He’s a temporary neighbor...
But will her surprise make him stay?
Single mom of three Elizabeth Barnes has reason to avoid her rodeo star neighbor. She needs to protect her family after her ex’s public scandal, and charismatic Dallas Maguire is only passing through. Turning to him for comfort was a onetime lapse—with unexpected consequences! Though Elizabeth can’t keep hiding the truth—or her feelings—can a bachelor cowboy transform into a family man?
“There was nothing wrong with us having a meal together.”
She gently revved the engine. “That may be fine for you, but not for me. I have to live among these people, and I’d really like to hold my head up again.”
“And I’d like to do something for this town—for charity.”
“Then I hope you will.” She added, “Without me.”
She moved to put the car in Reverse, but Dallas laid a hand on the open window. “What’s changed, Lizzie? You weren’t that eager to have dinner, I realize that, but you did. I thought we’d gotten to know each other a bit, laughed a little. You watched the PBR event when I know you didn’t want to do that, either, but when I left your house, I felt good.”
“I told you what changed.”
“A couple of harmless comments?” His grip tightened on the window. “One neighbor gets nosy, and that’s it?”
“I can’t, Dallas. I can’t go through that again.”
Dear Reader,
From the minute Elizabeth Barnes first appeared in Her Cowboy Sheriff (book four of my Kansas Cowboys series), I knew I had to give her a story of her own. Certain characters almost demand their star turn at center stage!
Actually, Elizabeth isn’t the demanding sort—she’s newly divorced, on her own with three kids to raise and without even a job to help her get by. Dallas Maguire entered the picture in this series in Twins Under the Tree (book six). He’s an injured bull rider who’s in Barren, Kansas, to recover, and romance, much less a ready-made family, is the furthest thing from his mind.
The timing couldn’t be more wrong for these two, but love doesn’t have a season. I should know. Years ago, after college graduation, I moved from small-town Ohio to New York. I’d been there only a few days when I ran into a perfect stranger on Fifth Avenue—talk about taking a risk!—and decades later we’re still married.
I hope you enjoy spending time with Dallas and Elizabeth. And if you missed the other books in this series, check them out. Happy reading!
Hugs,
Leigh
The Cowboy’s Secret Baby
Leigh Riker
Leigh Riker, like so many dedicated readers, grew up with her nose in a book, and weekly trips to the local library for a new stack of stories were a favorite thing to do. This award-winning USA TODAY bestselling author still can’t imagine a better way to spend her time than to curl up with a good romance novel—unless it is to write one! She is a member of the Authors Guild, Novelists, Inc. and Romance Writers of America. When not at the computer, she’s out on the patio tending flowers, watching hummingbirds, spending time with family and friends, or, perhaps, traveling (for research purposes, of course). She loves to hear from readers. You can find Leigh on her website, leighriker.com, on Facebook at leighrikerauthor and on Twitter, @lbrwriter.
Books by Leigh Riker
Harlequin Heartwarming
Kansas Cowboys
The Reluctant Rancher
Last Chance Cowboy
Cowboy on Call
Her Cowboy Sheriff
The Rancher’s Second Chance
Twins Under the Tree
A Heartwarming Thanksgiving
“Her Thanksgiving Soldier”
Lost and Found Family
Man of the Family
If I Loved You
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
For my boys, Scott and Hal. I love you with all my heart.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
EXCERPT FROM MONTANA HOMECOMING BY JEANNIE WATT
CHAPTER ONE
HER CHILDREN WERE GONE.
“Bye, Mom!” nine-year-old Jordan, her oldest, had yelled on his way to his father’s car.
“Bye-bye, Mommy.” A worried look from Stella, almost eight. “Will you be okay?”
“Why aren’t you coming with us, Mama?” This last from six-year-old Seth, her shadow.
For the first time in nearly a decade, she’d be childless for the next few months, and the summer promised—threatened?—to be one lonely day after another, which would only give her space to obsess about the recent changes in her life. “What am I going to do until August?” Elizabeth Barnes asked her empty house. It was only mid-June. Her kids had left less than an hour ago, and already she missed them terribly.
Elizabeth blew her nose. She’d used half a box of tissues and her reddened eyelids must look puffy. She should have been dancing for joy at the very thought of being her own person for a while rather than everyone’s stay-at-home mom 24/7—but her initial euphoria when her ex-husband had offered to spend his summer with their kids had faded. Instead, she felt disconnected and a bit panicky.
A knock at her door predictably set her heart racing. Elizabeth, who’d been brought up on the belief that, above all, appearances mattered—Thanks, Mom—wasn’t ready to see anyone this morning. Maybe she wouldn’t answer. Today, in spite of her normally sunny outlook, she wanted to wallow in heartache—at least until tomorrow—before she finally went on with her life. The one she’d never wanted. The one that didn’t include Harry and their family being together. The divorce had been finalized a month ago, and she’d certainly observed that day with what she could only call mad desperation—she’d done a very foolish thing. But Harry was out of her life, as much as he ever would be as the father of their children, and it was Elizabeth who, from now on, would do most of the heavy lifting while raising them.
The knock sounded again, and her mouth went dry. For months a rap at the door had meant another prying person in
