THE DEPUTY AND THE DRIFTER

Some secrets refuse to stay buried. Some loves are worth risking everything for.Deputy Maeve O'Rourke didn't come to Harlan Ridge looking for romance.She came to bury the ghosts of Blackwater Crossing.Four years earlier, her brother died under mysterious circumstances during a railroad survey gone terribly wrong. The official investigation called it an accident.Maeve never believed it.Now she's the town's newest deputy, determined to uncover the truth no matter where it leads.The last person she expects to trust is a drifter.Cole Devereaux has spent years chasing a secret powerful men have worked just as hard to erase. Once a respected investigator, he walked away from everything after one devastating failure left innocent people dead—and his conscience shattered.For months he's searched for proof.Now the missing evidence has finally surfaced.But so have the people willing to kill to keep it hidden.Maeve knows the law.Cole knows the lies.Working together means breaking down every wall they've built around their hearts.As forgotten records surface, witnesses begin talking, and dangerous enemies close in, they discover the conspiracy reaches far beyond a single tragedy.Someone erased history.Someone covered up murder.And someone is watching every move they make.The closer Maeve and Cole get to the truth, the harder it becomes to deny the growing attraction neither expected.But justice always comes with a price.To expose a decades-old crime, they'll have to trust each other completely.If they fail…They won't just lose the case.They could lose each other.The Deputy and the Drifter is Book Two in the beloved Harlan Ridge Hearts series—a heartwarming yet suspenseful historical Western romance filled with unforgettable characters, slow-burn chemistry, found family, emotional healing, small-town charm, and a mystery that will keep you turning pages late into the night.Perfect for readers who love:✓ Slow Burn Romance✓ Strong Female Leads✓ Protective Heroes✓ Small Town Westerns✓ Historical Mystery✓ Forced Partnership✓ Emotional Second Chances✓ Found Family✓ Clean & Wholesome Romance✓ Catherine Anderson, Karen Witemeyer, Jody Hedlund, and Linda Lael MillerReturn to Harlan Ridge and discover why some promises are worth waiting a lifetime to keep.