The Bull Rider's Homecoming. Allie Pleiter
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Healing the Cowboy’s Heart
When Luke Buckton left Blue Thorn Ranch, he’d hoped to return in a blaze of rodeo glory; instead, he’s limping home with a busted leg. To get back on the circuit he’ll need physical therapist Ruby Sheldon’s help. Six years ago, he left Ruby behind, convinced she was too innocent for such a public life. Now his high school sweetheart is stronger, tougher and even more captivating. A high-profile success story like this could make Ruby’s career. All she has to do is rein in Luke’s bullheadedness, heal his injuries—and hope his reckless charm doesn’t trample her heart again…
“You’re punishing me,” he huffed.
“I’m treating you. You’re the one who set the ambitious goal on the tight time frame.”
“It’s not the exercises, darlin’, it’s the attitude. You want me to hurt.”
She took the bull by the horns. “I do not want to hurt you.”
He stopped again. “You should. I hurt you.”
It took Ruby a moment to decide how to respond.
“Yes, you did.” In for a penny, in for a pound. “You hurt me deeply, Luke Buckton.”
Luke stopped walking, holding her gaze for a moment. His blue eyes looked like their depths went on forever. “I know that.”
“Did you know it when you left? Did you think about it at all?”
“I wouldn’t let myself think about it at first. I let all the dreams and the money dangling in front of my face crowd it out.”
“You said such…hurtful things.”
She heard him sigh. “I needed to burn the bridges behind me. I figured we’d both be better off if you hated me.”
“It doesn’t work that way, Luke.”
This novel represents our fourth visit to the Blue Thorn Ranch, a place and family I’ve come to know and love. God has taken each of the Buckton siblings (and their cousin) on journeys of faith and purpose, and it’s my prayer that your faith has been strengthened by their stories.
If you’ve not yet enjoyed the other three books in the series, The Texas Rancher’s Return, Coming Home to Texas, and The Texan’s Second Chance; please do! There will be one more book in the series coming out in September 2017, so keep watch for it.
As always, I love to hear from readers. You can reach my website at alliepleiter.com, email me at [email protected], like my Facebook page at facebook.com/alliepleiter, or connect with me on Twitter at twitter.com/alliepleiter (@alliepleiter) or Pinterest at pinterest.com/alliepleiter. Of course, if good old mail is your thing, you can always reach me at P.O. Box 7026, Villa Park, IL 60181. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Blessings,
ALLIE PLEITER, an award-winning author and RITA® Award finalist, writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion for knitting shows up in many of her books and all over her life. Entirely too fond of French macarons and lemon meringue pie, Allie spends her days writing books and avoiding housework. Allie grew up in Connecticut, holds a BS in speech from Northwestern University and lives near Chicago, Illinois.
The Bull Rider’s Homecoming
Allie Pleiter
My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.
—2 Corinthians 12:9
To physical therapists everywhere
who help so many to heal.
There was a heap of technical information to get right in this book, and I had lots of generous help. Dr. David Chen from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago always lends his expertise for injuries and their symptoms. Nancy A. Hughes, PT, ICCE, enthusiastically shared her insight and great scene ideas as a physical therapist. Ed Crowder was kind enough to read the manuscript for bull-riding accuracy. If there are mistakes or misrepresentations in this book, the fault is purely mine, and not in the excellent information they provided me.
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