Page 19 of The Cowboy's Promise

And he was profoundly in love.

He’d known her since their childhood. She’d always been difficult and always in trouble, and he was always there to help. As time passed he pursued a law degree, and she’d grown into an exceptionally beautiful young woman sought after by modeling agencies. Much to his dismay they’d lost touch. When she’d called out of the blue asking him to negotiate a prenuptial agreement, he’d been both disappointed and thrilled.

He’d often fantasized they’d one day be together and now she was getting married. But there was comfort in the fact that she’d reached out to him and not someone else.

The meeting had been bittersweet.

She’d looked stunning.

He’d wanted to throw himself at her feet and beg her to leave the man she’d agreed to marry and be with him. In the days, weeks and months that followed, his love for her continued to grow.

He likened it to a disease for which there was no cure.

But she’d put him on retainer to represent her in anything and everything crossing her path.

Her fiancé was twelve years older and extremely wealthy.

The agreement became effective after two years.

She filed for divorce twenty six months later.

Though he was delighted she was single again, her behavior became erratic.

As the weeks passed he’d stood silently through her violent fits of rage, and held her when she’d sobbed. After finally convincing her to see a therapist his fears were realized. He couldn’t comprehend the complicated diagnosis, but she had serious mental health issues, and he became her legal guardian.

Though they lived together they had separate bedrooms, but there were nights she would crawl between his sheets and take him to paradise. He was optimistic about their lives and future until one afternoon a new problem came into their lives.

Courtney decided cocaine helped her more than the prescription drugs. Try as he might, she refused to listen. Then to his horror he discovered she was dealing. When she announced she’d met a client at a barn and would be taking riding lessons, he thought being around horses might help her. But her only interest was supplying those in the equestrian community with the adult candy of their choice.

She entered shows, but only as a cover, and when a client couldn’t pay, she’d take their horse and sell it—which was how she’d ended up with King Henry and was happy to move him on.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The following morning when Heather arrived at the ranch she found Blake hooking up his horse trailer. Parking nearby, she climbed from her truck and walked across to join him.

“I decided we should take this one. It’s wider,” he declared before she could ask.

“Ah, of course. We don’t know how Henry is to load and the roomier the better.”

“Yep. There, all set. The hay’s in the front and we’re ready to leave, but there’s something I need to do before we hit the road.”

Stepping closer to her, he cupped her chin sending a flurry of butterflies bursting to life in her stomach. As he lightly pressed his lips on hers, she closed her eyes and fervently kissed him back. Suddenly his arms were around her holding her tightly.

“You make me crazy,” he muttered, moving his mouth to her ear, then pulling back he stared down to her. “Why did I wait so long?”

“I was wondering about that,” she quipped with a grin. “I guess things happen when they’re supposed to.”

“Yep, I guess so. Now let’s get Henry. The poor guy needs to hang out in a field and relax. Into the truck, Butch.”

When they reached the show grounds they found the parking area empty of trailers except for Courtney’s rig. Buck appeared and waved them over, allowing them to park next to the barn. After opening the back of the trailer and lowering the ramp, they walked down the aisle with Butch leading the way. When Heather brought Apollo out of his stall, Henry poked his head over the stall door and whinnied.

“Don’t worry, big boy,” Blake said as he walked in and slipped the halter on. “You’re comin’ with us.”

Henry followed Apollo down the aisle without incident, and when Heather led him into the trailer, Blake wasn’t surprised when Henry loaded without any issues.

“Leaving them together overnight worked,” Heather remarked happily as Blake closed the doors.

“Yep, sometimes things can be that simple. When we get back we’ll put them next to each other in the two smaller paddocks. They’re closest to the barn and house.”

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