Unbreaking the Cowboy's Heart

A tragedy destroyed their future. Will his heart risk a second chance?

Five years ago, Sadie McKenna loved her fiancé and her home, but the death of her younger brother forced her to pack her bags and say goodbye to the only life she knew. She made a successful, but lonely life for herself. Her dad’s heart attack brings her home to help care for him. Crossing paths with her ex is bound to happen in their small town, and when they do, she can’t deny the attraction.

After being deserted by his fiancée, Conner Dalton's heart never recovered. He married, only to divorce shortly after, and a string of failed romances enforced his belief that women aren’t to be trusted. Then the one who got away returns. Although he's afraid to trust again, his heart yearns for a second chance with her.

It doesn’t take Sadie long to realize what she left behind, but can she make Conner see her love never faded? When tragedy strikes once more, Conner is afraid she’ll run again, leaving his heart more broken than before.

Can she unbreak the cowboy’s heart and allow him to be her safety net, or will history repeat itself?

Sadie McKenna's hands trembled as she gripped the steering wheel, her breaths shallow and rapid. She knew she needed to keep going, but the anxiety gnawing at her insides made it feel impossible.

She drove along the endless stretch of road, the wide-open fields flanking her on either side. Soft country music played on the car’s radio—an old tune from an artist she wasn’t familiar with. Over the last five years, she had avoided country music despite her love for it. It only made her homesick.

She had kept in touch with a few friends and visited occasionally, but each trip was fraught with tension. Her parents lived in Whispering Willow, and their agreement to alternate Christmases was more for her mother's peace of mind than anything else. Sadie liked to think she would have returned anyway, but every time she got close, her heart would flutter—and not in a good way.

Sadie pulled the car over to the side of the road, her mind racing. She thought it should be easier by now.

With each passing day, she had hoped the pain would dull, but it never did. Some days were fine. Others, like today, were unbearable. Her restlessness surged, prickling the hairs on the back of her neck.

Memories crashed over her—not of why she left, but of who she left behind. It felt like only yesterday since she ran away. If only she had handled things differently, if only she hadn’t let grief consume her.

She rolled down her window, hoping the humid Oklahoma air would calm her, but it didn’t. Instead, her stomach twisted into a hollow knot. She had to remind herself why she was coming back. For her parents. For her dad. But the new fear gripping her heart was suffocating.

Sadie opened the car door and stepped out, leaning against the side. She closed her eyes as a warm gust of wind brushed her face, trying to find the strength to keep moving forward.

“You’ve got to get a grip, McKenna,” she said out loud. She cleared her throat. Sadie sat back in the car seat, grabbing the bottle in the cup holder. A few swigs of the lukewarm water did little to soothe her throat.

Setting the bottle aside, she fumbled in the dark for her cellphone from the bag in the passenger seat. When she found it, she called her mother.

The ringing droned on as she waited for the line to pick up.

“Hey, sweetie.” Sadie’s mom’s words were in a whisper, but she could still hear the tears. Her mother didn’t cry often, but when she did, her voice shuddered, much like it was doing now.

“How’s Daddy?” Sadie asked. She looked into the star-filled sky and said a silent prayer that her dad survived the heart attack. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if her dad died. Through every pain in her life, every heartbreak, her dad had been her rock.

“He’s doing good, honey.” Her mother’s voice broke through her thoughts. “He’s weak, but I think he’ll make it through. The doctors plan to keep him for observation, at least through tomorrow night.”

“It’s a relief he’s still with us. I was so scared, Mama.” Sadie’s voice cracked as she spoke. She placed a hand on her forehead, willing herself not to cry. She grasped the water bottle again, gripping it so tight, she thought it might burst.

“Don’t forget, honey, God’s in control,” her mother said.
“I know. It’s just that…” She trailed off, letting her thoughts melt away in the Oklahoma air.

“Your daddy and I both know you love us. We love you, too. Always remember that.”

“I do, Mama.” Sadie took a sip, sniffling. Despite the heat, a chill washed through her and she shivered.

Her mother hesitated, then said, “He’s sleeping now, but he was asking for you a little while ago. He’s looking forward to seeing you again. You’re all he’s been talking to the nurses about. He’s even trying to set you up with one of the male nurses.”