Montana Hearts: Sweet Talkin' Cowboy
By Darlene Panzera
Genre: Western Romance
Release Date: 12/15/2015
Publisher (or Self): Avon Books
Blurb:
Darlene Panzera continues her heartwarming Western series with a roughed-up cowboy, the feisty girl next door, and the deal that brings them together
If it wasn’t for an injury to his leg, Luke Collins would be riding rodeo broncos all day, every day. Until he heals, he’s determined to help his family’s guest ranch bring in money any way he can. But when a cranky neighbor gets in the way of his goal, Luke turns to the only person he knows can help: the gorgeous, rodeo-barrel-racing spitfire next door.
It’s no secret: Sammy Jo’s father is a pain in the neck. But if anyone can persuade him, it’s her. So when Luke asks for help, Sammy Jo is more than willing to make a deal with the handsome cowboy. The cost? He’s gotta get back up on that horse—with Sammy Jo’s help, of course.
As teamwork reveals a deeper connection, Luke finds himself falling for the beautiful girl next door. But to win her heart? He’ll just have to do whatever it takes.
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Excerpt:
Excerpt:
Chapter
1
A loud scuffle sounded
from within the cabin, followed by a thud, as if something had bumped against
the interior wall. Luke Collins stopped his trek down the dirt path in front to
listen and wondered who or what was inside. The two unfinished cabins at the
end of the row on his family's guest ranch were supposed to be empty.
He glanced down at his
two-and-a-half-year-old niece and tightened his hold on her small hand.
"Onkle Uke, what's that?"
"What's what?" Luke asked, keeping his tone light to hide his alarm.
Another thud creaked the woodwork beside them.
"That,"
Meghan said, her blue eyes wide.
Luke's gut
tightened as he noticed the front door had been left ajar. "Could be a
squirrel," he told her. Then he remembered the other creature they'd found
in a cabin the month before and forced a smile. "Or a skunk."
"Pee-yew!" Meghan said, scrunching up her nose.
Luke nodded.
"Yes, skunks smell pee-yew. Stand back while I check and see."
The first of
the two unfinished cabins had been framed, roofed, and sheeted with plywood;
nearly complete. He stepped onto the wooden porch and adjusting his weight to
his good foot, pushed the door in with the tip of his cane. Although he'd never
dreamed he'd be using an old-man stick while still in his twenties, the cane did come in handy from time to time and
provided him with a ready weapon—if ever he should need one.
The hinges
on the door were new and didn't screech like some of the older cabins when
opened. Luke waited a second to see if anything would run out. Nothing did, but
another bump sounded on the inside wall, letting him know something was in
there.
Something a
whole lot larger than the creatures he'd mentioned to his niece.
A shot of
adrenaline coursed through his veins and glancing over his shoulder, he told
Meghan, "Go over to the garden and stay with your great-grandma for a
moment."
He watched
until the toddler had joined the eighty-year-old white haired woman a safe
distance away. The day before, a few of the guests at Collins Country Cabins
had reported seeing two men in black ski masks looking through their window
while they were undressing. What if the peeping toms were holing up in this unfinished cabin?
Luke
pressed himself against the outside wall and strained his ears to listen, but
all was silent. Then, despite the limp from his left leg, he used the stealth
he'd maintained from his past military training to move inside.
His first
glance around the rough interior revealed a man's jacket lying on the floor.
The savory scent of pepperoni pizza permeated the air. He heard a soft murmur
of voices and spun toward his right, his cane raised high, ready to strike. And
standing not ten feet away from him there was indeed a man...with his arms
around his older sister.
Bree jumped
away from her fiancé, Ryan Tanner, with a start. "Luke! What are you doing
here?"
"My
job," he said, shooting them each a grin as he lowered the cane.
"Which is more than I can say for the two of you, unless you've added
kissing to your list of ranch duties."
Ryan chuckled
and wrapped an arm around Bree's shoulders. "Absolutely. No cowboy can
work at peak performance without a few stolen kisses."
"If you
say so," Luke said, unconvinced.
"I
worked all morning on the finances and future bookings," Bree informed
him. "And Ryan doesn't have to lead the mini round-up until tonight."
Meghan peeked
her blond, double-pony-tailed head through the doorway. "No pee-yew?"
"No
skunk," Luke assured her. "Just Aunt Bree and Cowboy Ryan."
"Looks
like Delaney has you working
hard," Bree teased, referring to their younger sister. "She's got you
baby-sitting?"
Luke picked
Meghan up with one arm and lifted her onto his shoulders. "Del's getting
ready to take a few guests on a trail ride, and Ma, Dad, and Grandma plan to
take a trip into town, so Meghan's gonna watch me work. I need to finish siding
this cabin and continue framing the next."
Bree gave him
an earnest look. "We need the cabins finished before the Hamilton wedding
in August."
"Don't I
know it." His family was depending on his carpentry skills to get the job
done and reminded him at every turn.
Luke couldn't
blame them. As co-owners of Collins Country Cabins, they each needed the large
amount of money the wedding with its 100-person guest list would bring in.
Especially after their previous ranch managers fled at the beginning of the
summer season with most of their cash. Their father had trusted Sue and Wade
Randall, but when a fall from his horse landed him in the hospital, the couple
used the opportunity to embezzle as much as they could.
"When
are you going to start planning your own wedding?" Luke asked, trying to
take the focus off himself.
Bree glanced
at Ryan and smiled. "Sammy Jo agreed to help me plan an engagement party set
for the end of next month, but the actual wedding won't be for another
year."
Ryan nodded.
"I tried to convince her to marry me now,
but she says she needs time to plan out all the details."
"I just want it to be perfect," Bree
said, her cheeks coloring. "And I'm hoping the Hamilton wedding will give
me some good ideas. You know, I thought we could decorate all the guest cabins
with white garlands and..." Bree's voice trailed off and Luke watched her
gaze drift toward his cane. "Of course I'll do all the decorating. I don't
expect you to have to get up on a
ladder, Luke. In fact, why don't you let Ryan and I help you right
now?"
Luke
stiffened. "Nope. I've got this. No offense, Bree, but you don't know the
first thing about construction."
"Well,
then, why don't you let me watch
Meghan," she persisted, "so she doesn't get in your way and—"
"Trip
me?" Luke frowned. "No, I promised little Meggie that she and I would
spend the afternoon together."
Bree pursed
her lips and her gaze drifted toward his cane again. "But it would be
easier if—"
He shook his
head. "The days are longer now that it's the tail-end of June. I'll get it
done," he promised.
Without anyone taking pity on me.
He knew his sister didn't
mean to look at him like that, but he and his siblings hadn't seen each other
for close to a year before they returned to Fox Creek to help out on their
family's Montana guest ranch six weeks before. And up till then, he'd kept his
injury to himself.
They still
weren't used to the idea he needed a cane to get around, but then again,
neither was he. The sooner he got the money for the knee surgery, the better,
except...he cringed every time he thought of being knocked out for the
procedure.
Greg Quinn,
one of his friends in the army, survived a horrendous helicopter crash only to
die twenty-four hours later due to complications from the meds used to put him
to sleep prior to surgery to remove a damaged kidney.
Luke swung
Meghan off his shoulders and in one swift move, set her back on her feet.
"Like I said, I've got it handled."
"Okay,
then," Bree said, her voice still hesitant. A second later she smiled.
"If you do need help, you know
where you can find us."
"Yes, I
do." Luke glanced down at his niece. "We'll leave them be and work on
the other cabin," he told the blond-haired cutie. "The other one's
more fun anyway."
Back outside,
Meghan giggled as she ran toward the open slatted two-by-fours framing up the
walls of the cabin next door. "You can't catch me!"
Luke hobbled
along with the help of his cane to chase after the child, but his mind remained
back with Ryan and Bree.
He was happy
for them. He was. They'd all grown up together and Ryan Tanner was a good man.
With money. His family owned the
Triple T cattle ranch, largest in Fox Creek, maybe largest in all of Gallatin
County.
But only six
weeks had passed since their father had been injured in a fall from his horse
and Luke, Bree, and Delaney had come home. Only six weeks since their
grandmother offered them each part of the ranch profits if they agreed to stay.
Six weeks since Bree and Ryan had reunited after years of being apart—long
enough for Ryan to have a seven-year-old son.
And now, as
of last night, they were engaged. How crazy was that?
There was no
way he'd ever get engaged to someone
after so little time together. At least they were planning to wait a year
before going through with the actual wedding. Bree said she needed time to plan
but he hoped it also gave her enough time to make sure she was doing the right
thing.
Of course, he
had to admit she and Ryan seemed meant for each other. He glanced down at his
leg. Maybe after he saved enough money and had the surgery he needed to carry
his weight, he'd consider dating again. But not before then. Not until he was
whole. The last thing he needed was
for a country cowgirl to remind him with every soulful glance that he was
damaged goods.
And not the
hair-raising, high-flying, bronco-bustin' cowboy he used to be.
****************************************************
Author Bio:
DARLENE PANZERA writes sweet, fun-loving romance and is a member of the Romance Writers of America’s Greater Seattle chapter. Her career launched when her novella “The Bet” was picked by Avon Books and New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber to be published within Debbie’s own novel, Family Affair. Darlene says, “I love writing stories that help inspire people to laugh, value relationships, and pursue their dreams.”
Born and raised in New Jersey, Darlene is now a resident of the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband and three children. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her family and her two horses, and loves camping, hiking, photography, and lazy days at the lake.
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