Second Chance Rancher

by Brenda Minton

  “Don’t rush the gate,” Daron said. He held her hand on his arm and kept her next to him until the bridesmaids were in place and the wedding march started.

  Out of spite, Daron forced her to make the walk at a sedate pace. When they reached the front of the church, he kissed her cheek and handed her off to Dane.

  The ceremony began and Lucy couldn’t stop looking at the man who was going to be her husband. She lost herself in the blue of his eyes, in his smile, in the way it felt to have his hands holding hers.

  “Repeat after me.” Pastor Matthews paused, smiled at Lucy and said, “Lucy, are you sure this is what you want to do?”

  She glared at him, and he laughed. “Of course it’s what she wants,” he said.

  Pastor Matthews recited the vows for Lucy to repeat. Holding Dane’s hand, she managed to say them as a few tears trickled down her cheeks and conspicuous moisture gathered in Dane’s eyes.

  She said, “I do,” and Dane’s eyes widened. That was the reaction she expected. But he was no longer looking deep into her eyes with love and devotion.

  Lucy turned to see what had his attention.

  Maria stood between the other bridesmaids, her eyes wide. “My water just broke,” she whispered.

  “Oh no, you don’t. Pastor Matthews, quick, finish this ceremony. I’m not letting her get away.” Dane took her by the shoulders so that she faced him and not the situation about to change all of their lives.

  “Dane, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, sickness and in health, poverty and whatever, until death do you part?”

  “I do.” Dane grabbed his wife. “I do.”

  “I now pronounce you man and wife. Kiss the bride and go have a baby.”

  Dane kissed Lucy, a much longer kiss than she thought was necessary under the circumstances.

  “I’m afraid we’re going to have to skip the reception,” Dane told the people gathered for the wedding. “You all have cake. Enjoy the food. We’ll see you in a day or two.”

  He kissed her again, then they gathered up Maria and headed for the waiting limousine that had been rented to take them for a few nights in Austin.

  * * *

  Six hours later Maria kissed her little girl on the head and handed her to Lucy. The baby had dark hair and dark eyes. She was wrinkled, red and possibly the most beautiful baby Lucy had ever laid eyes on.

  “Maria, are you sure?” Lucy swiped at the tears trickling down her cheeks and leaned to kiss her sobbing little sister.

  “I’m sure.” Maria held tight to the hand of Jaxon Williams, the baby’s father, because he’d asked to be with her when she had the baby. “We’re sure. We want you to raise her. I’ll be her aunt Maria. Jaxon has to go soon. He’s being deployed.”

  Maria swiped again at the tears. “I’m really okay. I just know I can’t do this.”

  Dane hugged her, filling Lucy with more love than she could have imagined. “Maria, you did what you felt was best and it was a difficult thing to do.”

  Maria’s gaze lingered on the baby. A tiny little girl named Jewel. A nurse had taken her and gently placed her in a tiny crib that she pushed toward the door.

  Lucy gave her sister another hug but Maria pulled back.

  “Go and hold her close, Lucy. I need a few minutes and Jaxon is here.”

  Lucy hesitated to leave her sister but Dane nodded, indicating they should give Maria space. The nurse had already moved ahead of them, pushing the baby and her bed from the room. They were taken to a room down the hall where they would spend the evening. Haven and Alex were there with Issy, who couldn’t wait to see her little sister.

  Lucy settled into a chair with baby Jewel as the family surrounded them.

  Life was good.

  * * * * *

  If you loved this story,

  pick up these other books

  from bestselling author Brenda Minton:

  HER RANCHER BODYGUARD

  THE RANCHER’S FIRST LOVE

  THE RANCHER’S SECOND CHANCE

  THE RANCHER TAKES A BRIDE

  A RANCHER FOR CHRISTMAS

  Available now from Love Inspired!

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  Keep reading for an excerpt from THE SOLDIER’S SECRET CHILD by Lee Tobin McClain.

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  Dear Reader,

  Lucy Palermo is a character I couldn’t leave behind. She’s someone we might want to have as a friend, but we know that she wouldn’t give that friendship easily.

  There are people in our lives who are very much like Lucy. They appear strong, distant, or cool. If we take the time to get to know them we will find that they hide their pain beneath that cool facade.

  Every day we pass people on the street, see them in the grocery store, ignore them in the hallways at school and we think we know them. We judge what we see on the outside. The popular girl in school must have it all. The boy walking by himself in worn jeans and a stained T-shirt, we pass on by without a greeting. The woman at the store who never smiles when we say hello, she must be unfriendly.

  They all have stories. And often, they just need a friend. Today, take time and be the person who reaches out.

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

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  The Soldier’s Secret Child

  by Lee Tobin McClain

  Chapter One

  Lacey McPherson leaned back, propped her hands on the low white picket fence and surveyed the wedding reception before her with satisfaction. She’d pulled it off.

  She’d given her beloved brother and his bride a wedding reception to remember, not letting her own antiromance attitude show. But she had to admit she’d be glad when her half-remodeled guesthouse stopped being a nest for lovebirds.

  “Nothing like a spring wedding, eh, Lacey?”

  She jumped, startled at the sound of the gruff, familiar voice right behind her. She spun around. “Vito D’Angelo, you scared me!” And then her eyes widened and she gasped. “What happened?”

  His warm brown eyes took her back to her teen years. She’d been such a dreamer then, not good at navigating high school drama, and her brother’s friend had stepped in more than once to defend her from girls who wanted to gossip or boys who tried to take advantage. She and her brother had welcomed invitations to the D’Angelo family’s big, loud Italian dinners.

  But now the most noticeable thing about his face wasn’t his eyes, but
the double scar that ran from his forehead to his jawline. A smaller scar slashed from his lower lip to his chin.

  Instinctively she reached out toward his face.

  He caught her hand, held it. “I know. I look bad. But you should see the other guy.”

  His attempt at a joke made her hurt more than it made her laugh. “You don’t look bad. It’s just...wow, they barely missed your eye.” Awkwardly, she tried to hug him with the fence in between.

  He broke away and came inside through the open gate. “How’re you doing, Lace? At least you’re still gorgeous, huh? But you’re too thin.”

  “You sound just like your grandma. And you’re late for the wedding.” Her heart was still racing from the surprise, both of seeing him and of how he looked.

  She wanted to find out what had happened. But this wasn’t the time or the place.

  “Buck won’t mind my being late. He looks busy.” Vito looked past the wedding guests toward Lacey’s brother, laughing and talking in the summer sun, his arm slung around his new bride. “Looks happy, too. Glad he found someone.”

  A slightly wistful quality in Vito’s words made Lacey study her old friend. She hadn’t seen him in almost ten years, not since he’d brought his army buddy home on a furlough and Lacey had fallen hard for the handsome stranger who’d quickly become her husband. Back then, after one very stormy conversation, Vito had faded into the background. He’d been in the firestorm that had killed Gerry, had tried to save him and had written to Lacey after Gerry’s death. But he’d continued on with another Iraq tour and then another. She’d heard he’d been injured, had undergone a lot of surgery and rehab.

  Looking at him now, she saw that he’d filled out from slim to brawny, and his hair curled over his ears, odd for a career military man. “How long are you home?”

  “For good. I’m out of the army.”

  “Out?” She stared. “Why? That was all you ever wanted to do!” She paused. “Just like Gerry.”

  “I felt awful I didn’t make his funeral.” He put an arm around her shoulders and tugged her to his side. “Aw, Lace, I’m sorry about all of it.”

  Her throat tightened and she nodded. Gerry had been dead for a year and a half, but the loss still ached.

  A shout went up from the crowd and something came hurtling toward her. Instinctively she put her hands up, but Vito stepped in front of her, catching the missile.

  Immediately, he turned and handed it to her.

  A bouquet of flowers? Why would someone...

  Oh. The bouquet. Gina’s.

  She looked across the crowd at her friend, glowing in her pearl-colored gown. Gina kept encouraging Lacey to date again. Happily in love, she wanted everyone to share in the same kind of joy.

  The crowd’s noise had quieted, and some of the guests frowned and murmured. Probably because Gina had obviously targeted Lacey, who’d been widowed less than two years ago. One of the older guests shook her head. “Completely inappropriate,” she said, loud enough for most of those nearby to hear.

  Well, that wouldn’t do. Gina was a Californian, relatively new to Ohio and still finding her way through the unspoken rules and rituals of the Midwest. She hadn’t meant to do anything wrong.

  Lacey forced a laugh and shook the bouquet threateningly at Gina. “You’re not going to get away with this, you know,” she said, keeping her tone light. “I’m passing it on to...” She looked around. “To my friend Daisy.”

  “Too late.” Daisy waved a finger in front of her face and backed away. “You caught it.”

  “Actually, Vito caught it,” old Gramps Camden said. “Not sure what happens when a man catches the bouquet.”

  As the crowd went back to general talk, Lacey tried to hand off the bouquet to all the females near her, but they all laughingly refused.

  Curious about Vito’s reaction, she turned to joke with him, but he was gone.

  * * *

  Later, after Gina and Buck had run out to Buck’s shaving-cream-decorated truck, heads down against a hail of birdseed, Lacey gave cleanup instructions to the two high school girls who were helping her with the reception. Then, after making sure that the remaining guests were well fed and happy, she went into the guesthouse. She needed to check on Nonna D’Angelo.

  Having Nonna stay here was working out great. The light nursing care she needed was right up Lacey’s alley, and she enjoyed the older woman’s company. And the extra bit of income Nonna insisted on paying had enabled Lacey to quit her job at the regional hospital. Now that the wedding was over, she could dive into the final stages of readying the guesthouse for its fall opening.

  Nonna D’Angelo had mingled during the early part of the reception, but she’d gone inside to rest more than an hour ago. Now Lacey heard the older woman crying and hastened her step, but then a reassuring male voice rumbled and the crying stopped.

  Vito.

  Of course, he’d come in to see his grandma first thing. He hadn’t been home in over a year, and they’d always been close.

  She’d just take a quick peek to make sure Nonna wasn’t getting overexcited, and then leave them to their reunion.

  Slowly, she strolled down the hall to the room she’d made up for Nonna D, keeping her ears open, giving them time. She surveyed the glossy wood floors with satisfaction. The place was coming along. She’d redo this wallpaper sometime, but the faded roses weren’t half-bad for now. Gave the place its historical character.

  She ran her hand along the long, thin table she’d just bought for the entryway, straightened her favorite, goofy ceramic rooster and a vase of flowers. Mr. Whiskers jumped up onto the table, and Lacey stopped to rub his face and ears, evoking a purr. “Where’s the Missus, huh?” she cooed quietly. “Is she hiding?”

  Hearing another weepy sniffle from Nonna D, Lacey quickened her step and stopped in the doorway of Nonna’s room.

  “My beautiful boy,” Nonna was saying with a catch in her voice. “You were always the good-looking one.”

  Vito sat on the edge of the bed, looking distinctly uncomfortable as Nonna sat up in bed to inspect his cheek and brush his hair back behind his ears.

  She felt a quick defensiveness on Vito’s behalf. Sure, the scars were noticeable. But to Lacey, they added to his rugged appeal.

  Nonna saw her and her weathered face broke into a smile, her eyes sparkling behind large glasses. “There’s my sweet girl. Come in and see my boy Vito.”

  “We talked already, Nonna.” Vito was rubbing the back of his neck. “Lacey, I didn’t realize you were taking care of my grandma to this extent. I’ll take her home tomorrow.”

  “Oh, no!” Lacey said. “I’m so happy to do it!”

  “I can’t go home!” Nonna said at the same time.

  “Why not?” Vito looked from Nonna to Lacey and back again.

  “I need my nursing help,” Nonna explained. “Lacey, here, is a wonderful nurse. She’s practically saved my life!”

  Lacey’s cheeks burned. “I’m really a Certified Nursing Assistant, not a nurse,” she explained. “And I haven’t done anything special, just helped with medications and such.” In truth, she knew she’d helped Nonna D’Angelo with the mental side as well as the physical, calming her anxiety and making sure she ate well, arranging some outings and visits so the woman didn’t sink into the depression so common among people with her health issues.

  “Medications? What’s wrong?”

  “It’s my heart,” Nonna started to explain.

  Vito had the nerve to chuckle. “Oh, now, Nonna. You’ve been talking about your heart for twenty years, and you never needed a nurse before.”

  “Things are different now.” The older woman’s chin quivered.

  He reached out and patted her arm. “You’ll be fine.”

  Lacey drew in a breath. Should she inter
vene? Families were sometimes in denial about the seriousness of a beloved relative’s health problems, and patients sometimes shielded their families from the truth.

  “If you want to move your grandma, that’s fine,” she said, “but I’d recommend waiting a couple more weeks.”

  “That’s right.” Nonna looked relieved. “Lacey needs the money and I need the help.”

  Vito frowned. “Can we afford this?” He looked down at his grandma and seemed to realize that the woman was getting distressed. “Tell you what, Grandma, Lacey and I will talk about this and figure some things out. I won’t leave without saying goodbye.”

  “All right, dear.” She shot a concerned glance at Lacey.

  She leaned down in the guise of straightening a pillow for Nonna. “I’ll explain everything,” she reassured her.

  She led the way to the front room, out of earshot from Nonna D’Angelo. Then she turned to Vito, frowning. “You don’t think I’m taking advantage of your grandma, do you?”

  “No!” He reached for her, but when she took a step back, he crossed his arms instead. “I would never think that, Lacey. I know you. I just don’t know if you’ve thought this through.”

  She restrained an eye roll. “You always did like to interfere when your help wasn’t needed.”

  “Look, if this is about that talk we had years back...” He waved a dismissive hand. “Let’s just forget that.”

  She knew exactly what he meant. As soon as Vito had found out Gerry had proposed, he’d come storming over to her house and pulled her out onto the front porch to try and talk her out of it. “You were wrong,” she said now.

  “I wasn’t wrong.” When she opened her mouth to protest, he held up a hand. “But I was wrong to interfere.”

  That wasn’t exactly what she’d said, but whatever.

  “But back to my grandma. I don’t know what her insurance is like, but I know it hardly ever covers in-home nursing care. I’m living on limited means and until I get back on my feet—”