Cowboy’s Secret Son: Collier Cowboy Camp, #1

By Leslie North

Lights, Camera, Romance…

 

Remington's late father left him half of the family's famous cowboy camp. But he left the other half to a kid Remington has never met—although the adorable child's mother is no stranger. Melody Naly was Remington's childhood best friend, until they foolishly spent a night together.

 

When Remington left home to become a hot shot rodeo star, Melody stayed to run the Collier Cowboy Camp, and to take care of Remington's ailing father. But in the process, she sacrificed her dreams of traveling to raise her son...Remington's son.

 

Remington only came back to star in a new reality show, following his renovations of the old-school camp, as he turns it into a state-of-the-art getaway for kids. With the cameras always rolling, nothing can stay hidden for long. Especially the smoldering tension—and chemistry—between Melody and Remington.

 

Once Remington finds out about his secret son, he's desperate to be the best father he can be. But can Melody trust him this time, when he says he's back for good?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Relay Publishing
• Release date: Feb 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215809013

Book preview

1

S o… Maria leaned on the counter, drawing out the word as she took in the state of the kitchen. It’s probably safe to say that Remington isn’t here yet?

Melody tried not to wince. Maybe she had gone a little too far. The kitchen wasn’t just gleaming, it was practically radiating cleanliness. She’d moved well past the basic wiping down the counters and scrubbing the sink, and had careened headlong into scouring the cracks between the stove, excavating the lost items from under the fridge, and alphabetizing the coffee mugs by humorous logo. When Maria had brought Melody’s son back from a playdate, she’d caught her in the midst of scrubbing the grout between the tiles. Is it that obvious?

Honey. Yes, of course it is. Oh, and you got out the label maker. That’s practically your security blanket, isn’t it? Maria crossed over and gave her a tight hug, running her hand along Melody’s back. It’s going to be okay. Deep breaths.

Melody let herself sink into the hug, but only for a moment. She didn’t have time to wallow. I know. Well, actually I don’t know, but I hope so. Not that her hopes ever amounted to anything. I just never expected this to happen. I never thought Remington would actually come home.

It was his home, though it felt odd to say it. Remington Collier had spent the past several years on the rodeo circuit, winning nearly every competition he entered, becoming a household name, and winning himself fame and fortune far away from the small town of Red Ridge, Colorado, where they’d both grown up. Meanwhile, Melody had spent the past several years staying precisely here, at Collier Ranch—gradually taking over the reins of the cowboy camps started by Dane Collier, the previous owner and Remington’s late father. Eventually, when Dane had needed extra help as his health faded, she’d made her own home in the spacious, welcoming ranch house where she’d raised her six-year-old son, Colton.

Their six-year-old son, that was. Hers and Remington’s. The son he didn’t know anything about.

Guilt gnawed at her as she glanced at the cleaning supplies, her hands itching to start cleaning something. But Melody knew that more scrubbing wasn’t going to help. She’d made a hell of a mess, and no amount of scrubbed tile or scoured chrome was going to tidy it up. When Remington arrived, ready to take over the ranch, she was going to have to tell him the truth—and deal with the messy fight that was bound to follow.

Maria stepped back, giving Melody’s arm a sympathetic squeeze as she poured them each a cup of coffee. Have you thought about how you’re going to tell Remington? About…everything? she asked, handing Melody a mug.

That nearly got a laugh out of her. Maria was being subtle, but there was really no need for discretion. Colton’s paternity was the worst kept secret in town. That was what happened when you spent all of your teenage years so hung up on a guy the whole town noticed, and then had a baby nine months after he left everything behind to become King of the Rodeo. Everyone in town had been nice enough not to mention him to her, not to bring up how she’d been left behind, but that didn’t mean they weren’t aware. Everyone was aware. No one more so than Melody herself.

Yes. No, Melody amended. She leaned back against the counter, cradling the mug between her hands. I don’t think there’s a good way to tell someone that they have a child they didn’t know about. If there was, I would’ve figured it out long before this. She shook her head when Maria went to hug her again. She needed to stay strong, especially with Remington due to arrive any minute.

It’s simple, Maria told her. All you say is, ‘Hey, Rem, you know how I’ve been in love with you since I was a kid? And how we had that one magical night together at prom? Well, turns out you left me with a little souvenir, and my kid is actually your kid.’ What? Maria said at Melody’s sharp look. I said it was simple, not easy. You kissed ‘easy’ goodbye when you didn’t tell him the minute you found out you were pregnant.

I know, Melody said tersely. But she’d only been eighteen then, just barely out of high school. She’d been young and scared, and she’d been so damn in love with Remington. And he’d had all these dreams. He’d been so certain he was going to be the greatest thing rodeo had ever seen, and he was determined to prove himself. And she knew the second she told him about the baby, he’d leave all that behind and do the responsible thing—even if it meant checking his dreams at the door. She couldn’t ask that of him. So…she hadn’t. And she’d just kept on not telling him. Keeping the secret had actually been easier than she’d expected. In the handful of times she’d seen him over the years, during brief visits to his father that never lasted longer than a day or two, they’d rarely had the chance for more than a hug hello and a wave goodbye.

But he was coming home to stay, or so he’d implied. He wanted to get involved with the cowboy camps, wanted to continue his father’s legacy. Whether he’d actually stick around long term in the town he couldn’t escape from fast enough remained to be seen…but at the very least, he’d be here long enough to make certain conversations impossible to avoid.

I’m going to tell him. I will, she insisted when Maria gave her a skeptical look. I wanted to tell him at Dane’s funeral, but he was barely here. And he looked… Melody shook her head at the memory of the hollow, faded look Remington had worn every moment when he’d come back to bury his father six months ago. And Colton was so devastated, too. You know how much he loved Dane. Between taking care of him and then making sure everything here was in order, I hardly had a minute to figure out whether I was coming or going—and then before I knew it, Remington was gone again. But I’m going to tell them, she said firmly. Both of them.

Seven years, Melody, she thought. I’ll tell him, Melody said again, as much to herself as to her friend, as soon as he gets here.

I can’t believe he didn’t piece it together already. I mean, Colton’s the spitting image of Rem, Maria said, blowing on her cup of coffee to cool it. And then his daddy went and left half the family ranch to your son. Why did Remington think Dane did that?

Melody shrugged, wiping down a counter. I don’t know. Maybe he told himself that it was Dane’s way of taking care of Colton, since he’s basically grown up here—or an indirect way of thanking me for working here for so long. Since she’d been thirteen, and desperate to find something to do that would take her out of her house.

Her friend sounded skeptical when she replied. "If Dane wanted to take care of you and Colton, he would’ve left half the ranch to you, not a first grader. That really didn’t set off any warning bells?"

Melody shook her head. Remington knew we’d been living here. That I’d been working with his father—and taking care of him, too, in the past few years, though I don’t think Dane ever let Remington know just how bad his health had gotten. The man knew how to keep a secret. Dane… She hesitated. He never said anything to me, but I suspected he might have worked it out on his own, that he was Colton’s grandfather. He’d always been so firm that we were family. That he wanted me to keep running the ranch after he— Melody stopped. Almost seven months now, and it still hurt. He treated me like a daughter, long before Colton came along.

The funeral had been the worst moment of her life. She’d gone back and forth so many times about whether or not to tell Remington just then—if it would be a comfort, or if she’d just be hurting him even worse. Remington had been a mess that weekend, grey-faced and silent. He’d barely spent any time at the ranch house, as if he couldn’t bear to be here without his father, riding out for hours at a time and leaving almost as soon as the funeral was over. She knew that he needed space to deal with his feelings—that had always been how Remington worked through things, even when they were young—but it had only made it harder to tell him about Colton then. So she hadn’t.

You should’ve told him at the will reading, Maria said. I still can’t believe Rem didn’t ask any questions about splitting the ranch with Colton.

Melody sighed. I know. I should have. I messed up, and however he feels, whatever he says, I deserve it. But from here on out, no more hiding things. This is a new start for us. Not like that, she added quickly, at her friend’s suggestive look. Remington and I are…we’re done. No, we never actually started. We were friends who had a one-night stand that had some…unexpected results. And now, we’ll be partners for the camps, for this ranch and everything that Dane left to us. That’s all.

To Melody’s relief, Maria just gave her a sympathetic look. At least you’ll have Remington for this camp season. I know how hard it was for you last summer, trying to run this place by yourself—not that you’d ever ask for help, she said pointedly. And added, I got it covered, before Melody could say it herself.

Melody grimaced. Okay, maybe she did say that a lot. Well, I do. I worked out a plan and a budget for this year and everything. One that will allow us to fix up everything that needs to be fixed, and maybe even improve upon a few things. And Remington will help—when he can. Apparently there’s this TV show that wants to follow him during the camp renovations, she explained. Some kind of HGTV celebrity fixer-upper thing. Rodeo Star Remington Collier returns to his family ranch and does cowboy construction. Melody shrugged. Remington had sent her the basic details, so she wouldn’t be surprised to see a film crew show up on the ranch, she guessed. I’m thinking that’s going to take up most of his time, so I don’t know how much he’ll be able to lend a hand with the day-to-day operations.

What? A TV show? Tell me everything, Maria demanded, setting her coffee mug down on the counter with a thunk. Does this have to do with that interview he gave about redoing the camps? What? I have a Google alert on his name, she informed her when Melody stared at her. "Ranch Reno or On the Range Renovations, something like that."

Melody nodded. He hasn’t said a whole lot about it. Told me we’d go over all of it when he got out here. But he said he had plans. Remington always did have a plan. And he was always stubborn as a bull when it came to believing that it was the best and only plan out there, and it didn’t matter if it didn’t include you.

She tried to ignore the swift stab of pain to her heart. It was an old wound, and she’d learned to live with it.

Maria snorted, her dark brows drawing together in a skeptical line. I’m sure he does. Probably plans to bulldoze everything and build it all up again, shiny and new. Not that he would really understand what you and Dane built here. He only visited, what, twice? To give those fancy rodeo lessons?

Melody nodded. Dane had always tried to push his son to be more involved with the camps, but the most Remington could ever spare time for was to make a special guest appearance at a couple of classes before dashing off again as soon as they were done. He’d never been involved with all the camp prep—and there was a nerve-racking amount of work they had to do this year before the camp season started. The sheer list of things was already keeping her up at night. The bunkhouse was begging for a refurbishment. The roof on the south barn needed to be patched—or really, completely replaced, though her budget was hoping they could get away with something a little less drastic. And so much of their equipment needed to be checked and maintained, then repaired or replaced. She didn’t want to think about how many of the saddles needed to be mended. Some of them were downright historic.

Most of the camp was, actually, but Melody had always thought that was part of the charm. Collier Cowboy Camp offered the experience of an old-fashioned cowboy for kids of all ages—they got to experience roping, riding, sleeping out under the stars, and plenty of s’mores around the campfire that the kids made themselves. On the last night of each week-long camp session, there was a make-shift cattle drive, where the kids got to lead Dane’s ancient cows Lulu and Bess from one end of the property to the other, with a big cookout before they slept under the stars. Melody even had a few of the counselors pretend to be cattle rustlers so the kids could chase them off. It often got completely silly. Last year the campers had pelted Black Jack, the Most Notorious Cow Thief in the West—aka Joaquin, a high school senior who was currently headed to NYU on a theater scholarship—with graham crackers and their pillows until he gave up and rode off into the night.

Melody sighed. If Remington wants to help me run the camp, he’s welcome to, but I doubt he’ll want to stick around for very long. And I suppose it’s not totally his fault if he couldn’t come before now. Camp is at the height of rodeo season.

Maria leveled a look at her. That might get him off the hook for visiting during camp, but the year’s more than one season. He could’ve come if he’d wanted to. If you give him a reason.

Melody was still mulling over that last bit after Maria had left. This wasn’t the first time she and Maria had had this particular conversation. She was going to tell Remington about Colton. He deserved to know he was a father—and that she didn’t expect anything from him. He’d always been fair with her. And honest—about what he felt, and what he wanted, and exactly how much he was willing to offer her. She’d been eighteen, and so in love with him she was nearly sick with it. That one night had been like a dream. He’d asked her to prom, and she’d felt like a princess. She’d felt cherished. And that night, when they’d slept together, it had been like something out of a dream.

But they’d both known