by Erin Dutton
In his view, he’d offered her the brass ring—his tutelage and eventually his job—and he couldn’t comprehend her turning that down. But she could handle losing his favor. The reward—her family—was well worth the price.
“Now my kid will have godparents who can stand to be in the same room together.” Kendra glanced toward the dance floor, where Casey had relinquished Sean into Gemma’s arms. “And who knows, maybe you’ll have a little grandkid the same age for mine to play with.”
“Not funny.”
Kendra laughed.
“No, seriously, that’s not funny.”
From behind Jacqueline, Casey wrapped her arms around her waist. “What’s not funny?”
“Nothing.”
“Okay.” Casey moved to her side but didn’t release her. Jacqueline draped her arm around Casey’s shoulder. “Kendra, it was a beautiful ceremony. Are there any more shots you want before I head out?”
“You’re leaving?” Jacqueline asked.
“It’s time.” Though she was responding to Jacqueline, she glanced at Kendra. Jacqueline thought she saw a shared look pass between them, and then Kendra nodded slightly.
Casey pressed closer and met Jacqueline’s eyes. “Come home with me.”
“Home?” She understood the concept of home, of course, but something in Casey’s voice told her the request went deeper than just tonight.
“Yes. Our home. Move back in.”
“Are you sure?” Jacqueline kept her voice low despite the excitement singing through her.
“Completely. I’m tired of missing you. You belong at home with me.” Casey picked up her purse from the table and pulled out a small ring box. She lifted the lid to a gorgeous diamond solitaire nestled against a familiar titanium band. “And if you’ll have me, I’d like us to share something we couldn’t the first time around.”
“Casey, what—”
“Marry me.”
She stared at the band—a ring she’d taken off eight years ago but couldn’t bring herself to part with. “The last time I saw this ring, it was in my dresser drawer. How did you get it?”
Casey glanced at Sean, who’d joined them when Casey pulled out the box, and he grinned. Having everyone around at this moment suddenly reminded Jacqueline what was on the line if they handled things badly this time.
“Are you sure?” she asked again.
Casey nodded. “Two months ago you asked me for a fresh start—to get to know each other all over again. And while I agree we’ve grown and changed and need to respect that, I’ve also learned that we aren’t so different. You’re still the same woman I fell in love with that first time. That’s why there are two rings. One from our past and a new one for the future.” She brushed her fingers over Jacqueline’s cheek.
“Oh, sweetheart, I know this face. I’ve studied it more times than my own. I know the birthmark on the lower lid of your right eye, small, like the point of a pen. I know the dimple that shows up when you smile—the real smile, not the polite one. I know the way you tense your jaw when you’re trying not to cry.” Casey stroked her jaw, and she realized she’d been clenching her teeth for just that reason. “I’m asking you to marry me and I’ve never been more sure.”
Sean angled close to Jacqueline’s ear and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Say yes, Mama.”
Jacqueline smiled and pulled Casey against her. She kissed her, then rested her cheek against the silk of Casey’s hair. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Yes.”
About the Author
Erin Dutton grew up in Upstate New York, but has made Tennessee her home for over seventeen years. In 2007, she published her first book, Sequestered Hearts, and hasn’t wanted to stop writing since. In addition to ten previous novels, she’s also a contributor to multiple anthologies. She’s a proud recipient of the 2011 Alice B. Readers’ Appreciation medal for her body of work.
When not working or writing, she enjoys playing golf, photography, and spending time with friends and family.
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
A Class Act by Tammy Hayes. Buttoned-up college professor Dr. Margaret Parks doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into when she agrees to one date with her student, Rory Morgan, who is 15 years her junior. (978-1-62639-701-9)
Bitter Root by Laydin Michaels. Small town chef Adi Bergeron is hiding something, and Griffith McNaulty is going to find out what it is even if it gets her killed. (978-1-62639-656-2)
Capturing Forever by Erin Dutton. When family pulls Jacqueline and Casey back together, will the lessons learned in eight years apart be enough to mend the mistakes of the past? (978-1-62639-631-9)
Deception by VK Powell. DEA Agent Colby Vincent and Attorney Adena Weber are embroiled in a drug investigation involving homeless veterans and an attraction that could destroy them both. (978-1-62639-596-1)
Dyre: A Knight of Spirit and Shadows by Rachel E. Bailey. With the abduction of her queen, werewolf-bodyguard Des must follow the kidnappers’ trail to Europe, where her queen—and a battle unlike any Des has ever waged—awaits her. (978-1-62639-664-7)
First Position by Melissa Brayden. Love and rivalry take center stage for Anastasia Mikhelson and Natalie Frederico in one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the nation. (978-1-62639-602-9)
Best Laid Plans by Jan Gayle. Nicky and Lauren are meant for each other, but Nicky’s haunting past and Lauren’s societal fears threaten to derail all possibilities of a relationship. (987-1-62639-658-6)
Exchange by CF Frizzell. When Shay Maguire rode into rural Montana, she never expected to meet the woman of her dreams—or to learn Mel Baker was held hostage by legal agreement to her right-wing father. (987-1-62639-679-1)
Just Enough Light by AJ Quinn. Will a serial killer’s return to Colorado destroy Kellen Ryan and Dana Kingston’s chance at love, or can the search-and-rescue team save themselves? (987-1-62639-685-2)
Rise of the Rain Queen by Fiona Zedde. Nyandoro is nobody’s princess. She fights, curses, fornicates, and gets into as much trouble as her brothers. But the path to a throne is not always the one we expect. (987-1-62639-592-3)
Tales from Sea Glass Inn by Karis Walsh. Over the course of a year at Cannon Beach, tourists and locals alike find solace and passion at the Sea Glass Inn. (987-1-62639-643-2)
The Color of Love by Radclyffe. Black sheep Derian Winfield needs to convince literary agent Emily May to marry her to save the Winfield Agency and solve Emily’s green card problem, but Derian didn’t count on falling in love. (987-1-62639-716-3)
A Reluctant Enterprise by Gun Brooke. When two women grow up learning nothing but distrust, unworthiness, and abandonment, it’s no wonder they are apprehensive and fearful when an overwhelming love just won’t be denied. (978-1-62639-500-8)
Above the Law by Carsen Taite. Love is the last thing on Agent Dale Nelson’s mind, but reporter Lindsey Ryan’s investigation could change the way she sees everything—her career, her past, and her future. (978-1-62639-558-9)
Actual Stop by Kara A. McLeod. When Special Agent Ryan O’Connor’s present collides abruptly with her past, shots are
fired, and the course of her life is irrevocably altered. (978-1-62639-675-3)
Embracing the Dawn by Jeannie Levig. When ex-con Jinx Tanner and business executive E. J. Bastien awaken after a one-night stand to find their lives inextricably entangled, love has its work cut out for it. (978-1-62639-576-3)
Jane’s World: The Case of the Mail Order Bride by Paige Braddock. Jane’s PayBuddy account gets hacked and she inadvertently purchases a mail order bride from the Eastern Bloc. (978-1-62639-494-0)
Love’s Redemption by Donna K. Ford. For ex-convict Rhea Daniels and ex-priest Morgan Scott, redemption lies in the thin line between right and wrong. (978-1-62639-673-9)
The Shewstone by Jane Fletcher. The prophetic Shewstone is in Eawynn’s care, but unfortunately for her, Matt is coming to steal it. (978-1-62639-554-1)
A Touch of Temptation by Julie Bla
ir. Recent law school graduate Kate Dawson’s ordained path to the perfect life gets thrown off course when handsome butch top Chris Brent initiates her to sexual pleasure. (978-1-62639-488-9)
Beneath the Waves by Ali Vali. Kai Merlin and Vivien Palmer love the water and the secrets trapped in the depths, but if Kai gives in to her feelings, it might come at a cost to her entire realm. (978-1-62639-609-8)
Girls on Campus edited by Sandy Lowe and Stacia Seaman. College: four years when rules are made to be broken. This collection is required reading for anyone looking to earn an A in sex ed. (978-1-62639-733-0)
Heart of the Pack by Jenny Frame. Human Selena Miller falls for the domineering Caden Wolfgang, but will their love survive Selena learning the Wolfgangs are werewolves? (978-1-62639-566-4)
Miss Match by Fiona Riley. Matchmaker Samantha Monteiro makes the impossible possible for everyone but herself. Is mysterious dancer Lucinda Moss her own perfect match? (978-1-62639-574-9)
Paladins of the Storm Lord by Barbara Ann Wright. Lieutenant Cordelia Ross must choose between duty and honor when a man with godlike powers forces her soldiers to provoke an alien threat. (978-1-62639-604-3)
Taking a Gamble by P.J. Trebelhorn. Storage auction buyer Cassidy Holmes and postal worker Erica Jacobs want different things out of life, but taking a gamble on love might prove lucky for them both. (978-1-62639-542-8)
The Copper Egg by Catherine Friend. Archeologist Claire Adams wants to find the buried treasure in Peru. Her ex, Sochi Castillo, wants to steal it. The last thing either of them wants is to still be in love. (978-1-62639-613-5)
The Iron Phoenix by Rebecca Harwell. Seventeen-year-old Nadya must master her unusual powers to stop a killer, prevent civil war, and rescue the girl she loves, while storms ravage her island city. (978-1-62639-744-6)
A Reunion to Remember by TJ Thomas. Reunited after a decade, Jo Adams and Rhonda Black must navigate a significant age difference, family dynamics, and their own desires and fears to explore an opportunity for love. (978-1-62639-534-3)
Built to Last by Aurora Rey. When Professor Olivia Bennett hires contractor Joss Bauer to restore her dilapidated farmhouse, she learns her heart, as much as her house, is in need of a renovation. (978-1-62639-552-7)
Capsized by Julie Cannon.What happens when a woman turns your life completely upside down? (978-1-62639-479-7)