Montana Mistletoe Baby
A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS?Barrie Jones needs a Christmas miracle. Five months pregnant, she's already the talk of Hope, Montana, because she won't tell anyone who the father is. And now her ex, Curtis Porter, is back in town, throwing her life into chaos.Curtis is about to retire from bull riding, which means selling the building that houses Barrie's veterinary practice—essentially putting her out of business—so he'll have enough money to start over. He's the bad guy, right? And Barrie should know better than to give him a second chance, but Curtis seems different… He's talking about settling down, maybe becoming a family man. Has Curtis really changed? And can Barrie change, too, and trust Curtis to do right by her and her baby?
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A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS?
Barrie Jones needs a Christmas miracle. Five months pregnant, sheâs already the talk of Hope, Montana, because she wonât tell anyone who the father is. And now her ex, Curtis Porter, is back in town, throwing her life into chaos.
Curtis is about to retire from bull riding, which means selling the building that houses Barrieâs veterinary practiceâessentially putting her out of businessâso heâll have enough money to start over. Heâs the bad guy, right? And Barrie should know better than to give him a second chance, but Curtis seems different... Heâs talking about settling down, maybe becoming a family man. Has Curtis really changed? And can Barrie change, too, and trust Curtis to do right by her and her baby?
âLong time no see, Curtis.â
He was about to reply when she came closer and the words evaporated on his tongue.
Barrieâs tan canvas winter coat was open in the front, and her belly swelled under a loose cream-colored sweater. She sauntered down the aisle toward him, her vet bag slung over one shoulder, and stopped at the stall.
âYouâreââ He wasnât sure if he was allowed to point out the obvious, but heâd never been a terribly diplomatic guy. âYouâre pregnant.â
âI am.â She met his gaze evenly.
âCongratulations.â He wasnât sure what else to say. Somehow, in all of his considerations surrounding seeing Barrie again, he hadnât considered this one.
âThank you.â For the first time, her confidence seemed to falter, and color rose in her cheeks. âYou look good, Curtis.â
His jeans were mud smeared and he hadnât shaved in several days, but heâd take the compliment. He allowed himself one more glance down her figure before he locked his gaze firmly on her face and kept it there. Her body, and her baby, werenât his business.
Christmas isnât always an easy time of year, but it comes around whether weâre ready for it or not. Iâm glad that Christmas comes relentlessly, because I think we need the sparkle. The holidays force us to look upâto the lights, to the decorations and to the people around us. Weâre never as alone as we think. I hope this Christmas is a happy one for you, and that youâre able to find some of that Christmas magic.
If you enjoyed this book and my other Hope, Montana stories, you might also want to check out my books in the Love Inspired and Heartwarming lines. I have a feeling you might like them. If youâd like to connect with me, you can find me on Facebook or at my website, patriciajohnsromance.com.
A very merry Christmas from my home to yours!
Patricia Johns
PATRICIA JOHNS writes from Alberta, Canada. She has her Hon. BA in English literature and currently writes for Harlequinâs Love Inspired, Western Romance and Heartwarming lines. You can find her at patriciajohnsromance.com.
To my husband, the love of my life. Life with you is never dull!
Contents
Curtis Porter was too old to be a bull rider, and right about now, he felt like a failure at ranching, too. When heâd moved away from Hope, Montana, for good, heâd left behind a soon-to-be ex-wife and a whole heap of memories. He figured if he ever came back, heâd show her just what she missed out on. He didnât count on coming back washed up.
Curtis hunkered down next to the calf in the barn stall. The calf was having difficulty breathing and looked thin. It obviously hadnât been eating properly. Curtis had been back on the ranch only since Friday, so he couldnât blame himself for not noticing sooner. Bovine illness could be hard to spot at first glance, but the later stages were obvious. He still wished he hadnât missed this oneâhe hated the unnecessary suffering.
December was a tough monthâthe days being snipped shorter and shorter, and darkness stretching out well into his work hours. He did chores in the morning and evening with a flashlight while winter wind buffeted him from all directions. It wasnât an excuse to have missed a sick calf, but it factored in.
Curtis rose to his feet and let himself out of the stall. Heâd just have to wait for the vet. He was officially out of his depth. Curtis was a recently retired bull rider, and when the aunt whoâd taken him in as a teen asked him to come back to help run the ranch while she recovered from a broken ankle, heâd agreed, but it wasnât only because of his soft spot for Aunt Betty. He had other business to attend to in the tiny town of Hopeâthe sale of a commercial propertyâand heâd been putting that off for longer than his finances would comfortably allow. He no longer had the choiceâhe needed the money now.
Curtisâs cell phone blipped, and he looked down at an incoming text from Aunt Betty.
