Clint's Choice

By Miriam Newman

Clint Sanders, rancher and horseman, loses the woman he loves to bright lights and a modeling career. He thought she was a happy bride-to-be two years ago, but two days before the wedding she ran away. The bright lights of the city and the lure of a modeling career outweighed anything he could offer.

Skyelar Harrison discovers all is not glitz and glamour in the big city. The endless round of early shoots, late night parties, drinking, sexual advances, and losing control of her life take their toll. Used and abused, she has no one to turn to but Clint.

Will Clint choose to put the way she treated him in the past behind them and help her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: John R. Vickery
• Release date: Oct 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386453840

Book preview

Chapter One

Clint...?

The sound of her voice on the phone almost sent him into shock. The vivid image of her beautiful face as he'd last seen her two years ago flashed through his mind.

Clint, you there?

Pulled back from the memories, he cleared his throat and answered, I'm here. Where are you, Skye, and what do you want?

"I'm at the bus station, but I've got a ride to Granger's. Could you...uhm... Would you meet me there?"

Are you gonna actually show up and tell me what's going on this time?

I-I'll tell you what I can. Please, Clint – there's no one else...

As her voice trailed off, Clint took a deep breath. Yeah, she had him pegged all right – he should have SUCKER tattooed across his forehead in bright red letters. I'll be there. If you get there first, wait for me, or I won't do this again. He hung up without waiting for her response then rubbed his hand over his face to wake himself up.

He tugged on his jeans and stuffed his feet into the boots he'd left near the door. Exhausted when he came in from the foaling barn, he'd fallen onto the sofa in his tee shirt, briefs, and socks – he glanced at his watch – only two hours before.

After grabbing a soda from the fridge rather than taking time to make coffee, Clint plopped his battered straw Resistol on his head, grabbed his coat, and headed to his pickup.

The large all-hours convenience mart known as Granger's would take almost an hour to reach. She better have a good story, he decided.

* * * * *

Country love songs played throughout the popular store and crepe paper hearts, red balloons, stuffed animals wearing red bows, and red boxes of candy filled odd corners, reminding him Valentine's Day would be here this Friday. He didn't like to think about Valentine's Day at all anymore. He glanced around and noted only a few hardy souls scattered about at this late hour.

He heard her speak from behind him. Hi, Clint. Thanks for coming. You're a welcome sight – I wasn't sure you'd come.

His eyes widened as he turned and looked at Skyelar Harrison. He thumbed back his cowboy hat as he stared her up and down. The boyishly spiked hair replaced the long mane of elegant blonde waves he remembered, two purplish bruises and a swollen mouth marred her almost gaunt face, and her scruffy clothing surprised him. He would have thought a fashion model would be 'dressed to the nines'.

The feminine curves he remembered had thinned until she looked as if she would blow away in a breeze. The slim-legged jeans she wore were threadbare in spots and the dark blue, ill-fitting shirt had a tear at one shoulder. A faded, sherpa-lined, denim jacket hung over one arm.

A twinge of pain arrowed through him as he wondered what happened to change her so much. If not for her distinctive voice and wide eyes, he wouldn't have known her.

I-I look different, I know, but it really is me. Can we talk, please? Skye interrupted his appraisal as she warily glanced around them and toed the bag at her feet.

Are you hungry? We can sit in the snack area – or do you want to go out to the truck? Clint managed to break his silence.

Your truck, please. I'm not hungry.

He picked up the grungy khaki