The Texan Tries Again Read online

  This cowboy is trying to put the past behind him...

  A new start in Arizona...

  Could give this Texan a second chance

  After losing everything, Taggart O’Brien is more than happy to take an offer to be the foreman at Three Rivers Ranch. But once he meets Emily-Ann Broadmoor, he’s not ready for any of the feelings she arouses. He’d promised he’d never put his heart on the line again—until Emily-Ann makes him think about a different kind of promise...

  New York Times bestselling author Stella Bagwell

  “I’m sorry. And you’re right. I shouldn’t have been kissing you. Instead, I should’ve been asking you to be my friend.”

  Her gaze lifted to his and Taggart felt punched by the mistrust he spotted in her eyes. What kind of man did she think he was? One that held little regard for women? Oh Lord, he’d made a mess of things.

  “If you truly mean that,” she said, “then I’d like to be your friend, Tag.”

  Friend. Yes, he definitely needed friends in this new life he was making for himself here in Arizona. But did he need a friend like Emily-Ann? She made his stomach flutter and his mind turn to dreams he’d given up long ago. If he wasn’t careful, she could play havoc with his peace of mind.

  But for the past ten years he’d managed to keep his heart tucked safely behind an impenetrable wall. There was no reason for him to think Emily-Ann could ever breach it.

  “I do truly mean it,” he told her, then smiled and reached for her hand. “Let me walk you to the patio, my new friend.”

  She smiled back at him and as they strolled side by side through the shadows, she didn’t pull her hand away from his. And Taggart couldn’t summon the inner strength to let go of her.

  * * *

  MEN OF THE WEST: Whether ranchers or lawmen, these heartbreakers can ride, shoot—and drive a woman crazy!

  Dear Reader,

  Welcome back to Yavapai County, Arizona! Spring has arrived and Three Rivers Ranch is hopping with activity. Calves and foals are being born every day, hay meadows are growing, cowboys are moving the herds to greener pastures and the Hollisters are welcoming a new foreman to keep everything in order.

  Widower Taggart O’Brien has arrived on Three Rivers with only one thing in mind—doing his job and doing it well. He certainly isn’t looking for love. That is, until he meets Emily-Ann Broadmoor, the one and only waitress at Conchita’s coffee shop. The talkative redhead is unlike any woman he’s known and though he tries to squash his attraction for her, he soon finds himself yearning for coffee and pastries.

  In spite of catching Camille Hollister’s bridal bouquet at her friend’s Christmas wedding, Emily-Ann seriously doubts she’ll ever find a man to marry. Men didn’t fall in love with her—they simply wanted a fun date before they moved on. She thinks Taggart is no different from the other guys who’d let her down. Yet the more time she spends with the man, the more her heart wants to believe the bridal bouquet might actually bring her true love.

  I hope you enjoy reading Taggart and Emily-Ann’s love story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

  God bless the trails you ride,

  Stella Bagwell

  The Texan Tries Again

  Stella Bagwell

  After writing more than eighty books for Harlequin, Stella Bagwell still finds it exciting to create new stories and bring her characters to life. She loves all things Western and has been married to her own real cowboy for forty-four years. Living on the south Texas coast, she also enjoys being outdoors and helping her husband care for the horses, cats and dog that call their small ranch home. The couple has one son, who teaches high school mathematics and is also an athletic director. Stella loves hearing from readers. They can contact her at [email protected].

  Books by Stella Bagwell

  Harlequin Special Edition

  Men of the West

  Her Kind of Doctor

  The Arizona Lawman

  Her Man on Three Rivers Ranch

  A Ranger for Christmas

  His Texas Runaway

  Home to Blue Stallion Ranch

  The Rancher’s Best Gift

  The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose

  Fortune’s Texas Surprise

  The Fortunes of Texas: The Lost Fortunes

  Guarding His Fortune

  Montana Mavericks: The Lonelyhearts Ranch

  The Little Maverick Matchmaker

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  To my beloved editor, Gail Chasan.

  This one is for you!

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from Wyoming Special Delivery by Melissa Senate

  Chapter One

  “If I hear anyone mention that damned bridal bouquet one more time I’m going to scream,” Emily-Ann Broadmoor muttered. “Catching the flowers at your wedding is not going to get me a husband. The whole idea is a silly old wives’ tale. So why do you keep harping on the subject?”

  Unaffected by her friend’s annoyed outburst, Camille Waggoner chuckled and used her toe to push the wooden glider into a rocking motion.

  From their comfortable seat beneath a large, old cottonwood, Emily-Ann could see a portion of the Hollister family, along with many friends and ranch hands, beginning to gather beneath the roof that covered the wide patio behind the Three Rivers Ranch house. Tonight, Maureen Hollister, the matriarch of the family, was throwing a barbecue for two reasons. For the first time in more than two years, Camille, the prodigal daughter, was back for a short visit. And second, the massive ranch was welcoming a new foreman.

  “I’m not harping,” Camille said, “and you don’t think the folklore is nonsense. That’s why you’re afraid. That’s why you don’t want me, or anyone else, suggesting that your time as a single woman is coming to an end.”

  Emily-Ann stared at her best friend since elementary school, until the absurdity of Camille’s prediction caused her to burst out laughing.

  “Camille, pregnancy has done something to your brain. You’re losing touch with reality.”

  Smiling smugly, Camille pressed her left hand to her growing belly and Emily-Ann didn’t miss the diamond wedding ring sparkling on her finger. Camille Hollister had become Matthew Waggoner’s wife nearly four months ago in a beautiful little Christmas ceremony down on Red Bluff, the Hollisters’ second Arizona ranch.

  Since then, Emily-Ann had never seen her friend so happy. And why not? After being the foreman at Three Rivers Ranch for many years, Matthew was now manager of Red Bluff, along with being one of the sexiest men to ever step foot in Yavapai County and beyond. Plus, he was madly in love with Camille. How could any woman be so lucky?

  Certainly not herself, Emily-Ann thought drearily. She considered herself fortunate if she got a wink from the old man behind the meat counter at Wendell’s Groceries.

  “My thinking has never been clearer,” Camille spoke concisely, then reached over and gave Emily-Ann’s hand an affectionate pat. “I’m so glad you could make the party tonight. The two of us haven’t had a chance to spend time together. Not since my wedding and that was such a hectic occasion with so many people around us that we hardly had a chance to t
alk.”

  “We’ve talked on the phone several times since your wedding.”

  Camille frowned. “Not the same. When we have a conversation I want to see you.”

  “You should’ve told me,” Emily-Ann said dryly. “The next time I call we’ll do FaceTime.”

  Camille chuckled. “That’s not the same, either. So what have you been doing with yourself since the wedding? Other than running Conchita’s?”

  Conchita’s was a little coffee and pastry shop located on a quiet street in Wickenburg. Since Emily-Ann was the only employee, other than the owner who prepared the pastries, the job kept her very busy six days a week. The salary she made was never going to do more than pay her rent and other living expenses, but she loved the job.

  “I don’t have time to do much,” Emily-Ann reasoned.

  “You’re still doing online college classes, aren’t you?”

  Emily-Ann shrugged. “Yes. Just a few more hours and I’ll get my degree. But sometimes I wonder why I chose such a field to get into. I’ll probably make a miserable nurse. Taking care of a sick cat isn’t like tending an ailing human.”

  “I happen to think you’ll make a wonderful nurse. When your mother’s health started to fail, you were always so good with her.”

  “I had to do what I could. We couldn’t afford a real nurse to take care of Mom,” Emily-Ann replied, not wanting to think about that especially hard time in her life.

  “Well, there’s always a demand for nurses.” Camille smiled encouragingly. “You should be able to get a job right in Wickenburg.”

  “Making coffee for my friends would be far less stressful,” Emily-Ann said frankly. “But Mom had a dream for me and I don’t want to disappoint her.”

  Camille slanted her a meaningful glance. “Just like I didn’t want to disappoint Dad about getting a college degree. Now your mom and my dad are both gone. But let’s not dwell on that sad stuff tonight. It’s party time.” With a cheerful smile, Camille reached over and hooked her arm through Emily-Ann’s. “And it looks like Jazelle has just arrived with a cart to restock the bar. Let’s go get something to drink.”

  The two women walked across the backyard to join the group of people mingling on the patio. There were far more guests than Emily-Ann had expected and she was glad she’d taken extra care with her appearance this evening. Even though her mustard-colored blouse and dark green skirt weren’t anything fancy they flattered her curvy figure and she’d taken the time to braid a top portion of her hair and pin it to one side. She’d never be beautiful like Camille or her sister, Vivian, but for tonight she felt as though she looked decent.

  “Emily-Ann! I didn’t know you had arrived!”

  At the sound of the female voice, Emily-Ann turned to see Maureen Hollister hurrying toward her. The lovely woman in her midsixties gathered her up in a tight hug.

  “I’m so glad you could come tonight and be with Camille,” she said happily. “My two little gingers. It’s just like old times seeing you girls together.”

  “Except that now we don’t have our matching bangs and Groovy Girls dolls,” Emily-Ann joked.

  Maureen laughed. “Too bad you grew out of those days. But I have the dolls packed away in a trunk of toys. Someday you two might want to give them to your daughters.”

  “Uh—in about three months or so, if Camille has a girl, she’ll need hers,” Emily-Ann told her. “But you might as well keep mine packed away in mothballs.”

  Maureen wagged a finger at her. “You’re forgetting, honey. You caught Camille’s wedding bouquet. Your time is coming!”

  Laughing, Camille rolled her eyes toward Emily-Ann. “Don’t scream.”

  Confused by her daughter’s remark, Maureen frowned. “Scream? Why would she want to do something like that?”

  “Nothing important,” Emily-Ann answered, then quickly steered the conversation in a different direction. “Thank you for inviting me tonight, Maureen. I can’t wait to eat some of Reeva’s barbecue. Is there anything I can do to help in the kitchen?”

  “Not a thing. I want you and Camille to stay out of the kitchen. Katherine and Vivian are helping with the food and Isabelle and Roslyn, bless their hearts, have volunteered to keep all the little ones upstairs and occupied. So everything is under control, I think.” She looked at Camille. “I need to get back to the kitchen. Be sure and introduce Emily-Ann to the folks she hasn’t met.”

  Maureen hurried away just as a group of men sauntered over to the bar, where Jazelle, the Hollisters’ housekeeper, was mixing drinks. Spotting them, Camille grabbed Emily-Ann’s arm and tugged her in the direction of the men.

  “Come on, I want you to say hi to my brothers.”

  Emily-Ann had never been a bashful person and she loved meeting people, which was the main reason she loved her job at the coffee shop. But for some reason tonight, she felt hesitant about joining the group of men to say hello.

  “I honestly don’t think they want to waste their time with me, Camille,” Emily-Ann suggested. “Let’s just get a drink and go back to the glider.”

  Camille frowned at her. “Since when have you turned into a wallflower? Now quit being ridiculous and come on.”

  Camille tugged her forward and Emily-Ann had no choice but to follow her friend over to the group of men, all of whom were dressed casually in jeans and boots and various shades and styles of cowboy hats.

  “Hi, guys,” Camille greeted. “I thought you all might want to say hello to Emily-Ann.”

  Holt, the middle sibling of the Hollister clan, stepped forward with a wide grin. “I want to do more than say hi. I want a hug from Little Red.”

  Laughing at the nickname Holt had given her years ago, Emily-Ann hugged the tall, good-looking cowboy, who’d often been considered the wild playboy of the bunch. Now the horseman was settled down with a wife and new baby son.

  “Hello, Holt.” Stepping back from his affectionate hug, she smiled at him. “How does it feel to be a new father?”

  The twinkle in his eyes was the same sort of joy Emily-Ann saw on Camille’s face. Yes, the Hollister siblings were all happily married with children and babies now. The reality left Emily-Ann feeling as though she was standing on the porch in the cold rain, while everyone inside the house was cheery and warm and together.

  “Having a son is just incredible,” Holt responded to her question. “Even if I have to get up in the night to change diapers.”

  “Hah!” Blake, the eldest of the Hollister brothers and manager of Three Rivers Ranch, reacted with a short laugh. “I think I’ll ask Isabelle just how many diapers you’ve changed in the wee hours of the morning.”

  “Not nearly as many as me,” Chandler, the veterinarian of the group, boasted.

  Chuckling, Joseph, the deputy and youngest Hollister, gouged an elbow in Chandler’s ribs. “That’s what you think, brother. Blake has us all beat. He has twins.”

  “Thank you, Joe,” Blake said with an appreciative grin.

  Camille pulled a playful face at her brothers. “I didn’t bring Emily-Ann over here to listen to you four boast about your diaper changing. You’re supposed to be saying hello to her.”

  “Hello, Emily-Ann!” they all said in loud unison.

  Emily-Ann could feel a blush stinging her cheeks. It was true she’d known the wealthy Hollister family for years, but since Camille had moved away, she’d not been here to the ranch for any reason and she felt a little awkward about showing up tonight. In spite of Camille being a dear friend, that didn’t put Emily-Ann on their social calendar.

  Just as that self-deprecating thought went through her mind, Blake stepped forward and gathered her up in a hug. “I see you at Conchita’s fairly often, but it’s nice to have you here on the ranch. Jazelle is mixing drinks. Tell me what you’d like and I’ll get it.”

  “Not yet,” Camille told him, her gaze searching the e
ver-growing crowd. “I thought Matthew and Tag might be over here with you guys. Where—oh, I see them coming now.”

  Grabbing her by the upper arm, Camille tugged her forward and Emily-Ann followed, albeit reluctantly. She was fairly acquainted with Matthew, Camille’s husband, but the tall cowboy with him was a total stranger to her. A wide-brimmed cowboy hat, the color of dark coffee, shaded a tanned face with roughly honed features. His eyes were hooded beneath a pair of dark brows, while his chin jutted forward just enough to give him a dash of arrogance. Or it could be the way he was looking at her, as though she was a geek, or worse, that made him seem arrogant. Either way, Emily-Ann would’ve been happy to avoid the man entirely. But she couldn’t escape the tight hold Camille had on her arm. Not without making a scene.

  “So you two finally made it to the party?” Camille teased, directing the question mostly to her husband.

  Matthew’s grin was a bit guilty. “Sorry, honey, I’ve been showing Tag some of the more important things down at the ranch yard.”

  “Uh-huh,” she said with a perceptive smile, “like the saddles and tack and training arena and cow barn and—”

  Matthew stopped her with a laugh. “We didn’t get that far,” he said, then inclined his head toward Emily-Ann. “Nice to see you again, Emily-Ann. Glad you could make it to the party.”

  “Thank you, Matthew,” Emily-Ann replied, while trying not to pay extra notice to the tall, hard-looking cowboy standing next to him. From this distance, she could see his eyes were warm brown and his hair a mixture of rust and chocolate. “It’s wonderful having you and Camille back at Three Rivers. Even if it’s just for a short while.”

  She felt Camille’s hand urging her to take a step toward the foreman, and though she wanted to glower at her friend, Emily-Ann purposely kept a smile fixed upon her face.

  “Tag, I’d like for you to meet Emily-Ann Broadmoor, my best friend since childhood,” Camille introduced. “And Emily-Ann, this is Taggart O’Brien. He’s going to be Three Rivers’s new foreman.”