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Would he still love her...if he knew?
Tanner Hayes smashed Claire’s life to pieces when he chose the rodeo over her ten years ago. And now he’d wrecked her truck! Fantastic. She’d lost her husband, the family ranch was mired in debt, her father was recuperating from a stroke and her son was being bullied. Why not throw a reckless bull rider into the mix?
All she’d wanted was a safe, stable life. But with Tanner back in town—and staying on her ranch—nothing was safe, or under control. Not the feelings she’d fought so hard to forget. Not the son she was determined to protect. And certainly not her long-held secret...
A man wearing a cowboy hat hunched over Claire, his features blurred.
“I called the dispatcher,” he said. “The fire department’s on the way.”
She heard a wail in the distance and Claire wanted to shriek with it.
Her special day. Her anniversary. The last one spent cruising her hometown roads before they moved. Ruined. No. Demolished by this...this...
She squinted upward and focused. A dark swirl of hair brushed across the tall man’s forehead; a light scar zigzagged down his square jaw.
It couldn’t be...
“Tanner?”
“Hello, Claire.” His mouth went up, just a fraction—the same ready-for-anything smile that had once undone her.
She closed her eyes, heart thudding. Ten years since she’d vowed never to see him again...and now here he stood, two for two in wrecking her life.
I have a confession. I almost flunked kindergarten. Had it not been for my “Tiger Dad” who insisted I really was smart, I would have started my schooling with a mark against me.
Why did I nearly fail? I couldn’t concentrate. Couldn’t sit still. Or pay attention for long...or at all. Nowadays, they have a label for it and medication that works: ADHD and Ritalin. Back then, we had lectures, time-outs and Fs on report cards. I couldn’t even settle down to learn to read until fourth grade! If someone had said to me, “Karen, you see all of those books you’re crying over? Someday, you’ll write a few,” I would have choked on a Tater Tot.
In His Kind of Cowgirl, Tanner Hayes also has ADHD, flunked a grade in school and was told by his frustrated teachers he’d never amount to much. Bull riding gives his energy an outlet. It’s a profession he excels at and it gives him pride. In my research, I found that many bull riders shared my hero’s story. Bull riding takes guts, skill and a smidge of insanity. Yet what it gives—a sense of accomplishment, pride and community—is invaluable. An organization that is dear to my heart, Warriors and Rodeo (WAR), funds veterans who want to bull ride. To learn more or donate, visit their home page at warriorsandrodeo.org.
Karen Rock
His Kind of Cowgirl
Karen Rock
KAREN ROCK is an award-winning YA and adult contemporary author. She holds a master’s degree in English and worked as an ELA instructor before becoming a full-time author. Most recently, her Mills & Boon Heartwarming novels have won the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award and the 2015 Booksellers’ Best Award. When she’s not writing, Karen loves scouring estate sales, cooking and hiking. She lives in the Adirondack Mountains region with her husband, daughter and Cavalier King Charles spaniels.
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To all those with ADHD or other learning disabilities who’ve ever struggled to accomplish their goals. Your achievements are all the sweeter for the challenges you’ve overcome.
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