Her Rodeo Cowboy Read Free

busy working. Speaking of which, I need to get back to it. Nice to meet you, Montana Brown.” He tipped his hat and returned her earlier wink with his own. “Ride hard and hang tight. You’re gonna blow them out of the water.” That said, he turned and strode toward the exit.
    Montana watched Luke as he left, his stride strong, no hesitation and no looking back over his shoulder at her…unlike herself who stood there gawking when she should be taking care of business.
    â€œCome on, Murdock, time to rest. Tomorrow we’re going twice as hard so we can at least make a decent showing.”
    Despite her determination not to, she looked over her shoulder once more, but Luke Holden was gone.
    Something about him lingered, and Montana found her thoughts continually turning back to him as she brushed Murdock down.
    And that just would not do. Many women came to Mule Hollow to find a husband. But Montana had come to find herself. To do that, there was no room for complications.
    And Luke Holden was one cowboy who had complication written all over him.

Chapter Two
    â€œH ow’s my little Tater-poo?” Montana cooed, taking Tate from Lacy. The six-month-old was all cuddly and warm. “He’s getting to be a hunk.”
    â€œTell me about it.” Lacy handed over the bottle that she’d been feeding him. “He eats like his daddy, don’t cha, little man?”
    â€œHey, he’s a growing boy.”
    â€œSo true! You finish feeding my sugar pie while I get the rest of my grocery list made out. Guess I should tell you that we’re having a barbecue this weekend.”
    â€œWe are?” Montana settled into the rocker as Tate attacked the bottle with gusto. “Why? What’s the occasion?”
    â€œFor you, silly. I want everyone to come meet you, that’s why.”
    Montana was startled by this information. “Do you have time for that? I mean, I thought you had a lot of planning to do for the rodeo?”
    â€œOh, we’ve got that handled,” Lacy said, brushingthe thought away with the wave of her pink-tipped fingers. “The matchmaking posse’s got that under control. Things are rolling right along with the rodeo and the festival we’re going to have in conjunction that same weekend. Yep, we’ve got food vendors coming, and Cort and Lilly Wells always head up a petting zoo with their adorable donkey, Samantha. All kinds of fun stuff is getting ready to happen this summer. It’s going to be great,” she said with gusto. “But first we’re having your barbecue.”
    A lump formed in Montana’s throat. She loved her cousin. That was all there was to it. She fought to steady her voice. “You know, you’ve really helped me when I needed it the most.”
    Lacy’s brilliant blue eyes twinkled as they looked to Montana’s and held. “I was concerned for you. You know God loves you more than I do—though I love you like a sister, and wouldn’t give you up for anything in the world. But it’s true, He does. And I was concerned that you were forgetting that, with all this drama you’re going through. I needed to help you know that.”
    That was Lacy, so strong in her faith. “I’m not going through it anymore. If my mother and my dad want to get divorced, that’s their business.” If she said it out loud, then maybe it would be true. The anger she felt over everything that had happened welled up inside of her once more. When would it end?
    â€œYou know, Montana, people let you down sometimes. That’s just the way it is. But God never does,” Lacy said, as if reading her thoughts.
    Montana knew how strong Lacy’s faith was, but right now she didn’t want to hear about how wonderful God was. She was angry at everyone—including God. “I really don’t want to get into this right now. Is that okay?”
    â€œSure thing. That’s fine.