Treasured in Tennessee: At the Altar, #15

By Kirsten Osbourne

When Emily Murphy discovers she is inheriting a nephew she didn't know existed, she realizes she can't handle him on her own. Someone who has drifted from job to job as she has, doesn't have the staying power to be a mom to a tween boy. Realizing she needs a husband fast, Emily contacts Dr. Lachele from Matchrimony, hoping she can make a miracle happen.
Brodie Callahan witnesses one of Dr. Lachele's matches first hand when his employer marries someone who seems totally unsuited to her. A year later, they have a happy marriage and a baby. Instead of continuing to watch enviously, he decides to contact the same matchmaker who set up his friends. When he sees Emily, he realizes she's everything he needs in life. Together they move with her nephew Alec to a horse farm in Tennessee to raise horses. When they see the house, they worry they've bitten off more than they can chew. Can they work together to make a happy marriage? Or will Emily continue to run when she sees trouble?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Unlimited Dreams
• Release date: Feb 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393157984

Book preview

Chapter One

Brodie Callahan pushed his hat back and wiped sweat of out his eyes with a thickly muscled, tanned forearm. The sun beat down on his shoulders, and he almost felt roasted through the thin, faded cotton of his button-down shirt. Because of the unusually dry South Dakota summer, though, the cattle at the Circle G needed some supplemental feed. The grazing these days was hit and miss, with the fields full of hard-baked dirt and scraggly, burnt grass. He couldn’t wait to get back to the bunkhouse, where the ranch cook, Mrs. Hollis, would have some ice-cold lemonade waiting. Swinging another bale of straw from the bed of the pickup truck, he wondered what early October was like in eastern Tennessee.

As he bumped the truck over the rutted gravel and dirt drive of the truck lot, he saw a black BMW station wagon parked by the main house. Ryder and Willa must be back from their trip to town. He knew that they’d taken their little one, Raven, in for her one-month checkup. He also knew that their fridge was probably stocked with a pitcher of Mrs. Hollis’s lemonade and that Raven was a lot cuter and more fun to hang out with than the ranch hands. Changing directions, he pulled the truck up behind their car.

He knocked at the back door. Willa hollered at him to come in, and he did—wiping his dusty boots on the mat first. Mrs. Hollis did the housekeeping at the main house, too, and he liked to stay on her good side. He swore she had the boot sizes of every male on the property memorized. She never failed to know exactly who tracked mud in on her clean floors.

Ryder and Willa were in the living room, along with a wailing infant with a shock of dark hair, tucked into a car seat that was perched on the coffee table. I’ll take her, he said happily, heading back to the kitchen to wash up first.

Seconds after the warm, fragrant bundle of baby was set in his arms, she stopped crying, blinking up at him with the bluish-colored eyes so common to newborns. How you doing, sweet pea? he crooned.

Uncle Brodie, Willa sighed, falling back on the couch and pushing her long black hair out of her eyes, Will you come live with us and be our nanny?

"He can’t help it if he’s a horse whisperer and a baby whisperer." Ryder laughed. His friend was smiling, but Brodie could tell he was exhausted from the sleepless nights the couple had been experiencing. He didn’t want to have to break the news to them, especially now, but it had to be done.

He looked down at tiny Raven, half-hoping she’d start bawling again and give him an excuse to put off the conversation. She was no help. She’d fallen asleep, her little rosebud mouth puckered and long lashes sweeping over her cheeks. He felt a tug in his heart.

Before he could speak, he saw Willa eying him. You’ve got it, don’t you?

Got what? he asked, bewildered.

Baby fever.

Brodie shook his head automatically, looking toward Ryder. No way, he laughed. I’m just good with ladies of all ages.

Good for putting them to sleep? Ryder grinned. C’mon, just admit it. You’re scared of the idea of putting yourself on the marriage market. You want Dr. Lachele’s number, don’t you?

I have no trouble meeting women, thank you very much. Brodie narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to the side. Besides, are you guys trying to marry me off? You looking for another foreman? Trying to get rid of me? And isn’t Dr. Lachele that little lady in purple that hooked you two up at the altar?

You know very well who Dr. Lachele is. You met her when she came here for my interview. Remember? She called you one of the cutest cowboys she’d ever seen. Willa, his boss and friend for the last sixteen years, shook her head sadly and smiled at him. You know you want to settle down, Brodie. You’re a little past thirty now, aren’t you? Not getting any younger, she teased. We knew we wouldn’t be able to keep you here with us forever.

Yeah, he admitted, nuzzling Raven’s sweet-smelling hair. It’s time to move on. I’d like to get my own little place. Raise some horses. Maybe raise some babies, too.

Well, Ryder said, I suppose if you want those babies, you’re going to have to find a wife first. You’ll need this.

He pulled a dog-eared business card from his wallet and handed it to Brodie. Across the front of the card, Matchrimony was scrolled in elegant purple letters. Still cradling the baby in one arm, he looked at the card and took a deep breath. He was nervous but felt a jolt of excitement at the thought of finally finding the perfect mate. He had no doubt in the matchmaker’s abilities—he only had to look at Willa and Ryder to see that she knew her business.

I guess I have a phone call to make, then. He carefully handed Raven over to Ryder, who winced and took the small bundle as gingerly as if Brodie had handed him a suitcase full of dynamite. Two seconds later, Raven was awake and screaming her displeasure to the world.

Reconsider the nanny thing, won’t you? Willa groaned as Brodie shrugged apologetically and headed for the back door, already pulling his cell phone out of his pocket before he could give himself time to reconsider. He headed for the barn and up the stairs to his foreman’s office in the loft. This was a phone call he didn’t want overheard by the other guys. They’d tease him mercilessly.

With the door shut firmly and a cold can of Coke from the mini-fridge in front of him, he dialed the New York phone number with a finger that shook only slightly. Two rings later, a cheerful voice sang out: You’ve reached Matchrimony, Dr. Lachele speaking. How can I help you?

Brodie cleared his throat. Ma’am, I’m not sure if you’ll remember me, but I’m Brodie Callahan, the foreman at the Circle G Ranch. Willa and Ryder—

Dr. Lachele cut him off with a silvery-sounding giggle. Oh, Brodie, of course I remember you! You’re the tall, handsome cowboy with a little bit of a Paul Newman look about you, especially with those blue eyes. How could I forget?

Brodie had flirted with his fair share of women, but he felt himself blushing. Before he could think of a response to her outrageous comments, though, she continued. Are you going to be my newest client? Please tell me yes, so I can come out there and visit my newest Matchrimony Munchkin while I interview you?

Munchkin? Oh, you must mean Willa’s daughter, Raven. I haven’t asked, but I’m sure Willa wouldn’t mind having you stay in the main house for a couple of days. Raven’s a bit of a handful, and I’m sure she and Ryder would probably appreciate the distraction. I should ask her first, though—

Don’t you worry about that, Dr. Lachele said. I’ll call her right now and tell her that I’ll be there for a boobie bump as soon as I can book a flight. See you soon!

Brodie was left staring at the phone in his hand, wondering what in the world a boobie bump was.

*****

Emily Murphy danced into the lobby of her apartment building, high-fiving the elderly doorman on her way. Good morning, Miz Murphy, he laughed. What’s got you so chipper today?

Emily pushed back her curly red hair and grinned back at the doorman. William, today is the best day of my life.

I thought last Tuesday was the best day of your life, when you got that new job as a yoga instructor. Or was it the Friday before when you thought you met Oprah on the subway? He scratched his grizzled chin thoughtfully, his eyes twinkling.

She waved off his teasing good-naturedly. No way, nothing tops this, Emily shot back, bouncing on her toes in excitement. "A friend of mine that has a catering business got me a waitressing gig for one of the swankiest parties in New York. She lowered her voice and raised her eyebrows dramatically, her green eyes gleaming. You’ll never guess whose throwing it.  Taylor Swift."

William squinted. Taylor who? Never heard of him.

"She’s a singer! Huge celebrity. I’m going to meet her, probably, and be rubbing elbows with all kinds of famous people. Plus, I’m going to make more in one night than I would in a month of teaching yoga. Maybe I’ll even get a chance to talk to her and convince her that my boss’s yoga studio is the place to be, and next thing you know, all the uber-famous people will be lining up outside to get in."

You sure do get some big ideas, Miz Emily. William chuckled.

"Play your cards right,