After years traveling the world as a photographer, Tucker wants to settle down and finally do his part on the family ranch. Though his mind is a bit muddled after falling from his horse, he’s thinking clearly enough to know two things: He’s still in love with Avery and he wants to get to know the daughter he’s just discovered he has. It’s clear, though, that Avery is more than a little wary of him—and for good reason: the story she tells of their breakup definitely paints him as a villain. He might not remember breaking her heart, but Tucker is determined to do what he can to make up for lost time. Yet the harder he tries, the more Avery pushes him away. If only he could remember what made him leave her all those years ago, then maybe he could find his way back to her now…
Grab your copy of The Cowboy’s Second Chance Family
September 24, 2020
www.LeslieNorthBooks.com
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EXCERPT
Chapter One
Tucker’s oldest brother, Liam, pushed a hand through hair that stuck up in all directions, then hauled open the barn door. He looked beat, and more than that, he looked guilty. “It’s a good thing you decided to stay here, Tucker. I’d go out myself, but—”
“Say no more.” Tucker Wells swung himself up into the saddle of Betty, the mare. “Somebody needs to look for the cows, and Mina needs you.”
“The ranch needs me, too.” Liam screwed up his mouth in a frown as Tucker rode by. “You know I’d send Danny if I had any other choice.”
“But you don’t,” said Tucker mildly. Danny, the foreman who’d been with them for years, had broken his leg trying to string lights up on his porch. The accident had happened before Christmas, but he was still laid up and would be for quite a while. “I’m here to help. You don’t have to feel bad about it.”
Tucker looked back to see his brother eying the sky. “Don’t go too far out of your way. They should be okay for the night if need be, but…”
“I’ve got it,” he called over his shoulder. “Go back inside. Tell Cade I’ll be back soon.”
Tucker hunched down in his coat. The winter wind already sliced through his jacket, making him wish he’d worn another layer or six. Still, he was glad he’d decided to stay at the ranch, even if it did mean he was freezing his butt off on a horse in the dark of a January evening. This one and every other evening in January, probably. He’d come home for Liam’s wedding in the fall and never hit the road again.
Something had shifted in him at that wedding, when he’d watched his brother cradle his tiny new son. Or maybe he’d just been tired and wanted a break from the travel. Or maybe he felt like life with his family was passing him by, quicker than a horse let off his reins.
And now, with Mina busy with the baby and Danny on medical leave, they needed extra hands. Mina would want Liam back at the farmhouse before dinner. That left Liam to look for the small herd of cows that hadn’t returned on time, the way they usually did—hungry cows knew where to get their dinner. They’d been in the pasture on the other side of the road.
Tucker checked for headlights in both directions before urging Betty into a trot. The cows probably hadn’t gotten out of the pasture, but there was always a chance a part of the fence had been knocked down.
The first few snowflakes spiraled out of the bitter air as he and Betty crossed the street. It reminded Tucker of the first raindrops before a spring storm, and that was exactly how it went—within minutes, snow filled the air. He blew out a frost breath.
“You ever seen snow kick up that fast, Betty?”
The horse put her ears back and gave a huff that sounded like disapproval.
“I know, I know. I’ll have you back in the barn before you know it.” He patted Betty’s neck. “And I’ll tell Mina you’d much prefer to do this with her.”
Mina wasn’t thrilled about having to step back from her duties around the farm, but she and Liam were stretched joyfully thin with their baby Weston. And what was family for, if not to step in during the times an extra hand was needed? Tucker had no problem with that. He’d felt a pull lately—like something calling him back to the family ranch. Now that he’d moved in to one of the smaller cabins on the property and fixed it up, he wanted to leave less and less every day.
But staying meant becoming a partner on the ranch—an equal partner. And becoming a partner meant pulling his weight. It would all work out, as long as he could prove to his brothers that he was in it for the long haul.
Tucker spotted the little herd of cows huddled next to a section of fence, standing close together to keep warm.
“There you are,” he called, a pleasantly warm relief flaring in his chest. “I’ve got an even warmer place you can stay.” He spurred Betty into action, the cold biting into his nose, and herded them away from the fence. The pasture sloped down toward the road from here, and far beneath he could see the Wells farmhouse. Beyond that, on the other edge of the property, squatted the little cabin he’d been staying in. He could feel the worn-in armchair now—fireplace cranked up to high gear, his feet up on an ottoman, letting all the cold go out of him bit by bit.
The herd moved toward the right, up higher on the ridge, and Tucker guided Betty onto the outer edge. He needed to work them down toward the barn. Poor things must be confused about which way to go in the dark. Snow came
