(The Cowboys Series, Book #4)
By Z.A. Maxfield
Blurb:
A real man needs a real love…
To become the man he’s meant to be, one cowboy will have to be the man he never wanted anyone to know he was…
Ryder Dent is a true-blue cowboy. A devoted son, husband and father, but one who is living a costly lie. When they were both young, Ryder and his closest female friend Andy thought they’d found the perfect solution to both their problems—she was single and pregnant, and he was secretly gay—so they got married and raised Jonas together.
When Ryder gets hurt at a party, his son’s new pediatrician comes to the rescue. The connection between Ryder and Dr. Declan Winters is sudden, powerful, and undeniable. Ryder loves Andy and the family they’ve created together—but they both need more. Can they pursue their hearts’ desire without destroying the life they’ve built and losing the son they love?
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Excerpt
The
hottest guy I ever saw was playing “Pop Goes the Weasel” on the piano while
fifteen cagey preschoolers circled fourteen chairs. My father-in-law’s annual
Fourth of July shindig—the biggest event of the year—was a family picnic. We’d
set aside a play area for the littlest kids and I’d volunteered to supervise,
but the piano man blindsided me and I nearly missed an outrageous hair- pulling
incident.
hottest guy I ever saw was playing “Pop Goes the Weasel” on the piano while
fifteen cagey preschoolers circled fourteen chairs. My father-in-law’s annual
Fourth of July shindig—the biggest event of the year—was a family picnic. We’d
set aside a play area for the littlest kids and I’d volunteered to supervise,
but the piano man blindsided me and I nearly missed an outrageous hair- pulling
incident.
Like
a too bright pair of headlights on a moonless night, he was all I could see.
a too bright pair of headlights on a moonless night, he was all I could see.
Mayor
Calder Hamilton—a cartoon bear of a man with a white handlebar mustache—snuck
up on me with one of those painful backslapping man hugs.
Calder Hamilton—a cartoon bear of a man with a white handlebar mustache—snuck
up on me with one of those painful backslapping man hugs.
“Ryder
Dent, you son of a bitch. Which one is your boy?”
Dent, you son of a bitch. Which one is your boy?”
“That’s
Jonas.” I pointed out my son. “Blue plaid shirt, cowboy hat. Crass determination
to win?”
Jonas.” I pointed out my son. “Blue plaid shirt, cowboy hat. Crass determination
to win?”
“I
know that look, I see it every day when I look in the mirror. But how can that
be him? Last time I saw him he was half that size.”
know that look, I see it every day when I look in the mirror. But how can that
be him? Last time I saw him he was half that size.”
Why
do people always say that? Is it some rite of passage? Am I going to be
surprised kids grow someday too? “We had to buy him a new pair of cowboy boots
just last week.”
do people always say that? Is it some rite of passage? Am I going to be
surprised kids grow someday too? “We had to buy him a new pair of cowboy boots
just last week.”
“He’s
a fine-looking boy. Where’s Andrea?”
a fine-looking boy. Where’s Andrea?”
“She
doesn’t come to these things to hang around with me.” I glanced toward the
windows. “You’ll find her wherever there’s dancing.”
doesn’t come to these things to hang around with me.” I glanced toward the
windows. “You’ll find her wherever there’s dancing.”
“She
leaves you in charge of Jonas?”
leaves you in charge of Jonas?”
“Gosh,
yeah. Andi’s the social one. She likes to kick up her heels and I don’t mind if
she wants to have some fun.”
yeah. Andi’s the social one. She likes to kick up her heels and I don’t mind if
she wants to have some fun.”
“So
have you met our new doctor yet? Isn’t he something? I have never seen anyone
play piano like that.”
have you met our new doctor yet? Isn’t he something? I have never seen anyone
play piano like that.”
“That’s Doctor Winters?” The doc had started playing “Pop Goes the
Weasel” like a Russian folk dance, all the while yellingHai! Hai,! Hai! Hai! The music stopped and the chaos
started. Jonas ended up on another chair.
Weasel” like a Russian folk dance, all the while yellingHai! Hai,! Hai! Hai! The music stopped and the chaos
started. Jonas ended up on another chair.
“Go,
Team Jonas!” I pumped my fist like a goofball.
Team Jonas!” I pumped my fist like a goofball.
“Yeah.
Go, boy, go!” Hamilton was already tipsy enough to be unaware he was shouting
right in my ear. It didn’t matter; I was going deaf from all the kids squealing
anyway. “I’d like to ask your help with something.”
Go, boy, go!” Hamilton was already tipsy enough to be unaware he was shouting
right in my ear. It didn’t matter; I was going deaf from all the kids squealing
anyway. “I’d like to ask your help with something.”
“Sure
thing, Mayor. Shoot.”
thing, Mayor. Shoot.”
“I
need you and your family in a campaign ad”
need you and your family in a campaign ad”
“My
family?”Good grief.
Bitterroot’s founding fathers would shit in their graves at such an idea.“I don’t think we’d make a very
good ad.”
family?”Good grief.
Bitterroot’s founding fathers would shit in their graves at such an idea.“I don’t think we’d make a very
good ad.”
“C’mon.”
He punched my arm. “You and Andrea are both attractive. Jonas is a cute kid.
You had to make some tough choices in the beginning, but look where you are
now.”
He punched my arm. “You and Andrea are both attractive. Jonas is a cute kid.
You had to make some tough choices in the beginning, but look where you are
now.”
“Uh
. . . I don’t think—”
. . . I don’t think—”
“I
need a familyexactly like yours to represent my
campaign to the twenty-somethings. I need them to believe they’re important to
me.”
need a familyexactly like yours to represent my
campaign to the twenty-somethings. I need them to believe they’re important to
me.”
Me and
Andi?My
stomach did a full 360, front to back, as if I was on a Six Flags ride. Mayor
Hamilton wanted some picture-frame perfect family, and we were not it. Plus, we
hadn’t exactly voted for him. “I’ll ask Andi about it, but—”
Andi?My
stomach did a full 360, front to back, as if I was on a Six Flags ride. Mayor
Hamilton wanted some picture-frame perfect family, and we were not it. Plus, we
hadn’t exactly voted for him. “I’ll ask Andi about it, but—”
“Andrea’s
dad just told me he’s backing me all the way again this next election.”
dad just told me he’s backing me all the way again this next election.”
“Is
he?”That figures. Her dad
likes politicians to owe him.
he?”That figures. Her dad
likes politicians to owe him.
“So you just tell her you’re
doing it, okay?”
“Sure,
I’ll mention it, but—”
I’ll mention it, but—”
Hamilton’s
wife, Sally, came up to collect him. “C’mon Cowboy. There’s someone I want you
to meet.”
wife, Sally, came up to collect him. “C’mon Cowboy. There’s someone I want you
to meet.”
She
grabbed his hand and, after a good-natured tug-of-war, they left together. I
breathed again. Andi’s dad ran one of the most successful ranches in the area.
If he wanted to see my family on a billboard, I’d have to figure a way to get
out of it or learn to say “cheese.”
grabbed his hand and, after a good-natured tug-of-war, they left together. I
breathed again. Andi’s dad ran one of the most successful ranches in the area.
If he wanted to see my family on a billboard, I’d have to figure a way to get
out of it or learn to say “cheese.”
It
was pretty hard to say no to Sterling Chandler. I’m not sure he understood the
word.
was pretty hard to say no to Sterling Chandler. I’m not sure he understood the
word.
Shit.
The
new doc managed to make “Pop Goes the Weasel” sound like a funeral dirge and
the children all lurched around like little zombies. Then he turned it into a
raucous honkytonk song.
new doc managed to make “Pop Goes the Weasel” sound like a funeral dirge and
the children all lurched around like little zombies. Then he turned it into a
raucous honkytonk song.
Who
was this guy?
was this guy?
Jonas
got eliminated fourth from last but he wasn’t crushed by the loss. His
attention shifted right away to the buffet, where the cater-waiters had
installed several trays of Texas-sized cookies, all colored with red, white,
and blue sugar crystals in honor of the holiday.
got eliminated fourth from last but he wasn’t crushed by the loss. His
attention shifted right away to the buffet, where the cater-waiters had
installed several trays of Texas-sized cookies, all colored with red, white,
and blue sugar crystals in honor of the holiday.
Musical
Chairs, the Survivor edition, came down to two particularly crafty-looking
femme fatales. One wore a jeans skirt, cowboy boots, and a pretty white blouse,
and the other had on a daisy-printed sundress with lacy socks and jelly shoes.
Lacy socks girl won by body-checking white blouse girl out of the way and
pouncing on the last chair. She gripped the seat so tight with both hands no
one could get her off it.
Chairs, the Survivor edition, came down to two particularly crafty-looking
femme fatales. One wore a jeans skirt, cowboy boots, and a pretty white blouse,
and the other had on a daisy-printed sundress with lacy socks and jelly shoes.
Lacy socks girl won by body-checking white blouse girl out of the way and
pouncing on the last chair. She gripped the seat so tight with both hands no
one could get her off it.
The
new doc consoled the runner-up with a box of big-block Legos and gave the
winner a play set with pink and purple Ponies but it seemed she thought she was
getting the chair as her prize. Eventually her mom pried her up and they all
wandered off to join the party outside.
new doc consoled the runner-up with a box of big-block Legos and gave the
winner a play set with pink and purple Ponies but it seemed she thought she was
getting the chair as her prize. Eventually her mom pried her up and they all
wandered off to join the party outside.
Doc
Winters was left to tidy up. I figured I ought to help, being family and all.
Plus, it might get me out of small talk outside.
Winters was left to tidy up. I figured I ought to help, being family and all.
Plus, it might get me out of small talk outside.
But
the doc was the best looking man I had ever seen up close. I was bound to mess
up and say something super stupid, and Andi was going to hear about it, and
then she was going to tease me for the rest of my life, because she was just
waiting for me to lose my shit over some guy.
the doc was the best looking man I had ever seen up close. I was bound to mess
up and say something super stupid, and Andi was going to hear about it, and
then she was going to tease me for the rest of my life, because she was just
waiting for me to lose my shit over some guy.
And
Doc Winters, M.D., The Yankee Doodler?
Doc Winters, M.D., The Yankee Doodler?
He could
be the guy.
be the guy.
The Cowboys Series
About the Author
Z. A. Maxfield started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized, and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories: Unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.
If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”
You can find ZA Maxfield at
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