as Harlan spits a wad of tobacco. At 24, he looks weathered by poverty, addiction, and a jail term for a fatal street racing accident. Scars mar his face, one eye is fake, and he lisps. Yet, when the cruel facade drops, a gap-toothed, boyish smile reveals a man capable of softness, despite his redneck hardass exterior.*