Page 2 of The Cowboy’s Forever Promise

She’d really missed June over the last few months. They’d met way back in foster care as little girls and had always had each other’s backs. June was her only family.

When June had left earlier this year to visit Marietta for a month or two to write the children’s book she’d been dreaming about, neither of them had foreseen that June would meet and fall in love with a local cowboy. Now her friend was married and living happily on a ranch outside the quaint town. Of course she was happy for her, she’d never seen her friend so content, but Seattle just wasn’t the same without June.

Deviating from the plan she had for her life was not an option. Sticking to carefully organized strategies had always worked for her. It prevented her from doing things on impulse and, she’d learned, ignoring her impulses was usually the way to stay out of trouble.

She dated, but only after she’d found out everything she could about the guy. And of course, there never was a second date. Getting seriously involved with a man or, heaven forbid, getting married, was not something she would even consider.

Giving up her control—and that seemed to be what being married meant—wasn’t part of her plan.

*

It was nearly half past six and already getting dark when Carson finally left the gallery in Spokane. He slowly walked back to his hotel. He still couldn’t believe he’d just had a meeting with a gallery owner who wanted to showcase his photographs.

He’d always loved taking pictures, but he’d never really thought about his work as art. Earlier this year on a whim, he’d posted some of the landscape photographs he loved taking on Instagram and had been surprised by the reaction.

When his cousin Willow, a well-known artist, saw his photographs, she’d contacted a friend who owned a gallery in Spokane. He hadn’t even given her introduction another thought and had been pleasantly surprised when Noah Felix, the gallery owner had called him, asking him for a meeting so that they could discuss an upcoming exhibition.

His phone rang. It was his brother, Dylan. Damn, he’d promised to text his brother when he arrived in Spokane, but it had completely slipped his mind. All he’d been thinking about when the plane had landed earlier, was getting to the gallery.

Quickly, he looked around to see where he could stand while talking to his brother and not be in anyone’s way. “Hi, bro. I’ve just finished my meeting. Sorry, I should’ve phoned.”

“We’re just so excited for you. So how was the meeting?”

Carson grimaced. The we his brother used lately, had started to slip in after he’d married the love of his life, June Kincaid, earlier this year. Dylan was clearly besotted with his new wife. Nowadays his older brother was either smiling or kissing June.

Of course he was happy for his brother, but it had already been awkward for him sitting around the table during meals while his four cousins kept kissing and touching their significant others. Now his own brother was doing the same thing.

“It went very well, thanks. I’m still a bit dazed to be honest. Noah wants as many photographs as I can give him for an upcoming exhibition of landscape photographers the last weekend in October.”

“That is so great, Carson!” June, his new sister-in-law called out.

Shaking his head, Dylan smiled. Apparently the we thing of his brother also meant his wife was included in all their phone calls lately.

“Thanks, I’m very pleased.”

“You should go and celebrate,” Dylan said.

“We’ll celebrate when I’m back home.”

“At least go and have a beer somewhere,” Dylan chuckled. “Perhaps you’ll meet a nice woman who may just pique your interest.”

“Not interested,” Carson said quickly.

“Just try it, you never know,” his brother said. They talked for a few more moments about the ranch before Dylan ended the call.

Shaking his head, Carson continued in the direction of the hotel.

When their cousin Hayden had initially reached out to him and Dylan the previous year to consolidate the two family ranches that had been split up years before because of a huge fight between their dads, they’d jumped at the chance to join their cousins on The Weston Ranch.

Theirs had not been a happy home. They were both excited to leave the memories of an unstable mother and a dad who hadn’t really talked but had spent his days outside on his horse, behind them. Literally. They hadn’t wanted to stay where they’d been so unhappy.

Hayden, his oldest Weston cousin, and Hunter Grant who was married to Hayden’s sister, Willow, were both experts on grazing, and since Hunter had bought a ranch adjacent to the Weston ranch, they had consolidated all three ranches.

Both Carson and Dylan had made a study of the science behind breeding and seedstock production and were happy to bring their knowledge to the table. They were all equal partners in the enterprise that was now The Weston Ranch, an arrangement that suited everyone.

Of the three other cousins, Becket focused on his art, and Cooper, the animal whisperer, worked with abused horses and other animals. During busy times, Becket, Cooper, and even Willow, an artist and the only Weston sister, all pitched in to help.

Hayden had asked if Carson would like to spend more time on his photography, but he was a rancher, a cowboy first. He loved photography, appreciated the time alone on his horse capturing the beautiful Montana landscapes, working in his darkroom at night, but he loved the land, loved working with the cattle, and was happiest among the heat and noise and hard work under the Montana sky.