Good Morning!
It's been a while since out guest today has
visited. Years in
fact so please welcome Linda back with her brand new release,
Ride to the Altar, book 3 in her Circle Bar Ranch series!
Overwhelming hurdles block the
path in Patricia and Talon’s ride to wedlock. A past love, murdered years ago
and now only a file in an unsolved case, returns to haunt Talon. A long-held
grudge demands release, yet Patricia has no idea how very deep it runs until
she confronts her mother. An attack against the Circle Bar itself, leaving
cattle dead and one of its hands injured.
Different from all the other
novels in this series, Ride to the Altar forces the two characters to face
their past individually before they can face the future together.
Excerpt:
A handshake is the initial measure of a man. The grip provides the best
and the worst first impressions. Impossible through Skype, so Talon Carlson
determined to use the alternative: steady, eye-to-eye contact.
He scrubbed his hands down his jean-clad thighs. Funny how he could
propose to Patricia Talbert in an arena of seventy-five thousand avid
bull-riding fans, yet he shook like a wobble-kneed colt in front of the blank
computer screen. But he was just old fashioned enough to want to do this the
right way.
He poked a button, Skype connected, and Patricia's father, Dale
McAllister, appeared on the monitor. At six o'clock in the morning eastern
time, the U.S. Senator from New York wore a suit and tie and looked ready for
his Monday commute to DC. The somber attire complemented his authoritarian
expression. Gunmetal-gray hair held silver wisps at the temples, and dark eyes
bore an intensity matching his profession—or matching a father who was meeting
his only daughter's fiancé for the first time. Didn't matter that the daughter
was over thirty and the new owner of a two-thousand-acre ranch in Texas.
"It's nice to finally meet you, sir," Talon said. "I've
heard a lot about you."
"Believe me, I've heard a lot about you too." Mr. McAllister's
voice sounded deep, gruff. Intimidating.
"Yes, sir. I'm sure you have." He gulped. "Sorry that we
have to meet like this. We intended to fly to New York—"
"Yes, Patty told me. No need to apologize. I understand you have a
responsibility to your church, and performing funeral ceremonies is part of
it." The senator offered a sympathetic nod. "Sorry for your
loss."
"Thank you." The funeral had been for one of the most beloved
women in the county, Beth Griffith. Her husband, Griff, had asked Talon personally
to perform the eulogy. As a bullfighter, Griff
had saved Talon's hide more than once, so there had been no question
that Talon would say yes, even if it meant missing their flight to New York.
Mr. McAllister leaned back, though the distance between his face and the
monitor didn't lessen the effect of his scrutiny. "I understand you have
something to ask me."
"Yes, sir," Talon squeaked, then cleared his throat. He tried
again, clasping his hands between his knees to stop their shaking. "Mr.
McAllister, I love your daughter, and she loves me. I'd like your permission to
marry her. Your permission and your blessing."
Pat's father tapped his fingers together. "You know she's been married before."
"Yes, sir. I know."
"You know she was hurt."
"Pretty badly, yes."
"I never did like that boy."
Nothing Talon could say to that. Since the older man's gaze seemed
distant, best to just wait him out. He would never hurt Pat the way Kent
Talbert had, but proof accompanies action. Mr. McAllister would know the kind
of stuff Talon was made of as time went on. His saying so now wouldn't be
convincing.
"Sometimes I think if he hadn't died, heaven help me, I would've
killed him myself." The senator focused on him again. "You know what
was wrong with him?"
Besides the fact he was a no-good, opportunistic, cheatin' womanizer, no.
"Got my thoughts. What do you think?"
"He was a city boy. City folks—especially rich city folks—have
different ideas from those of us raised on farms and ranches. Different
priorities."
This seemed strange from a man who divided his time between DC and New
York, but Talon nodded. "Yes, sir." After all, Mr. McAllister had
been raised on a ranch, and it was his brother, Jake, who'd willed this one to
Pat.
"I want a man for Patty who would make her happiness his top
priority."
"As it should be."
"Are you that man?"
He straightened in his seat. "Mr. McAllister, I don't fall in love
easily. Only once before in my life, and she died before we could get married.
I love your daughter. I have a lot of respect for her. She's a good woman, and
I'm honored she agreed to be my wife. I'll do everything in my power to assure
her happiness and well-being."
The senator rubbed his jaw, pensively eyeing Talon through the monitor.
"Patty told me about your first fiancée. What was her name?"
"Janet Parsons."
"Losing her was pretty rough on you."
"Yes, sir." About killed him. Took him years to get over her
death, an experience made worse because he'd been a suspect in her murder.
"Not something I care to repeat."
"I don't imagine. But if you loved that deeply once, you can do it
again. You've been given a second chance, son. That doesn't happen often."
"No sir, it doesn't. I've been mighty blessed."
"I want you to continue to consider Patty a blessing in your life.
That's what she is, and she deserves to be honored as such."
Talon didn't need to be told.
"She's old enough to make up her own mind about who she'll marry,
but I appreciate your asking me. That means something." He sat quietly a
moment, his face inscrutable, then he nodded. "I'm going to trust you with
my little girl, young man. Don't let me down."
Talon released his breath. "I won't, sir."
"Call me Dale."
The grin started in Talon's heart, then burst forth on his lips. "I
won't let you down ... Dale."
"Good. Welcome to the family. We'll let the women handle all the
details." He shifted in his seat, making the leather squeak. "Is
Patty around? I'd like to talk to her."
"I'm sure she's close by. I'll get her."
As Talon rose from his chair, the senator said, "Nice speaking with
you, son."
"And with you, sir—Dale."
As he strode to the door to find Pat, he allowed himself a full-fledged
grin. That hadn't been too bad. The hard part had been reading the man. Her
father bore two expressions— stern and not so stern. Probably a requirement for
being a senator. But then, he'd called Talon son and said to call him Dale.
Good start.
When he opened the door, Pat stumbled through it. She caught her balance
with a hand against the doorframe. Standing in the hallway with a crimson blush
accentuating her sheepish expression, she looked adorable.
He chuckled. "Were you able to hear good enough?"
She scowled and swatted his arm. "Did it go all right? What did he
say?"
"He said he wanted to talk to you."
"Okay, but what did he say about your proposal?"
"He said—"
"Talon!" One of the ranch hands, Chance Davis, burst through
the front door and caught sight of them in the hall. "We've got more cows
down."
"Ours or Griff's? How many this time?" Talon reached for his
coat and hat on the rack by the door and headed out with Chance. They couldn't
afford to keep losing cattle. They'd already stretched themselves too thin.
Linda W. Yezak lives with her
husband and their funky feline, PB, in a forest in deep East Texas, where tall
tales abound and exaggeration is an art form. She has a deep and abiding love
for her Lord, her family, and salted caramel. And coffee—with a caramel
creamer. Author of award-winning books and short stories, she didn't begin
writing professionally until she turned fifty. Taking on a new career every
half century is a good thing.
Twitter: @LindaYezak
Ride to the Altar can be purchased at Amazon and for a limited time is only 99 cents so if you love Christian cowboy romances check out this series!
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT
