Desert Rose: The Cowgirls Sunset, #1

By E.M.Courtney

A letter from the grandfather she never knew brings Meagan Rae King home to learn that she has inherited Meadow's Run, the largest ranch in Oklahoma. Here, she plans to escape her past and focus on her art career. However, with her co-owner, an old high school crush, Trystan Andrew Welsh, it's hard to concentrate on anything other than him. "luckily, Meagan's two best friends, Jenny and Harper, are by her side, and they will do anything they can to help her."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Teal Heart Books
• Release date: Aug 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223888758

Book preview

I Hope You Dance

Meagan received a letter from the owner of Meadow’s Run, a local ranch, that she would deliver horse feed.  

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Dearest Meagan Rae,

Thank you for reading this letter. I am sorry it has taken me so long to write you. I, Hunter Wyatt Gordon, am your grandfather. My son, your father, Dawson’s life was cut so short when he, at 19, passed in a horse-riding accident. I wish we had known he was seeing someone, but Dawson was to himself. I did not learn about you or your mother until the days after my love died in 2009. 

The moment I saw you dropping off horse feed with your father, I felt like I’d seen a ghost. You looked so much like your grandmother and your eyes looked just like my Dawson’s. My ranch hand, Trystan, mentioned you’d attended the same high school, so I asked him about you. After learning you had been adopted, I had to look you up to see if we could be blood. I had hired a private investigator to tell me it was true. I wanted to wait until I had all I needed to know before coming to you.  

It took me years to learn you were my dear granddaughter. Eventually, the private investigator found Dawson’s journal, which talked about how excited he was to be a father. Letters between him and your mom, as well as several photos of the two together, confirmed to me that he was happy to begin a life with your mother, Emmaline.

I did not want you to meet me and then watch me leave this world to be with my love, Meadow, and my son, Dawson. My accountant, Kate, is helping me write this letter to you. Meagan Rae, I wish that with all I am, we knew about you and your mother. I’m sorry for every piece of your life we have missed. Please know I will always watch over you and be proud of you. 

I have been living here and growing here for over 40 years, and I hope to see you do the same from above. I know you will love Meadows Run as much as we did, so I want to leave you the property. My ranch hand, lawyer, and your old high school friend, Trystan, will inherit the business. He doesn’t know about our relationship, or I am sending you this letter. Trystan and Kate will help you learn about me and our life here. 

I am sorry you learned this way. I will always love you.

Your grandfather,

Hunter Wyatt Gordon

Storybook Love

Meagan stood at the register of her family’s feed store, re-reading the curled letter for the thousandth time. It had been three days since she had received it, and she still couldn’t believe it.  

Meagan! Meagan’s adoptive father called from the doorway, a sack of chicken feed on his shoulder.  

Oh! Meagan jumped, Sorry, Dad, I didn’t hear you. 

Carson dropped the bag of feed on the floor and reached for Meagan. My sweet girl, he said, looking down at her with his big brown eyes and hugging her. It’s been a big couple of days; why don’t you go home and rest? I’ve got this covered." 

Meagan hugged her father. 

Thanks, Dad. I need some more time to think this over. 

That’s fine. Get some good old-fashioned rest. Carson added, closing Meagan out of the register. Oh, and text your mother and me your decision.

Meagan grabbed her purse from under the counter and hopped over the abandoned bag of chicken feed, the bell above the door ringing on her way out. While leaving the feed store, one of her regulars, Trystan, ran into Meagan. She had known Trystan Andrew Welsh for eighteen years. We met in high school. 

Oh! Meagan, can I talk to you?" Trystan asked, grabbing the door and holding it open for her. His sea-green eyes looked down at her. Meagan tried to avoid eye contact, hoping Trystan hadn’t received any information about her or her inheritance yet so she could have more time to think. 

Hi, Trystan; my dad is at the counter if you need to pick up some feed for Meadow’s Run.

No, actually, Meagan, I came here for you. I know you got the letter; I’d like to show you Meadows Run.

Meagan almost flinched; Trystan was here for her. Three days ago, she was an aspiring artist working at her parents’ feed store; now, thanks to that letter, she’s inheriting one of the biggest ranches in Oklahoma from a family she had never met. 

You saw the letter? Meagan asked. 

No, but I read the paperwork. Since Hunter let me live on the farm while I went to law school, he put me in charge of his legal proceedings. I figured it would be better to talk to you in person. Trystan waved at Carson from behind the glass door as it jingled.

I know you’re probably busy, but I wanted to show you the ranch. Unless you’ve got things to do here, of course. 

No, Meagan paused, I took the day off to think about it, but I’m not sure.

I understand; it’s a life-changing decision. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in your shoes right now. You must be feeling overwhelmed, Trystan said, reaching around her and giving her a little hug. Meagan’s stomach fluttered. He smelled like a fresh bale of hay and sunshine with a tint of horse dander.

Meagan drew in a deep breath as she hugged Trystan back. Something about him made her feel more comfortable. You know what, it is pretty overwhelming, but I can’t just ignore it. I’ll go with you and see what it’s like. Should I meet you there? 

Trystan nodded and said, See you there, before hopping into his car. His black licorice-colored hair glistened in the hot sun. Meagan followed suit and hoisted herself into her 1999 Ford Truck. After years of delivering feed to Meadow’s Run, she knew the ten-minute drive by heart.

Meagan felt the drive was shorter than usual. She followed Trystan through the side roads down towards the run, listening to her favorite 80’s playlist as she passed the hills and crept towards the fence surrounding her new home.

The horses ran in the fields, galloping next to Trystan and Meagan as they drove past the fence. Trystan parked his vehicle in front of the barn-like house behind the gate and forgot to greet Meagan. She stood by her truck, petting one of the mares across the fence.  

You’re petting Rosie! Trystan called, shutting the door on his truck and jogging over to the fence, She likes no one. I can’t believe she’s letting you pet her.

Hello, Rosie. Meagan smiled, burying her freckled nose into Rosie’s long mane and kissing her. Thank you for liking me. 

Trystan walked Meagan up to the bright red house surrounded by horses. The barn-shaped house was enormous and tall but had a long wrap-around porch that Trystan led her to.

Once on the porch, Meagan turned to look over Meadow’s Run. Green pastures spread out as far as she could see, and several other barns and buildings spanned through the fields. She gazed at the durable lining of the edge of a small paddock where she’d spent endless hours in summer unloading bales of hay with her dad. A smaller cottage was nestled between the trees between the barn and the stables. To think this would be hers was almost unbelievable.

This is both the house and the barn. Hunter wanted to have the broodmares near him, so he built them together when he started Meadow’s Run Ranch in 1963. Trystan explained, opening the front door for her. This would be the first time Megan would be inside the house.

A big wooden table sat in the center of the ranch-style house between the kitchen and living room. The house was cozy, with hardwood throughout, including the back part that opened to the barn. Trystan pulled out Meagan’s chair and showed her all the pages of legal work for the Ranch.  

Let me explain all of the farm's legal work, Meagan. I’ve worked here since I was 18 while I went through college. I was the only one Hunter ever trusted to help him. 

The letter mentioned you were Hunter’s lawyer. Is that why? Meagan asked.

Trystan chuckled, Nope, I worked on the run as a side job, and since Hunter didn’t know he had any grandchildren, he took a little liking to me. He let me live on the run for free as long as I’d get my degree and help him on the run.

Wow. Meagan smiled, My grandpa sounds like a pretty nice guy.

He was the best. Trystan showed her where to sign the inheritance letter for Mr. Hunter Wyatt Gordon. She still couldn’t believe she had found out who her family was. 

Trystan squinted at Meagan’s signature. Your birthday is on Sunday?

Meagan confirmed with a nod as she signed another page.

Well, how’s this for a three-day early birthday present? He laughed a little bit and leaned in next to Meagan, who started thinking about what it would be like to kiss him.

Trystan pulled away from her, and Meagan drew a deep breath. If her entire life had changed, at least she would have had such a good friend to help her.

Trystan talked Meagan through the paperwork, explaining how her grandfather had wanted to leave the run to his only living relative and leave the run to the only person who looked at him like Family. He split Meadow’s run into two halves, the residential and business. Meagan would inherit all houses on the property, even the ones farther away, and Trystan would inherit the company with the acceptance that both would keep the business running for at least a year after their inheritance. 

After about an hour of paperwork, Meagan signed her last page. She got up to leave, but Trystan got up after her, looking down at her fiery red hair and fresh green eyes. 

Meagan, would you like me to show you around Meadows Run? 

That would be great. I’d love that.

Trystan smiled; this was the longest they’d spent together in years. Meagan caught sight of a golf cart with a bed and looked at him with a big, joking smile. They both got in the golf cart and drove outside onto the massive pasture. The sun shone warm on Meagan’s long red hair, tanning her freckles and warming her smile.

Trystan soon pulled into the first set of stables, spending thirty minutes introducing each horse and telling them how to care for them. Meagan loved chatting with him, and she could feel her sixteen-year-old self daydreaming about having a day with Trystan Andrew Welsh.

So, are you thinking about moving into the house? If not, I can move in and stay here instead. Trystan asked. He held a hand for Meagan and helped pull her into the golf cart. 

It was still dawning on Meagan that the house was hers; she could move in if she wanted to. I have to think about it. She said, still considering. Nobody would know if she didn’t tell anybody she was living on the ranch. Only Hunter, his accountant Kate, and Trystan knew Meagan owned Meadow’s Run. This might be a perfect place to get away if she could handle the work.

Sorry, you have a lot on your plate right now. Trystan apologized. 

Maybe this weekend, I can do a stayover and see everything it takes to live here full-time, Meagan suggested. I have a trailer, and I could hitch it and just bring it over here. 

That’s a great idea. Trystan smiled. 

Will you be staying with me? Meagan stopped and blushed, I mean, not with me, but in the house? 

Trystan chuckled as he walked her to the truck and opened the door for her. If you don’t mind, he flirted, See you this weekend, Meagan.

Meagan could feel her heart beating faster. 

This weekend, Trystan.  

Meagan closed the door to her truck and drove away. She could see him still standing there as the sunlight was on him; she could see a silhouette of him.  

Meagan drove up to her trailer on her parent's property and saw her mother, Alice, waiting for her.     

Hey, Mommy. Meagan sang, hopping out of her truck and giving her a massive hug. 

You didn’t text me! Alice feigned being mad and embraced her daughter back. 

Sorry, I was busy. Trystan took me around Meadows Run, and it was beautiful. I signed the papers and everything. I’m thinking about taking my trailer with me to stay in and see if I want to live there full-time. 

Meg, I think that’s a good idea, Alice said, "I’m so happy this is happening for you. You’ve got to call me and tell me how you like it. 

I will. Goodnight, Meagan smiled at her mother and walked into her trailer for