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A Rancher’s Mission
As a volunteer at the Lone Star Cowboy League Boys Ranch, Tanner Barstow helps the troubled young residents turn their lives around. When a local rancher dies and leaves his large property to the boys ranch, Tanner finds himself spending a lot of time with Macy Swanson, whose orphaned nephew, Colby, lives at the ranch. Tanner’s attracted to the newcomer, but she doesn’t fit his plans. Macy longs to have Colby come home with her, but the former city girl worries she won’t be the mother he deserves. Can Tanner help her see that the future she and Colby need is right here—with him?
Tears were streaming down Macy’s cheeks.
She wasn’t his problem, Tanner reminded himself. But for the life of him, he couldn’t walk away from her.
“I want to fix this all for Colby and I can’t,” she said. “He’s only seven. I have to find a way to help him get past his grief and his anger.” She covered her face with her hands. “I’m mad because I don’t know what to do for Colby.” Her eyes closed and she shook her head.
“Macy?” he asked gently. He needed to let her continue, to talk it out.
“There are days I wonder if Colby would be better off with someone else, with anyone but me. But I’m his family. We have each other.”
“Yes,” he said, “and in the end, that matters.”
“But what if I’m not a mom? What if I can’t do this?” She looked young standing there next to him, her green eyes troubled.
He had to say just the right thing.
* * *
Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch
Bighearted ranchers in small-town Texas
The Rancher’s Texas Match by Brenda Minton,
October 2016
The Ranger’s Texas Proposal by Jessica Keller,
November 2016
The Nanny’s Texas Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain,
December 2016
The Cowboy’s Texas Family by Margaret Daley,
January 2017
The Doctor’s Texas Baby by Deb Kastner,
February 2017
The Rancher’s Texas Twins by Allie Pleiter,
March 2017
BRENDA MINTON lives in the Ozarks with her husband, children, cats, dogs and strays. She is a pastor’s wife, Sunday school teacher, coffee addict and sleep deprived. Not in that order. Her dream to be an author for Harlequin started somewhere in the pages of a romance novel about a young American woman stranded in a Spanish castle. Her dreams came true, and twenty-plus books later, she is an author hoping to inspire young girls to dream.
The Rancher’s Texas Match
Brenda Minton
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to allow the world to corrupt you.
—James 1:27
Dedicated to the workers who tirelessly serve, helping children and families in need.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Brenda Minton for her contribution to the Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch miniseries.
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