THIRD TIMEâS A CHARM?
Retired bull rider Cole Davis was much more successful in the ring than in his relationships. Twice divorced, heâs come home to work on the family ranch and build his budding art careerâand steer clear of anything serious when it comes to women. But when he overhears Devon Newberry being bullied by her pushy mother, he comes up with a plan to help the pretty shopkeeper.
Though Devon hates lying, the blue-eyed cowboyâs proposal of a fake relationship is working perfectlyâ¦until her feelings become all too real. She knows Coleâs heart isnât available, but she canât help hoping she can change his mind!
âTrust me when I say there are way worse things than pretending to date a pretty woman.â
Had Cole just called her pretty? Even if he wasnât thinking romantic thoughts toward her, that simple comment filled her with a joy that wasnât wise but which there was no stopping.
âWell, I better get home,â she said as she reached for the door handle.
âWait,â he said. He hopped out of the truck and hurried over to her side to open the door.
âThis isnât necessary,â she said when she allowed him to hold her hand as she slipped out of the truck. âNo one is around.â
He glanced beyond her for a moment then started to lower his head toward her.
Oh, my God! Heâs going to kiss me. Her heart thumped hard.
But in the next moment, he whispered in her ear, âYour parents just walked out of La Cantina.â
âOh,â she managed, perhaps a bit too disappointed.
Who was she kidding? She was disappointed. What had she gotten herself into?
Dear Reader,
Welcome back to Blue Falls, Texas, and another tale of happily-ever-after. The more I build and populate Blue Falls with characters, the more I grow to love it. These cowboys and ranchers and the women who love them while living amazing lives of their own are so real to me, and I hope itâs the same for you, the reader.
While The Cowboy Takes a Wife finally brings to fruition Blue Fallsâs new Arts and Crafts Trail, which youâve been reading about in the past few books, there are so many more stories of love in this Hill Country town to tell. As I write this letter, Iâm already brainstorming new Blue Falls stories. I hope you are eagerly awaiting reading them as much as I am writing them.
I love to hear from readers. Let me know what you like about Blue Falls, maybe even whose story youâd like to see next. You can email me through my website at trishmilburn.com with your comments. And as always, thanks to the moon and back for your support.
Trish Milburn
TRISH MILBURN writes contemporary romance for the Harlequin Western Romance line. Sheâs a two-time Golden Heart® Award winner, a fan of walks in the woods and road trips, and a big geek girl, including being a dedicated Whovian and Browncoat. And from her earliest memories, sheâs been a fan of Westerns, be they historical or contemporary. Thereâs nothing quite like a cowboy hero.
Chapter One
Devon Newberry placed the skein of bright orange yarn and a dozen vanilla-scented candles in the paper bag and handed it across the counter to Merline Teague.
âThanks so much,â Devon said as she smiled at the older woman, the mom of local sheriff Simon Teague and his two brothers.
âNo, thank you, dear. Your candles keep the gallery smelling wonderful.â
âIâm glad. I need to get by there soon. I havenât been in a while.â
âOh, you should come by next week. Weâre having an opening for a new exhibit of art created by students at the high school. Iâm just in awe of the talent they have.â
âThat sounds wonderful. Iâll try to find some time to see it.â
âSpeaking of, I better run. I still have a lot of work to do to prepare. Thanks again,â Merline said as she lifted her bag and headed toward the door of Devonâs shop, A Good Yarn.
Devon sank onto the stool behind the cash register, grateful to get off her feet for a moment. The shop had been busy all afternoon, which was wonderful but also tiring. And she still had to prep the daily deposit and attend a meeting at the Blue Falls Tourist Bureau about the new Arts and Crafts Trail. But she wasnât going to complain about having a rush of customers, not when the fear of being an abject failure was as fresh now as itâd been when sheâd opened her shop on Blue Fallsâ Main Street. Not when her motherâs assertion that she was making a stupid mistake still echoed in her mind if she let it.
No, she was beyond thankful that the turning of the seasons to autumn put people in the mood to buy knitting supplies, hand-dipped candles and the various other homey touches Devon offered, even though the temperatures were still in the upper eighties during the day.