“Jace?” Carlene muttered.
“Surprise.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “For you and our daughter both.”
“Come in, come in. I’m so glad you could…”
“We are on our way to Florida for a meeting,” her father said. “We had an extra day.”
“I can’t believe how much Tilly has grown in only a year,” her mother said.
“Look, Mama!” Tilly pointed to the window. “It’s Granny and Henry! Ooooh, this is going to be the best birthday party ever.”
Jace bent forward, kissed Carlene on the cheek, and whispered, “You go get your folks something to drink and I’ll play host for a little while as the people arrive. I’m as excited as Tilly that Granny and Henry came home for the party.”
“Thank you,” Carlene said softly. “For everything.”
Another quick kiss on the ear and he stepped back.
“I’m so glad to see all of you.” Tears welled up in Carlene’s eyes as she hugged each of them. “I feel like it’s my birthday instead of Tilly’s. Can I get you something to drink?”
“I’d take a beer,” her father said.
“And I’d love some good old Southern sweet tea.” Her mother smiled.
“Coke.” Belinda nodded.
“With a little kick?” Tilly winked at Belinda as she ran to the door to open it for Hope and Henry.
“Only way to drink it.” Belinda grabbed another quick hug as Tilly passed her.
Carlene led the way to the kitchen and then to the dining room, still feeling like if she pinched herself, she’d wake up and find the whole past year had been nothing but a beautiful dream.
Tilly danced out of the living room, grabbed her aunt Bee by one hand and her grandmother by the other, and dragged them away to meet her cousins when Nash and Kasey and Brody and Lila all arrived at the same time.
“Well?” Her father tipped up his beer.
“Well, what?” she asked.
But before he could say another word, Tilly returned and took his big hand in hers. “Come on, Grandpa. You got to see baby Daisy. She’s just the cutest thing ever. I want a sister so bad. I’d be happy with a brother but boys are such a pain in the ass. I mean butt.”
Carlene’s father chuckled and let Tilly lead him into the living room.
Valerie was the last one to the party and brought the cake. She set it on the dining room table with the punch bowl and all the fancy crystal. “Everything looks beautiful, Carlene. Presents first and then party?”
“I think so,” Carlene said. “And thank you for everything.”
“Hey, that little girl couldn’t have stolen my heart more if I’d gotten her at birth than she has now. So shall we give them thirty minutes to visit and then announce that it’s time to open the gifts?” Jace asked.
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Carlene looped her arm through Valerie’s. “My folks and my sister are here.”
“And so are we,” Hope said from the doorway.
“Mama!” Valerie drew Carlene to Hope and they had a three-way hug. “What a wonderful surprise. Tilly will remember this day forever.”
The next half hour went by fast and then Tilly was the center of the party as she opened one present after another, including a new pair of boots from Hope and Henry to replace the ones she’d outgrown.
After the first one, Carlene nudged Jace on the shoulder. “Darlin’, we don’t need twenty pictures of her with each present.”
“There can never be too many of her,” he said, and snapped another one.
“Give me your phone.” Carlene reached out a hand. “My battery is almost gone, and I want to take some with you and her together when she opens your special one.”
He handed it off to her and crossed over to sit beside Tilly on the sofa. He picked up a small box wrapped in red and tied with a pretty silver bow. “And this one is from me.”
She tore into the paper and flipped open a pink velvet box to reveal a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant hanging from it engraved with Daddy’s Girl. She gasped, jumped up to show everyone, and then barreled into him, knocking him sideways as she kissed him all over his face.
“I love it, Daddy. I’m going to wear it every day and never take it off,” she said. “Will you put it on me right now?”
Carlene shot at least a dozen pictures of that event before she switched it over to video mode and said over the noise. “Hey, you’ve got one more present. It’s from me and your daddy both.”
Tilly picked up the last one, a tiny box all wrapped in the same pretty paper. Valerie touched her on the shoulder. “Let me take a picture of the three of you for this one.”
“Oh, no, I want to capture both of their faces, but thanks,” Carlene told her.
Tilly ripped off the paper and opened the box to find a key and a tiny baby ring. “What’s this go to, Mama? And this little gold ring is way too little for me. Does the key open a jewelry box to hold my new necklace and does this little ring go on a bracelet?”
“That’s the key to your brand-new four-wheeler. It’s waiting for you in the backyard,” Jace answered. “If you’re going to be a rancher and help me bring in cattle for working this spring, you need your own ride.”
She was speechless and then she jumped up and did a stomp dance right there in the living room. “I’m going to be the best rancher in Happy, Texas. I’m going to grow up and be just like my grandma and my granny. This is the best day of my whole life. I’m so glad that we moved here!”
Valerie frowned. “Did the jewelry shop give you the wrong ring?”
“Think about it, Tilly,” Carlene said. “What have you been asking for ever since Daisy was born? I thought maybe you’d like to give that to your baby brother or sister sometime at the end of October.”
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Tilly raced across the floor but Jace beat her to Carlene. Bless Valerie’s heart; she grabbed her phone in time to film the whole scene.
“I only found out this morning for sure and I wanted to surprise you,” she said as Jace held her tightly and Tilly kept kissing her face.
“I’m truly the luckiest cowboy of all,” Jace said.
While everyone had birthday cake and the kids all had milk with a little kick in it, Carlene escaped to the kitchen. She was making another pitcher of chocolate milk when her father joined her and Jace slipped up beside her.
“Well?” her father said again.
“Well, what?” Carlene asked.
“Well, I’m proud of you. Just wanted to tell you that. Got another beer for this old man who is going to retire after this duty station?”
Jace gently squeezed her hand.
Carlene smiled and said, “Y’all could consider retiring here in Happy. We’d love to have you and Mother.”
Yes, it made her feel good that he finally said those words, but somehow it dimmed in the light of all the happiness she’d found on the ranch the past year and now a new baby coming would be like icing on the cake.
“It’s something to think about,” he said as he took the beer from her hands.
He took a drink and went back to join the party, and she looked up into Jace’s stunning gray eyes. He cupped her face in his rough hands and kissed her with so much passion that it made her knees weak.
“Thank you for giving me such a wonderful life.” He laid a palm on her belly. “I love you so much.”
“Rightbackatcha, darlin’. You’d better love me a whole lot because enduring those terrible twos like Silas is in right now will be a test of our marriage for sure.” She laid her hand over his.
He grazed her lips with a soft kiss. “Together, we can conquer the world, darlin’.”
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About the Author
Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author and RITA Finalist who has sold m
ore than 3 million books. She presently writes both women’s fiction and cowboy romance. She has also written historical single title, historical series, contemporary single title, and contemporary series. She lives in southern Oklahoma with her husband, a former English teacher, who is not allowed to read her books until they are published. They have three children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. For a complete listing of her books (series in order) check out her website at CarolynBrownBooks.com.
Also by Carolyn Brown
The Happy, Texas series
Long, Tall Cowboy Christmas
Toughest Cowboy in Texas
The Lucky Penny Ranch series
Wild Cowboy Ways
Hot Cowboy Nights
Merry Cowboy Christmas
Wicked Cowboy Charm
High Praise for Carolyn Brown
“Brown always gives the reader emotion, eternal love, and all the excitement you can handle.”
—Fresh Fiction
TOUGHEST COWBOY IN TEXAS
“One of the best feel-good reads I’ve had the pleasure of reading yet this year! It tugged on your heartstrings and had you cheering for true love.”
—Once Upon an Alpha
“Top Pick! A beautiful second-chance love story that has humor, HOT cowboys, and an amazing HEA.”
—Harlequin Junkie
“Terrific…an emotional star-crossed-lovers tale with tangible depths and an attitude that’s relatable to real life.”
—RT Book Reviews
“The Toughest Cowboy in Texas is a delightful, fast-paced novel full of dynamic and lively characters and, more important, white-hot romance!”
—Romance Reviews Today
WICKED COWBOY CHARM
“A nice blend of warmth, down-home goodness, humor, and romance. Lively, flirty banter and genuine, down-to-earth characters are the highlights of this engaging story…The flirty banter between Deke and Josie is amusing and heart-warming, and the chemistry between them sizzles.”
—RT Book Reviews
MERRY COWBOY CHRISTMAS
“Top Pick! Carolyn Brown writes about everyday things that happen to all of us and she does it with panache, class, empathy, and humor. 4½ stars.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“A captivating cast of characters fills the pages of this sweet and funny novel.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Brown’s modern storytelling and fun-filled plot will engage readers and wrap them up in this sweet, Southern holiday romance.”
—RT Book Reviews
HOT COWBOY NIGHTS
“Humorous storytelling, snappy dialogue, and colorful characters are the highlights of this story.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Carolyn Brown manages to create a romance that’s steamy, light, and fun, while also a relationship with substance and heart…a character-driven delight for romance fans.”
—Fresh Fiction
WILD COWBOY WAYS
“With an irresistibly charismatic cowboy at the center of this story, Brown’s latest is a sexy, fun read…The genuine, electric chemistry between Allie and Blake jumps off the page.”
—RT Book Reviews
“A breathtaking romance filled with soul-sizzling passion and a heart-stealing plot. A five-star hit!”
—Romancing the Book
“Heartwarming and funny…Wild Cowboy Ways will pull you in and won’t let you go until the end. I loved this book and recommend it to everyone. 5 stars.”
—Book Junkiez
“A perfect read to just curl up with. The book is light, sweet, and just the right amount of humor and emotions to keep you reading along. Carolyn Brown will get you falling in love with the characters before you can blink…It made me feel like I was watching a classic Hallmark movie. *swoon*”
—Once Upon an Alpha
Prologue
Funny how you can remember every detail about the most significant day of your life. Not the best day of your life necessarily, but the day that shaped you, the day that you were forced to find your strength.
Lance Cortez wandered to the bay window in his living room and stared out at the land that had been in his family since the Spaniards had crossed the mountains into Colorado and founded the town of Topaz Falls.
From his house situated on the valley floor, it seemed he could see every acre, from the razor-edges of Topaz Mountain to the pointed tips of the evergreens that studded the steep slopes. Even in the dimness of that eerie space preceding the dawn, he could make out the stables up the hill, the bullpens across from the pasture, and the house farther on down the hill where his father still lived. The house where he’d grown up. It was a ranch style, built from the logs of those trees on the mountain. Anchored by a wraparound porch.
Sixteen years ago, before dawn, he’d stood on that porch right there and watched his mother walk out of his life. He didn’t know what had woken him that day. Maybe the sound of the dog barking or the door creaking. But when he’d stumbled down the hallway, he’d caught her dragging her suitcase across that old porch.
“Where are you going?” he’d asked, not liking the weakness that had started to spread over his body like a dark shadow. Something in him already knew. She’d been distant for months, there but not.
His mother had paused on the sidewalk at the bottom of those porch steps, but she hadn’t looked at him. “I have to go away for a while,” she’d said. “I can’t do this anymore.”
He’d wanted to ask why, but couldn’t. He couldn’t open his mouth, couldn’t unfist his hands. She was leaving them. And he wondered if it had anything to do with the underage drinking ticket he’d gotten two days before. At fourteen, he knew he was a holy terror.
Or maybe it was the fact that his father was away so much, traveling to the rodeos, giving all of his time to a sport his mother hated.
“I’m sorry, Lance,” his mother had said. There were no tears in her eyes, but her voice caught. “I’m so sorry.”
That word gathered up the sadness that had weighted his bones and spun it into a whorl of anger. If she was sorry then why was she going?
“I hope you’ll understand someday.”
He didn’t. Sixteen years later, he had yet to understand how a mother could walk out on her husband and three boys who needed her. He’d been fourteen. He could take care of himself. But what about Lucas? At ten, he’d only just started the sixth grade. And Levi. Hell, he was still wetting the bed at seven.
Without another word, she’d walked away and hauled her suitcase into the old pickup. Energy had burned through him, tempting him to run down those steps and somehow force her to stay. He couldn’t, though. He knew it. He saw it in her eyes.
She’d already left them behind.
The engine had started and the tires ground against gravel. Lance had watched until the darkness swallowed the taillights and she was gone.
When he’d stepped back into the house, he was a different kid. Refusing to shed even one tear, he’d made himself a cup of coffee and omelets for his brothers. When his father came back that afternoon, he’d told him she was gone.
They’d never said another word about it.
In the months and years that followed, he’d tried to make up for her abandonment. He’d quit being such a delinquent. Watched over his brothers when their father was out searching for something to remedy his own pain. Became a bull-riding champion in his own right. But he couldn’t undo the damage she’d left in her wake. It took seven years after she left for things to fall apart.
He wished he would’ve been watching Levi that night he’d set the fire. Wished he’d been able to stop it before it killed the livestock. Wished he could’ve stopped it before it ruined them all. Lucas had wanted to take the blame, to protect their younger brother just like he always did, and Lance let him. They’d made a plan. Kept quiet about it. He’d been so sure Lucas would get off easy.
But he’d been wrong. Even though his brother had been only sevente
en, they’d charged him as an adult and sent him to prison.
Nothing had ever been the same after that. Levi threw himself into bull riding and hadn’t been home in years. After Lucas got out of prison, he refused to come home. He’d gone on to work for a stock contractor down south and hadn’t been home since.
All because of one day. One rejection. One person who was supposed to care for them turning her back instead.
Funny how you remember the details of days like that. The words, the sounds, the feelings that’d turned your body cold. Funny how you spend every day for the rest of your life trying to forget them.
Turning his back on the view of that porch, Lance headed for the kitchen.
It was time to put the coffee on.
Chapter One
Sorry, sir.” Jessa Mae Love threw out her arms to block the heavyset man who tried to sit on the stool next to her. “This seat is taken.”
He eyed her, the coarseness of his five o’clock shadow giving his face a particularly menacing quality. Still, she held her ground.
“You been sittin’ there by yourself for an hour, lady,” he pointed out, scratching at his beer belly. “And this is the best spot to watch the game.”
“It’s true. I have been sitting here for a while.” She smiled politely and shimmied her shoulders straighter, lest he think she was intimidated by his bulk. “But my boyfriend is meeting me. We have an important date tonight and I know he’ll be here any minute.” She checked the screen of her cell phone again, the glowing numbers blaring an insult in her face. Seven o’clock. Seven o’clock?
Cam was never late. He’d been planning this date for more than a week. Since she was coming straight from the animal rescue shelter she owned, they’d agreed to meet at the Tumble Inn Bar for a drink before he took her to the new Italian restaurant on Main Street. “He’ll be here,” she said to the man. “Cam is very reliable.”
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