Once Upon a Cowboy

Pamela Tracy

Cowboy HomecomingA bull-riding injury has sent Joel McCreedy crashing—literally—into his tiny Iowa hometown. But the last thing the prodigal son wants is to stay. On top of a bruised head and ego, he has relationships to mend and a reputation to clear. And then there’s lovely Beth Armstrong, his nephews’ teacher, who’s willing to give them all lessons in family and forgiveness.But Joel isn’t the dutiful “family first” man Beth deserves. Or is he? Suddenly, instead of wrangling bulls he’s helping with homework. And instead of craving his next win, he’s determined to be Beth’s once-in-a-lifetime love.

“Unca Joel is walking with me. You can come?” little Caleb asked Beth.

“No, but thank you for the offer. I need to be heading home. I’ve got some things to do,” Beth replied.

“Go ahead, walk with us,” Joel invited. “I’ll use the time to ask you out again and to thank you for saving my life.”

“I didn’t save your life. You’d have regained consciousness and driven yourself to the hospital.”

“No, I wouldn’t have. I needed you.”

“Well, you’ve said thank-you already. That’s enough.” She checked her watch. “I need to be going.”

“You’re right,” Joel jumped in. “Going out with me? Tonight? Dinner?”

“Joel, you’ll be here for a few months and then you’ll leave. You’ve always been really good at leaving people behind,” Beth said, tussling Caleb’s hair and heading for her car.

“You take every opportunity to throw that in my face. Maybe I never knew they cared.”

It was too late. She was out of hearing range.

Caleb tugged on Joel’s pant leg. “I care.”

Dear Reader,

The idea for Once Upon a Cowboy came to me during a church service. No, really, I was paying attention to the sermon about the prodigal son. It’s just that the minister was touching on some points I’d never really considered. First was the real definition of prodigal. It means heavy spending. For years, I thought it meant absent. Then, the lesson veered toward what the father could have done from the beginning, when his son asked for the inheritance early. The father could have taken his son to the city gate and had him stoned for being disobedient.

When I think about how many times I’ve been disobedient … And, if you want to know the truth, I always pay attention to Prodigal Son sermons because I’ve never quite been able to shake the belief that the older son had something to complain about.

Thus, Once Upon a Cowboy was born, with a returning hero (Joel) who missed out in so many family memories but is soon determined not to miss out on any more—especially when he falls in love with a most unlikely heroine. Then, there’s the heroine (Beth) who has to learn that taking risks is part of life—and who better to teach her than a wounded cowboy who wants to get in the saddle again? Throw in an older brother who needs his younger brother more than he’ll admit, a trio of nephews who do not understand the concept of privacy, a stepfather who only wants what’s best for both his boys, and a misguided mother who needs forgiveness, and you have the kind of story that only happily-ever-after can provide.

Thank you so much for reading Once Upon a Cowboy.

Once Upon a Cowboy

Pamela Tracy

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

—Luke 15:20

To those returning and those who never strayed: both take courage. Also, to the mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers who welcome the wanderers home.

Chapter One

A memory knocked.

Before Beth Armstrong had time to even think about opening the door to the past, she slammed on her brakes, hard. Her wheels slid and the car went sideways until she finally came to an abrupt stop facing the royal blue truck that looked hauntingly familiar.

The truck wasn’t going anywhere. Not after the power skid that took it off-road, bouncing over an irrigation ditch and plowing into the McClanahans’ fence.

Help me, Lord, and please let whoever is in