Marry Me Katie (Whispers In Wyoming Book 7) Read online

  Whispers in wyoming

  Marry Me Katie

  Volume 7

  Lisa M. Prysock

  After Senator Dwight Andrews is forced to make an emergency landing, he and his daughter, Katie, find themselves stuck on The Sweetwater River Ranch Resort in Lander, Wyoming. The trouble is, she hates dirt and doesn’t like horses much either. Katie turns out to be the most unpredictable guest that’s ever happened to The Sweetwater. When she meets a wrangler named McGuire, they are like fire and ice. Can he tame her temper-- and if he does, can true love find a way into their hearts?

  Other Titles by Lisa M. Prysock

  To Find a Duchess, an Inspirational Regency Romance

  The Victorian Christian Heritage Series

  Hannah’s Garden: a Turn of the Century Love Story, Volume 1

  Abigail’s Melody, Volume 2

  The Lydia Collection (May be read in any order)

  The Redemption of Lady Georgiana

  Protecting Miss Jenna

  Persecution & Providence

  Arise Warrior Princess, a 30 Day Devotional Challenge

  The Shoemaker, an Old-Fashioned Regency Christmas Story

  Brides of Grace Hill Series

  Geneva, Garden of Joy, Volume 1

  Whispers in Wyoming Series

  Dreams of Sweetwater River, Volume 3

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means- electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the author.

  Marry Me Katie

  Copyright © 2018 by Lisa M. Prysock

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Design formatting by Lisa M. Prysock; front cover image contributed by cover artist Erin Dameron-Hill. Clip art and illustrations used are public domain and illustrations by the author noted by initials LP or by Lisa Prysock, if any. Any internet links, addresses, or contact information in this book are not guaranteed for the life of the book. Interior text edited by Rachel Skatvold.

  For information or to contact the publisher or author: Lisa Prysock, 7318 Autumn Bent Way, Crestwood, Kentucky 40014, USA

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  This work is cataloged in the Library of Congress.

  Unless paraphrased, otherwise noted or indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

  Marry Me Katie

  Copyright © 2018 by Lisa M. Prysock

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN:

  ISBN-13: 978-1984247575

  ISBN-10: 1984247573

  The ‘Whispers in Wyoming’ Series

  Love Letters & Home, Volume 1

  By Danni Roan

  Heartstruck and Heavensent, Volume 2

  By Kari Trumbo

  Dreams of Sweetwater River, Volume 3

  By Lisa Prysock

  Counting Kadence, Volume 4

  By Danni Roan

  Temptation and Tenderness, Volume 5

  By Kari Trumbo

  Guardian of Her Heart, Volume 6

  By Rachel Skatvold

  Marry Me Katie, Volume 7

  By Lisa Prysock

  Link to the series at Amazon

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books by the Author

  The Whispers in Wyoming Series

  Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23, NIV

  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9, KJV

  Chapter 1

  “Flight #753 to Rockport Regional, come in Rockport Regional Airport… repeat… requesting permission to make an emergency landing… repeat… Flight #753 requesting permission to make an emergency landing. Low on fuel. Repeat… low on fuel.”

  “Hello flight #753… please be advised you are clear for an emergency landing at The Sweetwater River Ranch Resort nationally registered airstrip field. Coordinates to follow… repeat… coordinates to follow.”

  “Are we going to die?” Katie sobbed in the passenger seat of the Cessna. They’d been flying on empty for at least three minutes now.

  “I see it! I can make it out just up ahead…” Senator Andrews attempted to reassure his twenty-three-year-old daughter as the plane began to sputter and lose altitude. He reached for a cushion behind his seat and handed it to Katie. “Here, put this cushion in front of your head, put your head down, and brace for impact! Hold on!”

  Five minutes later, the Cessna flew in nice and slow, bouncing on the ground three times as he made an emergency, crash landing at The Sweetwater. The plane had grazed through some tree branches before reaching the airstrip. That part had been scary and bumpy.

  The Senator, shaken but relieved, managed to climb out of the plane to view the damages. He had avoided a devastating crash and landed them safely except for the tree branches one of the wings had collided with, but he had held on and maintained control. Squinting, it appeared as though four men on horseback with lanterns were approaching the airstrip.

  He turned to briefly inspect the small pleasure plane. The right wing needed repair, as did some of the body after they’d bounced into that patch of trees before he could make it all the way to the airstrip. Breathing a sigh of relief to be on the ground and alive, he moved around to the other side quickly to assist his daughter in exiting the plane. As he circled around he noticed the engine seemed fine. He didn’t see or smell any signs of fire or damages to the engine.

  The Senator opened the passenger door and held his hand out.

  “Daddy,” Katie took her father’s hand and climbed out of the airplane in her red heels and dress. She blinked, looking out into the darkness and fields surrounding them. “Where are we? I see dirt. Dirt everywhere... I hate dirt!”

  “I know Katie, dear… but we’re lucky to even be alive,” he replied.

  “When can we go home?” she demanded to know as the figures on horseback grew closer.

  “Well, we’ll have to have the repairs made to the plane, and then we’ll go home,” he answered. “Now here come some Wyoming cowboys to help us. Be nice!”

  Katie eyed the cowboys as they approached, especially the one on the chestnut stallion in the lead of the rescuers.

  “Whoa boy!” McGuire pulled the reins of his horse to a stop, holding his lantern out. The lights on the airstrip helped a good deal, but in the black of night, the lanterns really helped. “Howdy! Name’s McGuire. McGuire Halston. I see you survived a rough landing with some damages. Everybody okay? Need a ride? We may have some empty cabins or other ‘commodations you can hold up in until your plane is repaired.”

  “I do!” Katie put her hands on her hips and stepped forward. “I need a ride, and so d
oes my father.”

  “Bronson Edwards. Your daughter can ride with McGuire. Would you like a ride, Sir? Otherwise, it’s a long walk from here to the main house,” Bronson explained, tipping his cowboy hat.

  “Thank you. I’m Senator Andrews from Cheyenne.” He was glad he’d worn jeans for the flight. “Call me Dwight. This is my daughter, Katie Andrews.” He accepted Bronson’s hand up onto the back of the horse. At least he didn’t have to worry about anyone stealing the plane for the time being. It wasn’t going to go anywhere with a broken right wing. “We’re both okay… just a little shaken.”

  “Buck Maxheimer…” Buck’s horse edged forward.

  “Jed Dalton… glad you’re both safe, Senator.” Jed and his horse remained still.

  McGuire sidled his horse up to the beautiful girl in the red dress with white dots and extended a strong arm. She had about the prettiest legs he’d ever seen. “Hop on, little lady!”

  Katie blinked in the lantern light, but realized she didn’t have much choice. She accepted the strong arm as he pulled her up onto the back of the horse in one graceful swoop.

  “Hold on tight!” McGuire instructed.

  At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. Job 5:22, ESV

  Chapter 2

  “That’s all I’ve got to do? Let the chickens out for some exercise and let the first three horses in the stalls on the left out for water?” Katie repeated to the boy who moments ago introduced himself as Micah.

  “Yep!” Short blond curls nodded back at her from beneath Micah’s child-sized cowboy hat as he kicked at the patch of dirt near the covered bridge. “That’s right. The chickens will do fine free ranging and the horses will find the trough themselves. They do it ever’day.”

  Exercise, huh? All right. She could manage that. She eyed the young boy warily and reluctantly agreed to handle his chores so he could stop crying and have a break from doing his brother’s chores. She hadn’t had a brother, but if she had, she wouldn’t have made him do her chores all the time. Katie flashed a tender smile in his direction. “Off with you now. Go play and I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thanks, lady…” Micah grinned, revealing one lost tooth and big blue eyes of appreciation. He looked to be about eight years old. He hesitated before leaving. “What’d you say yer name is?”

  “Katie,” she replied.

  “Katie, got it! Thanks!” This time he took off racing to catch up with his brother on one of the trails The Sweetwater River Ranch Resort had to offer.

  Micah had assured her the wranglers she had seen last night, the same ones who had helped them settle into cabin number two by bringing their luggage from the plane, would still be eating breakfast in the main house. She knew the type. They looked to be hard-working men who would most likely linger over their morning coffee for as long as possible. McGuire had been the good looking one she had clung to on the horseback ride to the resort the night before.

  Katie took a deep breath and finished her morning walk by heading in the direction of the two big barns, aggravated they should have landed in Montana at some point last night instead of having to make an emergency landing in the middle of Wyoming. In addition, she felt out of her element on the rugged trail she had explored so far.

  She paused to wipe some of the dirt off of her expensive designer sandals. A fashion designer herself, it was one of her priorities to stay fit and trim in order to look her best in the clothing she designed. Like one of her favorite instructors had pointed out when she began studying fashion after graduating from high school, “You’re now a walking billboard and should look your best to give your designs an advantage.”

  Hence, she tried to incorporate some sort of walking or exercise into her daily routine. Tired of being cooped up indoors at her office and on the small airplane, Katie had decided to brave one of the walking paths the wranglers had mentioned while her father headed for coffee and breakfast in the main house. She probably should have worn a good pair of tennis shoes, but hadn’t intended to wander far. Besides, the shimmery pink sandals looked best with her white dress trimmed in metallic pink fabric to match the shoes.

  Usually her exercise routine included walking on paved walking trails in a local park, using workout equipment at home, or putting in some time on the treadmill and other equipment as a member at the gym club. She occasionally rode a bike if at home in her Boston neighborhood whenever she didn’t use the gym at the country club or the workout room on the family estate, but never in D.C. since the street where the brownstone was located didn’t seem bicycle friendly. Nonetheless, the brownstone near Capitol Hill served a purpose. It was convenient for her father and located in close proximity to his office in the Russell Senate Office Building.

  She sighed, thinking she should be enjoying a pre-wedding brunch with her friend Amy, near Billings, Montana this morning instead of stuck on a ranch near the city of Lander. She hadn’t even heard of Lander, Wyoming until last night when the handsome cowboy had delivered their luggage from the airstrip to the cabin. Stepping around a clump of dirt in her path, Katie hoped there would be news about the repairs to the Cessna before the day was out. Her mind wandered to the recent loss of her grandmother. Torn, she also wished she could be at her mother’s side. If only her best friend’s wedding wasn’t happening at nearly the same time. She had been so close to her grandmother, spending a large portion of nearly every summer with her. Just when she thought she had her feelings in order about her loss, the pain started to creep back in again. She would have to be brave and go on, nonetheless.

  In no time at all, she was standing in front of the first three stalls on the left in the first barn. The barn was empty; just as she had suspected it would be… well, except for horses. She opened each of the three stalls as quickly as possible and walked away, like Micah had explained. “The horses will know what to do,” he’d said.

  The horses eyed her as warily as she had eyed the boy who had introduced himself as the nephew of the owner of the ranch, Logan Haven. She ignored the noble beasts, anxious to find a cup of coffee and put something in her empty stomach.

  Next, she went to the second barn and did the same thing for the first three stalls on the left, enjoying the sound of the heels of her sandals echoing inside on the cement floors.

  She noted how clean the barn floors seemed but didn’t inspect anything closely, hoping to escape before anyone ran into her, in case she was doing things the wrong way. She had no clue really of what should be done. She smiled as she thought of helping Micah. By now, he may have even caught up with his brother for a summer day of exploring the great outdoors of beautiful Wyoming. Well, it wasn’t beautiful to her yet, but it would be to a fourth grade boy… though she had to admit the mountains in the distance looked somewhat majestic. Katie didn’t care much about the outdoors unless it remained civilized, convenient, and close to home. So far, she didn’t find much about Wyoming matching any of those qualities. There weren’t any cities in the immediate area except for Lander, which was merely a small town compared to D.C. and Boston.

  Trying not to take in the smell of manure and hay, she quickly crossed over the road in front of the barns to the chicken coop. The coop was a fenced area somewhat visible to one side of the main house. It was situated beyond the deck and porch wrapped around the front and most of one side of the spacious, renovated barn house. She continued being careful not to get her new shimmery sandals dirty. At least Micah hadn’t asked her to personally feed and water all of the animals on this ranch.

  The only person she could see at this early morning hour was a teenager planting a flat of petunias in one of the flower beds beside a well with an old-fashioned, red water pump. He didn’t even look up from the task at hand to notice her.

  The gate to the chicken coop unlatched easily enough, just as Micah had said it would. She looked for the broom he had mentioned and spotted it almost immediately. “You can use the broom to gently guide them out of the coo
p for their exercise,” he’d said.

  Thankful she didn’t have to touch any of the horses or chickens, she shooed the flock out of the coop with the broom at once. “Shoo, shoo…” she called after them as the broom gently prodded them outside the gate.

  One particularly loud, boisterous chicken followed Katie around, pecking a sharp and pointy beak at the ground, coming dangerously close to her sandals. The chicken, with rapidly flapping wings, unceasingly cackled and pecked at her, showing no sympathy whatsoever.

  This chicken, which seemed like the granddaddy of all chickens, pecked continually at her toes and sandals. Perhaps the obsession had to do with her glittery pink toenail polish or her shimmery pink sandals. On the other hand, perhaps the chicken was simply territorial. Shooing the bird away had failed. Katie screamed frantically as she tried to escape the aggressive bird and rounded the corner of the hen house. Thankfully, she found a window low enough to stick one of her heels into so she could almost hoist herself upon the roof of the hen house located in the middle of the coop.

  For a while, Katie clung to the side of the hen house, looking down apprehensively while the chicken began to crow at her. This was even more alarming and she screamed again, hoping to be rescued. Each time she attempted to raise herself up to the roof, she slid back down toward the window.

  This was no time for giving up. The chicken was flapping wings with a long wing span which might even be long enough to produce a short flight to the window. Katie’s sandals perched precariously in the window frame while her hands clung to the edge of the hen house roof. This had become a game of wits and survival. Either the grandfather of all chickens was going to win or she was.