A Cowboy at Heart: A Sweet Romance (Sweet Mountain Ranch Book 1) by Laura Haley-McNeil

Author:Laura Haley-McNeil [Haley-McNeil, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Huerfano Press, LLC
Published: 2024-06-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Rachel lay still. Pressing fingers to her lips, she tried to still the emotions rising within her as the conversation she’d had with Levi swept over her with a flood of warmth.

Levi McSweeney—the crush of her life—no, he was more than that, but how much more—had confessed something she’d never expected, something she had longed to hear.

How many times had her brother warned her not to make a fool of herself? She had thought it was to save himself from embarrassment, which was the last thing she wanted. She adored Jonathan. He was admired in the community, and she didn’t want to do anything that would make him regret her actions.

Now she realized it had been for her sake not her brother’s, that he had warned her about mooning over Levi. Other girls had done that. Some of the results had led to uncomfortable situations. In this small town, nothing went unnoticed. She was grateful Jonathan had wisely advised her to take control of her emotions. She would have died of mortification if the chattering in the school halls had been about her.

The sharp ring from her phone cut through her thoughts. She glanced at the screen. Jonathan’s name appeared and her heart lifted. She pressed the speaker icon.

“Hey, big brother.” A call from him was the distraction she needed.

“Pipsqueak, how are you?” He sounded breathless and she wondered if he’d just returned from a run. Since high school, he’d run marathons.

“Fine. It’s good to hear from you. How are you? You sound winded.”

“Yeah, I’m in training for another marathon, but rumor has it you gave everyone a bit of a scare.” He sounded as if he were pacing.

“Who said that?” she asked in surprise.

Levi? He and Jonathan still kept in touch. She doubted he would share a confidence. He respected her personal decisions.

“The usual suspects,” he said. “I spoke with Mom and Dad. They’ll be calling soon.”

“Good.” Talking to family made her feel better already. “I have lots of news to share,” she said and told him about her substitute teaching position at the elementary school.

“I’m glad you had the opportunity,” he said, sounding genuinely overjoyed. She had always appreciated having him in her corner. “I knew you’d do well no matter where you went. Sorry to cut this short. I have a meeting, but I wanted to make sure you were all right. It sounds like you are.”

“Yes, I’m fine.” She stilled the disappointment rising in her chest. She’d always loved talking to her brother, but they weren’t kids anymore. They were adults leading busy lives.

“I’ll call you later in the week, but if you need anything, call me immediately. I’ll come out there if I need to,” he said.

“That won’t be necessary, but I appreciate the offer,” she said. In big brother fashion, he was always looking out for her.

“Talk to you soon, sis,” he said.

After disconnecting the call, Rachel checked her phone and was surprised to see that her parents had been calling her since Monday.

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