Spring's Promise Changing Seasons Book II

By Kelliea Ashley

A man lost and looking for his future. A woman tempted to break her own promises. Can they find a compromise in a season made for new beginnings?

Rebecca Grant came home to the farm to find herself and make amends for the damage she caused her younger sister. She never expected to find herself under Ben's seductive spell. Nor did she expect him to be engaged to a girl back home.
Benjamin Farrand is a man trying to find his place after leaving the military. He wants to make those he loves back home in Montana happy, but when he falls for spirited Rebecca Grant all he wants to do is find his own happiness in New York.
When spring brings an attraction for her sister's farmhand, Rebecca faces the challenge of keeping promises or breaking them to fight for the man she loves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kelliea Ashley
• Release date: May 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311052391

Kelliea Ashley

As an author I am truly astounded by the couples in my life. How two completely different individuals with differing backgrounds, beliefs, and motivations can somehow overcome it all to find the good in one another has to be the very definition of magic. I grew up with very little, but my Mother taught me to find happiness in the most obscure details of my life. She encouraged me to tell her stories and dream of a future where we had everything we needed. Out of our poverty I received a true love of writing that was nurtured throughout my schooling and became a hobby when I reached adulthood. My husband Joshua gave me the gentle push to get published and I owe him for seeing my dream of becoming an author come to reality. Never stop dreaming, reaching for more, or wanting a better life filled with love and magic. In my spare time I like to dabble in gardening and crafts, but honestly I love spending time with my husband and furbabies. I have two dogs, Sampson and Delilah, and a cat named Snowflake. Snowflake is my muse, so she has her own little bed positioned at the end of my desk. Thank you for choosing to read my work out of the numerous titles available to you. I hope you check out some of my other titles. Connect with Kelliea Twitter- @AshleyKelliea Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Kelliea-Ashley/e/BOOFAE199C [e-mail]

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Spring's Promise

Changing Seasons Book II

Kelliea Ashley

Published by Kelliea Ashley at Smashwords

http://facebook.com/kellieaashley2

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Spring's Promise

Changing Seasons Book II

Copyright 2015 Kelliea Ashley

Edited by Amanda Siemen

Cover Art by Victoria Miller

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. If you would like to share this book with a friend, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book without having purchased or borrowed it by legal means, please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Be aware that pirating hurts authors and should be avoided.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of 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

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Dedication

This work would not be possible if not for the gentle pushing of some of my friends and family. Spring's Promise is the sequel to Winter Gifts and I'm so glad that they liked it enough to ask for Becky's story. Hugs to you all!

Chapter One

The March wind caught Rebecca Grant's skirt as she quickly stepped off the porch of her family's farm house. She clutched an umbrella and her purse in one hand while trying to hold the sides of her black raincoat closed over her chest as she bent her head against the strong gusts. Her hair flew into her eyes and mouth as she hurried toward her white Blazer. Annoyed with herself for being late for work once more, she hissed and fumbled to unlock her doors. She'd over-slept and couldn't even blame it on her alarm clock. It went off right on time, but she must have shut it off and gone right back to sleep.

Rumbling sounds of the tractor starting up caught her attention as she grabbed the Blazer's door handle. Behind her she saw him sitting up in the cab of the big Farmall tractor. His dark hair blew in the wind as he looked over his shoulder and backed the spreader and tractor up under the gutter's shoot.

A year ago Becky would have hurried to get into her vehicle to avoid getting the smell of cow manure on her designer clothes, never giving a second's notice to the man getting ready to spread it. A lot had changed in such a short time; she had changed. At least she hoped she had. Almost breaking her sister's heart and jeopardizing her unborn niece's future had forced her to take a real close look at who she was. The image she found of a spoiled woman living well beyond her means in both finances and attitude made her sick with disgust. A shiver traveled up her spine as she silently lamented the woman who died that day.

Becky took a deep breath before fixing her eyes on the handsome male. The brown Carhart jacket with its collar pulled up to keep the chilly wind off his neck emphasized the muscular frame beneath. The straight brown hair against his collar moved with healthy vibrancy against the gusts. How her fingers itched to trim that head of hair. She jumped as his head swung her way as if he'd felt her watching him. Dark brown eyes narrowed as his gaze caught and held hers. She felt his disapproval like a hard slap to the face as his brows drew together. He lifted a hand in greeting, his dimples showing as he sent her a polite smile.

She raised her hand in return and gasped as her coat blew open in the wind. Her silk blouse clung to her body as the cold air pushed against her. She saw his smile turn into a full out grin and realized her blouse molded to her breasts, giving Benjamin Farrand full view of her curves.

Crap! She caught her coat and yanked open the door of her Blazer. The wind caught the door and pushed it right back at her. She braced herself against the impact of the door hitting her in the shoulder and clumsily climbed up into the driver's seat. The door slammed with a bang, making her let out a deep breath as she tossed her umbrella and purse in the passenger seat. A quick peek in her rear view mirror made her cringe. Ben's dark head shook, his shoulders moving as he laughed at her. Anger and frustration burned in her chest as she gripped the steering wheel with whitened knuckles. Why do I let him bother me?

Benjamin was the only man who could make her feel stupid and insufficient with only a shift of his dark eyebrow. He called her Princess with a patronizing tone meant to make her feel like a spoiled brat. It infuriated her, but she knew deep down the title fit. Hadn't she worn it like a shield for years to cover the real woman she longed to be?

She had always been treated like a fragile doll by the men in her life. Her grandfather called her baby doll and it caught on with her father. She was kept out of the barn after falling into the gutter and fracturing her ankle at the age of six. It galled her now to be treated like a baby, incapable of the smallest tasks in the barn. Her cousin Daniel definitely didn't want her working with them. He was the farm's manager and the man in charge since her half-sister, Maxine, let him take over. It would be on his head if she became seriously hurt.

While she understood his stance, she silently wished Maxine still called the shots. Though, Becky didn't blame her one bit for wanting to stay at home. She was married, raising an adorable baby girl, and working part time at the daycare center in town. Little Lizzie needed her mommy a lot more than the cows needed Maxine. Thus Benjamin Farrand was hired as a farmhand and mechanic. Straight out of the military with an attitude like cut glass, he exuded masculine strength and confidence. Like her cousin, Ben didn't want her anywhere near the farm equipment. She wasn't even allowed to milk the cows. Becky hated their opinion of her, but she did love the only job they figured she could do.

Every night she would close up at Rebecca's Styles and exchange cutting and styling hair for mucking out the calf and yearling's stalls. Thinking to keep her out of trouble, they'd put her in charge of making sure the little ones had water in their buckets and hay in their feed troughs. Then she'd wait for the milking to finish before feeding the babies. It wasn't a tough job, but she felt like a contributor to the family farm. Small penance for what she'd nearly cost her sister.

Becky let out a long breath and turned the key to start her vehicle. An ominous click made her bite her lower lip as anxiety burned deep in her gut. She was late and pretty sure her two employees would already be setting up at the shop without her. Tracy Olms and Carissa Thomas were friends from college that came to her for jobs when they returned home to the small town of Penning, New York. Though they were only four years younger they sometimes made her feel decades older. She so didn't want to be the one who couldn't get to work on time.

She flipped the key again and listened to the grinding of the starter. Only when the engine roared to life did she breathe easier. She quickly backed out of the farm's long driveway and headed for town.

Rebecca's Styles was one of two salons in Penning. A fifty year old barber, Oliver Haynes, owned the Trim and Trot. He catered mainly to the men because his demeanor was rough and bordering on crass at times. He playfully called her shop the hoity-toity snip and curl. Though they were competitors, she liked the old guy and loved to share jabs with him. Their shops were on Main Street directly across from each other, so every morning she'd meet him at the diner down the street. He would purchase donuts and black coffee, while she ordered a muffin and a low-fat latte.

Fifteen minutes later she fought the wind to open the diner door. A high-pitched whistle from down the street had her twisting around. Oliver raised a hand to wave, his wrinkled face smiling as he disappeared inside his shop. Becky groaned, knowing taunting insults from the old guy about the early bird and a worm were coming the next time she crossed his path. She neither had feathers nor ate worms, but his deep chuckle made her want to crawl in a hole and hide from him.

Tomorrow will be better, Rebecca Grant, she said, pep-talking herself before opening the door to Charlotta's Café. The scent of fresh coffee and baked pastry could always make her smile. If she weren't late for work, she'd think about drinking her coffee at the counter and chatting with the owner, Charley. Instead, she ordered and dashed down the street to her shop.

She found her first customer already shampooed and waiting for her. Mrs. Brisbane was not a happy camper. She had a luncheon with the White-Gloved Ladies—a local society of women who had dinners, played Friday night bridge, and generally participated in every social function the town had to offer. Her own mother, Helen Grant, was a prominent member, having been married into one of Penning's founding families.

Becky dyed and curled Mrs. Brisbane's hair, making her look distinguished for her luncheon, only to hear the woman's complaints about her wait time. Her day didn't improve when one of the blowers sparked and nearly electrocuted Nancy Davis, the Mayor's secretary. Fortunately, Nancy wasn't too worried about it and took her twenty percent off with a satisfied smile.

When five o'clock rolled around Becky found herself dog-tired and grateful to be locking up. Lights were already on in the barn and she could hear the silo unloader's massive motor noisily running as it tossed silage down into the feed cart. She knew Benjamin had begun feeding the cows, and once they were all busy chewing dinner, he and Dan would start milking. She had just enough time to grab a quick snack before she needed to change into her barn clothes and tie her hair up. Exchanging her uptight work clothes for the comfy jeans and T-shirt covered by a sweat shirt, or flannel blouse always made her feel like a red-neck Superwoman. Given the choice, she would surprise everyone by choosing to wear the latter.

Chapter Two

Country music blared from the big speakers hung from two corners of the barn. Taylor Swift sang out about lost love as Becky entered the milk house. Dan looked up at her as the door slammed shut. His rugged cowboy build always made her think of those bull riders with their sandy hair, blue eyes, and wide-legged swagger. He was solid muscle as well.

Hi, Dan. She shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. It was a mystery why she still found it nerve-wracking to be in the barn with the men. They didn't go out of their way to make her feel out of place or unwanted...well, Dan didn't. Benjamin's arrogant looks and shaking head spoke louder than words. He didn't like her in the barn at all. He watched her every move like a rabid hawk, waiting for her to mess up. She didn't know why he felt the need to be so unfriendly to her, but she hoped it wasn't some macho hang-up about females being weaker. She'd love to have the excuse to rub it in his face that the farm belonged to Maxine Grant. Her sister worked for years to build the farm into a money-making operation. She was well respected in the community and a part of the farming co-op. Becky had never told her, but she was really proud of all Maxine had accomplished on the farm.

Ben's finishing up feeding. If you want, you can muck out the calves and yearlings. I fixed the leaking bucket, so you shouldn't have so much water to deal with tonight. Dan continued preparing the units on the cart without turning around.

Sure. How are Piper and the girls doing? Her question had his head swiveling toward her. A small smile lit up his face. His girls were his life, and she envied the way he obviously loved them.

Piper is baking a cake for the church bake sale. The girls were begging her to help when I escaped. They will probably end up making a mess of it, but I'll bid to win it.

No doubt. She shook her head with a laugh as she passed him to push through the swinging milk house door.

The smell of sweet silage, cow manure, and hay hit her as she stepped into the cement walkway. It still amazed her how the scents were no longer disgusting, but seemed to relax her tensed-up muscles. The feed cart hummed on the other end of the barn, so she hurried to grab her pitchfork as she moved toward the section of the barn separated for the smaller animals. Cows chewing their cuds and eating lifted their heads as she walked in front of them.

A smile tugged at her lips as she lifted the latch and opened the gate to the calves' pen. All at once twenty little calves came running over. They butted against her legs and she laughed as she maneuvered herself away from them. She was their source of food and they knew it.

Back, you hungry little brats! She reached into the canvas sack hanging on the gate and pulled out a handful of grain. It smelled sweet as she moved to their trough and sprinkled it for them. She'd learned early that if they had something to nibble, then they wouldn't get in her way, or—like the first attempt she made at cleaning their pen—knock her flat on her backside in their crap. How the guys had laughed over that one.

She was filling the wheelbarrow with dirty hay, bedding, and calf manure when she sensed someone watching her. Her gaze collided with Benjamin Farrand's watchful stare. Leaning casually against the gate, his muscular arms folded on the top, he watched her with an unreadable expression.

What? She was instantly on guard. He rarely spoke to her and never approached her unless he had to. Something wasn't right.

I came to let you know that we have a cow calving tonight. You should stick around if you want to see her give birth.

Becky blinked at him in surprise and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She'd been waiting to see a birth for a long time, but never seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

Dan said you haven't seen a calf born. I thought you might like to know. He shrugged big shoulders and turned to leave her.

Umm... She leaned on the handle of the pitchfork feeling like a half-wit. She hadn't had the presence of mind to thank him for thinking of her. Smacking her forehead, she looked down to see one of the calves eyeing her curiously. I'm a moron, Sasha. She bent and scratched the little black and white Holstein between the ears.

It wasn't hard to spot the poor mama in labor. An older cow named Harmony stood chewing her cud with a placid look on her face as she shifted her weight from one back foot to the other. Harmony's tail slapped from side to side. A small back hoof stuck out as if the calf waved to the world. Becky knew Harmony was deep into labor.

I'd give her an hour. Dan's voice had her looking down the main aisle to where both men were standing at the milking cart watching her. A shiver traveled her spine as she took in the way Ben filled out his well-worn jeans. He was a woman's rugged dream in a tight black T-shirt stretched over chiseled muscles. The cotton had to be close to its breaking point and the mere thought of it ripping from his solid physique warmed her.

You might want to go have dinner and come back, Ben commented as he rubbed his neck and stood up to move between two cows.

He's right, Rebecca. You don't need to stay out here the entire time. Dan nodded.

Ten calves, Dan. I've missed the birth of ten of those babies since I came back to the farm. If I go into the house, then sure enough she'll push harder to get it out. She shook her head. I'll wait right here.

Harmony will probably hang onto that calf just to spite her. She barely heard Ben's deep voice as he spoke to Dan.

That would be the kicker for a crappy day. She turned to retrieve a folding metal chair and sat down right behind Harmony. Pulling the cell phone out of her front pocket, she pulled up a game of Candy Crush to play until the guys finished milking. Then she fed the babies and helped Dan throw hay