Rescuing the Cowboy
WRONGED MAN. RIGHT WOMAN?After three years of wrongful imprisonment, Quinn Crenshaw is ready to rebuild his life and find the daughter he has never met. A job training horses at his cousin’s Arizona cattle ranch becomes something wonderful when Quinn meets Summer Goodwyn and her special-needs little boy. The single mother believes in him…and is raising this former rodeo champion’s spirits sky-high!The equine therapy program is helping Summer’s young son connect with others–including one super-attractive rancher determined to be a father to his own little girl. Despite the obstacles in their path, can she make Quinn see they have a future worth fighting for?
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WRONGED MAN. RIGHT WOMAN?
After three years of wrongful imprisonment, Quinn Crenshaw is ready to rebuild his life and find the daughter he has never met. A job training horses at his cousinâs Arizona cattle ranch becomes something wonderful when Quinn meets Summer Goodwyn and her special-needs little boy. The single mother believes in himâ¦and is raising this former rodeo championâs spirits sky-high!
The equine therapy program is helping Summerâs young son connect with othersâincluding one super-attractive rancher determined to be a father to his own little girl. Despite the obstacles in their path, can she make Quinn see they have a future worth fighting for?
Knowing it was wrong, he leaned in and lowered his headâ¦
The temptation to inhale her subtle fragrance and hear the slight intake of her breath was too hard to resist.
âQuinn.â His name was a whisper on her lips. âI wish things were different.â
âI do, too.â
Kissing her would be a simple matter of capturing her mouth with his. He didnât, though his gut told him sheâd respond with an ardor she kept hidden.
âIâ¦umâ¦â She hesitated.
âRight.â Hadnât he vowed mere minutes ago to avoid causing her trouble?
Quinn retreated a step, then walked away. Mistakes were easy to make, and heâd committed too many already in his life.
Since 2006, New York Times bestselling author CATHY McDAVID has been happily penning contemporary Westerns for Mills & Boon. Every day, she gets to write about handsome cowboys riding the range or busting a bronc. Itâs a tough job, but sheâs willing to make the sacrifice. Cathy shares her Arizona home with her own real-life sweetheart and a trio of odd pets. Her grown twins have left to embark on lives of their own, and she couldnât be prouder of their accomplishments.
To Mike, as always.
What they say is true, it only takes a moment.
Contents
Shopping in a small-town market shouldnât be a nightmare. Four thousand square feet. Three aisles crammed with merchandise. A modest dairy and meat department. Fresh produce on Wednesdays: be sure and get there early before itâs all gone. A completely uneventful and uninteresting excursion for most people.
But not for Summer Goodwyn. Yet, what choice did she have? Sheâd promised to bring homemade oatmeal cookiesâwithout raisinsâto the party later today at Dos Estrellas Ranch. After a thorough search of her pantry had netted only half the necessary ingredients, a trip to the market couldnât be avoided.
Oatmeal without raisins was the only kind of cookies her son, Teddy, ate. If she offered him something else, he might have a meltdown, and that would ruin the party.
She glanced down at him, sitting in the shopping cart basket, shoulders hunched. His rhythmic back and forth motion could be a good thing. He often rocked for hours to soothe himself. Or it could be a warning sign of things to come.
âI was thinking you might want to wear your new blue shirt today.â Blue was his favorite color.
Teddy didnât answer. Rather, he stared at nothing in particular, his eyes barely visible beneath an unruly fringe of reddish-blond hair. Teddy hated going to the barber shop, although the elderly gentleman who cut his hair was very understanding.
Maybe she should call and beg off the party. On second thought, that wasnât an option. The Dempseys were good to Summer. Really good. Without them, thereâd be no equine therapy program for Teddy and other children like him. Plus, the party was special: a welcome to Mustang Valley for Josh and Coleâs cousin whoâd arrived a few days ago. The brothers were excited to see their cousin again and hoped heâd stay, offering him a job at the ranch.
The party was also a celebration of sorts for the entire family. After months and months of financial and emotional struggle in the wake of former patriarch August Dempseyâs death, the ranch was finally on the road to recovery. Not to mention Cole and Violetâs recent elopement and Josh and Caraâs engagement. Gabe and Reese were likely headed for the altar as well, though no formal announcement had yet been made.
For those reasons and more, Summer felt obligated to attend. She briefly considered leaving Teddy at home with his regular sitter. The party was scheduled to start at sixâshe could leave by eight, no problem. But the Dempsey brothers, along with Gabeâs mother, Raquel, the familyâs well-loved matriarch, had insisted Summer bring Teddy. Besides, Joshâs two children were also going to be there.
Summer had relented, of course, though other children at the party would make no difference. Teddy didnât socialize. With anyone. Children or adults or even his own mother.
