The Cowboy's City Girl: The Brothers of Thatcher Ranch, #2

By April Murdock

Their first meeting should have been an enchanting moment. A moment that would always spark fond memories. So why did it seem so ordinary?

Chance Thatcher is making his way on the rodeo circuit. He's a well known citizen of Sagebrush, Texas and he makes the most of it when necessary. Chance might be at a crossroad in his life, but he can still turn on his charm… especially when he encounters a pretty woman.

Kate Benson is a successful event planner. Her Washington DC business has become all the rage in the hot social scene of politics and power. A special project brings her to Sagebrush, but her initial arrival is far from the easy small town experience she'd expected. Meeting Chance alters the course of her journey, and she quickly finds herself drawn to him.

They come from different worlds, but there's something about him that makes her feel comfortable when she shouldn't. As he seems to reciprocate these feelings, Kate's real life back in DC threatens to pull them apart before they get a chance to see what might be. Chance is sure he's been played and can't believe he fell into such an obvious trap. Once the secrets are out, their differences seem more pronounced than ever.

Is there a remote possibility that Chance and Kate can actually talk things out? Is there something they're missing that can help them reconnect and pick up the relationship that was budding?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sweet River Publishing
• Release date: May 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201186814

Book preview

Chapter 1

A westerly wind blew over the city, slightly breaking up the heat that had gripped the residents of Sagebrush in a tight grasp for the past week.

Brilliant sparks of lightning shot out in all directions, lighting up the late afternoon sky. Music reverberated all around. It wasn’t the normal high-pitched sound of a horn, or the twang of a guitar, or the booming beat of the drums.

That music, he was used to. That type of music fueled his spirits when he’d been out riding bulls. But this was a different type of music, one that held a special purpose. This music was unlike any other music that man could create.

The music that rang out was nature at work, creating her best symphony. The clack-clack-clacking of the hail competed with the sound of rolling thunder, not at all dissimilar to the sound of bowling balls being rolled down the alley. The rain pelting the ground and the windshield sang out a beautiful harmony that soothed the nerves.

Well, most people’s, anyway. But Chance couldn’t say the same for him. The thunderstorm did nothing to soothe his nerves. Not that it made it worse—he really didn’t care. It was almost as if he didn’t notice the storm that had come to wreak havoc on the town.

His mind was a million miles away.

The old Jeep rambled through the streets, Luke Combs’ Even Though I’m Leaving pouring from the old stereo, competing with nature’s music. Solemn lyrics briefly interrupted the scenes playing out in his head of his recent failures. Every now and then, Luke would sing a word in his twangy voice on the radio that would cause Chase to think about losing his father.

But when the memories became too painful, he pushed them aside and refocused his thoughts on his current problems.

Chance pulled up to the train station, looking around for a parking spot. At this time of day, downtown was crowded with people running errands and getting lunch at some of the local restaurants.

Spotting a couple of empty spaces half a block down in front of Roy’s Handmade Boots, he put the Jeep in park. Chance made a mental note that it was time to replace a couple pairs of his own scuffed, mud-caked boots with a new, fresh pair.

Stepping from the Jeep, he hunched his shoulders against the pouring rain, tucking his hands firmly into his pockets.

He pulled the wide brim of his cowboy hat down over his thick brown hair, shading his green eyes from view, and stuffed the Jeep keys into his back pocket.

Laura Ridge, the local bank manager, stepped from the shadows of the bank with an umbrella extended over her head.

Hi, Chance, she said, smiling and waving at him as though no torrential rains were pouring down all around them.

Hi, Miss Laura, Chance greeted her with a cheeky grin, removing his hands from his pockets and dipping his hat.

You try to keep dry out here, you hear? she told him as she turned to walk in the opposite direction of where he was heading.

Yes, ma’am, he called out.

Tucking his hands back into his front pockets and ducking his head, he ran the short distance down the sidewalk to the entrance of the train station. Removing his hat, he shook the errant drops of rain from it and placed it securely back on his head.

Passengers milled around, some looking at the train schedule posted on the far wall, others standing in line to purchase a ticket, and still others making their way toward the exit doors. Chance walked by a couple of benches, observing a few passengers who had fallen asleep during their wait.

His eyes slowly scanned the passing people, looking for his mother. It seemed as if it had been ages since she had left them to embark on her world tour. While he and his brothers had been excited for her to take advantage of the opportunity to travel the world, he surely did miss her.

Life was different without her nurturing figure hanging around them. And meals surely weren’t the same since she had left. The brothers could cook just fine, but they rarely had time to do so. Instead, they had opted to hire a cook in their mother’s absence. Someone who could provide meals not only for the brothers, but for the staff at Blessed Ridge Ranch as well. But while Jim’s food was good, it couldn’t hold a candle to their mother’s cooking.

The other notable difference was their father’s absence. His imposing presence on the ranch was sorely missed. And his passing had effected the greatest change of all. It had been because of his passing that their mother had decided to embark on a world tour. And none of them could or would begrudge her the opportunity.

Chance couldn’t wait to lay eyes on his mother again and give her a big welcome hug. Garrett, Logan, and Chance’s twin brother, Chase, were back at the house, getting things ready for her arrival.

He knew the first thing that she would take notice of was whether they had kept the house spotless in her absence. And while Chance wasn’t the cleanest of them all, he’d done his fair share of keeping things in order as much as he could.

Chance glanced at his watch and then at the computer monitor overhead. Train eleven thirty-eight had just pulled into the station. It was two minutes early.

Taking a spot on an empty bench, he positioned himself where he could see her departure from the train as soon as possible. There was no rush for him to get back out into the rain anyway, so waiting was just fine with him.

Chance’s thoughts wandered back to the rodeo once more. It was difficult not to linger on his loss for too long. He’d hung his hat on being a championship rodeo rider, and he’d hoped that he could continue to grow in the ranking. But his recent loss to his twin brother, Chase, had been a humbling experience at best.

Being a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Professional Bull Riders allowed him to participate in numerous events. He had won over five hundred grand in prizes at an event in February in Arlington, but then he had won two million dollars as the victor of the American Event in March.

While the prizes were definitely worthwhile, several other perks came with being a champion. Chance smiled when he thought about the number of women that flocked to his side, just wanting to be affiliated with him.

But Chance now realized all that was superficial. Because no sooner had Chase become the champion than some of those same fans fell away from Chance’s side. It didn’t matter anyway. He needed something more real and lasting in his life. He wasn’t certain where he could find that. His loss to his twin brother had changed everything.

And while others encouraged him to climb back up on the bull and ride again, Chance had come to a crossroads in his life. He’d begun to question his true purpose and what he should be doing. Was he simply just wasting time, chasing after a hobby that wasn’t meant to be? Was there something greater out there in store for him?

Chance wasn’t sure, but he did know that everyone else seemed to be finding their spot in the world. The only good thing that had come out of his life lately was the bond he and his younger brother, Logan, seemed to be developing.

They had never enjoyed a close relationship in the past, and Chance knew that he had been to blame for that. He never had quite understood his youngest brother and his strange and peculiar ways. It had been easier to tease him, hoping that he might change, rather than try to understand and accept him.

Logan was carving out his own place in the world, now that he had started a rock-climbing business and was planning to settle down and marry the only girl that he had ever loved. Chance was happy for his brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law, Frances Mills.

He chuckled, thinking how Frankie would have his hide if she heard him call her anything other than Frankie. She hated the name Frances because it sounded too girly to her.

The hissing sound of the train’s doors opening jerked Chance away from his personal thoughts and turned his attention to the departing passengers. He stood, wearing a wide beam on his face, looking for his mother.

Chance almost missed her as she departed and looked around for him. He was taken aback by the drastic change that she had made in her absence. Gone was her long, silvery-blonde hair plaited into a braid down the middle of her back. There was always a curl or two that escaped the braid that she would have to push out of her face.

She’d worn it that way since he was a boy, only pulling it up into a bun or topknot for church. The short pixie cut, tapered in the back with her grey roots dyed to match the rest of her blonde tresses, took at least ten years off her appearance. She wore light eye makeup, which was another new twist on her style.

Chance couldn’t believe that his mother had cut all of her hair off. She was simply gorgeous, but still, it was a shock to his system.

He’d become accustomed to his mother’s plain style. She had always been a beautiful woman, but now she seemed to have enhanced all of her features.

Casually his eyes roamed down his mother as he took in the change. Her hairstyle and makeup weren’t the only transformations she’d made. Her wardrobe had undergone a transition as well.

Cora Thatcher wore a chic pair of black leather cigarette pants paired with a black and white silk blouse, topped off with a white and black boho sweater layered over the blouse. A clunky pair of heels graced her feet.

Her outfit was a far cry from the jeans and chambray shirts she wore with cowboy boots, exchanged only for a long, flowing skirt.

Chance didn’t know how to feel about this drastic change in his mother. He mildly wondered what else might have changed about her that he couldn’t see.

Thinking back to his childhood and his teen years, he couldn’t help but wonder how his father would have felt about this drastic change. He didn’t think that his father would be too happy, although his mother was. But then again, if his father were still here, the change wouldn’t have happened.

No, Cora Thatcher needed some change in her life. And he was grateful that she was pursuing her dreams. No matter what type of change that brought with it.

Chapter 2

Taking a tentative step toward her, his smile grew and his hesitancy faded when she threw her arms open to welcome him.

Ma! he exclaimed. With a loud whoop, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around.

Chance Thatcher! You put me down right now! she declared in a slightly amused voice.

He obeyed his mother’s request but didn’t let her go.

She squeezed him tightly, and he could tell that she had missed him as much as he’d missed her.

Cora Thatcher leaned back and took him in again as he warily looked at her.

Well, you look no worse for the wear, she said as they moved to the luggage claim.

He chuckled. You know me. Always getting deep into the thick of things, he said, glancing down at his muddy attire. But you… you look… great.

They grabbed her luggage and headed outside. Chance was glad to see that the downpour had stopped, and there was only a slight drizzle coming down. Despite the few drops of rain that still lingered, the sun had risen once more in all its glory.

Well, look-a-there, Chance said, glancing up at the sky, squinting against