Title: LOVE HORSING AROUND
Author: SONJA GUNTER
Genre: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Book Blurb:
Alisa Highland’s, love for horses and barrel racing has been put through a lot, since coming off a suspension from the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. Hardships and obstacles, push her to her limits and turns to the cowboys to make ends meet to save her ranch.
Dr. Lance Rangle, her ex-fiancé, returns to help his father with the veterinarian clinic. An emergency visit brings Alisa and him, face-to-face. Their encounter reveals they still have feelings for each other.
The past lunges forward, and their unfinished business comes front and center. Will their love be enough to survive life’s new hurdles?
Excerpt:
“Breaker—breaker.”
Noise crackled from the CB.
“Go ahead breaker.”
“I need a ten-thirteen heading north.” Asking for an
update on the weather was sometimes just to pass the time,
but not tonight.
“Snowplows are on the road. White stuff as far as the
Twin Cities.”
“Ten-four. Going south, same to the state line.”
She hung up the mic wishing she hadn’t traveled alone
but she did it by choice. A convoy could be helpful, but at the
same time they often created problems. Most of the straight
cowboys approached her for a quickie during stops and the
women were rude. It was the price she paid to keep her bad
reputation and help her gay friends.
Her theory was it was better to stay away from trouble,
than to encourage it or let someone into her private affairs
was rock on.
An urge to walk away from the rodeo life nagged her. The
comeback she’d hoped for was far from the reality. If she did
walk, she now had names of riders wanting Xavier. Then on
the other hand, she could contact Rosalind to see if she
wanted to buy Xavier and Lady Luck. Talk at the rodeo was
Rosalind and her husband were setting up a sanctuary and a
training center.
Her mind played out each option, not liking any of them.
Suddenly the truck jerked. She gripped the wheel and
checked the trailer in the mirror. Not taking any chances she
watched for the next exit. A sign came into view and said
Road Racer ahead just across the Iowa border into Minnesota.
Ten minutes later, she pulled off Interstate 35W into the
gas station and parked. She hurried to the trailer. Opening
the side door, she used the flashlight on her phone.
“Xavier?”
No sound.
No neigh to welcome her. She stepped into the trailer and
found him lying down.
“No!”
In panic mode she went in further, squatted and lifted his
head. He made an odd whinny sound, and then tried to
stand.
“Xavier, hold on.”
She urged him to his feet. Once he was up on all four legs,
she backed out, slammed the door, and hurried into the
truck. Tapping her phone, she hit CALL for the Countryside
Veterinary Hospital.
“Thank you for—”
“I have an emergency!”
“I’m sorry, Dr. Rangle is not in. I can page him.”
“You call Doctor Rangle and tell him to get his ass back to
the hospital. Xavier is sick.”
“Miss Highland, I’m sorry you’ll…”
“I don’t have time for this. Call and tell Dr. Rangle to be
there in thirty minutes. Got it?”
“I can’t tell you he’ll be here when you arrive, but—”
“Just do it, Patty. I’m on my way.”
She hit End Call, shifted the truck into gear. The next
thirty miles lasted a lifetime.
The exit for Highway Fourteen came into view, Alisa
turned on her signal, and breathed easier. She couldn’t lose
another horse.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Through the falling snow the Countryside Veterinary
Hospital building appeared. Alisa hauled ass into the parking
lot. Jamming the shifter into park, she hurried to the trailer.
The horrid stench gagged her. With shaking hands, she
unlocked the side door.
“May I help you?”
Did Dr. Rangle have a cold? His voice was deeper than
normal.
“Can’t you smell it? I don’t know what’s wrong. I stopped
—I checked on him—and found him—he seems to be in
pain. He’s been whinnying and shit all over.”
Freeing the lead rope, the shadows hid Dr. Rangle and
then she saw he was positioned at the opened rear gate.
“Ready here,” he shouted.
His voice barely audible, but yet she heard the anxiety in
the two words.
“Back, Xavier, back.”
Her commands didn’t work. Xavier resisted and reared up.
She clicked her tongue again and again until he stepped
backward out of the trailer.
“I’ll take it from here.”
Again, despite the situation she thought Dr. Rangle
sounded different. She extended her hand and the rope to
him once he’d moved out of the shadows.
Alisa’s eyes widened. Her heart thumped in her chest.
The man next to her wasn’t old Dr. Rangle, but his son Lance.
The one and only man who she’d loved and now hated for all
time.
When had he returned?
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Rodeo… Horses…. Falling in love again…
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Author Biography:
Sonja Gunter
I was born and raised in the cold and beautiful Minnesota, but I escaped to Illinois for seventeen years to raise my two boys, and now I call Florida home. My husband Andy, who’s always been my hero, has put up with my late night computer typing and endless stacks of papers with my stories on them. We have one furry friend as family: Chip, a sixteen year old ragdoll cat.
Life has been full of ups and downs, but I’ve made it through the hard times. I love to travel and go to Disney World to trade pins. I’ve been a bowler for many years, and you can catch me writing my next novel at the lanes.
I encourage you to check out my web site, www.sonjagunter.com for more info and don’t be surprised if I let my Norwegian heritage come through in my stories.
Go Vikings! You betcha!
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