Free Peace River (Rockland Ranch Series) by Jaclyn Hawkes

diner, Rossen couldn’t help but be amazed at the turn of events.  Before that, they hadn’t even really thought about traveling with someone to help them.  Now, five days later, they couldn’t imagine not having the help.  Their lives were more interesting, more organized and they were certainly better fed.  The trailer that had before simply been a means to accomplish their work, now felt like a home.  Isabel was indeed a wonderful cook and was also serious about feeding them as athletes.  It was delicious, but she was also very good about nutrition.
                  She’d turned out much better than they’d hoped.  She had none of the pushy, suggestive demeanor they often encountered from women.  She never flirted, and though their relationship was casual as they were practically living in each others’ back pockets, she was always polite and respectful. 
    The o nly thing that was at all weird was that although Isabel was competent and capable, sometimes he could swear he saw fear at the back of her eyes.  Never when it was just the three of them, but sometimes just as she stepped out of the trailer, when she quickly looked around, or if someone surprised her or came up from behind.  He knew Slade had noticed it too.
                 
                  Several times Rossen had tried to ask her about her life and her family on the long and monotonous drives, but she hadn’t volunteered much.  She was from the small town in California where they’d picked her up.  She was studying sports medicine in school.  Her mother was dead, and she and her father weren’t close.  She casually mentioned that she liked horses but never attempted to ride hers.  Neither Slade nor Rossen ever handled her horse.  She was always careful to take care of him herself. 
    They'd never eve n gotten a glimpse of the horse without its sheet and hood.  She never took it off and even exercised the horse covered, and they’d been surprised that their own horses almost seemed to be afraid of it.  Granted, it stood inches over theirs, but they’d never seen their horses act that way before.
                  Probably the most amazing thing of all about her to Rossen was that Slade seemed completely okay with her.  It wasn’t that Slade was uncomfortable with women.  He just didn’t ever really quite trust them.  Other than Rossen’s mother Naomi, and little sister Joey, Slade never let his guard down around women.  Not so with Isabel.  From just a few moments after she’d stepped through the door of that little restaurant, a slender, young woman in jeans and sandals, Slade had seemed at ease with her.
                  Actually, the fact that Slade had even considered this whole deal surprised Rossen--surprised and pleased him.  Rossen loved their life.  The rodeo circuit was exciting and challenging and he loved the competition.  He loved truly striving to excel.  His partner was the best, their horses the consummate athletes, but deep in his heart he knew the real reason he was out here still and not home working the ranch and business with his parents and siblings was because of Slade.
                  Slade was one of the greatest men he’d ever known.  Honest and hardworking, competent, generous and smart—he had it all.  Except peace.  Slade had been raised by a wonderful father who had worked hard to raise his children in spite of choosing a flake for their mother.  He’d married Slade’s mother before he really knew what she was like, and then spent the next eleven years trying to make up for that mistake.  He’d finally quit trying to fix his bad marriage when his wife ran off with, of all people, a preacher when Slade was ten and his little sister Chante was six. 
    Rossen knew that Slade had known for years that his mother had been unfaithful, and he had known forever that she was shallow and self-centered.  Still, her