by Cathie Linz
She nodded. “I really love the research and writing.”
“And the traveling.”
“And the traveling with Jake, yes.” Emma couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in a year. Her article about her hometown’s rebirth had come out two months ago and created such a stir that her publisher wanted her to do more on the subject of small-town revitalization. Her book about risk takers, Taking Chances, had been published last month to great reviews and was already in its second printing. Her publisher also wanted her to write a sequel about the women who loved risk takers.
“I can’t believe how many people came to the ground breaking for Jake’s extreme sports resort last week,” Maxie said.
“It was quite a crowd.” A group of investors with deep pockets had gone in with Jake to create the environmentally friendly resort project, which would provide plenty of jobs for locals. The plans included a lodge, log cabins, a snowboard school, and snowboard runs from half-pipe to cross.
“Walt Whitman is still fuming that Jake is building it in the area near Rock Creek instead of Serenity Falls.”
“He’ll get over it.”
“I wouldn’t count on it,” Sue Ellen said as she and Leena joined them. “He’s a bit of a drama king.”
Emma had to laugh at that commentary from her sister, the drama queen. But motherhood had softened her big sister’s temperament. She and her husband adored baby Donny Jr., who was now eight months old. Sue Ellen jiggled him on her hip. “He has my eyes I’ve decided.”
“And your mouth,” Leena said as Donny Jr. let out a yodel. “My dainty girl would never yell like that, right sweetie?” Adorable little Annelise responded by spitting up on Leena.
She then grinned at them all with a happy smile on her perfectly dainty bow-shaped lips.
Leena took it in stride. “Good thing we’re not wearing our bridesmaids’ dresses yet.”
Two hours later, Emma took her father’s arm as she prepared to walk down an “aisle”
comprised of rose petals. “You look beautiful, Sweet Pea,” he said gruffly.
Emma blinked back tears as she smoothed a hand down the Cinderella-style satin skirt of her wedding dress. She felt like a fairy-tale princess . . . with a sociology degree.
“Don’t say anything to make me cry,” her dad warned her.
Emma grinned at him. “Semper Fi!”
A harpist played the “Wedding March” as Emma walked down the aisle. Emma deliberately didn’t look at Jake. If she did, she’d cry. Instead she focused her attention on the people in the audience who’d come to share her special day—Skye and Nathan with their little girl Toni, Julia and Luke with their toddler Jayne Ann. Angel and her life partner Tyler, Zoe and Jerry, Cole and Jake’s dog Mutt.
Finally she risked a quick glance at Jake and almost tripped over the rose petals at the way he caressed her with his eyes. He was wearing a suit tailored to fit him to perfection. He wore the burgundy tie he’d used again last night to tie her to his bed’s headboard. Their passion hadn’t diminished in the past year. Instead they’d had the time to share so much more than physical intimacy. He never let her forget how grateful he was that she took a chance on a loner rebel like him.
Jake was a loner no more. His half sister Lulu proudly stood beside him as his best man and Oliver stood beside her as his second groomsmen.
Okay, so Jake was still a rebel and that was fine with her.
Because Emma was discovering that she had some rebel blood in her too. Jake was the one who brought out that side of her.
Jake reached out his hand to her.
She took it.
And began the rest of her life . . . with him.
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHI G GROUP
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
SMART GIRLS THINK TWICE
A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / January 2009
Copyright c 2009 by Cathie L. Baumgardner.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter ine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter ine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue