The Lionhearted Cowboy Returns

So many years had gone by. So many things had happened over those years. He rubbed his thigh absently.

“What are you doing here?”

Jeff spun around, nearly losing his balance. He gripped the counter as he looked at the young boy standing in the doorway. The kid’s hat was cocked low, but there was no hiding his anger. There was no doubt at all that he was Trevor’s son.

“Hi, I’m Jeff Gentry. I used to come here when I was a kid.”

“This cabin belongs to me and my dad. So you’ve got to leave.”

“I knew your dad, Trevor.” He nodded. “You must be Colin.”

The boy ignored him. “He’s dead.”

“I know and I’m sorry. I’ve been away for a lot of years.”

Colin’s eyes narrowed. “Dad told me you were in the army, Special Forces. That you’re a hero.”

Jeff tried not to flinch at the title. “I was just doing my job.”

Those questioning blue eyes studied him. “Big deal. If you were my dad’s friend, how come you never came to see him?”

“I was out of the country, serving overseas. As much as I wanted to be here, I had a job to do for the government.”

The kid remained silent.

Jeff continued in the awkward stillness. “We wrote back and forth.” That sounded lame, even to him. “I had no idea he was so sick until afterwards. I’m here now, so if I can help you—”

The kid reared back. “I don’t need your help. ’Cause it’s too late.” Fighting tears, he ran out of the cabin.

“Wait, Colin.” Jeff started after him, but stopped as he spotted a battered Jeep pull up next to his truck. Lacey Guthrie got out and walked up to her son. She didn’t look happy with him.

Finally the boy stalked off toward the horse grazing on the grass. The eight-year-old mounted the animal with the ease of a pro, grabbed the reins and reeled him around. Feeling Colin’s kick against his ribs, the horse shot off.

Lacey closed her eyes and prayed for strength, then she turned around to deal with the intruder at the cabin door.

Why wasn’t she surprised to find Jeff here? So he wanted to reminisce about the past. Too bad he hadn’t gotten the urge sooner. The one thing Trevor had wanted during those last days was to see his friend. As far as she was concerned she’d never wanted to see him again. She blinked away the sudden rush of tears. Why did he have to come back now?

She drew a shuddering breath and worked up the courage to speak. “So, Gentry, you finally made it home.”

He stepped off the porch and made his way across the field. His movement was slow and uneven as he finally reached her. “I got here as soon as I could.”

She nodded, not wanting to hear another condolence for her loss. “Your parents explained you were out of the country.”

He cocked his head and held her gaze. His strong jaw showed a trace of his stubbornness, but his brown eyes gave away his softer side.

And his sexy side. Jeff Gentry had always been the quiet, sexy type. He still was.

“You have to know, Lacey, I’d have given anything to be here for Trevor.”

She wasn’t going to cry. “I know, but I’m not happy about your trick this morning.”

“Trick?”

“You could at least have let me know you were back.”

“Yeah, I should have. I’ve been staying pretty close to home.”

The Jeff she remembered never gave much away. Now wasn’t much different. “I don’t need your help now, Jeff. I don’t need you to come and rescue me.”

“Who said I was rescuing you?”

She folded her arms across her chest. “You’re in the military, Master Sergeant. What do you need with quarter horses?”

“My time’s up. I’m a civilian now.”

She couldn’t hide her shock. “I can’t believe it.”

He glanced away, but she caught a flash of sadness. “Believe it. I’ve given my time to my country. I’m ready for a change.”

She could see the strain around his eyes. She had a feeling war had taken its toll on him. “Trevor would have loved having you back home.”

He looked hesitant. “He wasn’t the only one, Lace.”

She hated that he called her by her nickname. “Logically, I know that…”

He nodded. “Trevor understood I had a job to do.”

She turned and marched to her vehicle. The hurt she felt seemed as intense as losing Trevor all over again. Her biggest problems were that she had to deal with her husband being gone—and Jeff Gentry returning.

Chapter Two

A few hours later, Jeff drove to the Guthrie Ranch. He wasn’t going to leave things unsettled. Lacey might not want him around, but too bad, he didn’t like the situation any more than she did.

Whether she liked it or not, he was back.

He pulled up in front of the house that had once been Trevor’s parents’ home.

He’d been here numerous times as a kid. Just as Trevor had been a frequent visitor at the Rocking R.

He went straight to the back porch and knocked on the door. It opened, and behind the screen a little girl about five years old appeared, wearing jeans and a pink-flowered blouse. He was caught off guard for a moment. She favored her mother with that same streaked blond hair and big eyes. The fight inside him suddenly died.

“Who are you?” the child asked.

“Jeff Gentry.” He smiled. “I’m a friend of your mom and dad. Who are you?”

“Emily Susan Guthrie.” She shook her head. “You can’t see my daddy, he died.”

Jeff leaned down, bracing his hands on his thighs. “I know, and I’m sorry, Emily.”