C.J. Carmichael - Her Cowboy Dilemma

Going Home Shouldn’t Be This Hard…

Cassidy Lambert traded in Montana’s big sky country for the big-city lights—forever. Until a potentially devastating equine illness threatens her family’s ranch, and Cassidy is needed at home to help. She thinks she knows what she wants from life, but the more she’s around sexy veterinarian Dan Farley, the more confused she gets.

When Cassidy comes back to the open Western landscape Dan loves, she’s nothing but a beautiful burr under his saddle. She stomped on his heart once before, and he’s not eager for another go-around. But he just can’t keep himself away from those green eyes and sweet curves. It’s a good thing she’ll soon be gone again. Because he can’t trust her—or himself—when she’s around!

The one person Cassidy didn’t expect to see in the barn examining the newest sick horse was Farley.

“So how is Chickweed doing?” She patted the horse as she walked around him, doing a quick visual exam. “Is he running a fever?”

“Afraid so. And he’s definitely suffering some pain—see how swollen he is under his jaw?” Farley placed her hand over the enlarged lymph nodes, and she nodded.

Not only did she feel the evidence of strangles in the horse, but she also felt the rough calluses of Farley’s hand. And the strength. And the warmth.

She remembered what his hands had felt like on her waist and on her shoulder, when they’d danced together four years ago. She’d never forgotten and never would.

Did he ever think about the good part of that night?

Or just her inexcusable behavior afterward?

She glanced at his face, and saw that he was looking at her, his dark gaze intense as always, but inscrutable.

He blinked.

The moment between them—if indeed it had been a moment—was over.

Dear Reader,

Welcome back to Coffee Creek, Montana, where the Lamberts—a family of ranchers and cowboys—own the largest spread in Bitterroot County, all controlled by matriarch Olive Lambert. This time Cassidy Lambert takes center stage. With her business degree finally completed, Cassidy plans to get a job in the city and finally win complete independence from her domineering family. But when one of the family horses comes down with an infectious case of strangles and vet Dan Farley puts the ranch in quarantine, Cassidy steps in to help.

The good-looking local vet is considered by many to be the county’s most eligible bachelor. Too bad Cassidy burned her bridges with him four years ago. It’ll make working together all the more uncomfortable. What happens next seems to be part of Cassidy’s mother’s controlling plans. Or is it? Please read on, and decide for yourself.

One of the pleasures of writing a family saga is creating the setting for the stories. In this case I took a real town name—Coffee Creek, Montana—nudged it a little in a southwesterly direction, made it the head of fictional Bitterroot County and decked it out with interesting establishments like the Cinnamon Stick Café and the Lonesome Spur Saloon. There’s a two-story brick courthouse in the center of town, next to the post office and library. If you’d like to see the pictures that inspired the setting and stories, please visit my storyboards on www.pinterest.com under CJ_Carmichael.

There are more stories coming, so please keep an eye out for A Promise from a Cowboy this August, with Cowboy Christmas following in October. And do visit my website, where I hold regular contests and chat about my writing process and new stories in the works.

Happy reading!

C.J. Carmichael

www.cjcarmichael.com

Her Cowboy Dilemma

C.J. Carmichael

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hard to imagine a more glamorous life than being an accountant, isn’t it? Still, C.J. Carmichael gave up the thrills of income tax forms and double-entry bookkeeping when she sold her first book in 1998. She has now written more than twenty-eight novels for Harlequin Books, and invites you to learn more about her books, see photos of her hiking exploits and enter her surprise contests at www.cjcarmichael.com.

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This is for my Aunt Eleanor Schatz, who only this summer reminded me that she was the one who introduced me to Harlequin romances. Thanks for sharing your books—here’s one for you!

Contents

Prologue

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

Epilogue

Excerpt

Prologue

It was strange to think of Brock getting married today. He was the youngest of her brothers and, Cassidy Lambert would have asserted, the least serious and least responsible of the bunch.

Yet falling in love with Winnie Hayes had changed him—in good ways. And at twenty-eight, he certainly wasn’t too young for marriage. Not that his brothers had set good examples on that score.

B.J. at thirty-four and Corb, thirty-two, were both still single. Could it be they’d talked Brock out of taking the plunge?

Or maybe he’d come up with cold feet all on his own.

How else to explain the fact that Brock, who was supposed to be the groom, and Corb, who was supposed to be the best man, and their driver, friend and foster brother, Jackson Stone, were fifteen minutes late for the ceremony?

Everything else was in place. Guests filled the pews of Coffee Creek’s pretty white church. The organist was doing her best to drive them crazy with important-sounding music. And the bride and bridesmaids—Cassidy included—were waiting in the antechamber for their big moment.

“What time did Corb say they left?” Winnie asked. She was perched on the ledge of the windowsill with Cassidy, both of them peering out on a warm, sunny July afternoon.

With her dark hair, creamy skin and lovely figure, Winnie made a perfectly gorgeous bride. She was also fun, a good cook and strong enough to set Brock straight when he needed a firm hand.

Cassidy approved.

She also liked Winnie’s friend from New York City, Laurel Sheridan, who was checking her watch for the umpteenth time.

“Thirty-five minutes ago,” Laurel replied.

“What’s happened?” Winnie stared out the window as if she could will the Coffee Creek Ranch’s black SUV to suddenly appear.

“Don’t worry,” Laurel said. “Could be they ran out of gas or had a flat.”

“Or maybe they got halfway here only to realize that Corb forgot the ring.” Cassidy made the joke halfheartedly. She was actually starting to worry—something both Corb and Brock would tease her about if she admitted it later.

She swung her new cream-colored cowboy boots, admiring how they went with the sage-green dress that Winnie had picked out for her and Laurel. She and Laurel were dressed like twins, except Laurel was wearing pretty, high-heeled pumps with her dress.

Cassidy didn’t do pumps. Cowboy boots and running shoes were more her style.

“But if they’ve been held up,” Winnie said, “why haven’t they called?”