Page 5 of Cowboy Wolf's Secret Baby

He was in a great mood as he headed for the jewelry store. Conner was certain that he would find the perfect ring. He had it all planned out. Tonight, he would take her out to dinner. They would go for a walk afterward. Then, under the full moon and a sky full of bright stars, he would get down on one knee, profess his undying love, and propose.

Conner was surprised when Matilda walked up to him on the sidewalk in front of the jewelry shop.

“Good morning, Conner. Fancy meeting you here,” Matilda said.

“Hello, Ms. Matilda,” Conner said stiffly.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, overly effusively.

“Fine, thanks.”

“I guess you’ll be on your way now that you’re all healed up.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Conner said, looking the woman straight in her eyes. “I’ve fallen in love with Beth. I’m going to settle down around here and ask her to marry me.”

Matilda shook her head. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

She waved her arms around like the conductor of an orchestra and muttered some words. He smelled something sharp and pungent, like a combination of old cheese, musty shoes, and rotten eggs. Mist seemed to appear out of nowhere and engulfed him. His brain seemed to freeze. When the fog cleared, he looked around, confused. He couldn’t remember why he was here.

Conner looked at the older woman with long red hair and a smirk who was standing between him and his truck.

“Pardon me, ma’am,” he said, and walked around her, sliding into the driver’s side of the truck.

He shook his head and sucked in a huge breath. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember why he was standing on the sidewalk. His stomach rolled and his brain hurt. Conner looked around him in confusion.

Conner saw that his bag was in the back seat of his truck. “Funny. I don’t remember putting that there.”

Glancing out the window, he saw that the woman was still watching him. “Does she want an autograph? She’s a little old to be a groupie,” he muttered.

A slight twinge in his left leg reminded him that he had been hurt, but he didn’t remember much else. “That must have been a doozy of a hit.”

Shaking his head, he drove to the rodeo grounds. Like normal, it was a beehive. Everyone was buzzing around taking care of the animals and talking. Conner stopped by his trailer for an apple. Zephyr, Conner’s golden palomino with his white tail and mane greeted him affectionately.

“How are you, old boy?” Conner said, petting the horse who was nosing him for some treats.

Conner reached into his pocket and pulled out the apple, biting off chunks for his horse.

“How are you feeling?” Gideon asked.

“Hey, man. I’m great. I’m ready to get back into the saddle.”

“Are you sure? You were hurt pretty badly and it’s only been a month.”

“Positive.” Conner grinned. “I’m good as new.”

“Alright then,” Gideon said. “We’re moving on to Colorado Springs tonight. Everyone is loading up.”

“We’ll be ready to go,” Conner said.

Gideon hesitated as though he had something on his mind. Conner waited for him to speak. “What about Beth?”

Frowning with confusion, Conner asked, “Who’s Beth?”

Gideon shook his head with disapproval. “It’s like that, huh?”

“Like what?” Conner asked as the rodeo clown walked away.

Conner hooked the trailer up to the truck and then loaded Zephyr onto the trailer, making sure that he was secure and comfortable. The horse was the one constant being in his life, and Conner loved him as much as he loved his best friend, Micah, who was back home in Angel’s Creek.

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