Wanted: One Groom

by Pat Ballard

  “Happy, Sis?” Will whispered, as he leaned over and placed a kiss on Hanna’s cheek.

  “Very,” she answered, as she reached up and patted his face.

  Will was the other surprise. He had met a woman five years older than him who seemed to be exactly what he needed. They had gotten married six months after they met, and had been blissfully happy ever since.

  Judith, a French designer, loved Will with all her heart, but she had let him know up front that she wouldn’t put up with any of his former attitudes, and as a result, he had accepted a position in her already established business, and together they were in the process of becoming very successful. He’d proven to be extremely business-minded, and was surprising them all with his ability to negotiate and follow through with the deals that were needed for the growth of their company.

  He had also apologized to Hanna for the horrid way he had always treated her, and they were learning how to relate to each other as siblings.

  Matt would be home tonight, and tomorrow they would leave to go back to Rockwell Place for a rare two-month stay. Matt would be back in the studio cutting his third album, which the “powers that be” predicted would be his biggest yet.

  Hanna loved those brief chances to go home to Rockwell Place. She shuddered each time she thought about how close she had come to losing it. Little Matthew loved “his home,” as he called it, and got excited each time they were able to go there for a while. Hanna knew that eventually they would have to make a decision as to whether she stayed at Rockwell Place and put Matthew in school, or if they would hire a tutor to travel with them, but that was a long time away, and she didn’t have to worry about that yet.

  “Catch, Uncle Will,” Matthew yelled, throwing a rubber ball before Will was expecting it, and hitting him on the side of his head.

  “Honey, be careful,” Hanna admonished.

  “He’s doing just fine,” Judith said, laughing at Will rolling around on the floor as if he had been mortally wounded. “He needs to be hit upside the head more often.”

  “I’ll show you what I need, woman,” Will said, lunging for her as she squealed and dodged his advances.

  They were all enjoying a good laugh when Matt’s voice interrupted them. “Sounds like you started the party without me,” he teased, coming through the door.

  “Daddy!” Matthew yelled, and bounded for Matt.

  Hanna watched as Matt gathered their son up in his arms for a big hug. She would never lose the thrill of seeing Matt come through the door. Her love for him grew each day. He was a wonderful father, but an even better husband. Their lovemaking seemed to get better each time, and she wondered how anyone could talk about a marriage losing its spark.

  Matt’s eyes caught and held Hanna’s. The familiar charge of electricity shot through her as he came to her and gave her a kiss, still holding Matthew in his arms. For a moment, the three of them stood with their arms around each other.

  “This is going to be hard to do when we have a house full of kids,” Matt teased.

  Hanna gently placed a hand on her stomach. She had some surprising news for Matt as soon as they got home to Rockwell Place.

  About the Author

  Pat Ballard lives in Nashville, TN. She writes motivational romance novels with Big Beautiful Heroines to show that plus-size women can be just as sexy, romantic, and exciting as their slim sisters.

  Visit Pat at

  www.patballard.com.

  For as long as I can remember, I loved “making up” my own stories. Being the oldest of six children, and next-to-the-oldest of 25 grandchildren, I had a lot of practice spinning my yarns “on request.”

  I learned to love romance novels after discovering author Emilie Loring. I collected and read every book I could find by her. I knew that this was the type of book I wanted to write.

  My wonderful sisters, Ellen and Jerri, became weary of hearing me say I was going to “write a book,” so one day they approached me with a pen and spiral notebook and said, “do it.” So, thanks to them, I wrote my first novella. And in doing so, I proved to myself that I could.

  After I decided to stop the self-destructive fad diets that I had lived on since the age of 11, and accept myself as who I was born to be, I set about to write romance novels with Big Beautiful Heroines.

  But the books aren't just for plus-size women. The message is for all women to love ourselves as we are and stop trying to be something we were never meant to be.

  Read on for a bonus article from Pat, and information on her romance novels available from Pearlsong Press.

  My Woman Within

  For years the so-called “experts” of this society told me that there was a skinny woman inside of me, just waiting to come out. And for years, I made myself believe this lie. Occasionally that skinny woman would peek out, only to run back inside and not be seen again for some time.

  I spent 22 years giving that skinny woman every chance to come out that she could possibly want, but she never took full advantage of the opportunities I gave her. Then one day, after a long period of soul-searching and question-answering, I realized the woman inside of me wasn't skinny at all! She was a perfect size 22!

  She was an outgoing, exuberant, happy woman. She was beautiful and healthy and warm. She was sexy, alluring, and intriguing. And after twenty years of freedom, she still surprises me with her confidence, her fearless approach to life, and her total love and excitement for each new day. She has a love of life that most people only long for.

  I apologize to her for all the wasted years I kept her shut away like some hostage, starving her, making her skip meals and only allowing her one "good" meal a week, then feeding her laxatives or making her throw up to get rid of what she did eat. I'm sorry for the times I made her go to bed so hungry that her growling stomach kept her awake long into the night. I cry sometimes when I remember how I ruined her precious health, causing her to come very close to a total breakdown, both mentally and physically. And I am in horror when I think of how close I came to ending her life because of that destroyed mental and physical health.

  I regret the hours, days, months, and years that I wasted her intelligent time obsessing over what to eat or not to eat, when she should have been using that time on more productive endeavors. And I promise her that I'll spend the rest of her life feeding her correctly, giving her proper exercise, and making sure she's healthy and happy.

  But most of all, I promise to love her just the way she is.

  An earlier version of Pat’s article was published in the Sept. 12, 1995 issue of Woman’s World magazine under the title “A Diet of Acceptance.”

  Other books by Pat Ballard:

  Dangerous Curves Ahead

  Short Stories

  Ten romantic tales pack suspense and sizzle into this collection of short stories by Pat Ballard, all featuring amply curved women.

  A handsome stranger comes to the aid of rancher Sarah Singley in “Dangerous Curves”—but what does he really want?

  Molly learns the cost of trying to be someone—and some size—she’s not in “Freedom.”

  In “Misconceptions” and “Playboy,” big beautiful women learn there may be more to their handsome new bosses than they suspected.

  Dig into these and other juicy stories for a healthy serving of entertainment and a reminder that love comes in all sizes.

  Dangerous Curves Ahead: Short Stories is available in ebook and trade paperback from Pearlsong Press.

  Nobody’s Perfect

  Nella Covington can’t believe she’s agreed to marry the arrogant Samuel L. du Cannon, even if it is only a marriage of convenience. He needs a mother for his young son, and she needs to keep her beloved childhood home. Will she be able to stand his egotistical attitude? His domineering manner?

  But Jake is such a darling little boy—and he’s already captured her heart. What does she have to lose? If Sam’s work keeps him on the road enough, she won’t have to deal with him much at all.

  M
aybe, just maybe, this might work.

  All Sam du Cannon wants is a good mom for his son. He’s had it with women. Doesn’t ever plan to get involved with another woman again.

  That makes Nella perfect for him. He’s never been attracted to plus-size women, so if Nella agrees to marry him, he won’t have to worry about being tempted to have a relationship with her.

  At least, that’s what he keeps telling himself.

  Nobody’s Perfect is available now in ebook format from Pearlsong Press.

  The Pearlsong Press trade paperback edition is available July 2004.

  His Brother’s Child

  One party. One wild night in her entire life and Faith Carr winds up pregnant! What were the odds?

  And what were the odds of finding out that the handsome stranger who’d gotten her pregnant had only made love to her because of a stupid bet? And that now he didn’t want anything to do with her or the baby growing inside her?

  Edward Brenner knew as soon as he saw Faith Carr that he would love her. But he also knew he had many obstacles to overcome.

  She’d been hurt. She’d been frightened and made to distrust all men. She was scared and vulnerable.

  And she was pregnant with his brother’s child.

  His Brother’s Child is available now in ebook format from Pearlsong Press.

  The trade paperback edition is available August 2004.

  A Worthy Heir

  All Pamela Spencer wants is to help her brother, Tom, get his life back on track. After a job-related accident, he’s confined to a wheelchair, unable to do anything except endure excruciating pain.

  When Pam discovers an ad in the newspaper advertising for “a worthy heir” to inherit Fiona Bainbridge’s millions, she jumps at the chance that will allow Tom to be back under a doctor’s care. After all, it was Fiona’s company, Bainbridge Corporation, that caused Tom’s problems in the first place.

  Reese Bainbridge, Fiona’s grandson, has refused to have anything to do with Bainbridge Corporation. But he quickly returns home when he discovers his fanatical grandmother has run an ad in the newspaper for someone to replace him as her heir.

  His frustration with his grandmother grows much stronger when he discovers she’s moved the beautiful, voluptuous, green-eyed blonde and her freeloading brother into the house he’s supposed to inherit.

  Sparks will fly—and Pam is equal to the challenge.

  A Worthy Heir is available now in ebook format from Pearlsong Press.

  The Pearlsong Press trade paperback is available September 2004.

  Find these novels and more at

  http://www.pearlsong.com/.