The Birthday Fantasy

by Sara Walter Ellwood

  “I know ours will last.”

  He laughed. “How can you be so sure? We’re both as stubborn as the day is long.”

  She playfully glared at him and thought of her mother’s ghost. “Because I think you and I were meant to be together.” With a smile, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Let’s go back to the house.”

  “Whatever the princess wants.”

  She took his hand. “Careful, I might remind you said that.”

  He wrapped his arm around her waist. “Hell, I know you will.”

  ****

  Jamie read the report and looked at father. “You hired a PI to check into Robbie?”

  “Damn right.” Hank leaned back in his cowhide chair behind the big oak desk. “I knew that peacock was up to no good.

  Glancing at Tate, she passed the paper to him. She couldn’t believe she’d been so gullible to fall for his lies. No wonder he didn’t want her anywhere near Vegas. They’d returned about two hours ago. She and her father had a talk, and he assured her he was going to beat the cancer. His doctor was one of the best oncologists in the state of Texas and believed they found the cancer early enough to treat it.

  Tate tossed the report on the desk. “So, Jefferson is in Vegas closing a deal for a country club and golf course to be built on Raines Land.”

  “He only wanted me for the ranch.” The truth of that statement still hurt, even if she wasn’t going to marry the bastard.

  “And your money,” her father added.

  She stood and the photo sitting on her dad’s desk caught her attention. In the picture, her mother held her as a baby. “I’ll always be looking out of for you,” echoed in her mind and she smiled. Had her mother sent her Tate to help her through her teenage years long ago? Did she send him to be her best friend, when she didn’t have very many friends? She’d never know, but she was thankful her parents were looking out for her.

  Smiling, she rounded the desk and hugged her father. “Thank you, Daddy.”

  He kissed her cheek and squeezed her in a bear hug. “For what?”

  She glanced at Tate and her heart swelled with love. “For the best birthday fantasy ever.”

  Epilogue

  Two Months Later

  Jamie stared in the tall mirror at herself in the white gown she’d bought at the resort. It fit perfectly. Something she’d been a little concerned about. She placed her hands over her lower belly and smiled as she thought of her secret.

  Tate would be ecstatic when she finally told him about the baby. And so would her father. He was beating the cancer and his doctor was optimistic, though Daddy still had a long way to go to be cured. She went with him for his treatments and held his hand through the sickness the chemotherapy caused. She hated it, but she was glad he allowed her to be with him.

  She glanced at the photo of her mother sitting on the dresser. Sadness swamped her as she picked up the gilded frame. “Wish you could be here, Momma.”

  “I am.”

  Jamie turned around and gasped at the shimmery ghost of her mother.

  Momma smiled. “I told you I’m always with you. You are such a beautiful bride. Juliet did well with suggesting the gown to you.”

  Jamie hugged the frame to her chest, afraid her connection to the ghost would be severed if she let it go. “Momma, did you send Tate to me?”

  Her mother laughed. “You asked me that the last time.”

  “Yes, and you never answered.”

  “You are your father’s daughter.” She sat on the edge of Jamie’s bed without making an impressionq on the soft mattress. “Yes, I sent him to you--and to your father. I knew he’d be perfect for the ranch and for you. I was right.”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Momma’s smile glowed. “I know.”

  A sudden thought popped into her mind. “Did you... Did you have anything to do with it?”

  More tinkling laugher. “No. That was nature.”

  Jamie frowned. She’d been shocked when she discovered she was pregnant because she’d been on the pill since she and Tate had been together the first time years ago.

  As if her mother knew what she was thinking, she said, “You missed a few days worth of the pills.”

  With a laugh, Jamie shook her head. “I guess you’re right. Tate hadn’t packed them.”

  Her mother floated toward her and brushed her fingers over Jamie’s cheek. The touch was soft and cool. “You will have a gift for Tate.”

  “I know. Our baby is due in the same month as his birthday.”

  With a gentle kiss on Jamie’s forehead, Momma began to fade away.

  “I love you, Momma.” Jamie stared at the spot where her mother’s ghost had been as a few tears slid down her cheek.

  A knock on the door startled her. “Jamie, we’re all set.”

  Wiping away the tears, she picked up her bouquet of bluebells and white roses. “I’m coming, Daddy.” She opened the door to her father standing in a Texas tuxedo of dark blue jeans and white western shirt. He smiled broadly and took her hand as she said, “Let’s go. I can’t wait to get my life started.”

  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  Thank you so much for reading Tate and Jamie’s story. If you love them as much as I do, please take a moment to leave a review. If you’d like to read my other contemporary westerns romance, check out these Lyrical Press, Inc. titles...

  Other Works:

  Heartstrings

  He’s determined to set things right, no matter the cost.

  The last person Abby Crawford wants to face down is country music superstar Seth Kendall. Last time she did, she flat-out lied so he’d go to Nashville without her. She’s never understood why their mutual best friend proposed, but she went with it so her baby wouldn’t be fatherless. Now she’s a divorced mother of a teenager, and secretly Seth’s biggest fan.

  Seth is home in McAllister, Texas for his father’s funeral…and a chance to meet the daughter he’s never known. He’s willing to face the music of his own making and admit he’s known about his little girl all along. For fifteen years he’s kept his distance because Abby told him to follow his dreams without her, insisting she didn’t love him. But now he won’t leave until he knows his daughter and she knows him, even if it means facing the woman who broke his heart for good.

  Confessing she’s lied about her daughter’s paternity all these years won’t be easy for Abby, especially with her ex blackmailing her to keep the secret. And Seth doesn’t know the hardest truth of all: Every love song he plays on his guitar still plucks her heartstrings.

  CONTENT WARNING: Spicy sex.

  Excerpt:

  Seth leaned in. His lips were close enough to kiss, and his scent of sandalwood and something exotic enveloped her, taking her back to that night on the beach. His eyes flashed with the dangerous fire of his temper. It was similar to the flame of the passion she’d once seen in the green depths. Abby didn’t expect or want the heat curling in her belly, and shivered with a sudden and fierce desire.

  “I’m her father, Abigail. I wanted to be her father after she was born. It was you and Mike who insisted I had no business messing things up.”

  “I never said any such thing. You never tried. You just left.”

  He pounded a fist on the counter top so hard she jumped. “Yes, I left! I wasn’t welcome at home. Dad ran me off with a shotgun. Mike wouldn’t even let me see my daughter. He made it quite clear you and he were happily married, and I had no place in your life. I was under contract to be in Nashville to start recording my first album.”

  What did he mean, Mike wouldn’t let him see Emily?

  Before she had a chance to voice her question, his eyes darkened as the pupils dilated, obscuring the stormy green. “But I’m no longer nineteen and scared shitless. I could make things very rough for you and this fantasy you’ve got working.”

  A cold lump quickly replaced the tangle of heat in her belly. “What-what do you mean?”

  He backed off and tapped the coun
tertop. “I’m talking a custody battle. I could have a judge order a paternity test. I think we both know the media hoopla the results would cause.”

  Her heart slammed into her chest wall. “You wouldn’t do that.”

  “Try me. Now that I’ve met Emily, I want to get to know her.” He walked over to look out the kitchen window. The hard line of his jaw melted, and he swallowed so hard his throat moved up and down. “I was a fool when I let Mike talk me out of being in her life after she was born.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He glanced at her. “Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

  The strings of guitar music provided a soft counterpoint to the hard tension in the kitchen. Emily was outside on the patio playing around with her guitar, waiting for them to finish with the dishes she and Seth had insisted on doing.

  “All I want is to have some time with my daughter. That’s all I’m asking for.” When he looked over his shoulder at her, sadness replaced the anger in his eyes. “I’ll keep your little secret. I’ll just be her favorite singer. The family friend who made it big in Nashville. I don’t want to hurt her. As much as it galls the hell out of me, I see what Mike means to her.”

  He moved toward her and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Besides, I don’t want to hurt Carolann or Frank any more than you do.” He glanced outside again, his voice husky as he spoke. “But I’ll sue you if I have to.”

  A part of her wanted to give in to him, but a larger part wanted to punish him. Let him take her to court; she’d make sure the world knew what kind of jerk Seth Kendall really was.

  She gritted her teeth and fisted her hands by her sides. “I’ll let you have tonight, Seth. But don’t ask for more.”

  She turned away and strode through the French doors.

  What People Are Saying...

  “This was indeed a well written, well edited book. In the end, it was worth all the anxiety, the surprises, The pleasure, the sadness, the joy, the disappointment and the anger I felt as I read. This is not just a book for cowboy lovers like me. This is a book for anyone who has loved someone and hoped and prayed for a second chance to be the person they want to be. What else can I tell you but you need to read this book and let it play on your heartstrings. 5/5 Stars (I’d give it more if I could!) and 4/5 Flames!…” Read the entire review at Sniffer Walk Books

  **

  “Great Scandal…Great Romance…GREAT “Ahem” ….and a whole lot more to enjoy. HEARTSTRINGS is like your favorite TV Series…you just want more more more! I encourage you all to give it a read…especially my NASHVILLE Fans out there!!” Read this 4 Star review at A Tasty Read Book Reviews

  **

  “Heartstrings is full of emotion, heartbreak, lies, and deception. The characters were well rounded and I fell in love with Seth, Abby, and Emily. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, and this story took me on a wild ride that tugged on my own heartsrings. I couldn’t put it down! Heartsrings is highly recommended from this reviewer! Who doesn’t love a good second chance story filled with music, laughter, and love?…” Read this 5 Star review at Storm Goddess Book Reviews and More

  To find out more about Heartstrings, click HERE.

  ****

  The Colton Gamblers Series

  Gambling on love and bringing back the bond of family...

  Gambling On A Secret

  Book 1

  When Charli bets everything on a secret, will she find the deck stacked against her?

  Former runaway-turned heiress Charli Monroe is hiding her sordid past and planning a future in Colton, Texas. Attending the local college for a degree in social work, she intends to raise cattle on her newly purchased ranch, which she plans to open as a home for troubled teens. Only a few glitches--the Victorian mansion is crumbling, the barn needs a roof, and her oilman neighbor wants more than friendship. When she meets Dylan Quinn, Charli is willing to take a chance on the town drunk to help her rebuild the rundown ranch.

  Dylan has his demons, too. The former Special Forces commander can’t get past his ex-wife’s betrayal and the botched mission that left him with much more than a bad limp. Certain the greedy oilman next door to Charli wants much more than just her heart, Dylan’s even willing to stop drinking in order to protect her.

  When things get dangerous and secrets of the past are revealed, is he only looking out for his new employer, or is she the new start he so desperately needs?

  CONTENT WARNING: Details abuse of a minor, drug abuse, alcoholism, swearing, spicy sex, murder.

  COVER QUOTE: “Full of intrigue, tangled pasts, and raw emotions, this one is guaranteed to keep you turning pages from start to finish and then wishing for one more chapter!” Carolyn Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Just a Cowboy and His Baby.

  Ms. Brown also named Gambling On A Secret as one of her favorite romance reads in 2012 in the Happy Ever After Blog on USA Today.

  Excerpt:

  “Ferguson, what are you doing here?” Dylan barked.

  Leon ambled toward them on the stone path. “I’m saving a young maiden from torment. What are you doing here, playing the part of the devil?”

  “I’m Miss Monroe’s new manager.” The deadly edge of his voice matched the flintiness of his eyes. “If there’s anyone to save the young maiden from, it’s you.”

  “Mr. Quinn, please.” She turned to Leon. “Leon, is there something I can do for you?”

  He smiled, showing off perfect white teeth in a face handsome enough to belong to an actor. “I was just passing by on my way home and decided to stop. How are the boys working out?”

  Dylan’s stance widened and his hands flexed at his slides. “What boys?”

  “Charli and I have entered into a business arrangement.”

  She lost the battle with the urge to wrap her arms around herself. As much as she appreciated Leon’s kindness, respected him, and was even a little attracted to him, something about him didn’t sit right with her. He represented her peers in the community. According to Mrs. Pratt, besides the Cartwrights, she and Leon were undoubtedly the wealthiest residents in the county. No one in Colton could learn about her past. It would ruin her, and Leon, no doubt, had the means to dig up the dirt.

  “Really?” Dylan stepped closer to her in a protective manner. Whiskey tainted his breath as the warmth of the exhalations tickled her cheek. “What kind of business arrangement?”

  She could protect herself. Dylan Quinn wasn’t any safer than Leon Ferguson. Stepping away from him, she forced her arms to her sides. “Mr. Quinn, I can handle this.”

  She faced Leon. “I’m amazed by how much the men got done since starting on Monday. The foreman told me last evening they’d be reseeding another fifty acres for hay this morning. And they have the corrals fixed and started on the fencing in the north pasture.”

  “Good, good.” He glanced at Dylan. “I’ll be going, unless you need a more reliable exterminator. I couldn’t help but overhear about your snake infestation. I can give you the name of the company that has gotten rid of the snakes in our lakes over on Oak Springs for years.”

  Although he presented the perfect solution, she didn’t the like way Leon had looked at Dylan as he said the word exterminator. “No, Mr. Quinn is quite capable of getting rid of the snake.”

  “Oh, I’m sure he is.” Leon tipped his hat. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you, Charli.” Dylan’s jaw tightened as his uncle glanced at him. “It’s good to see you up among the living again.”

  Leon headed back to his Porsche. With no pretense of lowering his voice, Dylan said, “Now, there’s a snake no one wants in their garden.”

  Upon hearing the jibe, Leon’s shoulders jerked in mid-stride.

  Rattled by Leon’s attention and the snake fiasco, she turned on Dylan. “You aren’t off the hook. I want those snakes gone.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “I hate snakes.” She shuddered and put her hands on her hips. “Maybe I should have asked him who
the exterminator is.”

  What People Are Saying...

  "HONESTLY this was a FABULOUS read. Gambling on a Secret is a gripping, entertaining and an absolutely delightful romantic read which is set in the town of Colton located in Texas. Sarah Walter Ellwood has scored with this book. This has been one of my favourite reads for 2013. The story held my interest from the beginning. I had a real hard time putting it down. I was so disappointed when it ended. I deliberately took my time reading it so I could savour every minute. I was pulled into the story from the very first page and just could not let go..."

  Read the rest of this 5 Star review at Satin Sheets Romance

  **

  "Gambling on a Secret is a definite keeper in my book. It is still not a story for the under 18 crowd but if you are a fan of western romance, love your cowboys tender-hearted and completely dependable, your heroines strong and supportive with some spice thrown into their relationship and a dash of suspense add, you will love this book..." Read the entire TOP PICK 4 1/2 Star Review at Night Owl Reviews

  **

  “Another hit from Sara Walter Ellwood, GAMBLING ON A SECRET was everything that I like about a romance, a tortured/broody hero, a strong heroine, a little bit of mystery, a whole lotta sexual chemistry, and a cast of characters who help bring the story alive... GAMBLING ON A SECRET, the plotline has many twists and turns, which you will find out bits and pieces of throughout the read, which I enjoyed. I like my tidbits, they keep me holding on, not that the smokin’ hot sex won't have you turning page after page, but Sara did a wonderful job at keeping the readers’ attention. Dylan...very swoonworthy...who doesn't love a hero, no a literal hero, who needs the love of a good woman to help him make the decision to clean himself up. This is the story of two seriously LOST SOULS who have happened upon each other and find something in each other that they never thought they'd find...Seriously tugs on those heartstrings!” This 4 Star review posted at A Tasty Read Book Reviews