The Marvelous Mustanger

by Danni Roan

  The Marvelous Mustanger

  Copyright © 2019 by Danni Roan

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any way without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.

  FIRST EDITION

  https://authordanniroan.com

  Contents

  Prologue

  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

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  “Barb, would you mind taking Shay back to the barn for me?” Sally called as Barbara Cooper made her way across the corral. “I’ve got an appointment today, and I’m already running late.”

  “Sure,” Barbara agreed with a smile taking the big bay’s reins. “I’m just about done for the day myself.”

  “Thanks,” Sally said looking down at her protruding belly. “We find out if it’s a boy or a girl today.”

  Barbara grinned at her coworker, waving as Sally hurried away toward the parking lot.

  “Come on Shay,” she said turning the quiet horse toward the barn. Barb loved her work at the Equestrian Therapy Center. The center helped so many people, children and adults alike to overcome physical, mental, and emotional issues. Barbara’s favorite aspect of the work was with the Horses for Heroes program where they used horses to help wounded soldiers heal. Still, a part of her envied Sally and the new life she was bringing into the world.

  Somewhere deep inside Barbara wished she could find someone to love. Someone she could trust enough to start a family with. Instead she buried herself in romance books dreaming she would one day meet the perfect cowboy who would tip his hat and win her heart. It had always been that way for Barbara, she dreamed but she would never really do anything about it. She wasn’t exactly shy, more leery or relationships and the pain they could cause.

  Slipping the bridle over Shay’s ears as they entered the barn, Barbara replaced it with a leather halter securing the gelding to the o-ring on the wall. With a grin, she couldn’t help but think about the book club the night before and the bizarre purple haired woman who had joined them.

  There were fifteen members of the book club, and they loved romance books of all types. In the beginning, they had tried to read the same book each week then come together to discuss it, but they all loved so many different subgenres it didn’t really work.

  Barbara was hooked on historical westerns while Beth preferred Scottish Highland romance. Jemma was on a kick with mail-order brides, Taylor was all about Regency, Emma only read things set in the 1990’s and Adeline was stuck on the 1950’s.

  Barbara was prone to spending a good deal of time with Penelope and Keira who shared her love of all things western, though Penny preferred contemporary. Lilly and Lexi both ate up anything with a Lord or Duke on the cover.

  They were a mixed bag and soon the club had realized that all they were really looking for was a group to share their love of all things books; a place where they could gush about their latest book, boyfriend or dream about life in some beautiful land born in the imagination of their favorite author.

  Shay shook his head, stomping as a fly buzzed around his face making him twitch while Barbara un-cinched the saddle. Slipping the light English saddle from the horse’s back she mused about meeting Dr. Lachele for the first time at her bi-weekly meeting.

  The purple haired woman was unlike anyone she had ever met. She’d fit right in with the book club, sharing her amazing insights into what made characters fall in love. Of course that only made sense when you considered that she ran a successful match making business called Matchrimony where she used psychological profiling to hook people up at the altar.

  Hefting the saddle onto the rack and covering it with a blanket Barbara headed back to the horse while she fought the urge to giggle at the last words that Dr. Lachele had said to her when they’d gone to get a coffee at the refreshment table.

  They had been talking about how much Barbara wished that finding love were as easy as being able to step back into the past and find a real hero: a man who wasn’t afraid to be a man yet treated a lady with respect. It would have been her dreams come true.

  “What if you could?” Dr. Lachele had asked. “What if you could step back in the past and meet someone just like that book boyfriend there?” She had tapped the cowboy on the cover of the book Barbara was clutching. “Would you do it?”

  Barbara had laughed. “It would be a dream come true,” she had agreed. “I’m certainly not doing so well here on my own, and no one would really miss me. My parents died when I was a kid, and the uncle that raised me is gone as well. I was always sort of a loner, more interested in horses than anything else so I don’t have much in the way of relationships.”

  Still smiling over the memory, Barbara returned to the patient horse with a bucket of brushes and began brushing him down, smoothing his dark brown coat and making it gleam while Dr. Lachele’s words echoed in her brain.

  “I can make it happen,” the purple haired woman had said so seriously that Barbara had half believed her. “I just twitch my nose and it happens.” Dr. Lachele had nodded once as if that would be enough to convince Barbara that she could grant wishes at a whim. “I’m part of the Guild of Godmothers,” Dr. Lachele had continued. “I’m still figuring out what all that means but so far things are going well.”

  Barbara laid her hand on Shay’s withers and started running a brush over his sleek back, her mind still on her conversation with the vivacious Dr. Lachele who had twitched her nose then but nothing had happened.

  “That’s strange,” the purple haired woman had said. “It worked before. Something must be interfering.”

  Still smiling over the whole Dr. Lachele encounter Barbara ran her hand down the horse’s leg swatting a fly that buzzed and bobbed around them, her heart had been pounding fast at the prospect of being sent to her perfect story, but it hadn’t happened.

  “Barbie!” Dr. Lachele’s cheerful voice came from the other side of the barn as Barbara knelt to smooth Shay’s fetlock, wondering what could have brought the matchmaker to her place of work. Was she here to try again? Could she really do what she said? Barbara was still skeptical about such things to say the least.

  The fly bit and Shay raised his hoof to shake it free, his steel clad hoof connecting with his handler’s forehead plunging Barbara Cooper into complete darkness.

  Chapter 1

  Barbara Cooper opened her eyes to a bright burning sun and moaned as the light pierced her skull. In the distance she could hear a far off rumble, like thunder on the other side of a mountain and she struggled to place the sound.

  Laying her hand over her eyes to block out the painful light she felt the earth beneath her and wondered where she was. The last thing she remembered was being in the barn brushing down Shay. The rumbling sound was growing louder, and Barbara pushed herself up on an elbow still shading her eyes from the glare of the noon day sun to look around.

  She was in the middle of a dry grassy plain, surrounded by red rock and sparse stubby bushes. The rumbling grew louder, and Barbara sat up, holding her head in her hands for a moment to stop the world from spinning. When the world had righted itself once more, Barbara looked around her trying to force her battered brain to comprehend where she was; however, the only thing she could see was a cloud of dust on th
e horizon and blue sky.

  Slowly Barbara pushed herself to her feet, her high riding boots biting into the sandy soil as she swayed on her feet. Setting her legs apart to find balance Barbara placed her hands on her knees leaning forward in hopes that it would clear her head. She could see the light tan fabric of her jodhpurs, and tried to focus on them even as her long chestnut braid spilled over one shoulder.

  “Alright Barb, think,” she demanded of herself. “What happened? Where are you?”

  The distant rumble grew louder and Barb tried to stand up straight again, but her stomach churned and she closed her eyes trying to keep her lunch in place. The taste of dust on her lips made her open her eyes again, and this time, she recognized the sound of thundering hooves heading in her direction as the leading edge of the herd of horses approached.

  Eyes wide Barbara slowly turned to see a charging herd of mustangs coming her way. They were magnificent, surreal, beautiful, and deadly. She had dreamed of seeing wild horses racing across the plains her entire life and today she would get her wish, but with nowhere to run it would be the last sight she ever saw.

  ***

  Chance Evans looked up his heart leaping into his throat as his keen eyes picked out someone standing in the middle of the prairie directly in the path of the herd he was driving toward the pens.

  Urging his horse to greater speed he tried to turn the herd, but they were already on a set path and heading directly for the person who was slowly turning around to look into the face of their impending doom.

  “A woman!” Chance cried in shock, leaning over his horse’s neck and fanning it with his reins. The woman looked dazed and confused as she stood, her long braid falling over one shoulder with the motion. “Come on Pan,” Chance urged letting his spurs bite into his gelding’s flank. “We have to make it.”

  ***

  Barbara’s head spun as she gaped at the horses charging toward her. There was nowhere to run and even if there was she couldn’t move. Raising her arms to make herself appear larger she stood perfectly still hoping that the horses would break around her, like water on a stone.

  As the leading edge of the dust cloud began to engulf her a glistening chestnut horse dodged in front of the others and strong arms grasped her around the middle pulling her onto the galloping beast none too gently. Barbara’s head spun as she looked up into a rugged dust smeared face as the world went black once more.

  Chance held the woman tight as he veered away from the racing herd. Behind him he could hear his partners, still lost in the dust kicked up by dozens of pounding hooves, driving the herd to the capture pens.

  “Lady wake up,” he called letting his heaving horse slow to a walk. “Wake up.” But she didn’t move. Chance looked her over for any sign of injury noting the tiny trickle of blood on her forehead, but other than that and her odd tightly fitted clothing, he couldn’t see anything wrong with the female in his arms.

  Guiding Pan with one hand as he held the unconscious woman in his arms he headed toward the spring on the far side of their camp area. He and his two partners, Russ and Dave, had been mustanging for nearly two weeks now and had finally gathered a good sized herd, here on the high plains of Arizona. If all went well they would be making a fair profit at the end of the month. He didn’t expect to be adding a woman into the collection of critters they’d been organizing, and there was far too much work to be done to have to nursemaid some city girl who had fallen off of her horse.

  Making the turn around a large outcropping of rock Chance pulled Pan to a stop by the pool and slid from the saddle still cradling the woman in his arms. Gently he laid her down along the pool and yanked off his bandana dipping it into the cool water.

  As tenderly as possible the cowboy dabbed at the woman’s face studying it as he worked. She was pretty in a way, her skin smooth and unblemished, and her long braid the color of polished mahogany, her even features and peaceful pose drew him in making him smile slightly. As he continued dabbing at the bruise on her head the woman began to cough slightly her eyelids fluttering open to reveal bright blue eyes filled with confusion and fear.

  “Don’t fret Ma’am,” Chance drawled. “You’re safe.”

  Barbara struggled to sit up, leaning into the man’s strong arms for support. “Where am I?” she asked looking into her rescuers dark hazel eyes. His handsome face was covered with stubble and dark with dust, speaking to long days in the saddle and a hard day’s work.

  “You’re safe,” the man repeated again. “I’m Chance Evan and this is my camp, here along the Salt River.” he said gesturing around the small sheltered area.

  “But how did I get here?” Barbara asked pushing herself to a sitting position and making her head throb. As she lifted her hand to her head, the cowboy in front of her placed a damp bandana in it and the cold on her forehead felt like heaven.

  “I don’t rightly know how you got here ma’am,” the man called Chance drawled. “I reckon you might have been out for a ride and got tossed off your horse, what with that bump on your head and all.”

  “My head!” Barbara gasped. “Of course,” she said looking around her and spotting the pool. Rolling to her knees Barb pointed at the water. “Let me see.” Still holding her arm as she rose to her feet as the cowboy helped her to the pool where she squatted looking at her reflection in the still water. “I got kicked,” Barbara said touching the tender spot on her head, “I remember I got kicked, but how did I end up at the Snake River in Arizona?”

  Chance swallowed hard, he’d stepped back to allow the woman a chance to gaze into the pool uninterrupted, but it had put him in a spot where he had a perfect view of the woman’s posterior wrapped in a thin layer of tan britches. The long coat, that had been designed to cover at least some portion of the woman’s backside, had ridden up as she knelt and Chance couldn’t seem to drag his eyes away.

  “Chance,” the woman’s voice snapped his head around and he was relieved to see a slight smile on her lips instead of a mortified scowl. “Can you help me up please?” she asked. Her head still threatened to topple off at any sudden movement.

  Hurrying to her side Chance gave her his arm and half lifted her to her feet where she swayed into him on unsteady legs.

  “You all right ma’am?” Chance asked, his voice coming out gravely.

  “Just dizzy,” Barbara replied. “Please call me Barbara,” she added. It seemed silly him always calling her ma’am when she had a perfectly good name. Closing her eyes for just a moment she leaned into the cowboy breathing in the scent of horse, leather, dust and sweat. He smelled like everything she loved all rolled into one handsome package.

  Chance held the woman close, letting her lean into him even as his blood seemed to warm. She was a mighty good-looking woman, and she needed his help.

  “Do you want to sit down?” he asked somehow feeling disappointed when she nodded. Gently the cowboy helped Barbara to a rock where she could sit then turned to pull a tin cup from the cold fire ring fetching her a drink of water.

  “Here you are ma’am,” he said politely as he handed her the cup.

  “Please call me Barbara,” she insisted taking the cup and looking up into his face. It was a rugged face with obvious crow’s feet around his dazzling eyes; the face of a man who worked long days in the sun and rough weather.

  Chance took his hat off and ran a hand through his light brown hair. “I couldn’t do that ma’am,” the cowboy said. “Maybe if you told me your last name that would be something I’d be comfortable with.”

  Barbara smiled. The man certainly was taking the gentleman’s role seriously, despite the way he’d been ogling her backside by the spring only moments ago.

  “It’s Cooper,” Barb said smiling.

  “Miss or Mrs.?” Chance asked.

  “Miss,” Barbara replied, “but it really doesn’t matter.” Her head had stopped throbbing, and she felt a little steadier as she rose to her feet.

  Chance reached out a hand instinctively, taking
her elbow and helping her rise.

  “I’m truly sorry to be such a nuisance,” she said smiling her thanks. “If you just point me in the direction of the nearest town I’ll get out of your way.”

  Chance looked at the woman surprised. Not only was she dressed like some of those dude’s he’d seen in Tucson, she was planning on taking off on her own.

  “Phoenix is near a hundred miles away,” he said failing to keep the surprise from his voice and the mission towns nearly two days ride.”

  “Oh,” Barbara said confused. How in the world had she ended up here? She’d been at the barn in New York, how could she possibly be so far away? “I’m from the city,” she offered not sure what to say next.

  “Why don’t you sit down and have a rest,” Chance said. He could hear his partners on the other side of the rise driving the horses into the disguised high railed fences of the boxed canyon. “My partners are just about finished for the day. I’m sure between us we’ll figure out something. I’ll ride over and help them take a count of how many mustangs we got, but then we’ll come back.”

  Barbara tipped her head looking at the cowboy. “Mustangs?” she asked.

  “Yes ma’am, I mean Miss Cooper. Most folks think the critters are plumb worthless anymore, but me Dave and Russ are breaking them and selling them for saddle stock.” He turned gathering the reins of his chestnut gelding. “I’ll be back quick as I can,” he finished leaping into the saddle and galloping away.

  Barb clutched the tin cup in her hands feeling the coolness of the water on her palms. Something wasn’t right about this whole situation, but she couldn’t figure it out. Her head still throbbed slightly and she felt slightly disconnected from everything. She had been in the barn. She was putting Shay away and Dr. Lachele had called out to her.