Read Online The Cowboy's Surprise Baby (Cowboy Country Book 3) by Deb Kastner - Free Book Online Page B

least it had been.
    Then in one single moment, her once shiny world had turned as dark as a thunderstorm. And the truth was, she’d never quite gotten past the clouds. She didn’t believe in fairy tales anymore. Her heart burned in an agonizing heat as those memories washed over her, and with them, the realization that the young man Cole once was no longer existed.
    At least she’d finally been able to fulfill one heartfelt dream in her life—having a horse of her own. Before she’d permanently returned to Serendipity and gotten the job at Redemption Ranch, she’d put her love of horses aside to focus on her studies. Owning a horse wouldn’t have been practical even if she’d had the time to ride, which she hadn’t. Even when she’d returned home to Serendipity after college, her heart had tangled with the mixed memories of Cole and horses, the shades of white and black that swirled together whenever she thought of either one. It had taken her some time to get over those emotional imprints.
    But when the Haddons had generously offered their stable and pastures to her as part of her employment package, how could she resist? She supposed it was God’s perfect timing. Though the melancholy never quite went away, trail rides with Little Bit had become something to which she always looked forward.
    Except today.
    She usually tacked up in the stable, but today she’d taken Little Bit into the corral simply because she couldn’t bear to be in the same room as Cole—even if the room in question was a barn, and even if he was busy saddling a dozen horses for the teenagers to use during the trail ride.
    Echoing from inside the barn, she could hear Alexis lecturing the kids on trail ride etiquette, giving Tessa a moment to touch base with God before mounting up. As she usually did before any of the teens’ activities, she offered up a prayer for the kids, but this time she asked for extra grace for herself, too. She had a feeling this wouldn’t be a normal day for her in any regard—not with Cole along. It was going to be all she could do to tamp down the memories she knew would rise to the surface the moment she saw Cole on the back of a horse again. She was already struggling enough as it was.
    In general, trail rides weren’t especially noteworthy events, despite the protests that were even now forthcoming from some of the mouthier teens. At the beginning of their tenure, the teens seemed to think every event was worth a good grumble or two. At first it had concerned her, but now she’d experienced enough Mission Months to know that their complaints, loud as they were, were mostly guff and hot air. The boys, especially, liked to strut their stuff and act like tough guys, covering their vulnerabilities with a ramped-up bad-boy facade—and showing off for the young ladies.
    Trail rides were an important part of the kids’ rehabilitation. As a rule, the youth of both sexes were fascinated by the horses, whether they immediately cared to admit it or not. In Tessa’s experience, she’d often found that the best kind of therapy for some of the teenagers was working with and caring for the equines assigned to them. Giving them the opportunity to nurture their horses not only gave them a sense of responsibility they often lacked in their daily lives at home but also afforded them the delight of discovery when their horses responded in turn. As Tessa well knew from her own encounters the bond between a horse and a human was both powerful and enchanting.
    Tessa ran a hand down Little Bit’s muzzle and breathed in the tangy blend of horse, hay and saddle leather that settled her heart in a way few other scents did.
    “I think I may be in need of a little bit of therapy myself,” she said aloud and then laughed at her own unwitting joke. “Pun not intended.”
    Little Bit snorted and threw his head as if he was nodding.
    “I know, right? I’m absolutely hopeless.”
    “I could have told you that,” said Marcus,