Erhalten Sie Zugang zu diesem und mehr als 300000 Büchern ab EUR 5,99 monatlich.
- Herausgeber: Ylva Publishing
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
Amy Hamilton finally has everything she ever wanted when Rika, the woman she loves, moves to the ranch. But years of having to hide her feelings leave her insecure, and her fears get the better of her. Convinced that Rika is growing bored with ranch life, Amy comes up with a daring plan. With her "father" as inspiration, Amy decides to dress up as a man so she can take Rika to Salem for a night of dancing. Nothing goes as planned, and Amy learns some valuable lessons in love and life.
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 58
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014
Das E-Book (TTS) können Sie hören im Abo „Legimi Premium” in Legimi-Apps auf:
Ähnliche
Table of Contents
Other Books by Jae
LESSONS IN LOVE AND LIFE
Hamilton Horse Ranch
Salem, Oregon
About Jae
Other Books from Ylva Publishing
Sign up for our newsletter to hear
about new and upcoming releases.
www.ylva-publishing.com
Other Books by Jae
Happily Ever After
Standalone Romances:
Paper Love
Just for Show
Falling Hard
Heart Trouble
Under a Falling Star
Something in the Wine
Shaken to the Core
Fair Oaks Series:
Perfect Rhythm
Not the Marrying Kind
The Hollywood Series:
Departure from the Script
Damage Control
Just Physical
The Hollywood Collection (box set)
Portland Police Bureau Series:
Conflict of Interest
Next of Kin
The Vampire Diet Series:
Good Enough to Eat
The Oregon Series:
Backwards to Oregon
Beyond the Trail
Hidden Truths
The Oregon Collection (box set)
The Shape-Shifter Series:
Second Nature
Natural Family Disasters
Manhattan Moon
True Nature
LESSONS IN LOVE AND LIFE
Hamilton Horse Ranch
Baker Prairie, Oregon
September 12th, 1869
The rhythmic cadence of hoofbeats clattered through the valley. A pine-scented breeze ruffled Dancer’s mane, and the gelding flicked his ears toward the murmuring river to the right. Saddle leather creaked as Luke lifted up in the stirrups, trying to catch a glimpse of the yearlings summering on their north pasture.
“Where are they?” Amy asked next to her.
“Be patient,” Luke said. “Sooner or later, the herd will come down to the river to drink.”
They followed the Pudding River northward as it twisted through the valley.
“Look, Papa.” Amy directed her horse closer to Luke’s. “There they are.”
A few horses dozed in the shadows of the cottonwoods while others dipped their muzzles into the water.
“And there’s Lucky Star.” Amy pointed again.
From the other side of the river, the black yearling with the large, white blanket on her hindquarters whinnied a greeting.
“Seems to be in good shape,” Luke said. “Augustus Snyder offered me a tidy sum for her last week.”
Amy reined in her mare. “You’re not selling her, are you?”
Luke directed Dancer around and regarded her daughter, who had become pale beneath her golden complexion. “I would never sell her. I know what she means to you.”
“She’s my good luck charm. And Rika’s.” Amy scratched her nose as if embarrassed to admit it.
“You two—” Luke stopped and turned her face into the wind. Her nose wrinkled. Was that smoke? She lifted up in the stirrups, but a hill blocked her view to the north. “Do you smell that?”
Amy audibly sucked in air through her nose. “Smoke?”
Luke glanced at the grass almost brushing Dancer’s belly. They would cut the last hay of the year soon, and the grass was dry, but not so dry that it would burn easily. Maybe it was just a weary traveler making coffee, but she couldn’t afford to rely on maybes. “I’ll go see what’s going on. You stay back.” She urged Dancer into a ground-eating gallop.
The rapid staccato of hoofbeats followed her. “No,” Amy shouted. “I’ll come with you.”
Luke gritted her teeth. “Amy! I told you to stay back.”
Amy didn’t listen.
“Dammit.” Luke had no time for long discussions with her headstrong daughter.
Side by side, they flew up the hill and slid to a stop when they crested the rise.
Below them, two men crouched over a campfire. They weren’t making coffee, though. A running iron heated in the flames, and they had set up a rope corral. Half a dozen of Luke’s best horses pranced within the confines of those ropes.
“Rustlers.” Luke spat out the word. She gripped her revolver. Heat boiled in her blood. She wouldn’t let them take what was hers.
Next to her, Amy pulled her rifle out of its scabbard, her jaw tight and her eyes flashing. She was pale, but her hands around the rifle didn’t tremble.
“No,” Luke said. “You go back to the house and get Hank or John.”
Amy squared her shoulders. Her grip on the rifle tightened. “I’m not leaving.”
Luke sighed. She had raised Amy to make her own decisions, and now she had to live with it. After checking her revolver, she gave Amy a nod. “If push comes to shove and bullets start flying, I want you to get out of here.” She looked into Amy’s eyes. “Understood?”
The taller man dragged one of this year’s foals to the fire, and the other helped to throw it onto its side, not bothering to break its fall.
No time to wait for an answer from Amy. With a shout of outrage, Luke urged her gelding down the hill.
The two men let go of the foal and reached for their revolvers.
Luke pulled Dancer’s head to the left and squeezed off a shot. She aimed for a spot between the men’s feet, but the bullet slammed into the fire instead.
A log splintered, and burning pieces rained down on the men.
Dancer came to a sliding stop, spattering the men with grass and dirt. “Drop your weapons,” Luke shouted, her voice as deep and menacing as she could make it. She pointed her revolver at the chest of the taller man, who had his revolver out of his holster but hesitated to swing it up.
“Or what? Or you’ll just shoot us?”
Luke cocked her weapon with a resounding click. “You’re on my land, trying to steal my horses. It’s well within my right to shoot you or string you up from those cottonwoods over there.”
“Even if you shoot me, my friend will get you before you can squeeze out a second bullet. You think that boy you have with you is gonna make a difference?” The man snorted. “That greenhorn doesn’t have it in him to kill someone.”
It took a second for Luke to realize that he was talking about Amy. Since she was wearing pants while helping Luke with the horses, they had mistaken her for a boy. All the better.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the taller man inched up the muzzle of his revolver.
A click to her left told her that Amy had cocked her rifle. “I’m not a boy,” she shouted, anger vibrating in her voice. “But I’m a darn good shot, and I’ll gladly shoot anyone who tries to steal our horses.”
While the two men stared at Amy, Luke swung out of the saddle, knowing she would have better aim if she wasn’t on horseback. She squinted at them, her muscles tense, ready to pull the trigger. “Drop your weapons. I won’t say it again.”
The two horse thieves exchanged a glance. The smaller man threw down his revolver as if it burned him.
“You too,” Luke yelled at his companion.
The tall man’s weapon clattered to the ground. “What are you gonna do with us?”
“I’m in a good mood today,” Luke said. “If you don’t give us any trouble, I’m gonna take you to the sheriff and let him decide what to do with you. Or we could finish this right here.”
“I’m not gonna do anything stupid.” The smaller man’s face was pale under his sweat-stained hat.
