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1
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“Adan Franco?”
Adan heard the unfamiliar man’s voice behind him. Without looking up from picking Pansy’s hoof, he answered.
“We ask that all guests wait outside. The horses are almost ready.”
The man cleared his throat. “I’m not a guest.”
Adan eased Pansy’s clean hoof to the floor of the grooming area before placing his palm lightly on her side. He strode to her rear hoof, then he propped it on his leg.
“Then you really shouldn’t be in here.”
“Sir, are you Adan Franco?”
Adan breathed deeply to calm his irritation. The smell of hay and horse hung heavy in the air. What should have been a peaceful afternoon had already gone off the rails before this interruption. Adan moved the pick over Pansy’s rear hoof, digging out the bits of dirt and hay that had accumulated since her last grooming.
“Sir?”
Taking another deep breath, Adan lowered Pansy’s clean hoof. He kept his hand on her, near the base of her neck, before he looked up. A man in a full-blown suit, tie, and everything stood at the entrance of the grooming area. Adan’s heart beat in double time when his gaze flicked away from the man to the boy standing next to him. His ire grew. It wasn’t good to bring kids unfamiliar with horses back there, even if the kid wore a cowboy hat and boots.
“Yes, I’m Adan Franco. Now, if you don’t mind, please take the boy and yourself out of here.”
“We need to talk.”
“About?”
“I’d rather not say in front of an audience.”
“Go,” Dylan said. “I’ll finish up with Pansy. You can use my office.”
Adan nodded sharply, patted Pansy, and stepped back. Then he swiveled on his booted heel, frowning at Mr. Suit.
“This way.”
Adan led the man and boy down the alleyway to Dylan’s office in the back of the stables. He nudged the door open, hinges groaning in response. Then he flipped on the lights and motioned to the guest chairs. Though it felt weird to sit in Dylan’s chair, he did anyway. Just the way the seating worked out.
“Am I in some sort of legal trouble?” he asked, mind working over who would wear a suit to meet with him. Lawyer made the most sense.
“Not exactly.” Mr. Suit cleared his throat. “I’m Mr. Edward Haynes. Attorney for the estate of…” He gulped a deep breath before pushing out the words. “Annabel Garrison.”
The name hit Adan hard in the solar plexus, nearly knocking him into next week. He remembered Annabel. Pretty gold eyes and strawberry blond hair. She had been a barrel racer on the same rodeo circuit he used to…
Wait a second. “Estate?”
Haynes nodded and reality started to sink in, pushing Adan’s stomach down around his feet. Annabel was gone. Passed away. Good golly, they had been about the same age. At thirty-five? No way. She was too young to die.
The lawyer placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder, causing Adan’s gaze to shift. He studied the boy. Gold eyes, just like Annabel. Had her same nose too, though it looked more boyish than cute on the kid. Darker hair. More brownish. Kinda like…
Adan swallowed hard, having a feeling he knew where this was going.
“This is Jet Garrison. Annabel’s son.”
He yanked off his hat, setting it on the desk with a thud. “How—” His voice cracked like he was a teenager again. “How old?”
“Twelve, sir,” the boy Jet answered.
Thirty-five minus twelve. Crud. For the love of everything. It couldn’t be. Could it?
Adan would have been twenty-three at the heyday of his pro bull riding career. When the kid was born.
“You’re… Adan Franco, right?” Jet asked.
He thought they’d established that fact already. “Yeah.” He almost added the famous bull rider, but stopped himself. It was usually what came after the question with most folks. Though he got the distinct impression, it wasn’t what the kid was gonna say.
“Mama said…” The boy’s gold eyes glistened and rimmed with red. He straightened his back, frowning. “Mama said I can trust you.”
Now why would the boy need to trust him?
“Mr. Franco,” the attorney started. “According to Annabel Garrison’s records, she lists you as… Um. The boy’s father.”
Adan actually felt all the blood rush from his head. His throat constricted and his vision narrowed. He ground his jaw shut, trying to regain control of his faculties. Wouldn’t do no one any good if he lashed out. Or passed out.
Twenty-three when the kid was born. Nine months before that. He wished he could outright deny the possibility. But he couldn’t. Though he didn’t remember ever crossing that line with Annabel, he hadn’t exactly been living the Christian life back then.
Should he ask for a DNA test? What would the kid do if he wasn’t his dad? What would he do if he was? Adan scrubbed his hands over his face and beard. Then he shot to his feet, smashing his tan cowboy hat into place.
“Jet. You too old for a coloring book?”
The duh look on the kid’s face confirmed exactly that.
“How about legos?”
“I like ‘em.”
“’Kay. There should be a box of legos over in the corner. Can I trust you to play with the legos while Mr. Haynes and I talk outside?”
“Yes, sir.”
Jet slid off the chair and retrieved the box of legos. Adan waited for the boy to settle on the leather couch, dumping the contents of the legos onto the coffee table. Then Adan jerked his head toward the door indicating Mr. Haynes should proceed him. He closed the door behind him.
After walking into an empty stall not too far down the alleyway, Adan spoke.
“Look, I wasn’t no saint back then, but I don’t think I ever… You know… With Annabel. We were good friends. Nothing more.”
“Are you asking for a paternity test?”
Was he?
“Maybe. I don’t know. How positive was she? Did you ever talk to her?”
“Yes, in her last days, I spoke with Ms. Garrison. She listed your name on Jet’s birth certificate.”
Adan shook his head. “If she really believed I was, then why didn’t she reach out? She knew me well enough to know I would have stepped up. Paid support. Visitation. Joint custody. If not marriage.”
Haynes’ shoulders lifted before a loud burst of air whooshed from his mouth. “We didn’t discuss Jet’s parentage other than for her to say she wanted you to raise him. When I found his birth certificate, I just assumed.”
Adan lifted his cowboy hat and ran a hand through his hair before jamming it down again. Then he widened his stance and propped fisted hands on his hips.
“What happened to her?”
“Cancer.”
The back of his eyes bit as he pictured poor sweet Annabel wasting from the disease. Had the kid watched it unfold? If so, he probably ought to get him into counseling.
Wait a minute. Was he actually thinking he’d step up for a kid that probably wasn’t even his own?
Haynes cleared his throat again, a sound that was starting to grate on Adan’s last nerve. “She asked me to give you this.”
The attorney pulled a thick envelope from the inside of his suit jacket before handing it to Adan. He accepted it, seeing it as symbolic for assuming the guardianship of her son. He still didn’t think the kid was his.
“So what’s next?” he asked, even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
“Since your name is on his birth certificate, not much. As far as the law is concerned, you’re his father. Unless you want to contest it.”
“If I don’t now, but decide to later, can I?”
“Mr. Franco, may I be candid?”
Wasn’t he already?
“Please.”
“If you don’t think he’s your son and want to pursue a paternity test, then I will need to take him to Child Services.”
Well, crud. He couldn’t let that happen. Not when Annabel told the kid he could trust him. ‘Sides, he had the means to take care of Jet, though it meant the next few days required him to figure out a whole heap of things. First and foremost where they’d live. ‘Cause no way was the kid gonna stay in the bunkhouse. Way too young for that, no matter how tame most of the Vargas cowboys appeared.
“I’ll take care of him. So, no other legal paperwork is needed?”
“Not for you to take guardianship of your son.”
It all seemed too bizarre for it to be that easy.
“She had some assets she wanted to leave for Jet and his guardian. And if you want, you can travel to Albuquerque to go through their things. Decide what to pack up and move and what to get rid of. If you don’t, then there are funds in the estate for me to see to it. Though, I think it would be best for the boy to choose a few things of hers as keepsakes.”
“I need to make some arrangements before that will be possible.”
“Any questions, Mr. Franco?”
“Only a million,” he said, thumping a fisted hand against the side of his leg. “But no, none for you. Thank you, Mr. Haynes.”
“Here’s my card. I’m based out of Albuquerque and will be headed back tonight. Call any time. If you decide to travel to their house, let me know and I can meet you to let you in.”
“Yeah, thanks. I’ll let you know soon.”
“Good day, Mr. Franco.”
Adan made sure the attorney could find his way out of the stables before he headed back to Dylan’s office. Right outside, he mentally slapped a palm to his forehead. He was supposed to lead a trail ride for the resort guests. He texted Dylan, who responded that he asked Parker to take over. Good.
Then Adan texted back, Gonna need a week or so off. Got to get my son settled.
It half surprised him when Dylan responded with a simple, take what you need. They were too old of friends for Dylan not to say something about it. Maybe his friend decided they’d catch up later.
As Adan eased open the door to Dylan’s office, Jet looked up. His heart about tore in two over the sadness and fear in the kid’s eyes. Adan strode over and kneeled in front of him. The popping sound in his knee reminded him not to stay like that for too long.
“Looks like it’s you and me, bud.”
“Are you really my dad?”
“Seems like it.”
Even if he wasn’t, he had decided in that empty stall to take on the responsibility. Kid wouldn’t understand the nuance of DNA tests. Nor would test results provide the best life for him. No, the moment he stepped up to the challenge, he became the kid’s dad for better or worse, regardless of blood ties.
Lord, I’m gonna need a heap of help with this one.
He glanced at his watch. Three-thirty. He could leave Jet at the children’s center until five. Give him time to pack up his things and call his parents. Figured at least for the time being, he’d move back home. Yeah, at thirty-five. With a kid in tow. Mama was gonna have a fit to be sure.
______
Solana Vargas felt a little bad she hadn’t sent Adan a warning text. They were, after all, friends. Close friends. Friends when she wanted so much more.
She sighed as she watched the attorney climb behind the wheel of his sedan. He asked if he could leave the boy’s things in the office and if she would kindly let Mr. Franco know, right after letting it slip that the boy was Adan’s.
Her stomach knotted as tight as a spool of fence wire. Adan had a son. That changed everything. At least everything for Adan. And the rumor would spread like wildfire through the ranch staff. The perfect Christian man, former pro bull rider, had a son, without being married. It was the complete opposite of the Adan she knew.
Solana allowed the shock to wash over her. For some reason, she still believed him to be a godly man. One look at the kid and it was clear, if Adan had really fathered him, it had been during his pro bull riding career nearly a lifetime ago.
She still remembered watching him on TV, thinking no man could ever be as gorgeous as him. At twelve years old, she sported a major crush on him—one that had faded as she matured into adulthood. Then he came back to Vargas Ranch ten years ago, during her junior year of high school. She worked in the dining hall in the evenings back then. It was before she worked in the office. The moment she saw him, the crush came back.
Standing, Solana walked over to the boy’s things and moved them behind her desk, out of view of the guests. Now she worked at the front desk at the resort, going on six years. Adan came in often, chatting with her each time. They had struck up a friendship and her crush changed to that of a grown woman falling for a man.
Unfortunately, Adan Franco saw her as his best friend’s little cousin. A girl who had followed him around during the off season, asking a million questions about being a famous pro bull rider. Solana had tried many times over the past five years to get him to see her as a woman. Nothing she did worked, not even the one dance they shared at her cousin’s wedding.
So, yeah, she may have been thinking about that a little when the attorney first appeared asking about him. Then again, what would she have texted Adan, anyway? There’s a man with a boy that I think he’s gonna say is your son?
Solana sighed as she flopped onto her office chair.
“That’s an awful lot of sighing out there,” her older sister Renata said from her office before she appeared in the doorway. “What’s going on?”
“Not my story to tell.”
“Your sighs tell me otherwise. Whose bags?”
Renata studied them for a second, and probably guessed they belonged to a kid.
Adan burst through the door. “Oh, good. You’re here.”
Solana straightened. That little hitch in her chest ached—the same one she got every time she saw him in loose denim with the large oval belt buckle and his tan cowboy hat. Only this time, worry and stress etched his handsome face.
“I don’t know how to ease into this,” he said. “So… I have a… Jet is…”
“Your son,” Solana finished for him, hoping her saying it helped him in some small way. If nothing else, it eased her toward accepting it. She shoved away the mix of feelings it churned inside of her.
Adan’s eyes rounded. “How’d you know?”
“The attorney dropped off his things.” She hooked a thumb over her shoulder toward the black luggage.
“Oh.”
Adan rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. “Lanni, I could really use—”
“My help? Anything.” Solana’s voice sounded far more supportive than she felt, despite his tender use of her nickname. Normally, it caused her insides to go gooey and she would bend over backwards to help him.
Adan’s head angled to the side, much like Dalton’s dog did when she was confused.
“Raina said she’d watch him until the children’s center closes in like,” he glanced at his watch, “an hour and fifteen. That’s not enough time to figure out what to do.”
“Adan, let’s chat in Rennie’s office while she watches the front desk.”
“Um. Yeah. Great.”
He spun around, nearly colliding with Renata, who quickly sidestepped him. Solana tossed her a thanks before ducking into her office.
“Tell me what you know.”
Solana leaned against the edge of the desk while Adan paced the length of the room, relaying the events of the last half hour.
“I knew Jet’s mother, Annabel, when I was on the PBR circuit. We were good friends.”
And he slept with her. She didn’t have to hear the words to know it. A twinge of jealousy flared, which Solana rushed to tamp down. Wouldn’t help the situation or cause him to see her as mature.
“Long story short, you have a son she never told you about. Until now.”
“Until now… Lanni, she passed away. That boy watched his mama die from cancer.”
Her shoulders sagged. Ugh. Now she regretted feeling jealous a minute ago. Poor Jet.
“She never contacted me about him, but I guess she put my name on the birth certificate. I don’t…”
Solana waited, holding her breath. She could feel his anxiety in each stuttered step and clipped word as his boots clopped on the tile floor.
“I guess I need to go pack. Move out of the bunkhouse and take him to my parents.” He paced the room, no longer looking at her. “Mama’s gonna give me an earful.”
“Adan. Deep breaths. Let’s call your mama.”
“Yeah. Yeah.”
She had never seen him so upset.
He yanked his phone from his shirt pocket and it flew out of his hand, nearly smacking her in the face. She retrieved it from where it came to rest on the floor and handed it back.
“Sorry.”
When she placed her hand on his forearm, he stilled, his blue eyes snapping to hers. Her breath lodged in her throat as sparks sizzled between them. At least for her, they always did. Judging by the storm in his eyes, she wondered if he felt it this time. She could only hope, even if now was the worst timing.
He shook his head as if to clear his mind; the moment gone. Then he mashed his thumb on the fingerprint reader and scrolled through his contacts. He pressed the dial button and held his phone to his ear.
“Mama. I’m gonna cut to the chase. One of my friends—”
“Yes, female. From the pro circuit. She passed away. Says I’m her boy’s father. He’s here now.”
“No, not here listening to this conversation. Here in Arizona. Can we stay with you until I can find a place?”
Solana listened to his side of the conversation, wishing he had put it on speaker so she could hear Heidi Franco’s reaction. Then again, maybe it was better she couldn’t.
“I’ll pack up and be over in about an hour and a half.”
“Sure. A late supper with you and Dad would be nice.”
After Adan swiped the phone off, he turned toward her.
“You think you could watch him if I’m not back here in thirty?”
“I can come help you pack.”
He eyed her warily.
Taking matters into her own hands, Solana grabbed his calloused hand, deposited her black cowgirl hat on her head, and led him out to his truck. She climbed into the passenger seat, not giving him a chance to refuse. He sighed heavily, much like she had earlier, before driving them over to the bunkhouse.
It only took them thirty minutes to stuff his clothes into a few suitcases and box up his books and personal items. Seemed insignificant for a thirty-five-year-old man who had won big in the rodeo. She figured all his buckles and such must be in storage or at his parents’ place in town.
On the way back to the resort, Adan dropped another bomb.
“Looks like I’ll need to head over to Albuquerque in a few days to pack up Jet’s things. Maybe some mementos from his mom.”
Solana remembered how hard it had been when she helped Aunt Catalina go through her grandfather’s things almost two years ago. Her stomach clenched over the memory.
“How am I gonna figure out what to keep for him? Where are we gonna live? How am I gonna be a dad to a twelve-year-old boy who watched his mama die?”
“Adan, breathe. You’ve got this. God will provide everything you need. You know this.”
He jammed the shifter into Park, hands flailing into his lap. The defeated set of his jaw, his rounded shoulders, and the lost look in his eyes had words flying from her mouth before she thought them through.
“I’ll go to Albuquerque with you.”
His eyes formed giant saucers as his head swiveled toward her. “Come again?”
“I have some vacation time saved up. A ton actually.” She huffed. “I’ll go with you and Jet to help.”
“You can’t take time off. It’s the beginning of October. You know, peak season.”
“I can and I will. Rennie lets other employees take time off during peak season. Just not too many at a time. Besides, we just hired another person for the front desk so I could start learning more of Rennie’s job. She can train the new person, and I’ll pick up my additional responsibilities when I get back.”
“I don’t know. What’ll your parents think?”
“Adan Franco, you have enough to worry about. I can handle my family. And,” lest he forget, though she wouldn’t say that aloud, “I’m a grown woman and I’ve decided you need my help. Besides, I can’t think of a better way to spend my vacation.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
Adan expelled a gusty breath, relief written all over his face. “You are a godsend, Solana.”
Or a complete idiot, she thought. Too late to back out now.
About the Series
Love is in the air at the Vargas Guest Ranch & Resort near Wickenburg, Arizona. The Vargas family lives and breathes their family motto: We do not deviate from the Lord’s plan. Five brawny brothers keep the ranch and resort running while life lassos their hearts in this epic contemporary cowboy romance series.
Falling for a Real Cowboy (Book 1) - Dalton Vargas
Release Date: November 21, 2023
She’s trying to resurrect her career. He’s sworn off women. Will this city-meets-country duo find love where they least expect it?
Falling for a Shy Cowboy (Book 2) - Dylan Vargas
Release Date: December 19, 2023
She’s a single mom with a disabled son. He’s been in love with her since high school. Will this shy cowboy finally win her heart?
Falling for a Bossy Cowboy (Book 3) - Derin Vargas
Release Date: March 26, 2024
She’s famous and nearing the end of her career. He’s blunt, bossy, and downright annoying. Will these two find the perfect balance between truth and love?
Falling for a Smart Cowboy (Book 4) - Devon Vargas
Release Date: June 25, 2024
She’s an orphan on a mission to change children’s lives. He’s an overwhelmed overachiever and her boss. Will these two learn to work together and find love in the process?
Falling for a Humbug Cowboy (Book 5) - Drake Vargas
Release Date: November 5, 2024
She’s the happiest person he’s ever met. His world has turned upside and he is in no mood for the holidays. Will these coworkers find middle ground as they head into the holidays?
Falling for a Devoted Cowgirl (Book 6) - Solana Vargas
Release Date: February 18, 2025
They’ve secretly loved each other for years. He can’t get past their age gap. She can’t get him to see her as woman she’s become. Will they let go of their fears to find true love?
Falling for a Pregnant Cowgirl (Book 7) - Renata Vargas
Release Date: November 4, 2025
She’s pregnant with someone else’s child. He’s falling for her when he shouldn’t. Can he learn to trust her with his heart?
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