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A Cowboy’s Second Act
After nearly being mowed down by an entire parade led by his former girlfriend, Joel Darwood wonders if Briggs, Idaho, is the ideal place to raise his young daughter. Making a home in the tiny ranching town means confronting his past—and the powerful feelings he still has for ornery, unforgiving Callaghan Grant.
Six years later, Callie still isn’t over the lover with the smoking blue eyes and sexy swagger. But how can she forget the pain Joel and her former best friend caused? Still, her heart goes out to the widowed rancher, who’s set on being the father his rabble-rousing five-year-old needs. Is it time for Callie to move on—with her dream cowboy back in her arms where he belongs?
Callie stood only a few feet away from Joel.
She was so close he could almost reach out and touch her, but he controlled his desire.
“They have a sense about them, horses do. It was a tough day, Joel, and I’m sure they’re glad to be home.”
“We all are. Thank you for keeping yourself and my girl safe this afternoon. I’ll be forever grateful.”
Callie smiled and he wanted to drop to his knees right there. A mere thank-you didn’t seem like enough. Not only was he grateful for his daughter’s safety, but he now realized just how grateful he was for Callie’s safety. He couldn’t handle it if anything happened to either one of them.
“Not a problem. I was only doing what I’d been trained to do from years of driving a truck on my ranch.”
He took a step closer, hoping she wouldn’t move away. He felt drawn to her, as if he’d lost all power over his emotions.
I love writing about the characters that inhabit the small town of Briggs, Idaho. They never cease to amaze me, especially the children.
Each time I sit down to write a new book, I think I know my characters inside and out, but somewhere during the course of writing their story they take on their own identities. Suddenly, the past I carefully designed for each character doesn’t meet their needs, so they up and change it. What’s even more surprising is when they change a secret desire I clearly thought they needed. Most of the time, it turns out to be something completely different than what I’d planned.
That’s the writing process…at least for me.
This story took on a darker tone than most of my books, with a deeper meaning. I wanted to delve into betrayal and loss, but I never expected to also take on abandonment, forgiveness and, eventually, acceptance.
That’s not to say all the humor is gone. It’s not. But this time, it’s wrapped in a bit more drama than I had originally intended.
I hope you enjoy A Cowboy in Her Arms as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Please come visit me on Twitter, @maryleoauthor, or at Facebook.com/maryleoauthor, and while you’re there, please sign up for my newsletter.
All my best,
Mary
A Cowboy in Her Arms
Mary Leo
USA TODAY bestselling author MARY LEO grew up in South Chicago in the tangle of a big Italian family. She’s worked in Hollywood, Las Vegas and Silicon Valley. Currently she lives in San Diego with her husband, author Terry Watkins, and their sweet kitty, Sophie. Visit her website at maryleo.com.
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Contents
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
