Tina Radcliffe - Christmas With The Cowboy

About the Author TINA RADCLIFFE has been dreaming and scribbling for years. Originally from Western New York, she left home for a tour of duty with the Army Security Agency stationed in Augsburg, Germany, and ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her past careers include certified oncology RN and library cataloger. She recently moved from Denver, Colorado, to the Phoenix, Arizona, area, where she writes heartwarming and fun inspirational romance.

Booklist Also By Tina Radcliffe Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Introduction Dear Reader Bible Verse 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 Epilogue Extract About the Publisher Big Heart Ranch Claiming Her Cowboy Falling for the Cowgirl Christmas with the Cowboy The Rancher’s Reunion Oklahoma Reunion Mending the Doctor’s Heart Stranded with the Rancher Safe in the Fireman’s Arms Rocky Mountain Reunion Rocky Mountain Cowboy Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Title Page Christmas with the Cowboy Tina Radcliffe www.millsandboon.co.uk

Copyright ISBN: 978-1-474-08621-9 CHRISTMAS WITH THE COWBOY © 2018 Tina M. Radcliffe Published in Great Britain 2018 by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental. By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher. ® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries. www.millsandboon.co.uk

Introduction “How could you leave all this?” Emma wiped her face again. Despite her disheveled appearance, there was a wide grin on her face. “I know you don’t understand, but it wasn’t easy. Toughest decision of my life.” Their gazes connected and Zach swallowed hard. “Then why did you?” she asked softly. “We’d been friends since I was seven years old, and suddenly you left without a backward glance.” He kept his mouth shut, unwilling to open that particular can of worms here and now. “I guess there’s no point asking why you’ve stayed away for three years, either,” she continued. When another heifer released a loud, mournful wail, Zach turned his horse around. “Saved by the heifer.” “You can run…” Emma murmured. “But it seems to me that you and I have a lot to talk about.” Yeah, she was right; eventually he and Emma were going to have to talk. Why was it that although he’d never given a second thought to heading into danger as a navy SEAL, the thought of going toe-to-toe with his brother’s widow terrified him?

Dear Reader Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Introduction Dear Reader Bible Verse 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 Epilogue Extract About the Publisher , I’m so delighted to return to Big Heart Ranch in Timber, Oklahoma. What a treat it was to weave a story of faith and love at the most wondrous time of the year, Christmas. A time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord. This third installment introduces you to the third and youngest Maxwell, Emma Maxwell Norman. Along with her siblings, Lucy and Travis, Emma manages Big Heart Ranch for orphaned, abused and neglected children, where unconditional love and the good Lord reign. Widowed Emma carries the additional challenge of being a single mother to twin daughters. A former navy SEAL with a troubled past, Zach Norman returns to Timber and lands right in Emma’s path. He’s the only man who can possibly win the heart of the fiercely independent whirlwind of a cowgirl. Zach and Emma must learn to trust and set aside their fears in order to find their happy ending. And isn’t that the way it always works? We must let go of the past to grab the future the Lord has for us. I hope you enjoy this romantic and inspirational holiday tale. Do drop me a note and let me know your thoughts. I can be reached through my website, www.tinaradcliffe.com , where you can also find Emma’s chocolate muffin recipe. Sincerely, Tina Radcliffe

Bible Verse A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. —Proverbs 16:9

Dedication Book three of the Big Heart Ranch series is dedicated to the Big Heart Ranch Wranglers. God gives us the story and readers bless us by reading that story. A special thanks to wrangler Trixi Oberembt, who named Emma’s twins Rachel and Elizabeth, and wrangler Connie Saunders, who named the Big Heart Ranch Christmas celebration the Holiday Roundup. A final bow to Rhonda Starnes for her helpful input, and to my deadline buddy on this book, SS. I am blessed to have an amazing team that includes my agent, Jessica Alvarez, who is always on top of things, and the Love Inspired editors, including senior editor Melissa Endlich, who patiently mold me into the best writer I can be.

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

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter One

“Woo-hoo! Go get ’em, cowboy!”

Emma Maxwell Norman pushed a stroller with her two-year-old twin daughters closer to the Big Heart Ranch main corral, where hoots and hollers of excitement filled the air.

“Excuse me,” she murmured while nudging her way past wall-to-wall people.

Western hats shaded faces against the glare of an early November Oklahoma sun, as the staff and kids of the children’s ranch crowded next to each other atop rungs of the rail wood fencing. Eager children had even settled on the shoulders of adults to view the action in the main ranch arena.

Roars of laughter went up at intervals and heads turned left, then right, following the activity.

“Hey there, Miss Emma,” Dutch Stevens said. The weathered cowboy tipped his hat and stroked his graying handlebar mustache. “Folks, let Miss Emma in.”