Raising my cousin’s three kids wasn’t in my five-year plan. Actually, it wasn’t in ANY plan.
One minute I’m a single labor and delivery nurse living a quiet life and the next, I’m navigating guardianship hearings, meltdowns, and homework I’m pretty sure requires a math degree.
Enter Hayes Carlisle.
My best friend’s older brother. Chicago Colts newest catcher. And the man I once kissed and immediately pretended I didn’t.
So, when the custody battle I’ve been dreading becomes a reality, I shouldn’t be surprised that Hayes swoops in with a wild idea—a fake relationship. According to him, pretending we’re together will polish his image and prove to the court I’m not taking on an instant family alone.
But pretending to be Hayes’ girlfriend is a terrible idea.
Because he remembers how to make me laugh. Because he looks at me like our kiss wasn’t a one-time mistake. Because the kids start asking him to read bedtime stories. Because my heart starts wanting things my life doesn’t have room for.
I can manage the chaos. I can fight for these kids. But pretending not to fall for Hayes Carlisle?
That might be the one thing I can’t do.
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There were so many emotions for me here. My heart just broke for Leighton & the kids with the deaths of their parents and then having the uncertainty of a fight for custody. Hayes and the guys quickly won me over with how they stepped up for the little family. All of them are good men and it’s obvious with the relationships they build among themselves. So sweet to see them doing things with, and for, Leighton & the kids.
But I wish we’d gotten more of that with Leighton and the kids. I would have loved to have seen more of her as the coach for the little league team and doing caretaker-y things with them. They are adorable and I’d love to have seen that side too. I also think we needed more of Leighton getting some help with her issues. Not just from her relationship with her parents but also with losing her cousin & now taking on the kids. That’s a lot for anyone.
It’s no surprise when Leighton struggles with her relationship with Hayes considering those issues. Neither of them handle it the best but it’s definitely in a realistic manner and the support (& gentle nudges) from their friends helps them to get things figured out. There was an issue towards the end that I felt, while it helps wrap up some of the plot lines, with Leighton’s hang ups maybe could have been handled a bit differently.
The Hotshot is a good introduction to the Colts and a setup for a new series. It hits on some pretty heavy topics but showcases how they all care about and support each other. I love these guys and can’t wait for them to find their own HEAs.
Charlie Benson is happy with her life; she just feels a little lost. The empty nest years haven’t been as easy as she thought they might be, and while planning her daughter’s wedding should be fun, it’s become more about appeasing overbearing relatives than her daughter’s happiness.
Davis Benson wants nothing more than for his wife to be happy, but since their two kids left for college, things just haven’t been the same. Charlie isn’t her usual bubbly self, and the empty nest years aren’t as fun as he expected.
When a potential real estate deal threatens the small town where they live, and Charlie and Davis risk losing their home, their world feels beyond their control, making it increasingly difficult to find hope. Together, they must find a way to carve a new path unlike the one they imagined, holding tight to what matters most.
“Hey, honey. I’m home!” she hollered as she came through the front door.
“In here!” Davis’s voice echoed down the hallway from the kitchen.
Charlie set her purse on the bench inside the door and hung her coat on the rack. She took off her shoes and kicked them under the bench. Padding down the hall in her stocking feet, she found her husband of twenty-five years humming as he opened takeout containers he’d placed on the large island at the center of the kitchen. He hadn’t heard her come into the room yet. She took in the sight of him. Tall with blond hair cut short and blue eyes that reminded her of the lake in summer when the sun hit it just right. With a bright smile that won over everyone he met, Davis personified friendliness. While Charlie could get herself worked up about most anything, Davis was steady. Easy going. Her calm in any storm. Coming home to him was what soothed her most in life.
He looked up and smiled at her. “Hey, babe.”
She made her way around the island to him. “Hey.”
He turned and pulled her into his arms, something he’d done thousands of times over the years. She tucked in against him, her arms around his waist, and sighed.
“I love it when you do that.” He rested his chin on top of her head.
“Do what?”
“When your whole body relaxes when I hold you.”
Charlie smiled against his chest. “I like that, too.”
She pulled back and looked up at him. He kissed her softly.
“I see you got us takeout from Marianny’s,” she said as she turned her head toward the containers on the counter.
“I did. I figured it would be nice for us not to have to cook tonight.”
“There are many reasons why I married you. Knowing when I’m not up for cooking and getting us food from Marianny’s is one of them.”
“Hmm. Not my charm and good looks?”
“Those are bonuses.” She winked at him and then stepped out of his arms to grab two plates from the cupboard. The sound of his laughter caused any concerns of the day to fade away.
They dished up food, grabbed silverware, and made their way to the kitchen table. Soft jazz music played from the speaker Davis had installed in the corner of the room. As he set down two wine glasses and poured her a glass, Charlie took a deep breath and soaked in the moment. Yes, having an empty nest was a huge change. And yet, there were nights like this one that reminded her some things don’t change. Some things in life she could still rely on.
Davis sat beside her and held her hand as he said a small blessing over their meal, then dove into their food. Marianny’s made the best arepas, a popular Venezuelan food Charlie and Davis had fallen in love with when the restaurant opened a few years back. Filled with yummy meat and cheeses, Charlie moaned with pleasure as the flavors danced across her tongue, the warm, gooeyness the best comfort food imaginable.
“How was work today?” Davis asked once he’d finished his bite of food.
Charlie took a sip of wine and sat back in her chair. “Interesting. Amber gave me a new listing. I went by, and it needs some work, but…”
“Where is it?” Davis took a sip of wine.
“It’s a Colonial Revival just outside of town on White Pine Drive.”
Davis nodded. “I think I know the one you’re talking about. It needs a bit of work, doesn’t it?”
“It does, but it has good bones.”
Davis smiled as Charlie took another bite of food.
They had agreed over the years that having a common interest in architecture and building construction was something they appreciated.
“Tell me about your day,” Charlie said as she finished her bite and wiped her face with a napkin. The food was delicious—and messy.
“It was fine.”
Charlie stopped and stared at Davis, the napkin halfway back to her lap. Davis didn’t say “fine” unless something was up. She placed her napkin and her hands in her lap and looked at her husband, who was doing a tremendous job of avoiding eye contact with her.
“Davis.”
*****
Author Info:
Writing stories since she was a young girl, Lara’s dream of being a novelist became a reality with her Men of Honor series. An avid reader, she worked as a book reviewer for 18 years with various organizations. She has a BA in Journalism and a Masters of Divinity in Chaplaincy. Lara loves tea, baseball and living in Idaho with her husband and Great Dane.
Known for her witty sense of humor, Chelle Sloan is a former sports reporter who recently completed her Masters in Journalism, and is now putting that to good use — one happily ever after at a time. An Ohio native, she’s fiercely loyal to Cleveland sports, is the owner of way too many — yet not enough — tumblers and will be a New Kids on the Block fan until the day she dies. She does her best writing at Starbucks, where you can usually find a venti Pink Drink within reach. Oh, and yes, you might have checked her out on TikTok with her thirst traps.
As for her own happily every after? Maybe one day…
Sabotaged brakes didn’t kill Rueben Sanchez, but waiting for his assailants’ trial to start just might. A potential witness for the prosecution can’t explore his lusty feelings for the hunky sheriff who saved him, but that doesn’t stop his imagination from running wild. Rueben has already shaped his traumatic mountainside meet cute with Seth Burke into a happily ever after to tell their future grandkids. When the delay threatens to stretch on for years, Rueben feels his dreams slipping out of reach. Should he surrender gracefully or fight for his man?
Pressure and scrutiny are nothing new to Seth, but shouldering his duties has never felt like a burden until they keep him from the man he wants most. Cracking an unsolved murder, safeguarding a high-profile trial, and winning re-election should be enough to keep him busy. But he can’t stop thinking about the perfect weekend he shared with Rueben before everything careened off course. Are they as good together as Seth remembers, or is his memory swayed by the allure of the forbidden? And does he dare to find out?
Late-night phone calls and shared secrets lead to stolen kisses and a lakeside cabin rendezvous. But one encounter isn’t enough, and the two men will risk everything to explore their deepening bond. When a series of chilling events rock the county, Rueben and Seth must put more than their hearts on the line because one misstep could prove fatal.
The Keeper is book five in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. The Keeper contains mature themes and is intended for adults.
We’ve been waiting for these two to find their HEA and it was just a steamy, sweet, & funny as readers could expect. They had a meet cute that was a little more hazardous than most – with Seth keeping Rueben calm as he was stuck in a wrecked vehicle perilously hanging off the side of a mountain. It was a good indication of where their relationship would go – moments of levity to keep their mind off of more serious concerns.
I’m not sure I’m as confident that Seth would be willing to risk so much for Rueben. It’s not like it can’t ever happen, just not right now. But then again, they’ve been dancing around each other for a bit so it was just a matter of time.
My biggest wish was that we’d get more of the ranch folks. The relationship of these guys to each other is one of the best things of the series. I’m enjoying seeing each one of them fall in love and the suspense element that ties the series together but I love their friend group and I really want to see more of that. I’d have loved to see Rueben and Keegan interact a bit more because what we did get was exactly what we’ve come to expect from these guys.
I always look forward to a book in this series and the romance between Seth & Rueben is no exception. It has always been a hoot to see Rue flirt so shamelessly with Seth and I was ready to see that come to fruition. The having to hide part could put some off and while I think that it didn’t quite fit the situation & Seth’s steadfast personality, I understand that Walker was going for an attraction that can’t be ignored. So excited that there are two more books coming!
**It really is better to read the entire series because there are elements that flow from one book to another.**
A delightful Caribbean-set romp about an ambitious designer of apocalyptic video games with a strategy for (almost) everything who discovers what happens when her best-laid plans go off course…
Sloane Cooper is up for her dream job as a designer for a top video game company. During the interview, though, she somehow promises the all-male panel that she’ll remain single and fully dedicated to the work. It’s actually fine—after her last boyfriend cheated on her, she vowed to focus on her career anyway.
Enter Charlie, aka Hot Neighbor Guy, a near-stranger who shocks her with the offer of an all-inclusive trip to a Turks and Caicos resort. The catch? Charlie originally planned the trip with his ex, and asks Sloane to pose as his new girlfriend to make his old flame come running back. Against her better judgment, Sloane says yes; she can use the time away to develop a game design that will dazzle the Catapult team and get her a job offer.
Despite sparks flying in paradise, the trip can’t lead to more. As their connection deepens, Sloane is reminded that she can’t fall for Charlie and get knocked off her professional path. Besides, he’s trying to win back his true love. Can Sloane figure out a way to move past heartbreak, land the job of her dreams, and avoid catching feelings? The zombie apocalypse would be easier to solve—at least she’s prepared for that.
“Tubati Alexander is a writer to watch!” —Emily Giffin
“In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander was a delight from start to finish…When I reread this book, let it be on a beautiful tropical beach, please!” —Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers
“Neely Tubati Alexander does it again, and this time even dreamier than ever. I felt like I was right there with Sloane in beautiful Turks and Caicos, and for a lighthearted vacation read, this tackles some real issues of sexism in the game industry. I loved every second and cheered for Sloane every (mis)step of the way!” —Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Tropes you’ll love: Love on vacation, forced proximity, fake dating
Laugh-out-loud moments: Neely’s signature voice shines in this release — bringing humor to the relatable moments in our own not-so-perfect worlds
Relevant: Sexism is a barrier many women face today when pursuing their passions in male-dominated industries
*****
Author Info:
Neely Tubati Alexander is originally from the Pacific Northwest and resides in Arizona with her husband and two children. Her debut novel, LOVE BUZZ, won the Zibby Award for Best Beach Read and was hailed by Good Morning America as “the perfect escapist read…absolutely delightful.” Her books have been featured in Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Nerd Daily, with starred reviews of her work from Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and Kirkus. Booklist declared her “an exciting new romance writer.”
She’s not here to make friends. She’s here to make trouble.
With her piercings, tattoos and spiky blond hair, Ellen Truesdale doesn’t quite fit in with the other folks in Coyote Canyon—and that’s just fine with her. She’s only here to put her father out of business, as payback for abandoning her when she was young.
Or is she more interested in finally proving that she was worth keeping?
Either way, she’s struggling to keep her rival well-drilling company afloat. And being a single woman in a male-dominated field has started to take a toll. So when Hendrix Durrant steps in to help, Ellen has no choice but to let him—even though he happens to be her father’s business partner and therefore her enemy. But the closer she works with him, the more she sees what she’s been missing…in life and love. And once she lets go of her anger long enough to learn the truth about her past, she might just find the family she’s always wanted.
Hendrix Durrant eyed his longtime neighbor, speaking with a hard-edged frustration he didn’t bother to conceal. “You’re hiring Ellen? Really, Jay? You’ve been talking to me about getting this well dug for the past eight months. You’ve had me meet you out here two or three times for details on where to drill, how deep to go, what size pump you’ll need to get enough water, what we’ll do if we encounter sand, and on and on. And now you’re going with my competitor?”
Jay Haslem, a forty-something mechanic who was finally getting the chance to build a nicer home outside the small town of Coyote Canyon, Montana, where Hendrix had lived since he was eleven and Jay had lived his whole life, shoved his hands in the pockets of his grease-stained overalls and stared down at the dirt. “Well, she’s not really your competitor, is she?”
Hendrix rested his hands on his hips. “She does the same thing I do, but her business is completely separate from mine. Wouldn’t you call that competition?”
“Yeah, but…she’s Stuart’s daughter. And he’s married to your aunt Lynn. I know you’re not related, but you’re sort of…connected, right?” He offered Hendrix a weak grin, which Hendrix immediately wiped from his face with a heated retort.
“Not only are we not related, I barely know her and hate that she moved to town two and a half years ago, because ever since then, she’s made a concerted effort to become a major pain in my ass.”
“It’s just that…her dad’s married to your aunt,” Jay said again.
Lynn had raised Hendrix from the first year she married Stuart, after his mother died of breast cancer. Everyone knew he’d been taken in out of the goodness of her heart, that he would’ve gone into the foster care system otherwise. It wasn’t as if he had a father, like most other kids. His mother, Angie, who’d lived and worked as a venture capital analyst in San Francisco, where attitudes were more liberal in general, had been so determined to have a child on her own terms she’d used a sperm bank, never imagining what might happen to him if she wasn’t around. That meant, once she was gone, he’d been lucky to have extended family who would give him a home. “I don’t care. That doesn’t change anything.”
Jay winced as he pulled on his beard. “My wife likes her, Hendrix. Thea’s the one who promised her the job. Not me. Ellen’s a tough little thing, a go-getter. We… I don’t know, we admire that kind of gumption, I guess. After all, there aren’t many women in your field.”
Jay’s, either. Not too many female mechanics around… But Hendrix was too focused on other things to point that out. “You admire her gumption,” he echoed, chuckling humorlessly. “You’re giving her the job because she’s—” he used air quotes “—a tough little thing.”
Once again, Jay shifted uncomfortably. “That and…she’s saving us a few bucks, of course.”
“Of course,” Hendrix echoed flatly. Ellen had been undercutting him and Stuart since she moved to town. “How much is a few bucks?”
“She said—” He stopped and cleared his throat before finishing in a mumble, “She said she’d do it for a thousand less than whatever you bid.”
“Excuse me?” Hendrix had heard him fine, but he wanted to make his neighbor state, clearly, the reason he’d chosen Ellen. This wasn’t about supporting a female-owned company in a largely male-dominated field, as Jay had tried to claim a few minutes ago. This was nothing more than pure self-interest. Ellen had been working day and night since she moved to Coyote Canyon, just to best him and Stuart, her father. Hendrix knew that was true because, in some cases, she was—had to be—drilling wells and replacing and repairing pumps for next to no profit, other than the pleasure of taking jobs that would otherwise have gone to them.
“She said she didn’t have the time to come out and bid, but she’d do it for a thousand less than what you said you’d do it for,” Jay repeated. “All we had to do was give her the paperwork you left with us.”
“You handed over my bid? Now she can order the supplies and get you on her schedule without spending any of the time I’ve invested in assessing your needs.”
Jay hung his head. “I’m sorry. You know I don’t have a lot of money. Thea and I have held on to this property for several years, hoping to save enough to start improving it, or…or I would’ve gone with you no matter what.”
Drawing a deep breath, which he immediately blew out, Hendrix stared over Jay’s shoulder at the rugged Montana terrain that constituted his neighbor’s five-acre dream parcel. Ever since Ellen Truesdale came to town, he’d made a point of avoiding her. If he ran into her by accident—in a population of only three thousand it was impossible not to encounter each other every once in a while—he nodded politely, so she wouldn’t know how much it bothered him to have her around. But she never responded. She just gave him that unflinching, steely-eyed gaze of hers that let him know she was gunning for him.
Despite that, he’d remained determined not to let her get to him. But as time wore on, and she stole more business from him and Stuart, she was harder and harder to ignore.
Why couldn’t she have sold the place her grandparents had given her here in town and remained in Anaconda, where she’d been born and raised? Anaconda was twice the size of Coyote Canyon; there had to be more people in that part of the state who were looking to drill a water well. Actually, he knew that to be true because he and Stuart occasionally drilled a well or helped with a pump out that way—Fetterman Well Services ranged over the whole state and even went into Utah and Nevada. And if Ellen had stayed in Anaconda, which was almost two hours from Coyote Canyon, their paths would most likely never have crossed.
But Hendrix knew her decision had very little to do with where she could make the most money—or even where she might be happiest. She had a vendetta against her father, who’d left her mother when Ellen was only ten to marry Hendrix’s aunt, and she was determined to make him pay for walking out on them. Hendrix and his cousin, Leo, whom he considered as close as a brother, were just the visible representation of all she resented.
“No problem,” he told his neighbor as he started back to his truck. “Here’s hoping she does a decent job for you.”
“Are you saying she might not?” Jay called after him, sounding alarmed.
Hendrix didn’t acknowledge the question, let alone answer it. Undermining Jay’s trust in Ellen was a cheap shot—beneath him, really. Ellen knew what she was doing. In many ways, she ran her business better than Stuart ran the one Hendrix had helped him build since he was brought from San Francisco. She didn’t have the resources or the experience they did, but she was a quick study. From what he’d heard, she was also detail-oriented—stayed right on top of everything—and since Fetterman had two crews consisting of three employees each, and covered a much bigger area, he had no doubt she was operating with far less overhead, so she could be nimble.
Although Stuart insisted they didn’t have anything to worry about when it came to Ellen—that she’d give up trying to get back at him and eventually move on—Hendrix was beginning to realize that wasn’t true. Stuart was just avoiding the problem because he felt guilty about the past. And the more he avoided it, the worse it got.
When Ellen Truesdale heard a vehicle pull up, she assumed it was Ben Anderson, her only employee. She’d finally sent him out to grab some lunch. Since breakfast early this morning, they’d been too busy to eat, and she was starving. He had to be, too; it was almost three. At twenty-one, he seemed to consume twice his body weight in food each day. But when she finished welding the steel casing they were putting down the well and flipped up her helmet, she saw that it wasn’t Ben. Hendrix Durrant had just parked next to her older and much less expensive pickup.
Since Hendrix hadn’t actually spoken to her since she came to town, she was more than a little surprised he’d driven out to her jobsite. That meant he was here with a very specific intention.
Setting her torch aside, she removed her helmet entirely and shoved up the long sleeves of her shirt. She had no idea what he wanted, but whatever it was…she couldn’t imagine she was going to like it.
Instead of approaching her right away, he slipped his hands into the pockets of his well-worn jeans and studied her GEFCO rotary drilling rig. Maybe he’d assumed she couldn’t afford a top-head drive, which enabled her to advance the casing that blocked off the sand and gravel as she drilled, and was shocked to see it. She could understand why that might be true. A rig like hers cost almost a million dollars, and she’d never had the luxury of being able to ride on her father’s coattails. If she hadn’t been able to take out a loan against the house and property her paternal grandparents had passed on to her, she wouldn’t have had the down payment necessary to purchase it. And if she’d had to settle for an older rig, it would’ve made her job much more difficult.
As it was, her payments were almost ten thousand a month, and that didn’t include the water truck she’d also had to buy. Fortunately, it wasn’t nearly as expensive as the rig. She’d managed to find a used one in Moab, Utah, for only fifty thousand. But it all added up. She had a lot on the line, which was why she worked so damn hard.
“Is there something I can do for you?” she asked, tensing in spite of all the self-talk that insisted there was no reason to be nervous. She didn’t care if she had a confrontation with her father and those connected to him. She’d been spoiling for a fight with them almost as far back as she could remember. Except for Leo, of course. Leo was harmless. Everyone knew that.
Hendrix turned to face her. She hadn’t moved toward him, hadn’t closed one inch of the gap between them. If he wanted to speak to her, he was going to have to cross that distance himself—which he did, reluctantly from what she could tell.
“You’ve been in town for two and a half years now,” he said.
She wiped the sweat from her face before giving him a smirk. “I didn’t realize you’d been counting.”
His eyebrows slid up. “I’ve only been counting because you’ve been doing everything you possibly can to make me notice you—and now I have.”
She barked a laugh. “Am I supposed to be excited about that?” She had to admit most women would be. With sandy-blond hair, smooth golden skin and wide, sky blue eyes, he reminded her of Brad Pitt in Troy—mostly because of the structure of his face but also his build. She couldn’t claim he was hard to look at.
“I was hoping to convince you to come over and talk to your father,” he said. “Scream and yell, say whatever you want, but quit trying to punish him by ruining our business.”
She removed her leather gloves and slapped them against her thigh, which made him take a step back to avoid breathing in the resulting cloud of dust. “I have nothing to say to my father.”
“Obviously you do, or you wouldn’t be living here.”
“In case you’re not aware of it, my grandparents gave me their house, and it happens to be here. I guess you didn’t quite manage to replace me in their affections.”
“I didn’t try to replace you at all. I’m sorry if you feel I did. But just so you know, your grandpa and grandma Fetterman have been good to me, too.”
She shrugged off his words. “Only because they’re nice to everyone.”
“Maybe so, but just because you got their house doesn’t mean you have to live in it. You could sell if you wanted to…”
“That’s the thing.” It took effort, but she brightened her smile for his benefit. “I like it here.”
“Come on,” he said. “Be honest. You’re only staying because you think it bugs your father.”
“That’s not all,” she said with a taunting grin. “I’m staying because it bugs you, too.”
“And that makes you happy?”
“Happier,” she clarified.
He shook his head. “There’s something wrong with you. What’re you trying to do? Prove you can build the same business we’ve built on your own?”
“And do it even better,” she said with apparent satisfaction. That had been her goal for a long time, ever since she’d finished college at Montana State with a degree in business and returned to Anaconda to help her mother make ends meet. After seeing her father become successful drilling water wells, she’d decided to do the same thing. She knew she didn’t want to get stuck waiting tables forever, and Anaconda didn’t offer a great deal of opportunity.
But it hadn’t been easy to get started. If she hadn’t managed to convince Ross Moore, a successful driller in Anaconda, to hire her, she wouldn’t have had the chance. But she’d needed only two years of experience, drilling fifteen wells under a licensed contractor, in order to get her own license. So Ross had eventually agreed—just to be a nice guy, she thought—and wound up being so happy with her work he’d kept her as his business expanded until her grandparents gave her their house in Coyote Canyon two and a half years ago, and she decided to go out on her own.
Hendrix’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve been pleasant so far, haven’t lifted a finger to stop you. I don’t want to—” he spread out his hands “—do anything that would harm you, even financially.”
“If there was anything you could do to me financially, you would’ve done it already,” she pointed out, which only seemed to enrage him further.
“Our company’s bigger than yours,” he said with a hard set to his jaw.
Our company. She was Stuart’s daughter. Hendrix was only his second wife’s nephew. He stood to take over the business when Stuart died, since Leo wasn’t capable, but he wasn’t even considered a true partner at this point. As she understood it, he was only on salary. And yet, when Hendrix lost his mother to breast cancer, her father had not only allowed Lynn to take him into their home, he’d chosen Hendrix over her in every regard. No doubt Stuart assumed Hendrix was stronger and more capable than she was, but she was bound and determined to prove he’d significantly underestimated her abilities. “That’s obvious.” She gave him the once-over. “But bigger isn’t always better.”
He stepped closer, too close for comfort, which was probably his intent, and glared down his nose at her. “It is in this case. Don’t make me put you out of business.”
He turned on his heel to stalk back to his truck, but she called after him. “You couldn’t put me out of business if you tried!”
He stopped before opening his door. “We have deeper pockets than you do, Ellen. We can play the price game, too. What if I were to go around to all your jobs and offer to drill cheaper? You’re saying I couldn’t steal your next six months of work from you?”
“You’ll be taking a heavy loss if you do!”
He studied her for several seconds. “I’m beginning to think it would be worth it.”
The size of her monthly bills—the payment she had to make on her rig alone—sent a tremor of foreboding through her. She couldn’t withstand a full-on battle with her father and Hendrix. Not one that went on for very long, at least. She needed to back off. But she couldn’t. “You don’t scare me!” she yelled. “I’ll take you on. I’ll take on both you sons of bitches!”
His tires spun dirt and gravel as he backed up and nearly hit Ben, who was just coming back in his Jeep.
Ben slammed on his brakes in the nick of time and waited for Hendrix to swerve around him. Then he got out, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, and walked over to where Ellen stood at the rig. “That was Hendrix Durrant, wasn’t it?” he said. “I told you he wouldn’t like what we’ve been doing. He confronted you about it, didn’t he? What’d he say?”
“Nothing,” she retorted. She couldn’t bring herself to admit that the resentment driving her might have caused her to sign the death warrant on her fledgling business—the only thing that was currently keeping a roof over both their heads.
Damn her! What’s wrong with her? Hendrix fumed as he drove, probably a little too recklessly, to Lynn and Stuart’s. At thirty-one, he no longer lived with them, but his house wasn’t far away, and he was at their place a lot to see his cousin, Leo, who had Down Syndrome. The office for the drilling business was in one section of the barn, too, and most of their drilling equipment was parked on the property.
Leo was in the wide front yard wearing a snowsuit—even though it was the end of March and edging toward spring and there were only little patches of white in the shadows—playing with his dog, Zeus. He lit up like a Christmas tree the second he saw Hendrix turn in, and came running to the truck.
“Hi, Hendrix!” he said, waving enthusiastically as Hendrix got out. “I been waitin’ for ya. I knew you’d come!”
Because Hendrix came almost every day. He typically brought Leo a donut or other treat, and he would’ve again today, except Lynn had told him he had to stop. Leo was gaining too much weight. It was hard for Hendrix to disappoint him, but he had no other choice. “I know you’re probably hoping I’ve got a donut for you, bud, but I couldn’t get over there in time to buy one. I’m sorry.”
Leo’s shoulders slumped, and the corners of his mouth turned down, which made Hendrix feel terrible. But in typical Leo style, he perked up right away. “That’s okay, Hendrix,” he said as they started to walk, with Zeus, toward the office. “You’ll bring me one tomorrow, right? I like the chocolate with sprinkles. It’s my favorite. I bet that’s the one you’ll buy me. You’ll bring me the chocolate one tomorrow, won’t you, Hendrix?”
Hendrix eyed his thickening middle and offered to take him on a walk instead, but Leo was having none of it.
“After I eat my donut?” he asked.
“Yeah, after you eat your donut,” Hendrix said, finally relenting. He couldn’t refuse, despite Leo’s weight.
He’d just have to take Leo somewhere else to eat it so Lynn wouldn’t catch them. He hated to contribute to the problem when she’d asked him not to, but he couldn’t deny his cousin the few simple pleasures he enjoyed so much. Maybe the walk after would zero it out.
“Thank you, Hendrix. I can’t wait!” He rubbed his hands in anticipation as they reached the office. “What are you doing today?” he asked before Hendrix could open the door. “Are you drilling another well? Can I get my steel-toed boots and my hard hat and go with you?”
It was Friday, Hendrix’s day for picking up parts, fixing broken equipment, giving estimates and helping catch up on any paperwork Lynn was holding back because of questions she had. She helped in the office while they did the drilling, but she must be in the house or getting her hair done or something else today, because Hendrix didn’t see her when he swung open the door. “For the next little while, I’m mostly hanging out here with Stuart, okay, bud?” he said. “But if I have to run an errand or two, you can come along.”
Leo smiled widely—something he did almost all the time. “Maybe we could buy a candy bar while we’re out!”
“No treats, Leo,” he said. “They aren’t good for you, remember?”
Leo’s shoulders rounded again, until he thought of the donut. “But you’ll bring me a donut tomorrow?”
Hendrix barely refrained from groaning. He’d never known anyone with such a sweet tooth. Leo was at him for candy, soda and other junk food all the time. “Yes,” Hendrix told him. “I said I would.”
“I love you, Hendrix,” he said. “You’re the best!”
It was hard to remain angry about anything in the face of his childlike exuberance. “I love you, too,” Hendrix said with a chuckle.
But when he walked into the office and Stuart glanced up, he remembered why he’d come skidding into the driveway of their house in the first place.
“You need to do something about Ellen,” he said bluntly.
“Ellen Truesdale?” Leo piped up before Stuart, who was sitting at his desk, could respond.
Hendrix wasn’t surprised Leo knew who Ellen was. With her bleached blond hair, cut in a short, jagged style, nose ring and ear piercings, together with the tattoo sleeve that covered one arm, she stood out in the ultraconservative community in which he’d been raised. Not only had she been a hot topic around town, she’d come up in plenty of conversations between Stuart and Lynn.
Hendrix was surprised, however, that Leo remembered her last name. It wasn’t as if they knew any other Truesdales. As soon as she’d turned eighteen, Ellen had legally changed her last name to her mother’s maiden name—another of her many attempts to get back at Stuart. Leo’s father had been an alcoholic who’d raised and sold hunting dogs—before he shot himself when Lynn left him. Stuart adopted Leo when he and Lynn married three years later, so Leo went by Fetterman. And since Hendrix’s father was found in a tube of sperm cells in a lab somewhere, he’d retained his mother’s last name and went by Durrant.
“Yes, Ellen Truesdale,” Hendrix told him.
Stuart sighed as he rocked back in his chair. “What’s she done this time?”
“Took the Haslem job from us.”
His father looked startled. “I thought we had that one in the bag. Isn’t Jay your neighbor?”
About four years ago, Hendrix had bought a small, two-bedroom, two-bath, log-cabin-style home on a couple of acres about five minutes away. Jay lived in the mobile home next door—until he could move to his other property, anyway. “Yeah, well, I guess loyalty doesn’t count for much when money’s involved.”
“She undercut us again?”
“Word’s getting around that she’ll beat any price we give. At least, that’s what I’m guessing. All Jay told me was that he was hiring her because it would save him some money.”
The beard growth on Stuart’s chin rasped as he rubbed it. “Drillin’s hard work. I can’t believe she’d do it that cheaply—and that she’s actually doing a decent job. She’s only about five foot four, maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet.”
“You know she has Ben Anderson to help her, right? She hired him right out of high school when she first got here.”
“I know she’s got Ben, but it has to be difficult for her even with a hired hand.”
Hearing the grudging admiration in his voice made Hendrix’s hackles rise again. “She’s trying to damage our business. You realize that.”
“She’s not going to damage it for long,” Stuart said dismissively. “I’ve been drillin’ wells and servicing pumps for forty years. We’ll reach a new equilibrium sooner or later.”
“I’m not so sure,” Hendrix argued. “Can’t you meet with her? Have a discussion? Folks talk, especially in a small town like this. If word has it that she’s the cheapest around, and she’s a good driller…” He shook his head. “It’s been two and a half years since she moved here. She’s only getting a firmer foothold as the days go by.”
“What do you want me to say to her?” his uncle asked. “She’s not doing anything wrong.”
“Purposely targeting our business isn’t doing anything wrong?”
“It’s a free market,” he said with a shrug. “There’s nothin’ to say another driller can’t move in here and compete with us. Whether it’s her or someone else…”
“I’ll talk to Ellen!” Leo volunteered. “She’s so pretty. And such a little thing. I bet I could pick her up.”
“Oh, I’d never hurt her,” Leo hurried to reassure him.
Hendrix knew he’d never hurt her intentionally. Leo would never hurt anyone intentionally. But he was a big man, and he didn’t know his own strength. Sometimes he reminded Hendrix of Lennie in Of Mice and Men, not least because he himself identified with George Milton in the role of Leo’s protector. During his teens, he’d been in more fights than he could remember trying to defend Leo from the bullies who’d tease and make fun of him. “I know you wouldn’t, bud. You just have to remember not to touch her, okay? Ever.”
“Okay,” Leo said dutifully.
“So will you talk to her?” Hendrix asked, turning back to Stuart.
Stuart blanched. “I don’t know what to say to her,” he admitted. “I mean…what can I say? I didn’t do right by her, and there’s no changing that now.”
“Then apologize,” Hendrix said, “before she makes me lose my mind.”
Stuart stared at the paperwork on his desk for several seconds before finally—and grudgingly—relenting. “If I get the opportunity, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Let me give you the opportunity,” he said. “She’s drilling the Slemboskis a well right now. Should be there another day, at least. Maybe longer.”
His uncle’s jaw had dropped as soon as he heard the name. “The Slemboskis went with her, too? Slim Slemboski’s on my bowling team!”
Hendrix threw up his hands. “See what I mean?”
Stuart winced as he went back to rubbing his jaw. “O-kay,” he said on a downbeat, as if agreeing to talk to Ellen was tantamount to walking the plank. “I’ll go over there tomorrow, see what I can do.”
Brenda Novak, a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, has penned over sixty novels. She is a five-time nominee for the RITA Award and has won the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Bookbuyer’s Best, and many other awards. She also runs Brenda Novak for the Cure, a charity to raise money for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised $2.5 million. For more about Brenda, please visit http://www.brendanovak.com.
Who else is ready for a sweet holiday romance? How about nine of them!
A Cowboy This Christmas: A Sweet Romance Anthology
by Roxy Boroughs, Victoria Chatham, Amy Jo Fleming, Raine Hughes, Lawna Mackie, Shawna Mumert, Jan O’Hara, A.M. Westerling, Joanie Wilde
Blurb:
At Christmas, even the loneliest cowboy can find true love, whether it arrives with the subtle fragrance of evergreen or the kick of a wild stallion. Celebrate the holiday season with these nine short, sweet, and heartwarming contemporary romances.
“The Cowboy’s Comeback Christmas” – by Jan O’Hara – USA Today Bestselling Author
The woman formerly known as Shrinking Violet is back, bearing a new no-nonsense attitude and a deadline for leaving town. Five Christmases ago, Russ broke both their hearts. Can he prove he’s a changed man and convince her to stay?
“Capturing the Christmas Cowboy” – by Roxy Boroughs, Amazon Bestselling Author
To secure her job with an advertising company, an L.A. photographer travels to the wilds of Montana, searching for a rugged cowboy to peddle cheap cologne. There she meets a down-on-his-luck, camera-shy rancher, who wants to give his little brother a homespun Christmas – just like the ones they knew before they lost their parents.
Recovering from a life-changing injury, a bronc buster drives across Canada with his young sons to work as a ranch foreman. Heart-sore owner, Sally, hides a wariness of being touched with a warm, hopeful smile. Will the miracle of Christmas help them find true healing love?
Mandy Robinson, a server in a country diner is puzzled when her encounters with the new short order chef, injured bull rider, Chay Burton, seem to mirror events as chronicled over a hundred years ago in her great grandmother’s diary. Romance blossoms as Christmas approaches but should she trust the journal that hints of eventual heartbreak or a cowboy who only has his love to offer?
“All I Want for Christmas” – by Victoria Chatham, Books We Love Bestselling Author
Rancher Luke Evans expects to spend Christmas alone. When a snowstorm strands Kate Cooper and her five-year-old daughter Alice, that changes. While the child’s smile warms his heart, will widowed emergency nurse Kate dare to love again? Could she and Alice become the family Luke always wanted?
“Come Home for Christmas, Cowboy” – by Amy Jo Fleming
Jolene, a young widow, needs to sell the ranch that she loves. It’s the only home her son Cody has ever known. There’s a catch. Her late husband’s cousin owns half the property. Devon will be home for the holidays and Jolene needs to convince him to sell before Christmas. Will those old feelings that Jolene and Devon once shared ruin her plans?
“Silver Belle’s Christmas Cowboy” – by Lawna Mackie
Being the caregiver to nine reindeer in Alaska has many challenges, including a promise Silver Belle Delaney intends to fulfill. Granted, there are a few hiccups. Steal her employer’s reindeer…oh, and his truck and trailer, drive through a blizzard, then hope and pray the handsome, wealthy rancher doesn’t throw her in jail on Christmas Eve.
“My Cowboy, Until Christmas” – by Shawna Mumert – Debut Author
Desperate to keep her ranch, Caroline Bailey, a young widow, hires Trace Morgan, a drifter, to help her until Christmas Eve, when the final ranch payment is due, but working together changes their dreams and their lives.
“A Heart Creek Christmas” – by Joanie Wilde – Debut Author
A kind-hearted equine osteopath lands her dream job – and possibly the love of her life in a broken-down cowboy. Can they move past their personal barriers to find love in time for Christmas?
This anthology is the work of nine independent-minded women who live in or near cattle country, Alberta.
He’s the new hockey team captain Also my roommate And now my fake fiancé…
When I discover my boyfriend is cheating on me, I quit my job, and move to take up a role as the PR manager for a hockey team. Only problem? There’s a mix up. Now I’m stuck sharing a flat with the grumpy, hockey captain. Worse? (or is that better?) There’s only one bed! Even worse? My ex too has moved, as the captain of the rival team, ugh! When my roomie realizes how much I want revenge he comes up with a plan. He asks me to pose as his fake fiancée on his trip home. In return I get to be seen with him, and show up my ex. I’ve sworn off men, there’s no way I can fall for him. But what happens when sparks fly?
This is a standalone roommates to lovers, fake relationship, one-bed, hockey romance with a possessive hero, a woman who doesn’t hesitate to go toe-to-toe with him, and a champagne guzzling Great Dane who plays matchmaker by mistake. HEA guaranteed. 1-Click NOW
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
L. Steele writes stories featuring powerful men and strong women who bring them to their knees. When she’s not writing she enjoys trading trivia with her husband, watching lots and lots of movies, and walking nature trails. She lives with her family in London.
Grace Bianchi has always been drawn to men who are allergic to relationships. But when a mysterious man walks into her shop, saving her from a disaster, she finds herself wondering… is he different than the others?
Ryder Cooper is fumbling his way through life. He’s been lost since his wife passed away, leaving him to raise two young children.
But when he meets a beautiful tattoo artist with a zest for life, she makes him wonder…could he love again.
Never Too Soon is a journey of two broken hearts who believe in love as they mend their broken hearts, finding their happily ever after.
Ryder obviously loves his kids and has put them first the last few years. Needing a fresh start he packs them up to a new town. He’s been struggling a bit but hopefully the change of scenery will help them move forward.
I like Gracie. She’s sassy but with a vulnerability thanks to a troubling past relationship. Her family is also a hoot – loving and open, sometimes a little overwhelming in how they embrace others, but with enormous hearts.
The first part of the book is a lot dancing around each other for Ryder and Gracie, as they get to know each other and we get to know them. It’s low drama with a very realistic feel as they have to decide if that pull they felt on the first meeting is worth pursuing and whether a relationship will work in their lives. This kinda book isn’t going to be for everyone but I think it’ll be enjoyed by those that do.
*****
Author Info:
Chelle Bliss is the Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of Men of Inked Series and Misadventures of a City Girl.
She’s a full-time writer, time-waster extraordinaire, social media addict, coffee fiend, ex-high school history teacher, and currently lives near the beach even though she hates sand. Chelle loves spending time with her two cats, alpha boyfriend, and chatting with readers.
Acacia has hated Edwin ever since ‘the incident’ four years ago, but when stormy weather threatens both their businesses, they realize a farewell to arms may be the best way to avoid a dangerous summer. Readers who love the Man of the Month Club will devour Enemies in Earnest by Willow Sanders, a steamy, small town, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers romance.
Enemies in Earnest
Candy Cane Key
Man of the Month: July
by Willow Sanders
Blurb:
Acacia Ashley has one love: the written word. Specifically the rich, earthy, prose of Mr. Ernest Hemingway. Her love for Hemingway goes so deep that she opened a bar in his honor. Every year in July she plays host to Hemingway Days in Candy Cane Key, and every year she has to stay on guard in case Edwin Wheeler decides once again to find a way to ruin the solemnity of the occasion.
Edwin Wheeler doesn’t care about books or old men, but the sea? The sea is where he spends his days in search of the almighty dollar. But when he grows bored of plying tourists with fruity drinks, he’s often found needling the resident bookworm, Acacia. She’s hated him ever since the incident four years ago. Why does getting a rise out of her give him a bit of a rise as well?
When the bell tolls signaling approaching stormy weather that threatens both of their businesses, the pair realizes a farewell to arms may be the best way to avoid a dangerous summer.
It was much easier to ruminate over one’s nemesis when he wasn’t ten feet away. The other problem? The way he doted on and cared for his mother was literally catnip. Lady Kitty catnip, not like, for Six- toed Joe. The second his mom shivered, he was there with her cardigan. She coughed, he had her water at the ready. He repeated what MariJo’s nephew and niece said, but louder and in the direction of her good ear, without making it obvious he did it for her benefit. How could someone who was such an asshole be so sweetly attentive to his mother? It didn’t compute.
“What if we served a buffet of Hemingway-inspired appetizers?” Asher asked, his bushy eyebrows the only thing I could make out over the clipboard he referenced.
“Now wouldn’t that be a hoot?” Edwin flipped a fifty onto the counter. “I’m sure no one in the history of Hemingway-inspired bars, restaurants, parties, or events has ever thought to offer a little canape dipped in literary puns.”
Asher lifted an eyebrow in his direction as if to ask me is he for real? Unfortunately, yes, he was. The two of us had a War and Peace length conversation in silent eye rolls and quirks of lip before Asher heaved a dramatic sigh and placed his clipboard on the counter.
“I believe it was the great Oscar Wilde who said sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.”
Edwin nabbed a cherry from my garnish center, shrugging in Asher’s direction. God, he was ridiculous. He never took his eyes off me, even though the shrug was directed at Asher. Did he want me to chastise him for stealing a cherry? Because of the list of things I could chastise the man over, being a cherry stealer was low on the list.
“What can I do for you Edwin?”
I tried to be as subtle as I could, affixing the plastic top to the tray of garnish. It was a place of business after all. Sanitation was important. Certainly, no one wanted his grubby, work-roughened fingers anywhere near their drinks.
“Now there’s a statement heavy with possibility.”
Edwin Wheeler did not get to do funny things to my nervous system. No ma’am. The way his voice went soft and gravely did not affect the steady, reliable thrum of my pulse. And his tipped lip or the mischievous glint in his eyes did not make my face feel hot. I’d rather succumb to food poisoning from bad fish than have him be the reason I felt flushed and a little woozy.
“Did your mom call up your cousin and ask him to come for a playdate? That was so considerate of her. This way you have someone who is obligated to tolerate your company every day while your boat’s boo-boos get all patched up.”
At that moment, the sexy version of Santa Claus, also known as Edwin’s cousin, took a seat next to him at the bar and regarded me.
“How’s that champagne coming along?” he asked his cousin.
“This here’s Klaus.” Edwin cocked his head.
“Bottle or glasses?” I asked, ignoring the flirty challenge in Edwin’s eyes. “The bottle is probably the better choice as you’ll get four glasses out of it for thirty dollars versus four glasses of champagne at nine fifty a piece which would be thirty-eight, before tax.”
Edwin’s eyes flit to the fifty he had sitting in front of him and back up to look at me. Though that didn’t really answer the question. Regardless of which he chose, the fifty covered it and then some.
He didn’t get to win. It was my bar. If I were a petty person, I’d pour four glasses and charge him the per-glass rate. If he wanted to play Mr. Unaffected, James Dean cool, and answer me in smirks and eyebrow lifts instead of words, fine. I’d show him.
Copyright 2023 Willow Sanders
*****
Author Info:
A marketer by day, and author by night, Willow Sanders is a best-selling author of sweet with heat Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense. She loves to write spunky, take no shit women, and understanding men with a strong side of sarcasm and an extra helping of BDE. When not writing you can find her torn between her loyalty to the Fighting Illini and her husband’s loyalty to Michigan State, bemoaning traffic, feeding her caffeine addiction, and trying to find the connection between her and the Gilmore Girls–because she is certain she is a long-lost family member.
Romantic Reads and Such 