Today you’re getting a twofer teaser: a little bite of The Last One, because we’re celebrating it being free now on all venues! And then a tantalizing sneak peek of The Only One, which releases three weeks from today on April 7th.
First. . .The Last One. Sam and Meghan’s meeting alongside a dark highway in Georgia. . .
“Okay, let’s get you on your way.” I stood in the open driver’s side door. “Why don’t you shove her a little more my way, and I’ll just carry her to the car?”
“You sure?” Laura’s eyebrow rose.
“Yep, it’ll be easier all around. Here.” I handed her the Chevette keys. “Go open it up, and I’ll bring her over.”
I slid my left hand beneath Meghan’s knees and at the same time wrapped my right arm around her back and tugged her toward me. She moaned as I lifted her off the seat, settling her against my chest.
Wide green eyes, clouded with confusion, stared up at me. She struggled to free her arm where it was pinned between her side and my stomach. When she could move it, she reached up and touched my face.
I couldn’t jerk back, even though the feel of her fingers on my jaw, coupled with the tantalizing view of cleavage I was getting from this vantage point, sent unsettling feelings down my body.
“It’s you,” she murmured, and the whisper only added to my arousal. Her lips curved into a smile before her eyes shut again.
I stood rooted to the ground for a minute. I couldn’t remember where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to be doing.
“Hey, are you all right?” Laura had opened the passenger side of the Chevette, but now she walked over to me. “She’s okay, isn’t she?”
I swallowed hard. “Yeah, I was just making sure I had a grip so I didn’t drop her.” I strode over to the car and eased Meghan onto the seat. She made a small sound, almost like a kitten, and her hand trailed down my chest on its way to settle in her lap. The jean skirt had hitched up until I could almost see her—
“Thanks, I’ll get her buckled in.”
And now. . .The Only One. Mason and Rilla are meeting at his bar to discuss her proposal for some promotions work.
“Did you come from a funeral?”
She frowned, her light brows drawing together. “Excuse me?”
“You’re all in black. In the middle of the day. I thought maybe someone died.”
Rilla looked down at herself as though surprised. “No. I didn’t come from a funeral. This is business attire. I’m here to discuss advertising and
promotion, and I’m dressed as I should be when meeting a client.”
I shook my head. “Darlin’, you’re at a bar. Well—” I hurried to amend what I’d said before she turned tail and ran. “A restaurant. But a casual one. You could’ve worn jeans. I still would’ve taken you just as seriously. Maybe more so than looking like you’re playing dress up in your mama’s clothes.”
Her mouth dropped open for a heartbeat before she shut it with a snap. Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not playing dress-up. I’m sorry if you’re not used to dealing with people who know how to dress for the occasion, but I won’t apologize for doing what I know is right.” She glanced off to the side before she added, “Besides, I don’t own a pair of jeans. Even if I did, I wouldn’t have worn them here today. I understand you’re more used to women who dress in micro-mini skirts and tight ripped jeans—”
“Whoa, whoa there, darlin’. I’m not used to women who dress that way. What the hell gave you that idea?”
Her face turned an intriguing shade of pink, and yep, there went the thumb to her lips. “I’m just making an assumption based on what people wear to bars like this. And please don’t swear. I don’t like it. A gentleman doesn’t swear in front of a lady.”
Holy shit, was this chick from some kind of time warp? I tried to remember the last time a woman other than my mother had scolded me for cursing in front of her. I couldn’t. But here stood Miss Prim and Proper in my bar trying to tell me how to talk.
Darcy rounded the corner in time to hear her last words. The waitress glanced from Rilla to me, and a slow grin grew on her face. “She’s right, Mason. A gentleman doesn’t use those kinds of words in mixed company. If you were my son, I’d slap you upside the head.”
My eyes widened. This from Darcy, who could out-swear the worst of us when the challenged? I opened my mouth to say as much, but she folded her arms over her chest and stared me down, one eyebrow raised, until I finally shook my head and sighed.
“Okay, fine. No swearing.” I ran my hand over my face. “Darcy, we’re going to sit at number twelve. Can you tell Suze?”
“Sure.” She pivoted to face Rilla. “I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Darcy Hade, and I head up the wait staff here.”
“Hi, Darcy, nice to meet you.” Rilla stuck out her hand. “Rilla Grant. I’m going to be handling advertising and promotion for The Road Block.”
“No sh—no kidding.” Darcy didn’t even blink at her near-slip, and neither did Rilla, I noticed. “That’s cool.”
“If I decide to hire you.” I felt the need to reassert my control of this situation.
“Oh, you’re going to hire me.” Rilla turned her head and for the very first time, she smiled at me, full on, without a hint of shyness or self-doubt. My breath caught and my stomach felt as though I’d just stepped off a rollercoaster. What the hell. . .
The Only One releases on April 7th, but you can preorder it here! Don’t wait. . .
Amazon/iBooks/BN
Mason Wallace left his hometown to live his dream: he had the perfect career, a gorgeous wife and a beautiful baby girl. He was on top of the world, until it all shattered with the sudden death of his wife. Now he’s back in Georgia, running his bar and trying to take care of his family. And he needs all the help he can get.
Rilla Grant’s never been farther than twenty miles from her family’s farm. Her overprotective father wants her to marry their church’s youth pastor and settle down into the life he’s chosen for her, but she’s not sure that’s what she wants anymore. Rilla’s chafing to make her own choices, and that includes starting her own PR business and maybe even moving off the farm, no matter how much her dad hates it.
When Mason asks Rilla to work on some promotion for his bar, she’s both excited and terrified. Excited, because it’s just the opportunity she’s wanted, and terrified because Mason, with his electric blue eyes and drool-worthy body, is the kind of guy who makes her knees weak and her heart pound. He’s the only one who’s ever tempted Rilla to defy her family, and when she does just that by moving in to help take care of his daughter, they’re both forced to make a decision that’ll change their lives forever.
Sometimes love isn’t the easy choice. Sometimes it’s the only one.
When I moved to Wisconsin in 1992, we discovered we were in the heart of country music territory. And it was a good time for country music, too: the Judds had just retired, but everyone else was exploding. It was the heyday of Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Reba Jackson.
