by Cheri Allan
He turned to the side and winked at Liam. “What do you say we get this party started?”
Liam nodded and took his hand, his blue suit already splattered with lake water. He didn’t seem to mind. Over the past few weeks, he’d taken to swimming like a fish.
Jim turned to his new wife.
“I love you,” he whispered.
And without another word, he reached out and took her hand, and they ran, as a family, off the dock and leaped, laughing, into the water.
THE END
BOOK TWO COMING FALL 2014: STACKING THE DECK
Coming Fall 2014!
Our match-making grandmothers are at it again… Stacking the Deck in Sugar Falls!
Liz Beacon has life all planned out—prioritized, color-coded and cross-referenced. She long ago traded in the geeky high school nickname, teenage pounds and dysfunctional family for a fab career, killer abs and a man every woman would envy. Okay, so her sex life is non-existent and her almost-fiancé is technically a coworker. Life, if not perfect, is still on track. But then, Liz is called home to Sugar Falls, NH, to prepare her childhood home for sale. She’s spent ten years denying her insecurities and hokey lawn-ornament roots. There’s nothing she’d rather do less than face all she happily left behind, including her embarrassingly one-sided high school crush.
Carter McIntyre has sailed through life on his winsome smile… and by the skin of his teeth. A college drop-out with ADHD, he’s learned it’s safer to play the carefree charmer than step up and take over his uncle’s landscaping business. But then his class valedictorian returns to Sugar Falls and hires him for some home improvements. Now Carter’s wondering if it’s too late—to grow up, take a chance and win over the only girl who ever believed in him…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cheri Allan lives in a charming fixer-upper in rural New Hampshire with her husband, two children, two dogs, four cats and an excessive amount of optimism. She’s a firm believer in do-it-yourself, new beginnings and happily-ever-afters, so after years of wearing suits, she’s grateful to finally put her English degree to good use writing romance. When not writing, you might find her whizzing down the slopes of a nearby mountain or inadvertently killing perennials in her garden.
Cheri loves to hear from readers!
E-mail her at [email protected].
Friend her at http://www.facebook.com/cheriallanauthor.
Or, visit her website and blog at www.cheriallan.com.
If you enjoyed this book, please consider telling other readers by writing and sharing a review.
Cheri is pleased to continue her ‘Betting on Romance’ series with Stacking the Deck (coming fall 2014) because—after all—every woman deserves to get lucky.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am eternally grateful to my dear husband, Alan, whom I love beyond words, for supporting me through successes and stumbles and for never once questioning our household’s unusually high per capita consumption of chocolate.
I give thanks…
To my children for supporting me even though I’ve told them they can’t read my books until they’re older, because they, too, believe in following one’s dreams…
To the beautiful, talented and inspirational ladies of NHRWA without whom I wouldn’t be sane or published. The waiting room was lovely, but it was time to move on…
To old friends and new for asking me how it was going, reading, critiquing, and often simply wading through imperfect versions of this and other projects before I—finally—got it right…
And, to Charis, a true angel from above, for sending out her beacon of hope when I most needed it and lighting the way through countless e-mails and ‘murky middles.’ You are a critique partner extraordinaire.
I raise my bunny to the Plotbunnies (you know who you are) for your creativity and strength and open-minded support. May all your dreams come true!
And finally, I thank you, my readers, for taking a chance on me. Without you, I’d just be a crazy cat lady with a computer. ~ Cheri
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed falling in love with Jim and Kate as much as I enjoyed writing their story! I have a special place in my heart for everyday heroes, and Jim is that all-around good guy that should get the girl in the end, don’t you think? So, any guesses of whether it will be a boy or a girl?
If you enjoyed meeting Carter in Luck of the Draw you won’t want to miss my next ‘Betting on Romance’ novel, Stacking the Deck, where Carter finds his own happily ever after.
Also, be sure to sign up for my mailing list at www.cheriallan.com to receive invites to exclusive contests and info on new releases! It’s easy and free and you may well win cool stuff from beautiful New England! What’s not to love about that?
Sweet regards from Sugar Falls!
~ Cheri