by Lia Riley
“Hey, son, tone it down. We don’t want to lose a PG-13 rating here,” the General shouted through cupped hands.
Ida May jostled closer, breathlessly scrawling across a notepad emblazoned with a Back Fence logo. “Rhett spilled his heart. Bared his soul. And what do you say, Pepper?”
“Rhett.” Pepper shifted uneasily. The spotlight had never been her favorite place. But when she locked on to his warm blue gaze, the rest of the world floated away. The words came easily, breaking through the flimsy dam. “You’re a guy who lets me steal the covers and warm my icicle feet on your legs. Who loves his family and take pride in his hometown. A real man who loves animals, which shows that you are nurturing, responsible, affectionate, and compassionate. And who could ask for a better dream man? I love you, too,” she said.
His gaze slid over her face, eyes dark, searching. “Wherever you want to go, I’m going to be there. I’ll even leave Everland, just say the word.”
The crowd gasped. Someone murmured, “No!”
“I do want to move.” She hooked her hands around the back of his neck, inhaling his perfect smell. “Right next door, if that’s all right.”
The rumble in his chest vibrated through her whole body. “Hell yes it is.”
Cheers broke out.
“You, me, Kitty, Steinbeck, Faulkner, and Fitzgerald.” She rose on tiptoes and shouted in his ears over the din of whoops and well-wishes. “That’s four dogs. Too many?”
“Four dogs is just right,” he murmured. “Now brace yourself, because I’m about to make a very public display of affection, Trouble.”
“Good, because if you don’t soon, you’re gonna be in some.”
Their lips crashed together to the clicks of a dozen camera phones. But all she knew or cared about was that the man in her arms was with her.
Excerpt from the Back Fence:
Everland News That You
Actually Care About
Classifieds:
Community Celebration: All of Everland is invited to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Virginia Valentine Memorial Rescue Shelter this Friday at ten am (4021 Kissing Way, go over the Kissing Bridge and look for the turnout after the first mile marker). This state-of-the-art facility will provide two surgical suites and multiple pre-op and post-op recovery areas, “catios”—outdoor patios to house multiple cats. Don’t forget the indoor climate-controlled bathing and grooming area, and the PawsTracking mobile application that will help pet owners find their beloved lost animals.
Help Wanted: Fast-paced careers in the amusement park industry! Whether you’re looking for a temporary adventure or long-term employment, you’ll be making dreams come true for our visitors at Happily Ever After Land. Now hiring ticketing cashiers, game and ride operators, parking attendants and a Princess Party Host. Apply online at www.HEAland.com or in person at the Park’s HR Office.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
That’s the last of it.” Tuesday smoothed packing tape over the seam of the last cardboard box. “Whew! A person could move eighty feet or eight hundred miles. The amount of work is still the same.”
Pepper slung her arm around her sister’s shoulders, pulling her in tight. “Are you sure about this, me moving?”
“I love this tiny house.” Tuesday gave a happy sigh. “I signed the new lease and sent it off to Mrs. Carmichael this morning.”
“We’ll be neighbors, but you’re committing to Georgia? That’s a big deal.”
“As if I’d run off to Chicago and leave you here.” She snorted. “No chance, not when J.K. Growling finally has a fur cousin. Actually, what if we cut a hole in the back fence, and let her and Kitty hang out whenever they want?”
“Five dogs between us?” Pepper said wonderingly. “Can you believe it?”
“Ha! I know. And who said they didn’t like dogs again, Ms. executive director of the Virginia Valentine Memorial Shelter?”
“Try saying that five times fast.” Pepper hugged herself. She’d finally found a great way to use her law degree, running a place where being needed was an asset. On her watch as shelter director, no animal would ever feel abandoned. “Are you coming to the shelter’s groundbreaking ceremony?”
“I can’t. I have to start my first day.” Tuesday grimaced, gesturing to the tiara on her head. “Princess party host.”
“Are you excited about Happily Ever After Land?” Something told Pepper that it wasn’t only the job that kept Tuesday from the shelter’s ceremony, but the fact that the mayor would be there in an official capacity. She had tried to bring up the fact Beau asked to meet with Tuesday to her sister on two occasions, and each time her sister had rebuffed the idea and redirected the conversation so fast Pepper had whiplash.
“There are a few eccentrics working there, but I guess I’m one, too. I’m requesting my official title be Princess Felicia Ariana Beatrix Ulrike Leila Olympia Ursula Sophia.” She waved her hand with a flourish.
“I’m sure the children love meeting you with that mouthful.”
Tuesday winked. “It’s an acronym.”
Pepper paused. “Princess F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S? Sounds wonderful, your excellence, or should I say, your modesty.”
Rhett came in, swiping a brow. “Do I bow or kneel in your exalted presence?”
“What about me?” Tuesday folded her arms. “I’m basking in front of Everland royalty here.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Pepper asked.
“You two have been the subject of every single article on the Back Fence bar one, the hottest topic since Rhett confessed his love in front of half the town.”
“Your sister deserves hearing her praises sung from the rooftops,” he said firmly.
“I do like you, Cupid.” Tuesday blew him a kiss.
“I am curious.” Pepper leaned in against Rhett, looping a finger into his belt, another giving him a private tickle. “What’s the one story not about us?”
“Davy Jones, of course.” Tuesday tossed the packing tape and caught it with one hand. “The statue was put back today. No one is calling the judge out directly, but everyone is willing to forgive him, if not forget.”
“That’s for the best,” Pepper said. “I feel bad for him.”
“Why?” Rhett asked, mystified. “After what he put you through?”
“He’s a coward. And it’s a terrible thing to live your whole life in fear.”
“Do you think that anyone is going to try to prosecute him?” Tuesday asked.
Rhett shook his head. “Everland wants to move on. But I did hear a rumor from Maryann that he asked her to look for home help care for his mother because he’ll be moving, wants to buy a fishing cabin somewhere quick.”
“Wow,” Pepper said, before glancing to the book on the counter. “Pirate Lore of the Georgia Coast? What’s this? You taking an interest in history?”
Tuesday snatched it up. “Maybe.”
“Honey, we found the medallion. That’s real treasure.”
Her sister glanced down at the book, rubbing the cover. “I took J.K. Growling to the dog park this morning. The General was there and that cute British guy walked past, and I overheard them discussing an actual treasure in Everland.”
“Too late.” Rhett slung an arm around Pepper and kissed the top of her head. “I already found it, and she’s right here.”
Tuesday pretended to gag. “Is this what it’s like living on Love Street? Because I might need to take back some of the money that I donated to get that shelter a state-of-the-art dog rehab pool and invest in noise-canceling headphones and an eye mask.”
Pepper laughed. “Someday a guy will awaken your secret romantic side.”
“Ha, good luck with that,” Tuesday retorted. “It doesn’t exist.”
“Can I carry anything else over before we hit the road?” Rhett looked around the cottage, clearly not relishing the mushy girl talk.
“All that’s left is that box of dishes.” Pepper pointed. “My casa is officially su casa, sister.”
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Tuesday saluted.
“In that case, I might come back for the dishes in a minute. I’d rather carry you over the threshold.” Rhett scooped Pepper off her feet.
“Have you lost your mind?” She grabbed his broad shoulders with a shriek.
“Love Street,” Tuesday grumbled with a good-natured eye roll.
Pepper and Rhett exchanged glances and laughed. “Yep.”
“Let’s get you home, Trouble,” he murmured, walking outside.
“Home. I like how that sounds.” She caught the time on her watch and gasped. “Oh, we have to go, we’re going to be late.”
“I have something I want to do first.” He increased his pace, passing his driveway.
“But I’m the shelter’s executive director, and you are the board president. We can’t be last-minute arrivals.”
“We won’t.” His tone was firm. “But first, I want you to take a walk somewhere with me.”
“Yoo-hoo! Hello, you two.” Miss Ida May emerged with a hose from behind her rosebushes. “Now, Rhett, I have a date with your daddy tomorrow night, Mr. Scallywag himself. And hoowee, isn’t Maryann Munro jealous!” She waved the garden hose in a satisfied arc.
“That’s good to hear,” Rhett called. “Real good. Doc needs a night of fun. Just go easy on him, you hear?”
Miss Ida May tilted back her hat. “How is Marie Claire?”
“Going to make a full recovery.”
Pepper ruffled Rhett’s thick hair. “Thanks to this one,” she called. It was pure pleasure to brag about her smart, sensitive man. His promise to leave no stone unturned for Marie Claire was an honest one. He spent hours ruling out diet and exposure to toxins and mold, but rejected giving a diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy. It wasn’t head trauma or an infection. The liver and kidneys checked out. Then he found a meningioma in her olfactory lobe the size of a marble. Fortunately, it was a benign tumor, and Rhett pulled strings to get her seen by a veterinary neurologist contact in Athens. She’d make a full recovery.
“Good to hear.” Miss Ida May’s smile was as warm as fresh buttermilk biscuits. “I do love a good happy ending.”
“Me too.” Rhett gave Pepper a sidelong look, a lazy grin slanting his mouth. She squeezed his hand. He had healed not only Marie Claire, but also his relationship with his father.
He ambled—fingers laced—to the end of the street.
“What’s this all about?” Her gaze roamed the empty, shady street as he returned her to her feet. “You’re up to something.”
“Maybe.” He jutted his chin at the Love Street sign overhead.
Her thoughts spliced, the ends loose and jangled. “I have lots of questions.”
“Me too. Starting with this one.” He fished a small black box out of his pocket and dropped to one knee. Inside nestled a simple diamond in a band of rose gold. “Pepper Knight, will you complicate my life forever? I want to live the happy after the happy ever after right here on Love Street. I want to spend the rest of my life making sure you never need anything. Because of you, I laugh harder, smile more, and live more richly and deeply than I ever believed possible. It would be the honor of my life if you’d be my wife.”
“Oh.” Tears distorted her vision. Her knees wobbled. “Oh God. Oh my God.”
His eyes twinkled, warm pools of deep Caribbean blue. “Nah, just a small-town boy offering the woman I love my mama’s favorite ring.”
“Yes. Yes a thousand and one times. Of course I’ll marry you, incredible man. You make me happy in a way no one else ever can.” She sniffled as he slipped the band on and flexed her finger. The fit was perfect. “Life took me in a direction that I never saw myself going, but love brought me home.”
“You’re the beat to my heart, Trouble.” He rose, drawing her close. And as he kissed her brow, the tip of her nose, and lingered at her mouth, she knew her detour through Everland was really a shortcut to forever.
Previously by Lia Riley
Off the Map
Upside Down
Sideswiped
Inside Out
Carry Me Home
Into My Arms
Wanderlust
With Every Breath
ACCLAIM FOR LIA RILEY’S NOVELS
IT HAPPENED ON LOVE STREET
“Witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and a romance that captured my heart!”
—Jennifer Ryan, New York Times bestselling author
WITH EVERY BREATH
“In this emotionally charged contemporary the protagonists’ personal struggles for self-worth and redemption develop into pulse-pounding adventure and breath-stopping romance.…This novel will delight [Riley’s] fans and new readers alike.”
—Publishers Weekly
UPSIDE DOWN
“Fresh, sexy, and romantic, Upside Down will leave you wanting more. I cannot wait for the next book. Lia Riley is an incredible new talent and not to be missed!”
—Kristen Callihan, award-winning author of the Darkest London series and The Hook Up
“Upside Down is a refreshing and heartfelt new adult contemporary romance.”
—USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog
“Lia Riley turned my emotions upside down with this book! Fast paced, electric, and sweetly emotional!”
—Tracy Wolff, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
“Where to even start with this book? Beautifully written, Australia, hot surfer Bran, unique heroine Talia. Yep, it’s all just a whole lot of awesome. Loved it!”
—Cindi Madsen, USA Today bestselling author
“A rich setting and utterly romantic, Upside Down will have you laughing and crying and begging for it to never end. I absolutely loved it!”
—Melissa West, author of Pieces of Olivia
“Upside Down is a brilliantly written new adult romance that transported me to another country. With vivid imagery and rich characterizations . . . I was completely smitten with the love story of Bran and Talia. I cannot wait for the rest of their story!”
—Megan Erickson, author of Make It Count
SIDESWIPED
“I could feel the tension with every page. . . . The Off the Map series by Lia Riley is probably my favorite new adult series of the year.”
—Roxy’s Reviews
INSIDE OUT
“Riley writes a captivating story from beginning to breathtaking end.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Actress Tuesday Knight let go of her Broadway dreams and moved to Everland, Georgia. But when she meets handsome Beau Marino, Tuesday begins to hope for her own happy ever after . . .
A preview of
The Corner of Forever and Always
follows.
Chapter One
There’s a convenience factor to owning a pair of heels that goes with everything, except for when they blend into the background like a pair of overachieving chameleons.
“Have you seen my glass slippers?” Tuesday Knight quizzed her drowsy twelve-year-old Boston Terrier. The missing shoe quest quit being funny five minutes ago.
J.K. Growling replied with an offhand snort and returned to the business of burrowing beneath the quilt piled on the unmade bed.
“Great. Big help there, little buddy. You do you.” Tuesday scanned the chaotic avalanche of maxi dresses, yoga pants, celebrity magazines, bangles, bohemian scarves, and an empty salt-and-vinegar potato chip bag. Lucky thing musical theater had taught her proper diaphragmatic breathing—a helpful skill when desperate times called for heaving dramatic sighs.
A rooster crowed from beneath the mess—her nine o’clock alarm—and J.K. Growling went belly-up. Even poultry failed to rouse her from Tempur-Pedic-induced torpor. Tuesday kicked items left and right while wrestling with the stubborn back zipper to her fuchsia ball gown. That crow meant Leave pronto, or you’ll be late.
A vague memory took shape while plucking her iPhone from beneath a back issue of Vanity Fair. Last night, following a ten-hour shift as Happily E
ver After Land’s newest amusement park party princess, she’d collapsed on the couch—smelling like cotton candy, ears ringing from the carousel’s Wurlitzer band organ—to play Oregon Trail.
“That’s it!” The tension in her body evaporated. She tore down the hall, skidded to a stop in the doorway, and fist-punched the air. Sure enough, the glass—or rather, plastic—slippers were propped against her peacock-print throw pillows. Right where she’d kicked them off after dying of dysentery at mile 947 on that stupidly addictive phone app.
A rhinestone-encrusted tiara twinkled on top of a coffee table book, Broadway Musicals: The 99 Best Shows of All Time. Perfect. Saved from the hassle of mounting yet another search and rescue. Tuesday plopped it on her head, adjusted her bodice over her nonexistent bosom, and shoved her feet in the smidge-too-tight heels.
J.K. Growling peered around the corner with a bemused expression.
“It’s not easy being a princess,” Tuesday informed her. “But hey, if the shoe fits…”
She yanked open the front door, struck, as usual, by the quiet. Typical for Everland, Georgia. Manhattan had been a noisy symphony of jackhammers, cab horns, loud neighbors, and police sirens. Here the coastal breeze rustled the hundred-year-old live oaks lining the shady street, dripping moss from thick, gnarled branches. A bird trilled in song. A dog barked. A neighbor tuned a mandolin on a front porch swing.
Just another warm and sunny, small-town September morning.
She climbed into the orange-colored AMC Pacer (aka Pumpkin) purchased for a song from a Hogg Jaw mechanic with the leftover Village Pillage medallion hunt prize money that she’d won with her sister this summer. Everland residents were proud of their local pirate heritage. The legend went that the infamous Captain Redbeard stole a king’s ransom and hid it in these parts over three hundred years ago.