The Cowgirl's Surprise Match
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Nina Crespo
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18.5K
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30
Chapter One
Zurie Tillbridge opened the digital planner on her phone knowing exactly what to expect—“busy” written in bold letters across every day of the week.
As she scrolled through the tasks necessary to keep Tillbridge Horse Stable and Guesthouse at its best, her heartbeat consumed her chest and a small wave of burning unease churned the coffee she’d drunk earlier that morning in her stomach. The slightly off feeling had plagued her for over a week. She never got sick, not even with the common cold. What was going on?
Unbuttoning the navy blazer of her business suit, she sank into the beige chair and smoothed back a strand of her long black hair from her overly warm brown cheek. As the welcome cool air in her physician’s private office seeped through her white blouse, she closed her eyes a moment, shutting out the slightly cluttered wood desk in front of her and the abstract paintings with splashes of orange hanging on the cream walls.
The side door opened, and Dr. Lily Westin walked in. Crisp and serene in a white lab coat, the midthirties brunette with a rosy complexion exuded energy.
Zurie waited until she sat down behind the desk. “So what’s the verdict?”
“You’ll live. I won’t have your lab results for a couple of days, but my guess is your problems are stress and plain old exhaustion.” Lily’s green eyes held traces of humor and the candor of a friend. “What you need is a Mr. Tall, Hot and Irresistible in your life keeping you distracted so you’ll stay where you belong right now—in bed, catching up on sleep.”
A breath whooshed out of Zurie. Whew! She was just tired. But Lily’s suggestion was hilarious. Even if she had time to lie around and do nothing, which she didn’t, where would she find Mr. Tall, Hot and Irresistible in Bolan?
The image of a certain dark-haired guy flashed in her mind.
No way. Not him.
A laugh fueled another wave of relief as Zurie picked up her black designer tote from the chair beside her and put it on her lap. “That’s an interesting diagnosis. Since Mr. Tall, Hot and Irresistible isn’t available, are you giving me a B vitamin shot or a magic pill instead?”
“A shot or a magic pill won’t do it. You need a break from Tillbridge.”
“I have a stable and guesthouse to run.”
“And you have capable people who can do more so you can do less.”
“I can’t.” Zurie dropped her phone in her bag. “Especially now that there’s a movie being filmed on the property.”
Over the past few months, the filming of the sci-fi Western Shadow Valley had increased exposure and revenue for the stable, but it had also demanded more of everyone’s time.
Lily leveled her gaze on Zurie. “Your body is trying to tell you something, and you need to start listening.”
“Okay. I’ll work on getting more sleep.”
“What happens if Tillbridge loses you?”
Zurie’s phone chimed in with a call, but the concern on Lily’s face stopped her from answering it. “That would never happen.”
“It could if you don’t start taking better care of yourself.” Lily got up and sat in the chair beside Zurie. “You’re not eating properly. Your blood pressure is higher than it should be, and you’re probably working on an ulcer. If you don’t make some changes, there’s a possibility the next time we have this conversation, you’ll be in a hospital bed. You’re only thirty-seven. You’re too young to fall apart like this. Slow down before it’s too late.”
The voice mail alert pinged on Zurie’s phone as Lily’s words resonated. “You mean don’t be like my dad.”
Before her father, Mathew, had passed away, everyone had urged him to slow down, but he’d pointed to his full desk as the reason he couldn’t.
Natural causes had been the official ruling. Some believed that as a widower, he’d worked himself into an early grave trying to hide from the pain of losing his childhood sweetheart, but still...
The image of her father burdened by stress wove through the tapestry of Zurie’s memories like a too-bright thread, standing out. “If I had insisted he take time off, if I had begged, he might be alive today.”
Lily lightly squeezing her arm alerted Zurie that she’d spoken aloud what she believed in her heart. “I know losing your father was a tough blow, but you can’t blame yourself. No one knows what could have changed the past. I think the bigger question is, if your father were here right now, what would he tell you to do?”
