Chapter 1

Chapter

One

Easton Coleville strutted down the very short Main Street of picture-perfect Coleville Montana the Monday after Thanksgiving. The sun was bright and the famed Montana ‘big sky’ was as blue as his own mesmerizing eyes. The air was crisp and titillating as his favorite cologne Goutal Nuit … some other words. He couldn’t pronounce the name; all he knew was his mint, citrus, and pine cologne combined with his handsome face and renowned charm made women ‘melt into his arms’.

Snow was already decorating the pine trees in the valley and the mountain tops. Christmas decorations were plastered on the few businesses and the light poles. His family had finished a raucous and happy reunion at the ranch all weekend and he’d spent the morning helping Mama get all the Christmas decorations out and lifting anything heavy into place for her. Thankfully Mama knew he was healed and didn’t beg him not to lift anything or get teary-eyed when she looked at his scars.

Montana and the Christmas season were bussin’. Things should be gucci in his world, but Easton was as low as he’d been since the day Cassie had cheated on him, screamed at him for decking the loser she had cheated with, and told him to never come near her again.

Pretty darn low, that was for sure. Losing Cassie had happened six years ago and it still gouged at his stomach and made his heart throb with agony. Stupid, emotional garbage anyway. He was more than over her. Who needed the love of his life when he had a different woman chasing him every weekend? Nobody but Walker would ever know that he longed for Cassie. Her loss was like being slammed to the ground one second into a ride and a spear wound from a bull’s horn gouging through his flesh and internal organs. A wound that deep never healed.

Missing the PRCA finals at the NFR rodeo in Vegas this December because of his ‘head injury’ that was already healed, not to mention the ugly new decorations on his forehead marring his perfect face, was another form of torture.

He’d been at the top of his game; bull riding was his life and his identity. Now what did he have? Scars that might ruin his ‘game’ with all the women?

No. He still had his charm and his good looks. He’d heal and get back on those ugly bulls’ backs. He’d conquer the life-threatening ride and the bulls.

He’d keep a smile on his face, keep flirting with his flock of feminine admirers, and make this a fabulous Christmas season for his mama and his family. They’d gathered for Thanksgiving, but everyone except him, Clint, Walker, and Marci had left Coleville again by Sunday afternoon. The whole troop was coming home again for the ‘epic’ Christmas weddings of his brothers Miles and Clint to Eva Chevron and Lily Lillywhite on December twenty-first. Married on the shortest day of the year. He supposed it wasn’t bad planning on his brothers’ parts—lots of nighttime hours to snuggle with their new brides.

Easton growled low in his throat, an unfamiliar jealousy pinging through him. He wanted a bride of his own, but not just any bride would do. It had to be a woman who could make him forget about Cassie.

Would that ever happen for him? He’d given dating his A-game, dating women around the world as his travels with bull riding took him to rodeo after rodeo. He’d never found anyone who stirred him, made him laugh, made him feel alive, made him want to settle down and rock babies like Cassie had when he was young and dumb and thought the world was at their feet.

He’d even tried to move on with his new sister-in-law Marci… before she was his sister-in-law, of course. He’d been wrong thinking the hilarious author was his one. Marci was ideal for Walker, and he was happy for his twin, ecstatic even. Marci and Walker had eloped. Lucky brother anyway.

Just last month, Easton had pursued the fascinating female warrior Autumn Cardon. Once again, it hadn’t been meant to be as the lady was in love with the bachelor billionaire of the year Jarom Love. That op had cost him the NFR and the smooth skin on his forehead.

Easton’s lack of his own enchanting wife definitely wasn’t from him not being the most enticing, charming, and handsome cowboy on earth or any lack of effort on his part. He dated plenty. He simply couldn’t find anyone to shove Cassie from his memory. It was pathetic, and only Walker knew part of the truth. Even Walker didn’t know how painful and final the breakup had been.

He and Cassie had grown a little distant over the four years that she’d been in school, rarely seeing each other in person but texting or talking on the phone most days. Heaven was smiling down on them, he thought, when he had a rodeo within hours of her third big shindig after graduation and being hired by a large event company out of Syracuse. He’d made it work to drive to the fancy wedding she was in charge of as soon as his event was done and surprise her.

The joke was on him when he found her dancing in her boss’s arms and then the loser kissed her and she didn’t even shove him away. Easton had thrown the entire wedding party into upheaval when he stormed through the dancing throng, ripped Baxter Churchill away from Cassie, and downed the man with one well-placed jab.

Easton had been protecting her, standing up for their relationship, and admittedly gratifying his own anger and pride. He’d been far too upset in the moment to stop and think of a more rational approach, but was there a better approach? Honest truth, that punch and standing victor over the jerk had been glorious.

Cassie hadn’t thought so. She’d yelled at him that he was out of control and she never wanted to see him again.

She hadn’t. That was for dang sure. Easton might not have the love of his life, but he had his pride. He’d stormed out of that fancy wedding, blocked her number and her accounts on social media, vowed to shove her from his heart and mind, and he hadn’t sung besides the hymns at church in six years.

She’d not only cheated on him but had claimed he was out of control for standing up to the loser she had been cheating with. That night, it had slapped him in the face as hard as that image of her kissing another man that he and Cassie must be all wrong together. He’d been wholly committed to her, no matter how many beautiful cowgirls hit on him on the rodeo circuit. He would’ve done anything for his Cassie, even move to stifling New York if she would’ve ever agreed one of the dozen times he’d asked. And there she was, cheating on him and yelling at him instead of apologizing. She’d probably been cheating on him for a long time.

Still, he often imagined flying across the country, dropping all his manly pride, and begging her to give them another chance. He stopped himself every time.

Easton kicked at a rock on the sidewalk with his Tecova boot. Lot of good his pride did him, sleeping alone every night.

The door to Dan’s Grocery Store flung open just as he reached it. He caught and held the door, smiling at the tender picture of a mom clutching a small child in her arms. The mother’s head was bent close to the little girl, listening to her prattle. A swath of soft blonde hair covered the lady’s face.

That hair looked as silky and appealing as Cassie’s had. He remembered trailing his fingers through it on too many occasions.

Cringe! Could he not go one minute without thinking about her? She invaded every thought. If he thought about his Savior as much as Cassie he’d be a saint at this point.

The lady flipped her hair back and glanced up at him, a gracious smile on her pretty pout of a mouth. “Thank you … Easton?” Her voice pitched up as wariness filled those teal-blue eyes that used to look at him as if he were her superhero.

“Cassie?” Easton leaned heavily into the door he held, his legs failing at holding up his large frame.

Neither of them said anything for a few beats. They simply stared at each other. He drank in every bit of her—the sharp, classic beauty of her face, the teal-blue eyes, the pouty and alluring lips, the silky blonde hair. She’d matured in all the right ways. She was as beautiful and appealing as she’d always been to him. The most perfect woman in the world to match his own perfectness.

He almost fell to his knees and sang out “Beautiful as You” by Thomas Rhett. That startled him. He listened to country all the time but hadn’t had the impulse to sing lines to anyone since she had dumped him.

He wondered what she thought as she stared at him. He poked out his chest, then remembered the ugly, puckered red scars just under his hairline on the left side of his face. He wasn’t perfectly handsome any longer. He was tempted to put his hand to his forehead. At least his hat hid most of the damage.

He straightened away from the door and let it fall closed. Hiding his shock at the miracle of Cassie Johnston gracing Coleville’s soil for the first time in ten years, he turned to face her fully. It made his scars visible, but his mama hadn’t raised any wimps. He folded his arms across his chest, knowing it made him look tough and ‘hot’ in many women’s interpretations.

“Mama, who’s that?” the child in her arms questioned, giggling. “He’s a giant cowboy!”

Easton couldn’t resist grinning at the little girl, tipping his hat to her. “I’m Easton Coleville, pretty lady. It’s an honor to meet you, and I can glaze myself and assure you how blessed you are to be meeting me.”

He extended his hand even as his insides froze. Another slap in the face. Mama? Cassie was a mother? Since when? Sure, he’d ignored any local gossip that mentioned her name and he’d unfollowed her on every social media site six years ago, but … th is little one had to be at least four years old. Had she gotten pregnant with the loser she’d cheated on him with? Her boss? Was she married? He tried to check her ring finger, but her hand was buried in her daughter’s coat.

It shouldn’t matter. Couldn’t matter. He and Cassie were dead and buried. Yet if she was here in Coleville … and if she was single …

Was this a sign from above?

Fear and wonder intermingled inside him. This woman had wrecked him six years ago and now everything was lining up too perfectly. His injury keeping him here and humbling him, the agony of losing her never leaving him, and now running into her like this? His Heavenly Father must be telling him something, and of course he was confident and brave enough to step into the ring.

Easton had never buried his pride, but for Cassie, he would. He’d forgive her for cheating and rizz her like no other. His confidence soared in heaven above and himself. Cassie would fall for him, be grateful for his willingness to forgive and humble himself, and all of his once-lofty dreams could come true.

The child released her grip on her mom’s neck and placed her small, soft, dimpled hand in his. Easton felt the ground shift and his heart seemed to grow in his chest.

This was Cassie’s daughter. She was a beautiful replica of her mother down to the teal-blue eyes and pouty lips. Who was her father and was he still in the picture? Jealousy warred with the warmth he felt toward the pair. The longing to have this mother and daughter in his life was more impactful and jarring than being hit by an explosion six weeks ago. These two beauties were meant to be his, not some other yahoo’s.

“Pleased to meet you, sir cowboy. I’m Presley Johnston.”

Easton’s brow wrinkled as he darted a glance at Cassie and tried to keep up. Johnston? Was Cassie still single? Divorced? Widowed? Why hadn’t the little one taken her father’s name? It was a good sign for him.

He smoothed out his face and gave Presley his most charming look. “Princess Presley. A beautiful name for a beautiful little lady.”

Presley giggled and pulled her hand back, clasping her mom’s face with both of her small hands. “Mama. The cowboy thinks I’m a beautisul princess.” She laughed happily.

“You are, my angel. You are.” Cassie gathered her daughter close, turning her body slightly away from Easton as if to shield the little girl from him.

What was that all about? Okay, so he’d hit the guy she’d been cheating on him with. That didn’t make him some violent jerk. That showed he was in love with her and protective of her. Cassie didn’t know he was trained as an elite warrior. He could’ve done much worse to the loser. His chest puffed out.

“Easton.” Cassie nodded to him, brushed past him, and hurried for a newer Volkswagen Jetta.

Oh, no. No, no, no. She wasn’t dropping into his life, the meeting orchestrated by the angels, and then whooshing back out of it again.

He hurried after her, deciding to focus on the child first. He ducked behind Cassie and then popped up over her shoulder and called out, “Princess Presley is fire,” to Presley.

Presley roared with laughter. “Again!”

Easton smiled and obliged, hiding and popping up several more times.

Cassie all but ignored him, only smiling at her daughter’s reaction. They reached the car. He pulled open the back door and held it as Cassie set the grocery bag slung over her forearm on the floor and then secured Presley in her car seat. Cassie straightened and Easton waved at the girl. “See you soon, beautiful Princess Presley.”

“Bye, beautisul cowboy prince,” Presley hollered.

Cassie tugged the door from his grasp and shut it. She darted an apprehensive look at Easton and edged forward to the driver’s door. He dodged in front of her, pulling open her door and holding it for her.

“Thanks,” she murmured, brushing past him.

“Cassie.” Easton couldn’t stop himself from putting a hand on her arm. Thankfully she had a coat on and he didn’t get the full effect of touching her. Her simply gazing up at him with those teal-blue eyes was impactful enough.

“Yes?” she whispered.

He didn’t know where to start. He wouldn’t apologize for their last miserable interaction, but he would drop his pride and give her a chance. No way could he let her go again without a fight. That was his only regret of that awful night six years ago, that he hadn’t stuck around, let himself and Cassie cool down, and fought through the pain of and reasons for her cheating on him.

The good Lord had dropped her and her daughter into Coleville and into his path right when he was low as the dust. It had to mean something. He’d make it mean something.

“You’re a mother?” was what came out of his mouth, instead of any of his usual suave lines that had women falling for him left and right.

“Obviously,” she snipped.

“Married?” he ground out. He could still picture her in that guy’s arms. A blond, suit-wearing, polished city slicker. Was that who she’d married? What she was attracted to now?

“Not anymore.” She looked down at the asphalt.

He didn’t like her not meeting his eyes, but her words made his heart take flight. It gouged deep that she’d moved on, fallen in love, and gotten married when Easton couldn’t commit to more than one date with another woman. But she wasn’t married any longer, and she was home. Why was she finally home? She’d avoided Coleville like the plague for ten long years. Because of him, her mom, or the weird worries she’d always had that the town judged her?

“Presley’s adorable,” he said.

“She is.” Her eyes softened, but then they grew cool. “I need to go.”

“Wait,” he all but begged. “You came home.” He looked over her beautiful face and gave her his most enticing smile. The smile that made women the world over weak in the knees. He waited for her to say it … that she’d finally come home, for him. She could apologize for cheating on and yelling at him, they could pick up where they left off, and all his dreams of him and Cassie together forever would finally be realized.

She didn’t take the bait.

He gave her a little prompting. “You don’t have to say it. I know you’ve longed for your rizzy and handsome cowboy all these years.”

Her face pinched. “I didn’t come home for you. I haven’t longed for you. Do not get any ideas in your head, Easton Coleville!”

She flung herself into the seat and yanked on the door.

Easton stepped back to avoid getting slammed in the door. It didn’t stop his heart from dropping to the pavement .

Cassie drove away. She didn’t look back. His heart was ground under her tires and into the dirty pavement.

He pulled off his hat and hit the brim against his palm. What had he done wrong? Too forward? Maybe his scars disgusted her, though he hadn’t even noticed her looking at his forehead. No, this reaction was deep enough, it couldn’t be anything recent.

She hadn’t come home for him. That was more than clear.

What kind of desperate loser was he? It was obvious she’d been done with him for years. He’d feared she’d moved on, but not to the point of a husband and a baby.

He slapped his hat back on his head, his face twisting in an unfamiliar scowl. He was a fool for Cassie Johnston, and apparently he meant nothing to her.

He should’ve learned that lesson years ago.

His brothers and everyone who watched him bull ride might be right. He was thick in the head and oblivious to danger. He’d rather take on Big Blue, the nastiest and most life-threatening bull in the circuit, blindfolded with both hands tied behind his back than have Cassie reject him again.

Sadly, he couldn’t even risk his life right now. No doctor’s clearance to ride, no protection details at the ranch to fight for, and Mama was still recovering from the scare of thinking he was dead, so he couldn’t do anything dangerous like rock climbing or flying off his favorite mountains in a wingsuit.

His faith in God, the beautiful Christmas season, and the bright Montana sky couldn’t even pull him out of this funk.

Everything was downright awful.