Ten years ago, Rowdy Paramour left Clover Springs at eighteen to seek his fortune and fame as a bronc rider, now, he's returned. He left heartache in his wake. Something brings Rowdy home for the holidays, and changes everything for him. Will it be enough for him to stay, and can he find the way back to the love he left behind?Christmas is the time of miracles and marvels. What will this Christmas bring for the cowboy?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~No, Shirley. Absolutely not... moreTen years ago, Rowdy Paramour left Clover Springs at eighteen to seek his fortune and fame as a bronc rider, now, he's returned. He left heartache in his wake. Something brings Rowdy home for the holidays, and changes everything for him. Will it be enough for him to stay, and can he find the way back to the love he left behind?Christmas is the time of miracles and marvels. What will this Christmas bring for the cowboy?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~No, Shirley. Absolutely not. I have no intention of getting on the float with you. Besides, I have to be prepared to make an offer on the Collin’s house this weekend. They want to wrap this up by Christmas.”“Really, Dee? For once, can’t you simply enjoy the season and let the phone calls go to messages? You’re on twenty-four seven, and how will you ever find Mr. Right if all you do is work?”She rolled her eyes at Shirley. “My Mr. Right had better be Mr. Wright… wanting to either buy or sell a house.”Throwing her hands up, Shirley shook her head with a scowl, chipping away her good mood. “Honestly, you’ve got to get a life before it passes you by. There’s a heck of a lot of life out there just for the taking if you’d get your nose out of the pile of contracts you always have on your desk.”“Yeah, well, you don’t rise to number one in the region by going out and having fun all the time. Besides, I have to look out for numero uno, which is me. I pride myself on not having to have a man around. I tried the route before, remember?”Shirley shrugged while pushing the papers on the desk with her fingers. “Men and houses are the same. Some are gorgeous and welcome you right in, while others are ones that need a complete overhaul like Larry did.”“Please.” Her head dropped back against the leather office chair. “Don’t mention his name. Did I tell you I had to pay him two years of alimony because the bum wouldn’t get off his duff to work? Thank goodness I hired Liz Chandler, our local private investigator, to check up on him. The rat had been working construction, getting paid cash, and collecting my money. Men!”Her fingers snagged the air like she was shaking the stuffing out of someone, and Shirley didn’t have to think twice about who it was.“They aren’t all the same, Dee. Take my Joe. He’s as sweet as can be and,” her dark eyes twinkled, “one-hundred percent cowboy. Whew, and howdy!”“All right, your Joe is an exception; I’ll give you that.”“See, if you would have come with me to the rodeos we have in the area, you could have met someone like him.”She quickly narrowed her eyes and wagged a finger in Dee’s direction. “But not him, or I’d have to throw my best friend in with the bulls to knock the daylights out of you.”“Shirley, Shirley. I’m not or ever will be interested in your fella.” Dee sighed and tilted her head. “And… I don’t want a cowboy. Been there, done that, remember? I’ll tell you what. If by the end of the day you haven’t found someone else to ride on the float and be one of Santa’s Helpers, I’ll do it.”Shirley ecstatically jumped in the air. “Oh, we’ll have so much fun! As you know, I do this most every year, and with the carols playing on the speakers and all the children’s eyes filled with anticipation, nothing else strikes the Christmas bell as loud.”“Don’t go putting me on the float yet, Shirley Adams. I’m going to ask everyone in the office if they talked to you about riding on the float. There’s no cheating just to get me up there.”“Yeah, yeah.” Shirley rolled her eyes, but as she turned her back to her friend, she smirked, knowing she had already won the battle. Her heart raced. The idea of getting Dee to ride Santa’s float was only phase one of her plans. After the parade, she’d move on to phase two. less
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