The Rebel Heir's Bride. Patricia Thayer
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THE RANDELL BROTHERHOOD
Coming home to take a bride!
A home. A family. A legacy of their own.
Mustang Valley has long been home to
the brotherhood. United by blood, trust
and loyalty, these men fight for what they
believe—for family, for what’s right,
and ultimately…for love.
Now there are newcomers in their midst.
Two gorgeous new Randell brothers are back
to reclaim their heritage, find their family,
and just maybe discover the
women of their dreams…
In January Luke Randell returned and claimed a wife in THE BLACK SHEEP’S PROPOSAL Now his brother’s back! But is this rebel ready to wed? Find out in: THE REBEL HEIR’S BRIDE
Originally born and raised in Muncie, Indiana, Patricia Thayer was the second of eight children. She attended Ball State University, and soon afterwards headed west. Over the years she’s made frequent visits back to the Midwest, trying to keep up with her family’s numerous weddings and births.
Patricia has called Orange County, California, home for many years. She not only enjoys the warm climate, but also the company and support of other published authors in the local writers’ organisation. For the past eighteen years she has had the unwavering support and encouragement of her critique group. It’s a sisterhood like no other.
When not working on a story, you might find her travelling the United States and Europe, taking in the scenery and doing story research while thoroughly enjoying herself, accompanied by Steve, her husband for over thirty-six years. Together they have three grown sons and three grandsons. As she calls them, her own true-life heroes. On rare days off from writing you might catch her at Disneyland, spoiling those grandkids rotten! She also volunteers for the Grandparent Autism Network.
Patricia has written for over twenty years and has authored over thirty books. She has been nominated for both the National Readers’ Choice Award and the prestigious RITA® Award. Her book NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE won a Romantic Times BOOKreviews Reviewer’s Choice award.
She has been a guest reader at elementary schools and lectured aspiring authors. A long-time member of Romance Writers of America, she has served as President and held many other board positions for her local chapter in Orange County. She’s a firm believer in giving back.
Check her website at www.patriciathayer.com for upcoming books.
Dear Reader
I’m so pleased that I have the opportunity to return to Mustang Valley and revisit the Randell men from my Randell Brotherhood series. You will want to find out what Jack Randell’s boys, Chance, Cade and Travis, have been up to. Along with their half-brothers, Jared Trager and Wyatt and Dylan Gentry, they have all adjusted to the valley. I’m here to say that they’re all doing well, including Hank Barrett, the adopted patriarch of the family.
My inspiration for this series and Hank’s character was my dear friend Hence Barrow, a West Texas rancher. He’s the one who taught this city girl all about ranching. I’m sorry to say Hence passed away in 2007, just a few months shy of his 98th birthday, but I’ll never forget his stories, and his love of the land. It was an honour and a privilege to know him, and to be called his friend. I’ll miss you, Hence.
In the series I bring Jack’s brother Sam’s sons, Luke and Brady, to the valley. This story, F-16 pilot Captain Brady Randell is injured on a mission and comes home to the Rocking R Ranch. While recuperating he gets to know his half-brother, and the rest of the Randell cousins. He also tangles with an independent female veterinarian, Lindsey Stafford, who has secrets of her own. In the end they both want the same thing: to be a part of the Randell family.
There are many more surprises. Hope you enjoy it.
With regards
Patricia Thayer
THE REBEL HEIR’S BRIDE
BY
PATRICIA THAYER
To the newest addition to the family, Finley Steven.
Hero material for sure. And to his mother, Daralynn.
You never stop amazing me.
Thank you for another fine grandson.
To Dr. Michael Pahl.
Thanks for all your help with this book.
CHAPTER ONE
HE’D always been told he was too cocky for his own good.
On a sunny November morning, Brady Randell hobbled out to the porch with the aid of a crutch. His left leg was bandaged from his last surgery and covered in a removable cast strapped from his foot up over his knee to his thigh. It served to protect the damaged bone so it could heal properly. If it ever did. Three months since the accident, and he wasn’t feeling so damn cocky anymore.
With a groan Brady dropped into the Adirondack chair. This was about as far as he traveled these days. He was tired of doing nothing but sleeping, eating and sitting around. Oh, yeah, he forgot about going to therapy twice a week. Or maybe he should call it torture.
After all his hard work, he hoped for a payoff, some good news when he saw the doctor next week. With a little luck he could get the cast off and finally be able to walk on his own again.
“Wouldn’t that be a miracle,” he murmured in frustration.
He sighed, recalling the vivid details of the accident that had caused him to drop right out of the sky. He’d barely had time to eject from the cockpit before the crash of his F-16.
Brady tensed. He could still feel the bone-bruising tremors; hear the death screams of the powerful aircraft disintegrating as it plowed into the desert floor. He’d gone over and over in his head what he could have done differently. What had gone so terribly wrong that day?
Was this possibly the end of Captain “Rebel” Randell’s air force career?
Now instead of being in the cockpit of the Fighting Falcon, he was parked on a porch of the foreman’s house outside San Angelo, Texas. His daddy’s home, the Rocking R Ranch. After Sam Randell’s death, it now belonged to him and his half brother, Luke, who, after thirty years, he’d finally met. Since the accident, Brady had needed a place to heal. He thought a remote, inherited ranch would be perfect for a loner like him.
Brady stared out toward the barn and corral area where his new sister-in-law, Tess Randell, was working one of her horses in the large arena. She rode like nobody’s business. Watching her skill and grace was the treat of his day. That and being left alone.
Brady closed his eyes and leaned back. Not that he was going to get any peace and quiet staying here. He had family coming out of the woodwork. Up at the main ranch house Luke lived with his bride and readymade family—a young daughter, Livy, Tess’s father, Ray, who had Alzheimer’s and kept referring to Brady as Sam’s boy. And Aunt Bernice, who spoke her mind and could cook up a storm.
They weren’t so bad, but the six Randell cousins who lived in the neighboring ranches with all their wives and kids were a bit