Welcome To Redemption: Series Collection (Books 1-6)

by Donna Marie Rogers

  * * *

  Caleb met her terrified gaze and gave a curt nod. No way in hell would he do anything less.

  He cupped a hand over his eyes and studied the structure of the ride for a nanosecond, trying to figure out the best route to the top. He gave an apologetic grimace to the frightened couple in the bottom car before pulling himself up on top of it. Nimbly, Caleb climbed one bar at a time. The chaos below him faded to white noise as he continued to climb, his sole focus on the boy who’d grown to mean more to him in just six days than he ever could’ve imagined.

  Too damn bad it took a possible life and death situation for him to realize it.

  When he was within five feet of touching Max’s feet, he said, “Listen to me, Max. I’m going to get you down, but I need you to stay calm, okay? Hang on tight and do exactly as I tell you.”

  He could just make out Max’s upper face, and his heart broke over the stark fear in the kid’s eyes. Max was smart, though. He stared straight ahead without looking down. Caleb swallowed hard and reminded himself to focus. He’d never felt such immense terror before, not even when under enemy fire overseas.

  He managed to maneuver himself directly beneath Max’s dangling feet. “All right, listen carefully, Max. When I say so, I want you to slowly lower yourself until you’re sitting on my shoulders. Once there, I can help you slide down until your arms and legs are wrapped around me piggyback-style. Got it?”

  Max swallowed hard and gave a quick nod. “I-I’m sorry. I wanted to get off, but the stupid guy wouldn’t bring me down. So I-I tried to climb down.”

  Jesus H. Christ. “We’ll talk about how foolish that was later. What matters right now is getting you down from here safe and sound.” Caleb steadied himself and made sure he had a secure hold on the thick metal spoke. He had one foot braced against the inner wheel, and his other leg wrapped around the same spoke he held in a death grip. When he felt he had as secure a hold as he could, he said, “Okay, Max, it’s time. Do exactly as I told you to—and take your time.”

  Max was quiet as a church mouse as he tentatively lowered himself, one inch at a time. Caleb grasped his ankle to help guide him; Max panicked and let out a choked cry.

  “It’s okay, son. I’m not going to let you fall. Just keep on—” Gears ground a split second before the Ferris wheel jerked. Max screamed as his grip was torn loose and he fell. Cries and shrieks from the crowd below rose up as Caleb caught Max like a sack of potatoes only in reverse, as if Max had been sitting on his shoulders and fell backward.

  “I got you, buddy, you aren’t going anywhere. Just close your eyes and breathe. Hear that siren? The fire truck will be here any second.”

  Caleb could feel Max’s heartbeat hammering against his back. Please God, give me the strength to hold on until the fire truck arrives.

  And then it was there. The most welcome sight Caleb had ever seen. He watched as the fire truck steered into place, then several firemen climbed down and got to work.

  In no time, an aerial ladder telescoped up to them, and Caleb helped get Max safely into the firefighter’s arms. By the time Caleb was safely on the ground, a sobbing Lauren had Max crushed in her arms.

  Caleb couldn’t even put words to the emotions coursing through him. If he hadn’t been sure before, he had no doubts now. He wanted Lauren, Max, and Emma in his life. And he planned to stay in Redemption permanently. This was his home—always had been in his heart, even if he’d been too angry for the past twenty years to admit it.

  Lauren reluctantly let Max go to be checked for injuries, then rushed to Caleb’s side. Her beautiful face gazed up at him, and all he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her.

  “You saved my son’s life. I don’t even know how to begin to pay you for that.”

  Caleb reached out and cupped her cheek. “I’m crazy about that boy. Emma, too.”

  “And they’re crazy about you,” she countered, her expression guarded.

  He wondered if she was feeling as insecure and vulnerable as he was right now. “Good to know. But what about their mother? Any feelings of adoration there?”

  The most incredible smile spread across her face as she gazed up at him with her heart in her eyes. “I happen to know firsthand their mother’s adoration for you is only exceeded by her desire to kiss you.”

  He slipped his arm around her and pulled her close, but before they could give in to “her desire,” Max approached, feet dragging in the dirt. Caleb gave her a quick squeeze, stepped back, and waited for Max to speak.

  “Am I grounded?”

  Caleb couldn’t help but chuckle. Lauren was less amused. She crossed her arms and said, “I think you know the answer to that. And just for the record, Caleb didn’t rat you out, one of the neighbors did. So not only are you grounded for two weeks, but you owe this very brave man a thank you and an apology.”

  Max cast Caleb a quick glance. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I didn’t wanna believe you narced me out, but that’s what it sounded like.”

  “I know.” Caleb clapped him on the back. “Apology accepted.”

  Lauren glanced up at the darkening sky. The sun had nearly finished its descent into the western horizon and would be completely gone in a matter of minutes. “Why don’t we head over to the field and find a spot to watch the fireworks?” She crouched down and peeked at Emma, who’d managed to snore right through all the excitement. The love that shone from her eyes as she gazed upon her daughter made Caleb’s chest ache in an unfamiliar yet very welcome way.

  They hustled down to the baseball field, spread out the blanket Lauren had remembered to tuck into Emma’s stroller, and settled in to watch the display. Emma finally roused and insisted on sitting in Max’s lap. Caleb sat with one knee up and one hand propped behind him, Lauren leaning against his shoulder.

  The oddest sense of peace washed over him as the first burst of color exploded in the sky. As Max and Emma “oohed” and “ahhed,” Caleb leaned down and kissed Lauren, sealing their fate under a blazing canopy of red, white, and blue.

  ~~~~~

  I hope you enjoyed Lauren and Caleb’s story. Max and Emma are close to my heart as my they were my mother’s favorite characters.

  Read on for Stacey Joy Netzel’s fabulous A Fair To Remember, and fall in love with Wes & Tara—and Sugar—as I have!

  (back to top)

  Welcome to Redemption Series, 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.

  Dedication

  ~~~

  This one, always and forever, to Dulcie.

  Chapter 1

  There was no such thing as love at first sight, but Tara Russell needed someone to explain that to Sugar. Her arm was ready to detach from its socket as her brother’s nine-month-old fawn-colored Great Dane pulled her along the fairway, intent on her latest infatuation. So far, Tara had managed to keep Sugar from attacking the man as he ambled past the games and rides with their flashing lights and cajoling carnies, but her strength was waning.

  Truth be told, so was her will. Her gaze locked on the backside of the man about ten yards ahead of them. Sugar’s target was easily the sexiest guy Tara had seen in a long time, and believe you me, she’d been looking. Unfortunately, the small town of Redemption, Wisconsin, didn’t provide its women with much to choose from—in her opinion, anyway.

  But this guy…mmm. The summer sun picked up a suggestion of auburn highlights on
the top, but the shorter sides were dark brown. A faint shadow of a beard darkened his jaw, softening his chiseled profile and enhancing his rugged appeal. She hadn’t caught the color of his eyes, though he’d glanced in her general direction a time or two.

  Before she started drooling, she forced herself to acknowledge the most intriguing thing about him: his black suit that fit his six-foot, nicely built body like it was tailored especially for him. Wait a second. Intriguing? No. A shake of her head made her long ponytail swish against her back. Off-putting, that’s the word she meant.

  Because, really, who wore a suit to a fair in this heat? Who wore a suit to a fair, period? She started imagining likely explanations and came up with lawyer…and…um…nope, that was it. Bummer. Imagine trying to bring a Suit home to her Hog-loving family? Bad enough she didn’t fit the Russell mold, they might disown her if she fell for some uptight, blood-sucking, sexy—

  Geez, wasn’t he roasting in all that material? Because just looking at him made her hot. Sweat dampened her skin, making her tank top cling even more with the late afternoon temperature hovering close to eighty.

  Then again, holding Sugar back was no walk in the park.

  Tara plucked at the black material of her top and squinted at the sky through her sunglasses, wishing there were at least a hint of a breeze to cool her sticky skin. Thank heavens she’d kept her cutoffs on instead of changing into jeans.

  Sugar switched direction, throwing Tara off balance in her sandals and giving the dog the upper hand with her forward momentum. The dog’s entire body wagged along with her tail as she made a beeline for Tom Hayden, one of her brother’s buddies. A few of the other guys from her brother’s crowd were leaning against their Harley’s, drinking beer and hanging out, dressed in their riding gear.

  “Heads up,” Tara called, trying to regain control. As if she’d ever really had it.

  To Sugar’s delight, Tom grasped either side of the exuberant dog’s neck and gave her a rough greeting, but his gaze swept the length of Tara. “Damn, girl. What got into you?”

  Tara felt her cheeks flush and tried to laugh his comment off. “Just dressing the part for the tattoo booth. Can you imagine me helping out in my usual clothes?”

  Tom snorted and a couple of the guys chuckled. Usual for Tara was the opposite of the skin tight, scooped neck tank top with metal-ringed holes of different sizes dotting her torso and back. She’d added a loose chain belt to her low, short cutoffs that made clinking noises as she walked, the ends dangling down past her right hip to bump her thigh with each step. Nothing she wore even remotely resembled her business attire as a real estate agent.

  One of the guys made a borderline vulgar side comment to another and Tom turned to glare at him. “Charlie’s little sis, man, knock it off.”

  Tara rolled her eyes. “I don’t need a stand in for Charlie, Tom. Allow me a little freedom.”

  “Sorry—I’m just used to backing Charlie up.”

  “Well stop.”

  “Okay.” His gazed dropped from the extra makeup she wore to the tattoos on her arms. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d swear those were real. Your mom does an awesome job, even on the fake ones.”

  “She is an artist—and the bonus is, they’re pain free.”

  To complete the costume, her mother had air brushed tattoos of barbed wire around her right upper arm, an asp curled around a sword on her left, a rose on the side of her neck, a small shooting star on the inside of her left wrist, and last, but not least, a heart encircled with thorns on her ankle. Together they’d done a good job of transforming Tara into a biker chick ready for a walk on the wild side.

  Tara’s gaze skimmed their bikes and leather chaps. “You guys heading out for a ride or on your way back?”

  “We’re headed out in a little bit, but we’ll be back later tonight for the band. You going?”

  Tara shrugged. “Not sure yet.”

  Having licked all the hands she could reach, Sugar tugged on the leash, pulling back toward the thick of the crowd. Tara grinned at Tom. “I guess it’s time to go—maybe I’ll see you there.”

  A few steps later, Tara heard her name over the noise, and turned to see Lauren Frazier waving from the frozen custard stand with her little girl in the stroller next to her. Grabbing a firm hold on Sugar’s leash, she approached cautiously, but with a genuine smile.

  “Hey, Lauren, I’ve been meaning to stop in for a trim.”

  Lauren sighed with mock disgust. “Some day you’re going to let me do more than just take a half inch off the ends.”

  Tara shook her head; that day would be a long way off. But now Lauren was eyeing her with raised brows. “You celebrating Halloween in July this year?”

  “What?” Tara asked.

  Lauren grinned. “Between the Haunted House I saw on the way in and your costume, I don’t know what else to think.”

  “Ha, ha, funny. I’m working the tattoo booth later. Mom asked me to display some of her work.”

  “Ah, well that makes more sense.”

  Tara suspected she needed to start expanding her horizons to avoid shocking people when she took a drastic turn. Before thoughts of her boring life took over, she looked down at cute little Emma with all her blond curls. “Hey, Emma, is Mommy getting you some ice cream?”

  “We share it.” Emma held up a bandaged hand. “Owie.”

  “I see that.” Tara glanced at Lauren. “What happened? Is she okay?”

  “Yeah, she’s fine. She burned her fingers on a lit cigarette. Some punk friend of Max’s flicked it into the backyard, and Emma grabbed it before Max could stop her.” Lauren accepted the large twist cone from the man behind the counter and handed him two singles.

  “Poor little girl. And how awful for you, too,” she said to Lauren.

  “Not being able to take her pain away was the worst part. I was such a wreck. I don’t know what I would’ve done if Caleb hadn’t been there.”

  Tara lifted a brow. “Caleb?”

  Before Lauren could respond, Emma whined, “Momma, I’cream, I’cream!”

  With an indulgent smile, Lauren knelt down and helped Emma grasp the cone with her unbandaged hand. “Careful, honey. Don’t drop it.” When Lauren stood back up, she pointed to a tall, auburn-haired man standing in line for a funnel cake with her ten-year-old son, Max. “Caleb.”

  Tara looked him over and found herself smiling. Nice. Almost as nice as the Suit Sugar had been following. She tilted her head, thinking he looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him. Casting Lauren a teasing grin, she asked, “Where have you been hiding him? I didn’t know you were dating anyone—”

  It suddenly dawned on Tara that the leash had gone slack. She did a quick twirl to locate Sugar and saw Emma holding out her ice cream cone. Sugar’s long tongue extended for a lick.

  “Oh, no, honey, don’t do that!” Tara exclaimed. “She can’t have—”

  At the sound of Tara’s voice, Sugar made a quick lunge and snatched the whole cone right from the little girl’s hand. She swallowed it in one mighty gulp. Oh, crap. Emma’s eyes went round, and her lower lip trembled as her eyes filled with tears.

  “Sugar,” Tara admonished in a stern voice, pulling on the leash as Emma started to cry. After they’d backed up a few steps, Tara said, “I’m sorry.”

  Tara glared at the dog and silently groaned with frustration. Her brother’s psycho dog was lactose intolerant. It was only a matter of time before that cone came back up, along with the bits of deep fried cheese curds, French fries, cotton candy, hot dog buns, elephant ears and even a piece of a corn cob that Sugar had inhaled off the ground over the past hour. She’d promised her mom a break from the airbrushing booth at seven, but now the best bet would be to get Sugar out of here. No one wanted to be around when those fireworks went off.

  Lauren crouched down and ruffled Emma’s hair. “It's okay, baby, I'll get us another one.”

  “Let me get it,” Tara said.

  Emma’s cries subsided.
“Sassy doggie.”

  Tara whole-heartedly agreed as she reached into her pocket for some money.

  “Really, Tara, it’s no big deal,” Lauren protested.

  Tara tossed a five to the guy at the custard stand. “Actually, Charlie will pay me back, so I insist.” And it was a big deal, because now she wouldn’t get to watch the real fireworks—her favorite part of the whole fair. Well, except for elephant ears. Which she wouldn’t get either. She shot an envious glance toward Max and Caleb, who’d just reached the front of the funnel cake line.

  Reining in her disappointment, Tara leaned down toward Emma. “Sorry about that, sweetie. We’ll go now so she doesn’t try to steal the next one. I’ll see you later for that trim, Lauren—and the full scoop on that one.” She tilted her head in Caleb's direction while backing up. Lauren laughed and waved goodbye, along with Emma.

  Tara inhaled the tantalizing scent of deep fried batter as she passed the food stand and was just annoyed enough with Sugar that she managed to wrangle her in the direction she wanted to go. At the tattoo booth, she watched her mom finish spraying pink paint over a stencil taped to a pregnant woman’s belly. When Jackie Russell carefully peeled the plastic away, Tara couldn’t help but grin at the alternating pink and blue baby feet dancing across the woman’s stretched skin.

  “Cute. Hey, Mom, how’s it going?”

  Jackie looked up from rinsing out her brush, then glanced at her watch. “You’re early.”

  Tara’s grin faded. “Yeah, well—”

  Her mother nodded toward Tara’s left arm. “That’s not wearing off, is it? Do you need me to touch it up?”

  She looked down at the artwork on her arms. “They’re fine. Besides, we’ve got a problem.”

  Her mom raised one eyebrow.