Wild Texas Rose Read online

  “YOU CAN COUNT ON JODI THOMAS TO GIVE YOU A SATISFYING AND MEMORABLE READ.”

  —Catherine Anderson

  Praise for

  Texas Blue

  “Another winner . . . Tension rides high, mixed with humor and kisses more passionate than most full-on love scenes. Fans will be delighted.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “[A] brilliant novel. Each of the characters is independently engaging, complex and lovable. It’s impossible to put this wonderful book down after reading the first sentence.”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  The Lone Texan

  “A real page-turner . . . I haven’t had a chance to read the first two books in this current series, but I enjoyed The Lone Texan so much that I intend to remedy this oversight as soon as possible.”

  —The Romance Reader

  “To say I enjoyed Jodi Thomas’s The Lone Texan would be an understatement. No one writes better Westerns than she.”

  —TwoLips Reviews

  “Jodi Thomas has woven an interesting tale with characters that are intelligent and passionate about what they think. The Lone Texan flows smoothly from beginning to the end.”

  —Night Owl Romance

  “The Queen of Texas romance does it again, sweeping readers back to Whispering Mountain for another tale rife with drama, action, and passion. No one makes Texas seem more exciting, romantic, and alive than Thomas. Here’s a surefire hit for Western fans to savor.”

  —Romantic Times

  Tall, Dark, and Texan

  “A gripping, emotional read . . . [I] was left wondering why I haven’t read more historical romances set in the American West.”

  —All About Romance

  “Wonderfully written, romantic, and delightful.”

  —The Romance Reader

  “An enjoyable read from start to finish. I read the book over the holidays and found myself stealing away at odd moments from the family in order to sneak in a Chapter or two.”

  —Reading Romance Books

  “I loved these characters. I cared about them throughout their hardships, and cheered for them when they found their happiness. Her descriptive passages are silky smooth, her dialogue is believable, and she puts the reader right in the middle of the open plains of Texas so you can almost hear the grass rustle in the wind.”

  —Ezine Articles

  Praise for the novels of

  Jodi Thomas

  “One of my favorites.”

  —Debbie Macomber

  “Packs a powerful emotional punch . . . [Thomas’s] latest Western historical romance highlights the author’s talent for creating genuinely real characters . . . Exceptional.”

  —Booklist

  “Jodi Thomas is a masterful storyteller. She grabs your attention on the first page, captures your heart, and then makes you sad when it is time to bid her wonderful characters farewell.”

  —Catherine Anderson

  “Fantastic . . . A keeper! . . . A beautiful story about unexpected love. An exceptional storyteller, Thomas has found the perfect venue for her talent, which is as big—and as awe-inspiring—as Texas. Her emotionally moving stories are the kind you want to go on forever.”

  —Romantic Times

  “Jodi Thomas’s Whispering Mountain Series is the perfect blend of rough and tumble cowboys, and women who command their respect and love. The reader has only to turn a page to find themselves in waist-high grass with a gentle breeze, and a majestic view of the mountains that surround the ranch. I am ready to saddle up and take a ride!”

  —Coffee Time Romance

  “A fun read.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  Titles by Jodi Thomas

  JUST DOWN THE ROAD

  THE COMFORTS OF HOME

  SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY

  WELCOME TO HARMONY

  REWRITING MONDAY

  TWISTED CREEK

  ***

  WILD TEXAS ROSE

  TEXAS BLUE

  THE LONE TEXAN

  TALL, DARK, AND TEXAN

  TEXAS PRINCESS

  TEXAS RAIN

  THE TEXAN’S REWARD

  A TEXAN’S LUCK

  WHEN A TEXAN GAMBLES

  THE TEXAN’S WAGER

  TO WED IN TEXAS

  TO KISS A TEXAN

  THE TENDER TEXAN

  PRAIRIE SONG

  THE TEXAN AND THE LADY

  TO TAME A TEXAN’S HEART

  FOREVER IN TEXAS

  TEXAS LOVE SONG

  TWO TEXAS HEARTS

  THE TEXAN’S TOUCH

  TWILIGHT IN TEXAS

  THE TEXAN’S DREAM

  eSpecials

  IN A HEARTBEAT

  A HUSBAND FOR HOLLY

  Wild Texas Rose

  Jodi Thomas

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) • Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England • Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) • Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India • Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) • Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  WILD TEXAS ROSE

  A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with the author

  PUBLISHING HISTORY

  Berkley mass-market edition / August 2012

  Copyright © 2012 by Jodi Koumalats.

  Excerpt from Chance of a Lifetime by Jodi Thomas copyright © 2013 by Jodi Koumalats.

  Cover art by Jim Griffin. Cover handlettering by Ron Zinn. Cover design by George Long.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  ISBN: 978-1-101-58134-6

  BERKLEY®

  Berkley Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  BERKLEY® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  Contents

  Praise

  Also by Jodi Thomas

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7
/>   Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Special Excerpt

  prologue

  1876

  Texas

  As the train pulled away from Anderson Glen Station and headed toward Fort Worth, Rose McMurray folded her gloved hands in her lap and tried to remain perfectly still. She knew she looked the part of a proper young woman, all starched and pressed from her navy traveling suit to her polished boots. No one saw inside her where fears threatened to choke even the shallow breaths she took.

  I could do this. I could leave Whispering Mountain Ranch. I could go alone.

  Cold January rain tapped on the coach windows drawing her attention, demanding she look out into the moonless night. No lights beyond offered even one last memory of all she knew and loved. The wheels of the train picked up speed, whispering “Beware” in rapid heartbeats.

  Smoke rolled past her just beyond the glass, pulling a memory with the same sounds and smells of a nightmare that had haunted her since she’d left Chicago with her mother almost twenty years ago.

  Rose couldn’t remember why her mother had packed her and her two sisters up and run for the train that cold night, but even at five years old she’d known they were running for their lives. Something frightening followed them. Something far worse than the unknown they rushed toward.

  “Emily, hold Rose’s hand,” their mother had ordered as she carried the baby on her back and a carpetbag atop a small trunk in her arms. “Hold tight, girls, until we’re on the train. Then we’ll be safe. We’ll be away.”

  They moved into a river of people at the station. Everyone seemed to be yelling, running, pushing.

  Smoke billowed across the platform as Rose saw her mother step onto the train and vanish. She heard Emily scream. Someone shoved them, scattering them as if the girls were no more than dust mites whirling in the frozen air.

  Then her big sister let go of her hand and Rose was alone.

  In one horrifying moment something shattered inside her, forever scarring across her heart like a razor sharp blade. She screamed and screamed until she felt like her ears were bleeding.

  Even when she was safe back in her mother’s arms, Rose couldn’t be comforted. Fear still rocked her thin body.

  Now, twenty years later, the memory returned full force like a north wind that had just been waiting around the corner. . . . waiting for a chance to catch her alone once more . . . waiting to frighten her to death.

  She’d told herself she was an adult. She could travel through the night to help a friend in need. Only as her home and all those she loved grew farther and farther away, Rose wasn’t sure.

  What if she lost control of her world again and this time when fear claimed her, it wouldn’t let go? Would the terror of the night kill her, or was there something more in the darkness waiting to do the job? Waiting unseen to cross out of her dreams.

  She sat stone still, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, and counted the seconds until dawn.

  Chapter 1

  Friday, January 1876

  Main Street, Fort Worth

  Snow whirled in the cold dawn air as the town seemed to come alive like a sleeping giant who’d given up bathing for the winter. Cook fires and coal smoke blended amid the smell of garbage and too many people crammed together. A good three-day rain wouldn’t whitewash this place enough to make it presentable, Rose McMurray thought as she stepped from the rented carriage and fought to keep from covering her mouth. She noticed shadows of people scurrying like rats down the walks and wagons fighting their way through the traffic. The movements of horses and carts didn’t frighten her; she’d survived the train and the night.

  “This is it, miss. The best hotel in town. The Grand,” the driver yelled, but didn’t move to help her down. “Point the doorman in my direction and I’ll see he gets your luggage.”

  “Thank you,” Rose managed to say, although she wasn’t sure for what. The ride was barely tolerable and she had no doubt she could have handled the team with far more skill; after all, her family owned a horse ranch.

  Reaching into her glove, she pulled out the amount they’d agreed on for the fare plus two bits for a tip.

  When the driver took the money, he lost his grip on the horses, and the carriage jolted forward a few feet.

  Rose tumbled off the step almost falling in the mud as she fought to keep her balance with a bag in one hand and her hat in the other. Her skirts snagged on the rough board of a carriage step, catching the lace of her petticoat between splinters and nails.

  The driver held the team but offered no help.

  Rose tugged on the lace as people swirled around her. Fear threatened to consume her as it had in the night.

  Five, maybe six, steps and she could be inside the hotel. She’d be safe. She moved the bothersome hat to join her carpetbag, not daring to set either down in the street, but even with one free hand, the lace wouldn’t give.

  She hated traveling. No matter how well she planned, there was always the unexpected. Big towns like Fort Worth reminded her of her childhood years in Chicago. She remembered swearing she’d never go anywhere by herself, and with her huge family she’d thought she’d be able to keep that promise . . . until now.

  She’d come alone, on a mission that made no sense. Yet she’d come, fighting down reason and fear because her friend had sent word that she needed Rose. After weighing the risk, an overnight train ride, and a dawn carriage ride to the hotel, she’d come to help.

  Only she hadn’t planned to be tethered to a carriage step in the middle of Main Street.

  Glancing at the hotel door, she tugged again. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that this was in the middle of town and she was not facing down gunfighters or being lost in a stampede. The people almost bumping into her as they passed weren’t even noticing her; they were only rushing to work.

  The driver yelled, “Hurry up, lady, I ain’t got all day.”

  Rose froze as several people turned her direction. Strangers were staring, some smiling, some laughing, a few looking as if they were sorry they didn’t have time to stop and help. She felt like she’d been tossed in a river and was about to drown if she didn’t act fast.

  “May I be of assistance, miss?” a tall stranger in black asked in a tone that seemed more bothered than willing.

  Rose detested even the thought that she might be in need of help. She was always the one people turned to on the ranch. “No thank you, sir,” she said without really looking at him. With a firm jerk she felt the lace rip. “I can manage on my own.”

  The lace gave and she tumbled backward, finally free but off balance.

  The tall stranger’s arm went around her, breaking her fall before she hit the mud. “Careful now, miss,” he said calmly as if her tumbling were an ordinary event in his day.

  Rose straightened and pulled away. “I’m fine.”

  The stranger tipped
his hat and grinned. “I can see that. My mistake to have even attempted aid.”

  As if by instinct, he offered his hand to assist her from the street to the walk, but Rose ignored it as she pulled her bag and hat close and rushed for the hotel entrance.

  When she reached the huge double doors, she turned feeling obligated to thank him for his help.

  Hard gray eyes stared at her a moment before he disappeared into the crowd. Winter eyes, as frosty as the day.

  He’d been handsome in a cold kind of way and maybe a bit offended that she hadn’t accepted his help or even thanked him. She was surprised to see such a gentleman in this wild, untamed town. In the menagerie of people, he didn’t seem to fit in somehow. Too clean, too polished.

  “May I take your bag?” The doorman reached for her luggage as he touched the brim of his hat.

  Rose slipped her carpetbag to her other hand and frowned. “No, thank you, but I’ve a trunk you might pick up before the driver leaves.”

  The doorman nodded and waved his gloved hand toward a younger man waiting in the corner. “Of course, miss. You’ll be staying with us then?”

  “I’m expected.” Rose walked through the door he held open wide. “I’m with the Chamberlain wedding party.”

  The doorman raised an eyebrow. Rose wondered if he’d met the bride, Victoria Chamberlain, and pitied anyone arriving for her wedding. Tori, as Rose and her sister Emily called Victoria, was her own brand of complicated. She’d sent a telegram to Whispering Mountain twenty-four hours ago sounding near panic.

  One week until the wedding and big problem. Come quickly. I may not live to wed.

  Rose was the only one able, or maybe willing, among the McMurrays to answer the cry for help. She’d tried her best to talk everyone on the ranch into coming with her, but no one felt at twenty-five she needed a companion. Her father insisted she take extra cash. Her mother gave her advice and her best hat, and her uncle, the Texas Ranger, gave her a gun that fit nicely in a hidden pocket of her skirt. They all knew Tori and had decided years ago that Victoria’s crying wolf was more a theme song to her life than any real alarm.

  Rose started to question her judgment as she signed in at the desk while the doorman headed upstairs with her trunk. She couldn’t help but wonder what Tori had gotten herself into now. At school, crisis followed her like an echo.