Gallant Golfer (River's End Ranch Book 10)

by Cindy Caldwell

  Chad handed her her putter, and she smiled up at him. How had she gotten so lucky? His dark blue eyes still sent her reeling, and she tried to focus on the ball. She’d thought they were going to play a round—probably one of the last for a while—but apparently he wanted her to practice her putting.

  She stood over the ball, closing one eye and judging the length to the hole. He’d taken out the flag, but she could still see it. She turned toward the ball, swung a little for practice and hit the ball—straight into the hole. She cocked her head as it spun once and popped back out. It should have been a perfect putt!

  She inched up to her ball, ready to make another try, her face scrunching as she concentrated. Chad coughed, and she looked up at him. He looked quickly away and she settled in, making another perfect shot—that spun right back out again.

  She marched over to the hole and leaned over, peering in to see if someone had left a ball that was giving her trouble. She frowned and reached in, her fingers closing over something soft and square that felt like velvet. She pulled it out and held it in her palm, looking from the box to Chad. Could it be what she thought it was?

  She held her breath as she opened it—pulling back as the sun glinted on a beautiful diamond ring.

  “Oh,” she cried as she snapped the box shut and turned toward Chad.

  “It won’t bite you,” he said softly as he crossed over to her and took the box from her hand. He opened it and reached for her hand as he fell to one knee.

  “Emma, you’ve changed me. I thought I was alive, happy, until I met you. You’ve shown me there is so much more.”

  Her eyes brimmed with tears as he slipped the ring on her hand, the coolness and beauty of it sending shivers down her spine.

  “I don’t ever want to be that numb again. And the only sure-fire way I know to make that happen is to have you become my wife. Will you marry me?”

  Her head spun as memories of the past happy weeks rushed through her mind. She, too, had thought she was happy—reasonably so, anyway—and that she’d spend her time after her internship traveling the world, deciding where she wanted to land.

  But she’d found it. By accident, really, but she’d found it. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that her place was here, with this handsome man—her gallant golfer—right here at River’s End Ranch.

  “Remember earlier when I said I couldn’t be happier? I was wrong. I would be honored to be your wife. That would make me the happiest woman alive.”

  She sighed as he leaned in and kissed her, right there in the shadows of the towering mountains, the wind whistling through her hair and a hawk soaring overhead. What could be better?

  Keep reading for a sneak peak at the next book in the River’s End Ranch series, Bridget’s Beau by Kirsten Osbourne and to see more books by Cindy Caldwell, including Book 5 of River’s End Ranch:

  Honest Horseman

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  SNEAK PEEK OF BRIDGET’S BEAU

  Bridget Taylor sat quietly waiting for her plane to taxi to the gate in Lewiston, Idaho. Both of her parents were beside her, and they were all seeing her twin, Kaya, for the first time in a couple of months. None of them had met Kaya’s new husband, Glen, yet but they’d heard so much about him, it was as if they’d known him for years.

  As soon as they were at the gate, Bridget, who was on the aisle, sprang to her feet to pull down all the carry-ons she and her parents had put in the overhead bin, while her mother got slowly to her feet. “I think airplane seats get smaller every time I fly!” her mother complained.

  Bridget almost said, “Maybe you get bigger,” but she thought better of it. She was going to control her tongue and have a nice trip if it killed her. “Kaya said she got us a cabin at the River’s End Ranch, where Glen works, and there will be a car here to pick us up.”

  “Sending a car to pick us up like she’s too important to come herself!” Dad shook his head. “What is the world coming to when you can’t pick up your parents from the airport for your own wedding reception?”

  “I’m sure she had reasons, Dad.” Bridget threw her bag over her shoulder and waited in the long line to get off the plane. She wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she’d actually missed her sister. When they were together, they tended to fight, unless they were involved in some sort of shenanigans, but that didn’t mean they didn’t love each other. Why Bridget had bought a new set of shrimp forks for each of them before she’d gotten on the plane. How could a sister not love a new set of shrimp forks?

  “You’re going to be on your best behavior,” her mother hissed in her ear. “Do you hear me, Bridget Elaine?”

  Bridget wrinkled her nose. “How come I got stuck with Bridget Elaine and Kaya got Kaya Cheyenne? You love her more than me, don’t you?” She carefully kept her back to her mother to hide her smirk as she heard her mother’s sharp intake of breath.

  “Don’t you start with me! I had to get up at the butt crack of dawn to fly here for this reception, and I’m not in a good mood! Who has a reception so far from everyone they love? Only your sister!”

  Bridget didn’t bother to respond, recognizing the rant for what it was. Her mother was tired and sore after flying all day, and she was expressing her frustration with that by complaining about Kaya. Their mother loved them both desperately, but in their family, love was shown in a way that wouldn’t be perfectly acceptable in a normal family.

  They proceeded to baggage claim as soon as they made it off the plane, and Bridget finally breathed deeply for the first time in hours. The flight from DFW had seemed to take forever, and she was ready to be settled somewhere. Besides, the germs on planes were killers. Who wanted to think about that? Not her!

  Bridget was a nurse for a small family practice in Denton, Texas. She’d started out working in nursing homes, but they just hadn’t worked well for her, though her best friend, Jenni, was very happy in the nursing home where she’d worked since before graduation, first as a nurse’s aide, and now as a full-fledged nurse.

  Secretly, Bridget hoped that some of her sister’s luck would rub off on her, and there would be a handsome, intelligent man waiting to take them to the ranch. They would fall in love on the way there, and spend the entire week in one another’s company, completely unaware of anyone around them. At the end of the week, he would tell her he couldn’t live without her, and she would only go back to Texas for long enough to pack up her apartment and work out a two weeks’ notice. Then it would be back to Idaho, land of mountains and lakes and Bigfoot.

  Bridget wasn’t so sure about the Bigfoot thing, but Kaya had reassured her it was true. Of course she hadn’t believed Kaya about anything since she had told her that all men named Matt were perfect for being romance heroes. Why Matt? Even Kaya didn’t know.

  At baggage claim, instead of a handsome man, they found Kaya, and Bridget hurried to her sister to hug her, while getting a shrimp fork out of her pocket and concealing it in her hand. Mid hug, she stabbed her sister in the bottom with her shrimp fork, just as she felt her own stab on the shoulder.

  The sisters looked at each other and laughed hysterically, grimacing as they saw the look their mother was giving them. “Where is he? I have to see this perfect man you married!” Bridget looked around for someone who looked like he was with Kaya.

  Kaya made a face. “I never said he was perfect. Just that he’s perfect for me. See the difference?” She brandished a shrimp fork warningly as she asked.

  Bridget rolled her eyes, stepping away from her sister so her parents could hug her. “Is he here?”

  Kaya shook her head. “Nope. He’s at the ranch today. There was a big group wanting to go on a trail ride, and his boss needed another man. He was planning on coming until the very last minute.”

  Bridget was careful not to show her disappointment. She was very curious about her sister’s new husband. “You actually dro
ve? It’s miraculous! So tell us about this cabin we’re staying in!”

  Kaya ignored her sister’s comments about her driving. “I got you the Bear Foot cabin. You’re going to love it. It overlooks the river, and it’s just gorgeous. No one has said, but I’m pretty sure Kelsi named it. She’s the Bigfoot hunter I told you about.” Kaya hugged their mother, who was more Bridget’s height than Kaya’s.

  Bridget the Midget is what Kaya liked to call her. Of course Kaya was of Amazonian proportions, and Bridget was compact sized, so it made sense that Kaya would see her as a midget.

  After their parents had hugged Kaya, Bridget linked her arm with her sister’s. “Any eligible men on the ranch?”

  Kaya grinned, a mischievous look coming into her eye. “I think you should meet Kevin. He’s handsome, sweet, and very eligible.”

  “Kevin, huh? Tell me all about him!”

  “I’ll do better. I’ll introduce you! He’ll be at the reception.”

  “I can’t wait to meet him! Is he a good friend of Glen’s?”

  Kaya bit her lip, seeming to hide a laugh. “They’re not super close. He just moved to the ranch a short while ago, but he’s a good guy.”

  “I’ll look forward to it.” Their dad gave Bridget her suitcase, and she took it by the handle to pull it behind her. “So what is there to do on this ranch we’re staying at? Anything fun?”

  Kaya laughed softly. “There’s something to do every day. There’s an old West town to explore, four-wheelers to ride around on, horses to ride, mountains to climb, rivers to raft, and so very much more. Seriously, you could move here and never leave the ranch.” She frowned. “It’s cooler now though, so no rivers to raft, and the pool is closed. Maybe we’ll get some snow while you’re here!”

  “They’re not hiring a nurse, are they?” Bridget asked. It sounded so amazing she never wanted to leave. And despite how she and her sister behaved at times, she would love to have her around. She’d missed her since she moved to Idaho.

  “You know, I think they are. The old nurse, Emily, announced she was planning on retiring last week.”

  “Wait, why is there a nurse?”

  Kaya glanced over her shoulder to ensure their parents were there as she started toward the car. “There’s a first aid station right there on the ranch. Mainly for minor stuff. If an injury is serious, they care flight the person here to Lewiston. I don’t know how busy the nurse is kept, but it’s nice to know there’s one on the property. There are so many dangerous activities.”

  Bridget’s mind was spinning. It wasn’t where she’d seen herself when she’d decided to go to nursing school, but it seemed right. Very right. Maybe she’d talk to the ranch owners about it. “Tell me more about Kevin!”

  Kaya laughed, shaking her head. “Just wait to meet him.”

  Once they were in the car, Bridget leaned back and closed her eyes. Their father had commandeered driving the thing, claiming that he’d never trusted Kaya’s driving, which suited Kaya nicely. She hated driving, though Lewiston was not nearly as bad as Dallas traffic.

  Kaya and Bridget both sat in the back, together. Neither of them were stabbing the other with their shrimp fork, but both had them at the ready. Why own a shrimp fork if you didn’t use it to stab your sister?

  “WAKE UP, Midget! We’re at the ranch!” Kaya’s voice was insistent.

  Bridget thought about slapping her sister away, but instead she groaned and opened her eyes. She’d needed that short nap. Well, she’d needed a long nap, but there hadn’t been time for that.

  She peered out the window for the first time at a big sign that read, “River’s End Ranch.”

  Kaya was practically bouncing with her excitement to show the place to her family. “The diner’s over there. Kelsi runs the place, and she’s pregnant. She’s not showing much, but pretend she is. It’ll make her day!”

  Bridget nodded. She was all about making the natives happy. “You said a family owns this place?”

  “Yes! There are six siblings. Four brothers and the two youngest are twin girls. They’re identical, but they work hard to not look alike. You know what I mean.”

  Bridget knew exactly what her sister meant. When the two of them were little their mother had dressed them alike, even though they had truly never been similar. Kaya had always been tall and fair, and Bridget was petite with brunette hair. No, they hadn’t favored each other at all, but still they’d dressed very differently in high school, not really even wanting people to know they were sisters, let alone twins.

  Kaya gave directions to their father until he parked in front of a cabin. Bridget bounced out of the car, glad she’d gotten her nap and thrilled to be there. “Is there a hot tub? I could use a hot tub about now!”

  “There is! It’s on the back porch. Come on, and I’ll show you around. This is where Liz, May, and I stayed when I came here for the first time.”

  Twenty minutes later, Bridget was settled into a small bedroom with a private bath. She sighed contentedly. She was used to having an apartment to herself, but if she had to share quarters with her parents, this was how she wanted to do it.

  She walked out into the living room, which was basically the same big room as the kitchen. It was a very open floor plan. “I approve of your choice, Kaya. You did something right.”

  “I do a lot of things right!” Kaya said, wrinkling her nose at her sister. “Don’t make me stab you with a shrimp fork!”

  “You may have fans who think you’re something special, but I knew you before you were potty trained. Think about it!” Bridget walked into the living room to sit with her parents. “What are the plans now?”

  “I’m going to fix dinner for all of us tonight. And to make numbers even, I texted Glen and asked that he invite Kevin to supper.”

  Bridget perked up at that. “Sounds good. Has he responded?”

  “He said he’d be there.” Kaya stood, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’m going to ride home with Glen. I’ll draw you a map to get to our house, but really, it’s just across the highway. Very easy.”

  “Write it down for me,” their dad told her. “And are we going to meet this man you married before supper?”

  Kaya nodded. “He’s supposed to be here in about twenty minutes to take me home. You can meet him then.”

  Bridget was honestly thrilled for her sister. As much as they fought, there was no one she loved more. “How long were you on the ranch before you met Glen?”

  “About fifteen minutes. We stopped at the diner before coming in to the cabin, and he was there getting his dinner. I took one look at him and knew I’d spend the rest of my life in love with him.” Kaya walked over and sat down beside Bridget on the couch.

  “I wish you’d let us meet him before you married him,” their father said with a frown. “What if I don’t approve of him?”

  “Does it really matter?” Kaya asked. “We’re married, and that’s not changing anytime soon.” She folded her arms over her chest, a stance that her whole family recognized as her digging her heels in. Not that any of them would favor her getting a divorce anyway.

  Their mother sighed dramatically. “He was in Texas. You could have at least let us meet him.”

  Kaya shrugged. “He wasn’t there long, and it was our honeymoon. We didn’t see anyone really.”

  A knock at the door interrupted the conversation, and Kaya jumped up and hurried to the door. When she opened it, she smiled, throwing the door wide. “Hey, Kelsi. Are you playing welcome wagon today?”

  A petite blonde walked into the cabin, a basket of fruit in her hand. “I meant to have this here before your family got here, but I had a rough morning.” She waved at the Taylors. “It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Kelsi Clapper, formerly Kelsi Weston. My family owns the ranch, and I run Kelsey’s Kafé. I’m sure I’ll see you sometime this week.”

  Bridget smiled. “I heard that you’re a Bigfoot lover!”

  Kelsi nodded. “Bigfoot lives right here in our mountains, and I a
im to prove it. No matter what it takes!”

  “Well, you’d better be careful now that you’re pregnant. How far along are you?” Bridget kept a straight face when Kaya winked at her. Kaya was tall enough she was easily visible over the other woman’s head.

  “About six months. Do I look it?” Kelsi turned to the side and pulled her shirt closer.

  “You do! I think you look beautiful!” Bridget grinned. Kaya had been right. Kelsi was thrilled to be asked about the baby. She was obviously very proud to be pregnant.

  After Kelsi had left, Kaya smiled at Bridget. “You did great! Thank you!”

  “I love that she believes in Bigfoot.”

  Kaya shook her head. “It’s amazing that she still does after everything her brothers have put her through. They made a plaster cast of a huge foot, and they go up in the hills and make footprints for her to find. They have this spray that they use to make it smell like Bigfoot was around. They’re really bratty to her about the whole thing, and she just takes it all in stride.”

  “You’d have killed me.”

  “No doubt!” Kaya agreed.

  Another knock came to the door, and Kaya hurried off again. There was silence for a minute, and then she led a very tall man with dark hair into the room. “Mom, Dad, Bridget, this is Glen. Glen, this is my family.” Kaya was holding Glen’s arm as if she was afraid he’d run away if she wasn’t keeping him there.

  Bridget smiled. “I’ve heard a lot about you!”

  Glen frowned. “Don’t believe any of it!”

  Their dad walked to him, offering his hand to shake. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

  “You too, sir.” Glen looked nervous to be meeting his in-laws, but he handled it well.

  Bridget immediately wondered if there was something about their relationship that Kaya hadn’t mentioned. She’d grill her later. “Thanks for having us over for supper tonight.”

  “I’m happy all of you were able to make it for the reception.”