Luke

By Stephanie Payne Hurt

Out of all the Cauthen siblings, Luke’s the hardest to get to know. He’s known as the lady’s man around town and he lives up to his reputation. He’s always been the black sheep of the family, getting into trouble and leaving broken hearts along the way. There’s one woman that owns Luke Cauthen’s heart and he won’t let her in. Then when she ends up in trouble, he’s forced into a situation that will change his heart forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephanie Payne Hurt
• Release date: Nov 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311573025

Stephanie Payne Hurt

Stephanie Payne Hurt has been writing stories since she was a teenager, but only started publishing her work in 2012, 30 years later. The romance genre drew her in at an early age. Since 2012 she's published over 35 Romance novels/novellas.Stephanie is a busy lady. She's a Children's Minister, Accountant, wife, and mother along with a blogger and writer, along with starting a publishing service called Horseshoe Publishing alongside her publisher. It's been an exciting ride and she looks forward to what the future holds for her writing.Currently, she writes romance ranging from Christian, Contemporary, Suspense and Cowboy. Her work is available at many online retailers, on her website, and in a bookstore in Zebulon, Georgia near her home.Come by and visit her at http://www.stephaniehurtauthor.com/ and subscribe to get updates and release dates, also her monthly newsletter!

Book preview

4th Book in the Five Oaks Ranch Series

LUKE

By:

Stephanie Payne Hurt

Luke©2015 Stephanie Payne Hurt

Five Oaks Ranch Series

Horseshoe Publishing

Smashwords Edition

Cover Designer: Kaleigh Payne

Any person mentioned in this book is not based on any person, living or nonliving.

This book is a work of fiction. This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher.

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Chapter 1

The creak of the saddle, smell of leather and hay, Luke thrives on it. But he also enjoys a night on the town with a beautiful lady, well many beautiful ladies. Luke Cauthen is known around town as a lady’s man, but to many he is known as a player. He didn’t care for the latter nickname, his family hated it even worse than he did.

Luke stood inside the stables, feeling the energy that came from the animals around him. This was the dream. He never wanted to leave the ranch, not like Ridge going into the military, Oakley becoming a vet, and Chase going to the rodeo. He’d always just wanted to stay there. It was his life, but everyone tried to get him to figure something out for his life but this is what made him happy. He didn't have dreams of fame and fortune, just horses, cattle and hay. As Luke waited on everyone to arrive at the barn that morning to help out with the new horses that were coming, adrenaline was flowing through his veins. For some reason it just made him feel good to know that the ranch was expanding.

Luke quickly walked down the corridor between the stalls, checking each one to make sure it was completely ready for the new horses. With this new shipment, the Cauthen’s would be one of the largest horse ranches in the state. His excitement grew as he thought about the award-winning horses. It was a lot of money, but they’d made a great choice.

Lifting his head, he heard the trucks coming even before he exited the barn door. His brothers arrived just in time to help unload. With each new horse coming off the ramp, Luke’s heart beat harder.

His brothers enjoyed the ranch too, but not the way Luke did. They'd stayed even after achieving their dreams, becoming husbands, even fathers. But of course Chase, he was still single, but not for long.

Luke shook his head thinking, that won't be me, I don't plan on getting married. Then he thought, well maybe one day, but she'd have to really love the ranch life, because he had no plans of leaving the ranch, especially not for a woman. Lately, his thoughts had leaned toward his future. He guessed it was just the fact that his three older brothers were settling down and they looked so happy, but could he really be happy with just one woman. Luke had always been the wild card of the family. He’d never understood how a man could date just one woman and be happy. He needed the diversity of people around him. It wasn't that he was a womanizer even though people thought he was, it was just the way Luke acted. His sister Maggie constantly stayed on him, telling him that he needed to settle down, and figure out his life. But he always turned it around, she didn't have hers figured out either. He knew there was something going on with his sister, but he pushed it out of his mind right now. All he could think about was the new horses.

The Cauthen men worked together getting all the horses in the stalls that were assigned to them. He watched Ridge as he marked off each horse from the list on his clipboard. Luke knew that Ridge thought like him when it came to picking out horses. After all the horses were unloaded and settled into their new stalls, Oakley walked around, Let's go eat at the diner and celebrate.

For a moment, Luke’s heart fell to his toes. Could he see her without feeling anything? Would she even come to the table and serve them after the way he acted the last time they were together? Hopefully, there wouldn't be a scene. Deep down he knew Rachel wouldn't do that because she was the kindest woman he’d ever known other than his mother.

Thinking back to a couple of weeks ago, Luke had told Rachel they could only be friends. For so long she’d been dropping hints, so he finally let her know it wasn’t about to happen. She hadn’t taken it well, starting the tears that made him turn and leave her standing there. How could he respond to tears? He didn’t know how to react and his only response was to simply walk away. It had hurt him to see her tears.

He’d know her all his life and for them to be together would mean he’d have to settle down. That wasn’t happening, but that’s what she’d expect and he didn’t need that kind of commitment right now, if ever.

Maybe one day, then shaking his head no, that would never happen. As they walked in the diner he looked around noticing she wasn't there. Her father sat in one of the booths and as they walked up to the booth Mr. Cauthen shook hands with Rachel’s father. They were old friends.

As they moved to a large