Her Unlikely Cowboy

A New Life

Suzie Kent will do anything for her troubled teen son. Even if it means turning to her late husband’s best friend for help. Rancher Tucker McDermott is convinced that the fresh air and hard work of Sunrise Ranch will do Abe and Suzie a world of good. But Suzie’s not so sure that the man she blames for her husband’s death knows best. Soon, spending time with the strong, handsome cowboy revives Suzie’s spirits—and her heart. Can they heal their past sorrows and build a future as a family together?

“I thought you’d like to see this,” he said.

Suzie stepped out of Tucker’s truck and stared at the huge trees that he’d parked beneath. Cottonwoods.

“I’ve never seen this many of them together!” It was a beautiful sight when the cotton tuffs were floating from the branches on their slow free fall to earth. It looked like it was snowing in the middle of May!

“I’ve always liked this spot this time of year,” Tucker said, coming to stand beside her. Smiling down at her, he plucked a bit of cotton from her hair. “It looks good on you,” he said.

She wasn’t thinking about the cotton any longer. “Which way will we go?” she asked, butterflies sifting inside her chest.

“Which way do you want to go?”

She stared at him, her insides completely aflutter. His deep blue eyes were steady and unwavering as they seemed to see every emotional hiding place within her.

“I don’t know.” Were they talking about which way to go to check fences…or something more?

DEBRA CLOPTON

First published in 2005, Debra Clopton is an award-winning, multipublished novelist who has won a Booksellers’ Best Award, an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, a Golden Quill, a Cataromance Reviewers’ Choice Award, RT Book Reviews Book of the Year and Harlequin.com’s Readers’ Choice Award. She was also a 2004 finalist for the prestigious RWA Golden Heart, a triple finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award and most recently a finalist for the 2011 Gayle Wilson Award for Excellence.

Married for twenty-two blessed years to her high school sweetheart, Debra was widowed in 2003. Happily, in 2008, a couple of friends played matchmaker and set her up on a blind date. Instantly hitting it off, they were married in 2010. They live in the country with her husband’s two high-school-age sons. Debra has two adult sons, a lovely daughter-in-law and a beautiful granddaughter—life is good! Her greatest awards are her family and spending time with them. You can reach Debra at P.O. Box 1125, Madisonville, TX 77864, or at debraclopton.com.

Her Unlikely Cowboy

Debra Clopton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.

—John 15:13

This book is dedicated, with much gratitude and sorrow, to the family of and to U.S. Marine SGT. Wade Wilson. Your sacrifice and selfless act of heroism for our freedom will not be forgotten. 1989–2012

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

More dread than hope filled Suzie Kent’s heart as she drove around a wide curve toward Dew Drop, Texas. Suddenly, the flash of police lights startled her just as a mass of short, fat donkeys standing in her path yanked her out of her depressed state. Suzie gasped, “Oh!”

“Mom! Stop!” Abe yelled.

A tall man in a cowboy hat, jeans and the tan uniform of a Texas sheriff stood in the middle of the donkeys, waving his arms for her to halt. One minute he was standing, and the next—

“He went down!” Abe yelled again as the sheriff buckled and fell over.

Suzie stomped on the brakes of the monstrosity of a moving truck. The heavy vehicle groaned and rebelled, but fortunately the brakes grabbed and the bulky box on wheels lunged—once, twice, three times before stopping hard. She and Abe strained forward against their seat belts with the force.

Even intent on halting, she was shaken by what they’d witnessed. One of the cute donkeys had just taken down an officer with a well-placed kick.

Abe had his seat belt off and was out the door before Suzie even had time to tell him to be careful. At fifteen he wasn’t listening to her anymore, and this was no different. Hurrying to get out of the truck, she pushed the flashers on then locked her gaze back on her son. He approached the donkeys, yelling and waving his arms wildly. She was thankful when the creatures parted down the road’s yellow center stripe, scurrying like mice out of his way. This gave her a clear view of the downed officer. Sirens sounded in the distance and she hoped their shrill cry signaled help was on the way.

Abe skidded to a halt beside the black-haired man holding his hip and struggling to get up. His back was to them but it was easy to tell he was well built as he struggled to one knee, holding his injured leg straight.

“Mom, he’s hurt!” Abe yelled over his shoulder, bending down and blocking her view of the officer. “I can help you stand up. If you can,” he said. “That donkey blasted you.”

“Thanks,” the officer grunted. “That’d be much appreciated. Donkeys might be innocent-looking, but they can sure make an impact.”

Though she hadn’t yet glimpsed his face, Suzie quickened her pace. The officer looped his arm over Abe’s shoulders just as she reached them.

“Here let me help, too.” She scooted beneath his other arm, placing her hand on his stomach—his very firm stomach. The officer was in shape. Looking up she met his deep marine-blue gaze and froze.

Tucker McDermott!

“Thanks, Suzie. It’s good to see you.” Tucker McDermott’s eyes bored into her, but concern stamped his expression, as if he knew the dismay shooting through her.

Her breath had flown from her lungs and she had no words as she looked into the face of the man she held responsible for her husband’s death.

The man she was also counting on to help her save her son.... Suzie’s world tilted as she realized whose clean, tangy aftershave was teasing her senses and whose unbelievably intense gaze had her insides suddenly rioting. His hair was jet-black and his skin deeply tanned, making his midnight-blue eyes startling in their intensity.

“Tucker,” she managed, hoping her voice didn’t wobble.

Moving to Dew Drop, Texas, to Tucker’s family’s Sunrise Ranch, and asking for his help had taken everything she had left emotionally—and that hadn’t been much since her husband had given his life in the line of duty for fellow marine Tucker, two years earlier.

And now, as circumstances would have it, she was forced to rely on his help.

Tucker grimaced, trying to keep most of his weight off of Suzie and Abe, but his hip clearly hurt.

“Thanks for the rescue. I’m glad y’all saw the pack and stopped in time. I had just arrived and it wouldn’t have been good if you’d wrecked because of these hairy pests.”

Suzie realized the donkey must have kicked him in his bad hip.

Shot.

The word ricocheted through her. He’d been shot in the hip and gone down in a firefight—a firefight after being ambushed.

The firefight in which her husband, Gordon, had stepped in front of him and drawn fire.

Acid rolled in the pit of her stomach thinking about it.

“Thank y’all for helping me up,” he said, his gaze snagging on hers again and holding. “I’ve got it from here, though.” He pulled one arm from around her and the other from around Abe.

“Are you sure?” she asked, even though she wanted to step away from him in the worst way. Wanted to break the disturbing connection radiating between them. “Do we need to help you to your vehicle?

“Yeah,” Abe added, looking just as uncertain as she did.

Tucker limped a few painful steps away from them. “I’m okay,” he said, gruffly. “It’ll just take a few minutes for the throbbing to go away.” He glanced ruefully at the donkeys. “What a mess.”

“There’s a bunch of them,” Abe said excitedly, accepting Tucker at his word and moving back to focus on the herd of innocent-looking donkeys.

Suzie’s heart caught. Abe’s reaction—from the first moment they’d spotted the donkeys—was the first time in weeks, even months, that she’d heard any kind of positive excitement in his voice. Now he was actually grinning at the short, squat animals.

“They act like they own the road,” he added, looking as if he wanted to pet one of them.

Tucker frowned. “And that’s the problem. They could easily have caused a serious wreck.”

“They sure took you out.” Abe chuckled.

Suzie suddenly felt as though she was in a time warp, glimpsing the son she’d had before his father died. A lump lodged in her throat and her eyes welled with tears. She fought both down.

Tucker’s lip hitched upward in a quick lopsided grin. “It’s my own fault. A donkey’s God-given instinct is to kick and they have a range of motion that would surprise a prize fighter. That’s why they’re used to protect herds from predators.”

“Seriously?” Abe gaped at Tucker then at the docile, unassuming animals.

“Seriously,” Tucker said. “They may not look like much, but those are some kickboxing masters right there.”

“Cool,” Abe said, swinging around as, siren blaring, a Dew Drop Sheriff’s Department car rolled to a halt beside Tucker’s SUV. “Looks like backup has arrived.”

A young officer emerged from his patrol car, and strode their way. “Hey, Tucker, got here as soon as I could.” A cocky grin widened across his suntanned skin. “Couldn’t handle the misfit delinquents yourself?”

Delinquent. The word hit Suzie in the heart and wiped the smile off Abe’s face instantly. He’d become too acquainted with the term of late, and the mention was all it took for shadows of mistrust to cloud his blue eyes. She almost cried out as she saw the veil of anger fall, the veil that he’d disappeared behind months ago. Her gaze shot to Tucker and she realized that he’d witnessed Abe’s reaction.

“Yeah, the donkeys are troublemakers, all right,” he clarified smoothly. “Help me get them off the road, Cody,” he instructed the deputy, then focused on Abe. “By the way, I’m Tucker McDermott. I was a friend of your dad’s and I owe him my life. He was an amazing man.” Tucker cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’ve come to Dew Drop. And the boys of Sunrise Ranch are looking forward to meeting you.”

Abe’s expression flashed bright with anger as he stared at Tucker, then, glaring daggers at the deputy, he stalked back toward their moving truck. “This is ridiculous, Mom. Why’d we have to come here?”

Her mild-looking, blue-eyed, blond-haired son was a time bomb. Feeling sick, she glanced back at Tucker. He hadn’t moved and was still favoring his hip. She wasn’t sure he could move. “Tell me this is going to work out.”

The weight of the world—her world—settled heavily on her and she felt suddenly weary and far, far older than her thirty-two years.

Tucker’s fierce gaze engulfed her. “You have my word, Suzie. This is going to work out. I promise.”

Tears sprang to her eyes, and all she could do was nod. She was so tired of handling everything on her own. So very tired. Tucker was offering her a strong support system and strong words that she needed to believe in.

“Hey, Abe,” he called. “Could you help us herd these donkeys off the road before someone gets hurt?”

Abe spun back, his stance still belligerent but his expression interested. “Sure.”

Tearing her gaze from her son, she looked back at Tucker, amazed.

“I hate to ask,” Tucker said, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened—but surely he knew it had. “Could you help, too? I’m not moving as fast as I need to and we need them off this road. The trailer will be here soon but...”

“Um, yes, just tell me what to do.”

“Move slow and wave your arms if one starts to come at you. Contrary to what you witnessed, they aren’t aggressive. They’re pretty tame. Until you sneak up on them like I did. Or try to ride them. I hear they don’t like that at all.”

“Okay.” She glanced at Abe, who was already urging a group of three to move toward the edge of the road. “Abe, be careful,” she called.

“Mom, I’ve got this,” he huffed, impatient with her mothering.

“I’ll get this end,” the other officer called from where he’d moved to the far side of the group.

That left the middle of the herd for her and Tucker. Feeling that she wasn’t doing it right, she waved her arms somewhat weakly, moving toward the donkey closest to her.

Not intimidated in the least, fuzzy whiskers lifted her way and deep brown eyes studied her. Clearly distracted from nuzzling the yellow line, the animal blinked dark eyelashes, pawed the pavement twice—then charged.

Suzie gasped, her arms dropped like lead as she spun and ran—straight into Tucker McDermott’s arms.

“Hold on,” Tucker said, pulling her protectively against his body and shifting so the crazy donkey aimed at him instead of her. “Yah!” he yelled at the miserable beast and waved his arm in a not-so-weak manner.

The donkey skidded to a halt instantly.

Tucker held her tightly with one arm and shooed the silly animal away. It turned and trotted off, as if it hadn’t just tried to mow her down.

“They just get excited sometimes. No harm meant,” Tucker assured her. His soft chuckle washed over her. “It’s okay.”

Suzie was mortified that she’d run to him. That she was now in his arms. And her crazy heart was pounding, even as his low rumbling chuckle resonated through her. What was wrong with her? She was reacting to Tucker’s touch as if...as if she were attracted to him. Even the thought made her ill, made her feel like a traitor.

True, she hadn’t been held like this in almost three years because when Gordon died it’d been months since she’d seen him. But still, Tucker McDermott.

This was disturbing and wrong on so many levels that she couldn’t stand it. Yet, even as she worried, Tucker’s aftershave, manly and teasing, filled her senses as he soothingly rubbed her back.

This was the man she held responsible for her husband’s death.

“You’re trembling.”

“Yes,” she forced, pulling away. “I’m not used to charging animals. And I’m embarrassed. I don’t make a habit of running into strange men’s arms.”

He looked confused. “You don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. You didn’t know. If an animal does that again, yell loud and make an aggressive move of your own. It will run for the hills. Usually.”

Like she hadn’t tried that. “Fine,” she snapped. “Thanks, um, for the lesson. I believe I’ll wait in the truck.” She stumbled over her words, turned and strode toward the van, daring even one of the measly animals to come her way! It was all she could do not to run as humiliation and indignation collided.

Yanking the door of the moving truck open, she climbed inside, glancing out at Abe as she tried to compose herself. He appeared sullen but, surprisingly, continued helping move the varmints off the road. Her gaze shifted back to Tucker. His expression was grim as he stared after her, probably wondering why she was acting so strange.

After a moment he turned away, and she watched him take a step, stiff at first, then better after a couple of steps. Still, though his expression didn’t show it, she sensed he was in real pain.

Good.

The mean-spirited thought jumped into her mind instantaneously. Shame engulfed her. She’d been outspoken in the past, when needed, but never mean-spirited.

Death changed a person. Hardened up the heart like a cement block—she hated it.

She hated everything about this process of loss and its life-altering aftermath.

The truth was, she had no choice but to be here and hope with all her heart that Tucker McDermott and the Sunrise Ranch could help her son. Abe was the only reason she was here.

Her fifteen-year-old was hurting so bad on the inside that the only way he could cope was to lash out in ways that scared her for him. Her son, who needed more than she’d been able to give him.

Over the phone when she’d spoken with Tucker, before coming here, he’d given her his word that all would be well. She was praying that Tucker’s word meant as much as Gordon believed it meant...

Gordon had been a few years younger than Tucker when he’d come to live at Tucker’s family’s ranch. A working cattle ranch that was also a foster home for boys who’d been abandoned and were alone in the world. Gordon had looked up to Tucker and he’d told her he’d become a marine because Tucker was a marine.

Gordon would have walked through fire for Tucker and had told her if anything ever happened to him she should turn to him for help.

As it turned out, her husband had given his life for Tucker...

And left her to raise their son alone.

Tucker McDermott was the last person she wanted to turn to for help, but her son was in trouble and Suzie would do whatever it took to save him.

* * *

An hour after he’d been kicked, Tucker watched the trailer loaded with donkeys drive away. His hip throbbed like the pounding of a heavy-metal band...and since he had a metal plate in his thigh, it stood to reason. It was feeling better, he thought as he eased into the seat and closed the door. Totally conscious that he was being watched from the rented moving truck twenty yards away, he turned off his lights, backed up, then headed toward the ranch with Suzie following.

He’d been shaken to look down at the flaxen-haired woman helping him and discover Suzie Kent’s remarkable blue-green eyes.

So much had crashed through his mind at that moment. Guilt for being alive when her husband was dead. Sorrow for what the war had cost her and her son—and Gordon. But there was the other emotion that swept through him strong and swift and deep...attraction.

Gordon had shown him her picture over and over when they were stationed in the Middle East. No one in the unit had missed seeing Suzie’s photo. He’d been so proud and so in love with her. And Tucker could completely understand why—not just because of how beautiful she was, but because of the person his comments set her up to be. She’d sounded like a kind and caring woman, and her actions proved it. She didn’t just send letters to her husband, but also care packages filled with his favorite things. And she always sent along plenty for the other marines in his unit—a thoughtful gesture appreciated by all.

Suzie Kent was the real deal and Gordon had been a lucky man.

Tucker hadn’t been so lucky in love, before his stint in the marines or since. He’d been too in love with his career—this had been pointed out to him several times and it had been true. Driven to make a difference in the world was what he’d called it.

He wasn’t marriage material back then, still wasn’t. But he knew finding what Gordon and Suzie had found together wasn’t easy.

He’d been happy for Gordon, though, and drawn to look at Suzie’s pictures as often as Gordon wanted to show them. Everything was raw and harsh and brutal where they’d been, and looking into Suzie Kent’s sparkling eyes had made him feel that there was hope in this world.

That he was fighting for goodness to prevail.

Moments ago, Tucker had looked down and Suzie hadn’t been a photo any longer. She’d been real, and staring into her eyes, brutal reality had struck him like a bolt of lightning. Suzie Kent had once been full of life, fun and vivacious. Now she was sad and struggling to hide it.

Worry was etched into her expression and imprinted in the depths of her eyes. She seemed skittish, too, and uncertain.

And it was because of him.

If he’d died and Gordon had lived, she wouldn’t be having the trouble she was having with her son or her life.

And, as much as he wanted to help Abe, Tucker wanted just as much to bring back the girl in those photos.

He knew deep in his soul that Gordon would have wanted that.

And as he began the drive toward the ranch with Suzie following, Tucker vowed once more that he would not let his fallen friend down.

Chapter Two

Turmoil rolled in Suzie’s stomach like bad chicken salad as she followed Tucker down the country road. Pastures spread out on either side of the road, and yellow flowers were everywhere, carpeting the hillside in sunny yellow—goatweed, she knew, but pretty nonetheless.

When a majestic, wooden entrance came into view she knew this was Sunrise Ranch before she saw the name and before Tucker slowed and turned into the drive. Gordon had described everything perfectly.

In the distance, she could see the tops of the ranch buildings. She didn’t look at Abe, but she felt him straighten in his seat and bend forward slightly, as if to get a better view. Her heart squeezed tight with hope.

They topped the hill, and the ranch spread out before them.

“This is where your dad came to live about the age you are now,” she said, even though he already knew this. “He loved it here. I can see why.”

Abe had stopped talking much about Gordon over the past year. It was as if he were angry with him for not being around. She understood. She had her own anger issues to deal with.

“Your dad had described it just like this,” she said, loving the look of the place as she pulled to a halt beside Tucker at the rear of the large ranch house—a welcoming two-story house with an expansive back porch, inviting one to sit a spell overlooking the ranch compound. Out to the side of the house, an office and then a chow hall sat connected by porches and plank sidewalks. Small wooden signs swinging from the covered porches confirmed this, but she knew it from Gordon’s descriptions.

Directly across the white rock parking lot was an older, but extremely well-maintained red stable that he’d said was at least a hundred years old. Gordon had loved the stable—she could still hear the awe in his tone when he talked of the baby horses being born there.

Beside the stable was a massive silver barn with an arena and corral attached. And out in the distance sat another building with playground equipment behind it—this was the schoolhouse.

There were boys everywhere, it seemed. Some were in the arena with a few cattle, others were on horses, riding toward them across the pasture. No sooner had Suzie parked than it seemed their truck was surrounded.

Suzie could easily tell that the bright-eyed boys were all ages, the youngest seemed to be eight or nine but there were all heights and ages.

Surely one of these boys would be a good friend to Abe.

She was about to open her door, but a dark-headed kid who looked amazingly like a young Elvis pulled it open for her.

“Hi, ma’am. Welcome to Sunrise Ranch. I’m Tony.”

She could not help but smile. Not only from the fact that he did, indeed, sound like Elvis, but also because just the simple act of courtesy gave her another swift surge of hope. His eyes twinkled with goodwill and happiness—as her Abe’s once had. Please, God, let this be the answer.