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The Bull Rider's Secret
Jill Lynn
Will the truth keep them from a second chance? The next Colorado Grooms romance Letting bull rider Jace Hawke back into her life breaks all of Mackenzie Wilder’s rules—just like he broke her heart years ago. But he’s working at her family’s ranch while recovering from a rodeo injury…and chipping away at Mackenzie’s tough-girl exterior with each passing day. Which is the bigger mistake: falling for Jace again…or letting him go without a fight?
Will the truth keep them from a second chance?
The next Colorado Grooms romance
Letting bull rider Jace Hawke back into her life breaks all of Mackenzie Wilder’s rules—just like he broke her heart years ago. But he’s working at her family’s ranch while recovering from a rodeo injury...and chipping away at Mackenzie’s tough-girl exterior with each passing day. Which is the bigger mistake: falling for Jace again...or letting him go without a fight?
JILL LYNN is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and won the ACFW Genesis Contest in 2013. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bethel University. A native of Minnesota, Jill now lives in Colorado with her husband and two children. She’s an avid reader of happily-ever-afters and a fan of grace, laughter and thrift stores. Connect with her at jill-lynn.com (http://www.jill-lynn.com).
Also By Jill Lynn (#ucf77e23b-141f-55c3-8e05-e2e1f8ace1f8)
Colorado Grooms
The Rancher’s Surprise Daughter
The Rancher’s Unexpected Baby
The Bull Rider’s Secret
Falling for Texas
Her Texas Family
Her Texas Cowboy
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
The Bull Rider’s Secret
Jill Lynn
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-09731-4
THE BULL RIDER’S SECRET
© 2019 Jill Buteyn
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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Note to Readers (#ucf77e23b-141f-55c3-8e05-e2e1f8ace1f8)
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“I have something to say—”
Jace started to explain, but Mackenzie whirled around to face him.
“Don’t.” She bristled, and her finger jabbed in his direction. “Just don’t.”
“You don’t even know what it is!”
“Is it about Wilder Ranch?” Her tone snapped as fast and furious as a snake’s strike.
“Nope.”
“Then I don’t want to hear it.” She mounted up—the equivalent of a kid placing their hands over their ears. “We should get back.”
He didn’t move.
“I’ve got things to do, Hawke.” The reins twitched in her hands. He’d made her uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure why that ignited a flicker of happy in his gut. Probably because it meant he still affected her.
“You know your way from here.” She turned her horse. “I’ll see you when you get back.”
And then she left him. Sitting in her dust, her canteen still in his hands, words dying on his tongue that had needed to be said for seven years.
Huh. So that was what that felt like.
Dear Reader (#ucf77e23b-141f-55c3-8e05-e2e1f8ace1f8),
Thanks for visiting Wilder Ranch for this third book in the Colorado Grooms series. When I started writing this story, Mackenzie and Jace were so frustrated with each other, I wasn’t sure how they were ever going to get along. Thankfully it came together, and I figured out who these characters were—what made them tick, fight, laugh and love.
Mackenzie and Jace have wounds, just like each of us. It can be easy to let those past hurts drag us down or define us, but lately I’m learning to do the opposite—to move through the past and into a brighter future. I hope the same for you—that you’ll know the great love and healing power of our heavenly Father to stitch up wounds and comfort hearts.
I’d love to stay in touch. Check out my latest giveaway at Jill-Lynn.com/news (http://Jill-Lynn.com/news), find me on Facebook.com/JillLynnAuthor (http://Facebook.com/JillLynnAuthor) or visit me on Instagram.com/JillLynnAuthor (http://Instagram.com/JillLynnAuthor).
Warmly,
Jill Lynn
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
—1 John 3:18
To my siblings—I’m thankful for your support and encouragement.
To Lost Valley Guest Ranch—A huge thank-you for your contributions to this series.
To Shana Asaro—Thank you for being a consistently fabulous editor. You make every book so much better.
And to everyone at Love Inspired—You’re the best team, and I’m so glad to work with you.
Contents
Cover (#u44a5187d-d6d7-5987-bfd5-7fc9da2cb233)
Back Cover Text (#u69e9f2d4-8c88-5645-b06f-8a2559681cd1)
About the Author (#u3c3f1de4-2cf9-5ca6-a31e-a69bcee805f4)
Booklist (#u5c64d7ca-afc1-53f3-b2e1-12d96c540bd5)
Title Page (#u37d598c9-3870-5c45-b567-e026d8f8b1e0)
Copyright (#u5de33e48-a086-5195-ba92-ca29be03ed6f)
Note to Readers
Introduction (#u6fb62296-bb09-5bf0-aa73-3982a67b0823)
Dear Reader (#u0b0ad58d-e6d0-556f-a10f-4aaed7b20fd4)
Bible Verse (#u42c8f9b7-778f-5ad7-9387-15b3fb8dead8)
Dedication (#uc0c5783f-f1f8-5d1c-8e35-afdb717b1c3b)
Chapter One (#u709a3caa-9b46-5a16-af9b-80555cdddec3)
Chapter Two (#u4ef86c3c-8d67-5abf-811d-61415868b628)
Chapter Three (#u45a5730d-8ee7-5713-bd42-5121574c888a)
Chapter Four (#u0c8628f1-4947-5ee4-a992-940270241a4c)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#ucf77e23b-141f-55c3-8e05-e2e1f8ace1f8)
Mackenzie Wilder didn’t want to kill her brother in the true sense, just in the what-were-you-thinking, cartoon-wringing-of-the-neck sense. He’d gone and hired someone to help run the guest ranch for the summer—which meant the person would be completely involved in every aspect of her professional life—without asking for her input.
Had Luc talked to Emma before hiring this person? Not that it mattered. Their sister’s head was so in-the-clouds in love right now that she’d say yes to anything and not even know what she was responding to.
Mackenzie bounded down the lodge steps, the screen door giving a loud whine and snap behind her. One of the new college-aged girls on staff for the summer was heading inside.
“Hey, Bea, have you seen Luc?”
“Earlier this morning he was in his office.” Her face went dreamy, eyebrows bobbing. “He had some man candy with him, too.” Great. Her brother had hired some young buckaroo who would have all of the female staff members sighing, swooning and requiring fainting couches all summer.
Maybe a what-were-you-thinking slug was in order.
“I just checked there, so now I’m headed to the barn. If you run into him, would you let him know I’m looking for him?”
If the man would just pick up his phone or respond to the texts she’d sent, Mackenzie wouldn’t be on this scavenger hunt.
“Sure.” Bea’s short raven hair shifted with her perky nod.
