Book 4: The Mountain Monroes
Lassoed by the Would-Be Rancher
If there’s a way to her heart, he’ll jump at the chance!
CEO Shane Monroe sticks out like a sore thumb in Second Chance, Idaho, where he’s investigating his grandfather’s connection to the town’s folklore of stolen treasure. Feisty local Franny Clark ridicules his city-slicker ways but allows Shane to hunt for gold on her land…if he can help save her rodeo ranch. Shane is captivated by Franny’s go-getting attitude, but what will it take for him to win her over?
Tropes: second chance romance, single mom, cowboy romance
Excerpt:
“Can we talk before you go?” She gestured for him to follow her to a corner of the covered porch, away from the front door.
“My grandmother likes to spin stories about the past.”
“You mean Merciless Mike?”
Franny nodded, looking grim. “Merciless Mike Moody. Buried loot. Riches like you’ve never seen.”
“I’ve heard the tale before.” From Egbert, the town historian, who’d helped fill in gaps about the historical significance of buildings in Second Chance.
“The gold is a myth,” Franny said firmly. “Every kid for the past five or six generations has tried to find Merciless Mike’s gold, including Gertie’s husband and your grandfather. It’s amusing to most people in town, but it’s real to Gertie.” Franny winced. “More so, ever since her stroke. I’m afraid my kids are going to take her seriously one day and go off into the woods and start searching..” She punched her hands into her jacket pockets. “Please, don’t tell anyone she brought up that old tale. It just keeps a silly myth alive.”
“My lips are sealed.”
“Gertie’s lips should’ve been sealed,” she muttered.
All this talk of lips…
Shane was struck with the need to stare at hers. No lipstick. No work done to plump them. They were just your average, run-of-the-mill lips.
And still, he stared.
“I…” Franny paused and for the first time seemed uncomfortable with him. “You don’t need to come around anymore. I know you promised Zeke you’d watch out for me—for us—but that won’t be necessary.” There was a worried slant to her eyes, as if he’d discovered more than Monroe secrets during his time on the ranch today. As if he’d discovered her secrets.
Help her. Gertie’s words came back to him. Maybe she did need help. In his experience, the people who vehemently turned down assistance were often the ones who needed it most.
The jaded side of Shane was convinced Franny wasn’t his problem.
The sentimental side of him was convinced it would be an honor if she was.
The Story Behind the Story
My middle child is usually quite good at coming up with story twists, but kudos to my husband for the twists in this book. We had a lot of road trips where I was trying to figure out a way to make this story unexpected. He really came through!
I loved writing Franny. She may be a widow, but she’s an independent business woman in a man’s world (running a rodeo bull breeding business, by the way). Enter Shane, a former CEO who’s used to being in charge, and boy do the sparks fly.
Cookies: the myth of Merciless Mike Moody continues and the search for his stolen stagecoach gold is on! Take notes for the twist coming in Book 5.
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