Page 1 of A Cowboy Takes A Chance

Chapter One

As she drove her car under the archway, Presley Reynolds smiled as she looked at the grounds. What a beautiful place. Pulling up to a small log cabin that sat to the right of the road, she read a sign telling her to stop and register before continuing, she pulled her vehicle into a parking spot and shut it off. Opening the door, she stepped out, and the heat of the day smacked into her. Taking a deep breath, she could already feel the sweat on her temples and trickling down between her breasts. The humidity hung in the air, making it almost unbearable to breathe. Quickly, she walked to the door and entered, sighing as the air conditioning hit her. A young woman sat behind the counter, smiling at her. Her long blonde hair was up in a ponytail, and her green eyes sparkled.

“Welcome to Bur Oak Guest Ranch. How may I help you?”

“Hello, I have a reservation. Presley Reynolds. I was supposed to be here yesterday but had to work.”

The woman nodded as she looked through the computer. “Ah, here you are.You’re staying with us for a month. Let me get you the key to your cabin.”

“Thank you. I’m so anxious to relax.”

“Tough job?”

“I’m an ER nurse.”

“Say no more,” the woman said laughing. “I’m Josie Hawthorn. If you need anything, call here, and I’ll do what I can to get you what you need. Any phone numbers you may need are by the phone in the kitchen in your cabin.”

“Thank you, Josie. I appreciate that.”

“You’re in cabin twelve. Just follow the road out here. It will tell you which way to go. Enjoy your stay and remember you are under no obligation to take part in any of the activities. If you just want to be lazy for as long as you’re here, well, have at it.”

Presley laughed. “I might just do that, but I do love to go horseback riding.” Smiling, she picked up the key then waved as she headed out the door. Glancing around before opening her car door, she could see horses in the green, lush pastures with their tails swishing to keep flies away. Two large red barns sat about two hundred yards away. A large log building, which had to be the lodge, was to the left and cabins sat in the distance. Cowboys, or ranch hands, she wasn’t sure which they’d be called, were seen just about everywhere she looked. Smiling,she opened the car door and climbed inside then followed the road to her cabin.

What was impressive was the Glacier Mountains in the distance. They were absolutely breathtaking. Following the road past several cabins, she loved that they didn’t sit too close together. Seeing the little wooden plaque for her cabin, she pulled into the parking spot and shut the car off. Throwing open the door, she exited the vehicle and got her suitcases from the trunk then walked up to the steps to the porch, and climbed them. A swing hung from one end, and the windows had flowerboxes with marigolds blooming in them. Using the key, she opened the door then stood in awe of the beautiful little cabin.

The entire area was open. A large stone fireplace sat to the right, and French doors faced the woods behind the cabin. The overstuffed sofa looked so comfortable, and she knew it would be a good place for a nap some days. A small kitchenette sat beside the doors. Presley smiled as she walked down the hallway and found a bedroom with a queen size bed with an iron scrolled headboard sitting cattycorner with a large antique steamer trunk sitting at the bottom. A blue and white quilt covered the bed. The pale blue interior walls were trimmed with white, and another set of French doors looked outinto the woods. Dark blue plush carpeting covered the floor. She saw a bathroom with a black Jacuzzi tub off a doorway in the bathroom. She figured that if people did the outdoor activities, the Jacuzzi would feel fantastic at the end of the day. She’d read in the brochure that people had the options of working the ranch, trail riding, cattle drives, camping, or doing nothing. A dance was held each Saturday night in one of the barns, and she was anxious to find the swimming pool she’d read about in the brochures. There were also tennis courts if she wanted to play. It was rare that she was able just to sit and relax in the sun, though.

Right now, she just wanted to unpack then use the tub after the long drive. It was a little over six hours from Idaho Falls to Spring City, Montana. Her friend, Denise, told her about this place, and it sounded like just what she needed. Besides, Denise knew of her fascination with cowboys. Presley always attended the rodeos when they came through town. Hoping that one day, she’d get one for herself. Laughing, she knew that was very unlikely. An image of a certain cowboy came to mind. Shaking her head at her foolishness, she entered the bathroom and turned the water on in the tub then started to strip when she realized no towels were hanging on the racks. Checking the linen closet, she sawnone there either. Turning the water off, she knew she needed to make a phone call.

“Wonderful,” she muttered as she walked back to the kitchen to look for the phone. After finding it, she looked through the numbers next to it for the front desk, dialed the number, and explained the situation. Josie couldn’t apologize enough and told her someone would be right there with the towels.

Presley took a seat on the sofa to wait. Picking up the remote, she turned on the big screen TV that sat in the corner on the other side of the French doors. A few minutes went by when she was startled by a knock on the door. Turning the TV off, she got to her feet and walked to the door then opened it.Dear God! It was him!This man had haunted her dreams for almost two years, and she knew she was staring. She had never realized he was so tall. He had to stand close to six foot five.

“Your towels,” he said in a deep voice that had her suppressing a shiver. He handed her the towels, and his brow furrowed. “Have you been here before?”

“No, this is my first time.”

“Do I know you?” he asked as he continued to frown at her.

“Yes. No—”

“Which is it?”

“You probably recognize me, but we don’t know each other. I’m a nurse in the ER you were brought into two years ago in Idaho Falls.” She stared up at Jaxon Callahan. His white straw cowboy hat sat low on his forehead, but she knew it was him, and she had never forgotten his name. His grey eyes were so light that they appeared silver. When they’d wheeled him into the ER, he’d been in a lot of pain from being in a car accident. Presley had stood beside his gurney, and he’d grasped her hand so tightly she was surprised he didn’t break her fingers, but she couldn’t tear her eyes from him. He was the sexiest man she’d ever seen. His black hair had gleamed under the bright lights, and scruff covered his lower face, neck, and strong chiseled jaw. When he’d opened those beautiful eyes and stared up at her, she swore she’d lost her heart then and there. The pain in his eyes was not just from the accident, he had just lost his wife in the crash.

“Oh. Have a pleasant stay with us,” he said, bringing her thoughts back to the present.

“Jaxon…uh, Mr. Callahan.”

He turned to face her. “Yes?”

“Uh, how…are you?”

“Fine.” He put his fingers to the brim of his hat then left the porch and headed toward his truck.

“Mr. Callahan.” She saw him take a deep breath and turn to face her again.

“What is it?”

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