Rebecca Winters - The Right Cowboy

RIGHTING THE PAST

When Cole Hawkins left Whitebark, Wyoming, nine years ago, he couldn’t tell a soul the real reason why—not even the love of his life. It had killed him to keep secrets, but he’d made a promise to his father to never share the truth. Now after nearly a decade, Cole is back. And he has every intention of reclaiming Tamsin Rayburn.

When her family’s ranch is targeted by an arsonist, Cole, working for the local fire department, wants to help catch the culprit. Tamsin has moved on—but she’s conflicted when she sees Cole. Could she consider giving him a second chance? That is, if the truth behind why he left doesn’t break her heart all over again.

REBECCA WINTERS, whose family of four children has now swelled to include five beautiful grandchildren, lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the land of the Rocky Mountains. Living near canyons and high alpine meadows full of wildflowers, she never runs out of places to explore. They, plus her favorite vacation spots in Europe, often end up as backgrounds for her romance novels, because writing is her passion, along with her family and church.

Rebecca loves to hear from readers. If you wish to email her, please visit her website, www.cleanromances.net.

Also by Rebecca Winters

A Valentine for the Cowboy

Made for the Rancher

Cowboy Doctor

Roping Her Christmas Cowboy

The Texas Ranger’s Bride

The Texas Ranger’s Nanny

The Texas Ranger’s Family

Her Texas Ranger Hero

In a Cowboy’s Arms

A Cowboy’s Heart

The New Cowboy

A Montana Cowboy

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

The Right Cowboy

Rebecca Winters

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07745-3

THE RIGHT COWBOY

© 2018 Rebecca Winters

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

To my darling hairdresser Alicia, who has

become a friend and has kept me looking great.

(Great as I can look.) The poor thing has had to

listen to some of my stories—which she has done

with patience— even though she just wanted a simple

sentence or two of explanation. Never ask a writer

what she’s been working on! If you want to hear some

of her brother’s terrific country-and-western music,

check out his website: www.jaredrogerson.com.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text RIGHTING THE PAST When Cole Hawkins left Whitebark, Wyoming, nine years ago, he couldn’t tell a soul the real reason why—not even the love of his life. It had killed him to keep secrets, but he’d made a promise to his father to never share the truth. Now after nearly a decade, Cole is back. And he has every intention of reclaiming Tamsin Rayburn. When her family’s ranch is targeted by an arsonist, Cole, working for the local fire department, wants to help catch the culprit. Tamsin has moved on—but she’s conflicted when she sees Cole. Could she consider giving him a second chance? That is, if the truth behind why he left doesn’t break her heart all over again.

About the Author REBECCA WINTERS, whose family of four children has now swelled to include five beautiful grandchildren, lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the land of the Rocky Mountains. Living near canyons and high alpine meadows full of wildflowers, she never runs out of places to explore. They, plus her favorite vacation spots in Europe, often end up as backgrounds for her romance novels, because writing is her passion, along with her family and church. Rebecca loves to hear from readers. If you wish to email her, please visit her website, www.cleanromances.net .

Booklist Also by Rebecca Winters A Valentine for the Cowboy Made for the Rancher Cowboy Doctor Roping Her Christmas Cowboy The Texas Ranger’s Bride The Texas Ranger’s Nanny The Texas Ranger’s Family Her Texas Ranger Hero In a Cowboy’s Arms A Cowboy’s Heart The New Cowboy A Montana Cowboy Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Title Page The Right Cowboy Rebecca Winters www.millsandboon.co.uk

Copyright ISBN: 978-1-474-07745-3 THE RIGHT COWBOY © 2018 Rebecca Winters 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

Dedication To my darling hairdresser Alicia, who has become a friend and has kept me looking great. (Great as I can look.) The poor thing has had to listen to some of my stories—which she has done with patience— even though she just wanted a simple sentence or two of explanation. Never ask a writer what she’s been working on! If you want to hear some of her brother’s terrific country-and-western music, check out his website: www.jaredrogerson.com .