Once Upon a Cowboy (Almost Royal Book 2) Read online

  Once Upon a Cowboy

  Rachel Lacey

  Contents

  Newsletter

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Dear Reader

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Rachel Lacey

  Let Your Hair Down Excerpt

  About the Author

  This ebook is licensed to you for your personal enjoyment only.

  This ebook may not be sold, shared, or given away.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Once Upon a Cowboy

  Copyright © 2019 by Rachel Lacey

  Ebook ISBN: 9781641970907

  Cover Design © Letitia Hasser, Romantic Book Affairs

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  No part of this work may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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  1

  Megan Perl slipped through Rosemont Castle’s front doors as sunrise brightened the sky outside, brand new Canon digital camera in her hands. Her breath fogged the air in front of her as she jogged down the steps, tucking her chin into the fold of her scarf as she went. She crossed the circular drive out front before turning to face the castle.

  Gingerly, she lifted the camera out of its case and turned it on, adjusting the shutter to capture the sun as it crept up behind the castle, making its stone façade seem to glow. Beautiful. Sometimes she still couldn’t believe this place existed, tucked into the Appalachian Mountains here in Towering Pines, Virginia, or that she and her two best friends were lucky enough to work here.

  Megan crouched down, looking up at the castle through the camera’s lens. She snapped a series of photos as the sun rose over the tower on its left-hand side, capturing the way the light reflected in the castle’s many windows as it rose higher in the sky. These were the details she’d always loved to photograph most.

  From behind her, the sound of a diesel engine rumbling up the drive disturbed the otherwise quiet morning. She turned, watching as a shiny black pick-up truck pulled up in front of the castle and parked. This must be Jake Reardon, the man who had recently rented the stable and farmhouse on the grounds. He was supposed to be moving in today, although she hadn’t met him yet. She didn’t know much about him except that he was a widower and well-liked around town. And apparently, he liked to get a really early start on moving day.

  The door to the cab opened, and the man inside stepped out, turning to face her. She took in his lean, muscular frame, the well-fitted jeans and brown leather boots.

  Well, hello there…

  A fluttery sense of awareness filled her belly as her gaze swept up to meet his, warm brown eyes set in a handsome—if solemn—face. But, wait. She’d stared into those eyes before. She knew this guy. Well, she didn’t know him, exactly, but for a few memorable seconds across a bar last summer, they’d shared a definite…moment.

  She swallowed over the dryness in her throat. “Are you Jake Reardon?”

  He nodded. “I am.”

  “Megan Perl.” She extended her hand. “We must not have been formally introduced that night at Bar None. When I heard you were moving onto the property, I didn’t realize we’d already met.”

  “I hadn’t put two and two together either.” His voice was deep and rich. It had captivated her that night last summer, and it had the same effect on this chilly spring morning. His gaze was steady yet intense, locked on her face.

  Instinctively, she dipped her head so that her hair fell across her left cheek, hiding the scars marring her skin. “Well, this is a happy coincidence.”

  “It sure is.” Jake was seemingly unaffected by her appearance. He didn’t flinch or look away, as some other men had, but there was no heat in his gaze either. That night at Bar None, the air between them had sizzled with attraction. The absence of it from him now was enough to douse the spark still simmering in her belly. Maybe he wasn’t interested anymore. Maybe he’d found someone else in the months since, or maybe he no longer found her attractive.

  She cleared her throat. “I have to confess, I didn’t expect to see you until later today. Getting an early start?”

  “I just stopped by to get the keys, so I can get the barn prepped before I bring my horse over this afternoon.”

  “Oh, okay. I can get those for you.” She tucked her camera inside its case.

  “Are you a photographer?” he asked, stepping closer.

  She nodded. “Still something of an amateur.”

  “Can I see?” He gestured to the camera.

  A warm flush spread over her skin as she pulled the camera back out, turned on the display screen, and showed him one of the shots she’d just taken. The sun’s rays burst from behind the tower like a halo, just as she’d envisioned.

  “Wow. I’m impressed,” he said, his tone sincere. “That doesn’t look like an amateur shot to me.”

  “I’ve never had any formal training, but I’ve taken some online classes,” she said with a shrug, uncomfortable with his praise. “And lots of practice.”

  “We learn by doing,” he agreed. “That’s how I became a horse trainer.”

  “Really?”

  “Took a job mucking stalls at a barn near me when I was a teenager to help pay the bills. Before I knew it, I was spending all my free time there, helping out wherever I could. Turns out, I’m good with horses. Who knew?” He offered a self-deprecating smile.

  “I’ll, um, I’ll get those keys for you,” she said, motioning for him to follow her up the steps into the castle. She led the way into the office, where she pulled out a large white envelope that contained the keys to the barn and farmhouse. She and Jake sat down and went over the remaining paperwork before she handed him the envelope.

  “Look forward to moving in,” he said as he stood, those brown eyes sizzling into hers.

  “We’re looking forward to having you here,” she said. “And I personally can’t wait to see horses grazing out there on our pastures.”

  “Guess I’ll see you around, then.” He extended his hand, and she took it. His grip was firm and warm, and it sent a ripple of heat up her arm like she’d just slipped her hand into a hot bath.

  “Just let us know if you need anything.” She pressed her hand—the warm one—against her chest as he walked away. Okay, she seriously needed to get her hormones under control now that Jake was going to be living and working here on the property.

  She picked up her camera and headed upstairs to her room. She and her friends Elle and Ruby had won a contest last year that had led to permanent positions as Rosemont Castle’s property managers. Since their arrival, th
ey had opened an inn inside the castle, as well as instituting other programs that helped the property pay for its own upkeep.

  As she walked down the hall toward her bedroom, she passed Ruby coming out of the spiral stairwell that led to her bedroom at the top of the tower. “Good morning.”

  “Morning,” Megan said with a smile. “I just met our new tenant and gave him his keys.”

  “Oh, wow. He’s here early.”

  “Right?” Megan said. “Hey, did you know Jake was the guy we met at Bar None that night last summer when we bumped into Theo and his friends there?”

  Theo was Theo Langdon, Rosemont Castle’s owner and also the Earl of Highcastle, who—after falling in love with Elle—had chosen to live here in Virginia in the castle his grandfather built rather than returning to his home in London.

  “Of course,” Ruby said. “You didn’t?”

  “No,” Megan said, trying not to sound annoyed. “Do you need my help with breakfast this morning?”

  “Nope,” Ruby told her. “Elle and I have it covered. Enjoy your morning off.”

  “Thanks.”

  With a wave, Ruby headed downstairs, while Megan went into her bedroom to get her two foster dogs—already bouncing excitedly as they caught sight of her—out of their crates. Chandler was a fluffy black dog, a mix of who-knew-what, but one hundred percent happy energy. Barnaby was as quiet as Chandler was exuberant, a tan-colored pit mix who preferred to let Chandler do all the “talking” for him.

  Megan let them out of their crates and sat on the bed. She pulled her camera out of its case and started tabbing through the photos she’d taken outside while the dogs chased each other around her room. The pictures were…not bad. Pretty good, even? Okay, there were a few shots here she couldn’t quite believe she’d taken herself.

  Photography had always been a hobby, but she’d saved enough money during her first year here at the castle to buy this fancy new camera, and now she wanted to make it more than a hobby. She’d been toying with the idea of offering portrait sessions to their guests at the castle, but so far, she hadn’t worked up the courage to ask Ruby and Elle what they thought of the idea.

  Maybe she hadn’t felt “professional” enough to charge money for her photos. But Jake’s words resonated with her. We learn by doing. He’d learned his trade by trial and error the same way she was, and now he’d moved here to start his own horse training business. Maybe it wasn’t so crazy for her to charge for her services either. Maybe she’d run it past her friends tonight.

  She pulled out her laptop and spent the next hour or so editing a few of the best shots she’d taken that morning. They would make a great addition to her portfolio, not to mention the castle’s online photo gallery. Finally, she stood and went into the bathroom to get ready for her day, blanching when she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

  She’d been in such a hurry to photograph the sunrise, she hadn’t done her makeup yet, which meant…Jake had seen her bare face. Without the special concealer she applied every morning, the left side of her face was marred by a thick, pink scar that started near her scalp and ran down her cheek, jagged in areas where the tree branch had ripped haphazardly through her skin during the crash. Another scar extended from her left shoulder to her elbow.

  She closed her eyes, swallowing over the tightness in her throat. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t interested in dating him anyway. She had already decided she was focusing on her photography this year. No men. Only here, in the privacy of her bathroom, with tears burning in her eyes, could she admit—just to herself—she wasn’t ready to date. Not yet.

  And anyway, she’d already spent too many years indulging in meaningless hookups, flitting from one dead-end job to another, and putting herself last. This year was all about Megan and no one else. She had a chance here at Rosemont Castle to explore what really made her happy, to maybe discover a more mature version of herself.

  She carefully applied her makeup. Then—armor in place—she leashed her dogs and walked them outside. “Any day now, Mother Nature,” she grumbled as she led Chandler and Barnaby over the dewy grass alongside one of the pastures. Her breath glistened in front of her as frosty evidence of every exhale. After almost a year in the mountains of Virginia, she still hadn’t acclimated to the weather. Maybe she’d always be a Florida girl at heart.

  From inside her jacket, her cell phone began to ring. She fished it out clumsily with her gloved fingers and connected the call. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Megan, it’s Priya.” Priya was their contact at the Towering Pines Animal Shelter. She helped them coordinate everything with the rescue pets they were fostering here at the castle in their Fairy Tails program.

  “Oh hey, Priya, how are you?” Megan juggled both leashes in her right hand as she held the phone in her left.

  “Great, thanks. I’m calling with a rather unusual question.”

  “Okay,” Megan said, intrigued.

  “A few weeks ago, the local humane society seized three neglected horses, which have been under quarantine at their livestock rescue facility. But this morning, they were made aware of a hoarding situation that’s going to require all their resources, and long story short, they need to move those original three horses somewhere until they’re adopted.”

  “Foster homes for horses?” Megan turned her gaze toward the barn just visible ahead, realizing where Priya was going with this.

  “Yes. These horses will still be under the care of the humane society, but since their facility is full, they reached out to us to see if we might have any foster homes that would be able to accommodate them.” She paused. “Which is why I’m calling, since, as I recall, you have an empty barn and pastures. I could probably find someone to come out and help care for them if you could take them in, even temporarily.”

  Megan grimaced. She really did want to help, but… “I hate to tell you this, but we’ve rented out the barn. In fact, our new tenant is moving in today. I’m not sure how many horses he’s bringing with him, though. I could ask him if he’s got room for the foster horses.”

  “Oh, could you? That would be great. Sheriff Alvarez has room for one of them at his house, so I’d just need you to take two.”

  “You mentioned they were under quarantine?” Megan asked.

  “It’s standard with livestock to make sure they aren’t carrying infectious diseases, but these horses were given the all clear a few days ago. They’re ready to move,” Priya told her.

  “Okay. I’ll ask our new tenant. I can probably let you know later today.” She looked down at the barn, but Jake’s black truck was nowhere to be seen. So, he’d already left to get his horse.

  “Perfect. The humane society needs to act quickly on this hoarding situation, so the sooner the better.”

  “Got it,” Megan told her, turning around to head back toward the castle.

  “Out of curiosity, who rented the stable?” Priya asked.

  “Jake Reardon.”

  “Oh really?” Priya’s tone changed, and Megan had the sudden impression she might not be the only one who found her new tenant handsome.

  “Yep. He’s starting his own horse training business.”

  “That’s great. Good for him. Well, let me know what he says. I’d love to get the horses moved as soon as this afternoon if he’s amenable.”

  Megan pressed a hand against her heart, which was beating just a little bit faster at the idea of seeing Jake again so soon. “Okay. I’ll ask him as soon as he gets here.”

  Jake Reardon walked to the end of the barn and stood looking out over the empty pastures beyond. Moving into the farmhouse at Rosemont Castle was the fresh start he’d been depending on for years now, the chance to step into his own shoes for the first time as he grew his business. It had been a hell of a road to get here, but he wasn’t going to think about that right now.

  Focus on the positive. And, speaking of positive, Megan Perl was currently walking toward him from the direction of the castle. Megan, the wom
an who’d stolen his breath that night at Bar None last year, who made him feel alive for the first time in recent memory, and who also managed the property he’d just leased.

  “Hi,” she said as she approached the barn. “Settling in okay?”

  “Well, my horse is,” he told her. “I haven’t even been over to the house yet.”

  “Busy day for you.” She tucked a strand of glossy brown hair behind her ear as she came to stand beside him in the entrance to the barn.

  “It sure is.”

  “Can I meet your horse?” she asked with a smile.

  “Of course.” He led the way into the barn. Twister hung his chestnut head over his stall door, whinnying to them as they approached. “This is Twister,” Jake said as the horse head-butted him affectionately. “Bet you can’t tell how he got his nickname.”

  Megan reached out to touch Twister’s face, running her hand over his tornado-shaped white blaze. Her smile widened. “Clever.”

  Twister paced to the window at the rear of his stall and whinnied again before returning to the doorway.

  “He’s a little lonely this afternoon,” Jake said. “I don’t think he likes being the only horse on the property, but he won’t be for long. A client is dropping off a horse for me to train later this week, and I’m hoping to make that two by the end of the month. I’ll rent out the rest of the stalls to boarders.”

  “That’s actually what I came down here to talk to you about,” she said. “Are you familiar with the program we’re running at Rosemont Castle?”