Not Over You (Prosperity Ranch Book 3)

by Heather B. Moore

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Not Over You

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Sneak Peek!

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  About Heather B. Moore

  Copyright © 2020 by Heather B. Moore

  E-book edition

  All rights reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles. This is a work of fiction. The characters, names, incidents, places, and dialogue are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

  Interior design by Cora Johnson

  Edited by JL Editing Services and Lisa Shepherd

  Cover design by Rachael Anderson

  Cover image credit: Deposit Photos #188545972

  Published by Mirror Press, LLC

  Dear Reader,

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  Heather B. Moore

  PROSPERITY RANCH SERIES

  One Summer Day

  Steal My Heart

  Not Over You

  He left her behind. She’s spent years ignoring him. But some things can never be forgotten.

  Knox Prosper knows he can never go back in time and correct his mistakes, so he has to find a way to move forward, and start a new life. Become a better man, and a father, if only for his young daughter. His regrets have taught him to simplify and to focus on what’s real and important. Returning to his hometown to ride in the rodeo gives him a chance to spend time with his daughter and to continue mending bridges with the rest of his family. But what he doesn’t expect is to run into Jana Harris, the first woman he loved—the woman who faded from his life years before because Knox continued to mess up one thing after another. Someone as good and as sweet as Jana is the last person he deserves. Hope is dangerous. And hope can break his heart once again. Yet, Jana might be the one person with the power to redeem his past once and for all.

  Dear Miss Jewel,

  My boyfriend of three years still hasn’t proposed, and now he wants me to move in with him. Should I tell him to put a ring on it?

  Sincerely,

  Nina, confused in Dallas

  Dear Nina,

  Three years? You’ve been patient long enough, honey. It’s time to give him that ultimatum. Tell him where you stand. Demand that he meet you halfway in this relationship. If he doesn’t, then it’s his loss, and you’ll be moving on to better things.

  Jana Harris backspaced on the entire paragraph, then took another sip of her lemon tea as she read through Nina’s plight again. Sometimes, Jana’s first response wasn’t the best one.

  Dear Nina,

  There comes a time in every relationship when we need to give the ultimatum, but you need to be able to live with those consequences, whatever that might be. If three years with no ring is your threshold, then yes, it’s time. Have that talk, dear. Let him know that you have hopes and dreams, too.

  Rooting for you,

  Miss Jewel

  There. The relationship advice was solid and genuine, and wouldn’t seem pushy to the hundreds of thousands of readers out there. Jana’s relationship advice column was syndicated in every major newspaper in Texas, a huge feat if she considered that she operated out of the tiny town of Prosper, and hadn’t dated anyone seriously in… years.

  It wasn’t like she didn’t want to date. Heck, she was at Racoons, the town bar, every weekend with her besties Patsy and Barb. Jana flirted, laughed, batted her eyes, and danced. Yet…

  No one was like him. And no one would ever be. That was okay, though. First crushes, or loves, or obsessions, never really faded away. Right? Jana should know. After all, she was Miss Jewel, the Queen of Dating, at least to the masses out there who didn’t even know her real name, or the fact that she lived in a teeny tiny Texan town where the biggest thing during the year was the rodeo.

  Yep. Cowboys and cowgirls, roping calves, riding bulls, and racing around barrels.

  None of it Jana could do. In fact, she hadn’t watched a rodeo since he left town.

  She couldn’t. It only reminded her once again how she’d failed at everything she’d tried. Failed to get into college. Failed to get any of her novels published. Failed to be friends with her older sister. Failed to heal her broken heart. Failed to move on.

  Jana had read enough self-help books and written enough advice columns to know that she was in a rut. Problem was, the rut was so deep and the bottom so muddy that she hadn’t been able to get out, no matter how many promising green bushes she tried to grab onto.

  Her phone alarm went off, pulling Jana from her thoughts. It was time to get to work—her real job, that is. The one that paid the bills at her parents’ small farmhouse. They’d left their business to Jana and her sister, but only Jana had stayed.

  Natalie was the brains out of the two sisters and had gone on to college, then law school. She didn’t want to live in a tiny town and get her hands dirty—or sticky, as the case would be with the homemade jams that their parents had turned into a fledgling business. One that Mr. and Mrs. Harris had mostly retired from. They spent their time in San Antonio, living at a country club, and golfing or playing tennis every day. Who would have thought?

  Not Jana. Her parents weren’t ranchers. They didn’t have enough property for that, not after her grandpa had sold off parcel after parcel, and never invested a dime. Her mom had come up with the idea of making homemade jams, and her dad had locked down a distributor. Now, Harris Farms Preserves were sold in most small-town grocery stores from here to San Antonio. Not quite large enough to move out of the farmhouse kitchen, but busy enough that Jana spent four to six hours a day on the business.

  Her dad still ran the financial side of the business, and her mom managed the website and customer service. It was up to Jana to make the jam, fill the jars, and ensure the pickup went smoothly when the truck came to collect the jam jars.

  On today’s to-do list was making raspberry jam batches.

  But her phone rang before she finished unloading a crate of new jars. Jana frowned when she answered. “What’s up, Barb?” Her friend didn’t usually call in the middle of the day.

  “You’re not gonna believe this, hon,” Barb said, her voice a gushing tidal wave. “Not in a million years. Or a hundred million years.”

  Suffice it to say, Barb could be a bit over-the-top, and she was probably the biggest gossip in Prosper. But Jana had no problem being entertained. “Oh yeah? Are you going to make me guess that long?”

  Barb scoffed. “I don’t have all day, hon. Besides, it’s burning my tongue.”

  “Then out with it,” Jana said with a laugh.

  “Mayor Prosper had the lineup for this weekend’s rodeo on the computer screen at the arena office,” Barb said. “It was there in plain sight, so I didn’t think there’d be any ha
rm in looking, you know? Just to see which fine cowboys might be coming to our little town.”

  Jana opened the cupboard and pulled out a box of pectin she bought in bulk. “I thought this was burning your tongue. Out with it.”

  Barb took a breezy breath. “Make sure you’re not holding one of those pretty jam jars of yours, because I don’t want you to drop it.”

  “Barb…”

  “Okay, hon.” Another breath. “Knox Prosper entered the bull-riding. He’s coming back to Prosper.”

  Jana was glad she was alone in her kitchen, and she was glad she wasn’t holding a jam jar after all. Barb was still talking—speculating, of course—but Jana hadn’t heard anything after the name Knox Prosper.

  It was him.

  The guy she hadn’t gotten over. The guy who she’d been in love with ever since she could remember—she and every female within fifty miles of Prosper. The guy who’d dumped her right before prom and hadn’t spoken to her since. The guy who’d married another woman in a shotgun wedding. That woman then divorced him, returned to Prosper with their kid, and before anyone knew what time of day it was, married his brother.

  Knox Prosper had made himself scarce for a long time. Years, really. He’d come into town only once last year for the rodeo, did the bull-riding then, too. But that was before he’d gotten some fame on the pro-rodeo circuit. Yeah, he was making a name for himself now. Which, of course, made him even more off-limits to Jana. He hadn’t ever explained why he’d stopped talking to her, and she doubted he ever would.

  Good riddance.

  “Thanks for the warning.” Jana cut off Barb with a fake, breezy laugh. “Not like I was planning on going, anyway.”

  “I know, hon,” Barb said. “But what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t tell you first? You know, before someone else did.”

  “Right,” Jana said. “So are we still on for tomorrow night at Racoons?”

  “Sure thing, hon. Girls night out.”

  “Perfect.” Jana turned to gaze out the kitchen window that overlooked the neighbor’s ranch. Ten-year-old Ellie McIverson was out riding her horse like usual. That girl never seemed to quit.

  After Barb hung up, Jana finally allowed herself to react to the news about Knox coming into town again. Of course he’d come to Prosper. His kid was here. His entire family was here, and word was—from Barb—that he’d made amends. Mostly. How much amends could really be made when your ex-wife had married your brother?

  Jana closed her eyes and eased out a long breath.

  She was over him. There was no reason for any butterflies to be tickling her skin right now. For all she knew, he had a girlfriend, or two or three. Knox had never lacked in the ladies department.

  Which was why he should totally and completely repel her.

  She knew better than to let her heart continue to chase after a guy like him. A guy who’d never be faithful. A guy who’d never be hers even if he changed.

  Her phone rang again, and Jana sighed. Apparently, she wasn’t getting a break today. It was Natalie, which meant this was a business call. Her sister texted when she wanted to be social, emailed when she didn’t want Jana to forget something, and called when it was urgent business.

  “Hello,” Jana answered.

  “Jana, you got a few minutes?” Natalie’s tone was brusque. Without waiting for a reply, she said, “Mom and Dad are on the phone. Hang on, let me conference everyone together.”

  One second, then two, then Natalie said, “Jana, you still there?”

  “Yep,” Jana said. “Still here.” No one laughed.

  “Hello, dear,” her mother said, her tone the typical disconnected breathy quality as always.

  “Hi, Mom,” Jana said.

  “All right,” her dad cut in. “Natalie was telling us about a new inventory software one of her clients built. We’re going to start implementing it at the end of the month. Right now, I’m taking a training class on it here in San Antonio, then I can teach you, Jana.”

  “Okay,” Jana said, frowning. “Why don’t I come and train? Then it will cut that time in half.” She knew her dad always appreciated time shortcuts.

  “No, you’re right where you need to be,” her dad continued without any pause. “I don’t want to have to cover your end of the production with one of those pimply kids who will break jars.”

  “Besides,” Natalie cut in, “this software company is interested in having dad sit on their board. So this will be an excellent boon to him.”

  Jana’s dad sat on more than one company’s boards, as a consultant for product development. He’d originally started Harris Farms Preserves for her mom specifically because she wanted her own company. The thing had taken off—modestly—and now provided Jana’s living. But at times, she felt like the most unsupported employee in Texas.

  “That’s wonderful, dear,” her mother said, now speaking to her dad. “But I thought you were going to cut back. We’re supposed to be retired.”

  Her dad’s chuckle was empty. “We could give up the country club membership, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Of course not,” her mother murmured.

  Jana exhaled, having heard this exact conversation more times than not.

  “It’s settled, then,” her dad said. “Natalie is adding it to our company bylaws.”

  “All right,” Jana said. It wasn’t like she’d have a choice. Once her dad made up his mind, it was made up.

  “Hi, baby girl.” Knox Prosper crouched so that he was eye level with his five-year-old daughter.

  Right now, Ruby had her freckled nose scrunched, and her brown eyes, so much like her mom’s, narrowed at him.

  “You forgot my birf-day.”

  Heat raced through Knox, but he pushed away the guilt. One of those books he’d read about rekindling broken relationships had counseled to not let the first emotion become too overwhelming. Guilt, embarrassment, regret—they were all right there, burning up his chest right now.

  “I’m sorry about that, baby.” Knox tucked a bit of curly hair behind Ruby’s ear. They were outside his parents’ home—neutral turf for them both—and Knox was sitting with his daughter on the porch swing. “But there’s one good thing about a late birthday wish.”

  Ruby’s eyes rounded. “Like what?”

  She was getting too smart for her own good.

  “It means you get even more presents.” Knox reached for the sack that Ruby had been eying the past few minutes. “How old are you?”

  “Five,” Ruby said, sounding as if she were personally offended that her own daddy didn’t know her age.

  Knox held back a chuckle. “Five, huh? Well, looks like I guessed right.” He reached into the sack and pulled out a wrapped gift. “Because that’s how many presents I got in here.”

  “Five presents?” Ruby said. “All for me?”

  “That’s right, baby girl,” Knox said. “All for you. And I hope you can forgive me for not calling you last week.”

  Ruby was grinning, and Knox wondered for the thousandth time how he ever got so lucky to have a daughter like her. She was literally the sun in his life.

  “I forgive you, Daddy.” Ruby’s small arms wrapped around his neck in a chokehold.

  Even though he couldn’t exactly breathe, he pulled her closer. “Thank you.”

  “Can I open them now?” Ruby pulled back, her brown eyes as serious as he’d ever seen them.

  His mouth quirked. “Yes, right now.”

  He was pretty sure this was considered bribing his kid, buying her love or whatnot. And he was pretty sure that his ex-wife, Macie, could hear every word of their conversation through the front screen door. Later, she’d also tell about what he’d done wrong, Macie wouldn’t fail him in that. It might have bugged him—no, infuriated him—a few months ago. But now…

  It wasn’t like Knox had done a one-eighty in his life. He still had plenty of flaws, and some of them major, but he’d done maybe a one-ten? And he was working on the other se
venty degrees of change. Because if there was one thing he did want in life, even more than his aspirations on the pro-rodeo circuit, it was to do right by the little girl sitting next to him.

  “A unicorn?” Ruby exclaimed. “I love it, Daddy! Now I have two unicorns.”

  Knox bit back a groan. Of course, he had no idea which toys his daughter did or didn’t have. How could he? He’d never been inside of her bedroom at the home she currently lived in with Macie and Holt. And Knox didn’t have any immediate plans to change that, either.

  Now, he watched Ruby open the second gift.

  “Bubbles!” she squealed. “I love bubbles!”

  Knox chuckled. His daughter wasted no time in sliding off the porch swing and opening the bubbles. But she’d opened them on an angle, and half the liquid spilled out.

  “Whoa, there,” Knox said, grasping the bottle and tilting it upright. “Maybe we can do this after you open the other presents.”

  “It spilled,” Ruby said, her small teeth biting down on her lower lip.

  “Just a little,” Knox soothed. “We can make some more, if you want.”

  Her forehead wrinkled as her pretty brown eyes studied him. “Do you know how to make bubbles?”

  How hard could it be? “Sure do, baby girl.”

  “Okay.” Ruby set the sudsy bottle into his hands.

  He felt like he’d been slimed, and he discreetly wiped his hands on his jeans, which had seen much better days.

  Ruby tore into the third present, then the fourth, and finally, the fifth.

  Perhaps Knox had gone overboard. But there’d been plenty of things he hadn’t paid for in his marriage that he should have. And today, he was taking the first step to set that all straight, too. It would still take a while to pay back his brother Holt what he owed, but every bit would help.

  Ruby yawned as she clutched her five new toys to her chest. Macie had warned him it was nearly nap time, but Knox hadn’t wanted to wait any longer. Later this afternoon, more family would be around, and all he had the strength to deal with right now was his little girl.