You'll Always Have my Heart

My Valentine meal is a little snippet that follows a novella I wrote several years ago, called After the Rodeo, part of the Wayback, Texas series at The Wild Rose Press.

After the Rodeo

By Cindy Spencer Pape

Available digitally or in print as part of

The anthology Finding Their Way Back

From The Wild Rose Press

Free Wulfsen learned early on to ride fast, and that rodeo relationships never last. But after one wild weekend in Nevada, the barrel racer finds herself married to bull rider Zane Malone. She’s all set to ask him for a divorce when she takes a fall—and finds out she’ll have more to remember him by than a ring. Now it’s up to Zane to convince Free than love can last after the rodeo’s done and that the real prize is a lifetime together.

A Valentine follow-up: You'll Always Have my Heart: (contains spoilers.)

“This is wonderful,” Freya Malone said as she leaned back on the picnic blanket and let the sun warm her cheeks.

“Well, it’s our first Valentine’s Day,” her husband Zane said, stretching out beside her. “I wanted it to be perfect.” As if to add emphasis, one of the horses tethered to a tree behind them nickered.

“And your mother is thrilled to babysit,” Free added. “I adore Daniel, but it is nice to have a little break.” Not that she was complaining. With Zane’s parents living on the Triple M ranch with them, she had all the help she needed with their three-month-old son.

“Nice to spend a little time alone with my wife,” Zane agreed, leaning down for a kiss. When he’d finished, they were both breathless. Then he pulled a small package from his pocket.

With trembling fingers, she unwrapped it, revealing a heart-shaped turquoise pendant on a heavy silver chain.

“This belonged to my grandmother,” Zane began as he took it from her to clasp the chain around her neck. “My grandfather was an Irish cowboy who saved up and bought some land. He fell in love with a Mexican waitress, and they took a lot of crap from local bigots. But they loved each other until the day they died.”

Tears welled up in Free’s eyes. She loved him so very much. “Thank you.”

His hand cupped her cheek as his dark eyes gazed lovingly into hers. “I know our romance was fast—we never dated, we got married in March, had baby in November. But I wanted to tell you the same thing my Grandad told his wife. I want you to know you’ll always have my heart.”