It Started with a Cowboy(Cowboys of Creedence #3)
by Jennie Marts
Paperback, 384 pages
Published April 30th 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN 1492655759
What will this cowboy risk for love?
Colt James is back home on the family ranch, and he's done taking risks. A car accident ruined his shot at a professional hockey career and messed up his love life, and he's not taking a chance on anything that seems too good to be true. Especially not on Chloe Bishop, his nephew's irresistibly charming teacher and the one woman he can't stop thinking about.
Chloe Bishop liked her life the way it was--orderly, structured and safe. Life goes from managed to messy when Colt talks her into helping him coach a hockey team of rowdy eight-year-olds. Being this close to the cowboy she's crushing on is dangerous territory. But when a real enemy threatens Chloe, Colt will do anything to protect her. Even if it means risking himself--and his heart.
Excerpt :
(Colt isn’t in this scene-but you fall in love with him anyway)
“I’m Chloe Bishop. Nice to meet you.” She pointed to the doorless vehicle. “That’s my car.”
The mechanic looked her up and down, and a knowing grin spread across his face. “Ahhh, so you’re the one.”
“What one?”
“The one who got Colton James to finally take me up on my offer to let me do a favor for him.”
“Well, I can tell you I really appreciate your help, but I’m planning to cover the damages myself.” She had no idea how much it would cost to repair a door, but she knew she wasn’t going to let Colt pick up the tab, no matter how big or small the amount was.
Justin waved a hand in her direction. “Your money’s no good here, Chloe.”
She tried to keep her mouth from dropping open. “You can’t mean that.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “I can assure you I do. I’ve known Colt a long time, and I’d do anything for that guy. He did something for me that I can’t ever repay. I owe him big time, but he’s never asked for anything in return. Until now. Until he needed a car towed and fixed… for a woman. For you. You must mean a lot to him.”
Not hardly.
“Well, I wouldn’t know anything about that, but I do know that I can’t let you fix my car for free. You’ve got to let me pay you something. I know with parts and labor, car repairs can get expensive. And I can’t imagine what kind of favor Colt could have done that would make you want to give away your services.”
Before Justin could answer, the door between the garage and the office opened, and a gorgeous copper--colored golden retriever padded into the garage and sniffed her hand.
“Hello, puppy.” She scratched its ear. “Who’s this guy?” she asked Justin.
The dog turned at the whirr of a motor and raced back to the door as a child maneuvered an electric wheelchair through it. The boy looked to be about Max’s age and had curly blond hair. He pushed his round glasses up his nose and offered her a sweet grin. He looked like a cherub, an adorable angel with no wings.
Justin smiled at the boy. “This is my son, Spencer. And you already met his dog, Milo.”
She waved at the boy. “Hi, Spencer. I’m Chloe. I’m a teacher at the grade school. I know a lot of kids your age, but I don’t think I’ve met you.”
The boy rolled his eyes. “That’s because my parents are ridiculously overprotective, and my mom insists on homeschooling me.”
Chloe chuckled. “From the sounds of your vocabulary, I’d say your mom is a pretty good teacher.”
He shrugged. “I guess. But I’m still trying to talk her into letting me switch to the grade school. Especially now that I have Milo.”
Chloe peered down at the dog, who was sitting obediently next to the boy’s chair. “He’s a beautiful dog.”
“He’s the best.” Spencer rubbed the dog’s head as he looked toward his dad. “Mom wanted me to tell you dinner’s going to be on the table in thirty minutes.”
“Okay, thanks, buddy. Tell her I’ll wash up and be there in a few.”
“Nice to meet you,” the boy said as he turned the wheelchair around and eased back through the door.
“You too, Spencer,” she called, then turned back to Justin. “He seems like a great kid. And smart. Your wife is doing a great job with him. If she ever needs any support or teaching materials, she can call me. I’d be happy to help.”
“That’s kind of you. I can see why Colt likes you.”
Heat flared to her cheeks. What the heck had he told this guy about her? She wished she could ask. For now, it was easier to change the subject. “I love golden retrievers. Milo seems to do really well with Spencer. Is he a service dog?”
Justin nodded. “He’s the best. That dog has changed our lives. Besides being the first friend my kid’s ever had, he’s allowed Spence to be more independent and given him a purpose. He’s a different kid now that he has Milo. It used to be there were days when he didn’t want to leave his room, and we could forget getting him out of the house. Now he jumps out of bed to feed Milo, and he begs us to take the two of them to the park.”
“That’s wonderful.”
Justin narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as if he were taking her measure. She must have passed his squinty--eyed test, because he nodded his head slightly before he spoke. “Milo was sired by Colt’s golden, Watson. Colt sponsored the pup and spent six months training him to be a service dog. Then he spent another six months working with Spence and Milo together, teaching them how to work as a team and training the dog to do tasks specific to our son’s needs.”
Oh.
He glanced toward the doorless car then back at her. “Do you understand now?”
She nodded, unable to speak around the emotion clogging her throat. Yes, she understood now.
(Colt isn’t in this scene-but you fall in love with him anyway)
“I’m Chloe Bishop. Nice to meet you.” She pointed to the doorless vehicle. “That’s my car.”
The mechanic looked her up and down, and a knowing grin spread across his face. “Ahhh, so you’re the one.”
“What one?”
“The one who got Colton James to finally take me up on my offer to let me do a favor for him.”
“Well, I can tell you I really appreciate your help, but I’m planning to cover the damages myself.” She had no idea how much it would cost to repair a door, but she knew she wasn’t going to let Colt pick up the tab, no matter how big or small the amount was.
Justin waved a hand in her direction. “Your money’s no good here, Chloe.”
She tried to keep her mouth from dropping open. “You can’t mean that.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “I can assure you I do. I’ve known Colt a long time, and I’d do anything for that guy. He did something for me that I can’t ever repay. I owe him big time, but he’s never asked for anything in return. Until now. Until he needed a car towed and fixed… for a woman. For you. You must mean a lot to him.”
Not hardly.
“Well, I wouldn’t know anything about that, but I do know that I can’t let you fix my car for free. You’ve got to let me pay you something. I know with parts and labor, car repairs can get expensive. And I can’t imagine what kind of favor Colt could have done that would make you want to give away your services.”
Before Justin could answer, the door between the garage and the office opened, and a gorgeous copper--colored golden retriever padded into the garage and sniffed her hand.
“Hello, puppy.” She scratched its ear. “Who’s this guy?” she asked Justin.
The dog turned at the whirr of a motor and raced back to the door as a child maneuvered an electric wheelchair through it. The boy looked to be about Max’s age and had curly blond hair. He pushed his round glasses up his nose and offered her a sweet grin. He looked like a cherub, an adorable angel with no wings.
Justin smiled at the boy. “This is my son, Spencer. And you already met his dog, Milo.”
She waved at the boy. “Hi, Spencer. I’m Chloe. I’m a teacher at the grade school. I know a lot of kids your age, but I don’t think I’ve met you.”
The boy rolled his eyes. “That’s because my parents are ridiculously overprotective, and my mom insists on homeschooling me.”
Chloe chuckled. “From the sounds of your vocabulary, I’d say your mom is a pretty good teacher.”
He shrugged. “I guess. But I’m still trying to talk her into letting me switch to the grade school. Especially now that I have Milo.”
Chloe peered down at the dog, who was sitting obediently next to the boy’s chair. “He’s a beautiful dog.”
“He’s the best.” Spencer rubbed the dog’s head as he looked toward his dad. “Mom wanted me to tell you dinner’s going to be on the table in thirty minutes.”
“Okay, thanks, buddy. Tell her I’ll wash up and be there in a few.”
“Nice to meet you,” the boy said as he turned the wheelchair around and eased back through the door.
“You too, Spencer,” she called, then turned back to Justin. “He seems like a great kid. And smart. Your wife is doing a great job with him. If she ever needs any support or teaching materials, she can call me. I’d be happy to help.”
“That’s kind of you. I can see why Colt likes you.”
Heat flared to her cheeks. What the heck had he told this guy about her? She wished she could ask. For now, it was easier to change the subject. “I love golden retrievers. Milo seems to do really well with Spencer. Is he a service dog?”
Justin nodded. “He’s the best. That dog has changed our lives. Besides being the first friend my kid’s ever had, he’s allowed Spence to be more independent and given him a purpose. He’s a different kid now that he has Milo. It used to be there were days when he didn’t want to leave his room, and we could forget getting him out of the house. Now he jumps out of bed to feed Milo, and he begs us to take the two of them to the park.”
“That’s wonderful.”
Justin narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as if he were taking her measure. She must have passed his squinty--eyed test, because he nodded his head slightly before he spoke. “Milo was sired by Colt’s golden, Watson. Colt sponsored the pup and spent six months training him to be a service dog. Then he spent another six months working with Spence and Milo together, teaching them how to work as a team and training the dog to do tasks specific to our son’s needs.”
Oh.
He glanced toward the doorless car then back at her. “Do you understand now?”
She nodded, unable to speak around the emotion clogging her throat. Yes, she understood now.
About the Author:
Jennie writes Romance, Mystery and Humorous Women's Fiction. She loves to make readers laugh as she weaves stories about love, friendship and intrigue. http://www.jenniemarts.com
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