Proposal at the Lazy S Ranch

Maybe a little while here wouldn’t be so bad. “How soon is this wedding of yours?”

“As soon as possible,” came the answer from the doorway.

They both turned and saw Vance Rivers smiling at his future bride.

Ana’s grin was just as goofy. “Oh, honey, I don’t think I can pull it off that soon.”

The sandy-haired man walked across the room dressed in his cowboy garb, including leather chaps. “I’m glad you’re home, Josie,” he told her. “Ana has missed her sisters.”

Josie fought a smile and lost. “Seems to me my big sis has been too busy to miss anyone.”

Ana came around the desk and slipped into Vance’s arms. Josie couldn’t miss the intimate look exchanged between the two. “Yeah, she’s miserable all right.”

That brought a smile from the handsome man. “A few weeks ago, she was ready to string me up and hang me out to dry.”

Josie frowned as she looked at her older sister. “A misunderstanding,” Ana said. “It was all resolved and we’re all working hard to help the Lazy S and Dad.”

“So that was why you hired Garrett?”

“At first I offered to be their partner.”

Josie swung around to see Garrett standing in the doorway with her crutches. She stiffened, hating that he still got to her.

Josie didn’t want to hear any more from Garrett Temple. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”

He walked into the room, and Ana and Vance walked out, leaving her alone with the man she once loved more than anything, until he betrayed her. Now, she didn’t want to be around him.

With her bum ankle, she was stuck here. That didn’t mean she would fall all over this man again.

“I was trying to help out a friend,” Garrett said. “And I believe it’s a good investment. A lot of ranches have to go into other business to help stay afloat.”

“I might be stuck working with you, Temple, but I’m not the same girl who was falling all over you. I’ve grown up.”

“Come on, Josie. What happened between us was years ago.”

Eight years and eleven months, she silently corrected. She could still recall that awful day. She’d been so eager to see him when he returned home. It had been months since their argument. She’d finally agreed to see him, then he broke the devastating news.

He stared at her with those gray eyes, and she still felt the old pull. “I was hoping enough time has passed so...”

“So I’d do what? Forgive you? Forgive you for telling me you loved me, then going off and getting another woman pregnant?”

* * *

Later that afternoon in the parlor converted into a first-floor bedroom, Colt Slater sat in his chair in front of the picture window. He squeezed the rubber ball in his right hand. He knew his strength was coming back since the stroke. Just not fast enough to suit him. His therapist, Jay McNeal, kept telling him to have patience. He would get his strength back.

Right now, Colt’s concern was for his daughter, Josie. He had watched her drive away from the house and prayed that she would come back, but he wouldn’t have bet on it. Not that he could blame her; he hadn’t been the best father in the world.

Then a truck pulled up about an hour ago. He held his breath and watched Garrett Temple get out, then lift Josie out of the passenger seat and carry her into the house. He heard the footsteps that went right past his room.

He tensed. What had happened? Had she been in an accident? Finally, Ana came in and explained about Josie’s mishap at the construction site with Temple. He wasn’t sure he was happy that those two were together again. That man had hurt Josie so badly. He’d wished he could have been there for her back then.

“Will you stop worrying? You’re going to end up back in the hospital.”

Colt glanced at his friend, Wade Dickson in the chair next to his. Dressed in his usual business suit with his gray hair cut and styled, his friend and lawyer knew all the family secrets.

“I can’t stop worrying about Josie,” Colt admitted.

“Hey, things worked out with Ana, so there’s hope with Josie, too.” Wade stood up. “I’ll go see what’s going on, then I need to get back to my office. Some of us have to work.”

Colt nodded. “Thanks for everything, Wade.”

“I love those girls, too. It’s about time you realize what you have.” He turned and walked out.

Alone again, Colt started having doubts again. Would Josie finally come to see him now?

He stood, grabbed the walker and made his way to the sideboard in the dining room. Now it was his exercise area, since he’d been released from the rehab center. He pulled open the drawer and dug under the stack of tablecloths until he found the old album.

Setting it on top, he turned the pages, trying to ignore the ones of his wife, Lucia. He should have burned those years ago, but something kept him from erasing all the past.

He made it to the picture of his four daughters together. The last one taken before their mother walked out the door. His hand moved over the photo. Josie was the one who was a miniature version of her mother, petite and curvy, although her hair was lighter and her eyes were definitely Slater blue.

He frowned, knowing he’d been unfair to his girls. He couldn’t even use the excuse of being a single parent. Kathleen, the longtime housekeeper, handled most everything while he worked the ranch. He sighed, recalling those years. Since the day Lucia left, he’d closed up and couldn’t show love to his four daughters.

He studied the photo. Analeigh was the oldest. Then came the twins, Josefina Isabel, followed five minutes later by Vittoria Irene. The memory of him standing next to his wife, and encouraging her as she gave birth to their beautiful daughters, Ana, Josie, Tori and Marissa.

He felt tears gathering in his eyes. Would he get the chance to fix the damage he’d done?

“Hello, Colt.”

He turned and saw his beautiful Josie leaning against a crutch in the doorway. He’d just been given a second chance, and he wasn’t about to throw it away.

CHAPTER TWO

JOSIE FELT STRANGE, not only being back in this house, but seeing her father after all these years.

“J...Josie. I’m gl...glad you’re home.”

Colt still stood straight and tall as he had before his stroke. Thirty years ago, he’d been a rodeo star, winning the World Saddle Bronc title before he retired when he married Lucia Delgado and brought her back to the Lazy S to make a life, raising cattle and a family.

Now in his mid-fifties, he was still a good-looking man, even with his weathered skin and graying hair. His blue eyes were the one thing she’d inherited from him. Her dark coloring was what she’d gotten from her Hispanic mother.

“This hasn’t been my home for a long time.” With the aid of her crutch, she bravely made her way into the room.

“You had an accident,” Colt said.

“It seems I got in the way at the construction site.” She nodded to her ankle. “In a few days I’ll be as good as new. Looks like you’re stuck with me for the duration anyway.”

“Hap...happy to have you.”