Susan Mallery: Summer Days

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery returns with a new Fool’s Gold trilogy featuring three rugged cowboys who will find love in the unlikeliest of places....

Locked in an unexpected land dispute, Rafe Stryker is trapped in the one place he vowed never to return to—the Castle Ranch in Fool’s Gold, California. He made millions facing ruthless adversaries in the boardroom, but nothing could’ve prepared him to go head-to-head against stubborn, beautiful Heidi Simpson. No one is more surprised than Rafe to discover that he’s finding Heidi—and life as a cowboy—much more compelling than he wants to admit.

For Heidi, the Castle Ranch is the home she’s always wanted. After a life on the road, the vivacious blonde has finally put down roots. She won’t give that up without a fight, not even for a man whose late-night kisses make her yearn to be a little less…wholesome.

As the two turn from passionate adversaries to passionate, period, they’ll discover that summer love can last a lifetime.

Praise for New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery

“If you want a story that will both tug on

your heartstrings and tickle your funny bone, Mallery is the author for you!”

—RT Book Reviews on Only His

“When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.”

—RT Book Reviews on Only Yours

“An adorable, outspoken heroine and an intense hero...set the sparks flying in Mallery’s latest lively, comic, and touching family-centered story.”

—Library Journal on Only Yours

“Mallery...excels at creating varied, well-developed characters and an emotion-packed story gently infused with her trademark wit and humor.” One of the Top 10 Romances of 2011!

—Booklist on Only Mine

“Mallery’s prose is luscious and provocative.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Susan Mallery’s gift for writing humor and tenderness make all her books true gems.”

—RT Book Reviews

“Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.”

—Booklist

Summer Days

Susan Mallery

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is for Kristi.

Here’s what she asked that the dedication say:

I’d like to dedicate this to my mother, Doris, for teaching me the fun and value of reading and always having a good book for me. To my dear friend, Ann, who exchanges books with me and can laugh with me for no good reason and then do it again! To my husband, Kevin, you are the love of my life, keep me laughing and never keep me from a good read. Then to my dear daughter, Julie, who inspires me and I am so proud of you. I love you all, thank you for all the fun and laughter and the love of a good hat. oxox Kristi

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

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER ONE

ONLY IN FOOL’S GOLD would a Mercedes be brought to a stop by a goat. Rafe Stryker turned off the engine of the powerful sedan and climbed out. The goat in the middle of the road surveyed him with a confident gleam in her dark eyes. If he hadn’t known better, he would have sworn she was telling him this was her road and if anyone was going to back down in this battle of wills, it would be him.

“Damn goats,” he muttered, looking around for whomever owned the wayward animal. Instead, he saw a few trees, a broken fence line and, beyond all that, mountains soaring up to the heavens. Some would describe this as God’s country. Rafe knew that God, being smart and all knowing, would have nothing to do with Fool’s Gold.

Hard to believe that a three hour drive west would return Rafe to San Francisco—land of fine dining, high-rise buildings and beautiful women. It was where he belonged. Not here, on the outskirts of some town he’d promised himself he would never set foot in again. And yet he had returned, drawn by the one person he could never turn his back on—his mother.

Swearing under his breath, he eyed the goat. He would guess she weighed about a hundred and twenty pounds, give or take. While he’d spent the past eighteen years doing his best to forget his time in Fool’s Gold, the lessons he’d learned on the Castle Ranch lived on. He figured if he’d been able to wrestle an adult steer as a scrawny fourteen-year-old, he should be able to take a goat now. Or at the very least, pick her up and move her to the side of the road.

He lowered his gaze to her hooves, wondering how sharp they would be and what they would do to his suit. He rested his elbow on the roof of his car and pinched the bridge of his nose. If his mother hadn’t sounded so broken on the phone, he would turn around and go back home. In San Francisco he had a staff, minions even. People who would take care of things like goats in the road.

He chuckled, imagining his starchy assistant facing down a goat. Ms. Jennings, a fifty-something powerhouse with an innate ability to make the most successful of executives feel incompetent, would most likely stare the goat into submission.

“You found her!”

Rafe turned toward the voice and saw a woman jogging toward him. She had a rope in one hand and what looked like lettuce in the other.

“I was so worried. Athena lives to get into trouble. I can’t find a gate lock that will keep her contained. She’s smart. Aren’t you, baby girl?”

The woman approached the goat and patted her on the back. The goat moved toward her, like a dog seeking affection. She took the lettuce and the rope around her neck with equal acceptance.

The woman glanced back at him. “Hi. I’m Heidi Simpson.”

She was maybe five-nine, with blond hair she wore in braided pigtails. A cotton shirt tucked into jeans showed him she was leggy and curvy, a combination that normally appealed. Just not today. Not when he still had to deal with his mother and a town he despised.

“Rafe Stryker,” he said.

The woman—Heidi—stared at him, her green eyes widening as she took a single step back. Her full mouth trembled slightly and she lost her smile.

“Stryker,” she whispered and swallowed. “May is your—”

“Mother. How do you know her?”

Heidi took another step back. “She’s, ah, at the ranch right now. Talking to my grandfather. There seems to be a mix-up.”

“Mix-up?” He used what Ms. Jennings referred to as his scary, serial-killer voice. “Is that how you’d describe what happened? I was thinking more along the lines of fraud and theft. Felony theft.”

* * *

THIS WAS BAD, HEIDI THOUGHT, wishing she could simply run for it. Not that she wasn’t one to face her problems. But in this case, she would feel a lot better facing them around other people, rather than on a deserted road. She eyed Athena, wondering if the goat would protect her, then decided probably not. Athena would be more interested in getting a taste of Rafe Stryker’s well-cut, obviously expensive suit.

The man standing in front of her looked seriously pissed. Pissed enough to plow her over with his big car and keep going. He was tall, with dark hair and eyes, and right now he looked angry enough to crush her with his bare hands. She had a feeling he was strong enough to do it, too.

She drew in a breath. Okay, maybe he wouldn’t crush her, but he wanted to do something. She could read that in his brown-black eyes.