Kitty’s head jerked up, and she peered into his face. “We are?”
He nodded. “I told myself when you said, I love you, I was going to marry you. You said it today in the hospital.”
Her lips curved into a smile and her eyes lit up. “I did, didn’t I.”
He pulled her into his arms. “You did.”
EPILOGUE
Kitty stood in a bedroom in Marcella’s house. Her stomach was a flutter as she twisted her hands watching her ex-employer and friend set a veil on her head. Today she would marry the only man for her.
“I can’t believe how much your life has changed in a year.” Marcella twisted the ringlets in her hair. “And to think you hid not being able to read from me for so long. Bad on me for not picking up on it.”
“Don’t blame yourself. I worked hard to make sure you didn’t find out.” She stared in the mirror at the confident woman in the simple wedding gown she’d purchased from the thrift store. The women at the store had been more than happy to help her try on the gowns in the store. Zach had offered to pay for a new gown, but she couldn’t see spending that amount of money. They needed every penny to make additions to the clinic. MacDonald’s Animal Clinic had become the number one place to take the animals of Carson County.
He’d hired a young vet tech to help out while Kitty worked with a therapist to learn to decipher her words. Zach helped her study for her GED and last week she’d passed the test.
A knock on the door pulled her from her reveries.
Julie popped her head around the door. “Are you ready? There’s an antsy groom waiting for you.”
“We’re ready.” Marcella picked up the short train of her full skirt, and they headed down the hall to the backyard.
One of Marcella’s students played an electric piano as they approached the trellis. Tears burned the back of her eyes as the women from the thrift store and Mr. Fullman stood. A dozen of Marcella’s past clients were in attendance, as well as Zach’s family.
At the front of the chairs stood Zach. He was handsome in a western cut jacket and blue jeans.
Without taking her eyes off him, she walked up the aisle between the folding chairs and straight to him.
He captured her hands. She felt the security she knew he would always provide. Love shone in his eyes. Not only had she captured the words that had eluded her all those years, she’d caught a love that would last her a lifetime.
If you loved Catch the Rain, check out Bridled Heart- Contemporary Western Romance
ER nurse, Gina Montgomery, uses a self-imposed vow of celibacy to keep from getting too close to anyone. Music saved her from an abusive past. But that same solace compromises her solitary life when her piano playing draws the attention of a handsome bareback rider.
Holt Reynolds let his sister down when she needed him most. Seeing similarities between his sister and Gina, he can’t get visions of the woman or her poignant music out of his mind. He vows to find a way to free her of her past and prays it doesn’t resurface and destroy their chance at happiness.
https books2read.com/u/mYRQRW
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 30+ novels, novellas, and short stories of murder mystery, western romance, and action adventure. She has a RomCon Reader’s Choice Award for her Action Adventure and received the EPPIE Award for Best Contemporary Western Romance and a RONE for her Murder Mystery. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.
Blog / Website / Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter / Pinterest
Broken Vows
Melissa Keir
Broken Vows
Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned….
Rick and Julie Tyler are happily married ranchers who raise and train horses. When money becomes tight, Rick becomes a firefighter in order to make ends meet, but he’s forced to move out of state if he wants more money and a chance to become a station chief.
Distance causes problems for the happy couple and turns their world upside down. When Julie puts her foot down, will Rick decide to make the right choice, or will their vows break?
Other Books by Melissa Keir
Wilder Sisters Series:
Forever Love
Beach Desires
A Christmas Accident
Coming Home
**
The Cowboys of Whisper, Colorado
The Heartsong Cowboy
The Heartbroken Cowboy
Claiming the Cowboy’s Heart
A Pigskin Cowboy
Broken Dreams
**
Charming Chances:
Charming Chances (print of combined ebooks)
Second Time’s a Charm
Three’s a Crowd
**
Pigg Detective Agency:
Protecting His Wolfe
Protecting Her Pigg
**
Magical Matchmaker
Chalkboard Romance
One Night in Laguna
One Night Behind Bars
**
Crash and Burn
Love, Bake, Write (recipe book)
The Way to the Heart (recipe book)
We’d Rather Be Writing (recipe book)
Musings of a Madcap Mind (memoirs)
**
Broken Vows
Copyright © 2017 Melissa Keir
All rights reserved.
DEDICATION
To my readers who make this trip always possible and to my husband for always putting me first….
CHAPTER ONE
August 2016
“Julie, the job offer came in. We’re going to Detroit.”
Stunned, she stared at the phone. She’d known a move to another firehouse was a possibility. But to another state? Whisper, Colorado had always been her home. She’d grown up here, met and married her husband, and they’d bought their first home—all within the city’s boundaries. However, her husband’s career had stagnated. He’d reached the top of his pay scale and position. If he wanted to become a fire chief, he’d need to leave their hometown.
“Did you hear me?” His deep voice echoed through the phone, sending tingles down her spine. Julie loved how his voice still turned her on. How lucky she was. Many of her friends barely tolerated their husbands after four years of marriage, but she and Rick still acted like newlyweds.
“I heard you. I can’t help it if your voice sends my mind down other avenues. I’ll see you when you get home in the morning. Take care and be safe.” She sighed, wishing she wasn’t sleeping alone tonight.
“Love you.” He chuckled, sending another shiver through her.
“Love you more.” She held her emotions in check. The saying was their way of always acknowledging how much they meant to each other. Rick’s job put him in danger too often for her to forget each goodbye could be their last. No matter what, they always ended each parting—in person or on the phone—the same way.
Julie paced through the living room of their ranch house. She recalled the day they’d finally gotten the keys, making it theirs.
Rick had carried her through the door in his arms but tripped over a box the previous owners had left in the foyer. He’d stumbled and fallen to his knees, almost dropping her. He’d cradled her against his muscular chest, keeping her safe. Curse words had flown from his lips while she’d tried to stifle her giggles. He’d been so frustrated, however, she’d found a way to relax him.
Julie’s face heated as she remembered how they’d christened each room that night. She rolled her shoulders, recalling her stiffness for days afterward. Sleeping on the floor never felt so good.
Each corner, each room filled with memories. She teared up as she thought about moving. Not only would they have to leave their home, but she doubted there’d be room for a ho
rse farm in inner city Detroit. She would have to say goodbye to not only her friends, but also the animals she’d raised and grown to love. Rick had enjoyed running the ranch, caring for the horses, but the bills stacked up. He’d always dreamed of helping others and, to him, being a fireman offered the perfect way. Too bad being a horse breeder didn’t earn more money.
Julie grabbed her cell phone off the coffee table and strode to the back deck and her blue Adirondack chair. She watched their latest yearling frolicking in the corral. He kicked up his feet as if dancing to a silent tune. Cool afternoon breezes had made the warm fall days bearable this week. The cooler months made Rick’s job easier, although the holidays brought an increase in the number of home fires. Dialing a number, she tapped her foot until her friend picked up.
“Hello, Angela. Rick called. It’s official. We’re moving.” She wiped at the tears sliding down her cheeks. She hadn’t wanted to cry, but finally saying the words aloud made it all the more real.
“Hello, Julie. I’m sorry to hear it, although we knew it was possible. Where are you going?”
“Detroit. But we really could end up living anywhere in the area. We haven’t even begun to look at houses. With all the negative press about the city, I’m not excited to live in a ghetto.” She paused. “And I’ll have to find homes for all the horses.” Julie dropped her head back on the chair. “It’s breaking my heart.”
“Jake and I can always use some more therapy horses. The ones you have are so sweet, they’d be an asset to our program. But I’m sorry about the move. I know it’s hard, but you have quite the adventure in front of you. A new home to find and buy, and then some shopping to fill it.” Her friend’s upbeat attitude always lifted Julie’s spirits.
“Thank you for the offer. It makes me happy to know you would care for my babies. And when I come back to visit, I can see them. What kind of home will I find in a big city? Will it have a yard bigger than a shoebox?” She shook, thinking about it.
“You will always have a room in our home when you visit,” Angela offered. “You aren’t considering staying here and letting your husband move on his own, though, are you?”
“No.” She ground out the word.
“Would you want to keep him from living his dream? You know he’ll be an amazing chief.”
“No,” she sighed. “I’m complaining and whining to you rather than him, aren’t I? I would never hold him back. I just wish—”
“If wishes were real, I’d be twenty pounds lighter and a million dollars richer. Life isn’t about wishing but about making do with what you are given to fulfill your dreams. Remember, Taylor and I took a chance on Jake’s equine therapy program, after her trauma. Then we almost lost it all when Jake’s mentally ill brother tried to kill him. The pain of his suicide hurt more than just Jake. Then, you came along, offered a shoulder to lean on, and have become my closest friend. I love my new home. Which is good, because we are here forever. Besides, the Broncos are a better football team than the Lions. At least, they win more often.” Angela giggled. All true. Julie remembered their first meeting at the bakery and how shy Angela has been.
“I’m going to miss you. I hope there’s someone like you in Detroit.”
“There’s no one like me, chica. But I’m sure you will have other friends. Your kind nature draws others to you. Just be yourself, and you’ll do great.”
“It’s getting late. I’m sorry to keep you on the phone when Jim’s home.”
“That’s what friends are for. Now, head off to bed and enjoy your night without a snoring hubby next to you. I’m going to have to get those nose strips they advertise on TV if I ever want a full night’s sleep.”
“You’d miss his body heat if he weren’t there. Don’t lie. Thank you again. Talk soon, okay?”
Julie pushed the off button and laid her cell on the arm of her chair. She glanced up at the beautiful night sky. The crescent moon hung low over her neighbor’s house, and stars dotted the sky. “At least, I’ll be with Rick—no matter where we go. Angela is correct. It’s a new adventure.”
She stood up and grabbed her phone, heading inside to bed. Rick would be home in the morning, and they could begin making the plans for their new adventure.
CHAPTER TWO
The brick station house loomed in the distance. Rick Tyler slumped in his seat, a cardboard box in his lap. One of his buddies sat across from him, wiping his eyes.
As Engine 51 returned to the station, Rick coughed to clear his lungs. The last fire had been a doozy. The abandoned strip mall outside of town had been engulfed in flames when they arrived. The smell of gasoline floated through the air. While arson looked probable, they wouldn’t know for sure until the investigation was completed. Even with an abandoned building, the firemen were needed. It was their duty to keep the fire from spreading to the surrounding stores and to be sure no one had squatted inside for the night.
The end unit collapsed first. Sargent Davis had called for backup, and Stations 35 and 47 from Rocky Ford arrived on the scene with a tanker truck and ladder crew, before the fire spread to the dry pasture. Still it’d taken almost three hours to get the fire under control. Even with only embers left smoldering, a few guys stayed behind to keep watch and prevent a second breakout.
Rick’s cough continued, and he tried to catch his breath. The smoke and soot had irritated his lungs. He tried not to jostle the box on his lap where a mother dog whined softly. He’d found the mutt and her pups in the back warehouse area of the strip mall. The mother hadn’t been breathing, so he’d used his mask to revitalize her. “It was worth it.” He glanced down at the dogs in the box. The brown mother lay on her side with the puppies curled up into her body.
“Have you named them, yet?” Dean called to him.
“Nope. But, when they get a little bigger, I’m hoping to convince Julie to let us adopt one.”
“Use that country boy charm and she’ll agree to anything,” Dean teased.
The bond of brothers had been a major part of his decision to attend the fire academy. Having grown up in a family of four boys, there was always someone to play catch with, shoot the breeze, or yank your chain. The people at the firehouse had become his second family after his parents’ deaths and his brothers’ cross-country moves. Rick missed the weekly Sunday suppers. Phone calls and Skype visits didn’t cut it.
He ran his fingers lightly over the smallest puppy, black with a white spot on its back. As he petted it, the dog grunted and pushed back against his hand. He grinned. This one will be ours. Now, if only I can convince Julie.
Dean bumped Rick’s shoulder, drawing his attention away from the puppy. “I’m sure your wife is going to love a pet, with the move and all, especially since she’s going to be brokenhearted over losing her horses.”
“It would give her something to love and focus on in our new home. The move is going to be tough on her. She’s lived in Whisper all her life.”
“Then, why move?” He shrugged.
“I can’t afford to stay here and have a family. I’m maxed out—at the top of the pay scale. More years won’t make a difference. In fact, I’ll remain at the same pay even as I gain more experience. Too many cities were hit hard with the recession. Funding was cut for government services. Only a big metropolitan area will have the tax base to pay what I deserve.”
“I hear ya. My brother is a cop, and he faced cuts in his department, too. Would you believe he had to buy toilet paper for his building? The city couldn’t afford it.” Dean shook his head.
“It’s hard everywhere. It’ll be harder when we have kids. Daycare costs in addition to our cost of living… Julie might need to take a job in addition to running the ranch to cover what I’m not making. Two-income families are standard these days, but so much harder for people like us who work a floating schedule. So, if it means a move to give us what we want—gotta go for it, right?”
Dean patted him on the shoulder. “Sure. And they’ll be lucky to have you.”
; ***
After showering and a little rest, Rick stared at the computer screen in front of him. The details about the job were there in black-and-white. The generous salary had caught his eye. The letter described the basic departmental operations including performance reviews and testing requirements. Those were more structured than at the Whisper department. He’d need to pass a physical and performance exam before being hired. A momentary twinge twisted his gut. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the stress out of his body. I can do it, even if I have to take off a few pounds. Rick patted his stomach. Going to have to hit the gym or lay off Julie’s scones. He shook his head. Life isn’t fair. Those scones should be calorie-free.
Only one requirement worried him. All firefighters must live within the city boundaries. The neighborhoods their budget would allow appeared run-down or even abandoned. He hoped to get in touch with a Michigan Realtor to discuss locations. The move would be a bust if his wife wasn’t happy. His motivation for it all was starting a family. Julie’s eyes lit up when friends brought their kids over. In fact, she spent more time playing with the kids than talking with the other adults. Rick loved her blissful expression when she rocked a baby to sleep. It was time.
As the sun broke through the fog, Rick climbed into his pickup to head home. He’d gotten the dog and her puppies settled into the office, placing old towels and newspapers down for them. He’d put out food and water, too, and arranged for Dean to keep watch over the pups until he returned on Thursday. An old buddy, a veterinarian, would stop by later to check them over. Smoke inhalation was his major concern. Maybe he could convince Julie to visit them later today. He had to admit he’d already fallen for them.
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