Super-excited to say that my re-released book,
The Promise of Paradise, will be available this week, just in time for Valentine's Day! Stay tuned for all the details, and in the meantime, here's a sneak peek at a brand new scene from the story, along with a brand new character:
“Lucas, it’s perfect.” Ash
wrapped her arms around Jen’s younger brother. “Thank you so, so much for
coming up and helping out.”
“Aw,
didn’t do much,” he said gruffly. The six-foot-seven giant turned three shades
of red as Ash released him.
“Yeah,
you did.” The porch still smelled of fresh paint, and all the loose boards had
been fixed, along with the leaking toilet and the stuck window in Ash’s
bedroom, which he definitely hadn’t
had to do.
Lucas
ran one hand over a head full of curly dark hair. “It’s a nice apartment.” He
leaned against the railing and stared at the street. Always solemn, he seemed
quieter than ever today. Broken hearts tended to do that, Ash supposed.
“Yeah,”
she agreed. “Hey, you’re gonna stay for the party, right?” She was almost
positive Eddie had some single friends she could steer in Lucas’s direction.
“Naw,
I gotta get back.” He pulled a baseball cap from his back pocket and stuck it
on lopsidedly. “Mom an’ Dad are havin’ a barbeque later. Told ‘em I’d try to
make it.” He grinned. “It’s always hit and miss with Dad and the grill. I’d
rather see him keep his eyebrows tonight.”
She
laughed. Such a good guy. She still couldn’t believe his girlfriend had cheated
on him. In another life, Ash might have considered letting Jen set her up with
Lucas, the way she’d been trying to
since about the second week the
two of them had lived together. Ridiculously tall, seriously built, and sweet
down to the core – what woman in her right mind would cheat on someone like
that?
Ash
straightened the tables in both corners of the porch roof as Lucas planted a
kiss goodbye on the top of her head. Guess you never really knew the thoughts
in people’s heads. Secrets hid, lies
grew, and sometimes the very
people you thought you knew best were the ones burying their knives in your
back. Or their hearts in someone else’s.
She
shook away the thought. Not tonight. No sadness, and no regret. She glanced
into the street below. A few cars already lined the curb in front of the house,
and the sun hadn’t even begun to
set. Apparently, thanks to Eddie,
half of Paradise had been invited to their housewarming party.
A
few minutes later, he poked his head through the window, looking out from the
kitchen. “Ash? Everything good out here?”
“I
think so.” She and Jen had spent most of the afternoon decorating. Now red,
white, and blue lights twisted themselves around the porch railing. Flags
perched in buckets of ice, while picnic
benches and tables bowed under
piles of food and soft drinks.
“Jen’s
brother’s not staying?”
She
shook her head.
Eddie
rested both arms on the sill. “Seems like a nice guy.”
“He
is.”
“You
and he ever…” He didn’t finish the question, but she read
the
look on his face.
“Me
and Lucas? God, no. He’s like – I mean, he’s Jen’s little brother.”
“So?”
“So
nothing.” She propped one hand on a hip. “Are you jealous?”
“Nope.
Just curious.”
She
grabbed a handful of ice from the nearest cooler and tossed it in his
direction. “Whatever.”
“I’m gonna run out and get the beer,” he said.
He picked up a few slivers of ice, already melting, and palmed them. “Like it
wet, huh?”
Available soon!!
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