Let It Be
Page 21
Epilogue
Two days after Christmas, Linc slid into their regular booth at the diner, where his father-in-law was already nursing a cup of coffee. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Everything all right?”
“My sister called to tell me my father passed away overnight. She said his passing was peaceful, and they were all there with him.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Linc.”
“Thank you, but it doesn’t really feel like my loss, you know?”
“I understand what you mean, but still… Give yourself a minute to feel it.”
Linc nodded and smiled when Megan came over with coffee. “Thanks, honey. How’re you doing?”
“I’m still recovering from Christmas.”
“Right there with you. Thanks for all you did to help make it happen.”
“It was fun and gave us something to do while you were gone.”
“You’re done after this week, right?” Elmer asked.
“Yes, sir. My temp replacement is due to start later this week so I can show her the ropes.”
“No one can replace you,” Elmer said.
“Aw, thanks. I’ll be around, and I’m sure I’ll be here every day with the baby. I won’t know what to do with myself.”
“Megan,” Butch called from the kitchen. “Order up.”
“Duty calls.”
The door jingled, and Linc’s nephew Grayson Coleman came in, smiling when he saw them.
After Grayson hung his coat on a hook by the door, Elmer moved over to make room for his grandson.
“What’re you two up to?” Gray asked. “Solving the world’s problems as usual?”
“Mostly still recovering from too much Christmas,” Elmer said.
“That was a throwdown and a half,” Gray said. “Thanks for including us and the rest of the Colemans.”
“Of course we included you,” Linc said. “And I hear there’s more partying in store on New Year’s Day at your mother’s.”
“That’s right. All the Colemans will be there, or so I’m told.”
“Did you ever hear from Noah the other day?”
“Nope, he was a no-show for Christmas and wasn’t answering his phone. I went by his place, and his truck was gone, but I saw it at the inn this morning. Wherever he went, he’s back to work today.”
“Our international man of mystery,” Elmer said.
Megan brought Grayson a mug that she filled after setting it on the table. “Breakfast?”
“Yes, please,” Gray said. “I’ll have the usual.”
“Coming right up.”
“How does she remember everyone’s ‘usual’?” Gray asked.
“It’s her special gift.”
“So I did hear one thing about Noah that you might find interesting,” Gray said.
“What’s that?” Elmer asked.
“One of the guys who works for him is a high school classmate of mine. I ran into him at the grocery store two days before Christmas. He told me that Noah and the architect that Mrs. Hendricks hired to redesign the inn have been locking horns big-time. Like full-on screaming matches right in front of everyone.”
“Is that right?”
“Yep, and… The architect is a woman named Brianna, and according to my friend, she’s, as he said, ‘a smoke show.’”
“Translation, please,” Elmer said.
“She’s hot.”
One of Elmer’s white eyebrows lifted toward his hairline. “Is that right.”
“That’s what he said.”
“Well, it might be time to stop over at the inn and ask my grandson to give me a tour of the progress.”
“I’d be happy to help you with that,” Linc said.
“Figured you might, but if this turns into something, it goes in my column.”
“Have you two stopped bothering to try to hide the fact that you’re minding everyone else’s business?” Grayson asked.
Elmer gave him a blank look. “We have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Grayson lost it laughing. “Whatever you say, Gramps.”
Watch for Noah Coleman’s story, COME TOGETHER, out on July 13, 2021!
Three years after his marriage ended in dramatic fashion, Noah Coleman has one goal—to steer clear of romantic entanglements. In fact, he steers clear of most human interaction, studiously avoiding his large, meddling extended family, working until he’s exhausted and then repeating the pattern day after day. His strategy has worked well for him for years, keeping him sealed off from anything that can cause him pain or angst. Or it was working for him... before his company was hired to rebuild the Admiral Butler Inn after a fire reduced it to rubble, and he was forced to co-exist with the exasperatingly difficult, gorgeous architect the inn’s owner, Mrs. Hendricks, hired to oversee the project.
Brianna Esposito is determined to complete the Butler Inn construction under budget and on time—and to make partner in the Boston firm where she’s been working fourteen hours a day for five years. Finally, she has a chance to oversee an entire project from start to finish, and to show the firm’s leadership that she belongs among their ranks. Nothing is going to stop her from achieving her goal, especially a cranky contractor with the people skills of a rabid cougar. Noah Coleman is the most exasperating human being she’s ever had the misfortune to tangle with. She’s never had screaming fights with anyone the way she does him, and the fact that he’s also the sexiest man she’s ever met makes it that much more difficult to hold her ground.
So how is it that when a snowstorm strands her in Butler for Christmas, she ends up spending the holiday with the man she wants to stab one minute and kiss the next? And will he ever tell her why he’s so bitter and angry? Brianna suspects the answer to that question could also be the key to his well-protected heart.
Come back to Butler, Vermont to find out if these two adversaries will give in to the sparks that’ve been flying between them for months or if they’ll finally succeed in driving each other crazy.
Preorder Come Together now!
Thank you for reading Let It Be! I hope you enjoyed the walk back in time to hear more about Linc and Molly’s story—and to share Christmas with the Abbotts. I want you to know that I’m fully aware that I took a little liberty with the series timeline by extending a few pregnancies to suit my purposes. I wanted to be there when all the babies arrived, and I thought you would, too. As a result, poor Ella and Megan had or are having the longest pregnancies in the history of the world!
I had the best time writing this book and catching up with all the Abbotts as they enjoy their happily ever afters, and I hope you love it as much as I do. “Let It Be” is my all-time favorite Beatles song, and I’m so glad I was able to give that title—and that song—to Linc and Molly.
A special thank you to Tracey Suppo, who read this book as I was writing it and kept me going with her enthusiasm for all things Abbott. Thank you to my friend and colleague Tia Kelly for the sensitivity read and to my longtime beta readers Anne Woodall and Kara Conrad for their contributions. And thanks to my Vermont beta readers Marchia, Alice, Nancy, Katy, Betty, Jennifer, Doreen, Jessica, Isabel and Deb.
To the home team, Julie Cupp, Lisa Cafferty, Tia Kelly, Jean Mello, Nikki Haley and Ashley Lopez, thank you all for the many things you do to help me every day, and to Melissa Saneholtz and Janet Margot for your help with marketing. To Dan, Emily and Jake, thank you for your support of my career, even when it takes over our house!
This has been a long year for all of us as we navigated life during a pandemic and tried to keep our spirits up in a difficult time. I’ve been so thankful to be able to lose myself in fictional worlds and to hear from so many of you that my books or characters have brought you comfort. Thank you for that, for your support of my books and your presence in my life. I’m thankful for each and every one of you. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and that 2021 is a better year for everyone.
Much love,
Marie
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Other Books By Marie Force
* * *
Contemporary Romances Available from Marie Force
* * *
The Green Mountain Series
Book 1: All You Need Is Love
(Will & Cameron)
Book 2: I Want to Hold Your Hand
(Nolan & Hannah)
Book 3: I Saw Her Standing There
(Colton & Lucy)
Book 4: And I Love Her
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Novella: You'll Be Mine
(Will & Cam’s Wedding)
Book 5: It's Only Love
(Gavin & Ella)
Book 6: Ain’t She Sweet
(Tyler & Charlotte)
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The Butler, Vermont Series
(Continuation of Green Mountain)
Book 1: Every Little Thing
(Grayson & Emma)
Book 2: Can’t Buy Me Love
(Mary & Patrick)
Book 3: Here Comes the Sun
(Wade & Mia)
Book 4: Till There Was You
(Lucas & Dani)
Book 5: All My Loving
(Landon & Amanda)
Book 6: Let It Be
(Lincoln & Molly)
Book 7: Come Together
(Noah & Brianna)
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The Butler, Vermont Series Boxed Set: Books 1-4
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The Gansett Island Series
Book 1: Maid for Love
(Maddie & Mac)
Book 2: Fool for Love
(Joe & Janey)
Book 3: Ready for Love
(Luke & Sydney)
Book 4: Falling for Love
(Grant & Stephanie)
Book 5: Hoping for Love
(Evan & Grace)
Book 6: Season for Love
(Owen & Laura)
Book 7: Longing for Love
(Blaine & Tiffany)
Book 8: Waiting for Love
(Adam & Abby)
Book 9: Time for Love
(David & Daisy)
Book 10: Meant for Love
(Jenny & Alex)
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella (Jared & Lizzie)
Book 11: Gansett After Dark
(Owen & Laura)
Book 12: Kisses After Dark
(Shane & Katie)
Book 13: Love After Dark
(Paul & Hope)
Book 14: Celebration After Dark
(Big Mac & Linda)
Book 15: Desire After Dark
(Slim & Erin)
Book 16: Light After Dark
(Mallory & Quinn)
Book 17: Victoria & Shannon (Episode 1)
Book 18: Kevin & Chelsea (Episode 2)
A Gansett Island Christmas Novella
Book 19: Mine After Dark
(Riley & Nikki)
Book 20: Yours After Dark
(Finn & Chloe)
Book 21: Trouble After Dark
(Deacon & Julia)
Book 22: Rescue After Dark
(Mason & Jordan)
Book 23: Blackout After Dark
(Full Cast)
* * *
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 1-3
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 4-6
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 7-9
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 10-12
Gansett Island Boxed Set, Books 13-16
Gansett Island Series Boxed Set, Books 17-20
* * *
The Miami Nights Series
Book 1: How Much I Feel
Book 2: How Much I Care
Book 3: How Much I Love
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The Treading Water Series
Book 1: Treading Water
Book 2: Marking Time
Book 3: Starting Over
Book 4: Coming Home
Book 5: Finding Forever
* * *
Treading Water Boxed Set: The Complete Series
* * *
The Quantum Series
Book 1: Virtuous
(Flynn & Natalie)
Book 2: Valorous
(Flynn & Natalie)
Book 3: Victorious
(Flynn & Natalie)
Book 4: Rapturous
(Addie & Hayden)
Book 5: Ravenous
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Book 6: Delirious
(Kristian & Aileen)
Book 7: Outrageous
(Emmett & Leah)
Book 8: Famous
(Marlowe & Sebastian)
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Quantum Boxed Set: The Complete Series
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Single Titles
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Five Years Gone
One Year Home
Sex Machine
Sex God
Georgia on My Mind
True North
The Fall
The Wreck
Love at First Flight
Everyone Loves a Hero
Line of Scrimmage
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Beach Reads Boxed Set
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Love Always Boxed Set, First Books in Four of Marie’s Bestselling Series
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Romantic Suspense Novels Available from Marie Force
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The Fatal Series
One Night With You, A Fatal Series Prequel Novella
Book 1: Fatal Affair
Book 2: Fatal Justice
Book 3: Fatal Consequences
Book 3.5: Fatal Destiny The Wedding Novella
Book 4: Fatal Flaw
Book 5: Fatal Deception
Book 6: Fatal Mistake
Book 7: Fatal Jeopardy
Book 8: Fatal Scandal
Book 9: Fatal Frenzy
Book 10: Fatal Identity
Book 11: Fatal Threat
Book 12: Fatal Chaos
Book 13: Fatal Invasion
Book 14: Fatal Reckoning
Book 15: Fatal Accusation
Book 16: Fatal Fraud
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Fatal Series Volume 1
Fatal Series Volume 2
Fatal Series Volume 3
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The First Family Series
Book 1: State of Affairs
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Historical Romance Available from Marie Force
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The Gilded Series
Book 1: Duchess by Deception
Book 2: Deceived by Desire
About the Author
Marie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense and erotic romance. Her series include Gansett Island, Fatal, Treading Water, Butler Vermont, Quantum and Miami Nights.
Her books have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller, as well as a Speigel bestseller in Germany.
Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie's mailing list for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook and on Instagram. Join one of Marie's many reader groups. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.
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