Page 43 of Cowboy Wolf's Secret Baby

“Yes, it was. I’m okay, though. I was a little bruised up last night, but they healed overnight.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it before in my entire life.”

“That makes two of us. And I hope that I never experience anything like that ever again. I think that Beth’s mother may have had something to do with it.”

“That’s not good. What else is she going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Conner said. “I guess it would be too much to ask for her to just decide to leave me alone.”

They watched Taryn put a blanket on her horse and use the fence rails to mount him. One of the other people opened the gate for her. The two of them trotted in the pasture, moving as one.

“She’s a natural with horses. I guess she comes by it honestly since her father is so good with horses.”

“What do you mean?” Conner asked, startled.

“Don’t give me that,” Gideon said. “I’ve known the truth for a while. Your daughter looks exactly like you. The child may as well be wearing a sign.”

They both turned when they heard a loud gasp behind them. Kelly was staring at them, her eyes wide.

“I guess it’s a good thing that I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret,” Conner said. “Because now everyone who cares to listen is going to find out.”

“She will spread the word, that’s for sure.”

“And she is likely going to cause even more trouble for Beth and Taryn. I’m pretty sure that Kelly was responsible for Beth’s four slashed tires last night.”

“What can she possibly hope to gain by doing something stupid like that?” Gideon asked.

“She wants to drive Beth away so that she has a chance with me, even though I’ve told her a hundred times that I’m not interested in her.”

“People like that don’t get the message, do they? That’s why they have enough material for a long-running series such as Stalkers.”

“Ugh,” Conner said. “I don’t want to be the subject of a true crime show.”

Gideon laughed and said, “Well, if you keep annoying witches, you can have your pick of a true crime show or a paranormal show.”

“I’ll pass, thanks,” Conner said, shaking his head.

“What are you going to do about your new family? Are you going to keep traveling with the rodeo or are you going to settle down?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t had time to sort things out yet,” Conner said.

“You’ll figure it out. I have faith,” Gideon said. “My wife is joining me for a few days. She just pulled into the parking lot. I’ll see you later.”

Taryn rode back into the corral, and he helped her brush the horse before they took off for the fairgrounds.

“What do you want to ride first?” he asked.

“The Ferris Wheel.”

“What if I’m afraid of heights?”

Taryn laughed and grabbed his hand, tugging him. “We talked about that yesterday. The best way to conquer your fears is to face them head-on. You didn’t die while riding the Tilt-A-Whirl. You aren’t going to die on this ride.”

“You’re bossy.”

“I know. Everyone tells me that.”

The line for the ride was short. Conner wasn’t really afraid of heights and enjoyed the view of the fairgrounds from up high.

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