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

by Donna Marie Rogers

  Tired and grumpy, she hoped a walk in the fresh air and a cup of Carrie Lowell’s mouth-watering coffee would wake her up enough to face the day. She was having lunch with her parents and they’d want to know when she was going to settle down and start a family like her older sister, who’d given them four beautiful grandchildren already.

  You’re not getting any younger, Allie.

  No kidding. And this morning especially, she felt more like forty instead of twenty-nine. Yet every time she considered telling them she couldn’t add to the family, she imagined the looks on their faces. Disappointment and pity.

  The pity scared her the most; she already knew what the disappointment looked like. Had seen it the day she announced her plans to open her own dog-sitting business in Redemption instead of using the Masters degree in Business Marketing she’d gotten with her full-ride scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But six years in the big city helped her recognize she preferred a simple life in a small town, and she didn’t need a high-profile career or the money that came with it to make her happy.

  A family of her own was what she’d craved the most; she couldn’t wait to become a mom. Only to find out she’d never experience the joy of holding her own child in her arms.

  A swift yank on the coffee shop door made the attached bell jangle loudly and drew the annoyed glances of some of the inside patrons. Jenny Adams spun around from where she was taking an order at a nearby table.

  “Oh! Good morning, Allie.”

  “Hey, Jenny, sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll be right with you.”

  The unfairness of life still got to her, Allie realized, shaking clinging snowflakes from her hair. She smiled apologetically at the other customers, noticing Mrs. Langhart and her book club members sitting in the corner. Marv from Rowdy’s sat at an adjoining table, peering at her over the top of the sports section of the paper, the headline reminding everyone of the second Packer playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

  Attempting to suppress her melancholy over her own lot in life, Allie went to wait by the counter and took another survey around the shop. It still amazed her when she saw all the things Carrie had done in the place the past six months. Make that Carrie and Matt. Since she and Matt Spalding became business partners, they’d expanded the seating area, the menu and the hours, hired staff, added a drive-through, and become a couple that fought at the drop of a hat. But seeing the obvious love between them, Allie imagined they had a hell of a time making up.

  She felt the beginnings of a reluctant smile.

  See? This is what she needed.

  She was about to pick up a sexy looking paperback off a brand-new book rack near the register when a color photograph on the wall to her left caught her eye. Drawing in an awed breath, Allie forgot the book and stepped over for a closer look at the picture. She’d never seen anything so spectacular. Rays of the rising sun turned frost covered trees into a sparkling wonderland bathed in the promise of a new day. She squinted at the frozen waterfall in the forefront, thinking it looked familiar.

  The beauty of the scene mesmerized her until Jenny cleared her throat behind her. “Do you like it?”

  Allie couldn’t tear her gaze away. “It’s amazing.”

  “Really?”

  Allie glanced back at the surprise in Jenny’s voice, but the waitress quickly looked down at her order pad before moving around to put the counter between them.

  “I mean, yeah,” Jenny amended. “I like that one, too.”

  “When did Carrie get this?” Allie asked. “And where can I get one?”

  “It’s for sale, actually; all the pictures are. Carrie’s offering them on consignment. I—she hasn’t had a chance to put up tags yet.”

  Allie’s gaze swept the shop, now noticing at least five others hanging in strategic spots to add to the decor. She leaned closer to the one in front of her but didn’t see a name. “Who’s the photographer?”

  “Um…it’s someone local.”

  “That’s great. How much is he asking for them?”

  “Ah, thirty-five?”

  Jenny said it hesitantly, like she was asking Allie, or embarrassed to tell her the amount.

  “That’s it?” After another look at the photo, Allie stepped over to the counter. “In that case, I’ll take the waterfall photo, and a large French vanilla cappuccino.”

  “Really?” Jenny said again.

  Allie nodded. “But don’t ring me up just yet, I want a closer look at the other pictures.” She glanced down at the half-naked hunk on the book rack she’d noticed earlier. “And maybe a book, too.”

  As she waited for her order, Allie discovered the rest of the photos were just as good and decided to purchase a fall foliage scene that would go perfect in her living room. Still, she couldn’t help returning to the one that’d first caught her eye.

  Strange as it seemed, the winter setting filled her with a long lost sense of peace and hope. Frozen for a time, the waterfall had been bested by nature; like she’d been bested by the limits of her body that were beyond her control.

  And yet life went on. The sun still rose each morning, bringing a new day full of light…and as the seasons changed again, warmth and life.

  Tears pricked her eyelids. Could she possibly have more than the bleak emptiness that had frozen her heart two years ago?

  Chapter 10

  Rick sat back in his desk chair, thankful he’d kept this Saturday morning closed to appointments so he and Dana could complete the inventory he’d been putting off for too long and catch up on paperwork. If only he weren’t so darn tired.

  Allie’s contradicting reactions to Lukas plagued him as he waited impatiently each night to fall asleep. And then when he did, hot, restless dreams of her sensuous curves and luscious lips tortured him with no release.

  Twice he’d driven down her street to take Lukas to visit Spot, but then worried he’d be too obvious and turned around. Good thing Lukas was too young to have caught on.

  The internal argument that Allie had extended an open invitation was countered with the memory of her tears the night she’d brought Spot to his back door. Lukas hadn’t said anything other than he wanted to be just like his dad when he grew up, yet something about that statement had darkened Allie’s eyes with pain.

  He tossed his pen on the desk and ran a hand through his hair before taking a moment to rub some of the tension from the back of his neck. He couldn’t do this much longer. What he needed to do was go talk to her. Soon.

  With a sigh of frustration, he picked up the top file on the stack to his right. It didn’t even take two minutes before he found himself gazing out the window through the falling snow, his thoughts back on Allie.

  The sight of her entering Coffee To Chai For made him sit up straight. Before he could think twice, he shoved back from his desk and reached for his jacket. He paused outside Dana’s office. “I’m heading over for coffee—”

  “Again?”

  “If you can figure out what you want in less than ten seconds, I’ll buy.”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “Time’s wasting.”

  Dana tapped her finger against her lips. “Okay. I want a dark choc—wait…no. Um…”

  “Three…two…”

  “Chai with skim milk and extra whipped cream.” She gave a sassy grin. “Thanks.”

  “No problem, but I might be a few minutes.”

  “Hey, wait!” she called as he started out.

  Rick caught the doorjamb and leaned back.

  “How are things going with Allie?”

  “I’ll let you know when I get back.”

  She followed his gaze out the window toward the coffee shop. “Ah, ha…I thought you were being nice, but really you’re just using me.”

  “And I don’t even feel guilty about it.”

  He shrugged into his jacket on his way across the street, squinting through the swirling snow as he paused to avoid the spray of slush from
the tires of a passing car before continuing to the coffee shop. The bell jingled merrily with his entrance. Allie turned from the counter with a tall to-go cup in one hand and a book in the other.

  Rick caught a flicker of panic in her expression before a quick smile swiped it away. Butterflies kicked up in his gut. Before he could do more than smile back and murmur, “Good morning”, Carrie came out of the back room with a fresh tray of cinnamon rolls.

  “Rick, I didn’t expect to see you back this morning.”

  “Well, you know Dana,” he covered with a shrug, watching from the corner of his eye as Allie took a seat at a table against the wall. “Plus, I wanted to see what Matt’s doing for the game tomorrow.”

  “Matt’s not here right now, but we're heading over to Drew’s house for the game.”

  Drew Porter, their friend who owned the auto shop down the road, had invited him over for the Packers-vs-Falcons game, too.

  “Great, then I’ll see you guys there.” Rick tapped a beat on the counter, then ordered a regular coffee and Dana’s Chai. While Carrie mixed the Chai, he leaned against the counter. “When I was out on a call the other day, I noticed the old Kendall place was being overhauled. Caleb said he was hired by a third party—you hear anything about who bought it?”

  Carrie reached to grab a cup for his coffee. “No.”

  “Hmm. Should be interesting. That over-priced monstrosity has been on the market since before I left for college.”

  “It’s a historical Victorian treasure,” Carrie corrected as she set his order on the counter and he pushed a bill toward her.

  Rick chuckled. “Whatever you say. Keep the change. See you later.”

  He nodded to Jenny as he made his way over to Allie’s table, noticing as he did that Marv watched everything in the shop over the top of his paper. Rick grinned at the sight of the equally attentive book club members.

  “Marv, ladies. How’s Sweet Pea today, June?”

  June Dolinski’s hands fluttered nervously. “I left her home with Albert, but he has strict instructions to call me if she goes into labor. I want my princess attended to by a doctor.”

  “I’ll be honored to deliver Sweet Pea’s piglets,” Rick assured her before turning toward Allie. She raised a brow as he set both cups on the table and pulled out a chair.

  “By all means, have a seat.”

  “Thank you, don’t mind if I do.”

  The smile in her eyes told him she wasn’t really annoyed. Either that, or she was enjoying yet another shining example of Redemption’s endearing residents. Everyone knew June had a few screws loose, but she was also a sweet lady. She always gave him and Lukas some sort of treat when she had an appointment. Yesterday had been a jar of delicious homemade strawberry jam.

  Rick took a sip of steaming coffee while Allie tucked her hair behind her right ear in a move that he was beginning to love. He glanced down at the book she’d been holding earlier that now lay face down on the table. “What are you reading?”

  She snatched it from the table onto her lap. “Nothing, really, it’s just a book.”

  “I can see that,” he said with a smile. Her cheeks had turned a cute shade of pink, and when she looked up to see him watching her, the color deepened. Much as he’d love to see the cover of that book, he decided to give her a break. “So, how’s Gray Spot doing?”

  She gave a soft snort. “She’s fine, but I’d desperately love to get some sleep.”

  “You, too?” She looked as tired as he felt, he realized.

  “Her nocturnal huntress personality shows up about three a.m. and hangs out until dawn when it’s time for her morning snooze. Look, I’ve even got battle scars.” She brushed the hair from her forehead to reveal a thin scratch above her temple before letting it fall again. “Why aren’t you getting sleep?”

  Because I’ve been dreaming about you.

  Rick waved his hand dismissively, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut on the sleep issue. “Have you tried putting her in a separate room at night?”

  Allie slouched in her chair. “She howled from the downstairs bathroom as if I’d banished her to Siberia, and I couldn’t bring myself to go as far as the basement.”

  “Determined, isn’t she? Have you had any problems with the dogs?”

  “Are you kidding? She reigns supreme. We should’ve named her Dictator—or Tyrant. Even Cougar fits better than Spot.”

  Rick chuckled. A tingle of warmth spread through him with her use of the word ‘we’. It would be great to hear that more often in reference to her, himself and Lukas.

  “Got any ideas for me?” she asked.

  “Drop her off at Dana and Charlie’s for the weekend.”

  She straightened with a laugh. “That’s perfect. She’ll go nuts on Dana’s blonde curls.”

  “Just don’t tell Dana I suggested it.”

  “Scout’s honor,” she promised, holding up two fingers. She glanced at the second cup on the table between them. “I ‘spose you’d better get going before that gets cold.”

  “Yeah.” He looked over toward Marv, not fooled by the man’s pretense of reading the paper. Rising to his feet, he picked up Dana’s Chai and pushed in his chair with his foot.

  “Thanks for the advice,” Allie said.

  “Anytime.”

  Rick took a couple steps toward the door. Maybe he could call her later, he thought as he tossed his half-empty cup in the garbage. Then he halted. This was stupid—and how old was he exactly?

  “The hell with it,” he muttered under his breath as he turned around and strode back to the table. He held her gaze directly and didn’t care who heard him. “Any chance you’re available for dinner tonight?”

  Another flash of alarm in her eyes left him uneasy, but then it disappeared with a downward sweep of her lashes. She took a breath, looked up, and smiled slowly.

  “I might be.”

  He leaned forward, his empty hand on the back of her chair, the other braced on the table. “Lukas will be at my Mom’s, so it’ll just be us. I’ll pick you up at six.”

  “What should I wear?”

  Several ideas crossed his mind, but none he could say out loud—yet. He grinned like a fool, although he did pitch his voice lower so it wouldn’t carry. “Much as I’d love to see your legs in a dress, it’ll be too cold, so stick with jeans.”

  “So we’ll be going to Rowdy’s?”

  “Don’t get sassy, now.”

  She leaned closer. “What about later?”

  Her suggestive whisper shot him past dinner directly to dessert. Flirting fit her well, he’d just never had it directed at him before. He liked it. A lot. She wet her lips. His pulse raced from the glimpse of her tongue, and then the hair tuck thing did him in.

  “Allie, I’m trying to be a gentleman here.”

  “Don’t do a complete cross over on me.”

  He straightened abruptly before the blood rushing south had a chance to fully activate. “I’ll see you later.”

  Half way to the door, he heard her call his name and turned around. His gaze shifted from her raised eyebrows to the to-go cup she lifted. When he returned to take Dana’s Chai with a sheepish, “Thanks,” she laughed softly. She knew exactly where she had him.

  He’d give anything to haul her to her feet and kiss her senseless in retaliation. And wouldn’t Mrs. Langhart’s book club love that public display?

  In fact…

  He settled for a swift dip to capture Allie’s mouth with his. Mmm. She tasted like French Vanilla. He enjoyed her surprise for a few moments, but when he began to straighten to end the kiss, she turned the tables on him.

  She raised her arms and both her hands threaded through his hair to pull his head back down. Her tongue met his in a sensual thrust and parry that shortened his breath way too fast. He wanted her against him so he could feel the full affect of her amazing body like the other night.

  And now all things south were activating. Damn. After one last soft nip on her bottom lip, he swi
ped up the cup of Chai and headed out the door while the getting was still good. Or decent, anyway.

  Chapter 11

  “Mmm. I love Nino’s chocolate chip cannolis.”

  Since the moment Rick picked Allie up, he’d been in a heightened state of awareness. The air was crisper, colors more vibrant, sounds combined to form a background symphony of music. It sounded sappy and stupid, he knew, but that didn’t change the fact that with Allieher, he noticed the gleam of reddish highlights in her auburn hair; the length of her sable lashes framing those beautiful hazel eyes; the sensual curve of her kissable mouth with every soft, sexy smile she directed his way as they playfully argued their way through dinner.

  Add her vocal enjoyment of the dessert, and he was completely seduced without a single touch from her chocolate coated fingertips. If she was eating with her fingers just to drive him crazy, it was working. Tearing his gaze from her glistening lips was near impossible, even after his pager buzzed on his hip.

  “It’s my answering service—I’ll only be a minute.”

  When he returned to the table, he gave Allie a grimace of apology. “Sweet Pea’s in labor and apparently, June doesn’t believe Dana’s a real doctor. I can drop you back at your house on the way.”

  Despite the fact that he loved what he did, a bit of annoyance crept in that this was how their first evening together would end. He’d been looking forward to more conversation. And of course, a goodnight kiss that would most likely keep him awake half the night. Especially after those cannolis.

  “Can I come with you?” Allie asked.

  Rick paused in surprise, then smiled with anticipation while pulling bills from his wallet to set next to the check. “Definitely. June wants the piglets born in a ‘hospital’, so she’s meeting me at the clinic.”

  “Too bad Lukas will miss it,” Allie said on their way out.

  “He’s seen animals born before, and he’ll get to see them tomorrow, anyway. I’m sure June will insist her pot-bellied princess spend the night.”