Cowboy and the Fake Marriage

By Clara Bliss

To inherit her family's ranch, there's only one thing she needs… a husband.

 

Cowboy and the Fake Marriage is a sweet rancher romance. It is book two in the Charming Ranch series.

Beth Charming
Dad is sick and I don't have much time to convince him that I can handle running Charming Ranch when he's gone. I always knew my father would grow old, but I never expected that he'd leave the ranch to someone else. Dad wants to know that the fate of Charming Ranch is in experienced hands. But I'm not worried, I have a plan. All I need to do is find a rancher to marry me as soon as possible and I have just the man in mind.
Harrison is handsome, chivalrous, and kind hearted.
But can real love grow out of a fake marriage?


Joshua Mason
My heart and soul is in Haystack Lake, not to mention my entire family. It's a simple life: family, farming, and working at Charming Ranch just like my father did before me. There isn't any place I'd rather be. But when my boss becomes ill, the future of the ranch and the town I love dangles in the balance. This place is home and I'd do anything to save it. When the boss's daughter approaches me with an outlandish plan, it just might be crazy enough to work. Ainsley is sweet, smart, and generous. But what happens when a secret plan grows into a secret love?

Looking to get out of town for a while? I've got just the escape for you.

Welcome to Charming Ranch, a dude ranch built on small town pride. Get to know the Mason brothers as they work the land, look for love, and find out the value of family along the way.

 

The Charming Ranch series is a collection of sweet rancher romance books. Each can be read as a stand alone, but you will enjoy the Mason brothers so much more as a group ♥

 

Book One- Single Dad & the Nanny at Charming Ranch

Book Two- Cowboy and the Fake Marriage at Charming Ranch

Book Three- Single Mom at Charming Ranch

Book Four- Rancher and the Second Chance

Book Five- Grateful for Love at Charming Ranch

Book Six- Mr. & Mrs. Forever at Charming Ranch

 

As always, this series comes with a blissful promise of a hopeful happily ever after, no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a whole lot of cheer. Pack your bags, we're getting out of the city for some laughs with the loveable, quirky, Mason brothers. Pour some tea, and fall in love today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clara Bliss
• Release date: Jan 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224630295

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER ONE BETH

The old wooden floorboards creak under my feet as I step inside my father’s office at Charming Ranch. I force a smile onto my face, but it’s difficult with the thick tension filling the room. There is something ominous about his request to see me today, but I can’t put my finger on it.  

Dad’s the owner of Charming Ranch, so he gets the big office, the big desk, and the big window. The position suits him. A larger-than-life role for a larger-than-life man. But as he comes into view, it’s hard not to notice he doesn’t look as strong as he used to.

Hi, Dad. How are you? I move around to the backside of his desk and wrap my arms around his neck. 

Hey, honey. I’m glad you came over. I’m uh… Why don’t you have a seat? He motions to the chair opposite of him. 

Usually, he greets me with a smile or even a joke. I don’t get either this time, and the stark difference in his tone makes my stomach swell with nerves. Everything okay? 

Well, honey, this conversation isn’t an easy one. In fact, it’s quite difficult so I’m going to cut to the chase. 

Okay, down to business, I say with a cheeky smile as I sit down. But inside, my heart rate ticks up. How bad is this going to get?

Dad doesn’t return my light-hearted smile. Instead, he lets out a wet cough, and the phlegm-laced sound rattles deep in his chest. His face pinches into tight lines, and new wrinkles add to the collection around his eyes as the cough echoes through him. Dad places his hands on either side of his desk, almost steadying himself before he continues. 

My mind whirls with concern and my heart thumps. Having lost my mother early on, it’s been only Dad and me for most of my life. So we are in tune with each other even when stretches of time pass between visits. The last time Dad called me into his office like this, we had a conversation I’ll never forget. He told me there wasn’t anything that could be done. The words it’s terminal still send goosebumps rippling across my arms when I think about them. My life as I knew it was over in a single sentence. 

In the spaces of my mind where carefree days of travel and long nights of baking once lived now stood heavy words like dialysis, chemo, and malignant. But that was almost a year ago, and Dad has carried on with life as usual. In the background, hanging over me like a dark cloud, is the thought that Dad’s prognosis is grim with no chance of recovery, and I can’t imagine anything worse. Yet today, something else heavy is coming for me. I can feel it. 

Dad clears his throat. I met with the board of directors regarding your role at Charming Ranch after I’m gone. He exhales a slow and crackly breath. I don’t know how else to say this other than just to tell you. You know I don’t have the final say over how these things go. My vote is only one, and it doesn’t outweigh the other shareholders. Charming Ranch supports the economy of our town. He pauses, a slight shake in his head. Honey, the board will not sign off on your inheritance of the company. 

The words suck up all the air in the room, and I can only stare at him, my mouth falling open in utter shock. Charming Ranch has been in our family for two generations. It’s meant to be kept in the family. It doesn’t make any sense to give it to someone else. I sit back in my chair, and my mind races as I try to think through what this means. 

I’m the first to admit I’ve never taken an active role in our family business. The dude ranch industry didn’t exactly appeal to me when I was fresh out of college. But I always imagined I would fall into it naturally when the time came. I’m Elizabeth Charming, the only Charming left when Dad passes. It’s my destiny.

When my words finally come out, they are shaky and measured. I had no idea the board needed to sign off on my inheriting the company. I’m your only child. How is there even a question?

Honey, this is all happening fast now. I want to spend the rest of my time enjoying my favorite things and experiencing the ranch instead of working it. In this transition, there are a ton of questions none of us were prepared to answer. Dad sighs as he shakes his head. I guess my first mistake was thinking I had time.

I swallow a lump in my throat and my eyes, but I blink away the tears. I can’t cry over this because this cannot be the final word. Dad’s legacy in the hands of… anyone else is a punch to the gut. 

Dad leans forward in his chair and takes my hand from across the desk. He lowers his chin, and his eyes burn into mine. Don’t worry. You’ll be taken care of. All of my personal assets will be yours. You’ll have the house and a percentage of the annual revenue from the ranch. You'll receive a monthly allowance from my trust well beyond what you can possibly spend. This isn’t about leaving you destitute. I’ll always make sure my girl is taken care of. 

I don’t like where this is going. My thoughts race at lightning speed. This isn’t about money. I shake my head. My grandfather built Charming Ranch from nothing. You turned it into the largest dude ranch in the nation and made it profitable enough to support an entire town. And I want to be trusted with that legacy. I know I haven’t spent my life growing it the way you have, but I can make you proud.

He pats my hand. I expected you might feel that way. So, at our meeting, I was able to negotiate on your behalf. The board is willing to make you a silent partner, which would allow you to attend board meetings and keep up with what’s happening on the backend. 

Without a chance to speak? I blink at him, my eyes wide. Unbelievable.

The board has been a long-standing point of contention at Charming Ranch. Even from my disinterested, disengaged distance, I’ve always known it. My grandfather brought them on years ago. It was a time when the company finances grew so large he could no longer manage them by hand on his yellow bank ledger. It was innovative at the time—with more voices came more ideas.

But over the years, the board has gained more ownership of the company, and it’s been nothing but trouble. They don’t care about the ranch's legacy or the town it keeps afloat. What they care about is money. 

Without my family involved with the ranch, it will be unrecognizable. I don’t want to be a silent partner. Who’s taking your seat on the board? I ask as I lean back and cross my arms over my chest. 

One of the sales directors from up north. Dad joins his hands together on his desk in front of him. 

Wait, so no one who lives in Haystack Lake or works on a crew will have any input on the decision-making of the ranch? How can you go along with this plan? I narrow my eyes on him.

They will appoint a crew member at some point to join the ranks. But for now, we need to move quickly. The emotion is drained from his words, and I’m left with the cold, hard truth that Dad is more comfortable leaving me a trust fund than his actual trust.

A moment of silence becomes several, and I lean all the way back in my chair. Then, I snap bolt upright when an infuriating thought crosses my mind. Is it because I’m a woman?

Of course not. Dad shrugs off my fury.

Of course. I nod, the muscles in my neck stiff. But I bet if I were a son instead of a daughter, this conversation wouldn’t be happening. That’s the kind of bias I get in a small town where the only available employment is ranching. You wonder why I spent so much time traveling? It’s this… I trail off. 

The board members have other concerns. They don’t care that you’re a woman. Dad exhales as he looks down at his hands.

Like? I brace myself for what’s coming. I can feel my face flush as my jaw tightens.

"To be honest with you, the list was fairly lengthy. But it boils down to two things. First, they don’t believe you have any working knowledge of the ranch