An Unlikely Rancher. Roz Fox Denny
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Can she save the ranch—and keep his love?
Jenna Wood had her new start all planned out when she bought an ostrich ranch in New Mexico. But from day one, nothing is quite what she expected—especially her tenant, Flynn Sutton. Jenna’s daughter, Andee, adores Flynn and his sheepdog, Beezer, but Jenna’s not so sure. She feels a connection, but Flynn’s a pilot, just like her late husband, and his work brings up painful memories. Still, when someone in town seems to have a grudge against Jenna, Flynn is there to protect her and Andee. Together, they’ll find out who’s trying to intimidate Jenna, and why. And along the way, the three of them just might become a family...
Their eyes met, and she ventured a smile.
“I must admit, you have a nice way of making ordinary things special,” she said.
The red on his cheeks got ruddier. “Uh, ordinary things like having supper together in town? It’s pot roast Monday at the diner. Their cook makes the best pot roast in the West. We’ve all had a trying day, so it’s my treat. Say, seven o’clock?”
His offer surprised Jenna, but she only hesitated for a second. “Sounds terrific. I’m not sure how long my errands will take. How about if Andee and I meet you there?”
“It’s a da—” He stopped short of saying date. Jenna could tell Flynn knew it, and so did she.
Unwinding Andee’s arms, he chucked her under the chin and made good his escape, with his dog loping through the open screen door at his heels.
Jenna gave a start when Andee piped up to say, “We love Flynn, don’t we, Mommy?”
Parts of this story have percolated in my mind for quite a while. There’s an ostrich ranch off the highway between Tucson and Phoenix. A few years ago the ranch was in the news. Hot air balloons taking off from an empty field frightened the birds, and many were hurt when they broke down fences. I wanted to feature an ostrich ranch in a story, but I didn’t want them hurt. I decided to set my story in a neighboring state. I wanted my main characters to love animals. And because An Unlikely Rancher is a love story, I decided my ranch owner, who isn’t looking for love, falls in love accidentally. I hope Jenna Woods and her daughter Andee’s second chance at happiness with ex-military flyer Flynn Sutton is a story that touches your heart.
Sincerely,
I love hearing from readers. Contact me via Facebook or my website, korynna.com/RozFox.
An Unlikely Rancher
Roz Denny Fox
ROZ DENNY FOX’s first book was published by Mills & Boon in 1990. She writes for various Mills & Boon lines and for special projects. Her books are published worldwide and in a number of languages. She’s also written articles as well as online serials for www.millsandboon.co.uk. Roz’s warm home-and-family-focused love stories have been nominated for various industry awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s RITA® Award, the Holt Medallion, the Golden Quill and others. Roz has been a member of the Romance Writers of America since 1987 and is currently a member of Tucson’s Saguaro Romance Writers, where she has received the Barbara Award for outstanding chapter service. She’s also a member of the Desert Rose RWA chapter in Phoenix, Midwest Fiction Writers of Minneapolis, San Angelo Texas Writers’ Club and Novelists, Inc. In 2013 Roz received her fifty-book pin from Mills & Boon. Readers can email her through Facebook or at [email protected].
Contents
Dear Reader
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
JENNA WOOD SAT at her sister’s dinner table and draped a napkin across her lap. “I have news. Today I finalized buying the ostrich ranch in New Mexico I told you about last month. Movers will collect our things from storage tomorrow. Andee and I will leave at the end of the week. Salad, anyone?” She forced herself not to wince as she passed the bowl across the table to her brother-in-law, but finally set it down when he didn’t take it.
Jenna’s sister, Melody Carter, and her husband, Rob, both dropped the rolls they were buttering.
“You can’t be serious,” Rob, a JAG attorney stationed nearby at the Pentagon, sputtered through a laugh.
“I am. I know you guys thought it was a passing fancy.” Jenna picked up the salad dressing, bracing herself for the full onslaught of their reaction. “My funds were wired and I’ve received confirmation from the seller’s Realtor. I’m now the proud owner of 300 acres, 1,500 birds, a two-story home, plus a single-story, three-bedroom rental in a town near my ranch. Our ranch,” she stressed, smiling down at her serious-faced six-year-old daughter.
Rob frowned at Jenna. “Look, Mel and I know it’s been rough on you to have the Air Force investigating Andrew’s collision with that Navy flyer. Thorough investigations take time. Especially when the planes had to be fished out of the ocean. I can get your contract voided on the basis of your being a grieving widow.”
Jenna stiffened. “I don’t want out of the contract. I want a clean start for Andee and me before her school starts.” She glanced again at the girl, who’d been too quiet and withdrawn since her dad’s accident.
Melody reached across the table and squeezed Jenna’s hand. “I assumed we’d talked you out of this folly. You’ve always lived on a military base. What do you know about ranching?”
“I’ll learn, Mel.”
Rob