“Visiting your parents?”
“Actually, I’m here for the summer. I got a job teaching in Humbolt Park starting the middle of August. I thought I’d enjoy some rest and relaxation in the mountains for a couple of months. Once my full time job starts, who knows when I’ll have time to get back to Colorado. It’s good to be home.”
“Congratulations. On the job that is. Sounds like what you wanted.”
Luke hoped the touch of resentment he still felt hadn’t come through in his voice. Okay, maybe more than a touch of resentment. All through high school, when everyone referred to them as the school’s most likely to grow old together couple, he had believed that she loved him and loved their life together in the Colorado mountains. They’d even talked about building a home right here and raising horses and children together. How wrong he’d been. Apparently inner city Chicago was more to her liking. She left for college and never looked back, breaking his heart. That is—what was left of it after his mom’s death.
Penny looked up into those baby blue eyes. Luke at twenty-two was even more attractive than he’d been in high school. His skinny body had filled out and his arms were solid muscle. All his years of working on this ranch definitely kept him in shape. As he stood in front of her now—shirtless, tanned, his jeans slung low on his hips, she fought the urge to pull him into her arms. Nope, she definitely didn’t trust herself to touch him. He was her past. They’d both moved on. She needed to keep this light.
“So I met June. She seems nice.”
“She’s great. I’ve never seen my dad so happy, at least not since mom died. Although they’d never say it, I think that now that they’re married they need their own space. I feel like a third wheel sometimes. So here I am, far enough away to give them some privacy, but still on the ranch I love.”
Penny sighed. That had been the problem. At eighteen all she had wanted was to experience something other than Peakview County, Colorado. Her world had seemed so limiting—almost suffocating. She had the same friends from kindergarten through high school. She knew that Luke would never leave, so she’d left him behind.
“So can I have a tour?”
“There’s not much to see, yet, but I’ll show you around.”
Luke turned and headed toward the front door. She followed, her eyes locking on that beat up cowboy hat, the one she had given him for graduation. She felt her heart start to race. Quickly, she looked up at the cabin. It was amazing. She could tell that Luke had put his heart and soul into building it, making sure everything little detail was perfect. He’d always been good with his hands. Inside were only studs, but Luke walked her through anyway, explaining where each room was going to be when it was finished. She noticed that there would be four bedrooms.
This was definitely not intended to be a small bachelor pad. She wondered if he was dating someone. She had wanted to ask her mom, but the last thing she needed was for Mom to start thinking that she cared one way or the other. Her parents had been almost as devastated as Luke when she had moved away. She sure didn’t want to give them any false hopes that this was anything more than a temporary visit home. Her life was in Chicago now. She believed that God had led her to Chicago to help inner city kids, and that’s where she intended to spend her life. She felt needed there.
As they walked back out the front door of the cabin, darkness descended as the last trace of the sun disappeared behind the mountain range. She forgot how quickly it got dark here amid the tall peaks. The sweet aroma of pine from the massive trees surrounding the clearing filled the cooling air.
“I better get back to my parents’ house. They still worry if I am out riding after dark. It was good to see you. Maybe we could go for a ride together while I’m here—be like old times.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Luke fidgeted with his hat. “Enjoy your summer.”
Penny swung her leg up into the saddle turning Ginger around. She gave Luke a wave before taking off at a full gallop down through the valley. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but the flood of old feelings that assaulted her from the moment she laid eyes on him was overpowering. The wind in her face relaxed her as it had when they were kids. Luke Walker was ancient history. He’d been her first love. That’s all. Of course, she’d react to seeing him. Being back here her memories of their amazing years together, stuffed inside and forgotten in Chicago, obviously seemed more real. She prided herself on looking forward—not back. Her future did not include Luke.
As she unsaddled Ginger and brushed her down before letting her loose in the pasture for the night, she had to admit she had, at times, missed her Colorado mountain home. The wide open spaces filled her with a sense of peace. Peace—hard to find in the hustle and bustle of inner city Chicago.
Uninvited, Luke popped back into her mind interrupting her calm. She shivered as she locked the gate and headed to the house. Her mind pictured his tan, muscular body up on that roof. No, the feelings that Luke stirred in her were anything but peaceful. It could be an interesting summer.
Luke’s eyes followed her until she was nothing more than a trail of dust heading over the eastern horizon. He turned and stared blankly at his cabin. The cabin that they’d once dreamed of together. Well, that was over. He struggled to figure out why just the sight of her again had upset him so much. Probably it was that she had taken him by surprise. He wasn’t going to get any more work done tonight. His mind was too occupied by a certain little blonde, besides it was almost completely dark now. He gathered up his remaining tools and stowed them safely in the locked tool bin inside of the cabin. Not that there was much danger of anyone taking them out here on the ranch, but it was best to be careful. Accepting defeat for the evening, he untied Geronimo and headed for home.
“I was wondering when you’d show up for some food.” His new stepmom gave him a hug as he walked through the back door into the kitchen. “I’ll fix you a plate. Your dad and I already ate.”
“Thanks Mom, I’m not really very hungry.” The term “mom” still sounded a little strange, since his own mom had died when he was only twelve. But he truly loved June and wanted her to know that he accepted her as family. After almost a year, it was getting easier.
“What? The Walker men are always hungry. Are you feeling, okay?”
“Just tired. It’s been a long day. Smells good though.” He said as she set a full plate down in front of him.
“Oh by the way, Penny stopped by earlier. Did she find you?”
“Yeah, she rode up to the cabin.”
“She seems nice.”
As much as he loved June, he wasn’t in the mood to discuss Penny with anyone right now. He concentrated on his food, hoping she would let the subject drop.
“You two used to date, didn’t you?”
No such luck. “Back in high school yeah, but that was a long time ago. She’s moved on. A Chicago city girl now.”
Finishing the last bites of his food, he stood up and loaded his plate in the dishwasher. “Thanks for the great meal as always. I think I’ll go find Dad. We need to discuss what’s on the agenda for tomorrow.”
Females. Why did they always want to discuss everything? Over the last ten years, he and his dad had established a great relationship. Although they loved each other dearly, they didn’t feel the need to get into emotional issues.
He found his father kicked back in his recliner in the living room. Although there was an open book on his lap, he appeared to be doing more dozing than reading. Jeff startled and looked up as Luke entered the room.
“How’s the cabin coming along?”
See. Here was a subject he felt comfortable discussing.
“Roof’s almost done. Ran out of daylight. Hopefully I can get those last shingles on tomorrow and then move on to the inside.”
The two men spent the next half hour discussing what they needed to get done the following day, with thankfully no mention of Penny Anderson. When June joined them with a cup of tea for herself and his father, Luke excused himself
and headed upstairs. He turned in early, life on Walker Ranch started with the sunrise each morning. He usually had no problem falling asleep, but tonight thoughts of a little blonde on horseback raced through his mind and sleep was hard to find. It would be a long day tomorrow if he couldn’t push her out of his mind and get some rest.
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank my dear friend and fellow writer, Pamela Trawick, without whom I never would have started on this amazing journey of fiction writing. I want to thank my critique partner, Cassidy Jo Wells, who has spent countless hours reading and rereading my writing and helping to make it better. I’d like to thank my friend L.A. Sartor for so much great advise on the selp-publishing world, and helping me to take my photography and make it into amazing book covers. I thank everyone else in the Front Range Christian Fiction Writers group for all of your friendship, advice and encouragement. It is such an inspiration to be surrounded by such talented authors. Thanks to all of my new friends from RWA2014 for all of your encouragement and support. Thanks to everyone who read all the different versions of this book and gave me feedback. Thanks to my editor Nancy for polishing my work. And thanks to my wonderful daughters for all of your support and encouragement along the way. You both inspire me each and every day.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dear Readers, I hope you enjoyed reading this story. I was born and raised in Indiana and Ohio. I attended Bowling Green State University and law school at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska. In addition to writing romance, I practice family law in Fort Collins, Colorado. I have three grown children, a son and two daughters, and three granddaughters.
I have always had a passion for writing. Colorado Sunset is my first full length romance novel. It is the first in a series of novels centered in the small town of Peakview, Colorado. The second book in the series, Breakfast for Two, will be released later in September 2015. I have published several short stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul books. My latest story can be found in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Thanks to My Mom.
When not practicing law or writing, I enjoy gardening, long walks with my Shetland Sheepdog, Laddie, and spending time with my children and grandchildren. I enjoy all kinds of sporting events. I am an avid football fan and love to cheer on the Broncos, the CSU Rams, and the Huskers. My passion is working with high school youth - as a youth group leader at my church, a coach of a high school Mock Trial Team, and volunteering with high school Cross Country and Track program. I’d love to hear from you!
You can reach me at:
Email : [email protected]
My website and blog at: www.jillhaymaker.com
Twitter @jillLHaymaker or on Instagram at: JillHaymaker
Like my facebook page: Jill Haymaker, Author
If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter, please sign up on my webpage.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Acknowledgements:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Breakfast for Two (Peakview series Book 2) Page 18
