Cowboy Daddy
He loves them too much to stayLane Beaumont has always loved Amanda Hawkins. If his life weren't such a mess he'd want much more than their current on-again, off-again relationship. But Amanda deserves a better life than he can offer. So when she gives birth to their son, Lane does the right thing and walks away.Amanda should be devastated. Except his reaction doesn't make sense. The Lane she knows would never turn his back on her or his responsibilities. Plus, she saw that cowboy's heart melt when he held their son. Something else is standing in the way of their happiness and she won't stop until she finds out what.
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He loves them too much to stay
Lane Beaumont has always loved Amanda Hawkins. If his life werenât such a mess heâd want much more than their current on-again, off-again relationship. But Amanda deserves a better life than he can offer. So when she gives birth to their son, Lane does the right thing and walks away.
Amanda should be devastated. Except his reaction doesnât make sense. The Lane she knows would never turn his back on her or his responsibilities. Plus, she saw that cowboyâs heart melt when he held their son. Something else is standing in the way of their happiness and she wonât stop until she finds out what.
âI am not cut out to be anyoneâs dad.â
Those words burned Laneâs gut, but he kept going.
âHe needs someone else.â Anyone else. âSomeone better, someone who can give himâand youâa better life than I can.â
Lane took a step back from the bed. âYou donât have to worry, Mandy. I donât make much, but Iâll send what I can.â He took a few more steps. He knew this wasnât what Mandy wanted and it tore him up to walk away from her. Their sonâs tiny face floated in his memory, taunting his so-called noble gesture. But he knew the reality. He couldnât put either of them through the mess that was his life.
Better to keep his distance now, before the attachment grew, than to hurt them later, like he knew he would.
Damn it.
Sometimes when writers get together, we get a little crazy. Most of the writers I know are longtime friends, which only makes matters worse. One night, several of us were talking about our stories, brainstorming and having fun. Somehow the idea of a âcowboy who wants to be a firemanâ was mentioned. (It fit into the conversation, really it did.) In that instant, Lane burst into my thoughts, as alive as if Iâd known him all my life.
I knew without a doubt that he was the perfect match for Amanda Hawkins, the next sibling in the A Chair at the Hawkins Table series. Sheâs as lost in life as he is and together, maybe, they can find their way. I certainly hope so since the story opens with their child coming into the world!
Those of you whoâve asked will be pleased to know life has continued on for Mandyâs siblings and youâll get to catch up with themâand her nephew, Tylerâas well.
I love to hear from readers. You can always reach me through email at [email protected] or Facebook and Twitter (@Angelwrite), as well as other social media. Also, for those of you who still indulge in the art of letter writing, please feel free to write me at 5740 N. Carefree Circle, Suite 120-4, Colorado Springs, CO 80917.
I hope you fall in love with these two as much as I have. They were such fun to write, and I still miss them now that Iâve finished my part. Now itâs your turn to enjoy.
Happy Reading!
Angel Smits
ANGEL SMITS lives in Colorado with her husband, daughter and puppy. Winning the Romance Writers of Americaâs Golden Heart Award was the highlight of her writing career, until her first Harlequin book hit the shelves. Her social work background inspires her characters while improv writing allows her to torture them. Itâs a rough job, but someoneâs got to do it.
Sisters. Who needs sisters? The men in my books certainly do, and Iâm lucky enough to have one of my own to use as a great example. April Wilkerson is one of my best friends. I donât know what Iâd do without her shoulder to cry on and her silly stories to laugh at. This oneâs for you, April.
And as always, for Ron, for the good parts!
Contents
HE LOVED HER. Heâd always loved her. He couldnât imagine not loving her. But she wasnât for him. Leaning back on the bar stool, Lane Beaumont stared into the mirror behind the well-stocked bar. Between the whiskey and vodka bottles, he could see the entirety of the Lucky Chance Bar, all three thousand square feet of wood and country décor. Still, his vision narrowed to her.
Just her.
Amanda Hawkins sat with three of her friends in a booth toward the back. The live music hadnât started yet, so he caught snatches of their conversation and every once in a while, a snippet of her laughter.
That laughterâsweet and warmâfirst had hit him way back during that summer between his junior and senior years of high school, the summer sheâd spent working at her grandfatherâs ranch. Right away, that sweet, husky sound had grabbed him and pulled him to her.
Their eyes met just then in the mirror, and Lane forced himself to be the first to turn away. Going for the casual, âI donât give a damnâ look, he took a deep swallow of his beer. Heâd allowed himself only one drink, and this was it, so he intended to make the most of it.
