Grand-Prize Cowboy Read online

  MONTANA MAVERICKS

  Welcome to Big Sky Country, home of the Montana Mavericks! Where free-spirited men and women discover love on the range.

  THE REAL COWBOYS OF BRONCO HEIGHTS

  The young people of Bronco are so busy with their careers—and their ranches!—that they have pushed all thoughts of love to the back burner. Elderly Winona Cobbs knows full well what it is like to live a life that is only half-full. And she resolves to help them see the error of their ways...

  Thanks to his prankster brothers, Boone Dalton has literally hit the jackpot. The strictly jeans rancher has just won a new designer wardrobe from Bronco Heights’s most exclusive shop, and he is fuming—until he meets gorgeous makeover maven Sofia Sanchez. He thinks she could be The One. But Sofia may call it quits when she learns her simple down-home wrangler is really a rich man in disguise...

  Dear Reader,

  This is my first-time effort in the Montana Mavericks continuity and what an honor to be able to participate in a world that has engaged many eager readers for decades. Bronco, Montana, is a special town and I was happy to get the chance to write about a certain cowboy, one of the “new money” Daltons of Bronco Heights.

  Because of his brothers’ practical joke, Boone Dalton wins a contest for a total fashion makeover and in the process meets the love of his life. He’s the proverbial middle child, a peacemaker who smoothed tensions in earlier and tougher years for his family. He’s still bitter toward his father, but when Boone falls in love, he’ll find that he has a lot more in common with Neal Dalton than he imagined.

  Not your classic alpha, Boone is a “horse whisperer” and there’s a little bit of the cinnamon-roll hero in him. He’s ready for a wife and children when he finds the right woman. And he believes from almost the moment they meet that he’s found his future wife in gorgeous Sofia Sanchez.

  But it won’t be easy to get Sofia to settle down. Younger than Boone, she’s got big plans for a bright future and career in high fashion. When she falls in love with Boone, she doesn’t want to lose her grand-prize cowboy, but she’s not ready for all he has to offer. True love doesn’t just involve a rapid heart rate and sweaty palms, but a whole lot of compromise. And I had faith from the beginning that these two would work things out.

  I hope you enjoy Grand-Prize Cowboy as much as I enjoyed writing it! Drop me a line at [email protected]. I love to hear from you.

  Happy reading!

  Heatherly Bell

  Grand-Prize Cowboy

  Heatherly Bell

  Heatherly Bell tackled her first book in 2004, and now the characters that occupy her mind refuse to leave until she writes them a book. She loves all music but confines singing to the shower these days. Heatherly lives in Northern California with her family, including two beagles—one who can say hello and the other a princess who can feel a pea through several pillows.

  Books by Heatherly Bell

  Harlequin Special Edition

  Charming, Texas

  Winning Mr. Charming

  Wildfire Ridge

  More than One Night

  Reluctant Hometown Hero

  The Right Moment

  Harlequin Superromance

  Heroes of Fortune Valley

  Breaking Emily’s Rules

  Airman to the Rescue

  This Baby Business

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

  Barbara, my dear friend.

  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

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Excerpt from Sleigh Bells Ring by RaeAnne Thayne

  Excerpt from Her Christmas Future by Tara Taylor Quinn

  Chapter One

  If Sofia Sanchez read one more contest entry from a frustrated wife, she would simply explode. This particular one, so much like the others, read:

  Please, please, please choose my husband. He desperately needs a makeover. With better clothes, and maybe a haircut, he wouldn’t look so disheveled. You have my promise that I’ll make him wear the new clothes.

  *Anna, (Tony’s wife)

  “This is ridiculous.” Disgusted, Sofia tossed the letter aside.

  Sofia’s boss, Alexis Huntington, owner of BH Couture, where Sofia worked as a stylist, had come up with the idea for the makeover contest as a way to promote their men’s clothing and introduce a new designer line. But the cowboys of Bronco weren’t exactly lining up for the chance to be dressed by fashion experts. Alexis wanted the perfect spokesman to bring in more men, and rather than hire a model, she wanted someone from Bronco. In exchange, the winner would get the wardrobe and agree to a photo shoot for publicity. Alexis had also mentioned possibly a billboard in town, showing the winner in a before and after photo.

  “Another entry from a wife or significant other?” Alexis asked as she turned from the mannequin she was dressing.

  Sofia would much rather be doing that, but in trying to call attention to her value, she’d taken on every dull task at the Bronco Heights boutique. She arrived early, stayed late and tried to make herself indispensable.

  She held up another envelope. “Isn’t any man in Bronco interested in a new wardrobe and a complete makeover?”

  Sofia would have jumped at the chance to win a designer wardrobe. Then again, she only had to think of her brothers to realize that not every man in Bronco cared about the way he dressed. Most, no matter how wealthy, preferred leather, flannel, denim and cowboy boots. The men who did care about clothes, like the Abernathys and Taylors, could already afford them.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll find the perfect man.”

  “Really? Will we?” Sofia smirked at the double entendre, because her boss was a bit of a flirt with their few male clients.

  “You know what I mean.” Alexis smiled back, draping an emerald silk scarf across the mannequin’s neck, then expertly tying it into a knot. “The man who deserves this wardrobe, who really wants it, will come along.”

  Sofia sighed. If they were to find this man, it would be entirely up to her. Glancing at the stack of contest entries, she briefly flashed on the old “find a needle in a haystack” saying. Somewhere in this big pile there was a man who deserved to win. Maybe the wardrobe would be all that stood between him and an executive-level position. She would love to find a man who needed this wardrobe, maybe someone from her side of Bronco Valley, where this could make all the difference to his future. But she wanted this man to write the entry essay, not his frustrated wife or significant other.

  The whole point of the contest was for any man over the age of eighteen to win the wardrobe by writing or emailing to explain how a new look might help or change his life for the better. From there, Sofia would pick the most compelling and qualified entry.

  When the doors to the boutique swung open, indicating they had a customer, Sofia glanced up from the next envelope. Alexis had decided to stay open later in October in anticipation of the coming holidays. Not to mention all the weddings of late. This month it was the big Daphne Taylor and Evan Cruise weddi
ng, which Sofia would attend. She didn’t have a plus-one, but she’d already chosen the perfect dress and accessories.

  She walked over to greet a new customer who had just entered—an elderly woman. Sofia vaguely recognized the nonagenarian. This was the so-called “psychic” of Bronco Ghost Tours, the somewhat eccentric Winona Cobbs. She’d been recently reunited with her daughter, who’d been presumed dead, but actually given up for adoption without her knowledge. The sweet-faced woman whose arm she clung to must be her newly discovered daughter, Daisy McGowan.

  With a glance in Alexis’s direction, who waved Sofia to go ahead, she greeted them. “Welcome. I’m Sofia Sanchez, and I’m a stylist here. How can I help you?”

  “Hello, dear. Aren’t you lovely? I’m here to find the perfect dress. A very special dress for the Taylor-Cruise wedding,” Winona said. “It’s my great-grandson’s wedding, after all.”

  “She already has so many clothes. I don’t know what we’re doing here,” the other woman said with a wry smile. “I’m Daisy McGowan, by the way. And this is my mother, Winona Cobbs.”

  The older woman put a veined hand on her daughter’s arm. “Hush now. I’ve told you that I don’t have anything that feels right. I need a stylist.” She turned to Sofia. “For me, it’s all about instinct. Do you have a sixth sense about clothes?” Winona cocked her head.

  Did she have a sixth sense? When it came to fashion, yes. And more so than anyone else in her somewhat conservative Latino family, Sofia did believe in a muse. She believed in inspiration and creativity, and sometimes they came without any logical explanation.

  “Yes. Sure do.”

  Color, fabric, print, design lines and form. If that was instinct, Sofia had it in spades. Her older sister Camilla had an instinct and head for business, and one of her three brothers was a born teacher. Everyone had their gifts. Sofia had been color-coordinating outfits for the family since age twelve. For her mother and Camilla, anyway. Her brothers wouldn’t let her near their flannel and denim. So they continued to live happily fashion-challenged. Sofia loved them anyway. She, on the other hand, adored the beauty of a perfect outfit and matching accessories. And she’d been accessorizing since grade school, so yeah, one could say that she had a sixth sense.

  “Then I trust you to find me the perfect dress.” Winona pointed at her. “There’s something very honest about your face. I’m getting a feeling about you.”

  “My mother has her own psychic booth inside Bronco Ghost Tours,” Daisy said.

  “I’ve heard.”

  Sofia led them to the back of the store with the changing rooms and the mirror. A pristine white leather love seat and matching plush chair sat kitty-corner to racks of clothing and cases of shoes.

  “Please, take a seat.” Sofia ushered Daisy to the love seat, then took Winona’s frail hand and stood her in front of the mirror. “Based on your lovely alabaster complexion, I’d lean toward white, black or blue because those neutral colors will make your beautiful white hair pop. But since this is a wedding...”

  “No black or white,” Winona said. “Blue sounds wonderful, but it has to feel right.”

  Sofia flipped through the racks, knowing the exact royal blue dress she had in mind.

  “You’re about a size six, yes?” She held up the dress to Winona so she could view it in the three-way mirror, and they both admired the way it draped across her thin frame.

  “Right on the money with my dress size,” Winona said. “That must take a special talent. But this just isn’t right, dear. Darling though it is.”

  Sofia might not always get it right the first time, but she was always close. She could feel it in the air like the snap, crackle and pop of a thrill. She was in her wheelhouse. Flipping through the dresses, she turned to Winona.

  “How do you feel about a bright pop of color?”

  “I’d say you’re speaking my language,” Winona said.

  Sofia had a sense that this small woman was a force to be reckoned with. She chose the long-sleeved red dress from the next rack, a simple and classic dress with a waist-defining tie-belt.

  Draping it over Winona’s form, she met her eyes in the mirror and smiled. “Deep inside, you’re quite fierce, aren’t you?’

  “Not all that deep inside, but yes.” The smile was returned. “This is the one.”

  “It looks like you and my mother will get along just fine,” Daisy added from her chair. “You both have good intuition about people.”

  “You look vibrant,” Sofia told her new client, “and I bet you feel powerful.”

  “I am powerful.” Winona tilted her chin.

  And, of course, she was. Winona was now part of the Abernathy family, after all, one of the biggest ranching dynasties in Bronco Heights. That kind of wealth and influence defined a person.

  Last year, with help from her grandson Evan, Melanie Driscoll and a long-lost journal, Dorothea—known as Daisy to her family—had discovered that she was in fact the long-lost secret child of Winona and Josiah Abernathy, Winona’s first love. Unfortunately, he’d died last year shortly after being reunited with Winona and Daisy. Though she’d only known both of her real parents for a brief time, Daisy was grateful to be able to share time with her mother, and the two were usually found about town together.

  “Please try it on for size while I search for the perfect accessories.”

  Sofia chose silver flats and a black scarf to accessorize and had Winona try on the entire ensemble.

  “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille,” she joked.

  A few minutes later, Sofia carefully wrapped the dress, shoes and scarf, and Winona paid for her purchases.

  While her daughter picked up the shopping bag, Winona zeroed in on the stack of envelopes near the register. She appeared to be in a kind of trance.

  “Those are entries for the contest we’re having.” Sofia briefly touched the stack.

  “That’s the right one, believe me.” Winona pointed to a blue envelope, just one in the stack of contest entries. “I can tell you’ve been searching. Well, this is the one you’ve been looking for. You won’t be sorry.”

  “Why? Do you know who wrote it?”

  “No clue! But it’s the right one.”

  That sounded ridiculous. Winona couldn’t possibly know the winning entry without reading it first.

  “But...why this one?” Sofia asked, picking up the envelope, but Daisy and Winona were already making their way out of the boutique, waving to someone outside.

  Confused but intrigued, Sofia opened it and read.

  My name is Boone Dalton. I’m 31 years old, and I’d like a chance to win the wardrobe. I think I need a total makeover to finally be accepted into Bronco. My family and I moved here two years ago, but we’re not well respected. Sometimes I think that maybe because of the way I dress, I get passed over. I know I shouldn’t care what others think of me, but I’d like the chance to make my family proud. Looks can only go so far, but maybe I can finally prove to everyone that I’m someone they should respect.

  Sofia’s heart gave a powerful tug. How well she remembered years ago when a mean girl had made fun of Sofia’s hand-me-downs. She’d thought the clothes she wore were beautiful until someone pointed out that they were “second rate.”

  “Finally,” she whispered. “Alexis! I think we have a live one.”

  “Great.” Alexis came to join Sofia, who handed her the entry. She read it, too. “Oh, my. Poor guy.”

  “I know. Winona Cobbs said he’s the one! How about that? She just knew and pointed right to the envelope.”

  “You mean Winona Cobbs, Evan Cruise’s great-grandmother? The lady who has a psychic booth at Bronco Ghost Tours?” Alexis shook her head. “I wouldn’t go by her. Read all of them and see if you find another guy. It’s only fair to read them all.”

  Sofia sighed. It wasn’t just Winona’s inp
ut, but she wanted to stop at Boone Dalton. Like Daniel Boone. What a cool name. And the words just jumped off the page, his emotion and desire to be accepted palpable. There was a certain sparkle in that letter that she almost felt in a physical sense. But she shook it off.

  She’d certainly never claimed to be psychic. It didn’t make any sense to be drawn to the letter, or why without explanation she knew he was the one. She wanted to meet this man and help him earn the respect he deserved from whatever hoity-toity people in the Bronco Heights section of town didn’t think him good enough.

  She read the rest of the entries, all from frustrated girlfriends and wives, and one ten-year-old boy who wanted to impress a girl. Pretty cute but BH Couture didn’t have a children’s line. Something to think about. Sofia kept coming back to Boone. Time to make an executive decision. Alexis had put her in charge of this contest, after all.

  Sofia held up the letter. “Guess what? We have a grand-prize winner.”

  And without another thought, she picked up the phone and dialed the number on the entry.

  * * *

  Boone Dalton’s phone buzzed in the pocket of his leather jacket, and he let it go to voice mail. Not that he ever listened to his messages. Who did that? His parents, probably. Not him. He’d just take a look at caller ID and return the call when he got the chance. He led Nugget, the quarter horse he’d been training, back to the stables.

  “You did good today, girl. I don’t know why they claim you’re trouble.”

  At the sound of a bark, he looked down at the white dog with a brown spot over one eye. The dog had just shown up on the ranch a week ago and had taken to following Boone around.

  “You, too, of course. Whatever your real name is.”

  The dog yipped and yapped again, and Boone bent down to give him a quick pat. “Suppose if you stick around here much longer, I might have to give you a name.”

  When his father won big at the gambling tables in Las Vegas, the family had moved to Bronco. He’d then bought Dalton’s Grange, giving Boone the opportunity to follow his dream of training horses. He’d been riding since he was four, and his mother often accused him of liking horses more than he did people. Which wasn’t exactly true.