Free Blue Haven (Sunshine & Shadow Book 1) by Alie Williamson

Chapter 1
     
     
     
    April
Cooper sat on the front porch of the large, three-storey lodge. It was one of
those perfect June days. She watched the wind lift a dried leaf from last
year’s autumn into a slow waltz through the air and listened to the horses
behind the barn, snorting and digging their hooves into the dirt, looking for
fresh shoots of sweet grass.
    The ranch was a
haven for horses. Twenty-seven in total called Blue Haven Cattle Co their home.
Every year, when they were brought in off the range, they would gallop and play,
careening from fence to fence and bucking in the air, just happy to be home.
April loved every one of them.
    Through the open
window behind her she could hear her parents making plans for the upcoming
Out-trek season—arguing, as usual.
    Blue Haven Cattle
Co was a working cattle ranch with over 800 head of Red/Black Angus Cattle. Its
pastures stretched over great expanses of the British Columbian wilderness.
Even with four full-time ranch hands, the Coopers had a hard time keeping
control of their herd when moving them from grazing land to grazing land, so
they decided to open their ranch to the public.         
    Since then, Blue
Haven had become the number one destination in Canada for cattle drive
vacations.
    April enjoyed the
company of the guests. Most of them just wanted to ride and experience what
British Columbia had to offer. The ones who didn’t have that attitude were easy
enough to ignore.
    Kip, one of the
ranch hands, came out of the lodge door.
    “Hey! I wondered
where you’d disappeared to.” He sat down beside her, sliding an arm over her
shoulder.
    April liked Kip.
He was a kind person, and he was gentle with the horses. Standing at six foot
four, he was the tallest of all the ranch hands and towered over her. Kip’s
dark hair was long and usually hung in his face. His blue eyes were always
partially hidden.
    “I just needed
some fresh air,” April said. She snuggled closer into Kip’s shoulder and let
out a sigh.
    Kip looked into
the kitchen window. “I’m sure they’ll shut up soon. Do you want to spend the
night in my cabin if they don’t? We can have a movie night.” He grabbed April’s
waist and tickled her. He got up.
    “I’ll be in the
office if you need me for anything.
    April shook her
head and watched him disappear. Their relationship was like a rollercoaster.
They were too much alike. At times it seemed perfect; he could read her mind
when she couldn’t get her words out, or know just how to fix things when she
was upset. But other times, they would be at each other’s throats, fighting
over something completely trivial that neither would remember in the morning.
    Out of all the
ranch hands, Kip was her closest friend. But three boys and one girl made it
difficult for Hailey, the other girl, and April not to bond.
    Hailey was a huge
flirt; she had made her way into each of the ranch hands’ beds, including
Kip’s. Somehow no feelings were hurt. That’s how good Hailey was at influencing
men around her. She was smart, witty and charming, not to mention beautiful,
with long, black hair and eyelashes so dark she didn’t even need to wear
mascara. She was tall, nearing six feet and was also gentle and calm around the
horses. She and Kip were the ones April gave the young horses to—the colts and
fillies that needed kind but firm training.
    On nights like
these, April usually sat outside on the porch and Hailey often joined her. They
would discuss training tactics and famous techniques that they liked and hated.
But tonight, April was surprised by Caleb slamming down on the bench beside
her.
    “Hey sweetie,” he
said, stretching out his long legs and cracking open the beer in his hand.
    “Hey, Caleb.”
    “What are you
doing out here?”
    April nodded at
the open window.
    “They’ll stop
eventually.” Caleb said. “They’re just stressed about tomorrow. It’s the
smallest group we’ve had in a while; I don’t know why they’re