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  Title, Sub-Title, Author and Copyright

  Title: Maggie’s Heart

  Subtitle: Western Romance Novel

  Author: Kelsey Graves

  © Copyright 2019 by Kelsey Graves

  All rights reserved.

  In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Thanks for Reading this sweet and clean book!

  Table of Contents

  Title, Sub-Title, Author and Copyright

  Maggie’s Heart

  Description

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Maggie’s Heart

  Description

  Margaret Smith was an accomplished CPA with a large California firm in LA. She was married to her job, but that changed when her friend invited her for a vacation on a Wyoming Dude Ranch. Little did Maggie know that she would fall in love, but with the wrong man. Could she move past her mistake and find the love she didn’t know she was looking for?

  The Carter family owned the ranch that Maggie and Candie had chosen. Steve, the oldest son, was responsible for the daily running of the ranch when the California girls came to find adventure. He rescued Maggie from the man who meant her harm but happened to develop feelings for the woman, something he had not bargained for. Twists of fate prevented him from pursuing those feelings. Was he destined to continue his life without love?

  Chapter 1

  The buildings rose like sculptures against the early morning sky. The sun shone, but not as brightly as other places in the state, no thanks to the astronomical volume of cars in the limited space of the city landscape. Even at five o’clock in the morning, the noise was building to the normal everyday crescendo of horns blaring and the sounds of a city at work.

  Margaret Schmidt rose and began her daily routine. After a grueling workout on her elliptical, she headed to the shower to wash away signs of the morning training. Maggie was an exact person who loved the routine of doing things in order, from her preparation for the day to the numbers she crunched so exactly in her line of work.

  She took her time dressing in her pale green linen suit, which matched her soft flaxen blond hair and sea-green eyes. Make-up was applied and her new light beige Louboutin heels slid onto her feet perfectly. She looked at herself in the mirror. A petite woman of twenty-five peered back at the image of perfection that graced the view from the glass. She smiled, grabbed her alligator leather briefcase and her purse, and proceeded down the hall from her apartment to face another day in the corporate jungle.

  And a jungle it was. Maggie had landed the ideal job as the lead CPA in a conglomerate of corporations that lead the market in several operations based on oil and gas holdings, among other enterprises. She spearheaded a team of bright young people like herself, more than capable of their jobs and dedicated to their tasks and duties. Maggie couldn’t ask for another position that pleased her as well. She stepped off the elevator to the calm atmosphere of the offices where two well-dressed receptionists brightened visibly and smiled at her as they greeted her.

  Maggie nodded and smiled back, the consummate businesswoman in her element. She strode down the hall confidently, her heels tapping a staccato beat on the wood floors as she walked, smiling and greeting those she encountered along the way. To say that everyone scurried along after her passage was nothing new. The workers knew she expected a full day’s job from each and everyone, and she knew somehow of all the slips that occurred in her arena. No one ever figured out how that happened. They suspected she had hidden cameras everywhere. Little did they know that Maggie simply watched and observed and was very good at her job.

  Her day was full of meetings, reports to the board on her progress in the Irish deal, and a presentation to some Japanese businessmen who were looking to join the enterprises in the far east. Her junior associate, Candie Stern, greeted her at the door to her office, bombarding her with information as she entered and placed her things on her desk.

  “I took the liberty of preparing those files you wanted on the Alaska project and put together some stats for the meeting this afternoon. Your presentation to the Board is all set up in the conference room, but some late stats came in for an update. Here is that file for you to browse over before you go in. And, Good morning to you.”

  Candie flashed that disarming smile she was famous for that set all the men around her on fire. She was a chipper person, always looking on the bright side. Her brown Shirley Temple curls and her slight build belied an aggressive, protective attitude when it came to her friends and colleagues.

  Maggie chuckled. “Good morning to you. Thanks for doing that. I was all prepared to finish up those stats myself. I was not looking forward to scurrying around this morning. You know how I hate last-minute details,” She grimaced. “I hate that I am so set in my ways, but it’s what I do. Can’t fight your genetics, right?”

  “No worries,” Candie responded cheerfully. “That’s why you have my talented and superior brain at your disposal so I can ease your burdens and brighten your woefully boring days.”

  Maggie nodded and smiled. “Yes, there is that.” She glanced over the file in her hands. “Give me a minute to absorb this, and I will be ready to head over to the conference room. You will be there for any slip-ups, right?”

  “Just point me in the right direction, and I will save your bacon if necessary. Besides, you need me for that meeting with the Japanese.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I happen to speak the language.” Candie stuck her chin up in the air and strolled out of the room. Maggie chuckled to herself as she sat down at the glass desk, which had all her needs neatly placed where she could access them easily. Her office was as well-appointed and uncluttered as her apartment, modern yet inviting and warm.

  Maggie’s day came to a close with the Japanese contingent happy with her presentation and Maggie tired but pleased with the outcomes she had accomplished that day. Candie popped her head in the door of the office. “Drinks for the happy team at O’Leary’s in thirty minutes. I expect to see you there. No excuses.” Candie glared at her friend knowingly. She worked hard to offer her workaholic friend some downtime. Maggie had never been good at that, even in high school. Candie remembered tugging her out to the ball games and dances, Maggie dragging her heels in the dirt. Maggie was a perfectionist and did not do well with spontaneous occurences. It was Candie’s job to provide that spontaneity, which she did in spades.

  Maggie sighed. “Fine. That means I’ll have to work on that Alaska deal later. It has to be done in three days.” Candie rolled her eyes. “That’s what your team is for. Let us do the heavy work. You need to play once in a while. Now, grab your bag, and let’s go. If we’re early, we can get the best table.” She grabbed Maggie by the arm and Maggie’s purse with the other and off they went.

  O’Leary’s was getting crowded even at that early hour. The girls found a table in the corner away from the door and the chaos at the bar. They settled in, waving the rest of their group over as they arrived. Maggie found herself with two shots and a vodka tonic in front of her. If I drink all of this, I will be in no shape to work later tonight. She shrugged and downed the first shot. It’s a celebration for a job th
at took months to put together. I deserve a little happiness out of the deal. She downed the next one and began sipping on her drink.

  Candie smiled to herself as she watched her friend begin to unwind. I worry about her. She’s so tense and driven all the time. She needs some leisure time that’s longer than one night at the pub. Candie raised her glass for a toast. “To all of our hard work. May it never go unnoticed.” Everyone cheered and clinked their glasses together. Maggie was smiling and enjoying herself for the first time in a long minute.

  The next morning was not near as fun as the night before. Maggie woke with the thrumming of a fine headache and a mouth that tasted like an army had marched through. She brushed her teeth and fixed a tonic that she had learned of in college when Candie would make her go out. She downed that and began her daily routine.

  She found herself less than patient at work all day and went home that night to an empty loft and a heavy heart. She never wanted to feel like this, but I found it more common than I prefer. She couldn’t seem to work away the loneliness. She plopped herself down on her couch and slipped off her heels. She pulled down the comforter over her legs and curled up. She fell asleep with the TV playing the late night-shows, her heart heavy and alone.

  Chapter 2

  The dust raised from the herded cattle choked the throats of the hands driving them. It was time to move up to the mountain pastures and allow the animals to freely graze on the fresh mountain grasses. It allowed the pastures around the ranch a break to rebuild with fresh fodder for the winter months. Steve wiped the dust off his face with a kerchief and watched his men work. They gathered the cows expertly and herded the wanderers back into the fold with calculated movement free of excess effort.

  Steve caught the movement of a calf in the bushes ahead of him. His quarter horse advanced without effort to herd the small baby back into the fold. The calf bawled loudly at his mama, who moved over to guide him. Steve loved this part of his job. It allowed him to be out in the open with little interference from others, free to take in the country and work the cattle, a job that his great-grandfather did back on the day. He loved the ranch and all that it represented. Sure, there was the money, but the work was what kept him there.

  The other side of the ranch, what was determined the dude ranch, was run by his mother and father, who kept a group of cabins decorated in the western theme, providing the real-life working ranch atmosphere to their patrons who came from all over the world to taste a bit of the west. Steve’s only part in all that was to provide some maintenance needs and help with the trail rides for the patrons.

  Although it was fun to meet some of the guests, Steve found most of them naïve and inexperienced with his horses, which caused him a great deal of concern for the horses more than the riders. Why anyone would want to come and get saddle-sore just to say they had been on a real ranch was beyond him.

  His crew got the cattle moving in the right direction, and they led the herd up the foothills into the mountain range. The cattle settled in quickly, while the guys ate some lunch Bess had packed for them that morning. Taking a bite of his chicken leg, Scott remarked on the drive. “Them cows moved pretty fast today. You’d think they knew where they were going. Hell, I don’t move that fast even when I see a pretty girl in the bar that I want to buy a drink for.” Everybody shook their heads and chuckled. Scott Schultz was a true ladies’ man and had made more conquests among the females of Buffalo and the surrounding area than any other cowboy around.

  Gus interjected, “Yeah, but they had a goal in mind, not just a drink or two and a quick run through the truck.” “You hurt my delicate sensitivities with those words. That’s just plain mean, man.” “Just saying it like it is. No sugar-coating here.” Gus was known for his caustic tongue and his mean streak, which he kept mostly under wraps at work. He had been in a lot of bar brawls, however, and had spent many nights in jail but never had done any time for his antics. No one chuckled at that. They finished their meals and got back on their horses to head down to the ranch and other work.

  Steve pulled in the yard and got out of his truck. His dad, Carl, came out to help him bring in the groceries. “Looks like you bought out the store here, boy,” Carl commented as he hefted a twenty-pound bag of potatoes. “Nothing that wasn’t on Mom’s list. You know how she is. This time of year, there might be a storm, so she likes to have plenty stocked up.” Carl nodded. “She is a frugal woman. But I think that’s one of the things I love about her the most.” He turned to go into the kitchen with his load.

  Bess scurried around, putting away groceries as the men brought them in. She was a short, stocky little woman, grey-haired and pretty. Bess patted Steve on the back. “Thank you for shopping for me. I had those cinnamon rolls in the oven already and I had Cabin # 3 to get ready for that group from Cheyenne that are coming tonight.” “Not a problem, Mom,” Steve remarked. “I know how busy this keeps you, and I had to go in for some supplies anyway. It wasn’t any trouble.” “Well, you have as much or more responsibility than we do at times, so it’s always a blessing when you can help out.”

  Steve went into the large office where he and his mom shared business space and sat down at the smaller desk in the corner. He flipped open his laptop and began pounding on the keys. He was trying to get ahead of the game as far as monies going out of the two areas. He had taken business courses while in college for his agricultural degree and worked hard to apply those principals to the running of the ranch. It seemed that the ranch did not keep up the flow of cash like it should be doing, and he was struggling to find out how to make ends meet.

  He hoped that the summer months would bring in a good amount of people to visit and enjoy the mountains. It had been slow the last few years on that side, and he had spent some time producing a web page that advertised the guest ranch well. It had increased their reservations somewhat. There were none for today. He sighed and slammed down the lid of the computer. He stared out the window at the mountains that rose above the valley of the ranch itself. They were lush and full of life with the varied greenery showing from the new spring growth. Grandpa would be proud of how the ranch looks. It burns me to think that generations of Carters have lived here, and I will be the one to let it go up in flames. It has withstood forest fires, droughts, and cattle wars, but I can bring it down with a bang just from not being able to make ends meet. Well, I’m a Carter, and I will not go down without a fight.

  Chapter 3

  Candie unveiled her plot for happiness and relaxation the next day. She plopped herself in Maggie’s office on the couch. “Say, I have a proposition for you.” Maggie grimaced. “If it’s another blind date, I’m not interested. That last one was so boring I almost fell asleep and drowned in my soup.” They both laughed loudly. “Yeah, that was not one of my better deals, was it?” Candie chuckled. “No, seriously, I have a plan for an adventure that is guaranteed to give you memories for years to come.” She paused for effect. “A dude ranch in Wyoming.”

  Maggie looked up from her work. She raised her eyebrows and tipped her head. “A what, where?” Candie stood and began to pace, talking excitedly as she went back and forth in front of Maggie’s desk. “You heard me. A dude ranch in Wyoming. The open skies, mountains, horses, cute cowboy butts.” She stopped in front of the desk and pointed at Maggie. “A vacation. You remember those, right? Where you actually get away from it all and do something totally out of character?”

  “I researched all the data carefully. There’s this place outside of Buffalo, Wyoming, where you can stay for as long as you want in a fancy cabin, riding horses, playing cowgirl, and getting to meet some cowboys.” Candie stopped talking and clasped her hands to her heart, looking up at the ceiling lost in thought. “Romance might ensue and take us on a path we have never been on before.” She looked at Maggie with those big brown eyes. “What you say, girlfriend, you up for that?”

  Maggie put her hand to her forehead and chuckled. “Oh, my God, Candie, you are absolutely amazing. Wher
e did you find this hairbrained scheme, and how much is this going to set me back?” Candie pretended to be wounded. “You are so cruel. All I’m trying to do is get you away from all of this,” she waved her hand around the office, “and someplace where you can’t crunch numbers for a change. Go with the flow here. Think about how much fun this could be.” She wiggled her brows. “Hmm?”

  Maggie shook her head again as she looked at her friend, all smiles and expectations. What could it hurt? I need to get out of here and maybe some time away might help chase away the gloom that’s been settled over my head. What could it hurt, really? Maggie took a deep breath. “All right, I’m in.” Candie clapped her hands and screamed, “Oh, you will be so glad you said yes!” Maggie held up her hand. “You will have the whole floor in here wondering what’s going on. Settle down. It’s just a vacation. A little time off, nothing more.”

  Candie had to go back to work once she got Maggie to agree to the vacation, but the two met for drinks and supper after work to cement their plans.

  “So, when do you want to take this adventure? I read up on the best times, and it seems that you want to wait until July. That way, the snow is off the mountains and it’s relatively dry with less mud and such. I mean, if I am getting new clothes to sport my western look, I don’t want to ruin them the first few days out, right?” “Hmm, you seem to have this all figured out. There is the Ellbogen contract that needs to be finished up and a lot of digging into their investments to make sure it is all above board for our clients. And the Knox case, with so many corporate loopholes that I will be buried knee-deep in that investigation for months. I don’t know, maybe the end of July? That gives us three months to figure out all of this and, unless there are more big cases that the rest of the crew can’t handle, we should be fine.” Maggie sighed deeply. “I just don’t know if it is a good idea. What if some accident happens on a horse or something? Who will take my place then? You are capable but I wanted you to get some more time under your belt to give you all the best advantages and then turn you lose on some of the smaller cases by yourself.” “Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence,” Candie smirked. “Besides, there isn’t going to be any accidents. You are such a worrywart, Maggie. Geez.” Candie shook her head. “We will be fine, you’ll see.” Candie waved the barmaid over for another round.