Patricia Thayer - Second Chance Rancher

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME…

Single dad Kase Rawlins wants to give his little girl, Addy, a fresh start in life by moving back to the family ranch. The only downside to that plan is seeing his neighbor Laurel Quinn every day—his first love and the woman he walked away from.

After being jilted at the altar, Laurel decided to focus her attention on training and breeding her quarter horses. But being around Kase, she’s finding her heart is being stolen once again, and not just by the rugged rancher. Because it seems Addy’s mission is to make Laurel her new mommy!

His heart was breaking into a thousand pieces.

He reached out and stroked her hair. “Do you know how special you are?”

She shrugged. “My parents tell me all the time.”

“Well, let me tell you something, too. You’re a woman I desire very much.” He touched her face. “I want you, Laurel. We may have some obstacles in our way, but that’s not going to stop me.” He brushed his mouth over hers and loved hearing her intake of breath. “I wish I could offer you more, but right now…”

She placed her lips against his. When she finally broke off the kiss, she said, “No promises, Kase. That way no one has any expectations. I’m here for you and Addy. So it’s all good for now.”

He wanted more. Not the girl he once knew, but the beautiful, giving woman she’d turned into. Would she give him a second chance? His thoughts turned to his daughter. Would he get that second chance to be a father? He cradled Laurel’s head against his chest. How he prayed he didn’t let either one of them down.

Dear Reader,

This story is connected to my previous book, Count on a Cowboy, and is about the other twin sister, Laurel. She’s the rancher’s daughter, the sister who grew up with the advantage of having both a mother and a father. She trains quarter horses for a living. It seems she had everything. Even her twin, Brooke, came looking for her, and now they have a wonderful relationship.

The one thing Laurel didn’t have was the man she loved. Ten years ago, Kase Rawlins left her when he went off to college to be a lawyer. She tried to forget him, and even planned to marry another man.

Then Kase walks back into her life, and he doesn’t come alone. The widower father brings his cute four-year-old daughter, Addy. That’s so unfair! What is also unfair is Kase’s in-laws want custody of their grandchild. He needs Laurel, and so does his daughter. Could they finally find their way back and make a life? Will Laurel be able trust the man again?

I hope you enjoy the read.

Second Chance Rancher

Patricia Thayer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PATRICIA THAYER was born and raised in Muncie, Indiana, the second in a family of eight children. She attended Ball State University before heading west, where she has called Southern California home for many years. There she’s been a member of the Orange County Chapter of RWA. It’s a sisterhood like no other.

When not working on a story, she might be found traveling the United States and Europe, taking in the scenery and doing story research while enjoying time with her husband, Steve. Together, they have three grown sons and four grandsons and one granddaughter, whom Patricia calls her own true-life heroes.

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To my readers who have faithfully read me

over the years. You are the reason this story

is my 50th book for Harlequin.

And always to Steve.

My dad might have been my first hero,

but you are my forever hero.

Love you.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

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

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Laurel Quinn drove the all-terrain vehicle over the rough pasture at the Bucking Q Ranch. The ATV was ideal for getting around in the hilly pastureland. In the Colorado winters, the ranch hands had to switch to snowmobiles to find lost cattle. Today, she wasn’t looking for lost calves, but for one runaway stallion. Gripping the steering wheel tighter, she flew over a rise but still kept an eye peeled for the honey-brown-colored quarter horse.

Sadly, she seemed to have trouble keeping a male, no matter what the species. Right now, though, she had to focus all her attention on the valuable horse, Capture the Wind.

A stallion was always harder to train, and to keep confined, especially when a mare was in season. And this guy was double the trouble. She’d been thinking about gelding the golden-brown bay if he kept escaping. It was a good thing he’d made some money for his stud service. That was the only thing that saved his sorry hide. She was anxious to see his first foals. Then his price would go up.

She drove through a group of aspen trees and looked upward at the cloud-speckled sky above the familiar green and brown hues of the Rocky Mountains. Off in the distance were the familiar granite peaks of the Maroon Bell. She loved springtime on the ranch. Nature came to life with new growth and new births. Soon, her newly found twin sister, Brooke, and her husband, neighboring rancher Trent Landry, would be having their first child. A son. They were going to name him Christopher after Trent’s brother, who’d died in a tragic accident years ago. Although a little envious, she was happy for her sister.

Off in the distance, Laurel spotted the downed fence and slowed the ATV. With a curse, she reached for her cell phone and called the Bucking Q barn. This job was going to be more difficult than she thought. Then she realized this was a border fence. Her horse was now on Rawlins property.

The ranch foreman answered, “Chet Bradshaw.”

“Hey, Chet, it’s Laurel. Looks like Wind got over the fence in the south pasture. The posts are rotted out, so could you send out a couple of the guys to repair them? It’s about a mile south of Rainbow Canyon.”

“Wait for me. I’ll bring Billy along because I don’t want you tangling with the stallion alone.”

She wasn’t as worried about the horse as the neighbors. “First, I’ve got to find him.” She heard a loud whinny off in the distance. “Gotta go.”

She tossed her phone on the seat, then eased her vehicle through the opening in the fence. She didn’t think about her trespassing onto Rawlins land, or the fact that the last person she wanted to run into was Kase. She’d known for a while that the prodigal son had returned home.

Wind whinnied again, and she shot off toward the corral, not knowing if the stallion was injured or trapped or what. All she knew was she had to get to her horse. Her future depended on this animal.