Home Is Where the Heart Is (Welcome To Redemption) (16 page)

Lindy searched his face and whispered, “You thought I’d leave you?”

“It wasn’t exactly a secret you planned to head home to L.A. as soon as the job was done.”

She was quiet for a moment, then asked, “You’ve heard the expression
Home Is Where the Heart Is
, right?”

“Of course, why?”

“Because I love you, too,” she told him, her heart shining in her eyes. A slow grin curved her lips. “Even though you’re the most impossibly arrogant man I’ve ever had the misfortune to know.”

Drew tipped his head back and laughed. “I never thought I’d say this, Hot Stuff, but I think we’re damn near perfect for each other.”

“And I never thought I’d say this, but...” She cast him a coy look through her lashes. “You’re right,
Lou
.”

Epilogue

“And who would you like me to make it out to?” Lindy asked, pen poised over the dedication page of her latest release,
Moonlit Encounter
. She looked up and met Lauren’s sheepish smile. Caleb stood grinning beside her, Emma tucked in his arms.

“Me, please.” As if in awe, Lauren glanced slowly around, taking it all in—the posters, the stacks of books, the mob of people crammed into the interior of
Coffee To Chai For
, with a line literally spilling out the door.

Lindy was plenty awed herself.

“I just still can’t believe it. You’re Katelynn Meadows. How crazy is that?”

“How come that doesn’t exactly sound like a compliment?” Lindy teased as she signed the book. “I can’t imagine why my being a romance author is such a shock to everyone.”

Lindy heard a few muffled snickers, but they only brought a smile to her face. Blissfully happy, she tucked a bookmark into the copy she’d just signed and handed it to Lauren, who beamed as if Lindy had just placed a rainbow in her hand. Lindy glanced up at Emma who was busy sucking down one of Carrie’s delicious triple berry smoothies. “Hey, sweetie, that sure looks good.”

Emma gazed down at her, those little lips working the straw like a siphon. Suddenly she stopped and graced Lindy with the most heart-stopping smile. Lindy’s heart melted into a gooey puddle. Gripped by emotions completely new to her, she smiled back. Emma waved as Lauren thanked her and headed off with her prize.

Humbled by the number of people who’d shown up for her first ever appearance as Katelynn Meadows, Lindy signed book after book, chatting with everyone from Allie and Rick, to Motormouth Marv, to Mrs. Steagle from the Piggly Wiggly. The residents of this town had welcomed her into their fold without hesitation, just as they had Matt last summer. They’d made her feel like she belonged, though it wasn’t that long ago she couldn’t imagine calling this small town home. She’d put her nose in the air from day one, and now she couldn’t even fathom living anywhere else. Home truly is where the heart is. And Lindy’s heart—and future—were right here in Redemption.

The main reason for Lindy’s total euphoria strolled through the door. He stopped, propped his hands on his hips, and gave his head a bemused shake, taking it all in. When those gorgeous baby blues landed on her, Lindy’s heart lit up like a bonfire. She loved this man, wholly, completely, and forever.

Good Lord, she sounded like a huge cheeseball!

Drew strode forward, people stepping aside so he could pass. He reached the table and gave her a sexy wink. “Your knight in shining armor reporting for duty. So how’s my little author doing?”

She stuck a bookmark in the book she’d just signed and handed it to Mrs. Steagle. “You do know how patronizing that sounded, right?” She softened the comment with a wink of her own.

“Sorry.” He cleared his throat and did another sweep of the place. “I was thinking I’d take you out for lunch, but from the look of things, you’re gonna be here for awhile.”

“Another couple of hours at least. How about dinner? I have a taste for one of Nino’s meatball subs.”

He quirked a brow. “Really? I’ve never seen you eat a meatball.”

“Probably because I don’t like them.”

He chuckled. “Hot Stuff, you’re definitely gonna keep me on my toes.”

Lindy signed one book after another, chatting and laughing with everyone, more at ease with these people than she’d ever been with her friends back in L.A. Drew stood beside her, watching in silence, and she couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind.

“So, no more thoughts of running home to LA?”

Okay, now that was just scary. They were already finishing each other’s thoughts. “I
am
home. I’m exactly where I want to be.”

“Glad to hear it.” He placed a hand on the back of the chair and leaned down to murmur, “I could eat you with a spoon.”

She craned her neck to meet his gaze. Mischief danced in his eyes. “Well then, maybe we should get that Nino’s to go,” she suggested.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

“I also think we’d better kick start our wedding plans.”

“Not that I’m complaining, but is there a particular reason we need to rush?”

Lindy slipped her hand beneath the table and laid it across her tummy. A feeling of pure joy and contentment washed over her, nearly stealing her breath. She’d taken the test just that morning, though she’d known intuitively for weeks.

“I’d like to be able to fit into my wedding dress.”

She chanced a glance up at him as her words sank in. His puzzled frown was quickly replaced by open-mouthed shock. He swallowed, squatted down beside her and whispered, “Are you sure?”

Throat thick with emotion, she somehow managed an affirmative nod. Drew’s eyes filled with happiness, and at that moment, Lindy could see their future stretched out before them, bright, beautiful, full of good times, plenty of fireworks, but most of all love.

~~~~~

I hope Drew and Lindy’s, and Bo and Bianca’s, journeys both touched your heart and tickled your funny bone. Stacey Joy Netzel and I would love for you to read the rest of the series and fall in love with the characters who’ve become our friends.

—Donna Marie Rogers

Welcome to Redemption...

~~~~~

...a small town in Northeast Wisconsin where second chances don’t always come easy, but if you’re willing to try, anything is possible.

*4 ½ Stars, RT Book Reviews

Book 1: A Fair Of The Heart
, by Donna Marie Rogers

Single mother, and work-at-home beautician, Lauren Frazier can barely keep a roof over her head, let alone stop it from falling down around her. When handyman Caleb Hunter shows up at her door for a haircut, he’s the answer to her prayers—and the attraction is instantaneous. Too bad her troublesome ten-year-old son isn’t quite as thrilled to have Caleb hanging around.

Old wounds have kept Caleb from returning to Redemption permanently. When he receives word of his mother’s unexpected death, guilt and regret bring him home again, but will the love of a good woman keep him there? Beautiful, witty, and strong, Lauren excites Caleb like no woman ever has, but she’s a package deal, and he’s not sure he’s prepared to take on a ready-made family.

Book 2: A Fair To Remember
, by Stacey Joy Netzel

Reformed gang member Wes Carter feels Redemption, Wisconsin, is just the place to relocate his financial business for reasons more than just the name. He’s ready for a nice, quiet life in small town USA. Tara Russell has decided it’s time to add some excitement to her life and get a little wild—no matter how uncomfortable it makes her or her overprotective family. They meet at the local fair one warm summer night and discover opposites attract for all the right reasons. Add a dash of Sugar in the form of an incorrigible Great Dane, and it’s destined to be A Fair To Remember.

Book 3: The Perfect Blend
, by Donna Marie Rogers

Carrie Lowell swears off men for good after nearly losing her business in a bitter divorce settlement to her abusive ex-husband. She’s on the verge of filing bankruptcy when handsome librarian Matt Jacobs walks into her shop and offers sound—if unwanted—business advice. Sure, financially he’s a godsend, but emotionally he’s a threat to the barricade she’s built around her heart.

Heir to a vast fortune, Jacob Spalding flees L.A. for the tiny Midwest town of Redemption, Wisconsin to escape the scandalous nightmare his life has become. Now known as Matt Jacobs, he buys a little cottage and settles in to small town life. Soon, he finds himself infatuated with the owner of the coffee shop across the street. Too bad the infuriating woman is as contrary as she is beautiful.

Book 4: Grounds For Change
, by Stacey Joy Netzel

Charlie Russell lived with a secret for fourteen years, but now guilt has pushed him to the breaking point. He meets psychologist Dana McClain and feels an instant connection that has nothing to do with his Great Dane, Sugar, spilling coffee down her shirt. Dana switched to counseling animals because she has a history of becoming too emotionally involved with her clients. She figures she’s safe helping Charlie with Sugar’s issues, until he reveals his secret and asks for her help. She tries to convince herself it’s all about the dog, not the guy, but history has a way of repeating itself.

Book 5: Home Is Where the Heart Is
, by Donna Marie Rogers

Used to the finer things in life, heiress Melinda Spalding is thrown for a loop when her brother relocates to the Midwest. Her parents even expand their business to the small town and put her in charge of the project. Discovering she likes “Mayberry” and its quirky inhabitants is almost as shocking as her growing attraction to the local auto mechanic. But L.A. is where she belongs…or is home truly where the heart is?

Drew Porter learned early in life how treacherous women can be—and when snooty “Lindy” Spalding skids into his life and nearly makes roadkill out of his dog, she seems worse than most. An unlikely bond between their pets gives him an intriguing glimpse behind her pretentious exterior. While his heart wonders if there more to her than meets the eye, his head tells him to run as fast as he can in the opposite direction.

Book 6: The Heart of the Matter
, by Stacey Joy Netzel

All Allie Daniels ever wanted was a family of her own—until her doctor informs her she’ll never be able to have children.
 
She hides her desolation, refusing to let any man close enough to see her broken heart.
 
Most certainly not the town veterinarian, whose cute three-year-old son reminds her of what she’ll never have.

Rick Wilde had a serious crush on Allie back in high school, but life took them in different directions.
 
Now a single parent, he returns to Redemption several years later to raise his son, Lukas.
 
His interest in Allie is renewed, but her shoulder is colder than the bitter winter wind.

Brought together by an orphaned kitten, Allie finds herself helpless to resist Lukas’s impish innocence—not to mention Rick’s warm charm and sexy good looks.
 
Does she dare take a chance on an impossible dream, or will Rick’s desire for more kids devastate their future?

Book 7: Never Let Me Go,
by Donna Marie Rogers

Sheriff Chase Lowell has never been more scared in his life than when he discovers the diner where Hannah Porter works has been robbed at gunpoint. He’s been in love with her for as long as he can remember, but has kept his feelings in check because she’s his best friend’s little sister.
 

Hannah has had a crush on Chase since she was in the third grade. He’s kind, compassionate, and as handsome as they come. They’ve known each other forever, which seems to be the problem—he thinks of her more as a kid sister rather than a romantic interest.

But something changes the night he races into the diner and crushes her in his arms. When he makes her safety his personal mission, Hannah decides to make it
her
mission to get him to see her in a different light.

Book 8: Hold On To Me,
by Stacey Joy Netzel

After escaping an abusive ex-husband, Jenny Clark focuses on making ends meet from one day to the next. Then she meets her new apartment building manager, and the passion in his kisses dare her to believe she could have a second chance at love.

At a crossroads in his life, Grant Walker returns from New York to manage his apartment building in Redemption. He didn’t expect to meet the woman of his dreams and find everything he never knew he wanted in small town Wisconsin.

But someone doesn’t want either of them to be happy, and even as menacing acts of vandalism pull Jenny and Grant closer together, a harbored secret could destroy all hope of their happily ever after.

Never Let Me Go

Welcome To Redemption, Book 7

by

Donna Marie Rogers