Darling Ranch. It was a family name in this town, a family business and a family way of life. Over the past year, the place hadn't felt like family, or home, and I was barely staying in business. My wife had died from an aneurism while pregnant with our first child. It happened one morning while I was out in the field tending to the animals. The doctors told me it wouldn't have mattered had I of been by her side, the outcome would have been the same. Still, I beat myself up. My best friend and neighbor, Gabe Bentley knew this. He let me mourn my own way, but now he's pushing me harder than ever. "What's the rush?" I asked him one morning. "I'm being deployed. I need to know my sister and the farm are taken care of....by the only man I trust in this town...you." I'd known the army was recruiting again but I didn't know he'd been called upon. I also didn't know Cadence was back in town. I really didn't know if I could be the man, the friend, the rancher that he needed me to be. What I did know? No matter how much it pained me, I'd try to do whatever it took to make sure that I didn't let Gabe down. Then I saw Cadence and for the first time since my wife died I actually thought I could heal. She made me feel alive, made the pain go away. So why did I feel so guilty? One minute I was longing to hold her, the next I was pushing her away, until I finally pushed too hard and sent her running. I didn't want to fail my best friend, and I didn't want to fail Cadence. We all needed our Christmas wish and I decided to do whatever it took to make sure we got it.
- | Author: S L Sterling
- | Publisher: S.L. Sterling
- | Publication Date: Oct 16, 2023
- | Number of Pages: 268 pages
- | Language: English
- | Binding: Paperback
- | ISBN-10: 1989566677
- | ISBN-13: 9781989566671
- Author:
- S L Sterling
- Publisher:
- S.L. Sterling
- Publication Date:
- Oct 16, 2023
- Number of pages:
- 268 pages
- Language:
- English
- Binding:
- Paperback
- ISBN-10:
- 1989566677
- ISBN-13:
- 9781989566671