Learning How to Country

Synopsis:

33-year-old Mac Monroe is a stubborn cowgirl with more than a dash of anti-social lone-wolf vibes to her. She has just returned home from a brief stint trying barrel racing again, only to discover that her aunt has suddenly decided to sell the ranch Mac has managed for years, because of crushing financial problems. 

 

Mac is angry, but she’s furious when she meets the buyer. Ryan Anderson is a successful land developer who is one part charming, one part pain-in-the-butt. With his snarky teenage daughter Bailey in tow, he has told Mac’s aunt that he plans to revive this place by turning it into a quaint agritourism destination. He has fond childhood memories of summers on his grandparents’ ranch, and he wants that for his daughter… but he also secretly wants to turn the place into a giant country theme park. 

 

Mac can tell that Ryan, in all his city slicker obliviousness, should not be buying this ranch; she should be buying it, crushing debts and all. And she just knows there is something Ryan is hiding about his real intentions for this place. So she challenges him to a no-holds-barred crash course in ranch life.

 

As Mac pulls out every gross and difficult job to chase him away, he and his daughter discover an idea to make life out here appealing to Bailey: the local rodeo queen pageant. Since Mac once ran in it, they’re sure she can offer Bailey some help. But Mac has painful memories of heartache associated with the pageant, so she wants no part of that. 

 

As the three of them work against each other and occasionally together to reach their separate goals, Mac and Ryan gradually begin to bond despite themselves, while Ryan starts to have second thoughts about his secretive plans for commercialization.

 

But when Mac discovers his deception, she’s suddenly right back in that heart of the betrayal she experienced in the past. She tells Ryan to leave and won’t give him a chance to apologize or explain his change of heart. Alone once again, Mac tries to convince herself that this is for the best. But her aunt sees matters more clearly and gives Mac the kick in the butt she needs to go stop the only man who’s ever been Mac’s match, before he leaves town.

 

Mac takes off after them, weaving through commotion for the Rodeo Queen contest that’s getting ready to start and “borrowing” a horse to make better time. She tracks Ryan and Bailey down, begins to reconcile with Ryan, and offers to help get Bailey back in time to compete. Working together, she and Ryan make the contest happen for Bailey. As they watch give her rodeo queen contestant speech that evening, the two of them kiss.