Hi Dear Reader!
How has your April been? It has been cold and rainy here in Minnesota, which means Toddler Bock has been stuck inside while I am on maternity leave.
The other day, we had a break in the rain and the sun came out for an hour or two. I grabbed both kids and went out to the barn to see the ponies. Toddler Bock and I pulled on our muck boots to brave the mud. She made it a few feet before the mud sucked off one of her boots. She didn't cry but needed to be saved. I plucked her from the mud and set her inside the hay bale feeder where it was dry. I had the baby in a carrier on my front.
The horses came up to see us. Both of them sniffed the baby and nuzzled her hair before turning to Toddler Bock. She's a little nervous feeding small pieces of treats from the palm of her hand. So I found some long skinny carrots for her to feed. She giggled as the horses took the carrots from her. Then, my horse came back to the baby. She blew softly on the babies face. The baby sighed and smiled in her sleep. My heart just swelled. The feeling is so awesome that my horse adores the little kids.
Besides sneaking out to feed the horses carrots and taking care of the kids, I have been reading a lot. I'm almost done with Jodi Thomas's Texas Rain. It is a historical western set around Austin, Texas about a Texas Ranger and a runaway trying to make it on her own. It has been a great read.
The next book on my reading list is Cowboy Love and mystery. It is currently free.
Book blurb:
Prepare to be whisked away on a thrilling journey of love, heartache, and captivating twists that only the vast landscape of the Wild West can provide. In this series, I have poured my heart into creating clean, wholesome romances that will warm your soul and leave you yearning for more.
Picture yourself in the midst of rugged cowboys, their confident strides echoing on the open plains, and their love stories blossoming against the breathtaking backdrop of the untamed wilderness. Each book in this series is meticulously crafted to transport you to a simpler time, where the bonds of love are tested and the pursuit of truth comes hand in hand.
From secrets buried deep within the majestic mountains to hidden treasures that have eluded even the sharpest eyes, join these resilient characters as they navigate the delicate dance between destiny and newfound love. But, be warned, for danger lurks in the shadows, and every twist and turn reveals a new mystery waiting to be unraveled.
Find it HERE!
Welcome back for chapter 9 part 3 of Second Chance with My Bull Rider. If you are just joining us, you can read Chapter 1 below.
Kade
Delilah could always see through me. I should’ve known she was going to guess about my feelings for her and Kaleb. The two of them together got my heart pounding and I wanted to smash something. I wished I had let it alone. Whenever I was with her, I had to remind myself that we were not together, and it was my fault as was most of what went wrong in my life. I didn’t deserve to have a woman like her in my life. The banging in the kitchen interrupted my ruminations. Water ran in the sink as a knife thudded dully against the wood cutting board.
My cell phone rang in my pocket as name flashed across the screen that I had not seen in a while. I swiped to answer it.
“Hello?” Trepidation clutched in my chest.
“Hey, Kade. It’s Veronica.” Her high-pitched voice made me cringe.
“How’s it going, Veronica?” At that, all the noise in the kitchen stopped. “Is everything ok?” For a second, I thought about how I had forgotten all about her and her daughter since I got hurt. Guilt consumed me. If something were wrong, I’d never be able to forgive myself. Veronica’s husband, Ben, was my traveling partner. When he died, I stepped in to make sure that they were taken care of.
“Yes, it’s alright now. We are getting by. I heard about your accident and was calling to see if there is anything I can do?” Her voice was sweet and almost pleading.
I sighed with relief that she was okay. “It was about a month ago,” I said as I ran my fingers through my hair.
“Yah,” She laughed nervously. “I’m a little out of the loop with Ben gone and all. I don’t follow the bull riding circuit like I used to.” She had a hint of sadness in her voice.
“No, it’s ok. I’m just recovering at home.”
“Do you need someone to care for you? Do you need any help? You’ve helped us so much; I need to return the favor.” She was stumbling over her words as she hurried to get them out.
“Nah, I’m good. My brothers have it handled.” I bit into the second to last cookie. Delilah’s shadow crept out under the screen door.
“Ok. Just let me know if you need any help.” She paused for a second. “Oh, Kade, you don’t have to send a check this month.”
“Are you sure?” I sat up and stopped chewing. I handled her finances and every month I sent her a check for living expenses. My accountant paid their bills. Veronica was a sweetheart, but Ben said she wasn’t good with budgeting. “Everything’s alright?” Nerves ran through me if something had happened to them, I’d never forgive myself.
“Yep.” Her voice hit a high note and squeaked. “All’s good. We have a bunch left over from last month. We can make it work for a bit.”
“Alright. Let me know if you need more. Bye, Veronica.”
“Bye, Kade.”
I sighed and stretched my arms over my head, flinching as I forgot about the pain in my ribs. I set my phone down and closed my eyes, leaning my head against the cold chain. A shadow fell on my face as someone blocked out the sun.
“You’re unbelievable.” Delilah crossed her arms and glared at me. “You accused me of being something to Kaleb and you have a girl. What do you want of me? Just to make myself a nun?”
I shrugged. I didn’t want to explain the phone call or myself to her. She stormed back into the house, slamming the door. I closed my eyes and tried not to worry about Delilah or Veronica or any of their problems.
The wind blew softly, and the cows mooed close by. A horse trotted into the yard with its metal shoes tanging against the small gravel. The horse snorted and blew as the saddle creaked. Then, heavy boots clopped up the porch steps. Kaleb reached and took the last cookie from the plate that Delilah had made for me.
“It’s good to see you out of the house.” He propped on foot up on the edge of a chair and leaned towards me. “Feeling better?” I nodded to him. A loud crash came from the kitchen, causing us both to turn. “She’s still mad?”
“Yep, like a hornet.”
Kaleb chuckled and shoved the cookie in his mouth whole. “You do have that effect on her. I’ll go check it out.” He strode confidently towards the kitchen. He had swagger to his stride that I haven’t seen in a while. Delilah might not have feelings for him, but he looked excited to confront her in all her rage. The screen door slammed behind him, and I strained to make out what they were saying, but all I heard was mumbling. A few minutes went by before Delilah came out of the kitchen. She swept by me without even a glance, gathered the reins of the horse, and swung on to his back. She clucked to him, and off they trotted down the lane and out of sight. Her black hair floating behind her contrasting with the grey horse.
“What do you want for dinner?” Kaleb leaned against the door. “Delilah burnt the noodles for the mac and cheese.”
“Sandwiches are fine. Where’s she going?”
Kaleb shrugged. “She just needs to ride it out. I told her to take the rest of the day off.” He went back into the kitchen. I watched the horse and rider get smaller on the horizon. My feelings for her surprised me and confused me. What was I going to do?
Hugs,
Allie
P.S. If you want to read ahead, Second Chance with my Bull Rider is available for purchase on all retailers and to check out from your local library.