Cole Slater is home to Cowboy Creek, New Mexico to help his sister Layne and his three-year-old nephew Scott. At eighteen Cole became legal guardian of Layne after both parents were dead. Layne is pregnant and turned out of her home by her husband with a divorce in progress. It's been five years since Cole has been to the Hitching Post Hotel and Garland Ranch, where he used to work for the owner Jedediah Garland. Leaving town and his job without looking back, he owes Jed an apology for not giving notice. Jed and Paz, the hotel cook, have ideas to put into motion.

Paz kept it secret that her granddaughter was actually Jed's as well until Tina started school. Paz's daughter and Jed's son took off and never came back. Tina Sanchez is all grown up with a four-year- old illegitimate son named Robbie and works as Jed's bookkeeper. Jed's greatest wish is to get his three granddaughters married. Tina is first! Jed gives Cole another job on the ranch and it's a shock for Tina when she sees the man that shares her son's bright blue eyes. The instant he sees the boy he knows this is his son and the result of one impulsive night of sex with Tina. Enraged that she kept his son a secret, things are strained between the two of them and Tina avoids Cole at all costs. If only she wasn't still in love with the cowboy. Practically raised together and attending school together, Cole left town after their senior year of high school before she had a chance to tell him she was pregnant. Cole has issues of hooking up with this forever kind of girl from a history of being branded worthless by his abusive father. Tina's biggest fear is what will happen to Robbie's heart when his father walks from his life again---as well as hers.

This talented author creates her stories with magic. Filled with emotion and forever romance, this young woman and her son will steal your heart. I was hooked at the first page and loved every bit of this story. I have had the pleasure of reading two previous stories from Barbara White Daille and she just keeps getting better and better with her plots and characters full of love. THE COWBOY'S LITTLE SUPRISE is a beautiful story for the romantic at heart and lovers seeking forever love.

Book Summary

THE LONG WAY HOME

A guy like Cole Slater is hard to forget. Tina Sanchez should know—for years since high school she's tried to bury the pain of Cole's cruel betrayal. But it's impossible to ignore the man she sees reflected in her young son's eyes now that Cole is back in her life—and about to meet the child he never knew he had.

Returning home to New Mexico, Cole is determined to put his playboy reputation to rest. Especially now that he knows there's a little boy looking up to him. And seeing Tina again reignites all the feelings Cole ran from as a teen. Despite his fear that he can't be the man Tina deserves, he's determined to try. For his son's sake—and his own.