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Book 8: The Ninth Inning (Three Rivers Ranch Romance™)

Book 8: The Ninth Inning (Three Rivers Ranch Romance™)

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The Ninth Inning Formats

Escape to Three Rivers, Texas for small-town charm, sweet and sexy cowboys, and faith and family centered romance!

The Christmas season has never felt like such a burden to boutique owner Andrea Larsen. But with Mama gone and the holidays upon her, Andy finds herself wishing she hadn't been so quick to judge her former boyfriend, cowboy Lawrence Collins. Well, Lawrence hasn't forgotten about Andy either, and he devises a plan to get her out to the ranch so they can reconnect. Do they have the faith and humility to patch things up and start a new relationship?

The Ninth Inning is narrated by the fabulous and talented Becky Doughty!

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Read Chapter 1 Now!

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Sundays had never felt so problematic for Andrea Larsen. Of course, she’d been enjoying her day of rest for years, sitting by her mother at church, attending the picnic, and basking in the one day off she had each week.

Now, with Mama gone, Andy sat alone during the sermon, didn’t like lingering afterward, and escaped inside her boutique just to pass the hours until Monday.

Today, she unpackaged a new shipment of blouses perfect for the upcoming holiday season while the winter wind in Texas tried to get in through the shop window’s cracks.

She nursed a mug of hot chocolate, her mind far away—at Three Rivers Ranch, where Lawrence Collins worked. She couldn’t help thinking about him during the Thanksgiving season, as that’s when she’d broken up with him. But now, the tall, sandy-haired, bright blue-eyed cowboy dominated her thoughts.

Regret lanced through her heart, and once again, she contemplated calling him and apologizing. After all, she’d been wrong. He hadn’t been dating another woman in Amarillo, but going there to visit his younger sister who’d gotten pregnant and was afraid to tell her parents.

As quickly as the remorse had settled, her pride pushed it out. She could never tell him she’d been wrong, though in the quiet moments—like today—she fantasized about what life would be like if she could muster the courage to apologize.

Would he forgive her?

Could they start over?

Her phone chimed, a peculiar sound for a notification she didn’t recognize. At least it drove Lawrence from her mind. When she checked her device, she saw she’d received her first online order. Her brand spanking new system had just been implemented a month ago in anticipation of the holiday season, and a brief balloon of joy lifted her spirits.

Carly Sanders apparently needed a new black pencil skirt and a blouse in “green, white, and black.”

Andy didn’t stock everything, but she had just gotten in a selection of items in holiday colors—including green. She turned on her Internet radio as she browsed her boutique, some of the disquiet of this lonely Sunday drifting into the rafters.

Monday morning, before she usually left the loft above her shop, Andy armed herself with Carly’s purchases and set her car on the road. Almost an afterthought, she checked the delivery address.

Her stomach fell to her shoes when she saw she needed to drive all the way out to Three Rivers Ranch. A river of trepidation wound through Andy, mostly because the possibility of seeing Lawrence existed. Of course, she’d seen him at church and around town—it was a small place, after all. But she’d managed to put people between them and keep their paths from fully crossing.

Embarrassment ran with the anxiety. She really just needed to clear the air between them. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about seeing him at the grocery store, or the picnic—or the ranch.

She dialed Carly. “You want these clothes out at Three Rivers?”

Scuffling came through the line. “You’ve got them already?”

“Yeah, I just got a new shipment of holiday things over the weekend. You’re going to love the blouse I picked out for you. The stripes are fantastic and will look great on you.”

“That’s great.” But Carly didn’t sound like it was great. She seemed distracted.

“I was heading over to your place now.” Andy watched a pair of boys walk in front of her, clearly on their way to school. “But then I realized you set the delivery address to the ranch. Have you left for work yet?”

“Yeah. Yes, I’m here.” A door slammed on Carly’s end of the line. “I want to model the clothes for…uh, a Christmas party we’re having here at Courage Reins. That’s why I need them out here.” Murmurs came through the line, and Carly said, “I know,” to someone else.

“Is that okay?” she asked Andy. “If you can’t make it here and back by the time you need to open, you could come tomorrow.”

Andy frowned. If Carly didn’t need the clothes until tomorrow…. She shook her head. She was up, already sitting in the car. “I’m on my way.” Even driving eighty minutes round-trip was better than puttering around the shop. Again.

Carly emitted a tiny squeak before she hung up. Andy swung through a drive-through for a cup of coffee and set her car north. The gray skies complimented her mood as she drove.

She usually enjoyed the quiet, quaint atmosphere of Three Rivers. But she felt unsettled now that Mama had died. Now that she was all alone. Just her and her building now. She hadn’t had much romantic luck after Lawrence.

“Maybe because you compare every man to him,” she muttered to herself as she tried to take some measure of calmness from the beauty of the landscape. The blowing trees only satisfied her soul for a moment. Then she felt like those trees, being whipped and pushed whichever way the wind happened to blow.

Andy didn’t want to be ungrounded. Not anymore. She wanted to take control of her life, the way she had her business. She turned onto the dirt road leading to the ranch, a swift gust of wind knocking into her car. Tightening her grip on the wheel, she glanced into the sky and watched the swirling storm.

She urged her car to go a bit faster on the bumpy road, hoping to make it inside the building before the skies opened. Her teeth knocked together as she rounded the last corner. A new building, nearly complete, sat just on the corner, with fenced in arenas and another barn.

A dark haired woman Andy had seen a couple of times at church pushed her whole weight against a barrel, inching it along the dirt. She dusted off her hands and glanced at the sky, then at Andy as she passed.

She raised her hand in a friendly greeting, and Andy struggled to recall her name. She hadn’t come into the boutique before, and she’d rented the old Johnson house that had been empty for years.

“Brynn,” Andy said, proud of herself for remembering that much. She’d heard Brynn was starting a horse training facility at the ranch, and it looked like the rumors held truth.

Thunder rumbled the sky, and Andy focused. But the paved parking lot in front of the Courage Reins administration building was full.

Full.

She bypassed it, lightning flashing against the front windows of the building, and pulled down the lane where a variety of ranch vehicles crowded together. One space remained, and she swung into it and grabbed the bag containing Carly’s new clothes from the passenger seat.

She’d opened her door and stood when the deluge of rain came. Yelping, she cradled the bag in her arms and ran for the closest building to wait out the downpour.

Her shoes ate up the few yards to the horse barn, but they couldn’t escape the water. By the time she found refuge, mud had splattered her ballet flats and splashed up the calves of her slacks. At least the clothes were dry. Mostly.

“Wet out there.” The man spoke so quietly, Andy barely heard him. At least with her ears. That voice, though, was ingrained in her mind, buried deep in her heart. Had been since she met him at the rodeo and been charmed by his subtle strength. Had been for six months while they dated.

She turned as if in slow motion toward Lawrence, who stood a few paces away in all his glory. Black cowboy hat. Dark leather jacket. Jeans that stretched down his long legs to his boots. Her eyes traveled back to his before her vocal cords remembered how to work.

If only she could think of something to say. Her brain threw suggestions at her: Hey. Or maybe Good morning. Even How’s everything? would’ve worked.

Nothing came out of her mouth.

“You look great,” he said, taking a careful step closer.

“Thank you,” misted from her mouth, though nothing about her looked great. But she’d always been polite, even when confronted with difficult situations. One sweep of Lawrence, and she knew she’d hurt him badly. Unintentionally, but the breakup still sliced at her every time she thought of it, and she hadn’t been wrongly accused.

He kept coming forward, stopping only a few feet from her, and leaned against the railing. “Those Miss Carly’s clothes?”

Andy dropped the bag like it was crime scene evidence and she didn’t want to be seen with it. She combed her fingers through her sopping hair, wishing she didn’t look and feel like a drowned rat.

He bent to pick up the bag. “Looks like ‘em.” He glanced at her. “You’ve lost your voice or something?”

Andy blinked and then pressed her eyes closed for a long moment. “Good morning, Lawrence.”

He grinned, that sexy, soft smile she’d fallen in love with the first time she’d seen it. Her heart hammered against her breastbone.

“Mornin’ to you too, Miss Andy.” He stepped forward—again—and handed her the bag. She took it with numb fingers and waited for him to fall back against the rail. He didn’t.

He swept his hand down the side of her face. “I miss you.”

Her throat squeezed. Squeezed against the emotion in his voice. Squeezed against her own desire and longing to be with Lawrence again. Squeezed against the apology crowding her chest.

“It’s good to see you again,” she managed to say. Her arms itched to wrap themselves around him and hold on tight. Her feet urged her to leave, and leave now. The rain pounded the ground outside the barn, and she couldn’t escape. She peered into the atmosphere, wishing she could.

“Andy—” Lawrence started.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted. “Okay? I’m sorry I accused you of cheating on me.” Andy looked up, right into his dazzling blue eyes. “I was wrong.”

His eyes blazed, first with heat, then with forgiveness, and finally with happiness. “Yeah, you were.” He sighed. “But at least now I don’t have to ask Miss Carly to lie for me again.”

As lost as Andy felt inside his gaze, she still comprehended his words. “What?”

“She didn’t order those clothes.”

“She didn’t?” Andy realized she’d been leaning forward, and she righted herself before she did something she couldn’t undo.

“I did,” Lawrence said. “Wanted to get you out to the ranch so we could talk.”

Andy didn’t know what to say, what he could possibly want to talk about. She glared at him, conversation topics they used to enjoy completely off-limits.

Despite the way her mind whirred, trying to think through what he needed to say, the heavy load she’d been carrying for the past year dissipated, eased from her shoulders.

Thank you, Lord, she thought, for giving me the courage to apologize and for allowing Lawrence to accept it.

He paced away from her, and a blip of fear stole through her. He had forgiven her, hadn’t he?

* * *

Lawrence moved away from Andy, the intoxicating scent of her beachy perfume overwhelming his rationality. Plus, after he’d told her that he’d lured her out to the ranch with an online order from her boutique, she carried a violent edge in her eye, and Lawrence liked his nose whole, thank you very much.

“You can be mad,” he said. “But I was tired of avoiding you at church and in town.”

“All those cars in the parking lot….”

Lawrence turned and leaned against a post, a healthy distance from her. He kicked a smile in her direction. “You’d be surprised how long it takes to get enough people to move their vehicles.” Especially because they all wanted an explanation. Thankfully, Carly could charm a cat to give up its catch, and she’d been able to fill the parking lot before Andy arrived. Barely.

“So you left me that one spot.” Andy gestured toward the door, where the rain still fell. “Did you order up the rain too?”

“No, that was just lucky.”

She cocked her hip and folded her arms, and Lawrence wished the sight of her didn’t drive his pulse into overdrive. He watched her as her mind bent around his set-up. So much of Andy was reactionary—like the first time they’d met and she’d slid her hand into his during the barrel racing—but she also had a side of her that took time to process. Time to think through what she should say.

“Well, now what?” she asked, smoothing down her festive crimson sweater. She’d paired it with a pair of black slacks, which hugged her petite frame, and a pair of ballet flats, which bore the muddy evidence of her escape into the barn.

“Now nothing,” Lawrence said, though a dinner invitation sat on the tip of his tongue. “I just wanted to see you and tell you I’m not upset with you.” He wanted more than that, but he buried the words deep. Couldn’t speak them too soon.

She combed her fingers through her coffee-colored hair and trained her tea-colored eyes on him. He’d lost himself to her beauty before, and he felt himself falling again. He glanced away.

“Sorry about your momma,” he said.

She inhaled sharply, sending a hiss through the barn. “You came to the funeral. You already paid your respects.”

“Not to you.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets as they tingled in anticipation of holding hers. “You doin’ okay?”

“Fine.”

Which meant no. He wondered if she’d holed herself up in her loft, lost herself in her boutique, spent too much money and too many hours shopping online. One look at Andy, and he knew she’d done all of that.

“What are you doin’ for Thanksgiving?” he asked.

“Baking pumpkin pie and roasting a turkey.”

“For one?”

She lifted her chin. “Yes.”

“You shouldn’t do that.” He couldn’t stop himself from moving a little closer. Maybe not within arm’s reach, but near enough to smell that blasted perfume. “Come on out here. Kelly and Chelsea are preparing a feast fit for kings.” He nodded to the bag of clothes she still held. “Carly will probably need to order a bigger size after what they have planned.” He chuckled. “Don’t you tell her I said that, though.”

A ghost of a smile crossed her face. “It’ll be our little secret.”

Surprise jolted through him at the familiar words. A game they used to play during the months they’d dated.

“Don’t tell anyone I let you in my storeroom.” She gives him a flirtatious grin as she pushes open the door. “I never let anyone in here, not even Mama.”

“It’ll be our little secret,” he tells her as he enters, pulls her with him, and closes the door. He kisses her in the privacy of her storeroom, away from the window shopping ladies on the sidewalk. Their little secret.

Lawrence shook the memories from his head, but the fantasy that he and Andy could play such games again remained in full force.

She seemed to remember what the words represented, and her face turned to stone. “I can’t come for Thanksgiving.” She spun and faced the weather.

He joined her at her side. “Of course you can. You have nowhere else to go.” He put his hand on her arm for barely a breath. There, then gone. “You shouldn’t be alone at the holidays.”

“Will you go home to Amarillo?”

“Not this year.” He focused on the rain too, watched the wind drive it sideways. “My folks are goin’ on a cruise. I’m staying here. Maybe I’ll even help with the baking.”

Andy gave him the response he wanted—she threw her head back and laughed. “I’ll eat before I come out, then.”

“Hey, who says I haven’t improved since last year?”

She tossed him a smirk. “Have you?”

“Not even a little bit.” He nudged her side. “Does that mean you’ll come?” He didn’t dare to hope, yet the feeling swelled inside him, expanding until it filled his whole body.

She drew the silence into long ribbons, until the unease inside Lawrence threatened to tear him apart. He hadn’t dated anyone since Andy. He couldn’t. He believed her to be the only one for him.

Now he just needed her to believe it too.

He tilted his head toward the barn’s rafters. How do I make her believe it too?

He’d been asking God the same question for months, and finally he’d had the idea to use her online shopping service to get her to talk to him. But now he didn’t know what else to say, and the Lord was silent on the matter as well.

What Readers are Saying

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I absolutely love the complete Three Rivers series. I love that it is a Christian romance that does not leave you disappointed. I also love how God guides each couple to their happily ever after.” ~Betty G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “How wonderful to have everyone tied in at the end, sharing the joy of Christmas with each other! True family!! Liz really knows how to turn words into pictures in your mind, as you share tender moments with these special, wholesome, Christian characters! I can't get enough of her stories! Thank you Liz, for sharing your heart with us all!” ~Rhonda

View full details

Escape to Three Rivers, Texas for small-town charm, sweet and sexy cowboys, and faith and family centered romance. 

This is the series that started it all, and the world continues to grow in other cowboy romance series by USA Today bestselling and Top 10 Kindle All-Star Author, Liz Isaacson. You'll get second chance romance, friends to lovers. older brother's best friend, military romance, secret babies, and more! The Three Rivers cowboys and the women who rope their hearts are waiting for you, so start reading today!

  • Book 1: Second Chance Ranch

    A wounded Army cowboy, a divorcée with a child, and their second chance to heal old hurts...As Squire and Kelly work to save the ranch and navigate their complicated relationship, can they also give love a second chance, follow God’s plan for them, and build a family out of heartache?

  • Book 2: Third Time's the Charm

    He’s her brother’s best friend, and she’s so broken she’s sure not even the strong Army cowboy and his therapeutic riding program can help her… Can Pete and Chelsea confront their insecurities and learn to trust in love, acceptance, and the promise of a brighter future together?

  • Book 3: Fourth and Long

    A cowboy contractor, his ex-wife, and the son he never knew he had… Will their love be enough to heal the wounds they've inflicted on one another? Or will they allow the bitterness of their past to tear their family apart forever?

  • Book 4: Fifth Generation Cowboy

    A shy cowboy, a single mother, and their journey out of the friend zone. Can they face the challenges of single parenthood, past traumas, and societal expectations to build a life together? Or will their leap of faith leave them all broken-hearted?

  • Book 5: Sixth Street Love Affair

    In the heart of Texas, where the sunsets paint the sky with fiery passion, a rugged ranch foreman and a courageous veterinary technician find themselves entwined in a tale of second chances, faith, and unyielding love—even in the face of danger. Can these two wounded souls discover that love and redemption are within reach, but if only they dare to take the leap of faith…together?

  • Book 6: The Seventh Sergeant

    A veteran cowboy, his care coordinator, and the chance to heal their hearts together. Will Reese allow Carly into his guarded heart so they can build a happily-ever-after together?

  • Book 7: Eight Second Ride

    A champion bull rider, a barrel racing winner, and the ride of a lifetime as these enemies attempt to become lovers. Torn between their familial obligations and their hearts, can Ethan and Brynn embrace a different future together? Or will their hearts be broken on the rodeo circuit the way they have been before?

  • Book 8: The Ninth Inning

    The Christmas season has never felt like such a burden to boutique owner Andrea Larsen. But with Mama gone and the holidays upon her, Andy finds herself wishing she hadn't been so quick to judge her former boyfriend, cowboy Lawrence Collins. Well, Lawrence hasn't forgotten about Andy either, and he devises a plan to get her out to the ranch so they can reconnect. Do they have the faith and humility to patch things up and start a new relationship?

  • Book 9: Ten Days in Town

    Sandy Keller is tired of the dating scene in Three Rivers. Though she owns the pancake house, she's looking for a fresh start, which means an escape from the town where she grew up. When her older brother's best friend, Tad Jorgensen, comes to town for the holidays, it is a balm to his weary soul. A helicopter tour guide who experienced a near-death experience, he's looking to start over too--but in Three Rivers. Can Sandy and Tad navigate their troubles to find the path God wants them to take--and discover true love--in only ten days?

  • Book 10: Eleven Year Reunion

    Pastry chef extraordinaire, Grace Lewis has moved to Three Rivers to help Heidi Ackerman open a bakery in Three Rivers. Grace relishes the idea of starting over in a town where no one knows about her failed cupcakery. She doesn't expect to run into her old high school boyfriend, Jonathan Carver. A carpenter working at Three Rivers Ranch, Jon's in town against his will. But with Grace now on the scene, Jon's thinking life in Three Rivers is suddenly looking up. But with her focus on baking and his disdain for small towns, can they make their eleven year reunion stick?

  • Book 11: The Twelfth Town

    Newscaster Taryn Tucker has had enough of life on-screen. She's bounced from town to town before arriving in Three Rivers, completely alone and completely anonymous--just the way she now likes it. She takes a job cleaning at Three Rivers Ranch, hoping for a chance to figure out who she is and where God wants her. When she meets happy-go-lucky cowhand Kenny Stockton, she doesn't expect sparks to fly. Kenny's always been "the best friend" for his female friends, but the pull between him and Taryn can't be denied. Will they have the courage and faith necessary to make their opposite worlds mesh?

  • Book 12: Lucky Number Thirteen

    A wounded rodeo champion and a tender-hearted nurse find healing and love where they least expect it—with each other. Has God put him in Three Rivers for a reason, and is this the divine plan that will finally lead him to happiness and love?

  • Book 13: The Curse of February Fourteenth

    A runaway tennis star with a secret identity, a single dad cowboy, and the Cinderellaesque fairy tale romance that changes their hearts. Will she take a leap of faith and embrace her role as Cal's Cinderella no matter the cost, or will she continue to run from the shadows of her former life?

  • Book 14: Fifteen Minutes of Fame

    A nurse seeking for answers, a skeptical cowboy, and the legends of Three Rivers that help them see past their differences to the possibility of true love. Can love and legend come together for Gavin and Navy to create a tale of true love? Or will the walls around Gavin’s heart be too strong for Navy to break down?

  • Book 15: Sixteen Steps to Fall in Love

    A cowboy veterinarian who works sixteen steps from the woman of his dreams...and doesn't even know she's there. Can a chance meeting in a different location open his eyes to happily-ever-after?

  • Book 16: The Sleigh on Seventeenth Street

    When sparks fly in Three Rivers, can love light up the Christmas season for these two opposites? Can Camila and Dylan finish the build without breaking up or losing their shirts? Will they be able to traverse the delicate balance of water and electricity, the spell of mistletoe and Santa’s sleigh versus reality, without losing their hearts?

  • Book 17: The First Lady of Three Rivers Ranch

    A dance with destiny at Three Rivers Ranch between the sexy cowboy owner and the woman he hires to clean the cabins…who ends up stealing his heart. Will she return to school to fulfill her dreams or follow her heart and stay in Three Rivers with Frank?Can their faith in God and each other guide them to the sweetest of happy endings?

  • Coming Soon! Book 18: Eighteen Bow Ties and Counting

    Coming soon - summer 2024!

Escape to Montana with more sweet & swoony cowboys!

Embark on an unforgettable journey when you visit Horseshoe Home Ranch, where faith, love, and second chances abound. In this heartwarming series of Christian cowboy romance novels by USA Today bestselling author Liz Isaacson, each standalone tale is an invitation to explore the intertwined lives of rugged cowboys and the resilient women who win their hearts.

From the rolling ranchlands to the intimate corners of small-town life, these stirring stories are filled with emotional trials, inspirational transformations, and love's redeeming power. Whether it's a chance encounter, a second chance at love, or an unexpected competition, these tales of faith, hope, and love highlight the enduring bonds of community, the healing power of forgiveness, and the irresistible pull of the heart.

"Isaacson artfully combines disparate threads in her contemporary Western Christian romance…in her Three Rivers Ranch series." ~BookLife, Publisher's Weekly

Inspirational tales of love, faith, and second chances in the heart of Montana. Come fall in love with your next cowboy boyfriend!