I'm known around the country as the Cowboy Princess. A reality TV star who likes champagne, expensive shoes, and cowboys. It's a lie. For me, there has only been one cowboy...except he never wanted me. Now stardom has attracted the wrong kind of attention. A person I know is hunting me. My only choice is to go home to The King's Land-home to Garrett, the man I could never forget. I've always loved Garrett, but I've always known he could never return that love. My childish lies drove him away. Now my life is at stake and I'm not lying about that. This time Garrett has to believe me. Because I need a bodyguard...
Ellie
Here's the deal. I'm sixteen and I'm getting married. Super weird, I know. It was just my me and my dad. We lived on a cattle ranch in Montana. He died suddenly, leaving me an orphan (which is still a thing). I'm sixteen months away from being a legal adult, so I have two choices. A foster home or marry Jake Talley. My Dad's foreman and really, my best friend.
It's legal. It solves all my problems. Except now I'm living with Riverbend's hottest cowboy-my husband in name only-and I'm still in high school. Where no one wants to date Weird Married Ellie. Still all we have to do is wait until I'm eighteen to get a divorce. Then Jake and I can go back to being normal. We've got this. Right?
Jake
I never saw this coming. Married. To a kid I've known her whole life. But there was no way in hell I was going to let her live at a foster home. The ranch is where she belongs.
Sure we're married but it's not real. Just a piece of paper. My girlfriend is furious. But I know I'm doing the right thing. For sixteen months, it's me and Ellie against the world. No big deal. Or is it?
Contains mature themes.
Ellie
Quick recap. My dad died leaving me an orphan. Jake stepped in and married me rather than letting me go to a foster home. Did I mention I was only sixteen at the time? It was okay for a while until it wasn't. Because those feelings that I had for Jake as my oldest friend slowly turned into something else over the years. Feelings he could not deal with. So I did the right thing and divorced him.
It was the right thing. I'm pretty sure it was the right thing. Okay it was probably the wrong thing . . . but I don't think either of us know where we go from here.
Jake
I had to let her go. I had to let her see there was more to the world than the ranch. Than me. She's never had a choice really, in any of this.
I think I did the right thing. I know I did the right thing. Did I do the right thing? More importantly if I didn't . . . how do I get her back?
Contains mature themes.
Ellie
I married Jake Talley when I was sixteen because I was an orphan left with a cattle ranch to run, and getting hitched was the only way to keep me out of a foster home. It was supposed to be easy; a marriage of convenience. Only I'm not a kid anymore and my husband is the hottest guy in Riverbend, Montana. The plan was to get divorced when I turned eighteen but life got in the way. Life, my feelings . . . the kiss. Did I mention the kiss?Only now he won't let himself touch me. The right thing to do would be to divorce Jake and set him free. Neither of us had a choice in this marriage.
But I can't help wonder, what would it be like to be Jake's wife?
Jake
Our marriage was never real. Only walking away wasn't as easy as I'd thought. Ellie still needs me. And maybe I don't want to go? I kissed her when I shouldn't have. All the more reason for me to leave. I know I can't have her. Because Ellie isn't really my wife.
Or is she?
Contains mature themes.
