Then Came You ; Written with Love

by Kianna Alexander

  THEN CAME YOU

  A cattle baron’s only child, Robyn Chance will inherit one of the most prosperous ranches in New Mexico. But despite loving the animals and the land, Robyn longs to see the world and all she’s missing out there. She won’t make her mother’s mistakes. So when her sexy former flame begins working at Chance Cattle Enterprises, she tries to steer clear of Troy Monroe. But the intriguing cowboy and life are full of surprises.

  WRITTEN WITH LOVE

  A couple weeks at a friend’s North Carolina summerhouse is just what romance novelist Zahra Hart needs to get some writing done and forget her broken heart. But then she discovers the man who secretly inspires all her sexy heroes is staying at the estate. Superhot pro football player Gregor Carter is nursing an injury and a bruised ego, and suddenly he and Zahra have to share Lake Lamont. Will fantasy and reality come together?

  Kianna Alexander

  and

  Joy Avery

  Then Came You

  &

  Written with Love

  Table of Contents

  Then Came You by Kianna Alexander

  Written with Love by Joy Avery

  Excerpt from Forever Mine by Donna Hill

  Then Came You

  Kianna Alexander

  “You know there was a reason I didn’t show up that night, don’t you? It was completely out of my control, Robyn. I would never have...”

  She held up her hand. “It’s ancient history.”

  He snapped his mouth shut, wondering if Rick had been right. Was this about making him pay for what he’d done all those years ago?

  She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m not looking for revenge, either. I’ve moved on from it.” She slid back from the table and stood, grabbing her tray. “We’re not kids anymore, Troy. I don’t believe in playing those kinds of childish games. And, besides, I wasn’t the one who hired you. I didn’t even know we’d taken you on until you showed up. So your little ego trip has been wasted. I simply haven’t thought that much about you since all those years ago.”

  “Fair enough.” He looked up, meeting her gaze. “But do you believe in second chances?”

  She narrowed her eyes as if studying him to test his sincerity. “Only when the situation warrants it.” She turned and carried her tray to the return point. Once she’d deposited her dishes in the proper place, she strode out of the café without a single backward glance.

  Alone at the table, Troy slid his tray away from him.

  Now the question is whether I warrant a second chance.

  Kianna Alexander, like any good Southern belle, wears many hats: loving wife, doting mama, advice-dispensing sister and gabbing girlfriend. She’s a voracious reader, an amateur seamstress and occasional painter in oils. Chocolate, American history, sweet tea and Idris Elba are a few of her favorite things. A native of the Tar Heel state, Kianna still lives there with her husband, two kids and a collection of well-loved vintage ’80s Barbie dolls. You can keep up with Kianna’s releases and appearances by signing up for her mailing list at www.authorkiannaalexander.com/sign-up.

  Books by Kianna Alexander

  Harlequin Kimani Romance

  This Tender Melody

  Every Beat of My Heart

  A Sultry Love Song

  Tempo of Love

  A Love Like This

  A San Diego Romance

  Love for All Time

  Forever with You

  Then Came You

  Visit the Author Page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!

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  For Robin B., Anya A., Wendy C., Katie D., Fran C. and all the awesome librarians out there—keepers of our history, purveyors of knowledge and some of the coolest folk to sit with for a chat. Librarians rock!

  Acknowledgments

  All my love to my readers, both new ones and longtime fans. I appreciate you! Shout-out to the Destin Divas, the absolute best squad a girl could ask for. Special thanks to Kaia Alderson, who’s always just a text away and helps me sort through the jumble of ideas in my brain. Love to my online group buddies in BRAN and in Romancelandia.

  Dear Reader,

  Thanks for picking up a copy of Then Came You. I’m so grateful you’ve chosen to spend your valuable time with Troy and Robyn in the little town of Grandeza, New Mexico.

  Knowing this would be my last Kimani, I wanted to do something I’d never done before in contemporary, something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. So when my editor asked me what my book would be about, I immediately said, “I want to write a cowboy!” I was also looking for a really beautiful setting, one I hadn’t written about before, and the Land of Enchantment fit the bill perfectly. While ranching may not be as prominent there as it was in days past, it still continues to this day.

  When our story opens, Robyn is looking for an escape and Troy is looking for a place to call home. How can they build a life together with such opposing goals? You’ll have to read on to find out.

  While this is my last Kimani, please know it won’t be my last book. To keep up with what I’m working on, check out my website at www.authorkiannaalexander.com or follow me on Twitter, @kiannawrites.

  All the best,

  Kianna

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 1

  “That’s a girl, Molly. Rest up.”

  Robyn Chance ran her hand along the top of the heifer’s head, then stood from her kneeling position. Molly, deep into her first pregnancy, was lying atop a soft bed of hay in a quiet corner of the main barn. Other than looking after the calf, it had been an uneventful Monday for Robyn.

  Robyn got her clipboard from the nail on the nearby post and jotted down her observations on Molly’s chart. The animal seemed to be handling the pregnancy as well as could be expected for a first-timer, and Robyn expected the calf to make its appearance soon. Smiling, she returned the clipboard and moved toward the wall-mounted sink to wash up.

  She’d just dried her hands when her phone vibrated in her pocket. “Hello?”

  “Yes, hello. I’m trying to reach Dr. Robyn Chance?”

  Her ears perked. “This is she.”

  “Dr. Chance, I’m Zachary McMillan, from the San Diego Wildlife Conservatory. How are you today?”

  This is the call I’ve been waiting for! She sat down on the old wooden bench just outside the barn door. “I’m fine. I hope you are as well.”

  “I am.” There was a brief pause. “I’ll get right to the reason I’m calling. We’d like to offer you the position of director of veterinary services here at the conservatory if you’re still interested. I know it’s been a long review process.”

  She could feel the smile spreading across her face. “Yes, I’m definitely still interested.” She could gush about how this was her dream job, how it presented the perfect oppor
tunity for her to finally get off Chance land, out of Grandeza and into the world at large.

  “Wonderful! There’s only one caveat.”

  She sucked in a breath. “What’s that?”

  “We’ll need you to be here and ready to start in three weeks. Would that be possible?”

  She swallowed. That didn’t give her much time to find a replacement. Despite that, she wasn’t about to turn down an opportunity like this. “I’ll be there.”

  “Sounds great. There’s some intake paperwork we’ll need. I’ll have my assistant email it to you as an attachment, and you can either send it back, or hand-carry it when you arrive. Either way, it will help to speed the onboarding process along.”

  “I’ll be looking out for it. Thank you for the opportunity.”

  “We’re looking forward to having you on the team.”

  After the call ended, she leaned against the backrest and sighed. She should be over the moon with happiness. She’d applied for five positions, and out of them all, this was the one she’d wanted most, the one that seemed like a long shot. Snagging this job represented the biggest accomplishment of her veterinary career.

  When she received good news, she’d usually go straight to the main house to tell her parents. But this time was different. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t tell them about his.

  Because Cooper and Thelma Chance, owners of one of the largest cattle ranches still operating in New Mexico, had no idea their daughter had been seeking other employment. I started my career here, and I’m pretty sure they expect me to stay forever. She was now the sole heir to Chance Cattle Enterprises, though that had not always been the case.

  The old, familiar pain rose in her chest, squeezing her heart like a fist. Would Lacey have stayed? If she were still here, would she have wanted to live out her whole life on Cooper land? There was no way to know the answer to that. Tears threatened to well in her eyes, so she pushed away those thoughts. They led only to sorrow.

  She stood and headed for her office in the one-story brick structure a few hundred yards away from the main barn. Once she’d shut herself inside, she sat behind her old oak desk and pulled out her planner. Her week was fully loaded with tasks to accomplish, and right at the top of the list was acclimating a newly hired rancher to the Chance operation. One of their best men, Amos, was retiring, and it was critical they had a full staff as a busy time of year was almost on them. He was due to report for his entrance meeting tomorrow, and she hoped to get him started by Wednesday. She hadn’t been able to find out much about the rancher so far. Mary Ellen Carter, the ranch manager who’d been working with the Chance family for twenty-plus years, had done the hiring. Since the fall calving season was approaching, all nine existing ranch employees were busy with the thirty-two pregnant cows and heifers in stock. Robyn had been assigned to meet with the new employee and get him situated.

  She took a deep breath and shut the planner. How am I going to help the new guy and find a replacement vet at the same time? It would have been hard even if she had more time. But being limited to the three weeks before she was to start another job complicated things exponentially.

  Her parents would be shocked enough to learn she wanted to leave. Then they’d have to digest that her departure was just around the corner. Any longtime employee leaving on such short notice would surely wound them. And she was their daughter, not just any staff member. She frowned at the thought, cringing at the prospect of breaking the news to them.

  A knock sounded at the office door. Robyn’s gaze followed the sound. “Come in.”

  Mary Ellen entered, with that ever-present smile on her lips. “Afternoon, Doc.”

  “Hey, M.E.” Mary Ellen had been calling Robyn “Doc” ever since she’d returned home with her veterinary degree from UC Davis.

  Mary Ellen eased farther into the office. She was dressed similarly to Robyn, wearing a green long-sleeved T-shirt emblazoned with the Chance Cattle Enterprises logo, jeans and brown work boots. The only difference in Robyn’s attire was the white lab coat she wore over her clothes.

  Mary Ellen’s wavy brown hair, streaked with silver, surrounded an oval-shaped face that held kind blue eyes. “Wanted to see if you’ve made your rounds to the southern pasture yet.”

  She shook her head. “I’m headed there next. Is something wrong?”

  “I’m not sure. Amos called me and said one of the older cows is looking a bit sluggish, though.” Mary Ellen shrugged. “You know how it is when calving gets near. She may just be worn out, but you never can tell with these things.”

  Amos was one of their more experienced hands, and everyone knew he possessed good instincts when it came to the herd. “I’d better have a look at her, just to be safe.” Robyn stood, tucking her phone into her hip pocket. “I think I know the cow you’re talking about. Odds are, she’s had her last breeding.”

  “I’m headed over there, so you can ride with me.”

  They exited the building and climbed into Big Red, Mary Ellen’s extended-cab pickup. As the truck bumped down the dirt road toward the southern part of the property, Robyn watched the familiar scenery roll by. Autumn had kissed the land, turning the verdant greens of spring and summer into rich golds and reds. Behind the carefully maintained fences, stock wandered, grazed or rested. She knew every tree, every hay bale, every patch of grass like she knew her own name. The glow of the afternoon sun illuminated the land, reflecting off the mountains in the distance and warming the air like an embrace.

  There was a whole world beyond those mountains, one she’d never had a chance to explore in her thirty-two years on Earth. She wanted to see it, experience it for herself.

  As much as she loved this land, her parents and their extended family of employees, she couldn’t remain on Chance land forever. The burdensome pain of the past, combined with her incurable wanderlust, wouldn’t allow it.

  The wind whipped through the pasture, making the grass dance to its tune.

  It’s not going to be easy to leave all this behind.

  * * *

  Troy Monroe drove his SUV down US 84, with the New Mexico scenery whizzing by his window. The ride from the airport in Santa Fe to his tiny hometown of Grandeza took around an hour, and he was relieved to be arriving soon.

  The view outside his window was familiar yet stood in stark contrast to the island setting he’d just left behind. There, he’d seen crystal-blue waters and towering pines. Here, the grasses were taller, browner. The edge of the road was lined with rubber rabbitbrush and other shrubs. The branches of pinon and juniper trees reached skyward, with the rocky peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains towering over it all.

  Grandeza was an unincorporated area of Rio Arriba County, with a population of less than three thousand. Their nearest neighboring community, Abiquiú, sat just southwest of town. Abiquiú was home to the famous Ghost Ranch that had served as a filming location for many Hollywood films. Proximity to Abiquiú was Grandeza’s only claim to fame—except among lovers of funk and soul music. Troy’s father, bassist Johnny Monroe of the jam band Zell’s Midnight Preachers, had been born and raised there.

  He’d just flown back from North Carolina, where he’d visited his Uncle Carver, Aunt Viola and his cousins, Campbell, Savion and Hadley. In general, he would have no reason to rush home. But since he’d received that upsetting phone call at the airport, he wanted to get to Grandeza as fast as possible.

  Jeannie’s sick. She’s asking for you.

  He thought back on the insistent words of Helene, his grandmother’s favorite nurse at Grandeza Acres Retirement Villas. He’d spent the better part of his adulthood drifting around the Midwest, taking temporary jobs as a rancher or farmhand wherever he could find them. The only thing that tied him to Grandeza, and to a life he’d all but forgotten, was his father’s mother, Jeannie.

  Dad’s been gone three years now. Johnny had bee
n killed with most of the members of his band in a tour-bus crash along Route 66 in Nevada. He had no idea where his mother, Sylvia, was. He hadn’t seen or heard from her since he was seventeen.

  He passed the faded, hand-painted wooden sign at the town limits and released a pent-up breath. The retirement home, located in the downtown area, came into view a few minutes later. Parking in a free space in the lot, he cut the engine. Taking the small boar bristle hairbrush from his glove box, he viewed his reflection in the rearview mirror and ran the brush through his close-cropped black hair. He used his fingertips to brush a few crumbs from his mustache, left behind by the pastry he’d had earlier. It had been a poor substitute for a real meal, but he’d been in a hurry. His eyes were heavy-lidded, revealing his weariness from a full day of air travel. His grandmother expected to see him “always presentable, never unkempt,” and despite her illness, he knew better than to go against her oft-repeated admonishment. After returning the brush, he got out and strode across the grassy lawn toward the building.

  He entered and went to the reception desk to check in. A short walk down the tiled corridor and out the rear of the main building took him to his grandmother’s private unit. As he raised his hand to knock on the door, Helene opened it. A fair-skinned, green-eyed redhead in baby-pink scrubs, she stood about shoulder height to him.

  Her expression conveyed relief. “Come on in, Troy. She’s waiting for you.”

  He stepped inside the too-warm apartment as Helene closed the door behind him. “I see Grandma’s still cold-natured.”

  Helene nodded. “That’s why I never wear long sleeves in here.” She moved toward the galley kitchen, gesturing him toward the bedroom. “Go on back.”

  In the cozy room, he found his grandmother propped up in her bed, a wealth of pillows at her back. She wore a blue housedress, her petite frame tucked beneath a large afghan. Her silver hair was wrapped around the pink, spongy curlers she favored, and gold-rimmed glasses sat perched on the end of her nose as she looked over the open newspaper on her lap.

 
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