Hopeless Hearts (Texas Heat: Book 4)

By Amelia Rose

A Contemporary Cowboy Romance Story.
In this true to life tale, Texas girl, Amanda finds love in a young man named Andrew. However this new commitment is not all perfect. She has a variety of new worries including the approval of her father and pushing away difficult high school memories. Can their love survive rocky times?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gold Crown
• Release date: May 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311331205

Amelia Rose

Amelia Rose holds a PhD in Literature and Language; she specializes in teaching positive, self-reliant principles to children and adults of all ages.  Dr. Rose lives with her husband and three children in the Hudson Valley, New York area, where she enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her family and friends.   Matthew Maley is an artist with nearly twenty-five years in the fields of Illustration and Design. His work has appeared in publications such as Archie Comics, Marvel, Disney, Nickelodeon, and Children’s Television Workshop. He lives in the Hudson Valley with his wife, daughter, and a variety of animals.

Book preview

Hopeless Hearts

Texas Heat - Book Four

AMELIA ROSE

~~~

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Amelia Rose

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

To YOU, The reader.

Thank you for your support.

Thank you for your emails.

Thank you for your reviews.

Thank you for reading and joining me on this road.

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

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Chapter One

Jordan O’Connor loved Texas, with its wide open spaces, relentless heat, cold desert evenings, the endless starry nights, warm breezes filled with the scent of wildflowers, as well as its endless acres of grazing and spectacular landscapes. He loved the smell of the horses and the feel of their muscles as he rode them hard. He loved everything about the family ranch, Circle O and the close knit family, but most of all he loved his grandma Elaine’s Apple Cobbler. Jordan loved Texas and he hadn’t been back in ten years.

Staring at the miles of pasture land now, he sighed deeply and let the crisp air of the countryside fill his lungs. He’d parked the rented car by the roadside when he approached the dirt road which led to Circle O and had climbed out for some fresh air. He rested a hip against the front fender of the car and was content to just gaze upon the landscape. The sun was going down already and he knew he had to get to the ranch before nightfall. Ranch people woke early and went to bed early. Still, he needed to collect his thoughts.

He had wrestled with the thought of returning for so long. As much as he had desperately wanted to be back on Circle O, the reason he’d left had not ceased to exist. He had left for a very good reason. Yet, when the time had come for him to go back, he had done so without so much as a moment’s hesitation. He had delayed his return long enough.

With another sigh, he walked over to the driver’s side, got in and drove to the gate. He found it open, which was unusual, but not surprising, and drove up the driveway right to the homestead. He got out and walked to the trunk to pick up his duffel bag when the door opened.

Jordan? That you?

It was his mother and he felt warmth pour into his heart when he saw her standing there, peering curiously at him. He strode towards where she was standing on the top step, dropped his bag and enfolded her in his arms. He held her in a tight bear hug for a very long time. She held him right back and crooned in delight.

Oh my boy, you came back to us. The Lord be praised, thank you Jesus!

After a few more hugs, she held him at arm’s length.

Hi mama, He said with a smile.

Her eyes sparkled in the evening light and he could tell she was crying, or close to tears at any rate.

My, you sure are a sight for sore eyes, she said with a delighted laugh. And then raising her voice higher, she called out Red! Red, come over here!

Look woman, I want to have my dinner, said a gruff voice from inside, but from the heavy footsteps Jordan could tell he was already making his way towards the door.

Red O’Connor stood at the door and stared at Jordan for a very long time, his face devoid of emotion. Jordan’s expression mirrored his father’s as he waited for the man to speak. Finally the older man broke into a broad grin and spread his hands wide.

Come over here, you rascal, he said roughly and pulled his son into a bear hug.

Jordan couldn’t say for sure, but he was willing to bet that his dad had never given him a hug, not since he left grade school at any rate. It was an emotional moment for him.

Good to see you, dad, he said when he drew back.

You can say that again, Red gave him a hearty slap on his back and Jordan couldn’t hide the wince. Hmm…the city has made a sissy out of you. Not to worry, we’ll have you toughened up in no time. He laughed and turned back. Dinner is cooling off. Come on in.

You must be hungry, poor dear. Come, his mom patted his cheek gently before following after Red.

Jordan picked up his bag and used the time to collect his thoughts. He shouldn’t have stayed away so long; yet how could he have come back before now? It was a question he’d struggled to answer for so long. It didn’t matter anymore, though. He was back home now.

Surprisingly none of his siblings were at the table. The girls were married and with their husbands, but he’d expected Billy or Andrew at least to be around. Billy was his younger brother and Andrew, well, Andrew was the oldest and the reason he’d left in the first place. He had been strangely reluctant to see him and was glad that was postponed at least for a bit. His Grandma Elaine wasn’t there also and that was the strangest part of it.

Where’s Grandma? He asked through a mouthful of the juicy steak.

A strange look passed through both parents and they suddenly looked really sad.

You didn’t know? Red asked Jordan.

Jordan felt his chest become tight as fear stole his breath. Know what? He managed to ask.

Grandma passed away. His mom finally said in a solemn voice.

What do you mean passed away?

I can take you to her grave. Red offered.

The food in his mouth suddenly turned as tasteless as chaff as Jordan stopped chewing. He stared first at his mother and then at his father, struggling to take in what they were saying; fighting hard, wishing with everything in him that they would tell him they were just pulling his legs. But as the seconds ticked by and no one cracked a smile, it began to slowly dawn on him that there was no joke. Grandma Elaine had passed on and somehow, someone had neglected to tell him.

He wanted to release a string of curses as anger coursed through him, but he had enough control to restrain himself from swearing in front of his mom. Instead, he swallowed painfully and stood up.

I think I’ll sleep in the bunk house.

But Jordan, the room you shared with Billy’s still there. His mom said anxiously.

But Red gently silenced her by laying a hand on her arm, It’s okay son. You go on and get some rest.

With a nod to both parents, Jordan picked his bag and walked out.

The ranch hands were already asleep when he walked into the bunkhouse; he could hear the different sounds as they snored, tired out from a hard day’s work. He found an empty place and settled in for the night. Except that he couldn’t sleep. His heart was heavy and he felt an almost desperate need to destroy something. He couldn’t believe he’d left it too late to come home and grandma was gone. Gone, just like that! He’d always thought she would live forever; well, obviously not forever, but there had been something so sturdy and grounded about her. His parents were awesome, but it was Grandma Elaine who had seen the deep wounds inside him; the only one who had understood his need for escape.

He had wanted to leave the ranch even before his sixteenth birthday, but it had taken him a bit longer before he’d saved enough to leave home. He had barely turned nineteen when he’d packed his stuff and hit the road, along with some cash given to him by his Grandma. He had finally made something of himself and he had wanted so much to show her how much her faith in him had meant, but it was too late for that.

After tossing and turning for several hours,

Reviews for Hopeless Hearts (Texas Heat

[vickie lovelady · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was very disappointed to see you had used the Lord's name in vain I'm afraid I won't be able to finish the series. There is no reason to be do graphic with that language I will not recommend your books after all. And I will not read any more of them very disappointed ☹️.