Patricia Thayer - Proposal at the Lazy S Ranch

THE SLATER SISTERS OF MONTANA

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, the idyllic Lazy S Ranch is about to welcome home the beautiful Slater sisters.

Don your Stetson and your cowboy boots and join us as these sisters experience first loves, second chances and their very own happy-ever-afters with the most delicious heroes in the West. No dream is too big in Montana!

Out first in September 2013

THE COWBOY SHE COULDN’T FORGET

followed in November 2013 by

PROPOSAL AT THE LAZY S RANCH

Proposal at the Lazy S Ranch

Patricia Thayer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Originally born and raised in Muncie, Indiana, PATRICIA THAYERis the second of eight children. She attended Ball State University, and soon afterwards headed West. Over the years she’s made frequent visits back to the Midwest, trying to keep up with her growing family.

Patricia has called Orange County, California, home for many years. She not only enjoys the warm climate, but also the company and support of other published authors in the local writers’ organisation. For the past eighteen years she has had the unwavering support and encouragement of her critique group. It’s a sisterhood like no other.

When she’s not working on a story, you might find her travelling the United States and Europe, taking in the scenery and doing story research while thoroughly enjoying herself, accompanied by Steve, her husband for over thirty-five years. Together, they have three grown sons and four grandsons. As she calls them: her own true-life heroes. On rare days off from writing you might catch her at Disneyland, spoiling those grandkids rotten! She also volunteers for the Grandparent Autism Network.

Patricia has written for over twenty years, and has authored more than forty-six books. She has been nominated for both a National Readers’ Choice Award and the prestigious RITA ®Award. Her book Nothing Short of a Miracle won an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award.

A longtime member of Romance Writers of America, she has served as President and held many other board positions for her local chapter in Orange County. She’s a firm believer in giving back.

Check her website, www.patriciathayer.com, for forthcoming books.

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To Timothy Paul Brooks, Jr. You were too young to leave us, but you’ll never be forgotten.

RIP Timmy. March 19, 1990–February 26, 2013

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

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

SHE WAS A COWARD.

Josefina Slater jumped into her BMW and drove away from the Lazy S Ranch, her childhood home. Before she’d left California two days ago for Montana, she’d told herself she would be able to come back here and help with her father’s recovery from a stroke. But when she’d arrived at the house and saw her older sister, Ana, she found she wasn’t ready to face Colton Slater, or her past.

When Josie had arrived at the ranch house and was greeted by her older sister, Ana, she froze right there on the spot. She needed more time. She told her sister she wasn’t ready and got back into her car and started driving. To where, she had no idea.

She’d grown up here on the ranch with a man who didn’t want the daughters Lucia Slater left behind when she walked out. Outside of her siblings, her twin, Tori, and older sister, Ana, and younger sister, Marissa, there hadn’t been much else to keep her here. This was Josie’s first time back in nearly ten years.

About two miles down the road, she opened the window. The air was brisk, reminding her that winter was fast approaching. With the quiet hum of the engine mingled with soft music from the radio, she finally started to relax.

She glanced out the windshield at the rolling green pastures that seemed to go on for miles and was framed by the scenic Rocky Mountains. Tall pines covered the slopes as the majestic peaks reached upward to the incredible blue sky.

Quite a different landscape from her home in Los Angeles, or her life. Success in her career as an event planner came with a lot of hard work and little sleep. Except she’d been told if she didn’t stop her hectic pace, her health could be in serious trouble. To help ease her stress, her doctor suggested she take time off. Tori, her twin sister and partner in Slater Style, had been the one who’d insisted she come back here to the ranch and try to relax.

Sure, returning here was going to ease her stress. Right. She couldn’t even get through the front door.

Her grip tightened on the steering wheel. No. she wouldn’t let Colt Slater turn her back into that insecure little girl. She shook her head. “Not again.” She wouldn’t let any man do that to her.

She continued to drive down the road until she could see part of the Big Hole River. Memories flooded her head, reminding her how she and her sisters used to sneak off and swim there. That brought a smile to her lips. It was also where Ana was building the new lodge along with some small fishing cabins. They’d hoped to add income to help the other problem, the Lazy S’s struggling finances.

Curiosity had Josie turning off onto a dirt road and driving the half mile to where several trucks were parked. She pulled in next to a crew cab pickup that had GT Construction embossed on the side.

Why not check out the progress? Anything to delay her going back to the house. She climbed out, glad she’d worn her jeans and boots, and pulled her lined jacket closer to her body, shielding her from the late-October weather.

Feeling excitement for the project she’d helped create with Ana, she headed across the grass toward the river to observe the progress of the two-story log cabin structure taking shape about thirty yards from the water’s edge.

“Good job, Ana,” she breathed into the cool autumn breeze.

Suddenly someone called out, but before she could turn around she felt something hit her in the back, sending her flying. Josie let out a cry as she hit the hard ground.

* * *

Garrett Temple felt pain shoot through his body as he cradled the small woman under him. It took a few breaths to get his lungs working from the impact, but at least he’d kept her from getting hit by the lumber truck. He managed to roll off her as his men started to gather around.

“I didn’t see her, boss,” Jerry said as he leaned over them. “You okay?”

Garrett nodded, but his attention was on the still woman facedown on the grass. He knelt beside the petite body and traced over her for any broken bones or visible injuries.

“You want me to call the paramedics?” someone asked.

“Give me a minute,” Garrett said as he gently brushed back the long whiskey-colored hair from her face. He froze as recognition hit him. The olive skin, the delicate jawline, long dark lashes. He knew that underneath those closed lids were mesmerizing blue eyes. His heart began to pound even more rapidly. “Josie?”

She groaned, and he said her name again. “Josie. Can you hear me?”