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

by Donna Marie Rogers

  She craned her neck to meet his gaze. Mischief danced in his eyes. “Well then, maybe we should get that Nino’s to go,” she suggested.

  “Sounds like a plan to me.”

  “I also think we’d better kick start our wedding plans.”

  “Not that I’m complaining, but is there a particular reason we need to rush?”

  Lindy slipped her hand beneath the table and laid it across her tummy. A feeling of pure joy and contentment washed over her, nearly stealing her breath. She’d taken the test just that morning, though she’d known intuitively for weeks.

  “I’d like to be able to fit into my wedding dress.”

  She chanced a glance up at him as her words sank in. His puzzled frown was quickly replaced by open-mouthed shock. He swallowed, squatted down beside her and whispered, “Are you sure?”

  Throat thick with emotion, she somehow managed an affirmative nod. Drew’s eyes filled with happiness, and at that moment, Lindy could see their future stretched out before them, bright, beautiful, full of good times, plenty of fireworks, but most of all love.

  ~~~~~

  Hope you enjoyed Drew and Lindy’s transition from enemies to lovers. And for the record, all loose ends will be tied up in future stories. ;-)

  Next up, Stacey Joy Netzel’s heartwarming The Heart Of the Matter. My favorite? Benny the basset hound!

  (back to top)

  Welcome to Redemption, Book 6:

  The Heart Of the Matter

  by

  Stacey Joy Netzel

  All Allie Daniels ever wanted was a family of her own—until her doctor informs her she’ll never be able to have children. She hides her desolation, refusing to let any man close enough to see her broken heart. Most certainly not the town veterinarian, who’s cute three-year-old son reminds her of what she’ll never have.

  Rick Wilde had a serious crush on Allie back in high school, but life took them in different directions. Now a single parent, he returns to Redemption several years later to raise his son, Lukas. His interest in Allie is renewed, but her shoulder is colder than the bitter winter wind.

  Brought together by an orphaned kitten, Allie finds herself helpless to resist Lukas’s impish innocence—not to mention Rick’s warm charm and sexy good looks. Does she dare take a chance on an impossible dream, or will Rick’s desire for more kids devastate their future?

  Dedication

  ~~~

  This one goes to Donna.

  Redemption wouldn’t be the same without you.

  Chapter 1

  “I knew I should’ve gone home,” Rick Wilde muttered when Allie Daniels walked into Rowdy’s with some Packers linebacker-wannabe.

  “What’s that, son?”

  Rick tossed a look at the bartender as he twisted his back to the door. He hadn’t figured anyone would hear him over the noise of the bar. Marv rubbed the bar with a rag while squinting through the dim bar light at Allie, the guy, and the other couple who’d entered with them. Shit, it wouldn’t do to have Motor-Mouth Marv getting too interested in why Rick suddenly wished he’d gone home to watch the Packers-vs-Eagles playoff game.

  He swiped his thumb through the condensation on the side of his beer glass. “Nothing.”

  He was bone tired and crabby to boot. What was supposed to have been a quiet Saturday morning at the clinic had turned into a full day with Mrs. Miller’s schnauzer needing unscheduled surgery to remove a rope chew-toy from its intestines. And just as he finished the last of his scheduled appointments, he’d received an emergency farm call to deliver a breach foal because the large animal vet in the neighboring town of Wild Rose was on vacation.

  So why hadn’t he gone home? Watching the game alone was a hell of a lot better than watching Allie with some other guy. Well, sure, now it was, but at the time he’d decided to stop at Rowdy’s, all he’d considered was his empty, lonely house.

  If only Lukas hadn’t chosen to watch the new Disney video with Grandma instead of some good ol’ football with his dad. Not that he’d expect anything different from a four-year-old, but if he had, Rick wouldn’t have to witness the woman of his dreams saunter in on another man’s arm.

  Lifting his beer for a drink, he located Allie’s jersey-clad reflection in the mirror behind the bar at the exact moment she spotted him. A frown marred her smooth brow before she tucked a lock of her shoulder length auburn hair behind her ear and turned to flash a brilliant smile up at the guy by her side. Rick’s gut clenched as jealousy flared.

  How come she never smiled at him that way? What had he done to net him scowls and her cold shoulder ever since he moved back home? He’d teased her some in high school, but she’d always laughed along, and they’d been fairly friendly. Now, you’d think he had a contagious disease the way she avoided him.

  Despite the urge to leave, pride kept his butt planted on the stool. He watched the Packers at Rowdy’s plenty of times and never spotted Allie in the crowd. Why should he let her run him off? Plus, five minutes to kick-off and he’d already told Marv he was staying to watch. Marv might act a bit clueless, but he sniffed out gossip like a hound on a coon trail and his laser gaze had definitely identified the reason for Rick’s frustration. If Rick walked out now, the old man would spread rumors tomorrow morning at Coffee to Chai For faster than Aaron Rodgers could drill a football.

  Rick hoped to change Allie’s mystifying opinion of him at some point, but no way did he want the whole town of Redemption placing bets on it. Marv set aside his bar rag as someone shouldered through the crowd on Rick’s left side. From the corner of his eye he saw Allie’s companions. Great. Rick’s fingers curled around his glass as Marv braced his palms on the bar.

  “Hi, Allie. What’s everyone drinking?” the bartender asked.

  Instead of Allie’s sultry tones, Rick heard her date order a pitcher and four glasses. A twenty landed on the bar as Allie quickly asked Marv for a soda.

  “Soda?” the guy next to Rick exclaimed. “You said you were ready to party.”

  “I can party without drinking, Brent.” Her tight tone said otherwise.

  Rick watched the exchange in the bar mirror and could’ve sworn Allie was watching him. He took a casual swallow of his beer, as if he weren’t listening.

  “Come on, babe, lighten up. It’s the playoffs.”

  Brent reached for a handful of peanuts in the bowl on the bar. He jostled Rick in the process but didn’t bother to offer an apology. Rick shifted, inhaling slowly to control his annoyance. He shook spilled beer off his hand and wiped it on his jeans before looking over at the four of them. When his gaze moved past Brent’s shoulder and collided with Allie’s hazel one, he forced a smile to his lips.

  Before he could say anything, she transferred her gaze to Brent and hooked arms with the blonde girl to her right. “We’ll be right back.”

  The two women threaded their way through the throng of customers waiting for the game to start. Brent watched Allie with a hungry look in his eyes, and Rick fisted his hand on his thigh to keep from decking the guy, even though he knew exactly how it felt to want that woman.

  Marv set three glasses of beer and a soda on the bar before reaching back for the pitcher.

  Rick caught the reflection of the big screen TV in the mirror and swiveled around to see who won the coin toss. After all, he was here to watch the game. He spotted Charlie Russell, Wes Carter, and Drew Porter in prime spots near the TV and figured the other guys had to be there as well. Caleb Hunter and Matt Spalding wouldn’t miss this game for nothing.

  No more than he’d reached back for his beer to go join them, he heard Brent’s buddy say, “What’s up with Allie? She seems uptight all of a sudden.”

  Rick balanced his glass on his thigh and waited.

  “Hell if I know,” Brent said with the slightest hint of annoyance.

  Packers lost the coin toss, but the Eagles opted to receive, prompting a buzz around the bar. When the noise quieted Rick heard the friend say, “Just so Marie doesn’t follow
Allie’s lead. I want her primed for our own game later tonight.”

  “A little quarterback sneak with your tight end?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  Rick rolled his eyes. Who talked like that? Brent and his buddy laughed like it was the funniest joke in the world. He’d seen too many guys like them back in high school and college—over-inflated egomaniacs whose only concern was adding notches to their bedposts. Didn’t they know it was time to grow up?

  “Here they come. You better work on changing Allie’s mind or you might end up benched,” the buddy advised.

  “I don’t need to get a woman drunk to get her into bed,” Brent protested.

  “Neither do I, but it sure does loosen ‘em up.”

  A moment later, Brent turned and slapped his hand on the bar. “Bartender, let me have that extra glass.”

  Rick stared at the wet ring his glass had left on his jeans and told himself it was none of his business. The jerk she chose to spend her time with was her concern, not his.

  While waiting for Marv, Brent downed the rest of his tapper in a couple deep swallows. After he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, he poured another one and topped off his friend’s glass just as Allie and Marie returned.

  Rick had to curb his fury as Brent kissed off Allie’s fresh coat of lip gloss. From the corner of his eye he noticed her pull away and cast a quick glance in his direction. As if she cared what he thought. Rick gave a silent snort for that wishful thinking.

  She said something Rick didn’t catch above the noise. Brent shrugged, and after they gathered their glasses and half-empty pitcher of beer, the four of them moved away through the crowd, closer to the TV. Rick remained on his stool so it wouldn’t look like he was following them. It was stupid, he knew, since he’d simply join Charlie and the guys, but the further away he stayed the better.

  Over the next two hours, Rick faced the big screen and nursed his now lukewarm beer, but he couldn’t have told Marv the score without having to look. Thankfully the bartender kept busy enough with other customers and didn’t bother Rick except to check his glass every once in awhile. Last time past, Marv had given a disgusted shake of his head and moved on without a word.

  That’s okay, Allie’s date was drinking more than enough for the both of them. With each beer, the man’s arms seemed to grow another inch as he leeched all over her. Rick knew he was probably the only one who noticed it with the excitement of the game, but the longer he watched, the firmer his resolve; Allie would not be going home with the schmuck.

  In an effort to release the tension in his clenched jaw, he dug into his pocket for a piece of spearmint gum. Allie ducked out of Brent’s reach and weaved through the exuberant fans cheering after a collective shout of “Touchdown!” Rick looked at the screen for a moment to catch the replay before rising to scan the bar for her short figure. She stood at the jukebox, perusing the song titles, even though it was silent due to the game.

  Her friend Marie had hung back with the guys, so Rick seized the opportunity to warn Allie about her date. He made his way over to the jukebox, the crowd thinner on this side of the bar away from the big screen.

  Reaching up to brace a hand against the curved lights on top, he leaned close, unable to keep from inhaling the sweet vanilla scent of her that he’d never gotten close enough to smell before. Giving in to temptation, he let his body brush lightly against hers, intrigued that the top of her head barely topped his shoulder. He’d grown after his senior year of high school.

  Allie heaved out an annoyed sigh. “Back off, Br—”

  She broke off when the withering look she directed over her shoulder landed on Rick. Her dark-lashed eyes widened, and he could’ve sworn her breath hitched. Color rose in her cheeks. His gaze dropped to her slightly parted lips and his pulse quickened.

  What he’d give for one taste—

  Allie’s elbow jabbed into his ribs. Not hard enough to hurt, but he dropped his arm with a surprised grunt as she turned. She leaned back against the jukebox, crossing her arms under her small breasts. The movement pushed them up, giving the allusion of cleavage under her green and gold Packer jersey. It was all he could do to keep his gaze trained on her face.

  “What do you want?” she snapped.

  “What are you doing with that jerk?” Rick countered, rubbing his side out of reflex.

  Her gaze narrowed with her frown. “Takes one to know one.”

  Whoa, where’d that come from? “Excuse me?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Forget it. Just leave me alone, okay?” She started to turn back toward the jukebox, but he put a hand on her small shoulder. She stiffened under his touch.

  “Listen, Allie, I’m serious about this guy. When you and your friend walked away earlier, those two started talking about quarterbacking their own games later.”

  She slid a narrow, irritated glance in Brent’s direction before arching her eyebrows at Rick. “What do you care?”

  “You’re better than that.” His fingers tightened with his frustration. “You deserve better than someone who’s just looking for an easy lay.”

  Her eyes popped wide open.

  Damn it! Wrong damn words—just like back in high school. He hadn’t meant that like it came out, like she slept around. Her expression made him want to kick himself.

  Anger quickly replaced the hurt simmering in her eyes. She swept up a hand to knock his hand off her shoulder. “I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”

  “Allie—”

  “Go away.”

  She pushed against his chest, and Rick took one step back. “I’m sor—”

  Someone grabbed his shoulder from behind, swung him around, and shoved him backward. When his back hit the wall and he met the jerk Packer wannabe linebacker’s gaze, Rick’s hands instinctively fisted.

  Chapter 2

  Allie’s date stepped closer, eyes narrowed, mouth twisted in an unpleasant sneer. “She’s with me, asshole. She came with me and she’s leaving with me.”

  The flush on Brent’s face should’ve made him pause, but Rick guessed it was mostly alcohol induced. He didn’t care if the guy had a good three inches and probably fifty pounds on him, he’d lay Brent out before he let him touch Allie again.

  “Knock it off, Brent,” Allie said.

  As Rick glanced from Brent to Allie and back again, he noticed onlookers had gathered, primed for anything in the heightened excitement of the game. Brent’s buddy stood nearby, but Charlie and Matt Spalding flanked him on either side. He’d seen them talking to Allie and her friends earlier, so a quick nod from each of them told him they had the guy covered.

  Chase Lowell eased to the front a few people over and Rick hesitated. Shit. Good friends all through high school, Chase had had Rick’s back more than once over the years, too. Problem was, he wasn’t so sure Sheriff Chase Lowell would see things quite the same.

  Much as he longed for one good solid hit, Rick was also reminded his actions affected more than just himself. Giving in to a knee-jerk reaction wasn’t always the smartest move when one had to be the grown up that single fatherhood demanded.

  “Wassa matter, chicken shit, got nothin’ to say?” Brent goaded, completely ignoring Allie.

  Now Rick pushed away from the wall. “Allie’s not going anywhere with you.”

  “Says you?”

  “Yeah, says me.”

  Brent laughed. Rick moved to step forward but Allie jumped between them. Rick pulled up short when she faced him with a glare.

  “Why do you think you have any say in who I go home with?”

  Brent’s grin widened. Rick got the impression his chest puffed up, too. “See?” he goaded. “Me, not you, dickhead.”

  Rick just shook his head.

  Allie threw up her hands. “I’m not going anywhere with either one of you idiots!”

  Brent spun around as she brushed past him. “Aw, come on, babe, you don’t mean that.”

  “Hell if I don’t.”

 
She pushed through the crowd to yank her coat off the chair. Annoyance contorted Brent’s face as he followed, and Rick stayed right on his heels. Despite Allie’s insistence she could take care of herself, no way he’d leave her to handle the jerk on her own. The crowd parted for their odd procession.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Brent demanded.

  “Home,” she stated over her shoulder.

  “Come on! I thought girls liked a guy who defends his territory. Now I’m the bad guy?”

  Allie swung around, five feet of glorious fury. “Territory?”

  Brent glowered back at her. “You know what I mean.”

  “Yes, unfortunately, I do.” She laughed in disbelief and started for the door again.

  “Don’t walk away from me, bi—”

  The moment Brent’s hand touched Allie’s shoulder, Rick gave him a hard jab in the shoulder from behind.

  “Hands off.”

  With an incensed roar, Brent turned on Rick, but Rick saw the punch coming. He dodged low to the right, landing his own blow to the guy’s stomach a millisecond after hearing a grunt and muttered curse behind him. Air whooshed from Brent as he stumbled back into the crowd. Bodies parted. No one reached to help the guy, and he teetered before falling on his ass.

  Rick’s gaze swept up to Allie. She stared at Brent, and then turned wide eyes toward Rick. A wry chuckle brought Rick around to see the sheriff testing his jaw. Brent’s friend hovered a few feet behind him.

  “Man, I forgot how quick your reflexes are,” Chase said. “Good thing the guy had a few, or that might’ve actually hurt.”

  Rick knew it hurt anyway, but Chase would never admit to the pain. Hell, he thought with a grin, he wouldn’t either. “Sorry. But thanks for having my back.”