Page 4 of A Tiny House Christmas

But Karlene had learned over the years that there were some heavy expectations in regards to how she’d fit into their ranch, and that her suggestions would be politely disregarded, unlike on Joey’s ranch. The McNaughtons expected her to quit her job immediately after the wedding. Give up her career as the physical therapist for the San Antonio’s National Hockey League team, the Dragons, and focus on creating the next generation of McNaughtons.

Her parents expectations were simple—grease the wheels with her family-to-be and make sure the planned research project went off without a hitch.

But as the wedding plans had unrolled, Karlene had realized that none of it was about her. It was about the ranch. And, evenif she loved Tom and he loved her, she’d never be more than a supporting character.

But she’d stuck with it all because being with Tom on his ranch was all so incredibly close to the future she’d envisioned for herself as a kid on her grandparent’s own ranch.

So close.

She swiped at her tears, wishing she could go back in time and somehow fix it all. Maybe if she’d stood up for herself, or asked Tom for more say in how things were run, or even just insisted on planning her own wedding. Something. Anything.

Instead, she’d stayed quiet and now she was hurting Tom by running away, leaving him standing in the church.

She’d almost had it all, and now it was surely ruined.

All of it.

But it would have been ruined either way. If she’d stood up for herself it would have only led to fights and Tom feeling as though he had to take sides in an impossible situation.

And yet, it would have been better than doing the most mortifying and embarrassing thing in her life so far—running away from her wedding and humiliating her fiancé.

She swiped at her cheeks, almost toppling off Becky, letting her slow to a canter.

Standing in the church, feeling the warmth coming from Joey, she’d known. She’d known that no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn’t have that spark she’d dreamed of having with her future husband. Fighting harder wouldn’t have created easy laughter and routines that evolved without discussion. There’d always be steady involvement from his parents. In their eyes, there was too much at stake to entrust the ranch to the next generation, or even to an outsider like herself.

She’d chosen a good man in Thomas, but the wrong man. And she’d lacked the courage to tell herself that before putting on this dress.

Becky slowed to a walking pace and Karlene lifted her face to the late afternoon sky, pale blue already shifting into darker tones. Less than an hour before dusk. Night would fall quickly, as would the temperature. She needed a plan.

She squared her shoulders and inhaled the expansive Texas sky. Even bigger than the beautiful land at her feet. Always there like Joey.

Karlene checked the horizon out of habit and spotted a horse coming straight for them at full gallop from an eastern angle. It was not someone from the church. The figure was bigger than her fiancé. For a moment her breath caught and her imagination played a trick. The rider looked like her late grandfather, and a familiar feeling of love expanded in her chest as she watched how he rode with ease, as though he and the horse were one.

She shook off the feeling and tried to coax Becky into a trot, but the mare huffed and refused. The other rider was angling to cut her off, his horse fresher, the cowboy seated squarely in a saddle.

There was no avoiding it. She was caught.

Tears of frustration welled in her eyes. She wasn’t ready to explain herself, or to be guilted into returning to the church. And she definitely wasn’t ready to face the small town rumors and hubbub that was surely building around her sudden departure.

“Karlene!”

She urged her tired horse faster, steering away from the approaching rider. Her inner thighs and seat were already sore from the abuse of riding bareback.

She sighed, defeated, as the sound of hooves tearing up the pasture grew louder. She turned Becky, ready to face her opponent. She squinted against the setting sun, then shielded her eyes as the cowboy drew up alongside her.

It was Joey. And there was no heat in his gaze. No invitation.

Just concern for tagalong kid Karlene.

“Why did you nod at me?” she snapped. If it weren’t for him, she’d be in that church, marrying the man she loved right now. She’d have found a way down that aisle. She’d have found a way to make the dream work, and she’d have what she wanted.

She swiped at her eyes. She was such a fool where Joey McCall was concerned. He’d probably only meant to be encouraging, and she’d thought…

She shook her head at herself. He hadn’t been asking her to choose him, and yet…she had done just that.

And now she could see that she had, in fact, chosen absolutely nothing.

“How did you know where to find me?” Karlene snapped, her tone tight. “Who sent you here, Joe?”

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