(A Deerbourne Inn
novella)
Will
love help her summit one more peak?
Charlotte MacGregor
lost the thrill of conquering mountains five years ago when her sister disappeared
on a hiking adventure without her. Still guilt-ridden, Charlotte heads for a
vacation to rustic Vermont with a friend—where she's surrounded by reminders of
her devastating loss and plagued with unanswered questions.
Matiu
Christiansen is an outdoors buff. He works multiple jobs to save for his dream
of owning an outfitter in New Zealand. He's never quite felt at home in the
United States and he yearns for his Maori roots, but his attraction to
Charlotte puts a kink in his plans to move home later this year.
Thrown together by coincidence, Charlotte and Matiu form a
kindred bond through their shared love of the outdoors. Can Charlotte surmount
her demons to assist Matiu on a rescue when a late-season snowstorm hits? And can
Matiu help Charlotte heal from the pain of the past?
Excerpt:
“What’s
on your agenda tomorrow?” He offered her a brookie. He sat closer this time,
his thigh brushing hers.
She
unwrapped the brookie, grateful to have something to focus on, inhaled the
enticing mixed scent of chocolate and buttery deliciousness, bit into it, and
had to cover a moan.
“Choice,
right?”
“Heaven.
I need to get you to write these sayings down. Though I’m filing them away in
my brain. This is choice?”
“Yup
or sweet as.”
“Sweet
as what?”
“Just
sweet as. We leave the conjunction hanging there.”
They
shared a chuckle.
“Confuses
the hell out of tourists,” he added.
“Indeed.”
“Easy
as.” His eyebrows lifted as he munched. “So, tomorrow?”
“Not
sure. If Ronnie hasn’t already ventured there, maybe north to Waterbury to
visit the cheese and ice cream factories.”
“Nah,
that’s tourist stuff. How about farther off the beaten track?”
“You
have better ideas?”
“Of
course.”
“What’s
your schedule like since you’re Mr. Busy?”
His
smiled tipped to a frown. “Another full day. Since I mucked this morning on my
day off, maybe they’ll give me a break tomorrow. Plus, I’m waiting on their
vehicle to get repaired.”
She
found herself nibbling on her lip, and it wasn’t just from the chewy
deliciousness in her mouth.
He
poured her tea. His clock near the TV chimed. “I gotta change for the inn
shift. Be right back. Drink the tea slowly. Let it work its flavor on your
palate. Drink it like you would an expensive wine. Slosh it, inhale, savor.” He
rose. “Just don’t spit it out after.”
She
almost snorted the swallow of tea. God, he was a flirt, even if he didn’t know
it. Maybe he did.
She
admired his physique as he strode to his bedroom. The T-shirt stretched nicely
across his wide shoulders, and she presumed he had a well-defined torso beneath
it. She bet his calves were in kick-ass shape from all the work he did. And his
butt…
He
only half closed the door. She got a decent peek as he took off his dirty
T-shirt. Elaborate, curved black tattoos covered his shoulder blade in similar
symbols to the ones on the quilt.
She
pulled her gaze away as he disappeared behind the door. Veronica had warned
her. Fun only, fun only. Oh my God, what the hell was she doing?
Will Rise from Ashes
Release date: April
17, 2019
Available now for pre-order
Living
is more than mere survival
Young widow AJ Sinclair has persevered
through much heartache. Has she met her match when the Yellowstone supervolcano
erupts, leaving her separated from her youngest son and her brother? Tens of
thousands are dead or missing in a swath of massive destruction. She and her
nine-year-old autistic son, Will, embark on a risky road trip from Maine to the
epicenter to find her family. She can't lose another loved one.
Along the way,
they meet Reid Gregory, who travels his own road to perdition looking for his
sister. Drawn together by AJ's fear of driving and Reid's military and local expertise,
their journey to Colorado is fraught with the chaotic aftermath of the eruption.
AJ's anxiety and faith in humanity are put to the test as she heals her past,
accepts her family's present, and embraces uncertainty as Will and Reid show
her a world she had almost forgotten.
Excerpt:
Even from far away, I recognized
the man’s plaid long-sleeved shirt and the large backpack, but now he was
walking alongside a bike on his approach.
“Hey, look! It’s that guy you drove
past this morning!”
I shuddered inwardly. Well, karma just bit me
in the butt.
“How did he catch up with us?”
Motherly instinct took over as I rose, my legs wobbly. “Will, stay there. Here,
take this,” I said, handing him the tire iron.
“We already tried that, Mom.”
“Not for that, Will.”
He scratched his brown hair, which
was overdue for a cut, and looked at me, confusion wrinkling his brow.
“Be my wizard, Will. It’s your
sword.”
“Wizards have wands.”
“Will…”
The circuit connected. “Oh…yes,
Mom, I’ll protect you!”
I smiled faintly. “Thank you,
honey.” I didn’t want to explain further that it was me protecting him. I
didn’t want to say that if something happened, to run and hide in the woods.
Because he would run and hide. Then what? Who would come help?
I shoved my hand into my front
jeans pocket to nestle my fingertips around the pocket knife I had given
Harrison for our wedding anniversary. The man slowed his bicycle as he drew
nearer. He gave me an understated, yet significant, nod. The nod of understanding,
of kindness. I didn’t buy it.
“Hello, again,” he said.
Ouch.
Available for pre-order at:
Available April 17th at Kobo ~GooglePlay ~ Walmart
Jean’s background
is in science and she draws from her interests in history, nature, and her
family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women’s
fiction. She also writes articles for family-oriented travel magazines. When she’s
not writing or chasing children, she enjoys tending to her flower gardens, hiking,
and doing just about anything in the outdoors.
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