The Second Chance Bride (Country Brides & Cowboy Boots) Read online

  Savannah risked a glance in Alex’s direction. His eyes skimmed over hers before he turned away. Savannah’s disappointment deepened, but what did she expect? She turned down his marriage proposal years ago, and he wasn’t here to see her. He had a job to do.

  “How are you going to manage all of that while still running your own pecan business?” Chantelle directed her question toward Alex as she leaned one elbow on the table, placing her chin in her cupped hand.

  “I have a good foreman down in Texas who can oversee the day-to-day operations. I’ll fly back and forth for a while. But I won’t be needed up here forever, so I’ll be heading back to Texas in time for the harvest.”

  “And when are pecans harvested?” Shelby asked.

  “In autumn,” Alex replied.

  “Then we get to have you for the whole summer?” Marissa smiled as she leaned slightly forward.

  “Off and on.”

  There was a chill in Alex’s voice as he addressed Marissa, but Savannah was the only one who noticed. Could it be she still knew him well enough to catch the undertones in his voice and expressions? To think that intimacy between them still existed gave her a little shiver, but the reality sitting at the table was anything but intimate. Alex was not paying attention to her. Even when the chance existed for them to share a warm moment, he made a point to dismiss it. It was as if their past relationship didn’t exist. Instead, he was riveted by both Chantelle and Shelby, his head turning between the two girls as they peppered him with conversation. Marissa was able to grab his attention at times, but Savannah noticed her sister working hard.

  As dusk fell, the dinner dishes were cleared away by the caterers, but the conversation continued. Savannah excused herself to use the restroom. She needed a moment alone to gather her wits and come up with a plan to get through the rest of this evening. Seeing Alex knocked her completely off-balance and his cold demeanor ran a sharp sense of isolation through her heart. The love they once shared was now hers alone to carry, although some stubborn part of her still held hope, in spite of his cool demeanor.

  Well, at least he wasn’t married, which offered some sense of relief. But there was no denying his attraction to the other young women in attendance, especially Chantelle, who held his attention more often than the other girls.

  Once in the bathroom, Savannah sat on the lip of the tub and willed the tears away. She took a deep breath. It was going to be a tough summer, spending every Friday evening in the company of the one man she so dearly loved but had given up in order to please others. The wound she thought so fully healed was once again fresh and tender. But she would not fight for his attention like Chantelle, Shelby, and even her own sister. She was just going to have to find a way to get through this summer, and it would have to start now. She couldn’t hide in the bathroom forever.

  Checking for any stray tears, she opened the bathroom door and made her way to the top of the landing to find Alex coming up the stairs. He looked startled. Did he also look pleased to see her?

  Savannah’s breath caught in her throat. She longed to feel the warm familiarity of the way he would pull her close as she curled against his chest. She pushed at those memories as they tried to surface. After all, he spent the whole evening focused on every other young woman at the table, and Chantelle was already a favorite. She didn’t need to be a member of his fan club.

  Swallowing hard, she met Alex on the landing.

  He stopped and gazed at her. “How are you?” he asked.

  She swallowed while her breath caught in her throat. “I’m fine, thanks. And you?”

  “Good. I’m good.”

  He moved closer. The warmth of his summer skin seeped into Savannah’s soul and brought to life their earlier connection and passion. His nearness made it hard to think.

  Alex placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I’m surprised to still see you here. I thought you’d be long gone by now, looking after trees in some deep primeval forest.”

  “Well, you know what they say. Life rarely turns out the way we hope.”

  Something in Alex’s eyes retreated, and Savannah gritted her teeth at her own stupidity. She tried to fix it. “I mean--.”

  A voice from the bottom of the stairs interrupted them. “There you are. Are you looking for the guest bath?” Chantelle asked.

  Savannah looked over Alex’s shoulder to see Chantelle hurrying up the stairs.

  Turning to address Chantelle, Alex said, “Umm, yeah. Am I headed in the right direction?”

  “Well, there’s one upstairs, but if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the powder room closer to the deck.”

  Alex glanced at Savannah. “Well, nice seeing you,” he said as he hurried back down the stairs. Chantelle waited for him to pass her before turning back to Savannah and mouthing the word, “gorgeous.”

  Gripping the handrail, Savannah made her way back to the deck where she concentrated on the beauty of the lavender twilight.

  Kelly came and stood beside her. “It’s a lovely evening, and you’ve been stellar.”

  Some unnamed anger flared inside Savannah.

  Kelly continued, “I know this must be hard, but it may be just the thing that helps you move on. After all, it’s easy to see he is perfectly comfortable here.”

  Kelly threw a glance in Alex’s direction, who had just returned to the deck and was surrounded by Chantelle, Shelby and Marissa. “In fact, it’s as if he never knew you at all, and if you let this go, it can be the same for you.” She smiled and patted Savannah’s hand before moving off to join Lily and her guests at the table.

  Savannah’s jaw tightened, but she refused to give into the sadness and frustration that dogged her over Kelly’s words and her own thoughtlessness. Soon, this evening would be over. In fact, it was slipping into twilight even now as the moon peeked over the mountains, the giant yellow orb looking close enough to touch. One lone pine stood in silhouette against the bright moon, capturing Savannah’s gaze.

  The hum of conversation behind her became distant as one frog began an evening solo. Soon, many frogs joined in the chorus, and a small comfort began to trickle into Savannah’s heart. Focusing her attention on their husky calls, Savannah was grateful for the gentle diversion. Whoever thought she would prefer the conversation of frogs over her own family and friends?

  Chapter 5

  Alex listened to the girls’ prattle but hardly paid any attention. He was used to women flocking around him. Still, he had to admit, these young women had grown particularly pretty. His scant recollections of Chantelle and Shelby were of two young women who occasionally came to visit Savannah and Marissa. Sometimes, Chantelle, Shelby, and Marissa would go on shopping excursions and come back loaded with bags and packages. They were breezy, uncomplicated girls at sweet sixteen, scrolling through their phones and laughing over someone’s latest text or social media post. Alex remembered Savannah enjoying their company in doses, but she didn’t join in their shopping excursions or light-hearted hilarity.

  He never made the effort to catch their attention. His main focus was his work and Savannah. To the other three girls, he was nothing more than one of dozens of temporary ranch hands who came and went from the Foss land. The girls never even looked up from their screens on the rare occurrence he happened to be within shouting distance from them. They would never remember him, and he preferred to keep it that way. The less said about his time at Foss Ranch, the better. Perhaps he could start fresh with Shelby and Chantelle.

  Studying the girls, he noticed how six years had turned them from sweet sixteen into beautiful ladies. The gentle dusk and flickering candles offered a warm glow on their tanned skin.

  If it weren’t for Savannah’s presence, he would be more engaged with those who were vying for his regard, especially after the short but disastrous exchange with Savannah at the top of the stairs. The minute they were alone, his mistake in coming to Mission Canyon became clear. Her clipped and cold reply stung, but he would get past it, just like
he got past the way she changed her mind about marrying him. If he was going to help Amy and Steve with their new home, there was more than enough work to keep him busy and help him through the old and new hurt.

  When Amy told him she and Steve were moving to Mission Canyon, Colorado, long-dead emotions rose up. At first, Alex tried to talk them into moving to Texas. It would be nice to have his only living relative nearby, or at least within the same state. But Amy and Steve were adamant. They toured the Colorado countryside and chose Mission Canyon based on his high regard for the beauty of this place.

  When they asked for his help in restoring a historical Victorian and setting up a ranch, Alex couldn’t turn them down. He decided it was time for him to return to the rugged landscape in his heart and memory.

  It was more than duty to his sister that pulled him back to Mission Canyon. He had something to prove. Savannah may have hurt him all those years ago, but he was no longer that shy twenty-one-year-old. He was a man of twenty-seven now, with a thriving business.

  Alex tried to ignore Savannah, but from his peripheral vision, he could see her paying silent homage to the oncoming night. She cherished the turning of the day. Those few minutes in the changing of the guard from sun to moon and back again were her favorite. The morning, in particular, became their shared hallowed moment.

  He followed her gaze to the yellow moon that rose over ample grasslands dotted with pine. She loves this place, too. The meandering rivers that offered plenty of irrigation, and mountains that jutted from the earth, creating valleys and peaks worth exploring. He loved it with her. Just one summer was enough for him to fall in love with all of its beauty, including Savannah.

  Shelby interrupted Alex’s thoughts. “I’d love to hear more about your orchard. Is it something that’s been in the family for a long time?”

  Alex returned his attention to the girls. “No. In fact, it’s been mine for just a couple of years. About five years ago, I went to work for Mrs. Dennison. She was a widow who owned the orchard. Her husband died about fifteen years ago. She couldn’t run the place, so she let the trees go. She kept a minimum staff to take care of a few cows and to make sure the house didn’t fall apart. When I came on board, I convinced her to recover the orchard. She had the money, so we set to work. I introduced irrigation to the trees. We did a lot of pruning, and we weeded out the trees that could no longer produce. Most of the trees came back within a couple of years, and now, we’re running at full speed.”

  Alex continued, “I enjoyed my work there, so I asked Mrs. Dennison if I could buy the orchard. She brought me on as a partner. Since I couldn’t pay for any of the equipment to upgrade the property and save the trees, my labor was my part of the investment. Since I was living in a smaller house on the property, I didn’t have many expenses, so it worked out well. We had a fifteen-year plan.”

  Alex paused for a moment. “When she died last year, I learned she didn’t have any family. She left me the orchard in her will. I was completely shocked. We never talked about anything personal, so I had no idea this was her plan. It’s my home now. I’ve had the main house remodeled, and it’s a nice operation. I’ve thought about building a few smaller homes and turning it into a small inn, like Amy and Steve are doing here.”

  “Wow,” Chantelle said. “You’re so ambitious, and Mrs. Dennison must’ve known you’d take good care of her land.”

  Shelby and Marissa looked on with admirable expressions.

  “I love pecans,” Marissa sighed.

  “Yeah, they’re a good nut.” Alex wanted to laugh. He remembered Marissa as a thoughtless teenager whose main interest was hanging out in the Denver malls, which usually meant someone’s parent needed to drive them several hours east to and from the city. It was obvious she didn’t remember him. When he was working for her father, she would pass him with her nose in her phone. He was nothing more than a hired hand.

  Charles remembered him, and although the chilly reception didn’t surprise Alex, the open disdain and the older man’s refusal to shake his hand set Alex’s teeth on edge.

  Not much had changed. Except everything had changed. He had changed, and he was here to make sure that change was permanent.

  In the deepening dusk, Alex, once again gave a quick glance in Savannah’s direction, who was gazing out over the pond. Dressed in jeans, a light aqua t-shirt, and sandals, her dark hair played around her face, catching flickers of candlelight that shimmered with the breeze. Was she happy? Did she ever think of him?

  She didn’t look all that happy, but she didn’t look unhappy either. And he doubted she ever thought of him. She didn’t make any effort to welcome him back. But then, he shouldn’t be all that surprised. After all, she rejected him all those years ago.

  Her father and godmother played a big role in her decision to turn down his marriage proposal. In some ways, he could understand her father’s disapproval. Alex was trying on newly minted adulthood, and at nineteen, Savannah was even younger. She was coming from money while he had nothing. But none of that would’ve mattered if Kelly had been in favor of the match. With Kelly’s support, Alex believed Savannah would’ve gone against her father, and she and Alex would be married by now. Alex saved his greatest rancor for Kelly. She was the one who persuaded Savannah to turn him down.

  Frogs interrupted Alex’s thoughts with their throaty chorus. Glancing at Savannah, he watched a softness come into her face. Did he still know her expressions after all these years? He wished he didn’t know her love for the outside world. It was a love they shared, making it hard to forget her. So many young women thought nature was pretty from the inside of a car, and ranching was romantic from the view sitting on a fence. But Savannah reveled in it. He remembered her love for her horse, Strider, and the orphaned calves.

  Memories of their mornings together came to Alex unbidden. The corner of the barn was set up for babies of various ages, and it was where he would find Savannah as dawn trickled sunlight from the east.

  Sometimes, he’d watch her for several minutes, unseen, as she tended the calves, and he was awed by her tenderness. Some babies still needed to be bottle-fed while others were moving on to pellets and then young pasture grass. Savannah knew each calf, their personalities, and needs. It was work that could’ve been hired, but Savannah chose to do it herself.

  As day broke, Savannah would open the stall windows wide. “These little ones need as much outside as they can get,” she explained to Alex as the sun rose over the horizon and filtered through the dust and hay of the barn.

  The memory of her experienced and devoted care created a deep yearning inside Alex. That yearning was as fresh this evening as it was during their early mornings six years ago. He longed to go stand beside her now, and take in the lovely evening as the day turned to night. He wanted to ask about this year’s calves. He wanted to ask about her own grief. How was she feeling about her mother’s death after all these years? When he first knew her and their relationship was developing, Alex never took for granted the honor she bestowed upon him by choosing to share her feelings of loss around her mother, giving him a privileged peek into her soft and sweet heart.

  Turning his attention back to the three young women before him, Alex tried to swallow his desire for Savannah’s company, but she remained within his peripheral vision.

  Kelly joined her on the edge of the deck. What were they talking about? Kelly glanced in his direction, and it prompted him to turn his back on her and Savannah in order to focus on Chantelle. He wouldn’t give either one of them the satisfaction of seeing him hurt. He missed Savannah, but he’d managed to live without her for the last six years. And standing before him was all the distraction he needed to get through the next few months.

  Chapter 6

  The following morning, Savannah sat with Lily on the Thomases deck, nursing a large sparkling water as she looked over their manicured backyard pond.

  Cattails flourished along the edges. On the far end, the willow sighed in a morning breeze.


  “Did you hear the frogs last night?” asked Lily.

  “Yes, I did,” Savannah said. “Do you remember when Shelby, Chantelle, and I were little? We’d all converge on your pond to catch polliwogs. Marissa wanted nothing to do with them, or us after we’d been playing in the pond. I’d keep them in my room in a little jar of pond water for a few weeks and then let them go.”

  Lily grew wistful. “I have so many wonderful memories of you girls growing up with your mother and I.” She placed a warm hand on Savannah’s arm. “She was my best friend, and I miss her dearly.” She paused for a moment. “I miss your dad, too. He was a different man back then. So full of life and fun.” Lily laughed. “Remember all the wonderful parties we had at your house? My goodness, your mom and dad would invite everybody who’s anybody and then some. I still remember meeting Charlotte Adams and her husband. She was here with cast and crew working on a western, and your folks invited them. What a night.”

  Savannah closed her eyes as she remembered meeting Charlotte, the famous movie star. Even though Charlotte was glamorous, Savannah still thought her own mother was more beautiful with her tanned peachy skin, spray of freckles, and large hazel eyes framed in black lashes.

  Lily continued, “Your folks’ parties were well known. They didn’t have your typical cocktails with generic jazz and drinks. Nope. They invited families. The pool was open, and your mother and I would cater some of it, but we did most of the cooking. My goodness, we had so much fun!”

  Savannah smiled at the bittersweet memories. “I thought those days would last forever.”

  “We all did, sweetie. Your mom’s death was so sudden, I don’t think any of us have gotten over it, even though it was eight years ago.”