“I love you. I will see you later. I love you ... I love you, Gray.” One last kiss—it’s intense, and softens slowly.
I open my eyes to Ray’s stormy ones.
GOODBYE UNCERTAINTY
Coming April 2014
BECCA Campbell was lost for seven years, until an unexpected person from her past came back into her life and unveiled the truth.
This truth has set her free.
If only it were that easy.
Knowing what she now knows, Becca must come to grips with reality. She has to fight for the man she loves. The man she is meant to be with.
Becca, very sure of her path, needs to get him to say goodbye to uncertainty.
What happens, though, when uncertainty with her is all he’s ever known?
I’d like to thank my family, especially my three beautifully amazing children. You are the best chapters in my story.
Thank you to the ladies at Bare Naked Words Author Services, who have been my rock through my journey thus far. Extra hugs and crazy dances to Wendy Shatwell, Claire Allmendinger, and Nicola Spears. You have become such very dear friends to me.
Jennifer Bedet, the count is in! I would like to thank you 37 times for all of your love and support. My life has been richer and a hell of a lot more fun with you in it.
Becky Carnahan, thank you for cheering me on and grabbing the next ridiculously large binder with the next book and always wanting more! I am blessed to call you my friend.
A special thank-you to Olivia Luck, K. Webster, Ella Fox, Elle Jefferson, Kelly Collins, and Courtney Cross for always giving me their support, friendship, and wipe-the-tears-away laughter!
To all of my friends that have supported me—thank you!
I am very blessed to belong to a wonderful group of authors called the Indie Romance Author Chicks. Since I teamed up with these girls (way before there were so many of us and we actually had a name), my life has been fuller than ever with laughter, love, support, friendship, and many, many distractions (squirrel!). I’m so grateful to know you, write alongside you (figuratively), and consider some of you my dearest friends. I’m looking forward to our future as a team and individuals!
So much love to my newly formed Street Team, The G-Team! I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you and working with you! Thank you for loving my characters so much and wanting to get the word out!
All of the bloggers who have championed Goodbye Caution, words can’t describe how grateful I am to all of you! Thank you!
And finally, the people who helped me put together this rather large book for you!
My editor—Jess Huckins, you are stuck with me, lady! I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I may write the words, but you make them shine! I adore you and the laughter you bring me with your editorial comments!
My cover designer—Robin Harper, also stuck with me! I’m so looking forward to future beautiful creations by you!
My formatter—Stacey Blake, you’re in the same boat as the last two! I adore you even though you laugh at me when I’m getting hit with snowstorms while you’re enjoying your lovely Florida weather! :)
Want to see what I’m up to? You can stalk me here at these spots!
Twitter: @JacquelynAyres
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JacquelynAyresAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndieRomanceAuthorChicks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jacquelynayres/
Spotify: Goodbye Secrets
SOUTHERN SEDUCTION BOX SET
Coming April 14, 2014
FROM THESE LADIES OF I.R.A.C.
N.A. Alcorn
Jacquelyn Ayres
Kelly Collins
Laurel Ulen Curtis
Ella Fox
Elle Jefferson
Mo Mabie
Aly Martinez
Stacey Mosteller
Rochelle Paige
Tessa Teevan
K. Webster
A SNEAK PEEK
SWEET SOUTHERN SORROW
By Tessa Teevan
Prologue
August 2008
As I walk across campus at UC-Berkeley, I feel like I need to pinch myself. I’m so out of place here in San Francisco, but I also blend right in with the other eager college freshman, ready to start this new chapter of our lives. I’ve only been here for three days, and I’m still finding it hard to believe that I, Cheyenne Hamilton, small-town transplant from Shiloh Grove, Georgia, am approximately 2,463 miles away from home—not that I’d call it that. Ever since my Daddy died, God rest his soul, I’ve been counting down the days and measuring the miles until I could get away from my mama and start over in Daddy’s hometown.
Walking back to my dorm, a small flock of black birds fly over my head and I’m reminded that I wasn’t always so anxious to get here. I was only eight years old when Daddy died, and I’ll never forget the day I gave him a goodbye kiss as he was about to board the Navy ship in Charleston. He leaned down and pressed a kiss against my forehead, wiping away the tears that were falling from my eyes.
“Hey, Birdie, don’t cry,” he said, calling me his favorite nickname, and I giggled, always loving it. “I won’t be gone too long. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Sniffing, I didn’t believe his words, but I wanted to be a big girl for him, so I forced myself to stop crying. “I know, Daddy. I’m just going to miss you while you’re on the big ship.”
He kissed the top of my head as he looked behind me. “Look, Birdie, over there. Do you see it?”
Turning to follow where his hand pointed, I saw the tiny bird with blue tinted feathers resting on a post near the ship’s entrance. I immediately identified it as a swallow, our favorite.
“It’s a swallow, Daddy! It’s good luck!” I exclaimed, remembering all the tales he’d told me.
Nodding, he swooped me up into his arms and twirled me around before setting me back on the ground. “You’re right, baby, it’s a swallow. And what does a swallow represent?”
Reciting the words I’ve heard many times, “One swallow takes you from me, and two will bring you back. As long as you have the swallow, forever we won’t lack. And in the spring, when the swallows appear, I’ll always know that you are near.”
The smile that he gave me is etched forever in my memory, the last smile I ever saw from him. “Bravo, Birdie! The swallows are about to fly south for the winter, but soon they’ll be back. And I’ll be right behind them, okay?”
Sighing, I knew that it was it. He was about to leave and I had to say goodbye. I remember trying my hardest not to let my tears fall, to make my daddy proud, showing him that I was a big girl. It wasn’t until the ship went out of view and I could no longer see his waving figure that I finally broke down.
And that was the last time I saw my daddy.
Shaking the memory out of my head, I jog up the steps to my dorm, hoping that Corinna, my roommate, is gone for the night. Don’t get me wrong, so far she seems pretty great, but she’s the polar opposite of me. Bubbly, cheerful, ready to make friends and meet college boys. Me? I’m depressed, heartbroken, and even though this should be the happiest time of my life, I’m miserable as hell. All because of Sawyer.
I’m happy when I go into my dorm and see that it’s empty. Turning on my I-Feel-Like-Crying playlist, I curl up on my bed when Carrie Underwood’s “The Night Before Life Goes On” comes on. As much as I want to resist, I lean down and grab the photo album from under my bed. Fingers trembling, heart racing, somehow, I gather up the courage to open it up, my heart stopping when my eyes fall on the first picture. It’s Sawyer, wearing worn jeans and cowboy boots, nothing else. The strong muscles in his back are rippling, and his tan is sexy as hell. He’s grooming a dark chocolate mare, but his eyes are on me, his smile wide. Closing my eyes, I can remember that day, and the tears fall immediately, even though I try to hold them in. It isn’t until I hear the door open and close that I open my eyes, but it’s too late.
She
walks over to me, but I shut the album and put it under my pillow before she can grab it.
Sitting down on my bed, she looks at me with soft eyes. “I’d ask if you’re okay, Cheyenne, but I can tell that you aren’t. Get your ass out of this bed. We’re going out.”
I start to protest, but she glares daggers at me. “I am not taking no for an answer. This is supposed to be the best time of our lives, yet you’ve been doing nothing but moping since we got here. Get up. Get dressed. You have fifteen minutes,” she tells me, walking out the door without another word.
A few hours and many, many beers later, we’re walking down the street when Cori’s eyes light up. She turns to me and grins. “This is a new chapter in our lives, Cheyenne. Let’s commemorate it with a little ink.”
I don’t know if it’s the beer or the freedom, but something about Cori’s idea sounds tempting, even if I had a minor freak out last time I was in a tattoo shop. We wander towards the shop, the door chiming as we walk in. She sets about looking through the hundreds of pages of tattoo ideas when the tattoo artist asks me if I know what I want. I think of Sawyer with amazing clarity and immediately know how I want to mark my body. Telling him my idea, he smiles and leads me back to a sterile room, prompting me to hold my foot out.
A few minutes later, Cori joins us and her eyes widen as she watches him work. “That’s beautiful, Cheyenne. Does that have something to do with why you’ve been so mopey since I’ve met you?”
I shrug, not really wanting to get into it, but she doesn’t let it go. As I admire the black ink on my foot, my eyes well up at the symbolism. “What happened to you, Cheyenne? Why are you so sad?”
Looking up at her, I blame the alcohol for what I’m about to admit. “I fell head over heels in love this summer.”
She wrinkles her eyebrows and gives me a strange look. “And that’s a problem?”
Sighing, I have no idea why I answer, but for once, I finally let it out. “The problem is… he’s my stepbrother.”
A SNEAK PEEK
ROCK COUNTRY
By K. Webster
Prologue
“Bobby!” she screeched, running from me. The poor girl was terrified of bugs, which only made me want to terrorize her more. Her blonde pigtails bounced as she tore off down the dirt road, kicking up a cloud of dust behind her. I would catch her because I always did. Being two years older and a boy, I could always beat her at everything. She hated every second of it.
“I told ya not to run, June Bug! You know you ain’t faster than me,” I hollered as I got closer. When she took a sharp turn off the dirt road and pumped her way into the field, I momentarily lost the gain I had on her.
“Leave me alone, ya big meanie!” She was slowing, spent from the chase, so I picked up my speed. Now, I know it ain’t right to hurt a girl but June isn’t a regular girl. June’s my best friend. We’ve been close ever since her and her momma moved into the trailer on the edge of our land when she was just six and me eight. My Momma and Daddy rented it out to make extra money. Four years later and she still hadn’t learned she couldn’t outrun me. I was Bobby Acer, fastest boy in school.
“I’m gonna catch you, June, and when I do, I’m gonna shove this bug in your pants and watch ya scream,” I taunted as I closed in on her. She was within my reach and I tackled her hard to the ground. Fighting me off wildly, she scratched and screamed to no avail while I pushed the beetle down into the waistband of her shorts.
“I hate you Bobby! Don’t you ever talk to me again!” She was crying now which had me feeling a little guilty. Not guilty enough though. I held her hands down and straddled her so the bug could crawl around and she would be helpless. Once her tears died down, I realized the fun was over. Looking down at her, I noticed for the first time that her eyes were as green as the grass underneath her. Her lips were still quivering and I suddenly had an urge to plant a kiss on them. The thought of kissing her gave me a boner. What the heck?
Jumping up from her as fast as I could to hide my erection, I turned and walked back toward the road, leaving her in the grass behind me.
The entire way back to our houses, she deliberately walked several feet behind me and refused to say a word to me. June was strange these days. God, she better not get her period. Gross. When we made it up to my driveway we heard shouting come from my house. I could see Daddy up on the porch and he was screaming at Momma.
“You ain’t nothing but a whore, Mona. They all call ya Moan-a behind yer back! Get the fuck out of my life. I’m divorcing your ass!”
Momma was crying and calling him a slew of names. When she shoved him, he slapped her across her face hard enough to knock her on the floor. I was tearing up the driveway, June calling after me, before I even knew what I was doing. Pounding up the steps I reached Daddy as Momma started to stand back up. I tackled him with as much strength as a twelve year old could boy possess.
“Don’t ya touch my momma,” I screamed and attempted to punch him with my small fists. Daddy just grunted and swatted me off of him. I was no match for his near six foot frame.
“Boy, ya better not do that again or I’m taking my belt to your bare ass!” he growled and started unbuckling his belt. Momma stormed into the house, letting the old screen door slam behind her. I glanced over to June standing in the yard, tiny hands covering her mouth. She looked horrified. Daddy and I had a silent standoff for what seemed like several minutes before he stomped back into the house.
Defeated, I slammed myself down on the porch swing and gritted my teeth. June slowly approached me, sitting beside me. Her petite hand reached over and covered my clenched fist, immediately causing some of the tension to fade. My heart was still racing from the altercation moments before.
“I’m sorry yer momma and daddy were fightin’,” June said sadly. I looked over at her and studied her soft features. She was beginning to look pretty to me. Meeting my eyes, she smiled. For some reason, I had an overwhelming urge to kiss her pouty lips. What was wrong with me these days? I could feel another boner start and I adjusted my jeans, hoping she wouldn’t notice. All attempts of subduing my hard on were thrown out the window when she leaned over and pecked my lips. Before we could even assess what happened, Momma burst back out of the house.
“Come on, Bobby. We’re leaving,” she ordered as she stomped to her truck. My heart sank when I realized she had two suitcases in tow.
“Where are we goin’, Momma?” I shouted after her. She tossed them into the bed of the truck and turned to me.
“Me and yer Daddy are gettin’ a divorce. We’re goin’ to stay with your Aunt Martha. Now get in the truck.”
I turned to look over at June and her eyes were filled with tears. My stomach felt uneasy like I could be sick at any moment. Latching on to her hand with mine, I stood up from the swing and she followed suit. Ducking my head, I pecked her on the lips once more before backing away from her and releasing her hand. The last image I had of her was one that haunted me for years to come. I love you, June Bug.
A SNEAK PEEK
THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND
by Kelly Collins
Seven years ago, Savannah Stone walked away from Louisiana, vowing never to return. With a suitcase in her hand and a scar on her heart she set out on a new path.
Seven years later, the death of her best friend has her returning back to the place she promised herself she would never go––home.
Savannah is determined to bury her friend without letting the emotion of being home overwhelm her.
That plan goes out the window the second she sees Jackson.
His presence causes a storm to brew inside of her that she can’t contain. He was the one thing she could count on—until the incident that changed everything.
Jackson arrives in Leesville with just one mission. He wants Savannah back, and he’s willing to do anything to make it happen.
They are there to bury a friend, but can they bury the past as well?
Sometimes, you just have to throw caut
ion to the wind.
I am a domestic engineer (born and raised in New Jersey) whose sole responsibility is guiding three young, impressionable kids into becoming phenomenal adults. This challenging yet rewarding work requires a lot of love (coffee), patience (wine), and determination (periodic exorcisms). I work all of this magic from the beautiful state of New Hampshire.
Before becoming a domestic goddess (not really), I spent over a decade working in the medical field, where I wore more hats than the queen.
I have loved the written word and the great escape it provides since I was a little girl. When I wasn't reading about people and the places they lived, I created my own characters and adventures. Finally, I started putting a pen to paper and allowing my characters to come to life. When I don't have a pen in hand, you can often find me laughing at the conversations my characters are having in my head. When I don't have a pen in hand, you can often find me laughing at the conversations my characters are having in my head.
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