​Enjoy the interview with Lynette Mercer, the heroine of The Rancher Needs a Wife . She is NOT looking for love. Not with juggling care of a four-year-old daughter, managing a new business, and settling into a new home in a new town. Until...Carter Peters walks into her world.

Where are you from?  
 
A small town near Atlanta, Georgia.
 
Tell us a bit about The Rancher Needs a Wife, book two in the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series.
 
Well, I declare. I just moved to Mineral Springs with my four-year-old daughter. I’ve opened a lingerie shop, much needed in this small Colorado ranching town. The local women are flocking through the door—or will be soon. Men, not so much, until a tall, broad-shouldered, Stetson carrying, and a bit bashful cowboy walks through the door. That’s how I meet Carter. And as much as I do not need a man, he is intriguing. Well, glory, the story goes on from there, where we keep running into each other. His sister, four brothers, friends, and step-mom are set on finding Carter a wife. Y’all will have to stop in and see how this all turns out.
 
What did you think the first time you saw Carter Peters?
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Mighty handsome, but like a rainbow trout tossed out of the churning creek that runs into the Roaring Fork River, when he walked into the too pink and frilly forbidden territory. A lot nervous. A lot handsome. Man of few words and itching to get away from my shop. But I lured him deeper into the land of nightgowns and what-nots. I have to admit, I was intrigued and set it up so he’d most likely invite me to lunch. Thank goodness my Mama still lives in Georgia, or she’d have been appalled by my brazen behavior. I couldn’t help the flutter in my tummy and my need to get to know a real honest-to-goodness and heavenly handsome rancher.
 
What was your second thought?
 
Lordy, my second thought was to hold on to my flaming cheeks and hope he skedaddled right on out of my store. I had no time, nor inclination to get close to any man at this juncture in my life. No siree, none at all. I have a daughter to raise and a business to run and…
 
What do you like most about Carter?
 
His kindness. He’s a gentleman through and through. And a bit mysterious. Quiet. Not giving much away about himself. And very serious about his family and business.
 
How would you describe Carter?
 
I think I’ve done that already. Handsome. Charming in a shy way. A man’s man who treats a woman like a precious stone. But he can get carried away in that protective sort of way. Thinking he has to always do for a woman. Like she can’t do it herself. Annoying, but endearing.
 
How would Carter describe you?
 
Oh, lordy, I have no idea. I do know he looked me up and down when we first met. I think he liked what he saw, since he blushed and stammered and fiddled with the brim of his Stetson. But truthfully, I think I scared him a wee bit. Especially when he found out I had a four-year old.
 
What made you choose to be a shop owner of naughty lingerie?
 
Oh mercy me, I don’t sell naughty lingerie. I sell beautiful, feminine, make-you-feel-good lingerie. Every woman, whether she’s wraslin’ a cow or dressing for her man needs to feel good, even when no one sees what’s underneath. But, oh my, when that someone special’s eyes cloud over when he sees you in that lime green chiffon…well, never mind the details. You’ll have to wait and see. But back to the question…I grew up working in the family grocery so I know retail. Groceries aren’t all that exciting, but I always loved fabric and color and design. I decided being a clothing designer wasn’t for me, despite the fact I loved it. So, opening a lingerie store, whether selling functional or extravagant wear, seemed the perfect match for me.
 
What is your biggest fear?
 
Well, truthfully, I have two big fears. Losing those I love. And losing control of my life. By that I mean being controlled or over-protected by someone else. Oh lordy, I just realized both my fears have to do with loss.
 
How do you relax?
 
Relax? Single mom, business owner, new in town. Oh glory me, I haven’t relaxed since I moved to town several months ago. But spending time with my adorable baby girl, Gaby, is my way of relaxing. And I do love a good party, although being a single mom leaves little time for that. I soon discover the folks in Mineral Springs seem to have a knack for throwing good parties, and they always include the kids.
 
Who is your favorite fictional character?
 
Barbie. Sorry. Don’t laugh. But she was my childhood inspiration that led me to go to design school. Alas, life got in the way, but my love of fashion (and Barbie) led me to where I am today, the owner of a lingerie shop. But I do love design and, every once in a while, I tend to dabble. If you could see my daughter’s bedroom, and her line-up of my old Barbie’s all dressed in my hand-made designs. Now that I’ve met the Peters’ family, I may get to dabble in designing for real-life people – wink, wink.
 
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
 
My Daddy and Mama, being good southern parents, are full of advice. Here are some of their pearls that I still take to heart. Daddy, always the practical one, used to say “Never leave a mess for the customer to see.” So I live by all the customer services rules of going above and beyond for a customer. When I used to have problems, Daddy would say, “Every team has turn-overs, Sugar. What counts is how fast you get the ball back.” He taught me to own my mistakes and solve problems.
 
My Mama’s pearl of wisdom about handling an ornery man was, “lemons were meant to make lemonade—sweeten the pot, darlin’.” Us southern women are bred to make a man happy. Although, unbeknownst to the men, we do always keep the upper hand, even while we sweeten the pot to make them forget their mad. Real scene of a cattle drive down the middle of a main street in a small, mountain town in Colorado. The photo was taken by my daughter as the cattle drive went by her shop. Check out Lynette's experience with a similar cattle drive and a handsome rancher on horseback.