Duke by Jessica Peterson Summary: Accidental Pregnancy Western Romance

They move into his renovated foreman’s cottage. The Rivers family rallies around them. Wheeler slowly lowers her guard. She proposes a business partnership: Duke joins Bellamy Brooks to lead the men’s boot collection. He accepts.

The real test comes when Wheeler’s parents and brother visit. Tim and Preston unleash hostility at the pregnancy announcement. Duke stands, demands respect, and forces Tim to sit down. Wheeler’s mother Frannie finally finds courage to support her daughter.

At Wyatt’s wedding months later, Wheeler feels the baby kick. She proposes to Duke in a tent. He says yes. In the epilogue, Wheeler gives birth to fraternal twins—Robert Haines and Margaret Rose.

Five years later, the family vacations in San Diego, happy and settled.

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Summary by Chapter

Spoiler Warning: Detailed chapter summaries follow.

This book contains 34 chapters, one epilogue, and one bonus epilogue.

Each chapter summary below provides a brief overview for readers exploring the story’s structure.

Chapter 1: Bull’s-eye
Wheeler arrives at Lucky River Ranch and makes immediate eye contact with Duke Rivers. Mollie proposes merging Rivers Ranch with Lucky Ranch to create Lucky River Ranch. Cash accepts and proposes marriage to Mollie. The group celebrates at the Rattler, a local dive bar. Duke buys Wheeler a beer and they start a flirty darts game.

Chapter 2: Hot Damn
Duke finds Wheeler fascinating and wants to know her mind, not just hook up. Wheeler shares her stress over her unsupportive family. Duke relates to feeling pressured by family expectations.

They move toward the dance floor with intense physical chemistry. Duke worries he came on too strong.

Chapter 3: Risks Not Worth Taking
Wheeler feels Duke’s emotional intelligence and panics internally. She remembers how her family mocked her career. Her defense mechanism is rejecting people before they can reject her. She lies about being tired and leaves the bar alone. Both feel deeply disappointed by the missed connection.

Chapter 4: Horse of a Different Color
Duke and Ryder drive to Wallace Ranch to pick up a horse. Ryder notices Duke is distracted over Wheeler. They discuss their late parents and find comfort together. At the Wallace Ranch, Ryder flirts with Billie Wallace. Duke resolves to play the long game with Wheeler.

Chapter 5: Hard Truths
Wheeler avoids Duke during her ranch visits. She overhears the Rivers brothers discussing Duke’s feelings. Duke defends her from Wyatt’s jokes. The conversation triggers memories of Wheeler’s father verbally abusing her. At lunch, she and Duke share a warm lingering gaze. Mollie announces their boots will appear in Elle magazine.

Chapter 6: Road Trips in Rent-a-Trucks
Wheeler prepares to drive a U-Haul to an Aspen trunk show alone. Mollie is on bed rest and cannot join. Duke refuses to let Wheeler drive twenty hours through the mountains by herself. He offers to be her assistant. They set off at four a.m. after Patsy gives them burritos and hugs. Wheeler spots a blizzard warning for Aspen.

Chapter 7: Gas Station Wine and Cozy Cabin Vibes
The wind shakes the U-Haul as they climb into the Rockies. Duke keeps the truck steady while trying to calm Wheeler. They sing, talk about books, and avoid Wheeler’s father’s phone calls.

They stop for groceries and boxed wine. Duke calls Wheeler his beautiful Texas bluebonnet. They arrive at a mountain mansion loaned by Wheeler’s parents’ friends.

Chapter 8: She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain
Duke builds a fire while Wheeler watches, attracted to his strength. He wears glasses, and she finds the academic look handsome. Snow batters the windows. They eat grilled cheese and play drinking games. Duke checks a loud thud outside. He hoists Wheeler over his shoulder to the sofa when she gets anxious.

Chapter 9: Push It
Duke plays Milli Vanilli to distract Wheeler from the storm. He tells her his mother used to throw basement dance parties during tornado warnings. They dance to Salt-N-Pepa and laugh together. A loud crash wakes Wheeler at two a.m. Duke appears naked at her doorway after checking the noise. The power is out, so Duke asks Wheeler to share his warm basement bedroom.

Chapter 10: The Good Kind of Second Guesses
Under the covers, Duke pulls Wheeler close to stop her shivering. She opens up about her father’s explosive temper. Wheeler decides to stop running and kisses Duke. They have sex without a condom, believing she is protected. Duke takes control during an intense encounter. Wheeler’s insecurities whisper that he will reject her later.

Chapter 11: Middle-of-the-Night Marathon
Duke is overwhelmed by how perfect Wheeler feels. They share deep kisses and attune to each other’s breathing. Duke reflects on feeling free from ranch duties. After intense orgasms, Duke cleans Wheeler up and dresses her warmly. Wheeler initiates sex again later. Duke feels complete happiness and peace.

Chapter 12: One Last Hurrah in the U-Haul
The trunk show is canceled due to the snowstorm. They spend the weekend in bed. On Monday, they pack and drive back. Wheeler sends her father’s calls to voicemail. Duke gets aroused watching her discuss branding. He pulls over for a final sexual encounter in the truck cab. Duke asks for a real date. Wheeler rejects him, citing work and her parents’ divorce.

Chapter 13: Nicknames with New Meanings
Three weeks later, Wheeler experiences nausea, sore breasts, and fatigue. She has been avoiding Duke’s calls. A violent vomiting spell sends her to the bathroom. Mollie asks about her missed period and the Aspen trip. Wheeler realizes her birth control alarm never went off during the power outage. Two pregnancy tests show positive immediately.

Chapter 14: Low Places
Mollie holds Wheeler as she sobs. Cash walks in and sees the tests. He offers silent support. Wheeler fears Duke will react with anger like her father. She decides to return to Dallas to process. Mollie promises to keep the secret. Wheeler drives away battling anger and frustration at her disrupted life.

Chapter 15: First Calls and Fuckups
Duke is distracted and nearly collides with Sawyer’s horse. He admits he misses Wheeler and knows something is wrong. Cash tells him to talk to Wheeler. Sawyer guesses she is pregnant. Duke panics and rides back to the barn. Mollie confirms the news and gives Duke Wheeler’s address. He packs and starts the drive to Dallas.

Chapter 16: Comfort Food
Wheeler’s brother Haines comforts her in Dallas. He urges her to give Duke a chance. Duke knocks on her door, saying he is not angry. He cradles her face and wipes her tears. Haines takes Duke’s grocery bag and leaves them alone. Wheeler and Duke prepare to face the situation together.

Chapter 17: The Good Kind of Blizzard
Duke’s grocery bag contains Epsom salts, Gatorade, lozenges, and her favorite chocolate eggs. Wheeler apologizes for running. Duke asks to support her. They share a warm hug. Duke orders Thai food and they watch television together. Wheeler falls asleep, and Duke carries her to bed. She asks him to stay.

Chapter 18: Hot Cowboy in the City
Duke accompanies Wheeler to Dr. Martinez’s office. The staff is charmed by his manners and looks. The doctor explains state laws and options including traveling to New Mexico. Duke holds Wheeler’s hand through the entire conversation. He promises to be the best father if she keeps the baby. Wheeler realizes she is falling for his kindness.

Chapter 19: Coworking Space
They work at a coffee shop called the Drip Drop. Wheeler’s boots sold out on the Aspen website in minutes. Duke offers to model shirtless for the men’s collection. He suggests pitching boots as family heirlooms. They share a charged gaze across the table. Duke buys peppermint for her morning sickness.