Randall Pride

Randall Pride
Judy Christenberry

The Randalls are back! A new generation will discover the meaning of family…and the power of love.Though not a Randall by blood, rodeo star Toby Randall had always been fiercely loyal to his adoptive family. And his desire to never disappoint them had caused Toby to deny himself the only woman he'd ever loved. He'd left home, determined to erase sweet Elizabeth from his mind. But now she was engaged, safely out of temptation's way, making it clear for him to return to his Wyoming roots.Yet one look at the man Elizabeth was set to marry and Toby knew he had to stop her wedding. She belonged with him. And nothing, not even Randall pride, could make him walk away….

Randall Pride

Judy Christenberry

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judy Christenberry has been writing romances for fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers. A former French teacher, Judy now devotes herself to writing full-time. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two daughters. Judy’s a native Texan, but now lives in Arizona.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter One

Toby Randall drew a deep breath as the huge house came into view. Home. Like the man without a country, Toby felt as if he’d finally been pardoned.

He hadn’t told his parents he was coming. Or even more importantly, that he wanted to stay…if he could.

When he’d received that last e-mail from his mother Sunday afternoon, she’d passed on the Randall family news, as usual. It had only taken one sentence to change the direction of his life.

A shout brought him out of his thoughts.

“Toby!”

He recognized his baby brother Josh’s voice from telephone calls home. But the gangly figure jumping up and down must’ve grown a foot since he’d last seen him.

Toby waved through the open window. After waving back, Josh turned and sprinted for the house.

By the time Toby had parked, his mother, B.J., met him at the back of his rig, throwing her arms around his neck. “Toby! You didn’t tell us you were coming,” B.J. protested. Since his mother had cut back her hours as a vet when she was pregnant with Josh eighteen years ago, he’d figured she’d be home. It would give him time to visit with her and Aunt Mildred before his dad got home.

“Hi, Mom. Thought I’d surprise you.”

“I’m so glad you did. How long can you stay? Where’s your next rodeo?” She was patting his cheeks, tears in her eyes.

He knew his travels upset her and Mildred. He knew she’d be happy for him to stay here. But she wasn’t the reason he’d stayed away. He hadn’t been ready to explain himself. He hoped he wouldn’t have to now.

“I’m taking a little break,” he muttered, hugging her even closer. “Where’s Aunt Mildred?”

“She and Red are taking their afternoon siesta.”

When he, his mom and Aunt Mildred had moved to the Randall ranch twenty-three years ago, Mildred had taken on the role of housekeeper—or assistant housekeeper to Red, the cowboy who took care of the four Randall bachelors. Toby couldn’t imagine those two being anywhere else, especially since they’d married. They’d also played the role of grandparents to all the Randalls…and him.

B.J. linked her arm with his and began tugging him toward the house.

“Mom, I’ve got to unload my horses.”

“Oh. Of course. I’ll help you. Any injuries?”

‘Cocoa got kicked by a mangy steer, but I think he’s healing all right.”

The two of them unloaded the geldings, and B.J. was feeling Cocoa’s leg when the back door slammed open and Mildred and Red, followed by Josh, spilled out of the house. “Hey, what’s Josh doing at home?” Toby suddenly asked. “Hasn’t school started yet?”

“No. He’s in college now, you know, or will be. He’d be out with your dad, but he’s getting over the flu. I’m making him take it easy one more day.”

By the time B.J. finished explaining, Red and Mildred swept him into a group hug and plied him with questions as his mother had.

“I called Dad!” Josh announced. “He’s on his way.”

“You shouldn’t have interrupted his work,” Toby protested.

“Ha!” B.J. snapped, with a grin. “If Josh hadn’t called him, I would. You know he complains when he doesn’t get as much time with you as we do.”

Toby gave silent thanks for the father who’d raised him—Jake Randall. He never made Toby feel like a second-class Randall. The two of them—Jake, thirty-five, and Toby, four—had become friends at once. The first thing Jake had done after marrying his mom had been to adopt Toby.