Redemption on Rivers Ranch

by Kathy Douglass

  “Carson?”

  He nodded and looked at her more carefully. The coffee-colored eyes danced with mischief.

  It had been years since his old friend had visited. But looking closer at her astonishingly beautiful face with clear light brown skin, high cheekbones and full lips, he knew it was her. “Gabriella?”

  The woman laughed and launched herself at him, squeezing him in a tight hug. “Oh my goodness. It has been years.”

  “Yes, it has.” He hugged her briefly then stepped back, forcing himself to ignore the way his body responded to the contact.

  Holding Gabriella that quick moment had felt like sticking his finger into a live electrical socket. Though they were no longer touching, his blood was still humming from the aftereffects.

  “You know him?” the boy asked.

  “Yes.” Gabriella beamed at Carson again, making his heart lurch, before she turned to the boy who he assumed was her son. “We were best friends when I was your age. We hung out all day every day for many summers.”

  The boy looked from Carson to Gabriella. Was he trying to imagine them being kids his own age, or was he seeing something more? That was ridiculous.

  And that strange tingling sensation that shot through Carson every time Gabriella touched him? That had to be the result of his long drought.

  Dear Reader,

  If you’ve read The Rancher’s Return, a previous book in my Sweet Briar Sweethearts series, you’ve already met Carson Rivers. He’s a rancher who’d been engaged to the heroine of that book, Raven Reynolds. When Raven’s one true love, Donovan Cordero, returned to town, it was only a matter of time before Raven and Donovan fell in love again and Carson was the odd man out.

  I always felt guilty for hurting Carson. He is a good guy who happened to fall in love with a woman whose heart could never truly be his. I wanted him to have his own happy ending. But with whom? After having his heart shattered, he’s understandably reluctant to fall in love again. The woman for him would have to be someone he trusts. Someone he already feels comfortable with. Enter Gabriella Tucker, Carson’s childhood friend.

  Gabriella has endured her own heartbreak. The recently divorced single mom is trying to put the pieces of her life back together. Needing a change, she retreats with her two children to her great-aunt’s ranch near the town of Sweet Briar, North Carolina. She spent many happy summers there as a child and hopes the place is as magical as she remembers.

  In no time flat, Gabriella and Carson have renewed their friendship. Can love—true love—be far behind? I hope you enjoy the journey Gabriella and Carson take as they reach for their happily-ever-after.

  I love hearing from my readers. Feel free to stop by my website, kathydouglassbooks.com, and leave me a message. I promise to reply right away. While you’re there, sign up for my monthly newsletter. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, BookBub and Twitter.

  Thank you for your support.

  Happy reading!

  Kathy

  Redemption on Rivers Ranch

  Kathy Douglass

  Kathy Douglass came by her love of reading naturally—both of her parents were readers. She would finish one book and pick up another. Then she attended law school and traded romances for legal opinions.

  After the birth of her two children, her love of reading turned into a love of writing. Kathy now spends her days writing the small-town contemporary novels she enjoys reading.

  Books by Kathy Douglass

  Harlequin Special Edition

  Sweet Briar Sweethearts

  How to Steal the Lawman’s Heart

  The Waitress’s Secret

  The Rancher and the City Girl

  Winning Charlotte Back

  The Rancher’s Return

  A Baby Between Friends

  The Single Mom’s Second Chance

  The Soldier Under Her Tree

  Furever Yours

  The City Girl’s Homecoming

  Montana Mavericks: What Happened to Beatrix?

  The Maverick’s Baby Arrangement

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  This book is dedicated to Heather G., who named a character after her beloved mother, Vicki.

  It’s also dedicated with appreciation to my editor, Charles Griemsman. Thank you for making this book better than I imagined it could be.

  It is also dedicated to anyone who has ever needed a second chance.

  Finally, this book is dedicated with love to my husband and sons. Thank you for your consistent support and love.

  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

  Excerpt from Wildflower Season by Michelle Major

  Excerpt from Winning Mr. Charming by Heatherly Bell

  Chapter One

  “How much longer?”

  Gabriella Tucker sighed and swallowed the impatience that mirrored her daughter’s. Sophia had asked this question three times in the last thirty minutes. Gabriella understood how she felt. She, too, was tired of being cooped up in the SUV.

  She’d tried to turn the drive from Ohio to North Carolina into an adventure, visiting tourist spots designed specifically for children along the way. They’d spent an afternoon at the Avampato Discovery Museum in Charleston, West Virginia. Sophia and her brother, Justin, had had a wonderful time pretending to be adults in the My Town exhibit. They’d learned how to compose music in the music studio exhibit and how to live a healthy life in the Healthy Me exhibit.

  When the trio reached Virginia, they visited Fort Chiswell Animal Park, where they’d gone on a delightful guided safari that they talked about for hours in their hotel room later that night. The children had enjoyed themselves immensely on those outings, but today they’d been driving for several hours and were ready to reach their final destination.

  “Not long now.”

  “You said that last time,” Justin pointed out. For the most part, he hadn’t spoken much during the drive, choosing instead to stare out the window at the passing landscape. When they’d started out on their trek three days ago, the kids had been excited by the expansive farmland and ranches that differed from the perfectly manicured lawns of their gated community back in Cedar Ridge, Ohio. They’d happily counted the cows and horses they’d seen. Now they ignored the animals they passed. They were tired, cranky and ready to reach Gabriella’s great-aunt’s house where they’d be spending the summer.

  “So I did.” And hopefully that was the last time she’d have to say it. According to the highway sign they’d just passed, Sweet Briar was twenty miles away. There were two exits before that one, one of which led to her great-aunt’s small ranch, where Gabriella had spent many happy summers in her childhood. Aunt Mildred and Uncle Bob hadn’t had children, but they’d loved their nieces and nephews as if they’d been their own. Gabriella’s mother, Yvette, had been one of those children, and she and Gabriella had visited regularly. When Gabriella had been old enough to stay on her own, she’d spent summers there. It was where some of the best times of her life had happened, with her summertime best friend, Carson Rivers.

  Gabriella smiled as she recalled meeting him for the first time when she was seven. Th
ey’d taken one look at each other and recognized a kindred spirit. From that moment on, they’d been inseparable, spending every free minute together—riding horses, paddling in the swimming hole on his father’s ranch or just enjoying each other’s company. Life had been simple and uncomplicated.

  The summer Gabriella had turned fifteen, Carson hadn’t spent as much time with her as he had in the past. His father had insisted that he learn the family business, leaving him with very little free time. The Rivers family were very successful cattle ranchers, and the Rivers Ranch was one of the largest in North Carolina. Gabriella had been disappointed that her friend had been unable to spend as much time with her as he had every other summer, but she’d contented herself with the brief moments they had shared.

  It turned out that that summer would be the last one she’d spend with her great aunt and uncle. When she turned sixteen, she’d gotten a part-time job, which put an end to her vacations in Sweet Briar. Then, at nineteen, she’d fallen in love and married impetuously. She’d foolishly thought that marriage would last forever. It hadn’t.

  Frowning, she pushed the negative thought aside. She wasn’t going to think about her unfaithful husband now. She was in Sweet Briar to come up with a new plan for her life, not rehash the past.

  “So when will we be there?” Sophia pressed.

  “We’re getting off the highway at the next exit. The road we take will have us at Aunt Mildred’s house about ten minutes later.”

  “Okay.” Sophia looked at the dashboard clock, marking the time. Clearly she was going to hold Gabriella to her word. Although Sophia looked exactly as Gabriella had at eight years old, they had entirely different personalities. Sophia was thoughtful, considering each possible outcome before acting. Gabriella had been impulsive and flown by the seat of her pants, following wherever her heart led. Hence the marriage to a man she’d known only a few months.

  “So what did you do when you were here?” Justin asked. “The only thing here is a bunch of cows.”

  “There are a lot of cows,” Gabriella conceded. “But there were a lot of horses, too. And a swimming hole.”

  “Swimming sounds fun. Especially since I’m going to miss summer season.”

  Gabriella heard the indignation in her son’s voice. Justin had been swimming from the time he was eighteen months old. She and Reggie, her ex-husband, had taken the kids to the club for a summer party. Justin had taken one look at the pool and jumped in. He’d sunk like a stone. When she’d grabbed him, he’d shoved her away and said he was “fwimming.” She’d enrolled him in swimming lessons the following Monday.

  Four years ago, when Justin turned six, Reggie signed him up for the swim team. Although Justin was a good swimmer, he wasn’t competitive by nature. He just enjoyed the camaraderie of the team. Consequently, he generally scored in the middle of the pack. When Reggie realized that his son wasn’t going to be the next Michael Phelps, he’d stopped attending the meets. Justin was a smart kid who’d connected his father’s absence to his performance. He was determined to improve his times in an effort to regain his father’s attention. Sadly, it wasn’t going to be that easy.

  “I know. But not all the kids swim every season. Coach was fine with you taking the summer off. In fact, he said that you could try another sport.” Unlike many coaches who wanted their team to practice twelve months a year and swim exclusively, Coach Mike encouraged his charges to play other sports.

  “What sports are there on a ranch? And are there any other kids here? Where do they live?”

  “There were when I visited.”

  “That was a hundred years ago.”

  “Wrong. It was only ninety.”

  They laughed together and the tension faded. Once her kids had begun to understand the basics of time, they’d joked about it—especially about her age. Little did they know that it often seemed like a hundred years had passed since those happy summers she’d spent on the ranch.

  “It’s been ten minutes,” Sophia piped up. She raised an eyebrow, looking more like a twenty-eight-year-old than an eight-year-old.

  “And here we are.” Gabriella slowed the car as she drove along the deserted road. Halfway down, she turned into the driveway. The sun had begun to set, casting an orange glow around the white brick house. The grass was freshly mowed, but the flower beds on either side of the wide stairs and running along the edges of the front porch were bare. Aunt Mildred hadn’t mentioned hiring anyone to maintain the property, so Gabriella could only assume one of the neighbors had been caring for the house and grounds since her aunt had moved away. That was the thing she’d appreciated about ranch life. People looked out for each other.

  Gabriella half expected her aunt to come charging out the house, her arms wide open for a hug, something she could really use right now. But the house was empty. Uncle Bob had died unexpectedly three years ago. The ranch had been too much for Aunt Mildred to handle on her own, so two years ago she’d sold off most of it, holding on to the house and four acres. Then seven months ago Aunt Mildred had moved into a senior community in Willow Creek, a town about an hour from here. She’d said the house had become too big. Too empty. Too lonely. Two of her friends lived in the community and Aunt Mildred quickly made friends with several other women, as well. She was enjoying herself immensely and claimed she was too busy to be lonely. Right now she and her friends were in Florida, enjoying what Aunt Mildred had referred to as a grown folks Disney adventure.

  Justin and Sophia burst from the vehicle and ran around the massive lawn, enjoying the freedom. When they spotted the front porch swing, they dashed up the stairs and hopped on, banging the swing against the concrete windowsill.

  “Get your backpacks out of the car and let’s go inside. We can bring in the suitcases and boxes once we turn on the lights and look around.”

  “Okay,” Sophia said, jumping from the swing. Justin sighed and followed his sister down the stairs.

  They grabbed their stuff and then trekked back up onto the porch. Gabriella used the key her aunt had overnighted to her a week ago to unlock the front door. Reaching to her right, she switched on the overhead light in the large front parlor. A feeling of nostalgia gripped her as she looked around. The furniture was draped with sheets, but Gabriella could make out the shape of the sofa where’d she’d lain to watch the only television in the house on Sunday evenings. She’d been too busy during the week to laze around, but on Sunday nights, she and her great aunt and uncle had watched movies or Uncle Bob’s beloved sitcoms.

  “It’s like a ghost house,” Sophia whispered. Her earlier enthusiasm had seeped out of her, and she stepped closer to Gabriella.

  “Boo!” Justin yelled, then burst out laughing when Sophia jumped.

  “Stop it,” Gabriella said. Justin had always been a sweet boy, but ever since Reggie stopped coming around, Justin had begun to take out his unhappiness on his sister. He didn’t do it a lot, but he did it often enough for Gabriella to notice.

  “Sorry,” Justin muttered, chastised.

  “The sheets are to keep the dust from settling into the furniture,” Gabriella explained. She yanked a sheet off the nearest chair, revealing an orange-and-brown-patterned fabric. The fall colors somehow worked although it was only the second week of June.

  It must have looked like fun because Sophia and Justin dropped their backpacks and began racing from room to room, pulling the fabric from furniture. Their laughter floated through the house, warming Gabriella’s heart. There hadn’t been much for them to laugh about these past two years.

  The ink on her divorce papers hadn’t even dried before Reggie and Natalie had gotten married. The ceremony had been an elaborate affair, attended by everyone in their exclusive social circle, so Gabriella knew they’d been planning it for a while. When Reggie had come to pick up the kids for their weekend visits, he’d been happier than she’d ever seen him. His smile, which had gone missing d
uring the latter years of their marriage, had been ever present. Gabriella was a romantic at heart and believed in happy endings. Still, it had been difficult to see the man who’d sworn to love her until death parted them finding his happily-ever-after with another woman. Especially since she’d thought she and Reggie had already found their happy ending together.

  Of course that was before Reggie confessed that he’d always been in love with Natalie. When she’d married someone else, he’d tried to move on with Gabriella. When Natalie’s marriage fell apart, she’d contacted Reggie, despite the fact that he was married with children. The rest, as the saying went, was horrible history.

  Natalie had gotten pregnant immediately and the baby had been born six months ago. After his son’s birth, Reggie stopped taking the kids for the weekend, choosing to pick them up early Saturday morning and bring them back after dinner. When he’d had the kids, he hadn’t paid much attention to them. Instead, he’d spent his time marveling at the wonders of his new child. He’d tried to get the kids interested in their new sibling, but even Sophia had gotten bored with the baby after a while. They wanted their father’s attention. After a while Reggie had requested to reduce his visitation to one weekend a month. Even then, he often canceled at the last minute or just plain didn’t show.

  The kids had been confused and heartbroken. Gabriella had been furious. If Reggie no longer wanted her, fine. She was an adult and could get over it. But Justin and Sophia were children. His children. When Reggie had told her that he wouldn’t be taking the kids for his three weeks in the summer as they’d agreed, she’d known it was time for a change. The kids didn’t need to be reminded every day that their father preferred his son and his precious new wife to them. When Aunt Mildred had offered up her house, Gabriella had jumped at the opportunity to leave their troubles behind. The children would enjoy their new surroundings and Gabriella could use the time here to develop a plan for the future, one that would include putting her hard-earned psychology degree to use.