Falling for the Rancher

by Roxanne Rustand

  She felt her heart still.

  “I’ve talked to my banker and my lawyer about drawing up an offer for a contract, with annual payments leading to full partnership. Just what Dr. Boyd planned, if you’re still interested.”

  It was what she’d hoped for. The perfect resolution. Starting a practice of her own would have involved a huge investment and a great deal of risk.

  Yet...it took some effort to smile.

  Was that all there was between them—just a business contract? Had she been wrong all along about where this might be going?

  One day she’d be locked into a full partnership—granted, in a career she loved—and when he found a beautiful bride and had two beautiful children, she’d get to stand by for the rest of her career and see them all have a beautiful life.

  The thought was depressing.

  He’d moved a little closer while she was thinking those cheery thoughts, and now he rested a hand on her shoulder and gently lifted her chin with his other forefinger. “I thought you’d be happy. Isn’t this what you wanted all along?”

  “Yes—yes, of course.”

  “If you’d rather just be an associate, that’s fine, too. But I thought you’d rather have a legal stake in the business, come what may. It would give you more financial security.”

  “Absolutely. Thanks.” She looked away, not quite able to meet his eyes, knowing he would see only disappointment, not satisfaction. Legal stake? This was only business?

  Then she lifted her gaze to his.

  The warmth in his eyes sent a shiver straight to her toes.

  “I know it’s early days, but—” his voice roughened “—I love you, Darcy. If we can only be partners, so be it. But if you say there’s even a chance for us, you’ll make me the happiest guy in Aspen Creek.”

  She reached up on tiptoes and pulled him down for a kiss that answered his question and more. And when he drew her into an embrace, she melted against him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again.

  And looked forward to what the future might bring.

  Epilogue

  Logan slipped an arm around Darcy’s waist and leaned over to kiss her cheek, then picked up Emma as the bridal party gathered under the trees. “You two look beautiful tonight, ladies.”

  Darcy grinned up at him. “Mighty good-looking yourself, cowboy. You clean up exceptionally well.”

  The old phrase was certainly appropriate—not two hours ago, they’d been performing an operation on a severe colic case, and they’d made it out here to the county park with minutes to spare. Now, Logan was wearing a dark sports jacket and gray slacks, while Emma wore a flouncy, fluffy dress with matching pink socks and shoes.

  Darcy had resisted buying a dress for herself, then found a silver sheath dress with matching shoes at the last minute.

  They slipped into the back row of chairs, where Emma wouldn’t be a distraction if she got restless. “Can I stay up for fireworks, Mommy?”

  Darcy doubted she’d last that long, but smiled. “You can sure give it a try.”

  The small crowd was settling into the white chairs facing a simple altar set up along the shore of Aspen Creek. Off to one side, the harpist finished playing the beautifully haunting strains of “Somewhere in Time.” Then the violinist seated next to her joined in a duet of “Ave Maria.” The sweet, achingly emotional violin sent shivers through Darcy, and she closed her eyes to savor every note.

  “This couldn’t be a more perfect evening or a more beautiful wedding,” she whispered. “I’m just so happy for Hannah and Ethan.”

  The harpist began a solo of Canon in D by Pachelbel. Everyone rose and turned as the wedding party came down the aisle—Molly and Cole, the niece and nephew whom Hannah had adopted, and their two dogs, each sporting a big white bow.

  “I hear Ethan’s paperwork is completed, so he will be adopting the kids, as well,” Darcy whispered. “Hannah says he’s thrilled about making it official.”

  Hannah and Ethan walked down the grassy aisle next, arm in arm, to join the children. Hannah’s radiant expression and Ethan’s adoration of her touched Darcy’s heart.

  Throughout the open-air chapel, she saw other friends and neighbors and people from church, and her heart warmed. Coming to this town after closing a painful chapter in her life had been one of the best decisions she’d ever made and had led her to the most wonderful man she could have imagined.

  She smiled to herself, remembering that first day when she found an unexpected stranger in the clinic and thought he spelled disaster for her future in Aspen Creek. And later, when she’d gone to auction and ended up losing Edgar but gaining the best prize of all. Surely God’s hand had been guiding her, because otherwise she might never have ended up so blessed.

  After the wedding buffet, some of the guests left, but the rest settled on a hill in the park to watch the fireworks display. Emma curled up in Logan’s lap, her eyes already closing as the dazzling explosions of diamonds filled the sky.

  Logan looked down at her with chagrin. “I hope you’ll both remember this as a really special day, so I got each of you something. But I’m afraid she won’t be awake to see hers until tomorrow.”

  “What is it? Can you tell me?”

  He took another look at Emma’s sleeping face, then lowered his voice to a whisper. “I hope she’ll be happy to find that her preschool pal isn’t the only little girl with a playhouse.”

  “She will love it! Thank you so much!”

  He grinned. “That’s not all. Remember Pepper?”

  “Anna’s pony. Oh, no—did her dad make her give him up?”

  “He stopped by this morning.” He looked down at Emma to see if she was still asleep, then continued in a lower voice. “Anna’s riding instructor found them a pony a little better suited for her. He said he wanted a good home for Pepper and has given him to Emma as a gift.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Darcy breathed. “Emma will be so thrilled.”

  Logan slipped something from his pocket and handed it to her, then draped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close. “And here is something for you. Not quite as big as a pony, unfortunately.”

  Her heart stilled as she stared at the small box in his hand.

  “You can open it later if you want, but this just seemed like the perfect place to give it to you.”

  She turned the small box over, savoring the moment. Wondering if she was holding the key to her entire future in the palm of her hand. Slowly, very slowly, she lifted the lid, barely able to breathe.

  Inside lay a platinum engagement band strewn with diamonds, with a glittering solitaire at its center. “Oh, it’s...it’s stunning!”

  He gave he shoulders a little squeeze. “Try it on and see if it fits.”

  She slid it on her ring finger, feeling utterly dazzled. So happy she could barely contain her emotions.

  His eyes twinkled. “So what do you say, Darcy Leighton? Same date next year?”

  Mindful of her sleeping daughter, she turned to cradle his beloved face with her hands and leaned closer to draw him into a kiss.

  The biggest and brightest of the fireworks were now filling the sky, but they didn’t begin to match what she felt, with Logan in her arms.

  * * * * *

  If you loved this story,

  pick up the other ASPEN CREEK CROSSROADS books by fan-favorite author Roxanne Rustand

  WINTER REUNION

  SECOND CHANCE DAD

  A SINGLE DAD’S REDEMPTION

  AN ASPEN CREEK CHRISTMAS

  Available now from Love Inspired!

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from THE SINGLE MOM’S SECOND CHANCE by Jessica Keller.

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  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for joining me in Aspen Creek once again! I’ve loved writing about this small town set in the beautiful river bluff country of western Wisconsin.

  This book in the Aspen Creek Crossroads series was great fun to write, because I love small towns, country life and animals. My husband and I live in just such a place—an acreage out in the country with our three horses, two beloved dogs we adopted from an animal shelter, and five exceptionally friendly cats who like to wind around my ankles when I head down to the barn to do horse chores.

  If you’ve enjoyed this book, you might want to find the previous Aspen Creek Crossroads novels: Winter Reunion, Second Chance Dad, An Aspen Creek Christmas, and A Single Dad’s Redemption, which can be found at Harlequin.com or on Amazon.

  I love to hear from readers and can be contacted by snailmail at PO Box 2550, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401, or online at www.roxannerustand.com, www.facebook.com/Roxanne.Rustand, www.SweetRomanceReads.com, and www.pinterest.com/roxannerustand.

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  The Single Mom's Second Chance

  by Jessica Keller

  Chapter One

  Claire Atwood brushed snowflakes from her shoulder as she waited for her son to shut the back door of her car.

  “Hurry up, Alex. This has to be turned in by four.” Claire tucked the leather portfolio tighter under her arm. She didn’t want the paperwork that would guarantee she’d be added to the ballot for the open mayoral position to tumble out.

  She motioned for Alex to speed up and join her down the walkway leading to the town hall. A shiver worked its way through her, making her wish she’d tugged on her down jacket instead of the thinner peacoat when they were still back at home. Ice crystals formed lace patterns on the front windows of the building. February frost. That’s what Mom called it back when Claire was still a child, too many years ago.

  She puffed out a breath and watched it spiral in the crisp air before vanishing.

  Overall, Goose Harbor had enjoyed a rather mild winter this season—more slush than snowfall, really—which was part of the problem. From spring through fall the lake and the beautiful dunes brought people from miles away to explore their quaint little town, and they depended on the charm of winter to continue drawing tourists December through March for revenue. Overall, tourism was the most profitable trade in Goose Harbor. Fresh snow brought couples to the area for romantic horse-drawn sleigh rides, holiday celebrations and ice-skating, and also pulled people to come enjoy the multiple Christmas and New Year’s events around town. One of the local bed-and-breakfasts held Charles Dickens’s Christmas weekend getaways and people dressed up like old-time carolers for the tree lighting festival. But the warmth this year had kept the number of visitors slim.

  Dismal, really.

  Claire tightened her hold on her portfolio and turned toward town hall. She could do this. Help her hometown. Do something with her life that mattered beyond credentials and degrees and being the daughter of tycoon Sesser Atwood.

  The building sat across the street from Lake Michigan in the downtown section. Up the path and to the right of town hall stood the charming brick chamber of commerce building and the equally enchanting library. After those buildings there were storefronts and restaurants—everything Goose Harbor was known for. However, town hall was a long, white unassuming structure, as well as one of the oldest buildings in town. In spring, green flower boxes lined the many windows, but for now it was bare, besides the American flag flapping near the white double doors that led inside. Light flurries swirled around the dormer windows at the very top of the building.

  Alex rammed his hands deep into the pockets of his coat and trudged up the path. His thick, dark hair hung in front of his eyes. “Why did I have to come?”

  Because you’re my son. I want you with me.

  Five minutes to four wasn’t the time for a long emotional conversation. Especially not when the sky had finally decided to open up and dump some lake effect snow onto their corner of Michigan.

  Claire sucked in a cold burst of air, sending a shock down into her lungs that rattled her. “Please, just behave. Okay?”

  The seven-year-old stumbled beside her. “I don’t want to be here.”

  Here as in in front of town hall? Or did he mean in America, with her, as her adopted son? No, she didn’t want to know the answer to that question. Sometimes the unknown was far kinder than discovering the truth.

  Still, she should acknowledge what Alex said. The family therapist they’d been meeting with since she’d brought Alex home had explained to Claire how important it was for her son to feel heard.

  She stopped walking. “Where else would you rather be?”

  He dragged the toe of his shoe through the fresh powder on the ground. “You could have left me at home with your parents.”

  Your parents.

  When she’d flown to Russia eight months ago and adopted Alexei—who started going by Alex once he began school last fall—Claire had thought becoming a mother would solve all her problems. She’d have someone to love who would love her back. Someone who would want her. Need her.

  As it turned out, Alex didn’t want her. She might as well get it stitched onto a pillow so she’d never forget: You Are Not Wanted or You Will Always Be Alone. Something snazzy like that to freshen up the artfully decorated apartment area of her parents’ home she called her own.

  Claire didn’t know what to do with his attitude or how to help Alex anymore. She was failing. Like usual. Only now, her inability was affecting more than just her.

  She squatted, trying to avoid getting her pants wet, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “They’re your grandparents.”

  He skewed his face. “Not really.”

  “Yes, really.”

  “If you say, then it is so.” The missionaries who worked alongside the orphanage Alex had been adopted from started teaching him English soon after his fifth birthday. So thankfully, when Claire met him in Russia last year, they’d been able to communicate. He still struggled with proper phrasing, but most of the time he did really well with his second language.

  The double doors to town hall parted with a click and then a whoosh of air.

  Alex jerked away from Claire and sidestepped her, bolting forward. “Evan!”

  “Hey there, bud. Let me get the door for you guys.” The smooth, rich voice of Evan Daniels jolted through Claire. Causing her heart to hammer as if she’d downed a triple sh
ot of espresso.

  Then everything stalled. How did Evan know her son?

  A chill traveled up Claire’s neck. She’d successfully been living back in Goose Harbor for more than a year without having to face Evan Daniels. She’d gone out of her way to avoid all contact with him. The man and the past they shared had been her one hesitation about returning home after she broke off her engagement to Auden Pierce back in New York.

  Except now here he was in the flesh, only a few feet away, a tentative grin showing off the gorgeous smile he’d always possessed. Evan had definitely won the DNA jackpot—square jaw, a body shaped by long hours doing carpentry and dark hair that he still styled to look slightly mussed. And his eyes? Crisp, hard-to-look-away-from greens. It was the shade of green that infused life into the air, the type that poked through the last of the snow after a harsh winter and dotted the bare limbs of the trees, hinting at the hope of spring.

  Hope.

  A word that hardly fit the man.

  He would have enjoyed a successful career modeling—probably still could if he wanted to. If Evan continued to possess half the charm he’d flashed her way in high school, the man could become the next reality show host wearing a three-piece suit as he interviewed and consoled the latest person kicked out of whatever competition. Or he could become some heartthrob on the fix-it channel—that would be right up his alley. If he’d pursued a career like that, he would no longer be living in Goose Harbor and that would have made Claire much happier. Instead of how he was right now, standing there in a peacoat, a blue-and-gray-plaid scarf around his neck, looking so appealing.

  “Claire,” he whispered as he tipped his head.

  Her name didn’t belong on his lips like that. Not said so sweetly, gently.

  Head down, she brushed past him. “We haven’t talked in twelve years. Let’s not start now.” She barreled into the town hall’s lobby. The sweet, almost watermelon smell of his hair pomade followed her. He must still use the same brand he had in high school. So like Evan. Steady, constant, loyal to a brand.