Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

For today’s Book Hooks post, I’m continuing with Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas. I’ll reiterate that this book takes place from October to past Christmastime, but it isn’t considered a holiday story. Last week’s post can be found HERE:

We’re picking up after last week’s snippet. Tom Brandt is Jake’s new lawyer hired to fight to keep his son in the state. Jake recently found out a truth he’d suspected. He may sound hardhearted in this snippet, but how would you feel?:

Numbness enveloped his body. Fuzz filled his brain. None of this had come out in court. He took his phone out to call Tom Brandt. “You won’t believe this,” he said to his lawyer. “I have something for you to add to your notes.” Jake proceeded to tell Tom the newest bit of information.

“This changes everything, Jake. I’ll be in contact with you soon.”

She was having another man’s baby, but it wasn’t the guy he had seen her with last night. A ball of confusion settled into a corner of his brain to figure out later. He checked his watch. It was almost time for Trace to get out of school. Jake went back into the tack room to wash his hands, then into the house to brush his hair and put on a clean shirt. His dirty jeans would have to do. Tonight, his son was moving back home. Let her try to stop him.

Pulling onto the 60 toward school, he called Paige. “Have Trace’s things ready. Leave the door unlocked, then find someplace to go,” he barked out when she answered. “My boy is coming back home with me, and I don’t want to see your face when I get there in a couple hours—”

“But—”

“Don’t try to fight me on this, Paige, because there’s no way you’ll win. You did this to yourself, lady. Nothing left but to accept it.” Let that sink in. Remaining calm now was important. Name calling would solve nothing and would only get his blood to boil and steam to shoot from his ears.

“All right. Tomorrow I’ll file to dissolve our marriage.”

“You’ll get no argument from me this time.” At the school, he parked and then sat a minute until his breathing got back in check. He went inside to the office to ask for a meeting with the principal. A few minutes later, the secretary escorted him through a narrow walkway to his office.

Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas

Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series

A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off

What can stand in their way this time?

Rancher Jake Lawton never expects to become a single dad to his nine-year-old overnight. However, one last malicious act his wife had done before leaving them, could affect both he and his son’s lives. By chance, he runs into his high school sweetheart, never expecting the same old yearnings to return with one “How are ya?” embrace. Has their unanticipated meeting arrived at the perfect time, or has years apart put an end to what should’ve been years ago?

Beth Marconi arrives home to help care for her ailing father. In town, she inadvertently runs into her first love—the cowboy she nearly married after graduation. Sparks ignite before they say hello, but how do they start over when life has left them so bruised? When her ex comes to town, she’s forced to explain the secret surrounding her short-lived marriage. Is Jake the kind of man who will understand, or will he revert to the hell-raiser he had become when Beth left thirteen years ago?

Filled with both anguish and hope, a young boy and two lonely hearts pursue a second chance.

Thanks for reading.

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.

Participating authors can be found Here, and there are a lot of them doing Book Hooks. At least they get signed up on time. I missed it again this week.

See you all the next time.