Liam reared back as though she’d struck him as Alisa reached out to seize her stepdaughter’s wrist. “Stop, you don’t understand. Your dad and I aren’t getting a divorce.”
Her tear-filled eyes traveled between Alisa and Liam before she said, “But I heard you say it was over.” She pointed to the papers on the counter. “And what about those?”
“Those are kind of an insurance policy,” Liam said, settling his hands on Alisa’s shoulders. “To ensure I’m the husband she deserves, every day for the rest of our lives.”
Abby looked at him a long time before she asked, “Are you sure?” She bit her lip, looking uncertain. “How do I know you guys aren’t gonna change your mind again?”
Alisa watched helplessly, knowing it must pain her husband to know how much their indecision had hurt his little girl.
“Honey, the way I feel about Alisa is never gonna change. I can promise you that.”
Abby pressed a hand to her chest as she sagged with relief. “Thank God, I was so sure you’d managed to screw this up.”
Alisa laughed as she stroked Abby’s face. “We both almost managed to screw this up, but I think we’ve finally got our act together.” She held her arms out to Abby, feeling relieved when the teen didn’t hesitate to accept her offer of comfort. “Thank you for letting me into your lives, honey. I promise I won’t let you or your dad down, okay?”
“I know you won’t,” she whispered, patting Alisa’s back. “I knew you were right for him from the first time he came home and told me about you. It just took you two a little longer to figure out what I already knew. You belong together. Period. End of story.”
Alisa laughed as she pulled back and held Abby’s hands in her own. “I’m glad you think so.”
“So, kiddo,” Liam said quietly, “I’ve—we’ve decided to make some changes.” He took a deep breath. “I’m going to be cutting back at work and moving to Nashville to be with Alisa.”
“Oh, I, oh…”
Alisa could tell Abby’s smile was forced and it pained her to see the girl she’d come to care so much about looking so dejected, believing everyone else was getting everything they wanted, except for her.
“That’s great. I’m happy for you, both of you.”
“I’ve been giving a lot of thought to that art school,” Liam said.
Abby’s big, dark eyes widened with excitement. “You have? Seriously?”
“Yeah. And Alisa and I have decided you should go; that is, if you still want to?”
She launched herself at her father and he stumbled backwards, laughing at her enthusiasm.
“Easy,” Alisa said, joining in their laughter. “Your father’s still recovering from a heart attack, remember?”
Abby pulled back to look at him. “I’m so sorry about what I said to you earlier, Dad. If anything ever happened to you—”
“Ssshhh,” he said, holding her tight against his chest. “I don’t even want you to think about that. Nothing’s going to happen to me. I can’t let it, especially since Alisa and I might have a new baby to care for very soon.”
Alisa was shocked that he’d mentioned that to his daughter so soon. “Liam, maybe—”
“Oh my God,” Abby said, looking at her stepmother. “You’re pregnant?”
“No!” Alisa said quickly. “At least I don’t think I am, but I’d like to be. Are you okay with that, honey? I know it’s just been you and your dad for a long time, and I don’t want you to feel as though I’m trying to take him away from you or that a new baby would in any way change the way he feels about you. You’re the center of his world, and you always will be. You need to know that.”
Abby gave her a quick hug. “No, we’re both the center of his world now, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.” She hooked her finger over her shoulder, gesturing to her father. “Let me tell you, as far as fathers go, this guy is the best. Your baby is going to be one lucky kid to have him… to have both of you as parents.”
Alisa giggled as she wiped away the tear sliding down her cheek. “God, I’m such a mess.”
Liam drew Alisa into his side and pointed his finger at his daughter. “Okay, about this new school, there are gonna be some rules.”
She rolled her eyes. “I knew there would be.”
“Be quiet and listen to me.” He smirked when he got her attention. “I expect you to come to Nashville for every break and we’ll be visiting New York at least one weekend a month to check up on you. Understood?”
“Yeah, sure.” She looked around the gourmet kitchen. “I gotta admit, I’m gonna kinda miss this place, though. It’s the only home I’ve ever known.”
He leaned in to kiss her forehead. “I know that, baby. I’d never sell this place. If you want to come back here and spend some time in the summer, we’ll make that happen.” He looked down at Alisa. “Won’t we?”
“Absolutely.”
“That’d be great,” Abby said, grinning. “I can’t believe this is really happening.” She started bouncing up and down with excitement. “Can I go call my friends? Oh, and Colin? He’s not gonna believe this.”
Liam groaned. “Yeah, go ahead.” When his daughter ran out of the room and up the stairs, he pulled his wife into his arms. “Please tell me I’m doing the right thing.”
“You know you are,” she said, looping her arms around his neck. “This will be good for her. I went away to school when I was her age and it really helped me to cut the ties, to my daddy especially.” She laughed when he pouted.
“But I’m not ready to cut the ties. She’s still my little girl.”
She stroked his face and gently said, “She’s not a little girl anymore, honey. She’s a young lady and you’re just going to have to get used to that.”
“I don’t want to.”
She laughed at his insolent tone as she guided his hand to her flat stomach. “With any luck, this time next year, you’ll get to start all over again with another little boy or girl.”
He grinned. “I can’t wait.”
About the Author
To learn more about this author or other books in the Nashville Nights or Next Generation series, visit www.cheryldouglasbooks.com
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Thank You
Coming Soon
Book Two – Trade Off
Professional hockey player, Aiden Cooper, should be happy. He’s been traded to Nashville. But going home also means he has to face the truth. The love of his life is married to his former best friend and new teammate, and there’s not a damn thing he can do about it.
When Sela Clarke finds out her former boyfriend, Aiden Cooper, is finally coming home, she panics. How can she pretend she’s still in love with her husband when the only man she’s ever loved is bound to uncover the lie that tore them apart?
Release Date – November 2012
Special Edition – Holiday Homecoming
The Turner’s are hosting a Christmas gathering for their closest friends and family when an expected event forces them to pull together and help one of their own through a crisis. Will tragedy strike, forcing Trey Turner to face his worst nightmare, or will this holiday be the one that helps them all to heal?
Release Date – November 2012
Book Three – Game On
When Brianna Cooper accepts a position with the legal team at Titan Records, she knows what to expect. She’s been friends with V.P. of Operations, Ryan Spencer, since they were kids. He’ll try and talk her into skipping out early and taking long lunches… it’s a good thing she’s immune to his charm.
Book Four – Burn Out
As the President of Titan Records, Evan Spencer knew he had big shoes to fill when his father, Luc, retired and awarded him the top spot. Fifty hour work weeks turned into eighty hours and his girlfriend, Erika, gave him an ultimatum… either he make their relationship a priority or she’s leaving him. He doesn’t expect her to follow through on her threat, until she does.
Erika Carlton knew his ex-boyfriend, Evan, would be at their friend’s wedding in the Bahamas. One week in a tropical paradise with her ex could be torture. It’s a good thing her new boyfriend is there to act as a buffer.
Evan has a plan. He has seven days and seven nights to prove to Erika that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to salvage their relationship. But when she shows up with a new man, Evan realizes he’s going to have to step up his plan or risk losing her forever.
Book Five – Fast Track
Teacher and part-time artist, Anna McCall, is sweet, shy, and reserved. Living in her famous father’s shadow is exhausting, which is why she decides to get away from it all for a while. She retreats to their family beach house for the summer, intent on painting, reflecting, and regrouping after a messy break-up. She’s revelling in the peace and tranquility until a famous race car driver moves in next door intent on invading her sanctuary.
Justin Hunt has one goal this summer, to forget the past year of his life ever happened and if it takes a group of rowdy jocks, loud music, kegs of beer, and bikini-clad women to help him forget, so be it. Too bad his new neighbor seems intent on spoiling his fun by distracting him from his mission.
Book Six – Time Out
Rancher Nick McCall loves the simple life. Wide open spaces, clean country air, and sweet down-home girls. But when his mother asks him to entertain their new house guest, a TV personality with a penchant for bad boys, he’s wondering if it might be time to add a little spice to his life.
Megan Moore moved from Los Angeles to Nashville to accept a job on a country music network, but she misses dating movie stars and riding around in limousines. She promises her new agent, Avery McCall, she’ll stick it out for the remainder of her one year contract, but she intends to be on the first plane back home a minute after her contract expires.
Nick knows Megan’s only in Nashville for a short time, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a good time.
Book Seven – Face Value
Real estate developer, Lauren McCall, needs a new contractor yesterday. Someone who’s good, fast, and reliable, but her only option seems to be her friend’s deadbeat ex-husband. According to her friend, he’s a skirt chasing, beer drinking, loser who’d rather play pool than play with his kids, but desperate times call for desperate measures, so Lauren gives him the job. She just hopes she doesn’t live to regret it.
Tucker Brooks knows his new boss doesn’t like him, and he doesn’t much care. He knows his ex-wife will spew her venom to anyone who’ll listen, and if Lauren’s naïve enough to believe everything she hears, so be it. He’s determined to show up for work, get the job done, and avoid the boss lady as much as possible. If only she’d stay the hell out of his dreams.
Book Eight – Blown Away
Eva Cooper owns a successful Internet dating site. Her life’s work is to connect people and hope they’ll fall in love, but she isn’t looking for her soul mate. On the contrary, she’s a busy professional with a full life. She has a great family, friends, and a cute little dog who follows her wherever she goes. When she gets a private message from a man who’s intrigued by her profile, she’s knows her assistant, Tara, is to blame. She’s determined to help her boss find a man, apparently against her will. Eva insists she isn’t interested, but if this guy looks anything like his picture, he’s bound to be someone’s Mr. Right.
When architect, Brent Armstrong’s, brother emailed him a link to a dating website, he thought he was just giving him grief again, but when Eva`s picture appeared on his screen, he couldn’t breathe. He knew that woman. For days he tried to get her image out of his head, but when that didn’t work, he decided to swallow his pride and send her a private message, hoping she`d remember him. When hours turned into days, he had a choice to make. Should he let it go, or give her a friendly reminder of the night she rocked his world?
Table of Contents
Copyright © by Cheryl Douglas
Nashville Nights Family Tree
Dedication
High Stakes—Book One, Nashville Nights, The Next Generation
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
About the Author
Coming Soon
High Stakes Page 21