The Rancher's Return

by Kathy Douglass

  Telling herself that nothing could hurt her heart more than it already was, Raven allowed Donovan to help her onto her horse and waited until he was beside her. “This is your show.”

  A look of disappointment flashed on his face and she felt guilty. There was no reason for her to be snippy just because he didn’t love her. She had a feeling he was going to propose to her. Why else would he be making such a big production of this? Why else would Elias be so excited? They both expected that she would say yes and that they would become one big happy family.

  Unfortunately there was no way that was going to happen. She loved Donovan. She loved Elias. But she was going to disappoint both of them when she said no. And she had to say no. She loved Donovan too much to say yes. Unrequited love would turn to resentment and anger and ruin any chance they had of remaining friends.

  They traveled across her family’s ranch and then headed across his. She thought he would take her to their special place, but he didn’t go in that direction. Where was he going? Her heart sank as she thought he might go to the spot where they’d once considered building a house. That would be too cruel. But he didn’t head there, either. She decided to stop trying to guess and just calm down. Thinking of all the possibilities was only stressing her out.

  She turned her attention to her surroundings, hoping that focusing on nature would calm her spirit. The sky was a beautiful blue without a cloud in sight. The sun was shining but it wasn’t too hot. This actually was a perfect day. Though she wasn’t exactly relaxed, she was no longer tense.

  After twenty more minutes, Donovan slowed and then stopped his horse, so she did the same. They dismounted. He led her to a tree.

  “Where are we?”

  “You don’t recognize this place?”

  She looked around and searched for something familiar. Nothing here triggered her memory. “No. Should I?”

  He smiled. “No. We’ve never been here before.”

  “Then why did you ask me that?”

  “I’m trying to make a point.”

  “Well, try again. I missed it.”

  “We’ve never been here before. It has no tie to our past. This is where we can make a new beginning.” He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, they were so clear she could see straight to his soul. “When I came back, I wanted so badly to make up for everything I’d lost in the past. I tried to pick up my life and make up for lost time. That’s not possible. I know that now.

  “Right here in this place, I want to begin the future. With you. The past is over. But the present is good. And the future looks wonderful. That is, if you’ll share it with me.”

  “Donovan...”

  “Shh.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box then knelt. She knew what was coming and her heart began to flutter. Despite herself, she wanted to hear the words.

  “I love you, Raven. Will you marry me?”

  Her heart ached and tears flooded her eyes then overflowed, sliding down her cheeks. “I can’t, Donovan.”

  “Of course you can.”

  “I know you want to have Elias in your life. I won’t stand in the way. You don’t have to marry me for that to happen.”

  “I know that. But I want more than Elias in my life. I want you.”

  “Donovan, stop.”

  “I know you think I don’t love you, but I do.” He pulled out a Swiss army knife and pricked his finger then held out his hand.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I didn’t let you become a member of my club when we were kids. But starting now, I want us to be in the same club.”

  She shook her head. “This won’t change anything.”

  “So then there’s no reason not to do it.”

  Shaking her head, she took the knife and pricked her finger. Then he rubbed their fingers together. “You know that is so unsanitary.”

  “Don’t ruin the moment.”

  He stepped up to the huge tree and carved their initials and then scratched a heart around them. “I love you, Raven.”

  Her heart cracked but she kept her voice steady. “I wish it was true.”

  “It is.”

  “Then I wish I could believe it.”

  “What’s holding you back?”

  “Fear. Doubt. I want to trust this feeling but how can I? You want to be a part of Elias’s life. If that means marrying me, then I guess that’s a sacrifice you’re willing to make.”

  “So what you’re saying is you need proof that I was interested before.”

  “Yes.”

  “I can’t...” He stopped and then his eyes lit up. “Come on.”

  “What?”

  He didn’t answer but rather hopped onto his horse. More than a little curious and incredibly hopeful, she jumped on hers, as well. As they galloped across the ranch, she wondered how he could prove that his feelings were real and that he did love her. She hoped he could. And maybe she should believe him. After all, he was going through a lot of trouble if he only wanted Elias.

  When they reached her ranch, he swung down from his horse and once more she followed suit. After asking a ranch hand to care for the horses, he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into the kitchen. Elias, her parents and his parents looked up.

  “Did she say yes?” Elias asked.

  “Not yet.”

  “Mom,” Elias groaned. The adults muttered and looked puzzled. Even Marilyn seemed disappointed. What was that about?

  “Give me a couple more minutes.”

  He led her through the house and onto the front porch. “Sit down.”

  “Okay.” Her heart was pounding. She didn’t understand what a change of scenery would do, but she was willing to go with it.

  “I just hope they’re still there.”

  “What?”

  He opened the chest in front of the love seat. “Yes.”

  She leaned forward. “What?”

  “Do you remember that night I came over for dinner the first time?”

  She nodded. If she remembered correctly, he’d been acting strangely when she’d opened the door. It was as if he’d been running.

  “At the time I was thinking about dating you, but it was too soon. And you were still so angry about me not telling you why I had stayed away. But I was interested then. And I wanted the chance to get back together again. And it had absolutely nothing to do with Elias. It was you. Only you. It’s always been you.”

  “Okay.”

  He pulled out a bundle of dried flowers. Although no longer fresh, they were still beautiful. “I was going to give these to you at the time, but it seemed too...obvious. Too much too soon. I didn’t think you were ready to accept anything from me, especially my love.”

  “Are you saying you loved me then?”

  He breathed out. “Yes. I’m saying I loved you then. I’ve been trying to figure out if the love I feel is from the past or the present. It finally hit me that it’s both. I loved you then. I love you now. I’ll love you always.”

  “Oh.”

  He held out the ring again.

  Throwing caution to the wind, she took it. “I’ve always loved you, too.”

  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. Her knees weakened and her heart filled with love. She was happier than she’d ever been in her life.

  She heard cheering and turned around.

  “Well?” Elias asked.

  Donovan nodded. “She said yes.”

  Their families cheered and even her mother looked excited. Elias joined in the hug and a feeling of contentment like nothing she’d ever felt filled her. Finally she had everything she wanted. She was back with the man she loved. Her rancher had returned.

  * * *

  Make sure to return to

  Sweet Briar, North Carolina,
r />   when Kathy Douglass’s

  Sweet Briar Sweethearts

  series continues

  in August 2019!

  Only from Harlequin Special Edition.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Not Just the Girl Next Door by Stacy Connelly.

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  Not Just the Girl Next Door

  by Stacy Connelly

  Chapter One

  Mollie McFadden scooted closer to the good-looking guy in the corner. “Hey, handsome. How’d a fellow like you end up in a place like this?”

  Soulful brown eyes glanced in her direction, then quickly away, but Mollie didn’t let that deter her. She had a reputation for winning over strong, silent types. “I bet you’ve got a story to tell, don’t you?”

  Again a slight flicker of eyelids, this time followed by a big sigh.

  “A heartbreaking one, too, huh?” She inched a little closer but kept her hands to herself even though her heart ached to offer the comfort he obviously craved. “Bet you’re feeling lost and abandoned and alone.”

  Her pulse skipped a beat as he shifted. He might have simply been looking for a more comfortable position, but she didn’t miss how he settled a little closer to her. “But you have to believe things are going to get better.”

  He let out a huff that sounded more than a little doubtful. “I’m telling you, it will. Look at all Spring Forest has been through in the last few months, including a tornado, of all things!”

  Maybe she was reading too much into body language, but Mollie swore a slight shudder ran through his solid frame. “The storm was pretty scary, wasn’t it? But in Spring Forest, people really help each other out. You’ll see if you just give us a chance. In fact...” she leaned closer to whisper “...something tells me you might even find your perfect match.”

  A pair of dark eyebrows rose at that. “I know, I know. It seems hard to believe now, but I have a good feeling about this.”

  And that feeling grew and bloomed and warmed her heart into a melting puddle of goo as the rescue dog named Chief slowly lowered his chin to rest against her jean-clad thigh.

  Reaching out, she gently placed her hand on the soft ruff of fur at his neck. “We’re going to find a great home for you.” Though she’d worked with plenty of pound puppies during her years volunteering at the animal shelter, Mollie’s throat clogged with tears as she promised, “The very best home.”

  The Whitaker sisters, affectionately known by the nicknames Birdie and Bunny, had asked Mollie to come to the Furever Paws Animal Rescue to meet with Chief. As a dog trainer, she worked with many dogs—from purebreds to shelter mutts. Shy pups like Chief, though, were the ones she had a soft spot for. Most canines were outgoing, adventurous and loving by nature. To see one so trapped by fear, cowering in the back of his kennel, broke her heart.

  Adopters were all too likely to pass up diamonds in the rough like Chief. “Not this time, boy,” she promised. “We’re going to break you out of your shell and show the world how fabulous you are.”

  Mollie cringed a little at the familiar words. They mirrored the bold, confident vow her friend Amanda Sylvester had made. Only Amanda hadn’t been talking about a four-legged companion. She’d been talking about Mollie.

  But Mollie didn’t care about the whole world seeing her as special...just one particular guy who unfortunately only saw her as his best friend’s little sister.

  Chief made a small sound, a mix between a whine and a bark, definitely punctuated by a question mark at the end.

  “Oh, don’t you worry,” Mollie insisted as she shoved thoughts of her pathetic love life from her mind. “The odds are way more in your favor.”

  With his striking black-and-tan coloring, medium build and short fur, Chief had the outward makings of an easily adoptable dog. All he needed was a bit of confidence and adopters would no longer walk by his kennel before he had a chance to catch their eye.

  “Something tells me you’re smart, too.” Even though he was a mix, shepherds were generally regarded as one of the most intelligent breeds. “I bet we can even teach you some tricks, like—”

  Mollie didn’t get a chance to tell Chief about the joys of fetch. A sudden crash shook the window. With a startled yelp, the dog scrambled to his paws and scurried to his corner.

  Mollie glared at the wall as if she could see through to the construction going on outside. She’d asked Birdie to take Chief out of his kennel and into one of the visitation rooms. Though the furnishings were all secondhand donations, the worn brown leather sofas, mismatched end tables and floral area rug had all the touches of a typical living room. Mollie wanted Chief to associate the home-like environment with a safe and happy place.

  Something she was going to have an even harder time accomplishing now. Mollie took a deep breath and forced her own tense muscles to relax. Getting frustrated wouldn’t help. She often felt her own dog, Arti, could tell what kind of a day she’d had before she even walked through the door and kicked off her shoes. She didn’t want poor Chief thinking she was upset with him.

  But despite her best efforts, the loud noise had erased the small progress she’d made. Curled in the corner with his nose practically tucked behind his hind leg, the dog refused to respond.

  Swallowing her disappointment, but reminding herself that changing behavior took time, she slipped from the room and walked down the long hallway toward the main lobby. Thanks to a recent fund-raiser, the Whitaker sisters had plans to spruce up the small space, including updating the furniture and adding some color to the plain beige walls and a new stain treatment to the concrete floors.

  For now, the main bright spot was the small gift shop off to the side where a rainbow of leashes and collars lined the walls in a variety of styles and sizes. The store also offered a selection of bowls and toys and beds. Everything an adopter might need when taking home a new furry friend.

  One of the shelter volunteers was working the front desk, phone tucked against her shoulder as she jotted some notes. “I’m sorry, can you say that again?” the girl asked, pressing her free hand against her ear as the high-pitched whine of a saw filled the air.

  Mollie pushed one of the glass doors open and stepped out onto the front porch. The scent of freshly cut wood drifted on the midmorning breeze, and she followed the strident, no-nonsense sound of Birdie Whitaker’s voice around the side of the building. The sixtysomething shelter co-owner, dresse
d in a denim jumpsuit over a long-sleeved blue T-shirt, was known for working twice as hard as most people half her age.

  “Is everything okay?” Mollie asked after the woman finished her conversation with the construction foreman.

  Birdie shook her head. “I can’t wait for these repairs to be over. I hope the work will start to speed up now that Rebekah’s applied for a grant,” she said, speaking of the shelter’s new director.

  The brown roof and dark gray siding weren’t much to look at, but the prominently displayed logo—the silhouette of a dog and a cat within a large heart—spoke to the shelter’s main purpose. And, as always, Birdie focused on what mattered most. “We hope to use that money to expand the kennels so we can house more animals, plus create an outdoor space for the cats and a dog run.”

  “The changes are going to be a huge benefit to the shelter,” Mollie agreed. And, more importantly, to the animals. Birdie and Bunny were such amazing advocates for the furry friends in their care—always striving to treat them as potential pets rather than as unwanted strays.

  “But now for the reason why I asked you to come to Furever Paws today. What do you think about Chief?”

  “He’s such a sweet dog, but he’s so skittish.” After explaining her minor success with the dog and then Chief’s reaction to the noise outside, Mollie asked, “Is there anyone here he’s bonded with?”

  If ever a dog needed a foster home, it was Chief. Between the volunteers and a stream of adopters coming through, not to mention the varied mix of other animals, shelters could be stressful. Add in the construction noise, and kennel life had to be terrifying for the poor dog.

  “Well,” the older woman mused, “there is someone.” Spotting another volunteer walking up the gravel parking lot with a gorgeous yellow Lab, Birdie said, “Excuse me for one moment.”

  After speaking to the young woman, Birdie returned to Mollie’s side. “Come with me. There’s something you should see.”

  Leading the way back down the hall toward the visitation room, Birdie stopped at the large viewing window. As she stepped up to the glass, Mollie looked for Chief in his corner, but the dog wasn’t there. Instead, he was sitting in the middle of the room, gazing adoringly at a gorgeous blonde.