Embracing Her Heart

by Melissa Foster

  “I swear, Soph, I’m going to wring Keagen’s neck. He’ll never want to work on one of my productions again, and I don’t care. I don’t want to work on another production again!”

  “You don’t mean that,” Sophie said. “You were having so much fun with the community play, and you’ll fix this thing up like you always do. Your investors will be happy, Keagen will obey your commands but always be a prick, and then you’ll come back to Reed.”

  “And then what? Then I go back to the city again, and he’s here? And what if we want babies? What if we miss each other too much and…” She struggled to keep herself from crying again.

  “Grace, you’ll figure it out.”

  “What is it about everyone thinking we’ll figure things out? That doesn’t just happen. It takes planning, and you know plans never go well. What if I miss the birth of your baby? Brindle’s going to Paris in a few weeks, and I won’t be there to say goodbye.” Tears sprang from her eyes again. How had she left all those years ago? It felt like leaving the most important pieces of herself behind. She yanked the gas pump from the tank and spilled gasoline all over her clothes. “Goddamn it! I gotta go. I just…Ugh! Love you, Soph. I’m a mess. I’ll call you later.”

  She ended the call and ran into the gas station to try to wash the stench from her clothes. In the bathroom, she scrubbed at the stains. “I should show up in cutoffs and boots.” She scrubbed harder, but the paper towels left residue on her shirt. She lifted the wet fabric to her nose and sniffed. She smelled awful.

  “Fuck it.”

  She stormed out to her car and threw it into drive. As she waited for cars to pass so she could pull out onto the road, she thought of Reed and her family. You’ve been in control of your life way too long. Tonight you’re one of us again, like it or not. We miss you, Gracie. Give us tonight. Please? Her sisters’ voices drew more tears. She gripped the steering wheel tighter, thinking about Nana and the girls and their excitement about the play. Her mind traveled to Reed and the night they’d watched the movie at the Majestic. This would never happen in the city.

  She looked at her gorgeous ring, the exact design she’d fallen in love with years ago, and her heart felt full to near bursting. She thought of the prom and Reed’s perfectly romantic proposal, how the community welcomed her, and she knew what she wanted—what she had—to do.

  “That would never happen in the city,” she said as she distractedly pulled out of the parking lot. She heard the sound of screeching brakes and screamed as a truck barreled toward the side of her car. She went for the gas, but hit the brake, and her body jerked forward against the steering wheel. She slammed her foot on the gas as the truck fishtailed, the back end nearly smacking into the rear of her car just as she sped across the road. She swerved onto the curb and slammed on the brakes, gripping the steering wheel so tight she wasn’t sure she could let go. Then her door opened and Reed was there, pulling her into his arms, fear blazing in his eyes as he ran his hands all over her, checking to make sure she was whole.

  “Baby. Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” she said, nearly frozen in shock. “No. I’m not okay. I can’t do this,” flew from her lungs. “Ten years was a long time. I don’t want to do it anymore. I don’t want to be apart. I’ll move back. I need to be with you.”

  He clutched her to him as if he would never let her go. “No, Gracie. I’ll back out of the Majestic deal and go to New York. I can work anywhere, but you have a life there.”

  “No! Keep the Majestic! I’ll invest in it. We can both put our talents to work and bring it back to life together. My life is here, Reed, with you and my family and Sophie and the girls and…” She gasped a breath. “Cowboy boots and ‘y’alls’—” Sobs burst from her lungs as she crumpled against him, and Reed was right there holding her up, her strength, her love, her forever.

  She gazed into his midnight-blue eyes as tears slid down her cheeks, and she said, “So much for easy and doable.”

  A crooked smile lifted his lips. “We’ve never been easy, but we’ve always been doable.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  GRACE AWOKE WITH a start and bolted upright. She clung to the blanket, listening intently for whatever had woken her. She thought she knew every sound her and Reed’s house made. She’d moved back for good two weeks ago, after handling the issues with her last off-Broadway production, which thankfully went smoother than she’d thought. She heard the creak of the stairs, and her heart seized.

  “Reed!” she whispered urgently, shaking him by the shoulder. “Reed! Get up! Someone’s in the house!”

  He rolled over, and his arm circled her waist. “It’s the wind, baby. Go back to sleep.”

  The stairs creaked again, and she grabbed his arm so hard her nails dug into his skin. “Reed! That’s not the wind!”

  Whispers came from the hall, and Grace’s pulse raced. She snagged her phone from beside the bed. “I’m calling nine-one-one!” The bedroom door flew open and she shrieked, dropping the phone to the mattress.

  All her siblings barreled into the room, laughing hysterically. Reno hugged Amber’s side. “Woof!”

  Grace’s hand flew over her racing heart. “Oh my God! What are you doing here? How did you get in?” She looked at Reed, who was lying beside her grinning like a fool. “Ugh! You let them do this?”

  “Who am I to stand in the way of tradition?” He blew her a kiss, and she rolled her eyes.

  “Hoodie?” Sable said in Reed’s direction.

  Reed pointed to the closet. Grace glowered at him, and he chuckled.

  “Nat’s play is tomorrow,” Morgyn said, pulling Grace’s arm and dragging her from the bed. “And then there’s the community play.”

  Nat had done a fabulous job on the rewrites, and Nana and the girls had done a spectacular job of casting—and expediting—I Ain’t No Cinderella in Grace’s absence. She was excited to see the results of everyone’s hard work.

  “And your wedding is right after that,” Amber reminded her.

  As if she could ever forget the most anticipated day of her life? Neither she nor Reed wanted to wait to get married, especially since Frank wasn’t doing so well and they wanted him to be at the wedding. They still had a ways to go before all the awkward moments were gone, but Grace was beyond thankful that Frank and Reed would have at least some time to get to know each other.

  “And I leave for Paris the next day,” Brindle chimed in. “We have to go tonight.”

  Pepper stood by the door in a pair of jeans and cowgirl boots, arms crossed, her golden-brown hair piled up on her head in a messy bun. She’d gotten into town last week, and the girls had dragged Grace’s ass out of bed then, too. We have to! It’s Pep’s first night back!

  Pepper lifted her foot to show Grace her boot. “I gave in. There’s no stopping these fools.”

  “Grace will probably get pregnant on her honeymoon anyway,” Brindle said. “And then she’ll be locked down tight like Sophie and have to miss our nighttime prowls.”

  Grace smiled thinking of having little Reeds running around. She wasn’t ready for that quite yet, but she could love up Sophie and Brett’s precious baby girl. She hadn’t missed her birth after all. Sweet Brenna was born three nights ago, and Grace and Reed were right there waiting to greet her.

  Axsel put an arm around Pepper’s shoulder and said, “At last y’all included me this time.” He looked at Reed, who was pulling on a pair of jeans, and said, “I swear, it’s like a vagina club with these chicks.”

  Sable came out of the closet and ran her eyes down Grace’s tank top and boy shorts. She tossed her a hoodie and said, “Cute boy shorts, Grace! Put that on.” She turned her attention to Axsel. “If it were a vagina club, you wouldn’t be here. Vagina clubs do their nails and hair and shit. You want to see the firemen’s two a.m. calendar photo shoot as much as the rest of us.”

  “Damn right I do,” Axsel said with a big-ass smile.

  Grace laughed as she pulled on the hoodie, but she had a
feeling no one wanted to see the calendar shoot as much as Sable wanted to get an eyeful of Chet Hudson.

  “Maybe I can stay here since my man is ready, willing, and able, and perfectly willing to climb back into our beautiful new bed.” Grace smiled flirtatiously at Reed. “I’m sure Reed won’t want me checking out firefighters anyway.”

  “Go, baby. I’m secure in my manhood.” He leaned across the bed and hauled her down, kissing her so hard her entire body flamed. “Besides, I’m meeting you there. There’s a bonfire after the shoot. You. Me. Making out beneath the stars. Be ready.” He swatted her butt and lifted his chin toward Brindle, who was holding up Grace’s cutoffs and the embellished cowgirl boots Morgyn had made for her. “Best get going, pretty girl. You don’t want to miss the Montgomery ruckus.”

  Amber offered Grace a hand and pulled her to her feet. “We’ll have fun, Gracie. This is the last time you’ll see the calendar shoot as a single woman.”

  “Only in Oak Falls would firemen come from two different towns and do a calendar shoot in the middle of the night,” Pepper said.

  As Grace pulled on her cutoffs, surrounded by the people she loved most, her gaze caught on Reed. His loving eyes and boyish grin sent her overjoyed heart into a tailspin as she said, “Exactly, Pep. Only in Oak Falls. And I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

  Ready for more Bradens & Montgomerys?

  Fall in love with Beau and Charlotte in ANYTHING FOR LOVE.

  Buy ANYTHING FOR LOVE

  Two Love in Bloom Worlds Become One!

  I am thrilled to share some exciting news with you! The Bradens at Pleasant Hill and the Montgomerys are becoming one magnificent series! In book three, Trails of Love, the Montgomerys and the Bradens are going to be deeply intertwined. For that reason, I am combining the series to make it easier for readers to keep track of characters, weddings, babies, etc. What this means is that after the first two books (Embracing Her Heart and Anything for Love) you will see both worlds in most of the books. Some stories might weigh more heavily in one location than the other, but they are all going to cross over. You’ve met the Montgomerys, now meet the Bradens in Anything for Love, the second book in the Bradens & Montgomerys series.

  In Anything for Love…

  After Charlotte Sterling loses the last of her family members, she moves to the Colorado Mountains and lives a solitary life. That is, if you only count living, breathing people. As an erotic romance writer, her days are filled with passion and intrigue. She loves her busy, solo life, and she learned early on that real men can’t live up to the fictional heroes she creates—until Beau Braden arrives to do some work at the inn, and for the first time in forever, she’s intrigued by a real man. But Beau lost his first love years ago, and he’s never let go of his guilt over her death. Neither one is looking for an attachment or for a fling. They’ve never fully healed on their own, but together maybe anything is possible.

  Buy ANYTHING FOR LOVE

  A Special Surprise for Fans!

  I am part of a fantastic group of romance authors called the Ladies Who Write (LWW), and we have created a fun, sexy world just for you! In EMBRACING HER HEART you heard about LWW and met member Amber Montgomery. In the next book in the Bradens & Montgomerys series, ANYTHING FOR LOVE, you will meet several other fictional members of LWW in a much bigger way, each of whom, along with Amber, will have their own book written by me and the other LWW authors. For more information on our group, and to stay up to date on the release of LWW books, visit www.LadiesWhoWrite.com and sign up for our newsletter.

  New to the Love in Bloom series?

  I hope you have enjoyed getting to know the Montgomerys as much as I’ve loved writing about them. If this is your first Love in Bloom book, you have many more love stories featuring loyal, sassy, and sexy heroes and heroines waiting for you. Each of Grace’s siblings will have their own book.

  In the meantime, catch up with the stories you’ve missed. The Bradens & Montgomerys is just one of the series in the Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. Each Love in Bloom book is written to be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel or as part of the larger series. There are no cliffhangers and no unresolved issues. Characters from each series make appearances in future books, so you never miss an engagement, wedding, or birth. You might enjoy my other series within the Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. You can start at the very beginning of the Love in Bloom series absolutely FREE with SISTERS IN LOVE or begin with another fun and deeply emotional series like the Remingtons, which begins with GAME OF LOVE, also free.

  Below is a link where you can download SEVERAL first-in-series novels absolutely FREE.

  www.MelissaFoster.com/LIBFree

  More Books By Melissa

  LOVE IN BLOOM SERIES order

  Love in Bloom books may be read as stand alones. For more enjoyment, read them in series order. Characters from each series carry forward to the next.

  SNOW SISTERS

  Sisters in Love

  Sisters in Bloom

  Sisters in White

  THE BRADENS (Weston, CO)

  Lovers at Heart

  Destined for Love

  Friendship on Fire

  Sea of Love

  Bursting with Love

  Hearts at Play

  THE BRADENS (Trusty, CO)

  Taken by Love

  Fated for Love

  Romancing My Love

  Flirting with Love

  Dreaming of Love

  Crashing into Love

  THE BRADENS (Peaceful Harbor, MD)

  Healed by Love

  Surrender My Love

  River of Love

  Crushing on Love

  Whisper of Love

  Thrill of Love

  THE BRADENS & MONTGOMERYS (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls)

  Embracing Her Heart

  Anything for Love

  Trails of Love

  BRADEN WORLD NOVELLAS

  Daring Her Love

  Promise My Love

  Our New Love

  Story of Love

  Love at Last

  THE REMINGTONS

  Game of Love

  Stroke of Love

  Flames of Love

  Slope of Love

  Read, Write, Love

  Touched by Love

  SEASIDE SUMMERS

  Seaside Dreams

  Seaside Hearts

  Seaside Sunsets

  Seaside Secrets

  Seaside Nights

  Seaside Embrace

  Seaside Lovers

  Seaside Whispers

  BAYSIDE SUMMERS

  Bayside Desires

  Bayside Passions

  Bayside Heat

  Bayside Escape

  THE RYDERS

  Seized by Love

  Claimed by Love

  Chased by Love

  Rescued by Love

  Swept Into Love

  SEXY STAND-ALONE ROMANCE NOVELS

  Tru Blue (Set in Peaceful Harbor)

  Truly, Madly, Whiskey

  Driving Whiskey Wild

  Wicked Whiskey Love

  BILLIONAIRES AFTER DARK

  WILD BOYS

  Logan

  Heath

  Jackson

  Cooper

  BAD BOYS

  Mick

  Dylan

  Carson

  Brett

  HARBORSIDE NIGHTS

  Includes characters from the Love in Bloom series

  Catching Cassidy

  Discovering Delilah

  Tempting Tristan

  Standalone Books by Melissa

  Chasing Amanda (mystery/suspense)

  Come Back to Me (mystery/suspense)

  Have No Shame (historical fiction/romance)

  Love, Lies & Mystery (3-book bundle)

  Megan’s Way (literary fiction)

  Traces of Kara (psychological thriller)

  Where Petals Fall (suspense)

  Acknowledgments

&nbs
p; I hope you enjoyed Grace and Reed’s story and are looking forward to reading about the rest of the Montgomerys and the Bradens, who you will meet in book two, Anything for Love.

  If you haven’t yet joined my fan club on Facebook, please do. We have a great time chatting about our hunky heroes and sassy heroines. You never know when you’ll inspire a story or a character and end up in one of my books, as several fan club members have already discovered.

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  As always, loads of gratitude to my amazing team of editors and proofreaders: Kristen Weber, Penina Lopez, Elaini Caruso, Juliette Hill, Marlene Engel, Lynn Mullan, and Justinn Harrison. And, of course, I am forever grateful to my husband, Les, and the rest of my family, who allow me to talk about my fictional worlds as if we live in them.

  ~Meet Melissa~

  www.MelissaFoster.com

  Melissa Foster is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. Melissa has painted and donated several murals to the Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC.

  Visit Melissa on her website or chat with her on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event. Melissa’s books are available through most online retailers in paperback, digital, and audio formats.