Книга - Wyoming Sweethearts

Wyoming Sweethearts
Jillian Hart


Where Do Lonely Hearts Go?The chance to rescue abandoned horses has given Eloise Tipple the fresh start she needs. After losing her skating career and fiancé, she returns home to Wild Horse, Wyoming, to work at a beautiful inn and man the stables. Sean Grangerhas also come home to nurse some emotional wounds and would like nothing more than to pursue life as a lone wolf.Both say they want nothing more than friendship. But while saving homeless horses, can Sean and Eloise save each other and heal their wounds? The Granger Family Ranch: Nestled in a Wyoming mountain town, where family is home.










Her cane.

She stared at the snazzy pink length of metal—she’d gone for the bright, cheerful color, hoping to jazz up the fact of her disability—and the fizz evaporated from her stomach. The smile died on her lips. She knew full well Sean Granger hadn’t spotted her cane in her car or he never would have taken the time to talk with her. This she knew from personal experience.

“Well, duty calls.” Sean pushed away and offered her a dashing grin, making time stand still. She sat captivated by the wholesome goodness of the man as he tipped his hat to her. “I’ll see you around, Eloise Tipple.”

“Bbb—” The closest thing she could manage to goodbye, but he didn’t seem to notice her jumbled attempt at speech. He loped away with a relaxed, confident stride and hopped into his truck.

It wasn’t until Eloise had pulled onto the street heading away from town that it struck her. Sean Granger had remembered her name.


Dear Reader,

Welcome back to Wild Horse, Wyoming. I hope you have been enjoying the Granger Family Ranch stories as much as I have loved writing them. This time cousin Sean has hired on at the ranch to help out. He is recovering from a broken engagement and has decided that no woman is ever going to threaten his lone-wolf status again. Until he meets Eloise, who is in need of a horse trailer, and he can’t say no to helping her. While the two of them rescue homeless horses, what are the chances that God will rescue their hearts, too?

In these pages, I hope you have fun visiting returning characters, both human and animal, and lose yourself in a small-town rural way of life. Once again I have tucked favorite things from my childhood into this story—leisurely horse rides, pet cows and chocolate ice-cream cones—and I hope you are reminded of some of the golden memories from your childhood. Thank you for journeying to Wild Horse, Wyoming, with me.

As always, wishing you love and peace,







Wyoming Sweethearts



Jillian Hart
































www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


I will sing to the Lord,

because He has dealt bountifully with me.

—Psalms 13:6


To Keneta




Chapter One


“Do you know what your problem is, Eloise?”

“I didn’t know I had a problem, Gran.” Eloise Tipple held the diner’s heavy glass door for her frail grandmother and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her helpful gran had been doling out a lot of advice over the past three months, ever since Eloise returned home to the small town of Wild Horse, Wyoming. “When I look at my life, I see blue skies. No trouble of any kind.”

“Then you aren’t looking closely enough, my dear.” Edie Tipple padded by, the hem of her sensible summer dress fluttering lightly in the wind. “Your life has been derailed. I intend to fix that.”

“It wasn’t derailed, Gran. I had a car accident, not a train accident,” she quipped. She let the diner’s door swoosh shut, adjusted her pink metallic cane and followed the sprightly elderly lady toward a gleaming 1963 Ford Falcon. She hoped humor would derail her grandmother because Eloise knew precisely what track Edie was on. “Are you going to stop by the church before you head home?”

“Don’t try and change the subject on me.” Gran hauled open her car door. “It wasn’t fair the way you lost your career and your fiancé.”

“We had only discussed marriage, he hadn’t actually proposed to me.”

“That’s still a big loss. It cost you so much.” Gran rolled down the window, cranking away on the old-fashioned handle. “I have a solution in mind.”

“A solution?” Oh, boy. She gave her long blond hair a toss. The car accident had ended her ice-dancing career, a career she had desperately loved, and her heart had been broken by a man who left her for someone else. At twenty-four, a girl didn’t want to feel as if the best part of her life was behind her. She didn’t want to think there were no more dreams left in store. “You don’t mean another blind date?”

“There’s nothing blind about it. I know the boy’s grandmother. He’s the one for you, Eloise. I can feel it in my bones.” Gran folded herself elegantly behind the wheel, diminutive in stature but great of spirit. Her silver curls fluttered with the brush of the breeze as she clicked her lap belt.

“I don’t want to go on another fix-up.” Eloise gently closed the heavy car door with a thud. “The last twelve have been complete disasters. I don’t want to be tortured anymore.”

“How hard can it be to have a nice dinner with a young man?” Gran recovered her car key from behind the visor and plugged it into the ignition. The engine roared to life with a rumble and a big puff of smoke. “His name is George, and he’s an up-and-comer. I have it on good authority that he’s a hard worker and very tidy. That’s important when you’re considering a man as marriage material.”

“Sure. I’ll make a note of it.” Eloise, unable to stop herself, rolled her eyes.

“I saw that, young lady.” Gran chuckled. “You don’t want to work at the inn for the rest of your days, do you?”

“I don’t know. I like my job. I’m trying not to look too far ahead. My future may be an endless line of one blind date after another. Scary. Better to live in the moment.” She pushed away from the car door. “Thanks for meeting me for lunch, Gran.”

“Then I’ll tell Madge to tell George it’s a date.” Gran put the car into reverse. “Friday night at the diner. Don’t frown, dear. Hebrews 11:1. Believe.”

“I’ll try.” At this point, she was a skeptic when it came to happily-ever-afters. She was recovering from a broken heart. Love hadn’t turned out well for her. Could she endure one more blind date?

She simply would have to find a way. The hot, late May sun chased her as she circled around to her car, slipped behind the steering wheel and dropped onto the vinyl seat. Hot, hot, hot. Eloise rolled down the window and switched on the air conditioner, which sputtered unenthusiastically. She swiped bangs from her forehead and backed out of the space.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. That was the verse Gran had referenced, and it stayed on her mind as she drove down the dusty, one-horse main street. The precise stretch of sidewalk-lined shops, the march of trees from one end of town to the other, hadn’t changed much since she was a child.

Way up ahead on the empty street, a pair of ponies plodded into sight, ridden by two little girls heading toward the drive-in. They were probably getting ice cream. Memories welled up, good ones that made her smile as she motored toward the library.

She caught sight of the grill of the sheriff’s Jeep peeking around the lilac bush next to the library sign. Sheriff Ford Sherman had his radar set up and was probably reading a Western paperback to pass the time between the span of cars.

She glanced at her speedometer—twenty-four miles an hour. Safe. She waved at the sheriff who looked up from his book and waved back.

Ice cream. That was an idea. There was nothing like the Steer In’s soft ice-cream cones. Her mouth watered, clinching her decision. She had plenty of time left on her lunch hour and the temptation was too great to resist.

She hit her signal, crossed over the dotted yellow line and rolled into the drive-in’s lot. The girls on their ponies had ridden up to the window in the drive-thru lane and one of the animals looked a little nervously at the approaching car’s grill, so she slipped into a slot and parked beneath the shady awning. A brightly lit and yellowed display menu perched above an aging speaker. She rolled her window down the rest of the way and hot, dry air breezed in, no match for the struggling air conditioner.

“Eloise!” A teenager on roller skates gave an awkward wave and almost dropped her loaded tray. “Hi!”

“Hi, Chloe.” She unbuckled so she could lean out the window. Chloe Walters still had the exuberant disposition she’d had as a small child, when Eloise had babysat her. “That’s right, school is out for the year. Are you a senior now?”

“Yep. One more year and freedom.” Chloe nearly dropped her tray again as she swept forward on choppy strokes of her skates and grabbed the edge of the speaker so she wouldn’t crash into the car. “It’s so cool you are working at the inn. We went there for dinner for Mom’s birthday and it was really fancy.”

“It is a nice place to work.” The Lord had been looking out for her when she’d landed the job as executive manager at the Lark Song Inn. Good thing she had a business degree to fall back on. “How about you? I didn’t know you worked at the drive-in.”

“It’s new. I really love it. I get all the ice cream I can eat.” She grinned, her smile perfect now that her braces were off, and nearly spilled the contents of her tray yet again. “I’d better go deliver this before it melts. Do you know what you want?”

“A small chocolate soft ice-cream cone.” The large size was tempting, but she’d never get it eaten before she was back behind the front desk. “Thanks, Chloe.”

“I’ll get it in just a minute!” The teenager, eager to please, dashed off with a clump, clump of her skates.

A big, dark blue pickup rolled to a stop in the space beside her. Tinted windows shielded any glimpse of the driver, but she recognized the look of a ranch truck when she saw it. The haphazard blades of hay caught in the frame of the cab’s back window, dust on the mud flaps and the tie-downs marching along the bed were all telltale signs. The heavy duty engine rumbled like a monster as it idled, a testimony to the payload it was capable of hauling.

Chloe, her tray now empty, skated as fast as she could go up to the far side of the pickup. Eloise lost sight of the teenager, but judging by the speed with which she’d crossed the lot, it was someone she knew or wanted to. Remembering what it was like to be a teenager in this town, she smiled. She’d worked part-time in the library after school shelving books and hadn’t had the chance to meet too many cute high school boys on the job. A serious downside to being a librarian’s assistant.

An electronic jangle caught her attention, and she reached over the gearshift to dig through the outside pocket of her purse for her cell phone. No surprise to see the Lark Song Inn on her caller ID. A manager’s job was never done. “Let me guess. The computer system froze up again.”

“Good guess.” It was her boss and the owner of the inn, Cady Winslow. “But after crashing twice this morning, the computer has given up the fight and has accepted it is going to have to talk with the printer.”

“Maybe it’s a lover’s quarrel. Now they have made up and all is well.” Since she was in her purse, she dug out a few dollar bills. “Maybe it will be a happily-ever-after for the two of them.”

“It had better be. If their differences of opinion last and they refuse to talk, a breakup may be pending. The printer might have to move out and we’ll never see him again.” Cady’s sunny sense of humor made it easy to work for her. “I know you’re on your break, but I’m taking off and I want to make sure you see this text. It’s from my little goddaughter and I think it is about the cutest thing I’ve seen in a while.”

“Send it.”

“Here it is. I’ll see you bright and early for the staff meeting tomorrow?”

“I’ll be the one holding the jumbo-sized cup of coffee and yawning.”

“Jumbo-sized coffee cups. I’ll put that in my to-buy list.” Laughing, Cady said goodbye and hung up.

“Here!” Something clattered and clanked, drawing her attention as she scrolled through her phone’s list. Chloe held out her hand. “It will be a dollar fifty.”

“Keep the change.” Eloise handed over the bills and took the ice-cream cone thrust at her. She was trying to scroll through her phone at the same time, so she didn’t instantly notice the ice cream was the wrong flavor.

“Hey, Chloe!” She hung out the window, but it was too late. No Chloe in sight. A tall, broad shouldered shadow crowned by a wide Stetson fell across the pavement. The shadow strolled closer accompanied by the substantial pad of a cowboy’s confident gait as he moseyed into view.

Handsome.

“I think there was a mix-up,” he said in a deep baritone, layered with warmth and humor. “The little waitress didn’t look like she had things together. Is this yours?”

“Uh …” She might be able to answer him if she could rip her gaze away from the shaded splendor of his face.

That turned out to be nearly impossible. The strong, lean lines of his cheekbones, the sparkling blue eyes and the chiseled jaw held her captive. He looked vaguely familiar, but her neurons were too stunned to fire.

Wow. That was the only word her beleaguered brain could come up with. Wow. Wow. Wow.

“I think the car-hop girl is new at this.” He swaggered over with an athletic, masculine gait.

If only his drop-dead gorgeous smile wasn’t so amazing, her command of the English language might have a chance of returning. She might be able to agree with him or at least point out that Chloe was simply being Chloe.

“You didn’t order a chocolate ice-cream cone?” He was near enough now that she could see the crystal blue sparkles in his irises and the smooth texture of his shaven jaw. The gray T-shirt he wore clung to muscled biceps.

Again, wow. Fortunately, the power of thought returned to her brain and she was able to move her mouth and emit a semblance of an intelligent word or two. “I did. This must be yours.”

“Guilty.”

“Pink ice cream. Really?” She felt a smile stretch the corners of her mouth. She arched one brow as she held out the paper-wrapped cone.

“Hey, it’s strawberry, not pink.” His chuckle was brief but it rumbled like dreams. He plucked the cone out of her hand and offered her the chocolate one. “That looks good. I thought about keeping it. Tell me something.”

“I’m not sure that I should.” She daintily licked the cone before it decided to start dripping.

“Why do you look familiar?” He leaned back against the steel arm holding the speaker and menu. “I’ve seen you somewhere before.”

“I thought the same thing.” Looking up at him with the dark Stetson shading his face and bright sunshine framing him in the background, the realization struck her like a falling meteor. She had not only seen him before, she knew him. She remembered a younger version of the handsome cowboy on the back of a horse riding through town years ago before she left town, attending the church service in a suit and tie, and in the back of the Grangers’ pickup as they motored away from the diner. “You’re Sean, one of Cheyenne’s cousins.”

“You know Cheyenne?”

“We’ve been best friends since kindergarten.” Long distances could not change true friendship. “I’m the one with the white mare. Cheyenne and I used to always go riding.”

“Now I remember.” He took a bite of ice cream and nodded, his bright blue gaze traveling over her as he considered the past. “You have a gorgeous horse. Almost as fast as Cheyenne’s girl.”

“On the right day, sometimes she was faster. She still is.” A drip landed on her knuckle, reminding her she was holding ice cream, which was obviously starting to melt. “What are you doing this far south? Don’t you live with your family up near Buffalo?”

“Used to, but they tossed me out of the nest. My dad wanted me to get my master’s, but I’ve been begging my uncle Frank for a job for years. He finally gave in.”

“That’s hard to believe.”

“I know, that’s what I tell him every day. But I’m determined not to be a disappointment.” He winked, his easygoing humor only making him more attractive. He gave off the aura of a man confident of his masculinity so he didn’t need to flaunt it.

“I wasn’t talking about your work, I was wondering why you turned down the chance for more schooling? Why would you choose to live in Wild Horse?”

“Why not? What’s not to like?” Dimples flirted with the corners of his chiseled mouth. “Clean air, more freedom than a guy knows what to do with and I get to ride my horse every day all day. There’s nothing better than that.”

“You are highlighting only the good parts.” Why was she smiling? She simply could not seem to stop. His grin was infectious and, to make matters worse, sweet little bubbles began effervescing in her stomach. “It’s an hour drive to see a movie or shop in a mall. Nothing ever happens here. Everyone knows your business.”

“I don’t mind all that one bit.” His baby blues twinkled charmingly and made the pops in her stomach multiply.

She wasn’t attracted to the man, was she? Goodness. She shook her head, determined to keep that from happening. “Then you are right where you should be. I’m currently suffering from urban withdrawal, but it’s slowly getting better.”

“Urban? Where?” He tilted his head a notch, leaning a fraction closer to her as if he were interested in her answer.

“Seattle.” She took a swipe of ice cream before it melted and tumbled off the cone. “Where did you go to school?”

“Seattle Christian University.” He chuckled. “I can’t believe we used to live in the same city. Cheyenne should have mentioned it.”

“She’s had a lot on her mind going to vet school.” Intrigued, Eloise forgot about the tingles in her tummy and the fact that the man’s handsomeness pulled at her with all the gravitational force of a black hole. “Where did you live?”

“In an apartment just off Fremont Avenue. How about you?”

“I rented a house with some friends a few blocks off 45th.”

“Not far away at all, not really, and we didn’t even know it. How about that?” Sean leaned back, a deliberately casual movement and yet the power of his gaze remained locked on hers and made the world fade away. The distant clomp, clomp of Chloe’s skates, the nicker from one of the ponies, the sun’s heat and the whine of the car’s struggling air conditioning all turned to silence.

An electronic ring shattered the moment, time rolled forward and the sounds of the hot May day returned. Chloe clomped up on her skates. “Oops. I saw you two across the lot exchanging cones. Did I make a mistake?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sean said breezily as he tugged a cell from his pocket.

The girls on ponies rode leisurely by, licking icecream cones. A diesel truck rumbled along on the street behind her and a second electronic chime came from the phone she didn’t even remember tossing onto the passenger seat. Right next to her cane.

Her cane. She stared at the snazzy pink length of metal—she’d gone for the bright, cheerful color hoping to jazz up the fact of her disability—and the fizz evaporated from her stomach. The smile died on her lips. She knew full well Sean Granger hadn’t spotted her cane in her car or he never would have taken the time to talk with her. This she knew from personal experience.

She glanced at the screen, where the text her boss had sent her was overlaid by Cheyenne’s cell number. She considered answering it, but then she would wind up saying where she was and what she was doing, and it would be impossible not to mention the handsome man chatting amicably on his phone a few feet away. No, best to hit the ignore button and get back to her friend later.

“Well, duty calls.” Sean pushed away and offered her a dashing grin, making time stand still. Again. Her neurons forgot how to fire. Again. She sat captivated by the wholesome goodness of the man as he tipped his hat to her. “I’ll see you around, Eloise Tipple.”

“Bbb—” The closest thing she could manage to goodbye, but he didn’t seem to notice her jumbled attempt at speech. He loped away with a relaxed, confident stride and hopped into his truck.

“Do you think he was mad at me?” Chloe spoke up, startling Eloise completely. The phone tumbled out of her grip and hit the floor. The teenager scrunched her face up with worry. “Are you? I couldn’t believe I got your ice-cream cone wrong. My manager is right. One order at a time. I’m no good with two.”

“It’s not a big deal.” As the truck motored away and took Sean with it, her neurons began to fire normally. Her vocabulary returned. “Have a good day, Chloe.”

“I will, now the lunch rush is nearly over. Bye!”

It wasn’t until Eloise had pulled onto the street heading away from town that it struck her. Sean Granger had remembered her name.




Chapter Two


Find homeless horses, Eloise scribbled onto her to-do list. This was her new assignment, added to all the others. Her desk at the inn was tucked a few steps down the hallway from the front desk. Her only window gazed out at the new rose gardens and gave a peek at the new stable. Cady wanted to offer horses for the guests to ride and that meant someone had to find the appropriate animals. That someone was her. Eloise took a sip of bottled water and smiled at the text message shining on her phone’s luminous screen.

Aunt Cady, you promised to get your horses from the shelter. You have to save their lives so they can have a home and be loved.

Eloise sighed. Cady’s little goddaughter’s message was too cute, but how did one go about finding homeless horses? Did the county humane society take them in? There was only one way to find out. She grabbed the yellow pages out of her bottom desk drawer and began leafing through it. If the phone book doesn’t help, then Lord please send a hint or two to guide me.

The bell above the front door chimed and the telltale snap of sandals on the polished hardwood had her rising to her feet. She grabbed her cane and tapped around the corner, expecting to see the Neilsons, who were yet to arrive for their reservation. So when she saw a tall, slender young woman with auburn hair and smiling eyes wearing a Washington State University shirt and denim cutoffs, she let out a surprised squeal. “Cheyenne!”

“It wouldn’t have been a surprise if you checked the message I left you.” She threw out her arms wide for a welcoming hug then stepped back, squinting. “You look good. Really good. How’s the pain level?”

“Better. How does it feel to finally be a vet?” Eloise led the way toward the comfortable sitting area near the front desk.

“I start working for Nate next Monday, and I still can’t believe this is really happening. You would have thought graduation might have made it clear to me.” She shook her head, bouncing along, full of exuberance. “I’m jazzed. I can’t wait to start.”

“When did you get back in town?”

“Last night much later than I’d meant to. What are you doing after work?”

“Nothing exciting.”

“Want to grab dinner at Clem’s?”

The phone rang before she could answer, so Eloise grabbed it at the front desk. The Neilsons had landed at the airport one town away and wanted to verify their directions. Simple enough to make sure they were heading the right way. Eloise got their cell number in case they didn’t show up in an hour, kept the cordless phone with her and leaned on her cane. “Want an iced latte?”

“Do you have to ask?”

They changed directions and headed for the dining room, which was nearly empty. The lunch crowd had gone and the early diners wouldn’t start showing up for a few hours. Pleasant clinks and clanks from the kitchen rang like discordant music.

“So, is that yes for dinner at Clem’s?” Cheyenne chose a table near a sunny window. “Or is the diner too common for you, now that you work in such a fancy place?”

“Are you kidding? I’m a diner gal through and through.”

“Me, too. I’m way underdressed for this dining room.” Cheyenne plucked at the collar of her T-shirt. “It’s a good thing I have an in with the manager.”

“Exactly, or we would toss your kind out.” It was fun to banter. A great perk to being home was seeing old friends. She leaned her cane against the window sill and settled into the cushioned chair.

“You look good. How is the physical therapy coming along?”

“It’s done. My leg has come as far as it can.” She shrugged one shoulder, as if that wasn’t a big deal. As if she didn’t feel torn apart every time she said it. Life dealt you hard blows and you had to deal and keep moving forward. That’s what she decided in the ambulance when she was being rushed to the trauma center. She’d known before the firemen had cut her out of the car that life would never be the same. The paralysis had improved but not disappeared, which was amazing enough. “I can ride my horse. That’s the good news. I can’t complain. Now, down to business. Are you ever going to tell me what really happened with Edward?”

“I told you, he thought I was getting too serious so he broke things off.” Cheyenne rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Sierra, who bounded over in her black-and-white uniform. Cheyenne lit up. “Hey, I heard a rumor you’re marrying my brother. Nice engagement ring.”

“Shocking, but true. When he asked, I accepted.” Sierra radiated happiness. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“I can’t imagine,” Cheyenne agreed. After they ordered and Sierra disappeared into the kitchen, she propped both elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands. “So, what’s new with you?”

“With me? I’m not buying the innocent look. I know exactly what you’re doing.”

“What am I doing? I’m just sitting here.”

Eloise wished she could make her friend’s pain disappear. Anyone looking at Cheyenne wouldn’t guess she was nursing a broken heart. “You and Edward broke up on Valentine’s Day. That’s three months ago. You aren’t over it, I can tell.”

“I’ve decided to stay in denial. It isn’t just a river in Egypt.” Cheyenne waggled her brows.

“That isn’t funny enough to distract me, and you know how I like to laugh.” Eloise stretched out her bad leg and relaxed against the chair cushions. “You forget I have a romantic disaster in my past, so I know how it can feel when some guy who says he loves you up and ends things.”

“Our relationship was convenient for him, that was all.” Cheyenne’s face tightened, although she acted light and breezy as if she hadn’t been devastated. “I’m over it.”

“Wow, your denial is really strong.”

“It’s made out of titanium. Nothing will crack it.”

“Then I guess we’d better change the subject.”

“Fabulous idea.”

And she knew exactly what the subject would be. The handsome cowboy from the drive-in flashed into her mind. In truth, he hadn’t ever really gone away but lurked in the back of her brain like a happy thought. “I ran into your cousin in town today. He has an affinity for ice-cream cones, too.”

“Right. Sean. I’m trying to remember the last time you saw him.”

“Years and years ago. Probably the summer before we graduated from high school, the last summer I was home.” She caught sight of Sierra returning and debated changing the subject. But why? It wasn’t as if she were interested in Sean Granger. Besides, she wanted to know more about him. “He’s changed. I hardly recognized him.”

“He’s gotten tall, hasn’t he? I think he’s taller than Dad.”

Sierra set the glasses of icy drinks on the table. “Are you talking about Sean? He’s such a nice guy. It’s too bad what happened to him.”

“Why? What happened?” Inquiring minds wanted to know. She leaned forward, her heart rate tapping inexplicably faster.

“Bad breakup.” Sierra added two rolls of cloth napkins to the table. “She shattered his heart, or so I hear. She up and started dating someone else.”

Images of the handsome cowboy hopped into Eloise’s mind. Of the black Stetson shading his rugged face, the dimples bracketing his grin and the strong dependability the man exuded. “He didn’t look too heartbroken to me.”

“Are you kidding? It’s a Granger family trait not to deal with emotions.” Cheyenne took a sip of her iced coffee. “I notice you are doing the same thing, Eloise.”

“Me?” She smiled at Sierra as the waitress padded away, knowing she was completely guilty. But did she want to talk about it?

No. Not in this lifetime. The cane leaning against the windowsill was proof. There was no sense crying over what you could not change. “Isn’t that like the pot calling the kettle black?”

“Absolutely.” Cheyenne smiled and lifted her glass for a toast. “Here’s to denial and burying emotions.”

“It is the only way to go.”

With a laugh, they clinked glasses and the conversation turned to the evening’s plans, Eloise’s search for horses and Cheyenne’s funny tales of her long drive home from vet school.

This was the life. Sean Granger popped the top on the cold can of root beer, waving goodbye to the housekeeper who had left dinner in the oven and the timer set. All he had to do was listen for the ding. Mrs. Gunderson waved back as she hurried around the corner of the house and disappeared, leaving him blissfully alone. Well, almost alone. A clunk on the other side of the screen door reminded him two Grangers still remained in the house. But not for much longer.

He ambled over to the porch swing and settled onto the cushion to watch the sunset. Comfortable. Thanks for leading me here, Lord. It’s just where I want to be in life. He took a sip of his soda. A cow grazing on the other side of a white fence leaned over the top board and mooed at him. Her bright brown eyes were focused on his soda can.

“Buttercup!” The screen door whispered open and the youngest Granger sister popped out. Addison slung her designer bag over her shoulder. “You can’t have fizzy drinks. They give you the burps. Remember?”

The cow’s long sorrowful moo may have been a comment that some pleasures were worth a little discomfort.

“Dad should just let that cow live in the house like a dog, she’s so spoiled.” Addy winked as she waltzed by him. “It’s Friday night. You shouldn’t be here alone. I can stay with you and keep watch on Sunny. I’m worried about her.”

“No way. Don’t you change your plans. I can keep an eye on your expecting mare. Besides, I want to spend the evening with my sweetie.” He stretched out his legs and crossed them at the ankles.

Buttercup, his sweetie, mooed again as if in total agreement.

“Then enjoy the peace and quiet while you can.” Addy’s advice was delivered with a grin as she hopped down the steps, strawberry blond hair flying behind her, looking a lot like his baby sister as she hurried enthusiastically down the concrete path. “Don’t forget to do your own dishes!”

“I know. My mom trained me right,” he called after her as she disappeared around the corner.

“That’s debatable.” A different voice answered. Cheyenne pushed open the screen door. “I saw the state of your bedroom. Do you know how to pick up anything?”

“Hey, that’s my private domain. I know how to do housework, but I’m not so good at doing it without someone telling me to.” He may as well be honest. He’d learned that was the best way to go through life, even if he could think of folks who didn’t agree—like his former fiancée.

“That’s a tad better than my brothers.” Cheyenne jingled her truck keys in one hand. “Are you really going to stay here all by your lonesome? It’s Friday night.”

“I didn’t know I’d be here alone, but yeah, I don’t mind. I like the peace.” It was what he preferred, and he’d had enough drama with Meryl to last him a lifetime. He liked quiet. He liked computers, books and watching time go by.

“It’s weird now that Dad’s with Cady.” Cheyenne hesitated on the steps. “He used to be home every weekend night unless there was something going on at the church. Now, look. I never thought it would happen, but he’s dating.”

“He sure is. He trailered up his horse and drove off about an hour ago. Said he and Cady were going for a ride. He looked pleased as punch.” Sean took another sip of root beer and let the feather-light summery air puff over him.

“What about you?” Cheyenne twisted around to walk backwards. “There’s no one you have your eye on?”

“Who? Me?” He stared off into the distance. The cow was going to hurt herself straining over the fence like that. He climbed to his feet, doing his level best not to think of pretty Eloise. “No. I’m done with relationships. They’re for the birds.”

“I know the feeling.” Cheyenne seemed satisfied at last, and he realized she didn’t want him to feel alone. That would explain why she was hesitating.

“What are you up to?” He set aside his can.

“I’m having dinner with a friend. Wait, you know her. Eloise, remember? We’ve been friends forever.”

“Blond hair, green eyes, is real quiet?” Surprising how the mention of her could make him smile. “Saw her today at the Steer In.”

“Yes. That’s Eloise. She’s home to stay, just like I am, so we’re celebrating with cheeseburgers and chocolate milkshakes. I can bring you an order home.”

“No. Mrs. G. left me on casserole duty. She’s got the timer set and a salad in the fridge.” He ambled down the steps and dug into his jeans pocket. The cow, scenting the molasses treat he found, hopped up and down excitedly. “Eloise is the one who used to skate, right?”

“Ice dancing. She won two world championships.” Cheyenne nodded as she hesitated at the corner of the garage.

A long span of mown grass separated them, and he had to speak up to be heard above the mooing cow and the twitter of larks. “What happened? Did she get injured or something? I saw a cane in her car.”

“She was in a serious car accident.” Cheyenne frowned, sad for her friend. “It’s amazing she walks, but she’ll never skate professionally again.”

Emotion punched him in the gut, reminding him life could be a tough road. He handed over the molasses treat and gave Buttercup a pat as she chewed happily. Sunshine gleamed off the cow’s sleek black coat. Her pure white face and white tipped ears made her look as cute as a button. He thought of Eloise and couldn’t guess what it would be like to lose a goal like that, although he knew what tragedy felt like. His older brother Tim, an Army Ranger, had been killed in action. The family had gone on but the loss had marked them all.

“Oops! I’m late.” Cheyenne darted around the corner and out of sight, her words carrying to him on the breeze. “If you change your mind, you have my cell number. Keep a close eye on Sunny and if you think she’s not doing all right, call.”

“I know the drill,” he told Buttercup as he rubbed her nose.

She gazed up at him with puppy-dog eyes, sank her teeth into his hat and lifted it off his head.

“Funny girl.” He rescued it from her and dug another treat out of his pocket. Life was good on the Wyoming range, and he was glad to be a carefree bachelor in command of his life. So what if it got a little lonely? He could handle that. If the thought of Eloise Tipple’s lovely face made him reconsider, he had to admit he was lonelier than he’d thought. It wasn’t easy being a lone wolf.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he admonished Buttercup. “I really am a lone wolf.”

The cow shook her head as if she didn’t believe him for a second.

“Is that you, honey?”

“Yes, Mom.” Eloise tapped through the shadowy kitchen and pushed open the back screen. The music of the nearby river serenaded her as she stepped onto the patio.

Helene Tipple looked up from her cross-stitch piece. “Did you have a good time catching up with Cheyenne?”

“I did.” She leaned her cane against the patio table and eased into a cushioned seat. Another positive about being back—there was no place like home. Their conversation had covered everything essential while neatly skipping the painful. “Cheye and I are going riding this week. I get to go over to the ranch and see all the new foals.”

“That’s nice, dear.” Mom poked her needle through the embroidery hoop and fussed with the stitch. “I was talking with your grandma today.”

“You talk with her every day.” Eloise rolled her eyes, already bracing herself. She knew exactly what her mom was going to say because they’d had this conversation many times before. “She told you about my upcoming blind date, didn’t she?”

“She is pretty excited about this young man. She wants you to call her. Take a few moments to gather your strength first.” Mom’s eyes twinkled as if she were enjoying herself.

“Yes, because this is so amusing.” Eloise shook her head, laughing, too. “This is my life. My grandmother is finding dates for me.”

“And don’t you disappoint her.” Dad spoke up with a rattle of his magazine page and a grin.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” She loved her grandmother with all her heart. No one on earth wanted to disappoint Gran. “Even if she is torturing me.”

Her parents chuckled as if she’d made a joke. Sure, her personal life was a laugh a minute. Shaking her head and laughing at herself—what else was a girl to do?—she hoisted up out of the extremely comfortable chair and made her way to the kitchen. As she dialed the phone, her gaze drifted to the large picture window overlooking the patio. Her parents made an iconic picture, sitting side by side beneath the striped table umbrella. Their silence was a contented one, broken by quiet murmurings and gentle smiles, a sign of their long and happy marriage.

Not everyone got the fairy tale. That was simply a plain fact. Eloise leaned against the counter and listened to the phone ring.

“Hello?” Gran warbled cheerfully. “Is that you, Eloise? Your mama promised you would be calling me.”

“Yes, it’s me, Gran.” Theirs was a lifetime love, too. She adored her grandmother. She would do anything for her, which was why she was doomed. “You might as well get to the point.”

“I talked with Madge.” Gran’s excitement vibrated across the line. “This is what I learned about George. He manages an office-supply store over in Sunshine. He’s a good Christian boy and he wants to get married.”

“Why can’t he find someone to marry him who actually knows him?”

“Well, he is terribly short but you don’t mind that, do you? A short husband is better than none at all. It’s what’s inside that counts.”

“Yes, it is.” Who was she to be arguing with that? She leaned her cane against the cabinet doors and prayed for fortitude.

“I have high hopes for this one. Don’t worry, I’m looking out for you, sweetheart.”

“I’m looking out for you too, Gran. I’ll drop by after work tomorrow.” Her grandmother needed a little help around the house these days, and she was happy to do it. That way they could spend quality time together, another very big advantage to being back home again.

After chatting for a few more minutes, she bid Gran goodbye and hung up the phone. The peace of the evening filled the kitchen like the rosy light of the sunset tumbling from the western horizon. The entire landscape glowed as if painted with a luminous pearled paint. Her mind drifted back over her very good day and lingered on the memory of a man with a black Stetson holding a strawberry ice-cream cone in one rugged hand. A very nice image, indeed.




Chapter Three


“Good afternoon. Lark Song Inn.” Eloise tucked the receiver between her chin and shoulder. “How may I help you?”

“Yeah, this is Nate Cannon. I need to talk with Eloise.”

“Dr. Cannon.” The local vet. A kick of anticipation charged through her, so she grabbed a pen off the front desk and poised it over the memo pad. “I’m Eloise. Did you happen to hear about my mission?”

“Cheyenne clued me in. She said you folks are looking to buy horses in need, and I happen to know of a pair.”

“Bless you.” She’d tried the local agencies and organizations over the last handful of days, but no luck. “Where are they? What are they like?”

“Two geldings, as gentle as could be. Their owner passed away a while back and the folks who inherited the land don’t want to keep them. It’s hard to sell horses this old, so if your boss is looking to make a difference in an animal’s life, she wouldn’t regret taking them in.”

“They sound perfect.” The poor things. She glanced at her watch. Wendy should be back from her break in a few minutes. “Could I take a look this afternoon?”

“I’ll give you the address and phone number. Now, these folks aren’t the most agreeable so you might want to bring someone with you who really knows horses. Like Cheyenne. I’d offer, but I’ve got a show horse with colic to get back to and a busy afternoon after that. You could call my receptionist. She might be able to book you a time.”

“Thanks, but I’ll call Cheyenne.” After getting the necessary information, she buzzed Cady, who was delighted at the prospect of horses for the stables, then dialed her best friend’s number.

“Hello?” A familiar baritone rumbled across the line. “Stowaway Ranch.”

“Is this Sean?” Why was she smiling? The man simply had that effect on her. She was curious. That was different from interested.

“Eloise. How are you doing?”

“Fine enough.” Was it her imagination or did he sound glad to hear from her?

“Are you calling for Cheyenne?”

“Guilty. She promised me use of her horse expertise. Tell me she’s there.”

“I wish I could but she took off to do some shopping in Sunshine. Should be gone all afternoon. I might not be an expert when it comes to horses, but I’m no slouch either. What kind of help do you need?”

“Uh …” Brilliant answer. Her brain decided to short circuit again. “The vet found some horses.”

“Oh, and you need someone to go with you. I can do that.”

“Uh …” Was she stuck on that word? What was the matter with her?

“It’s a slow afternoon and I like to make myself useful. I can bring a horse trailer.”

“I can’t say no to that.” Especially since she didn’t own a vehicle capable of pulling one. But did she really want to spend an afternoon with the most gorgeous man she’d ever met? She was fairly sure judging by the amount of friendliness in his voice that he hadn’t noticed her cane yet. She dreaded the moment when he did, but putting horses in the inn’s stables was her new assignment. She wanted to do her job well. “Let me give you the address.”

“Great. I need something to write with.” A drawer banged open before he came back on the line. “Got it.”

“You probably know where this is already, but the vet gave me detailed instructions.” She gave him the information. “When can you get there?”

“Give me thirty minutes?”

“Thirty minutes it is. Thanks for helping out, Sean.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for.” He set down the pen and folded the scrap of paper.

“I didn’t know we were friends.”

“A friend of Cheyenne’s is a friend of mine.” He ignored Mrs. Gunderson who bustled into sight with a laundry basket balanced on one hip. A lone wolf could have a friend or two and still be a lone wolf, right? “I’m happy to help. I like what Cady’s doing. She could be filling her stalls with pampered horses, but she wants to make a difference. I’ll see you soon.”

“Thanks, Sean.” Eloise’s gentle alto was about the prettiest sound he’d ever heard. She wasn’t fake, like some women he could think of—Meryl came to mind—but honest and sincere. He liked that. Those were just the right qualities for a friend.

He hung up and caught Mrs. Gunderson’s raised eyebrow as she paused midway up the stairs, free hand on the rail. There was no mistaking that motherly look.

“What?” He held up both hands, the innocent man that he was. “I didn’t do anything.”

“I didn’t say a thing.” She had raised five sons of her own, so he knew she was wise to the ways of the male mind. “You call me if you aren’t coming home for supper.”

“Why wouldn’t I be home for supper?” He grabbed a chocolate-chip cookie from the jar. “This isn’t a date. It’s a humanitarian mission. Well, an animal welfare mission.”

“You like that girl.” Mrs. G. narrowed her gaze at him. “Don’t try and fool me.”

“I’m not fooling you. I like her. What’s not to like? But I don’t like her.” After Meryl, he’d be stupid to. A smart man would be leery after being used like that.

“Sometimes the best things come along when we aren’t looking for them.” She went on her way, padding up the stairs and out of sight, her words carrying up to him. “All things are possible to him who believes.”

Boy, did she have the wrong idea. Sean shook his head. Mrs. G. couldn’t be more mistaken. When he wiped a crumb off his shirt, he noticed his T-shirt had a hole in it. His jeans sported grass stains and his work boots were dirty.

Maybe he’d better go change. Getting spiffed up had nothing to do with seeing Eloise. It was simply a matter of cleanliness. He took the stairs two at a time, whistling.

“This must be the place,” Eloise said to herself as she glanced at the reflective numbers stuck to the side of a battered black mailbox. Although two numerals were missing, the description matched the vet’s directions so she eased her car off the paved county road and onto a driveway that was more dirt and potholes than gravel. She listened to the rush and whap of weeds and grass growing in the center of the lane hitting the underside of her car. Hopefully there wasn’t anything big enough to do any damage. She gripped the steering wheel tight and eased up on the gas pedal.

Something dark and large lumbered up behind her, filling the reflective surface of her rearview mirror. She recognized that dark blue pickup. Sean. The sunshine seemed brighter, although that was probably an illusion and had nothing to do with the man’s appearance. She eased around a hairpin corner and a dilapidated covering built out of corrugated metal and weathered two-by-fours came into sight. It huddled sadly against a broken-down fence. Barbed wire hung dangerously from listing and rotting posts. Most of the grass had been eaten away from an acre-sized field, where two horses pricked their ears, spotted the truck and came running.

She pulled to a stop in front of a carport that had seen better days. A rusty truck rested in the shade. Overgrown grass danced in the wind as she watched Sean’s vehicle pull up beside her. Maybe the last wheeze of the air conditioner was the reason the hair stood up on her arms. She did not want it to be a reaction to the man strolling into sight. She braced herself for the inevitable and reached for her cane.

Sean Granger looked like a western hero in his long-legged worn blue jeans. The white T-shirt he wore emphasized his sun-kissed tan and as he swept off his Stetson, muscles rippled beneath the knit cotton blend.

He raked one hand through his brown hair and smiled down at her as he opened her car door. His dreamy blue eyes captured her with a steady stare and then his gaze slid downward as she climbed out from behind the wheel, stood tall and used her cane.

Here was where he dimmed down the smile and his friendliness when he got a good look at her cane. It’s what most guys did whether they were interested or not. She braced herself for it as she took one limping step, but it didn’t come. Instead Sean closed the door for her, nodding toward the horses. “Did you get a look at them?”

“No, I was too busy trying not to lose my car in one of the potholes,” she quipped and was rewarded with a grin as he swept his hat back on.

“They saw the truck and came running. Look at them.” His hand settled on the curve of her shoulder, a friendly weight, as he turned her gently toward the fence line. “I wonder if their former owner drove a truck like mine.”

“They keep staring at it, almost waiting for someone else who might be in there.” She gasped, realizing how they must be feeling. “Dr. Cannon didn’t say how long the gentleman who owned them has been gone.”

“Three months. Animals don’t forget those they love.” Sean ambled up to the fence and held out his hands for the horses to scent.

She took the opportunity to put a little physical distance between them. He was more touchy-feely than she was used to or felt comfortable with. “How do you know that?”

“Uncle Frank knew. I told him where I was headed. He knows everyone in these parts.” Sean patted one of the horses. The big black gelding lowered his head for a good ear scratch. No one had taken time to comb out the tangles and burrs in his mane, and his hooves needed attention.

“You are a good fellow,” Sean mumbled and the horse closed his eyes in trust. There was something deeply calming about the man, Eloise agreed. He made others feel safe.

“Are you the folks the vet called about?” A middle-age man wearing faded overalls and carrying a pipe limped into sight. He didn’t seem to be in good health.

“We are.” She spun to face him, thinking about the blank check her boss had handed over to her. “I’m Eloise from the Lark Song Inn.”

“I’m Harry.” He tipped his sagging hat. “Are you still interested now that you’ve seen them? They ain’t much, and I regret to say I’m not up to caring for them.”

“I’m sure we can settle on a price.” She glanced over her shoulder at the horses, one still accepting strokes from Sean, the other watching the blue pickup sadly. He finally lowered his head, perhaps realizing his beloved former owner would not be emerging from the pickup, and stood still and silent, his dejection as tangible as the wind on her face.

She couldn’t bring back to them what was lost, but she could make sure these horses were cherished and pampered. Good things were ahead for them. They just didn’t know it yet. She tugged the check out of her purse, wondering how best to proceed.

“Do you trust me?” Sean towered over her, as breathtaking as any hero in a Western legend. “I can negotiate for you, if you’d like.”

“Yes, thank you.” She handed him the check, relieved in more ways than she knew how to say. She had no idea what the horses were worth, and she could see the man had a tough row to hoe. She didn’t know what was fair, but she sensed Sean knew how to make it right.

She watched him stride away and offer Harry his hand. They shook, making introductions and small talk about the man who was deceased. A low-throated nicker caught her attention, and she found the friendlier horse watching her with curious eyes.

“Your lives are about to improve.” She ran her fingertips down the gelding’s graying nose. “Just you wait and see.”

In the back lot at the inn Sean lowered the ramp with a clatter, surprised as Eloise tapped up the incline with a lead rope in hand. She didn’t let her cane slow her down much. A glow of admiration filled him as he followed her up. The horses, not used to the trailer, were in various stages of fear. The black one fidgeted against his gate.

Eloise laid a comforting hand on his flank and spoke calmly and confidently like someone who had been around horses all her life. “It’s going to be all right, Licorice.”

The gelding blew out a breath, as if he were highly doubtful of that.

“How about you, Hershey?” she asked, unlatching the brown gelding’s gate. The bay glanced over his shoulder to study her, his eyes white-rimmed, but he didn’t move much as Eloise clipped into his halter and led him out.

Why couldn’t he look away? He ought to be paying attention to the horses, but all he saw was the woman. She walked like a ballerina even with an obvious limp.

There was strength and a beauty inside her that became clearer every time he looked.

“I know you’re worried, Hershey, but trust me when I say you have one of the best stalls in the county waiting for you.” Her alto rose and fell like a song over the pad of her cane and the clomp of hooves on the ramp. “Cady went all out when she built this stable. Every stall is huge and it has a view. That’s it. Turn for me, big guy. Come this way, that’s right.”

Kindness made a woman truly beautiful, Sean decided as he laid a hand on the black’s neck. The gelding shivered, lunging nervously against the metal barrier.

“It’s all right,” he crooned, aware of the tension bunching in the horse’s muscles. “It has to be hard having no say in this, but you are going to be just fine. No worries, buddy.”

He clipped on the lead and backed the horse down the ramp. Every step Licorice took was halting as if he wanted to bolt into the trailer and go home. The unknown can be scary, so Sean used his voice to reassure the horse and led him down the breezeway between large but empty box stalls.

All he had to do was follow Eloise’s voice, which felt as natural as breathing. Sunlight found her, burnishing her blond hair and haloing her like a Renaissance painting. Her frilly blouse and slacks weren’t typical barn wear, but she didn’t look out of place as she secured the gate to the straw-strewn stall. Inside, Hershey gave a snort and paraded around, taking in his view of the grassy paddock and various troughs for water, grain and alfalfa.

“Licorice can have the corner stall.” She spotted him coming and opened the gate wide. “Rocco, who’s on barn duty, has everything ready for them.”

Across the row, a gold-and-white mare raced in from her paddock and clattered to a stop in her stall. Curious to meet her new neighbors, she arched her neck, whinnying in a friendly manner. Her big chocolate eyes shone a welcome.

“This is an exciting day for Misty, since she’s been all alone in the stable,” Eloise explained as he closed the gate and unhooked the lead.

“It’s a pretty good day for me, too,” he quipped, not at all sure how to say what he was feeling. “We did good work today.”

“Yes, and I am indebted to you, sir.” She handed him back the rope she’d used on Hershey. “I couldn’t have done this without help.”

“You mean without me.”

“Well, yes, since you’re the one who helped me.” She gave her shiny hair a toss behind her shoulder, shaking her head at him as if she didn’t know what to make of him. “It was good of you to volunteer. Cheyenne doesn’t know what she missed out on. Until next time, that is.”

“Hey, I don’t mind doing this again.” He kept his tone casual and made sure he didn’t make eye contact. A lone wolf didn’t work at making connections, he kept things light and loose. “I had fun. There’s a lot of satisfaction to this. These horses weren’t wanted, and now they are. It’s a good way to spend an afternoon.”

“So, you’re really volunteering for next time?”

“Absolutely. Might as well make myself useful. Besides, Cheyenne might be busy and I have lots of spare time.”

“Doesn’t Frank keep you busy at the ranch?” Her grin hitched up in the corners of her soft mouth.

Cute. He ambled down the aisle at her side. “Sure.

I get in a hard day’s work. Lately, my personal life has been a bit slow. That’s the way I want to keep it.”

“Me, too.” Was that a hint of sorrow turning her gorgeous eyes a deep, emerald green?

Hard to tell because it was gone as quickly as it came. “That is, if you want me to lend a hand. You know I come with a horse trailer, right?”

“I know.” She rolled her eyes at him.

Cuter. “Then you aren’t agreeing to this reluctantly?”

“I am.” She leaned her head back and gazed up into his eyes full on, a spark of humor lighting her up. “I am very reluctant about you.”

“Sure, cuz most folks are.” He smiled all the way down to his toes. It was nice being with her. They emerged through the open double doors into the kiss of the late-May sun and heat. Larks warbled, robins swooped by and a sparrow up on the roof chirped at them warningly. Grass whispered in the wind, leaves rustled and he couldn’t remember the last time he felt so good.

“My dad didn’t want me to grow up to be a cowboy, you know.” He knelt to put up the ramp, working quickly, hardly thinking about it. He finished the quick task with a rattle and clang. “Said it was hard work and a hard life. He wanted something more for me.”

“Is that why he didn’t stay and help Frank with the ranching?”

“Yep, but I guess he didn’t have the calling. Ranching is in my blood. That’s why I’m here.”

“Sometimes you get blessed with the right path to follow in life.” The wind tangled her sleek blond locks. Again, that brief flash of sadness disappeared as if it had never been. “It doesn’t always last, so you should enjoy it while you can.”

“Good advice.” He glanced at her cane, wondering if that’s what life had taught her. He had some advice for her, too. “Sometimes you feel lost. When you look down, you realize you are already walking the path meant for you.”

“You are a glass-is-half-full kind of man, aren’t you?” She led the way down a garden walkway.

“Sure. It’s a matter of choice. The glass has the same water in it either way.” He flashed his dimples at her. “Let me guess. You’re the kind who sees the glass as half-empty.”

“I’m pleading the fifth.” Dimples framed her smile, bright and merry.

The cutest yet. He jammed his hands into his pockets. “Speaking of glasses, I’m thirsty. How about we hunt down something cold to drink? My treat.”

“No, that makes it a date.” She grimaced in good humor. “Yikes. We probably don’t want that. I’ll get mine, you get yours.”

“Wow, I guess I know where I stand,” he quipped, following her down the breezeway.

“I’ve been on a lot of first dates lately. Did I sound defensive?”

“Only a little.” He was glad to be with her. Eloise was fun and interesting. He was looking forward to finding out exactly how much.




Chapter Four


“Thank you, Sierra.” Eloise lifted the iced coffee from the silver tray and took a cooling sip. Across from her on one of the inn’s comfortable porch swings, Sean did the same.

“That engagement ring looks good on you,” he told the waitress.

“Thanks. It’s taken some getting used to.” Sierra blushed rosily. Happiness radiated from her as she admired the impressive diamond on her left hand. “We have finally agreed on a July wedding.”

“This is news.” Sean leaned back, stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankles. He was an interesting man to watch, all long, lean lines, strength and old-West charisma. “Tucker said you wanted to make sure not to interfere with Autumn’s wedding next month.”

“More like in three weeks. Haven’t you noticed the flurry over it? You live in the same house.” Sierra shook her head merrily as she padded away, off to wait on the Neilsons who were at the far end of the porch, holding hands and talking intimately.

“A bachelor tries to ignore all conversations, activities or magazines with the word ‘wedding’ in them,” Sean quipped as he sipped at his coffee. “Self-preservation.”

“Typical. I suppose you’re the carefree-bachelor type. Never one to settle down.” He was handsome enough to have his pick of women. “You probably left a dozen broken hearts behind when you moved here.”

“Only one.” His grin didn’t lessen but the shine inside him did. His personality dimmed like a cloud passing before the sun. “And I didn’t leave it behind. I brought it with me. It was mine.”

“Yours?” He didn’t look like a man with a broken heart. He certainly didn’t act like one, not with his charm and easy humor. When she looked closer, emotion worked its way into the corner of his eyes, leaving attractive little crinkles. Perhaps he wasn’t as easygoing as she first thought. She gave the swing a little push with her foot, setting it into motion. “Are you sure you weren’t the one who did the breaking?”

“I was probably responsible for it.” His confession rang low with truth and sincerity. He gave the appearance of a tough, untouchable man but she suspected his feelings ran deep. His grin was gone along with his easygoing manner, replaced by a solid realness that was attractive and manly. He swallowed hard before he spoke again. “I landed a good job at a software company. I was in management overseeing this great project, but I wasn’t happy being trapped indoors all day.”

“That can be hard for a country boy.” She could picture it.

“I worked long hours, not that I mind hard work. I liked being a programmer, but I didn’t love it. When Uncle Frank called on my birthday in February, I admitted to him that I would rather be in a saddle all day. That he had my ideal life.”

“And he offered you a job?”

“He did. Temporary to start. To test the waters, he said, but I think he didn’t want to upset my dad too much.” He shrugged, glancing over his father’s disappointment. He took another pull on the straw, letting the cool settle across his tongue and glide down his throat. It helped wash away the tough feelings he was trying to avoid. “I gave my notice and talked my folks into seeing the positive side of this. I was really psyched. Uncle Frank has a lot of land and livestock. This is a good opportunity for me to do what I love for a living. It was my decision that changed everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“A special someone didn’t want a blue-collar ranch hand for a husband.” He may as well get it off his chest. “Meryl and I were engaged.”

“Were?”

“She dumped me.”

“Because you followed your dream?”

“That’s the long and short of it.” The country cliché was easier than admitting the truth. He’d loved Meryl. “I could have stayed, in fact I had the phone in hand to call Uncle Frank and decline his offer when I got the news she was already dating someone else and had been for a while. Hedging her bets, I think.”

“I’m sorry. That had to have hurt.”

“Yes.” He swallowed hard against the pain, which was lessening. Mostly it was the humiliation that troubled him now. “I made a crucial mistake, but I learned a valuable lesson. Never fall in love with someone who doesn’t love you the same way in return.”

“I learned that hard lesson, too.” She bit her bottom lip, the only sign of vulnerability he’d seen her make. With her classic good looks, smarts and kind personality he couldn’t imagine she’d been through something similar.

“Who had the bad form not to care about you?” he wanted to know.

“Oh, he cared. Just not enough.” Ghosts of pain darkened her green eyes and she shrugged one slender shoulder, as if she were well over it. No big deal.

He wasn’t fooled. “Who was he?”

“My ice-dancing partner.” She tore her gaze from his and stared out at the horizon, where the jagged peaks of the Tetons seemed to hold up the sky. “Cliché, I know. Gerald and I spent eight to ten hours a day together either on the ice or in the gym every day since I was eighteen. We even took classes together at the nearby university.”

“You were truly close to him.” He sympathized. He knew what that was like.

“I was.” Shaky, she lifted the glass and sipped, still watching the white puffs of clouds in the pristine blue sky and the visual wonder of the Teton Range. Maybe she was trying to keep her emotions distant, too.

“You had been together a long time?” A question more than a statement, but he wanted it to sound casual, as if his pulse hadn’t kicked up and he wasn’t eager to know why she’d been hurt.

“We were friends for the first three years and then it turned into something more. Something really nice.” Maybe she wasn’t aware of how her voice softened and her expression grew lighter as if she’d had the rare chance to touch more than one dream. She sat up straighter and set her coffee on the nearby end table. “For a while it was sweet and comfortable and reassuring. He was there whenever I needed him, at least when we were skating partners.”

“Sounds as if you two had a good bond.” He couldn’t say the same. He’d loved Meryl. He hated to admit he might still love her a little bit and against his will. But he’d never had that type of tie with her.

“It was nice.” She might think she was hiding her sadness, but she would be wrong. “I guess some things aren’t meant to last.”

“What happened?”

“Are you telling me you can’t guess?” She rubbed at her knee in small circles before turning away from him to fetch her drink. He didn’t imagine the hurt in the silence that fell between them.

A car accident, Cheyenne had said. But it was far more serious than that.

“A drunk driver was going the wrong way on the floating bridge when I was coming home after a late night practicing for my church’s Christmas pageant. I saw the lights and I tried to avoid him. But I steered toward the right hand shoulder, what little there was of it, and he decided to do the same. I spent the next few months in the hospital and the next year in a rehabilitation center in Los Angeles.” She took a sip, letting the pain settle between them. “Gerald couldn’t wait, he had to keep training, so he found another skating partner. It turned out my injury and the distance between Seattle and L.A. were problems too big to overcome and our bond faded.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you.” Sympathy, that was the only reason he reached over to lay his hand on hers. He cared, sure, but he was in control of his emotions. He didn’t care for her too much. He willed his understanding into his touch. “It wasn’t fair.”

“Fair? No. God never promised this life would be fair.” Her chin went up, not a woman to feel sorry for herself. “But there have been many blessings that have come my way. I survived the accident. I beat the odds to walk again. I’m really very blessed.”

“Sure, I see that,” he agreed. She was blessed in more ways than he had understood before. She had strength and faith enough not to let the unfairness of her accident and injuries embitter her spirit. It was hard not to like her more, and he twined his fingers through hers, holding on and not wanting to let go. When he gazed into her clear green eyes, a similar tug of emotion wrapped around him. “You’ve had some tough blows. First the accident, then the breakup.”

“Gerald tried. I have to give him credit. In the end he chose someone else.” Her fingers tightened on his, holding on to him, too. “Yes, it was his new skating partner.”

“Did you feel passed over?” That was certainly how he felt.

“Yes. It was easy for Gerald to move on. Proof his heart wasn’t in it as deeply as mine was.” She smiled, a mix of poignance and beauty that made her compelling. “Life goes on.”

“It does.” He was lost in the moment gazing into her, and he couldn’t remember the name of any woman previous. The brush of the breeze, the murmur of the other couple on the porch and the faint rasp of the rocking swing silenced. The world narrowed until there was only Eloise and her hand, so much smaller, tucked in his.

Footsteps vaguely drummed closer and a familiar woman’s voice pierced into his thoughts, pushing back the boundaries of his world so that Eloise was no longer the center. Cady smiled down at him and she wasn’t alone. Two dark-haired girls, one around ten with braided pigtails and the other a little older with a touch of disdain, stood by her.

“Are you boyfriend and girlfriend?” the youngest girl wanted to know.

“No.” He abruptly sat up and whipped his hand away from Eloise’s. He knew why the kid was asking. It looked as if they were, sitting together with hands linked and sharing secrets. Couples did that sort of thing. He noticed Eloise seemed uncomfortable, too. He caught Cady’s curious look and set out to reassure her. “Just talking. That’s all. I suppose you heard about the horses?”

“I found Eloise’s message on my voice mail when I reached the airport. I had to pick up these two and their father.” Cady was honorary family to the girls and their godmother. They all had been close when she’d lived in New York City. Cady gently steered the kids toward the steps. “I can’t wait to see our new horses. I didn’t think to ask if they were gentle or even trained.”

“They appear to be.” Eloise grappled for her cane. “Their previous owner took good care of them, rode them regularly and they are steady and gentle. With a little training, they should make good, reliable horses for guests to ride.”

“Excellent. What a great job, Eloise.” Cady beamed, her happiness evident, before leading the girls away. “Let’s go see the horses that were saved because of you, Julianna Elizabeth Stone.”

“Do we get to ride them?” the little girl wanted to know as she skipped down the steps, and Cady’s answer was lost in a rising gust of warm wind.

“Well, I guess I had better get back to my desk.” Eloise checked her watch and grabbed her cane. “I’ve got just enough of my day left to call the farrier. Tonight I have to get off work on time.”

“Why’s that?” He climbed to his feet and followed her along the porch.

“I’ve got a date tonight. A blind date.” She let her tone say it all.

“Poor you. Who set you up?”

“My grandma.” She liked that Sean opened the door for her and held it. He was a gentleman underneath his cowboy charm. She stepped into the air-conditioning with a sigh. “She is the only person I can’t say no to.”

“So you are stuck going out on a date when you don’t want to date?”

“Exactly.” She liked that he understood. Her own mother had little sympathy for the situation with her matchmaking grandma. “But it’s only one dinner. I can suffer through anything for an hour or so, at least that’s what I tell myself.”

“Sure. Who is it with?”

“I don’t know him. Some guy who lives in the next town over.” She hesitated in the well-appointed lobby, where their paths would part. The front door loomed to the left, the hallway leading to her office to the right. Remembering what Julianna had said made her blush. She wasn’t interested in Sean in that way. “The last thing I need is a boyfriend.”

“Right, because who wants to be tied down like that?” He swept off his Stetson and raked a hand through his thick dark hair. “Who needs the heartache?”

“You said it.” It was nice that they shared this common ground. Not wanting a repeat of earlier when he’d held her hand too long, she backed away. Maybe a no-physical-contact policy between them would be a good idea. “Thanks again, Sean.”

“Any time. I’ll see you on the next horse-gathering mission?”

“Absolutely.” She spun on her heel so she couldn’t be tempted to watch him walk away. So she couldn’t be tempted to wonder why any woman would have chosen another man over him. He didn’t even seem to notice her disability. He didn’t treat her differently because of her limp. He had understood the devastation she’d felt after her accident and her breakup.

He was a nice guy. A really nice guy. That type of man was hard to find, which made her think about her impending date. She gripped her cane tightly and turned her thoughts to the evening ahead. Please, Lord, she prayed as she always did before one of Gran’s fix-ups. Let this blind date not be too uncomfortable.

God hadn’t answered that particular prayer yet, but there was always a first. She was determined to hold out hope.

“We have to fend for ourselves tonight.” Uncle Frank looked up from his laptop on the kitchen table the moment Sean came through the door. “The girls are in Jackson trying on the dresses for Autumn’s wedding and dragged Mrs. G. with them. I told her you and I could throw something on the barbecue or hit the diner. What do you say?”

“The diner.” He’d just finished cleaning out three stables and feeding all the horses. That explained where Autumn was, who practically lived in the barns. “Where’s Tucker?”

“His fiancée is cooking for him, but he didn’t see fit to extend an invitation to us.” Frank grinned and pushed away from the table. “Let me grab my hat and my keys. How did the horse rescue turn out?”

“Good. The inn has some gentle animals, and some good horses have a caring home.” He turned on his heel and headed right back out the door.

“Then it’s good news all around.” Frank seemed in an unusually chipper mood but he didn’t explain as he hopped down the steps. Buttercup dashed up to the fence and mooed, her bright eyes sparkling. “Hey, girl. I’ll come see you later. How’s that?”

A discontented moo trailed after them as they headed to the garage.

“Tucker’s about ready to take possession of the land he bought.” Frank hopped into the driver’s seat of his big black pickup.

Sean climbed into the passenger seat and buckled in. He liked his uncle. He couldn’t count the number of times Dad had said, “You remind me of my brother.” Sean supposed he and Frank were alike in some ways. They both liked the outdoors, loved animals, had ranching in their blood. Sean liked to think he was as even-tempered. “Does that mean the Greens are officially moved off the land he bought?”

“They leave tomorrow for Florida. Retirement. I can’t picture that.” He started the engine and gunned down the driveway with the speed and skill of someone who had done it thousands of times. Trees whipped by along with rolling green fenced fields full of grazing horses. The view of the Tetons and the Wyoming sky could knock the breath out of you. Frank turned the truck onto the paved county road. “I’m going to wind up like my dad. I’ll be here until the end of my days.”

“It’s not a bad life sentence.”

“I reckon not. Say, I hear you’re on the rebound,”

Frank said as if he were discussing the weather and not dropping a bombshell.

“Where did you hear that?” He chuckled. “Who am I rebounding with?”

Then he knew. He remembered Eloise’s hand beneath his, the feminine feel of her slender fingers entwined between his. The talk they’d shared on the porch in plain view of anyone walking by. “Cady told you, didn’t she?”

“She mentioned seeing you and Eloise together.” Frank kept his gaze on the road as if indifferent, but there was no missing his knowing grin.

“We were having a cool drink after fetching the horses. No big deal.”

“No big deal. Sure, I get that. Except the two of you were holding hands.”

Nothing was private in a small town. Sean chuckled. “Looks are deceiving. Cady saw me comforting a friend, that was all.”

“A friend. If that’s what you want to call her, fine by me.” Uncle Frank’s ear-to-ear grin said he knew differently.

He would be wrong. “Eloise has had a tough time. We were talking about it. Friends do that.”

“You don’t need to convince me.”

As if that were even possible. It looked as if his uncle had already made up his mind. Sean shifted on the seat to watch a hawk glide by over the long stretch of field. He and Eloise knew the truth. On the rebound?

He shook his head. It would take a long time before he would be ready to jump in and risk a romantic relationship, rebound or not.

Talk turned to the subjects of the ranch and family until town came into view. The truck rolled to a stop in front of the diner’s wide picture windows and a familiar fall of straight golden hair and a cute profile drew his attention. Eloise sat at a booth with a fork poised in midair, listening intently to something her dinner partner said.

Dinner partner. Sean’s brain clicked into gear. Her date. She was on a blind date this evening. He frowned at the guy who wore a white dress shirt and dark slacks and had a wholesome, all-American look to him. Sean bristled. He didn’t trust that guy. He unlatched his seat-belt, opened the door and dropped to the ground. On the other side of the sun-streaked glass, she turned toward the window, toward him, and her gaze arrowed to his.

Surprise flashed in her gentle green eyes before she returned her attention back to her dinner date. In that one moment he felt dismissed, a friend and not more, just as he’d insisted on being.




Chapter Five


He’s coming into the diner! That single realization sent nerves zipping through Eloise’s stomach as she watched George cut what remained of his chicken-fried steak into tiny pieces. She trained her eyes on her dinner date but her attention slipped toward the opening door even if her gaze didn’t. The door swung open and in the background Sean sauntered in. He planted his hands on his hips but he didn’t glance her way. His mile-wide shoulders squared as he ambled down the far aisle with his uncle and out of her field of vision.





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