Lost in Italy (52 page)

Welcome to Redemption Series
...

(with Donna Marie Rogers)

~~~

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

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, it’s like 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 LA 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 LA is where she belongs…or is home truly where the heart is?

Drew Porter learned at his mother’s knee how treacherous women can be—and when snooty "Lindy" Spalding skids into his life and nearly hits 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, who’s 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?

Colorado Trust Series

Available at :
Amazon

Trust in the Lawe
  (Book 1)

Kendra Zelner has three brothers: Eight-year old Noah she's determined to protect, Joel who has no clue she exists, and Robert who wants her dead.

With reason to be distrustful of cops, she takes Noah and flees their Manhattan home for Joel’s ranch in Colorado. Under the pretense of needing a job, she plans to hide out until her twenty-fifth birthday, when she’ll inherit her trust fund and legally gain custody of Noah away from Robert’s greedy hands. Unfortunately, her brother’s sexy, infuriating ranch manager insists on demolishing her defenses and digging into her past.

Colton Lawe has good reason to suspect Joel’s beautiful, long-lost sister isn’t what she seems—the little liar stole from him! He silently vows to expose her secrets, but long hours together on the ranch fosters a closeness and fiery attraction neither of them expects. Can Kendra trust Colton with the full truth before Robert finds them?

EXCERPT:

“I’d like you to meet Kendra Zelner,” Joel said.  “Kendra, this is the JBM Ranch manager, Colton Lawe.”

Colton extended a hand toward Kendra. Okay. Fine. He’d play along; see where this was all headed. She bit her lip as she hesitated, and his gaze was drawn to her white teeth against her full bottom lip. It distracted him enough that when she placed her small, cool palm against his, he flinched in surprise.

He kept his grip gentle at first, and then tightened it. Her eyes widened, and her nostrils flared as she drew in a quick breath.

“Nice to meet you,” Colton murmured.

“Kendra’s my sister.”

Colton released her hand and whipped his head around. Joel didn’t appear to be joking. “Didn’t know you had a sister,” he commented.

“Me neither. And technically, she’s my half sister.”

Focusing his narrowed gaze on Kendra again, Colton read genuine fear. Of him. That ruled out the practical joke angle real quick.

She was right to be worried. Because in a second, he was going to expose her for a lying thief.

Joel and Britt were more than his employers, more than his friends even, they were as close to family as it got without blood ties.

Colton had applied at JBM Ranch fresh out of high school, feeling guilty as hell and scared to death because someone had to pay the medical bills from his father’s accident. Joel took him under his wing and taught him everything about running the ranch. A few weeks ago, when the previous manager, Todd, had gotten married and left to work on his wife’s ranch, Joel turned management over to Colton so he could continue to concentrate on training the horses with Britt.

He couldn’t let Joel down now; he owed him the truth. But before he could form the words, Joel spoke. “Kendra, and her brother, Noah, will be staying for awhile.”

Colton glanced at Joel. “There’s a brother, too?”

Joel smiled. “Yeah. Cody thinks it’s hilarious that a kid his age is actually his uncle.”

Colton’s gut clenched. Joel appeared to have accepted every word the girl said. Whatever line of bull she’d fed him, it must’ve been good, because Joel wasn’t easily fooled. Worse, he looked genuinely happy about the supposed new additions to his family. With everyone watching, no way could Colton tell him he’d been played for a fool. He’d have to wait and talk to Joel in private.

But he couldn’t help commenting, “Wow, a sister and a brother, all in one day.”

The apprehension in Kendra’s eyes increased when his subtle sarcasm registered with her, as he’d intended. She swallowed hard and seemed to be waiting for him to lower the ax. Oh, how he’d love to do that—payback for the sidewalk humiliation. Just the thought of it—

“They can stay in the guesthouse,” Britt said.

Colton and Joel both swung around.

“What?” she asked. “It makes sense—give them some privacy as we all get to know each other. Besides, we don’t have any clients planning to use it anytime in the near…” Her gaze shifted from one to the other. “What?”

“Colton’s roommate is moving to Toronto. I told Colton yesterday he could use the guesthouse instead of finding someone else or looking for a different apartment,” Joel explained. “I should’ve talked to you about it first, but I didn’t think you’d mind.”

“Oh,” Britt said.

Colton suspected Joel had really offered the house to help Colton’s strained financial situation. They’d spoken about it some, but per his request, Britt wasn’t aware of the extent of his father’s medical bills. His suspicion was confirmed when Joel cast him a glance before saying, “Kendra and Noah can just stay here with us. We’ve got more than enough room.”

“No.” Colton’s denial drew everyone’s attention, including Kendra’s. The thief still hadn’t said a word. “I already found a new place, but after talking to Joel, I didn’t follow up on it. I’ll just call the manager and see if it’s still available.”

“Colton—”

“It’s okay, really,” Colton insisted, ignoring Joel’s look of apology. “I’ve been debating whether I want to live where I work, anyway. I might get sick of you guys.”

He smiled to indicate he was joking, and thankfully Joel let it go. No way did he want Kendra staying in the main house with his friends and the kids. He could keep a better eye on her in the guesthouse, especially when he moved in anyway. No one would have to know if he talked to the building manager, and when the time came, he’d let Ms. Kendra Zelner know exactly what choice she had in the matter. Let her explain to her ‘brother.’

The doorbell rang, and Britt looked at her watch. She stood up with a frown. “It’s ten o’clock already—that’ll be the Coopers for their training session.”

Joel grimaced. “They’ll be here for a while.”

As Joel and Britt conversed, Colton watched Kendra struggle with her composure and saw a glimmer of panic and fear give way for uncertainty in her suddenly expressive face. It was like reading a book. He read wariness in the one glance she cast in his direction, and knew she wondered why he gave up the house for her; why he didn’t reveal her for the liar he knew her to be.

Well, let her keep wondering.
If he kept the little klepto off balance, it might be easier to protect the Morgan’s while gathering solid evidence to expose her scam.

Britt walked toward the foyer. “Joel, I’ll stall them while you show Kendra the guesthouse so she and Noah can freshen up.”

“I’ll take her,” Colton offered.

A flash of dismay in her eyes confirmed she didn’t like that prospect one bit.

“That would help.” Joel turned to Kendra. “Do you mind?”

Colton’s direct gaze dared her to object. After a visible swallow, she shook her head no.

“Thanks.” Joel walked by Colton and gave him a clap on the shoulder. “Don’t have to tell you how the Coopers are.” Pausing at the door, he looked at Kendra. “We’ll all have dinner tonight, after you’re settled, okay?”

She offered a weak smile of agreement, and then Joel’s boots echoed across the floor with his departure. The moment they were alone, Colton braced his hands on the table and leaned forward.

Her wide gaze met his, full of apprehension. In a moment of distraction, he thought how very pretty her brown eyes were.

As she reached for her coffee cup, her tongue appeared and swiped nervously across her lips. A jolt of awareness took him completely by surprise.

Colton shoved back from the table. She jumped, then took a drink as if everything were normal.