Second Chance Love (Heaven Hill Book 6) (26 page)

“They do. I hope they get to keep her,” Roni whispered.

“Me too.”

Looking between the two of them, he noticed the ring that he’d placed on her left hand sparkled, even in the setting sun. He was thankful for his friends, his family, and for his second chance at love.

The End

(Coming Early 2015)

Excerpt

M
eredith sighed, she was tired. So very tired.

“Is she down for the count?” Tyler asked as he walked into the living room, towel-drying his long hair.

“God, I hope so.” She smiled ruefully.

Adalynn had been with them for almost a year, and while they loved her with all their hearts, she was a force to be reckoned with. Even sick with the stomach flu, she’d managed to run them ragged. “I kinda do too,” he whispered. “I don’t want her to puke in my hair ever again.”

She giggled, holding her arms out for him. “She didn’t mean to do it.”

“I know.” He collapsed on the couch next to her. “But if I ever have to deal with getting that out of this hair again—it will be too soon—and I might be forced to cut it.”

Meredith shot him a look. “The hell you will. I love your hair.” She ran her fingers through it, getting the tangles out as she did. “It’s one of the main reasons you get lucky,” she flirted.

His dark eyes heated as he glanced over at her. “Is that right?” He threw the towel on the floor and within seconds, he had her spread out on the couch, her body underneath his.

“Completely right,” she breathed as she circled her arms around his neck.

The words he whispered were laced with dark promise. “Then we’ll just have to see if I can give you better reasons besides my hair.”

Thank you so much to everybody who helps make this crazy journey I’m on possible! Fellow authors—Allison Jewel, Stella Hunter, Chelsea Camaron, Bijou Hunter, & Carian Cole! I am so blessed to have met you all!

Lindsay, Kari, and Paul—thank you for always working me in and sometimes making me a priority when I realize that my timelines that I’ve set for myself are completely, completely wrong. You all are top notch and I am very lucky to be working with you!

Briscoe’s Badasses, I appreciate all the love and support you give to me, especially on those days when you’re feeling like you just aren’t good enough! You always let me know I am!

To all the bloggers & FB Pages, thank you so much for taking a chance on me, pimping me, and helping me out whenever I ask for it! I appreciate it more than I can tell you.

To the Heaven Hill fans—thank you for showing up, loving, and following these guys. I love the way you love them!

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Only the Beginning

Rockin’ Country #1

Chapter One

T
he crowd screamed loudly, causing her palms to sweat and her heart to race. Harmony Stewart inhaled deeply and then exhaled, letting the breath flow through her. The relaxation technique worked. Shoulders that had been so tight she couldn’t even roll them were now loose. It was always like this, she realized. Right before she went on stage, the nervous energy started, causing her to tense up—not fully being able to appreciate the life she was living. Closing her eyes, she breathed again, feeling her muscles loosen up even more.

“Harmony, you’re up next.”

She nodded, glancing at the production tech. “Thanks.” Her voice was thin even to her own ears. This was just something that she went through, no matter how many millions of albums she sold or awards she garnered.

Looking out onto the stage, she saw the rock group, Black Friday, finishing up. A fan of the band, she tried to still the heart that threatened to beat out of her chest as they finished their song and walked towards her. The lead singer was the personification of hotness in her opinion. She had always wanted a meeting, but had never been able to approach him when they had been in the same space. This time he would have to walk right by her—not that she had deluded herself to think he would know who she even was. Pulling her shaking hands to her body, she gripped them hard as the group approached.

“Good job, guys,” she smiled as they passed her. One by one, they nodded and accepted her smile until she came face to face with Reaper, the lead singer. She only knew his stage name. What she wouldn’t give to know his real one.

“Thanks. Good luck out there, sweetheart,” he smiled widely. His teeth were white and straight, the dimples that she had caught glimpses of in pictures deepened widely in his cheeks. He was tall, much taller than she had originally thought. He towered over her 5’6 frame (with heels, thank you very much), and the tattoos that traveled down his arms were a feast to her eyes. They were intricate, and she wished she had the time to study them all.

Harmony opened her mouth to tell him something else, but he was already gone. Disappointment hit her stomach hard and fast. But at least it had been a start. With any luck, she would see him at some other award show. She heard her cue as she looked back to where the rock band stood, debriefing with some of their management. For just a split second, her eyes met Reaper’s and goose bumps appeared on her arms. If only they’d had more time.

Reaper sat with his head back, eyes closed. The night had been long. He never really liked doing these awards shows, but their fans were amazing. Even though they didn’t have what others called “crossover” success, they had some of the most rabid fans in the music industry. That, however, didn’t change the fact that he was lonely and tired of not having someone besides the members of his band to share his life with.

“Who was the cutie that smiled at us as we walked by?”

“That was Harmony Stewart,” he answered, moving only his lips.

“Country singer?”

“Yes, dude,” he sighed. “The country singer.”

“She’s cuter than I imagined. I’ve only seen her on TV a few times.”

Reaper sighed again. “Seriously Train, you’re getting on my fuckin’ nerves. Do you have to talk all the time?”

“What’s your problem? Do you need to get laid?” Train asked, having a seat next to his friend.

“Do you ever get sick of all this?” He lifted his long arms and big hands up; gesturing to the backstage green room they sat in.

“Sick of what? The free pussy, the free booze, the amazing trips overseas and around this great nation? Playing the music we love every night? I’m ready to do this the rest of my life. Why aren’t you?”

Reaper lifted his head up and opened his eyes, staring into the eyes of his friend. “I’m burnt out. Not with the music, but with the lifestyle. I need a change, something different to shake things up.”

“Burnt out? How can you be burnt out?”

“It’s just…” he ran his fingers through his hair. “We’ve been on the road for a year. I need something new and exciting in my life. I’m sick of the same girls, the same bus, and the same hotel rooms.”

“You’re bein’ a moody fucking pansy is what you’re being. Do you know how many guys would give their left nut to be where we are?” Train slapped his friend on the shoulder, the disbelief showing on his face.

Reaper realized he would get nowhere with his friend. Train dealt with his demons in unhealthy ways and perhaps tonight wasn’t the best time to approach him about this. He couldn’t rightfully explain his feelings if he didn’t fully understand them himself. Better to just pretend that everything was peachy. “You’re right. I’m crazy. I just need some good alcohol and a good cigarette. Let’s get to the after party.”

“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about,” the lead guitarist said, grabbing his friend by the arm and ushering him out of the room.

Reaper realized that nobody seemed to care what he thought, how he felt, or just how lonely he was. He might as well make the best of what to him was an unbearable situation.

“Harmony? Are you changing into the dress that new designer sent you for the after party?”

“I think so,” Harmony answered her best friend and assistant, Shell.

“You need to change now, then.”

Harmony rolled her eyes and grabbed the hanger from Shell’s hand. “Yes ma’am.”

Used to bossing her friend around, Shell had a seat while Harmony changed. “So tell me, did you meet anybody interesting at this awards show?”

“I did. Did you see any of the show?”

“I didn’t get a chance too, no. I wish I had, but there was a lot going on back here,” Shell answered from behind the door that Harmony had closed to change.

“I’m so sorry, Shell. I know how hard you work, and you’ll never fully know how much I appreciate it. You’ll be excited to hear that I finally met the guys from Black Friday.”

Harmony heard the squeal and couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face.

“I am so damn jealous. That lead singer—was he as hot as he looks on TV?”

“Even more so. I actually said a few words to him. Top moment of my life this year—for real.”

She finished changing and let herself out of the dressing room. Coming out, she turned around in a circle, making sure everything looked okay. For the show, Harmony had wanted to keep it classy and her dress had been very Old Hollywood. This dress, however, was young and fun. Sparkles and glitter reigned. The hot pink color showed off the tan she had been able to get during a short vacation before awards season ramped up.

“Does this look okay?” she asked, turning around again so Shell could see her from every angle.

“You look really good. Hoping to meet anybody at this party?”

“You never know,” she shrugged. “Maybe the guys from Black Friday will be there, and I’ll be able to say something else to them. I was kind of a blabbering fool earlier. Are you coming with me?”

Shell wrinkled her nose up at her friend. “I don’t know. This hasn’t been a stellar day for me.”

“All the more reason for you to raid my closet, find something hot, and come out on the town with me.”

“Why are you trying to corrupt me? Usually it’s the other way around. You’re the belle of the country ball, and I’m the one trying to get you to do Jager shots,” Shell laughed.

“Maybe I’m ready to let my hair down. It’s time. I am twenty-four years old, and I’m not gettin’ any younger. If I keep goin’ at this pace with the music, I’m not goin’ to be married before thirty, and that’s never who I wanted to be. I’m the type of girl who wants a boyfriend, wants to be in love. I’m gonna have to make that a priority.”

Shell knew that Harmony was telling the truth. She was one of those women who were made to be in love, but she wasn’t for sure that her friend had ever felt those feelings. Her one serious relationship hadn’t ended well and left her feeling disconnected. It was nice to see that she was beginning to look past that time in her life. “Okay, okay. If I need to be there to keep you from asking the first man you meet to marry you, I’ll be there to save you from yourself.”

“You, Shell, are the best friend a girl could ask for.” She reached over, kissing her on the cheek.