Love at the 20-Yard Line (34 page)
Read Love at the 20-Yard Line Online
Authors: Shanna Hatfield
When she closed her eyes, she could see a welcoming cottage-style home, a man with broad shoulders and dark hair, and a gangly mutt. The smell of coffee and fresh baked pastries hung in the air, along with a hint of cedar and some other scent that drifted just out of her mind’s reach.
Haunted by the same dream for years, Brenna had yet to see the house, the man, or the dog anywhere but behind her closed eyes.
For now, she’d go on dreaming and waiting.
Brenna sighed, returning to her paperwork. She was exhausted, her back was killing her from sitting at the computer all day, and she was half-starved. Pushing her discomfort aside, she buried herself in the work.
Two hours later, she neatly bound the report with a strong sense of accomplishment. Brenna picked up her coat and purse, turned off her office equipment and lights, shut the door, and walked down the hall to Wesley’s office. The door was open, so she walked in and dropped the report on his desk.
As she turned to leave, she noticed him sprawled on the couch with an empty bottle of whiskey on the floor beside him. She shook her head and walked out. By the snores emanating from him, he had no idea she’d been in the room.
Cautious about crossing the parking lot alone, Brenna asked one of the night security guards to walk her to her car. It wasn’t that she was overly paranoid, but she’d rather be safe than sorry. Two homeless men begging for change made her glad for the escort. The security guard waited until she buckled her seatbelt before returning inside.
Brenna’s stomach growled as she headed south on the freeway. She planned to swing by one of her favorite sandwich shops closer to home, so she kept on driving.
Mentally exhausted, she was tired of playing the office games, tired of putting up with Wesley, and tired of having no life outside of her job.
Something had to change. Soon. Maybe she should consider Avery’s advice.
Brenna mulled over her options when she heard a loud pop and her car jerked to the right. Of course, her tire would blow right after she drove past an exit. Carefully maneuvering the car onto the shoulder of the road, Brenna turned on her hazard lights and jumped out of the car into a steady downpour of bone-chilling rain. Rushing around to the passenger side, she could see her tire was not only flat, but also missing a piece or two of rubber.
Fantastic.
The flat tire unraveled the last thread that held Brenna’s frustrations in check. She ran back to the driver’s side of the car, slid behind the wheel, and burst into tears.
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Meet the Thompson family of the Triple T Ranch in Grass Valley, Oregon.
Three handsome brothers, their rowdy friends, and the women who fall for them are at the heart of this sweet contemporary western romance series.
The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan
(Book 1) —
Cadence Greer’s plans for a happy-ever-after are quickly derailed when her fiancé runs off with his secretary a week before their wedding. Homeless, jobless, and jilted, she escapes to Grass Valley, Oregon, where she takes a job as a housekeeper and cook to seven cowboys on a sprawling ranch.
The Cowboy’s Spring Romance
(Book 2) —
Trent Thompson has carried a torch for the new schoolteacher since she moved to Grass Valley more than three years ago. Instead of asking her out, he’s dated every single female in a thirty-mile radius, giving her the impression he’s not interested in her at all.
The Cowboy’s Summer Love
(Book 3) —
Always the wild-child, Travis Thompson doesn’t disappoint as he rolls from one adventure to another in his quest to keep his adrenaline pumping. He needs a release for the tension constantly building inside him, especially after he discovers the girl he’s loved his entire life just moved back to Grass Valley.
The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall
(Book 4) —
Brice Morgan thought love at first sight was some ridiculous notion of schoolgirls and old ladies who read too many romance novels. At least he does until he meets Bailey Bishop at a friend’s wedding and falls hard and fast for the intriguing woman.
The Cowboy’s New Heart
(Book 5) —
Years after her husband died unexpectedly, Denni Thompson can’t bear to think of giving her heart to anyone else. With three newly married sons, a grandchild on the way, and a busy life, Denni doesn’t give a thought to romance until she meets the handsome new owner of Grass Valley’s gas station.
The Cowboy’s Last Goodbye
(Book 6) —
With his siblings and friends all entangled in the state of matrimony, Ben Morgan is more determined than ever to remain blissfully single. Despite his vehement refusal to commit to a relationship, he can’t help but envision a future with the sweet, charming woman who unknowingly captures his heart.
Tenacious, sassy women tangle with the wild, rugged men who love them in this contemporary western romance series.
Heart of Clay
(Book 1) —
Easy-going cowboy Clay Matthews is a respected college professor. He's the man family and friends turn to for help, or when they need a good laugh, since he's a huge tease and practical joker. Life would be almost perfect, except for his relationship with his wife... (
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FREE
for electronic downloads.
)
Country Boy vs. City Girl
(
Book 2) —
A confirmed city girl finds herself falling for a wanna-be country boy. Sparks fly as a battle of stubborn will ensues.
Not His Type
(
Book 3) —
After spending her entire twenty-four years hiding in the background and perfecting her status of wallflower, Anna Zimmerman arrives at the astounding conclusion it’s time for a change. Tired of living life in the shadows, she steps into the light, unprepared to handle the attention of the charming, handsome cowboy who works across the street.
The Christmas Cowboy
(Rodeo Romance, Book 1) —
Among the top saddle bronc riders in the rodeo circuit, easy-going Tate Morgan can handle the toughest horse out there, but trying to handle the beautiful Kenzie Beckett is a completely different story. As the holiday season approaches, this Christmas Cowboy is going to need more than a little mistletoe to win her heart.
Wrestlin’ Christmas
(Rodeo Romance, Book 2)
—
Sidelined with a major injury, steer wrestler Cort McGraw struggles to come to terms with the end of his career. Shanghaied by his sister and best friend,
he finds himself on a run-down ranch with a
worrisome, albeit gorgeous widow, and her silent, solemn son.
Capturing Christmas
(Rodeo Romance, Book 3
) —
Life is hectic on a good day for rodeo stock contractor Kash Kressley. Between dodging flying hooves and babying cranky bulls, he barely has time to sleep. The last thing Kash needs is the entanglement of a sweet romance, especially with a woman as full of fire and sass as the redheaded photographer he meets at a rodeo.
Learnin’ The Ropes
—
Mechanic Ty Lewis is out of options. Homeless and desperate to find work, he accepts a job in the tiny community of Riley, Oregon. Resolved to embrace a new adventure with an elusive boss, he leaves behind everything he’s ever known in Portland to live in the middle of nowhere.
Lexi Ryan, known to her ranch hands and neighbors as Lex Jr., abandons her corporate career to keep the Rockin’ R Ranch running smoothly after the untimely death of her father. It doesn’t take long to discover her father did many crazy things during the last few months before he died, like hiding half a million dollars that Lexi can’t find.
Ty and Lexi are both in for a few surprises as he arrives at the ranch and begins learnin’ the ropes.
Set in the western town of Pendleton, Oregon, at the turn of the 20th century, each book in this series bears the name of the heroine, all brave yet very different.
Dacey
(American Mail Order Brides Book 12)
—
A conniving mother, a reluctant groom and a desperate bride make for a lively adventure full of sweet romance in this prelude to the beginning of the series.
Aundy
(Book 1)
— Aundy Thorsen, a stubborn mail-order bride, finds the courage to carry on when she's widowed before ever truly becoming a wife, but opening her heart to love again may be more than she can bear.
Caterina
(Book 2)
— Running from a man intent on marrying her, Caterina Campanelli starts a new life in Pendleton, completely unprepared for the passionate feelings stirred in her by the town's incredibly handsome deputy sheriff.
Ilsa
(Book 3) —
Desperate to escape her wicked aunt and an unthinkable future, Ilsa Thorsen finds herself on her sister's ranch in Pendleton. Not only are the dust and smells more than she can bear, but Tony Campanelli seems bent on making her his special project.
Marnie
(Book 4) —
Beyond all hope for a happy future, Marnie Jones struggles to deal with her roiling emotions when U.S. Marshal Lars Thorsen rides into town, tearing down the walls she’s erected around her heart.
Lacy
(Book 5) — Bound by tradition and responsibilities, Lacy has to choose between the ties that bind her to the past and the unexpected love that will carry her into the future.
Bertie
(Book 6)
—
The next adventure in the Pendleton Petticoat Series — coming in 2016!