sincere in your apology,
I knew you were mine.
I knew…you were mine.”
Rachael swallowed down tears burning a hole in the back of her throat. She wanted Cole with every fiber of her being. She wanted him the first moment she saw him, yesterday and today. Every moment grew stronger.
God, she loved this man. Her chest ached with desire as she listened…
“I’ll give you all I am,
every piece of me,
Yesterday, today, tomorrow,
for all eternity.”
Rachael stared into his eyes as his fingers worked the guitar in his lap. He swayed, a slow dance back and forth, but his gaze never left hers. It was as if the audience didn’t exist.
Tears pooled heavy on her lashes and when she blinked, they fell to her jeans. The tempo increased as the chorus began.
“I’m a risk, a chance,” he sang, his voice a sexy rasp.
“But if you’ll stay with me,
Say you’ll stay with me…
we’ll be together, madly, crazy in love.”
Heart bursting, Rachael bit back the need to leap off the chair and charge him. But this was his moment. His time to shine.
No…wait.
This was her song. And he was her man.
As if the audience sensed the break in the song and the chemistry sparking between them, their applause increased like a tidal wave, sweeping over the stage. On a deep sigh, Rachael jumped off the barstool and ran at him. He met her, slinging the guitar over his shoulder so he could catch her in his arms. Their mouths collided in a scorching kiss that lit fire to something inside her. When they finally separated, Cole rested his forehead on hers and stroked his hands down the back of her hair.
“What’d you think?” he asked, breathless.
“The song was beautiful.”
“Thanks, but what do you think about the proposition in the song?” He kissed her again. Lighter. Softer. “Will you be with me?”
“Yes,” she whispered, raking her fingers through his hair. “I’m so in love with you.”
He exhaled heavily. “Thank God.”
Grinning, he kissed her open-mouthed, filling her with more light and joy than she’d ever known.
“We’ll figure this out,” he said, nudging his chin at the screaming crowd. “I’ll stay in Blue Lake working on a new album for awhile…as long as you have room at the inn for me.”
A tingly flush bloomed over her skin and she quickly recognized the feeling as pure bliss. “There’s plenty of room.” She sighed against his lips. “There’ll always be room for you.”
For as long as she loved Cole Turner—the warmth in her chest proved it’d be a long while—she’d welcome him into her home, her life, and her heart. And be blissfully happy, crazy, in love.
Epilogue
Three Months Later
Cole swept into the living room, a large glass of StoneMill Chardonnay in hand. He looked gorgeous, as always, wearing a pair of dark washed jeans and a classic white T-shirt. As the light from the fire flickered over the hard lines of his face, softening them with an amber glow, Rachael lost her breath.
She loved him more today than when he descended upon her small mountain town...
“You’ve been glued to the computer for the last hour.” He handed her a glass of wine and slouched into the couch beside her. “What’s got you hooked?”
She clicked the refresh button for the hundredth time and watched Crazy in Love’s iTunes downloads jump once more. He’d uploaded the live versions of Run to Him and Crazy in Love—complete with their onstage declarations of love—to iTunes the day after the concert. They’d gone viral, earning more money than all of the songs on Cole’s first record combined. She was beyond proud.
“Crazy in Love is going to hit the charts again this week,” she said, amazed. “It’s hard to believe, but your fans love the songs as much as I do.”
“I’m thrilled…I’ve be even more thrilled if I could talk you out of this robe.” He leaned over, tugged down her collar and kissed her bare shoulder. “I’ve been thinking…if the songs keep doing this well, I may be able to stay in Blue Lake longer than I thought.”
He hadn’t left town since they returned from the concert in Lake Tahoe. Although she’d told him he could go back to Hollywood and they could have a long distance relationship, he’d shot her down immediately. After the first month, he’d told her he’d stay another. And then another. But they’d never discussed exactly when he’d return to Southern California.
She’d assumed he’d leave when it was time to record another album.
“Is that so?” she asked, sipping the wine to hide her grin. “How much longer do you think you’ll stay?”
Cole leaned against her, shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip. “When I first came back to Blue Lake, I thought I’d get bored within a few days. But after staying these last few months with you, I can’t imagine leaving.”
She’d taken time to show him the sights that Blue Lake had to offer. They’d picnicked at the lake, rafted down the river, frequented Lucy’s winery, and had even panned for gold in one of the retired sites. Cole had found a sliver of a nugget—worth less than a few dollars—and had hollered so loud, Rachael thought he’d won the lottery. The last three months had been heavenly. Perfect. And it meant so much that Cole felt the same way about their time together.
“What about your music?” she asked, clicking refresh again. Another hundred copies had sold worldwide since he joined her on the couch. Amazing. “And your next record? Won’t you need to go back?”
“I’ve made enough money on the iTunes sales alone to keep my home in Hollywood and invest in somewhere around here. I could live in Blue Lake, and when duty called I’d travel south and stay a week or so. It’d be like a vacation. You’d love Hollywood.”
“I’m coming with you?”
He draped his arm over her shoulder and squeezed her against him. “Of course you are. Baby, I don’t want to be apart from you any longer than I have to be.”
Hesitantly, she asked, “Who’d take care of the inn while I’m gone?”
“Skylie.”
“Skylie?” She frowned, trying to follow his train of thought. “Lucy’s assistant at the winery?”
He nodded. “When Lucy stopped by for dinner last night, she asked if I was going to stay in Blue Lake for the long haul.”
Rachael turned to him. “She did?”
“Yes, and I asked her if she knew of anyone looking for work, so if the time came that we had to take off for a few days, every one of your guests would be taken care of.”
Since the addition had opened, the rooms had been full. Surprisingly, Cole didn’t seem to mind the guests coming in and out. He was amiable. Friendly and comical, cheering them up with songs by the fire and stories of “behind-the-scenes” Hollywood.
Rachael’s heart warmed when she thought of the way her professional life had molded with her personal one. “That was sweet of you to think of them…and me.”
“She said her assistant Skylie is phenomenal and is looking to supplement her income at StoneMill with another job during the day. It might be perfect.”
Yeah, it just might be.
“Besides,” he said, “after seeing the response from these songs, Rita wants me to stay here and continue writing.”
“Oh, yeah, now she’s changed her tune. Now that you’re making so much money that you don’t really need her anymore.”
“She’s a pain in the neck, but she’s got killer business sense.” He kicked his feet up on the coffee table as their new German Shepherd puppy, Jagger, trotted into the room and curled on the rug beneath his legs. “She says I was inspired here. Whatever I did before, I should do again and again.” He waggled his eyebrows at her. “Not that I needed permission from Rita, but I like the way she thinks. There are more than a few things that I’d like to repeat with you.”
Her cheeks warmed as he nuzzled into her neck and planted a soft, wet
kiss under her jaw.
“Will you play me something?” she asked, as the fire crackled beside them.
“Of course.”
It was her favorite time of night. After the guests had retired to their rooms and she and Cole were left alone in front of the fire. Rain battered on the front windows and Jagger let out an angry-sounding yap. Rachael tugged a fuzzy flannel-colored blanket over her lap and drew her legs beneath her.
“Shh,” Cole said, stroking the dog’s coat. “It’s all right. It’s just the storm.”
Picking up his guitar from beside the couch, Cole rested it in his lap and teased a few strings. His fingers moved over the strings effortlessly, and Rachael couldn’t help but be in awe of him. He played her a quiet love song—the one he’d been working on the last week—and entranced her by the sultry rhythm of the music and the sexy husk of his voice.
“That one’s going to be your next hit,” she said when he’d finished. “What’s it called?”
“That one is just for you. I call it Rachael’s Serenade.”
Swooning, she kissed him and stroked her hands over his chest. As her gaze trailed to the windowsill, she caught sight of a tiny white butterfly fluttering its wings against the wet glass. Odd…she’d never seen a butterfly in the rain before. She recalled seeing a tiny white butterfly, resembling the one on the window now, before she and Cole made love on the floor in the inn addition. It was a bizarre thing, but the sight comforted her. Reassured her that the love they shared wouldn’t disappear.
“What do you want to hear next?” he asked.
“Something soft.”
He leaned over and whispered into her ear, “I love you.”
She went weak, her stomach tingling with delight. “I love you, too,” she said, and had never meant the words more.
Moving the guitar so that it rested on the opposite side of him, Cole placed a gentle hand on the back of Rachael’s head and guided her so she lay on her chest. The quiet thump-thump of his heartbeat and the warmth radiating from his body spoke to every part of her. She’d never felt more complete.
“I know it’s sudden…” He brushed his hands over her hair, a loving caress that caused her eyelids to flutter closed. “…but I’m going to marry you. Sooner rather than later, if I have my way.”
“Sweetheart,” she said, her heart beaming with love and promise, “that’s music to my ears.”
THE END
Continue reading for a sneak peek at the first chapter of the next Blue Lake novel,
Let Me Love You.
All he needs is a good woman…
Blazingly handsome firefighter Joey Brackett seems to have it all: a heroic career, a cabin in the small mountain town of Blue Lake, and the freedom to fly the skies in his fixed-wing plane. Beneath the surface though, he hides a painful secret. His eldest sibling died in a house fire on a night when Joey called in sick to go flying. For the last ten years, he’s struggled to recapture the sense of family he lost.
All she wants is a good time…
Winery owner Lucy Stone is spunky, stubborn, and fiercely passionate. Determined to keep balance in her life, Lucy works to the bone during the day—giving the winery her heart and soul—and parties all night with lovers who demand little more than her casual company. When a mutual friend buys Lucy a date with Joey at a charity auction, ten years of friendship combusts into something much hotter. Soon, they’re deep in a relationship neither expected.
All they have is now…
Lucy doesn’t share Joey’s idealized dreams of settling down, but he can’t seem to get over them. Now, Lucy must choose between what she thought she wanted and what her heart tells her she needs.
BUY NOW FROM AMAZON
Chapter One
“Take it off!” a seventy-something woman screamed from the row of chairs closest to the stage. “Shake it, CJ!”
Lucy Stone dragged her best friend Rachael into the Blue Lake fire station and scanned the room for the rest of their friends. If Rachael hadn’t taken so long to say good-bye to her new love—smoking-hot rock star boyfriend Cole Turner—Lucy would’ve been able to enjoy girls’ night in its entirety.
Blue Lake Firefighters’ “Date for a Dollar” auction was in full swing by eleven. It was a good thing Lucy didn’t show for the men (the hot ones were first in the auction lineup). She attended for the cheap beer, complimentary dessert, and hilarious, bellyaching laughter with the best girlfriends in the world.
The station was packed to the max, with a DJ set up along the back wall next to racks of fire gear, and a wooden runway slicing through dozens of folding chairs. Rick “CJ” Caffey (Blue Lake’s most notorious firefighting bachelor) slung his suspenders off his shoulders and gave a little shake near the front corner of the stage.
“Do you see the girls?” Lucy hollered over the roar of the crowd.
Rachael shook her head, gasping when old Mrs. Busbee waved a dollar in front of CJ’s crotch.
“Whoa! Whoa!” Joey Brackett interrupted, striding onto center stage, microphone in hand. “This isn’t a strip show. Put away the dollar, Mrs. Busbee, and buy a date for your granddaughter instead!”
The fire station put on the auction every year and gave all proceeds to programs assisting students in Blue Lake School District who struggled with dyslexia. Although they’d named it Date for a Dollar, that’s simply where the bidding began. Through the years, Lucy had witnessed one dollar turn into two thousand. All for a good cause.
“There!” Rachael pointed over Lucy’s shoulder. “See ’em? Down in front by the speaker!”
Nodding, Lucy weaved through the crowd to join April Cassidy and Laney Owens, two of her very best friends. As they approached the table, CJ’s bid skyrocketed to two hundred dollars. The ladies standing behind their table went wild.
“He’ll take you out on a date to remember!” Joey hollered, his deep voice echoing through the station. “Guaranteed. Just make sure he leaves his suspenders at home! We don’t want to see that dance again!”
Lucy plopped into her seat and stole the beer in front of her. “Tell me this is mine.”
“It’s yours, and number two is on the way.” Brushing her chocolate-brown hair out of her eyes, April pushed her coffee mug aside. “Hope the beer’s better than the coffee. It tastes like motor oil.”
“You’re biased,” Lucy said, and took a hard drink.
April owned the coffee shop in the center of town and brewed the richest coffee Lucy had ever tasted. It was no wonder nothing compared.
“What’d we miss?” Rachael said, crossing her legs and swiveling her hips toward the stage. “Or maybe I should say who’d we miss?”
“This year they did the silent auction first, and the cocktail hour felt more like two,” Laney chimed in, yanking a mini-caramel-pop out of her mouth with a slurp. The treat was delicious, made by Laney’s own hand. If there weren’t so many people around, Lucy might’ve stolen the lollipop right out of the candymaker’s fingers. “You only missed the first ten guys or so.”
“How high’d the bids go?” Rachael asked excitedly.
Lucy laughed, nodding in thanks when a firefighter acting as a waiter brought over her second beer. “What d’you care? It’s not like you want to buy a date with any of these guys anyway! Not when you have your dream guy waiting for you back at home.”
Rachael and Cole had been together a year and still couldn’t take their hands off each other. In the last month, they’d left most of the rooms in Rachael’s historical inn vacant, so they could spend private quality time together.
Lucy didn’t blame her. With a guy like Cole on her hands, Lucy wouldn’t leave home for days. Okay, okay…weeks.
“I may not be shopping for a date for me,” Rachael said, swiping Lucy’s beer. “But I bought Laney a date last year and April a date the year before that. I paid twenty bucks for Jimmy Swanson and thirty-two dollars and fifty cents for Bucky Leo.”
“Yeah, thanks for that.” April rolled her eyes and
set them on the next firefighter coming out on stage. “Bucky kept trying to get me naked that night.”
Laney snorted, choking on her lollipop.
“I’m serious!” April said, once Laney burst into a giggle fit. “He did this weird fist-pump-thing to the middle of my back and popped the hook on my bra. From the outside of my shirt!”
Lucy held her hand in front of her face and wiggled her fingers. “Fancy hands, that one.”
“Anyway,” Rachael said, shimmying her eyebrows. “Tonight’s your turn. I want to know how much I’m going to be out.”
“Oh no!” Lucy said. “Nuh-uh. You’re not buying me a date with Bucky.”
“How ’bout Jimmy Swanson?” Laney said, grinning ear to ear. “When we went out after the auction last year, he folded up the corner of our bill and picked his teeth with it.”
Lucy cringed.
“And then he handed it to me so I could pay for our dinner,” Laney went on as the music cued up once more. “He’s a charmer. Might be your type, Luce.”
“My type?” Lucy downed her first beer and moved on to the next cold soldier. “How is Ron…or Bucky, for that matter, my type?”
“You go out with a guy once and then you ditch him. You’ve got some kind of second-date phobia.” Rachael spun her chair around as Joey motioned for the next firefighter to walk down the makeshift runway. “At least with Bucky or Ron you won’t be worried about hurting the poor guy’s feelings when you don’t call. They’re used to being rejected.”
Lucy flicked Rachael’s blond ponytail so that it swung over her shoulder. Lucy couldn’t help but be jealous of her friend, all silky blond hair, blue eyes, and smooth skin. Lucy was shorter by a good three inches with crimson curls that brushed her shoulders and freckles dotting her nose. Makeup did wonders hiding the peppering of color on her pale skin, but Rachael didn’t have to work to be beautiful. She simply was. Not to mention she’d found a guy who loved her and treated her well, without putting pressure on setting a wedding date.
Crazy in Love (Contemporary Romance) (Blue Lake Series) Page 14