The Lionhearted Cowboy Returns by Patricia Thayer Read Free Book Online

their secret place. I didn’t want to intrude, so I never pushed for a location.”
    Jeff tried to remember all the places he’d gone with Trevor when they were kids. They’d both loved to investigate everything, and they’d pretty much had free rein of the ranch. Suddenly he recalled a place along the back of the Guthrie property. A rock formation. It was so cool; they’d sworn never to tell anyone. He guessed Trevor had never even told Lacey.
    “Did Trevor ever mention a place called Three Rock Ridge?”
    She looked thoughtful. “I did overhear him mention that name once. Oh, Jeff, do you think Colin went there?”
    His spirits brightened, too. “I’m not sure, but I’m going to find out.” He walked through the door, around to the lean-to and Brandon’s horse. After tossing the blanket over Shadow’s back, he reached for the saddle before Lacey showed up.
    “What are you doing?” she asked.
    “I’m going to find Colin,” he told her.
    “You can’t, Jeff. I’ll call Brandon.”
    He turned to her. “Why? Don’t you think I’m capable of finding your son?”
    “It’s not that,” she said, then paused. “It’s just you’ve only gotten out of the hospital—”
    “And I don’t have a leg anymore so I can’t possibly do anything,” he finished for her flatly.
    “No, that’s not what I meant.” She gripped his hand. “You said it yourself, you haven’t been on a horse in a long time. What if something happens to you out there?”
    “Nothing is going to happen to me, I know where I’m going.”
    “Then wait for Brandon,” she pleaded.
    “I’m asking you to trust me on this. We don’t have time to lose, Lace. We’re running out of daylight, fast.”
    Jeff continued to tighten the cinch, adjusting the stirrups before leading the horse out. He slipped his right foot into the stirrup, grabbed the pommel and pulled himself up into the saddle. His heart raced as he glanced down at his left leg and guided it into the other stirrup. There was no doubt that it felt strange, but he quickly took control of the spirited animal. He tugged on the reins, putting the horse through long-remembered commands.
    He looked down at her. “Tell Brandon I’m heading northeast about two miles from here. I have my cell phone and I’ll call you when I get there.”
    Lacey came up to the horse and placed her hand on his leg, just above his knee. “Jeff…”
    Her touch bothered him more than he wanted it to. He’d hoped over the years that his feelings for her had faded. They obviously hadn’t. “I’ll bring your son back, Lacey. I promise.”
    “You don’t have to do this,” she insisted.
    She had no idea. “Yes, I do. I owe this to Trevor.”
     
    Thirty minutes later, Jeff’s muscles were tensed, and fatigue had set in. Man, he seemed to have forgotten his years of training. He’d run off without even a flashlight on him. Great, he could see the headlines now: Special Forces Soldier Gets Lost While Looking for Missing Boy.
    As the sun began to set behind the trees, he finally came up to the familiar rock formation. So far, there was no sign of the boy—then he smelled the smoke. A campfire. He swung his leg over the back of the horse, and carefully climbed down. Once he got his footing, he led the animal to the other side of the boulders.
    He stopped, and his heart lurched at the sight of the boy sitting by a small campfire in the clearing. His saddle and blanket were arranged in a makeshift bed. Nearby, his horse, Buddy, was hobbled and grazing in a patch of grass. So the kid knew how to take care of himself.
    Jeff stepped out into the open. “Looks like all the comforts of home.”
    Colin jumped up, looking guilty, then turned on the attitude. “What are you doing here?”
    “I’ll give you three guesses.” With a tug on Shadow’s reins, he walked into camp. “You have to know how worried your mom is.”
    The boy shrugged and sat down. “She treats me like a baby.”
    “Maybe that’s