Peace River (Rockland Ranch Series) Read Free

the same every day.  This magical time on the track with no troubles or cares was a renewal that recharged her spirit.  She could face anything afterward with a full heart and a happy attitude.
                  She handed the still-sweating horse over to Eli at the rail, glancing around as she did so to see if Geoffrey Goulet was around.  The son of one of her grandfather‘s friends, Geoffrey was actually very smart—just hopelessly self-centered.  He was madly in love with her, and hung around the farm in hopes of having the opportunity to propose for the nine hundredth time.  He was a nice guy, except for the fact that he was totally and ridiculously spoiled which made him a complete nincompoop.  Dante actually referred to him as “Stupid Geoffrey,” which wasn’t very nice, but it did fit. 
    Grateful that Geoffrey was nowhere in sight, she mentally began to go over her day.  With her college semester just ended she’d be able to catch up on a few things.  Walking toward her house to start breakfast, she unbuckled her helmet and let her hair cascade down her back.  Life was good and she loved living it.
    Even with Judd around , life was good.  Brushing off her riding boots on the scrubber mat on the sun porch, she glanced around to make sure there was no sign of him.  What was she going to do about Judd?  He’d always been hard to deal with, but lately things had gotten so bad that she knew something had to be done about him.  Worst of all, he’d begun to hang around with some people at the track who were rumored to be involved with organized crime.  It brought an element of lawlessness to her very home that was incredibly troubling. 
    Thank goodness Judd hated mornings and was afraid of horses, especially Ebony Wind.  Carrie thought to herself that it was wise for Judd to fear the great stallion.  For some reason, the typically gentle beast hated Judd with a passion that scared even Carrie.  He seemed a different animal whenever Judd ventured near, which was rare, thankfully.  Carrie had seen outlaw horses before--those rare crazed individuals that seemed to have a blood lust.  Ebony had acted just like that several times toward Judd.  It was as if the animal could sense his meanness. 
                  Carrie had been taught by her grandfather not to hate and she was by nature kind and gentle, but she continually struggled to deal with Judd.  She used to hate him.  At least she’d gotten over that.
    Judd was her father, biologically, although she never considered him that.  He had always been abusive.  Carrie’s earliest memories were of his raging tempers that would leave her mother bruised and battered.  Carrie had no doubt her mother had died a young and broken woman because of Judd.  She’d passed away six months ago when Carrie had just turned twenty. 
    For years, her grandfather had put u p with Judd as well as possible because he was always threatening to take Carrie and her mother and leave.  Everyone knew what would happen to them if he ever did, so the whole farm dealt with Judd for their sakes. 
    She’d never loved Judd —never even liked him and had changed her name the moment she’d turned eighteen and could legally do so without his permission.  She’d taken her Grandfather O’Rourke’s last name because she did love him with all her heart. 
                  Thinking of her grandfather brought tears to her eyes.  It had been two months since a training accident had taken him.  His death so shortly after her mother’s had hit hard, and the pain didn’t seem to be lessening much.  His absence was still heartbreaking.  Wind Dance Farms would never be the same.  Sometimes she felt guilty for missing him so much more than she missed her mother, who’d quit living long before her death.  But her mother had become so removed from everything around her and her grandfather had been involved with everything. 
    She missed ever