The Cowboy's Christmas Bride

COULD HE BE HER HERO?

Hope, Montana, is no longer home to Andy Granger, who sold his piece of the family ranch to developers. He’s only back to run a cattle drive in his brother’s stead. But the community can’t forgive him for selling out. And Dakota Mason, the beautiful cowgirl he hired, has every reason to hate him…

Ranching is in Dakota’s blood. And now the developers have cut off water her neighboring ranch desperately needs. She’s only on the ride for a paycheck—not to turn her back on her community. And definitely not to fall for some overly protective urban cowboy. But Andy may surprise everyone…including himself.

“You never liked me, Dakota.”

She frowned at that, cast him a sidelong look, then turned her attention to the rolling countryside.

“I didn’t hate you.”

“Didn’t say hate,” he said. “But you didn’t much like me, either.”

She shrugged in acceptance of that, and he smiled at the irony. He’d never bonded with a woman before over her general dislike of him.

“The thing is, you never fell for my act.”

“So you admit it was an act,” she shot back.

“Sure.” He shrugged. “Every guy has an act.” What man wanted to advertise the things that hurt?

“Is this an act now?”

“I’ve got nothing left to fake,” he said quietly. “I’m the least popular guy in town trying to hold things together for my brother. Don’t worry. I know where I stand with you.”

Color rose in her cheeks, and she looked away again. “I should get to bed, Andy.”

“You should.” He’d known she wouldn’t stay out with him long, but it had been nice, all the same. There was something about being alone with Dakota under the big Montana sky that woke up a part of him that had been dormant for too long…

Dear Reader,

Even the best of us mess up, and it makes it worse when there is a solid reputation at stake. When I wrote Chet’s story in Her Stubborn Cowboy, I realized that I really liked Andy. He was a man who had made mistakes, but he wasn’t a bad man. In fact, he deserved a second chance to find his place in Hope, Montana. And who better to throw into his path than the woman who hates him most?

Christmastime is about redemption. Every family has that black sheep, the one who took the path less traveled, the one who shocked everyone with some life choice or other. If you’re that black sheep, then you know how hard it is to go home again. It isn’t just the criticism; it’s the simple fact that you’ve changed, and you can’t help that. The biggest risk we ever take is to return home and say “Is there a place for me…still?”

I hope you have a home to return to at holiday time. I hope you have people who love you and forgive you for being human. Because we’re all human, and sometimes the most “perfect” family members who arrive at family gatherings with cherubic children and Jell-O salad are the closest to snapping and losing it. So take some solace in that!

May this Christmas bring you home—to the family that drives you crazy and that you love anyway. Merry Christmas from my home to yours!

Patricia Johns

The Cowboy’s Christmas Bride

Patricia Johns

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PATRICIA JOHNS writes from northern Alberta, where she lives with her husband and son. The winters are long, cold and perfectly suited to novel writing. She has a BA in English lit, and you can find her books in Harlequin’s Love Inspired and Harlequin Western Romance lines.

To my husband, the real-life guy who inspires

my heroes: strong, stubborn and a heart that beats for me. Who could ask for more?

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Andy Granger sat across from Dakota Mason—the one woman in Hope, Montana, who had never fallen for his charms. Yet here they were, and Dakota looked less than impressed to see him. A pile of ledgers teetered next to a mug of lukewarm coffee and outside a chill wind whistled, whipping crispy leaves across his line of sight through the side window. It was getting late in the winter for there to have not been snow yet, but it looked like it wouldn’t hold off much longer.

Andy leaned his elbows on the table and pushed the coffee mug aside. “Didn’t expect to see me here, did you?” he asked, a half smile toying at his lips.

Dakota pulled her fingers through her thick, chestnut hair, tugging it away from her face, cheeks still reddened from the cold outside. She’d always been beautiful; the years only seemed to improve her.

“I was expecting Chet,” she said. “He said he needed some extra help on the cattle drive. I’d rather deal with him, if you don’t mind.”

Yeah, everyone was expecting Chet. Andy was here for a couple of weeks at the most. He’d agreed to do the cattle drive this year for his brother and then he was heading back to his life in the city. This ranch—this town even—wasn’t home anymore, and he’d been reminded of that little fact repeatedly since arriving.