His Last Rodeo Read online

  Back in the saddle again...

  Tyler Ellis catches Kit Hayes completely off guard when he swaggers back home and into the bar she manages. Since high school, he’s been a champion rodeo star...a notorious playboy...and now, apparently, a bar owner. She accepts his offer of a hefty bonus and helps him transform the place because she’s desperate to escape their tiny town in the Sierras. She doesn’t expect him to work this hard beside her. Where’s the cocky cowboy he’s supposed to be? Instead she discovers he’s still the sweet, genuine young man she once knew. And so much more...including a threat to the adventurous life she craves.

  “I’ll help you—teach you how to run this place.”

  Tyler wanted to hug her, his relief was so deep. He put a hand to his heart instead. “Thank you. Seriously. Thank you.”

  Kit nodded. Then glanced at the sky. “It’s getting late. You’d better go get that booze. And this week we’ll fill out the order form for the bar together. Maybe we can come up with a form that’s less confusing, too.”

  It was all he could do not to fist-pump the air. She was going to help him. But he kept his voice steady. “That would be great. And we’ll get a contract drawn up, with the terms of our partnership, so you can be sure you’ll get everything we talked about.” He turned toward his truck, then looked back. “See you soon.”

  He liked saying it. He liked knowing it was true.

  Backing his truck down the driveway, he paused for a moment. He felt funny. Lighter. And he realized it was Kit. With her on his side he knew he could do anything. With her help they could make The Dusty Saddle a success. He’d just have to remember not to fall for her, because he was pretty sure he was already partway there.

  Dear Reader,

  The Sierra Legacy series has been about many things, but overall it’s about the legacy left by Nora, Wade and Arch Hoffman’s father, his crimes and his abuse. In the first three books of the series, Nora, Wade and Arch all had their chance to come to terms with their past, to discover their purposes in life and to find the loves of their lives.

  But there’s one person still reeling from everything that’s happened: Kit Hayes, the woman who loved Arch, and who has never been able to move on from that love.

  His Last Rodeo is Kit’s story, her chance to realize her dreams and break free of the past. And it’s the story of Tyler Ellis, a man trying to come to terms with his own past as a rodeo champion, as a son and as someone who struggles to overcome a hidden disability.

  It was such fun to write their chemistry, humor, friendship and love. I hope you enjoy their journey. And thank you for reading the Sierra Legacy series!

  Claire McEwen

  CLAIRE

  McEWEN

  His Last Rodeo

  Claire McEwen lives by the ocean in Northern California with her family and a scruffy, mischievous terrier. She loves writing stories where strong heroes and heroines take big, emotional journeys to find their happily-ever-afters. When not dreaming up new books, she can be found digging in her garden with a lot of enthusiasm but, unfortunately, no green thumb. She loves discovering flea-market treasures, walking on the beach, dancing, traveling and reading, of course!

  Find Claire on her website, clairemcewen.com, and follow her on Facebook, Facebook.com/cmcewen.writer, Twitter, Twitter.com/clairemcewen1, Pinterest, Pinterest.com/cmcewenwriter, and Instagram, Instagram.com/claire_mcewen_writer.

  Books by Claire McEwen

  HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE

  Home Free

  Return to Marker Ranch

  Wild Horses

  Convincing the Rancher

  More Than a Rancher

  A Ranch to Keep

  Other titles by this author available in ebook format.

  Get rewarded every time you buy a Harlequin ebook!

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  His Last Rodeo is for all the readers who have embraced the Sierra Legacy series and taken the Hoffmans into their hearts. Thank you for your letters, your encouragement and your enthusiasm!

  And for my editor, Karen Reid, whose incredible talent, patience and faith make it all possible.

  I couldn’t have written His Last Rodeo without my son and my husband cheering me on, picking up the slack, and assuring me over and over that I would figure out the best way to tell Kit’s story. Arik and Shane, all of my books are for you, but this one really is your achievement as well as mine!

  Contents

  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

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  EPILOGUE

  EXCERPT FROM FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN BY KRISTINA KNIGHT

  CHAPTER ONE

  KIT HAYES STOOD on the steps of the Benson library and watched the love of her life leave town. Again.

  Arch Hoffman, duffel bag in the back of his truck, was waiting at the last red light before Main Street turned into highway.

  He never used to have a truck. When she’d last seen him a year ago, he was just out of prison and didn’t own much.

  “That jerk.” Kit’s best friend, Lila, moved to stand next to her. “Why was he even in town? I though he’d moved to San Francisco.”

  Kit shrugged. “He must have come to see his family.” If he’d been here any longer than a day or two, she’d have been sure to run into him in this tiny California town. It was just a few picturesque roads mushed up against the east side of the Sierras.

  “Where’d he get that fancy truck?”

  The afternoon sun glinted off the chrome bumper of the red Ford. “He probably has money now,” Kit said. “From his sculptures.”

  “Oh, right. I’d forgotten he’s the next big thing in the art world.” Lila’s tone made it clear she was anything but impressed.

  Kit wished she could care so little. A few months ago, there had been a photo of Arch in the Benson Record, gorgeous and smiling, taken at an art show in San Diego. She’d stared at the photo for a long time. Years ago—when he’d loved Kit—the only section of the paper Arch would have made was the police blotter. He’d been her charming criminal back then. Neither of them could have imagined he’d become the town’s prodigal son.

  The light changed and Arch’s truck accelerated, oblivious to Kit’s scrutiny. Heading back to the city—home to the woman he loved. The pretty, perfect Mandy Allen, who’d swiped Arch’s heart just as easily as he used to swipe cars.

  Kit shifted, trying to ease the jealousy that squeezed her chest. It may have been over a year since she’d seen Arch, but the feeling still gripped her every time she thought of him and Mandy together.

  “You need to let him go,” Lila said.

  “I’m trying. Trust me, I hate feeling like this.” Kit held up her stack of books.

  Lila glanced at the titles. “More self-help books? You’ve read about a million of them already and they haven’t worked. You need to get back out there. You need a date.” She bumped her shoulder gently into Kit’s and gave her a sly smile. “You need t
o get laid.”

  Kit bumped her right back. “Shush! We’re at the library, not the bar.”

  “No one heard.” But Lila lowered her voice. “Seriously, reading about feeling better won’t make you feel better. You need to do something.”

  “I’ve been doing stuff.” Kit had kept busy at work, trained for a half marathon last summer and gone skiing. “I even took that pole dancing class you talked me into. Which was a disaster, by the way.”

  Lila grinned. “I didn’t realize it was at the seniors’ center when I signed us up.”

  Kit laughed. Which felt good. Seeing Arch drive away left tire marks of regret in her muddy heart. “I’m scarred for life. Images of the seniors getting funky are burned on my brain.”

  “You laughed so hard after that class. It was better than therapy. Maybe we need to go back. I think their spring session should start any day now.”

  “No!” Kit didn’t know what would help her get out of this black hole of jealousy and loss, but she was sure the cure wasn’t pole dancing. She just had to keep reading and keep trying. She’d been working on not loving Arch for almost half her life—she had to be successful eventually.

  She’d almost managed to unlove him. During the decade after he’d walked away from their four-year relationship, she’d done okay. She’d learned to live without him, had some fun, even had a few boyfriends. All in all, she’d done pretty well, until he showed up again.

  The moment she’d seen him, all her old feelings had flooded back, almost as if he’d never left. And they wouldn’t go away again.

  Stupid, stupid feelings.

  Meanwhile, Arch had fallen in love and moved to San Francisco, and she still didn’t feel free of him. Somehow Arch’s success as an artist, his happy relationship with Mandy, had made Kit realize how stuck she’d become: living in Benson, looking after her dad, working at a bar. She was thirty-two years old but still living the way she had throughout most of her twenties. It was a depressing thought.

  Lila glanced at her phone. “You’ve got to get to work. Are you okay? Do you want me to take your shift for you?”

  Kit shook her head. The last thing she needed was to sit at home and think about Arch. “Work will be good for me. Plus, a shipment was delivered this afternoon and I told Chris I’d check it in.”

  “I hope Chris is paying you a lot more than he pays me. You’re practically running the bar for him.”

  “I’m glad he gives me a lot of responsibility.” Kit took a breath, suddenly ready to say aloud what she’d kept to herself until now. “I’ve learned a lot and I’ve saved some money. When he retires, I think I want to buy the place.”

  “Really?” Lila’s green eyes were wide. “That’s...that’s great.” The false enthusiasm in her voice rang too loud in the quiet afternoon.

  “What’s wrong? You don’t think I can do it?”

  “No.” Lila put her hand on Kit’s arm. “No, of course that’s not it. You’re great at running the bar. It’s just...you love reading those travel books and you’ve been taking those online Spanish classes. I just thought you’d—” The pale skin of her cheeks stained pink. “That’s what you want? To stay in Benson and own the Dusty Saddle? I just didn’t realize.”

  Kit inhaled the chill of the early spring evening, hoping it would clear the Arch-induced melancholy from her heart. “What I want is to travel. To move to Spain or South America or someplace where I will never have to see or hear about Arch Hoffman again. But I don’t get to do that. I have to look after Dad. So owning the Saddle is a pretty good plan B.”

  “Are you sure you can’t fix things for your dad? Did you ever go talk with that ex-boss of his?”

  “Mr. Ellis.” The evil rancher. “Yes, he finally agreed to meet with me last week. But it didn’t help much. He showed me all these papers. Said my dad borrowed money against his pension years ago and never paid it back. So he’s only entitled to a hundred dollars a month.”

  “What about Social Security?”

  “It helps a little. But not enough. Even if it did, even if I could travel, Dad’s depressed. He’s lost without his work. I swear if I didn’t stop by his house every day, he’d never get out of bed.”

  “I’m sorry.” Lila’s eyes were wide with sympathy. She understood hard times—had seen plenty of her own. “Well, it is a good plan B. I can see you owning the bar, and you’re certainly a great manager. Almost no one complains ever since you took over the scheduling from Chris.”

  “Almost no one?” Kit teased.

  “Well, Tim and I were grousing last week because neither of us wanted to work a Monday. No tips.”

  “Everyone has to work a Monday sometimes. I’m doing it tonight.”

  Lila grinned. “We know. It’s just fun to complain. But don’t worry. Even if we give you a hard time, we still love you.”

  Kit was suddenly self-conscious. “Well, it might not happen anyway. Who knows if I can save enough? Or if Chris will want to sell it? Or if the bank will give me a loan to do it?”

  “It will work out,” Lila assured her. “But are you certain you don’t want me to take your shift tonight?”

  “I’m fine, thanks.” Kit raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you want to go home? Did you and Ethan have a fight?”

  Lila sighed. “No. It’s the opposite, actually. Ever since we moved in together I’ve become so...I don’t know...attached. He has his veterans’ support group tonight and if I’m sitting at home, I’ll miss him. And then I’ll feel like a lame, dependent girlfriend. I don’t want that.”

  “You mean fiancée,” Kit corrected. “And it’s good that you miss him. It means you like him a lot. Which is great, since you’re marrying him.”

  Lila grinned, just like she did every time Kit mentioned Ethan or marriage. “I guess you’re right. It’s just a little weird.”

  “You’re not used to being in love yet. You’re still getting used to feeling safe and settled.” Kit gave Lila a light kiss on the cheek. “It’s good to see you so happy. Go cook him a meal or something wifely like that. Or work on your photographs—the show is only a couple months away.”

  “Don’t remind me. I’m so nervous. Which is why I’m probably going to cook. Procrastination is my solace.”

  “Your photos are gorgeous.” Lila took photos of ordinary life around Benson. But somehow she made a simple piece of sagebrush look like a feather, or a high mountain ridge look like it was molded from glistening silver. “Trust me. Every tourist in Mammoth is going to buy one when they walk into that gallery.”

  “I hope so.” Lila glanced at the stack of books in Kit’s arms. “Want me to take those for you?” She tucked her own book under her arm and held out her hands. “You can stop by tomorrow to pick them up.”

  Kit didn’t comment on Lila’s change of subject. She was private—probably uncomfortable even admitting she was nervous. “No, thanks. It’s Monday night. The bar will be empty, just like you said. If I get my work finished, I might have time to read.”

  “Call me if you get bored with your self-help. We can chat.”

  “Will do,” Kit promised.

  They started down the steps. Lila’s white Jeep was parked behind Kit’s red one. When they’d first met, they’d bonded over their almost-identical cars.

  Kit shot one last glance at the stoplight, then shook her head. Lila was right. It had been over a year since Arch had gotten out of jail. Over a year since he’d told her he loved another woman. Kit had to move on.

  Maybe she’d find the magical words she was looking for in these books. Some insight that would end this endless heartache. But she was getting the feeling that the words she needed to hear hadn’t been written yet.

  Or maybe there was no cure for a love like hers. Sometimes she wondered if she’d missed Arch so much, for so long, that missing him had
become another part of her. An extra limb she’d grown, like an obsolete tail, crafted from layers of her own stupidity, slowing her down as it dragged along the ground.

  Kit climbed into her Jeep and dumped the books on the passenger seat. It was a short drive to the Dusty Saddle. She rolled down her windows, hoping that the rain-tossed breeze would blow some sense of hope in along with it. A promise of something new to help her get over this musty old heartache.

  * * *

  THE HANDS OF the old Budweiser clock above the bar were moving backward. Kit was sure of it. As she watched, it paused, then the minute hand lurched backward, like it was trying to gather the momentum to go forward. But it never did.

  Kind of like her life, Kit thought. She definitely lacked momentum. Arch’s moving on, Lila’s getting married, had made that pretty clear.

  She wiped a tiny smudge on the bar. The Dusty Saddle was never busy on Mondays, but tonight it was completely empty. The regulars must be home nursing their weekend hangovers. The younger crowd was probably at the High Country Sports Bar, which offered all the games on its multiple TV screens, and drink promotions to go with them.

  She’d hoped to keep busy tonight, but she’d unpacked the order in the first hour of her shift. Finished the inventory in the second hour. Then she’d scrubbed every possible surface during the next three hours. Now she had three hours to go and nothing but silence to keep her company. The Dusty Saddle was located on the edge of town, and since Benson was nestled against the east side of the Sierras, it was eerily quiet. If Kit poked her head out the door, she could probably hear coyotes howl. Or maybe an owl or two.

  She went behind the bar to get a glass of ice water. Then she pulled a book off the stack she’d left there. Healing a Broken Heart by someone named Dr. Melinda Mellton. The doctor’s calm, radiant smile on the cover had pulled Kit in. She wanted to look and feel that happy. And even if Dr. Melinda’s contented glow was Photoshopped, the word healing in the title held some promise.