Back In The Saddle: Bachelor Auction - Book 2

would respond if I didn’t show. Kale had practically grown up on the ranch with me and my brothers and knew Alice well. “Fine. I’ll call her instead. Make a visit some other time.”
I’d been informed the on Wednesday I was to be in the fundraiser that was at the community center tonight. Alice had volunteered me along with Sawyer and Thatcher for the event. Kale was one of the bachelors as well, but he obviously was out now. The event and cause were a good one, but I wasn’t interested in dating. I had a kid, and I wasn’t bringing just any woman around Claire.
I thought of Sarah O’Banyon. Long blonde hair that I used to capture with my fingers. Full lips that turned pink and swollen from my kisses. Small breasts that fit my palms perfectly. A pussy that I’d sunk into and found heaven on earth.
I’d thought she would be mine, every inch of her… until her dad threatened me. Told me I was a punk, partying and drinking, not giving much of a shit about anything since my parents had died. All of that had been true. Sarah had deserved more, he said. Her older sister, Lynn, had been dating Bunky at the time, and her dad had used her as a comparison. They were married now, and if what the rumor mill said was true, it was far from a happy marriage.
Bill O’Banyon had wanted Sarah to go to college and make something of herself. Something better than to be with a little shit like me. His words had hit their mark because he’d been right. I had been a little shit. But not to Sarah. She’d been the only person to see past my wild ways to my hurt. To my grieving.
I’d been man enough to stand up to him all those years ago, defending what Sarah and I had, until he said he’d cut her off and not pay for her college.
I’d laughed because with the Manning money, I could give Sarah anything she ever wanted.
Except her father himself.
And that was where I’d stopped the fight. I’d had to walk away. It had been a fucking nightmare, lying through my teeth to her, breaking both our hearts because her dad was a dick. Because he’d tossed out the one ultimatum I couldn’t fight.
I’d lost my parents in a plane crash when I was fourteen. I knew what it was like without a father. I wanted to be Sarah’s family, but she needed more than me.
So I’d walked. Let her go to college. I’d gone to the academy with the hopes of being worthy of her love.
Until Mandy and then Claire.
When Sarah had returned from her first year at college, I’d had a newborn. To Sarah and the entire town, I’d moved on. No one wanted the truth. They’d assumed. I’d hoped, perhaps stupidly, that Sarah would come to me after she saw I’d pulled my shit together. But she hadn’t.
I’d wanted Sarah, but Claire was my child.
After all this time, Sarah was the one I wanted… and I wasn’t sure if that said how sad of a fucker I was or if what I’d felt for her was the only real love I was ever going to know.
“The only way to get out of the auction is to be like me.” Kale lifted his non-IV’d arm to point at his head. “Avoid a cow.”
“I’ll deal with Mandy,” I said on a sigh. “And show up for the auction. I have to go track down a loose cow before anyone else gets hurt. Then I’ve got to pick up Claire from her school’s summer camp.”
“Tell her Uncle Kale will take her to the library next week.”
I huffed out a laugh at their usual date activity. “Maple had puppies. I think you’re low on her list right now.”
He gave a look of mock horror. “My favorite girl blinded by puppies? I’ll stop by then. She can show them off. Might even pick one for myself. My papers and other things are still in my truck. Graham said he’d get it towed and have my briefcase at the station for me. Can you check on that? Because I don’t want it going to the junkyard before it’s cleaned out.”
“Anything else? For a guy laid up because of a cow, you’re pretty needy.”
He gave me the middle finger. Yeah, he was going to be fine. I gave him the bird right back and left the ER. I had shit to do, including tracking down a damned cow.

3
SARAH
Friday afternoon
I pulled the flatbed tow truck over to the side of the road just past where the older pickup had stopped in the field. It was clear it had missed the turn and gone straight into the alfalfa, taking the wire fencing and a post with it. Even from where I sat, I could see the front axle was bent so bad one of the tires was facing sideways. The front bumper was at the base of the ditch, ripped off when the truck had hit nose-first.
Before I turned off the engine, I noticed on the dash that the tow truck’s temperature gauge was a little high. Closing my eyes for a second, I mentally swore at Roy and my dad for ignoring the coolant. I pushed open the door and jumped down from the seat, grabbing my work gloves.
Graham Armstrong was the deputy on scene. The only one, in fact, who remained to wait for me. He approached, offering an easy smile. I’d gone to school with his younger sister, who had the same red hair. “Surprised to see you here,” he said. “You don’t usually go out on calls.”
I frowned because while he was making only small talk, he’d struck a nerve. It was true. While my father called O’Banyon Auto Shop a family business, all I usually touched were the books. My father wouldn’t let me touch the cars,