Season’s Greetings, My Friends
May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
~Ada V. Hendricks
May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
~Ada V. Hendricks
Look what I’m back with on Saturday! I know it’s been a long time. Today I bring you a snippet from © Whispers of Forever. Of course, right? ❤️
From Chapter Four: (slightly modified)
With everything fine at home, Beth got in her car and drove the same way she used to drive once she got her license. Outside his ranch, she studied the signposts that led up the driveway. Stretched across the top in large lettering, it said: JL Ranch atop a smaller sign that read Lawton Ranching Supplies. He used to talk about leaving this small town and never coming back. She was proud that he stayed and made a name for himself. Jake had always had the drive to succeed. Dust hadn’t yet settled on the road. Maybe he had arrived this minute himself.
Driving up the road, she was amazed at what he had done. He took an old house and made it appear brand new—even the front facing had been redone, plus he’d added a large porch. A lump caught in her throat. As she glanced to the right, there sat a small barn, but through a clearing between that and the main house, she spotted the old, red barn—the paint no longer faded. Her throat tightened, trying to push a lump down. “He kept it.”
The front door opened. Jake pushed the screen then skipped down the steps to her car. “Beth. Wow. What are you doing here? I mean, I’m glad you’re here, but… You found my place.” He turned to look back at the house.
What had she been thinking? She lifted her palms to her cheeks. “I’m sorry I should’ve called.”
“No, well, my wife is leaving later tonight, and she came to see Trace. The last farewell for a while so to speak, I guess. The boyfriend is waiting for her at her condo. They’re flying out in his little piss-ass plane.” Jake backed up, and his hands sliced through the air. “I can’t believe she actually took my son up in it. I’m sorry, that got away from me. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all while behaving like a sane person instead of a maniac.”
“Trace?” She peered up into his puppy dog eyes and smiled, saying softly, “You named your son Trace?”
Jake grinned. “You remembered. Yeah, I named my first kid Trace J. Just an initial. Sometimes I call him T.J.”
“Of course I remember. The name we had picked out for our first…” She had to get out of there. He never forgot. “I’m leaving. Go have dinner.” Beth put her car in reverse.
“Wait, Beth. Can you come back tonight?”
“Umm, I don’t know.” Her heart beat as fast as baby bird wings flapped. Her palms sweat. “I don’t know. I’ll call first if I do.”
“That’s not necessary.” Jake put his hand on her shoulder. “Come back tonight. I’d love to talk—spend some time…” He backed away as she removed her foot from the brake. “I never forgot us, Beth.”
Omigod. Omigod. “I’ll call you.” When she backed up, the screen door opened, and his son came out onto the porch. What a memory. It was like Jake had done the last day she had been here. Stop staring. Hit the gas pedal! He had stood there not wanting her to leave—his dad holding him back. But, now she was home. “Bye, Jake.” Tears burned in the back of her eyes. What had she started now? Longing for him only made the sight of him harder to bear.
Hey, Everybody! I hope you enjoyed the snippet, which is a little longer than my normal “short” snippets. This is from my brand-new release, which I recently announced to the public. I personally love this scene, but I’ve been in Beth and Jake’s head and they’ve been in mine for over a year now, so I’m kind of sentimental. I hope the world is kind to them. ❤
All y’all enjoy your weekend.
This song reminds me of my Jake and Beth. Writing the end of a book is bittersweet for me. I miss them. When I listen to this video, I smile because I know their story, and I’m sad because I know their story. (Country music ahead.) 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Barn image credit: Pixabay
Young couple image credit: © Nolte Lourens | Dreamstime.com (enhanced by me)
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, my American friends, and a happy weekend to all.
Just a note to say how thankful I am for all of you. Thanks for being here.
I thought this quote was fitting.
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beattie
From Mary
NEW RELEASE
Second Chance Romance.
What can stand in their way this time?
Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon IN
A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off Novel.
Second Chance Romance.
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 at Christmastime, a young boy and two lonely hearts pursue a second chance.
Author Note: Canyon Junction is the fictional small town where our cowboys from the Double Dutch Ranch series live. In this new series you’ll meet friends, acquaintances, other people who reside in Canyon Junction, and anyone else who may amble into town.
Remember how important reviews and word of mouth are to authors.
Up Next
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Thank you for stopping by today! Have a rocking weekend.
What will stand in their way this time?
A brand new spin off series. If you read the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight books, you’ve been to Canyon Junction. Come on back! This time you’ll get to know some of the residents who also live there.
Models: Ben and Gezzilyn — Period Images
My dog, Kasha
Design: DusktiDawn Designs
Background: Dreamstime
Oh, yeah, I’m Happy Dancing and Yehaaaing my way across my blog to let you know~
I’m so thrilled to tell you about my new release. Bull Rider Series Book Three, Christmas at Love House: A Bittersweet Interlude is now available! Velia and Caulder are on a holiday break from the bull riding circuit, and they’ve invited you and their family to Love House for Christmas. Foley Wilson, a former bull riding teammate of Caulder’s will be there too. Oh, wait until you see what happens when he comes face to face with Velia’s cousin, Natale, after she’s had four years to grow up!
But why does Velia and Caulder’s happily-ever-after have to come with an expiration date? Come along for another ride with our family and friends from the Bull Rider Series.
It wasn’t that long ago that I did a cover reveal, and I’ve created a dedicated page for this book. I’d like to direct you there if you don’t mind! Please click on the cover below, or Here to visit the page.
Thank you!
Bull Rider Series 3
If some of this post looks familiar, an announcement similar to this one appeared in my most recent newsletter sent in early June.
Here we go folks!
What’s This Book About? I’m so glad you asked!
Four years later, Velia and Caulder finish up another year of bull riding. They settle into their comfy abode in the snowy Allegheny Mountains to celebrate the Christmas season with a houseful of guests. La vita e bella! But why does their happily-ever-after have to come with an expiration date? Without warning, their most chilling nightmare comes true. An innocent misunderstanding, and a startling realization discovered too late—puts their contented little family at risk.
On top of everything else, watching a new love bloom between two of the McCutchen guests, isn’t part of their agenda. Reece “Foley” Wilson, a former teammate, comes into contact with Velia’s cousin at the last show of the season and again while visiting for the holiday. Grown up and feisty, Natale Valente-Armano fell in love with this cowboy as a lovesick teen. Now, life has changed for both of them. How will they handle the unfamiliar thoughts and urges overtaking them? And, how will la famiglia respond to this unexpected romance?
A little Christmas magic will be a welcome guest at Love House, but regardless if it arrives or not…during this bittersweet interlude—Velia and Caulder dare their happily-ever-after to be anything less than, “forever.”
Y’all are invited to Love House for Christmas.
Thank you for stopping by today.
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Christmas at Love House FYI:
In my country we are celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, which falls on November 27, 2014 this year.
I’d like to take this time to wish everyone who celebrates, a very Happy Thanksgiving and wonderful holiday weekend.
If you don’t celebrate this holiday, I’d still like to wish you a happy rest of the week and weekend.
Enjoy yourselves in whatever it is you are doing.
Either way, be safe.
Mary~
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel 
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