Falling for a Pregnant Cowgirl - Chapter 1 Excerpt Pt.1

Renata Vargas is holding it together—mostly. But after an ugly cry over the baby she’s carrying for her cousin, the last thing she needs is an unexpected visitor. And Gabe Braxton? He isn’t thrilled either. He came to Vargas Guest Ranch for guidance, not to walk into an emotional wreck. Their first meeting is charged, messy, and uncomfortable—setting the stage for a clash neither of them saw coming.

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Renata barely made it to her office before the tears hit, hot and relentless. Great, an ugly cry—the kind that stole her breath and left her feeling raw, drained. She had known this moment would come, had braced for it, but it didn’t make letting go any easier.

Of course, today of all days, someone had to walk in on her at her worst.

A throat cleared.

Heat rushed through her veins as she twisted toward the doorway, panic flickering through the haze of emotion.

Gabe Braxton loomed there, eagle-eyed and unshaken, watching her like she was a situation he had no idea how to handle—but would rather not be dealing with at all.

“Should I come back later?”

His voice was low, measured, but there was something firm beneath it. A cowboy used to calling shots, used to assessing situations fast.

She scrubbed at her damp cheeks, forcing herself to steady. “No.”

A beat of silence. Then—

“You’re pregnant.”

Renata’s swollen eyes snapped up, sharp as a blade. Eight months to be precise. But she didn’t share that fact.

“I see your eyes work just fine.”

Gabe shifted, gripping his black cowboy hat a little tighter. That small movement told her everything she needed to know—he was bracing. She recognized it instantly.

He glanced—just briefly—at her empty ring finger, his expression tightening with something that looked suspiciously like judgment.

Renata straightened, steel settling in her spine.

“Will that be a problem for you, Mr. Braxton?”

For a second, Gabe didn’t move. Then he coughed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, visibly recalibrating.

“Not at all.”

She held his gaze, testing. He didn’t look away.

“Good.”

Still tense, still barely past her emotional wreckage, she forced herself to exhale, gesturing toward the chair across from her.

“Have a seat.”

Gabe hesitated—a pause just long enough to be noticeable, just enough for her to see the gears turning in his head.

Then, finally, he lowered himself into the chair.

Slowly.

Like this was going to be a long conversation neither of them wanted to have.

About the Series

Welcome to Vargas Guest Ranch & Resort

Dust off your boots and saddle up for romance! Just outside Wickenburg, Arizona, the sprawling Vargas Guest Ranch & Resort is where hearts get lassoed and love stories unfold under the desert sky. The Vargas family has built their legacy on one unshakeable motto: We do not deviate from the Lord's plan.

But when it comes to matters of the heart? Well, let's just say God's plan includes some delightfully unexpected detours.

Meet five rugged brothers who can wrangle cattle, charm guests, and run a world-class resort—but when love comes calling, they're about to discover they're in for the ride of their lives.

Falling for a Real Cowboy - Dalton's Story
A big-city romance author meets her match in a no-nonsense cowboy who's sworn off love. Sparks fly when career ambition collides with cowboy charm!

Falling for a Shy Cowboy - Dylan's Story
He's carried a torch for his best friend's sister since high school. She's a single mom starting over. Sometimes the sweetest love stories are worth the wait.

Falling for a Bossy Cowboy - Derin's Story
A world-famous tennis player meets the most brutally honest cowboy alive. He says what everyone else won't—but can he win her heart with the truth?

Falling for a Smart Cowboy - Devon's Story
She's fighting for orphaned kids. He's desperate to escape ranch life. When passion meets purpose, everything changes.

Falling for a Humbug Cowboy - Drake's Story
Christmas cheer meets certified Grinch. She's sunshine personified; he's nursing a wounded heart. Can holiday magic melt his frosty exterior?

Falling for a Devoted Cowgirl - Solana's Story
Age is just a number—or is it? Years of secret glances and hidden feelings finally come to a head in this tender second-chance romance.

Falling for a Pregnant Cowgirl - Renata's Story
Love gets complicated when she's carrying someone else's baby and he's falling hard despite every reason to walk away. Trust has never been more precious—or fragile.

Ready to fall for the Vargas family? Each standalone story delivers faith, heart, and that signature Arizona heat!