The Cowboy's Girl Next Door: A BWWM Cowboy Romance Read Online Free
Author: Monica Castle
house. She took a picture and wondered about her potential new neighbors.
“Can I help you?”
Claire turned sharply toward the voice, embarrassed to be so openly staring at this home on the isolated road. The first thing she saw was the horse, a tall sleek beauty with chocolate brown coat and deep honey colored mane. The rider, a young woman, looked more curious than angry at the sight of a stranger. “I’m sorry to bother you. Just heard a lot about this place from my realtor, and I thought I’d take a look.”
The rider leaped from her mount. “You looking at Heart’s Home?” She extended her hand. “My name’s Cella, Cella Price. My Mom and my uncle own this place.”
Claire shook her hand, surprised at how excited and eager this young woman seemed. “Nice to meet you. I’m Claire Robinson. Yes, I just finished looking at Heart’s Home. Margy showed it me.”
“I’ll bet she was real thrilled to show it to you; she’s been trying to sell it for the Thompsons forever! Oh!” Cella covered her mouth, embarrassed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”
Claire laughed. “It’s OK. I know it’s been vacant for a long time, and while it’s going to need some work, it’s a beautiful place.”
“Isn’t it, though?” Claire gushed. “My favorite place is the little pond out on the west corner. We used to have the best picnics there.” She stopped suddenly and looked down toward the ground. Her straight brown hair fell almost like a curtain around her face, and Claire wondered why she suddenly felt so sad.
Cella took a deep breath and looked back up. “Sorry. Just had a memory. Well, I’d better get inside and tend to my chores.” She stroked the horse’s mane. “C’mon, Cupcake. Let’s get you home.” She turned back to Claire. “It was nice to meet you. I hope we get to see you again real soon.”
They shook hands, and Claire replied, “I hope so, too.”
Claire watched Cella ride off toward what she could only assume were the stables, then got into her car and drove to town. She checked in at the hotel, finding her room small but well appointed.
She then went in search of Victor’s Café, which her map showed to be a couple of blocks away. She couldn’t help but appreciate the charm of the town center. It was well laid out and offered a healthy number of restaurants, clothing stores and services like beauty salons, banks, and insurance agents, among others. There was a new, modern community center. The area was noted for beautiful scenery and she looked forward to exploring that in the near future.
She found Margy seated at a table on the sidewalk outside the café, already enjoying a glass of iced tea. Once she was seated, a waiter came to take their order, and while they waited for their food, the conversation turned to the town. As they ate, Margy told her a bit about Kerrville history, the scenic beauty around it, its founding, its growth through industrial means.
She didn’t shy away from the less pleasant parts of the town’s history, but instead told it all in an unvarnished way that Claire found refreshing. This was her greatest fear about finding a ranch in the south: to feel herself surrounded by unwelcome people.
Margy did not give her such a feeling, but she was not naive. Still, she’d survived any number of slights and difficulties in Atlanta; Kerrville felt comfortable to her in a way that was affirming.
“So,” Margy said as she sipped a bit of tea, “what does a city girl like you want with a horse ranch?”
Claire swallowed her last bit of the delicious red beans and rice, and gently wiped her mouth before speaking. “I need a change; I need to get out of the city.” She took a drink of the cold sweet tea. “I’ve been there all my life, and it’s only gotten bigger and louder. I want to start fresh.”
Margy’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Starting up a horse ranch is a
“Can I help you?”
Claire turned sharply toward the voice, embarrassed to be so openly staring at this home on the isolated road. The first thing she saw was the horse, a tall sleek beauty with chocolate brown coat and deep honey colored mane. The rider, a young woman, looked more curious than angry at the sight of a stranger. “I’m sorry to bother you. Just heard a lot about this place from my realtor, and I thought I’d take a look.”
The rider leaped from her mount. “You looking at Heart’s Home?” She extended her hand. “My name’s Cella, Cella Price. My Mom and my uncle own this place.”
Claire shook her hand, surprised at how excited and eager this young woman seemed. “Nice to meet you. I’m Claire Robinson. Yes, I just finished looking at Heart’s Home. Margy showed it me.”
“I’ll bet she was real thrilled to show it to you; she’s been trying to sell it for the Thompsons forever! Oh!” Cella covered her mouth, embarrassed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”
Claire laughed. “It’s OK. I know it’s been vacant for a long time, and while it’s going to need some work, it’s a beautiful place.”
“Isn’t it, though?” Claire gushed. “My favorite place is the little pond out on the west corner. We used to have the best picnics there.” She stopped suddenly and looked down toward the ground. Her straight brown hair fell almost like a curtain around her face, and Claire wondered why she suddenly felt so sad.
Cella took a deep breath and looked back up. “Sorry. Just had a memory. Well, I’d better get inside and tend to my chores.” She stroked the horse’s mane. “C’mon, Cupcake. Let’s get you home.” She turned back to Claire. “It was nice to meet you. I hope we get to see you again real soon.”
They shook hands, and Claire replied, “I hope so, too.”
Claire watched Cella ride off toward what she could only assume were the stables, then got into her car and drove to town. She checked in at the hotel, finding her room small but well appointed.
She then went in search of Victor’s Café, which her map showed to be a couple of blocks away. She couldn’t help but appreciate the charm of the town center. It was well laid out and offered a healthy number of restaurants, clothing stores and services like beauty salons, banks, and insurance agents, among others. There was a new, modern community center. The area was noted for beautiful scenery and she looked forward to exploring that in the near future.
She found Margy seated at a table on the sidewalk outside the café, already enjoying a glass of iced tea. Once she was seated, a waiter came to take their order, and while they waited for their food, the conversation turned to the town. As they ate, Margy told her a bit about Kerrville history, the scenic beauty around it, its founding, its growth through industrial means.
She didn’t shy away from the less pleasant parts of the town’s history, but instead told it all in an unvarnished way that Claire found refreshing. This was her greatest fear about finding a ranch in the south: to feel herself surrounded by unwelcome people.
Margy did not give her such a feeling, but she was not naive. Still, she’d survived any number of slights and difficulties in Atlanta; Kerrville felt comfortable to her in a way that was affirming.
“So,” Margy said as she sipped a bit of tea, “what does a city girl like you want with a horse ranch?”
Claire swallowed her last bit of the delicious red beans and rice, and gently wiped her mouth before speaking. “I need a change; I need to get out of the city.” She took a drink of the cold sweet tea. “I’ve been there all my life, and it’s only gotten bigger and louder. I want to start fresh.”
Margy’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Starting up a horse ranch is a
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