Second Chance With A Firefighter (Rich & Rugged: A Hawkins Brothers Romance Book 1)

by Ellie Hall

  He stroked his hand adoringly across her cheek. “Even though things have been difficult, you’re the greatest gift, my best teacher. I learned and grew. I’m sorry for hurting you but you’d rather have the man I’ve become through these hard lessons than the one I once was. Please, we owe it to each other to try again, if you’re willing.”

  “Yes!” she said around a smile as big as the mountain. She felt hopeful, buoyant but she wanted to know his heart was all the way in. Her eyes widened, asking for more.

  “I’ve been fearing what it means to take over the family business. It’ll be new, unknown terrain. I’ll have to mend things with my brothers. None of it’ll be easy. But I don’t want to go partway in. I want it all, but with you.” He suddenly dropped to one knee.

  She gasped. The snow slowed as though holding its breath, waiting for what was next.

  He held a small box in his hand. “I’ve kept this for three years. I messed up once but I’m asking you, Sadie Collins, to give me another chance. It’s Valentine’s Day. Will you be mine? Sadie, will you marry me? Will you be mine forever?” He opened the box. Inside, rested a shiny silver band, lined with diamonds and showcasing what she could only call a rock, a gift from him to her, representing how he’d be steady, true. The diamond was also giant like the mountain and sparkly like Tripp’s eyes.

  She savored the moment, taking it all in, absorbing it, imprinting it in her mind. She’d stop living in the past, but she never wanted to forget the joy spilling from her heart, flooding her mind. Wherever life took them, she’d carry that with her.

  She placed her hand in his. “I will, Tripp. I’ll marry you. You’re my Valentine, always and forever.”

  He slid the ring on her finger and they both got to their feet, sealing the moment with a kiss that practically melted the surrounding snow.

  Scroll below to read an excerpt for Wedding Day with a Rancher,

  book 2 in the Rich & Rugged series.

  Also by Ellie Hall

  The Only Us Sweet Billionaire Series

  All I Want for Christmas Novella (Book .5)

  Only a Kiss with a Billionaire (Book 1)

  Only a Night with a Billionaire (Book 2)

  Only Forever with a Billionaire (Book 3)

  Only Love with a Billionaire (Book 4)

  Only a Date with a Billionaire (Bonus Book)

  ♥

  The Rich & Rugged, the Hawkins Brothers Clean Romance Series

  Second Chance with a Firefighter (Book 1)

  Wedding Day with a Rancher (Book 2)

  Resort Getaway with a Bodyguard (Book 3)

  Falling in love with a Police Officer (Book 4)

  Christmas with a Mountain Man (Book 5)

  ♥

  The Blue Bay Beach Reads Romance Series

  Summer with a Marine (Book 1)

  Summer with a Rock Star (Book 2)

  Summer with a Billionaire (Book 3)

  ♥

  Read an excerpt from Wedding Day with a Rancher, book 2 in the Rich & Rugged, Hawkins Brothers Clean Romance series, featuring Kayla and Dallen Hawkins.

  Will she survive her sister’s wedding? Will he survive her?

  Chapter 1

  Kayla

  “No. This cannot be happening.” Kayla Cartwright groaned as the highway traffic slowed to a crawl. No. A single word. Two letters. One syllable. A complete sentence. An answer she all too often found herself giving and would certainly be saying a lot at her sister’s rehearsal dinner that night and wedding the following day.

  No, she was not engaged or married nor did she have a boyfriend.

  No, she wasn’t dating either.

  No, she didn’t have kids, own a house, or have the job of her dreams—that was all for someday.

  But that wasn’t the problem. Well, not really.

  She wasn’t a loser or lazy—comments her mother and sister were quick to make about her when they thought she couldn’t hear.

  The no’s echoed in the wake of the call she just got off with her mother. It was the third time that day. No, I’m still not engaged since the last time we spoke two hours ago. No, I don’t know if the guy I met at the fundraiser is going to ask me out to dinner. No, I don’t have an internet dating profile.

  The no’s blinked like the computer cursor on the email she’d exchanged with her father earlier that week. No, I haven’t set up the 401k yet. No, I still have to look up the information about the first-time homebuyers’ program. He wasn’t much of a talker—the silent yet commanding type like her brother. Mom more than made up for it.

  The multitude of demanding texts from her sister, Chloe, waiting for her when she woke up that morning had made her want to scream. In fact, she did—into a pillow. No, I won’t forget my camera or an extra storage device. No, I didn’t get the dress hemmed. I’ll pin it. No, I won’t do anything to ruin your big day.

  But the truth was they didn’t hear the word no anyway.

  It didn’t matter what their communication styles were—it didn’t make a difference. She struggled and considered giving up and telling them what they wanted to hear. Yes, work is great. I’m in line for a promotion. Yes, of course, I met a nice guy. I think he’s going to pop the question any day now. Yes, I moved into the new place and it’s spacious and light-filled. I need more furniture and shades, a hallway carpet, and throw pillows.

  As for her sister, she just kept her text replies short and cheerful. That’s how she’d always been: five feet five and with a smile on her face despite the challenges that life presented.

  From the otherwise empty passenger seat, her phone buzzed then and she ignored it—likely it was another freak out from Chloe or her mother with another demand.

  However, the recent increase in pressure from her parents threatened to force the lies to spill from her mouth. She knew it was wrong and stupid. But part of her wondered what would happen if her life became one big yes. Would they treat her differently? With more respect? Patience? Kindness?

  She yawned. Or maybe she was just tired—of the persistent hounding. Though perhaps she was tired of being alone. At times, it felt like she was idling, at a standstill in her life and not sure where to turn next.

  As if on cue, her car made a weird grunting noise and she checked the gas gauge. The thing had a habit of telling her she had plenty of gasoline then sputtering to a stop. “Not now, please.” But she was stuck in what appeared to be endless traffic anyway so it wasn’t like she was going anywhere.

  For a little while Kayla had blamed her ex for the sudden halt in her life but a couple of years later it was all on her. She’d learned that being independent was safer than risking a relationship again. She’d taken a detour with Bradley and he’d left her at a dead end. She’d given up everything for him and when she found her way back, she moved to a new town, started over, and focused on her careers. Plural. She dabbled in numerous different things, some better than others, all to pay the bills—probably why she was tired.

  But right then Kayla was tired of being stuck in traffic on her way to Chloe’s final wedding gown fitting before the rehearsal dinner later that night. She dropped her head against the seat. She’d be late and they’d be disappointed again.

  She yawned and wiggled so her legs didn’t fall asleep. She glanced out the window to be sure no one was watching because she probably looked silly. A cupcake or a cup of cocoa sounded good then—anything to wake her up. But no chance. Gridlock stretched along the length of highway that led out of the hills and toward the city.

  Out the window to the left, a stylish mom sat tall in her polished SUV. She was on the phone. The silhouette of a couple of kids in the back flashed with the changing scenes of a cartoon playing on the screens attached to the headrests.

  She sighed. Could she have that life? Would it make her happy? Sure, she wanted to have children someday but she also wanted to become financially secure and independent first. She wanted to have forks and knives that matched, a washer and dryer that worked, a
reliable car that didn’t guzzle gas then lie about it, and a monthly investment portfolio with her name on the account. Her shoe addiction probably didn’t help, but a girl had to indulge once in a while.

  In front of her, a couple sat in a convertible. The woman made rude gestures at the car ahead of them. He was stiff and pounded his hand on the steering wheel. Obviously, they had somewhere important to be but couldn’t deal with not being able to make the traffic move faster.

  Could Kayla be her? It wasn’t that she wanted anything shiny or expensive. She didn’t need to have power or authority either. Mostly, she wanted comfort and security. That didn’t seem like too much to ask.

  To her right, a man sat in his truck. He ran a big, calloused hand along the scruff on his jaw. She imagined he was in his late twenties like her brother, making him a few years older than her. And like everyone else he was stuck. But he wasn’t on his phone. His face was placid. Two brown eyes gazed through the windshield. He seemed patient. It was like he somehow found the ability to be content exactly where he was.

  Could she find something like that? Harmony? Serenity? He wasn’t half bad looking either. She shook her head. No, she wasn’t interested.

  Traffic picked up to a crawl. A goat or chicken was probably crossing the road and everyone had to stop for it. Though, that was something more likely to happen in the idyllic mountain town of Hawk Ridge Hollow where Kayla had moved after the breakup with Bradley. She wasn’t far from the city but she’d be late and she’d definitely be hearing about how irresponsible and insensitive she was from her mother and sister.

  If she had her way, she’d turn around and return to the quiet and quaint town where she was responsible (she had three jobs, had paid off college loans and the debt she’d created when she made the move), and sensitive (she was a good friend, worked with children on the slopes, including kids with special needs every Wednesday afternoon, and taught a photography workshop at the senior center). In Hawk Ridge Hollow, she could be exactly who she wanted to be, even if her family didn’t care or witness it. It was closer to the life she’d wanted in a place she’d fallen in love with, which was a good thing because she wasn’t looking to fall in love with a guy.

  However, that was her mother’s main task—to marry off her daughters. Lucky for her brother he didn’t seem to be the target of the marriage mission—though he was out on a mission of his own in the military.

  Kayla’s phone rang, jarring her from her thoughts. Sure enough, her mother’s name flashed on the screen. She tapped to put the phone on speaker.

  Irene Cartwright’s voice crackled to life. “Where are you? Don’t tell me you got a flat tire, ran out of gas, or just decided not to show up? Typical.”

  “Hi, Mom. Nice to hear from you again. I left over two hours ago, giving myself plenty of time to get to East Roark, but I’m in traffic just outside Miranda Falls.” Her tone was of measured patience.

  “Well, hurry up.”

  She rolled her eyes at the unreasonable request. “Doing my best.” But she knew her best wasn’t good enough, at least not in her mother’s eyes.

  “We have bigger problems. It turns out the horse can’t make it.”

  The horse. Kayla stopped herself from groaning again. Did it get the dates mixed up? Or was it also stuck in traffic? Maybe the horse got wind that Princess Chloe was a bridezilla. Kayla resisted a chuckle at the name her best friend, Sadie, gave her sister after meeting her at the engagement party.

  “Kayla, I need you to find a backup horse. Chloe will be devastated if there isn’t a horse to ride in on. Do you understand?”

  A stress-filled sense of urgency rushed up inside her. The sound of her mother’s shrill voice issuing another order made it hard to breathe. Kayla’s hand met her forehead and she squished up her eyes. “I’ll do my best,” she repeated.

  “I’ve been planning your sister’s special day for ages. Everything has to be perfect, including you. I need you here. I need your help. I need you to get this one thing right for me.” Irene’s voice elevated a few decibels.

  Kayla said goodbye and hung up quickly to keep from reminding her mother that she’d organized the band and DJ, corrected an issue with the flower arrangements, and handled the table assignment disaster that prompted Chloe to call her in tears at two a.m. two days before they were due to the venue. And she was the official wedding photographer.

  When Kayla got married, she planned to have the ceremony and reception in a remote location so she didn’t have to deal with all of her mother's meddling.

  But before she started daydreaming about that fantasy, she had to find a horse. She put the car in park since the traffic was back to a standstill and searched horses for hire on her phone.

  She found a stable that looked promising and left a message. A toddler answered the next one she called and she spent several minutes listening to a temper tantrum, hoping an adult would help the kid then pick up the phone. When the crying turned to sniffling, then laughter and no one answered, she hung up. She went through a few more listings without any luck.

  Her last resort was a website that looked like someone had given up on completing it. It consisted of a generic photo and a phone number. She tried it, knowing it would be her sister having a temper tantrum if she didn’t turn up with a horse.

  The phone rang. I male voice answered with a simple, “Hello.”

  “You have no idea how glad I am that you’re not a recording or a screaming toddler.” She quickly jumped into describing the situation. “I know it’s short notice and I’m so sorry but can you bring a horse to the Ridley Manor House in East Roark…tonight?”

  “I’ll try to help but need some more information.” His pleasant drawl contrasted to the anxiety bubbling inside and Kayla found herself taking a much-needed deep breath.

  “Is there a particular breed, color, size?” he asked.

  She almost laughed because it sounded like a common call he received from people needing horses for their weddings. Was that a thing? She had something much simpler in mind when it was her turn to get married. But, again, that was a battle with her mother she wasn’t sure she’d be able to win. Never mind actually falling in love with someone and building a relationship on trust.

  “Actually, do you happen to know what kind of horse the bride was originally supposed to ride?” he asked.

  For a moment Kayla considered saying it was a miniature pony but wouldn’t do that to her sister even though she knew full well Chloe would hire a donkey if she’d asked for a horse at her wedding—just to mess with her. Kayla knew as much about horses as she did why her ex left her, which was to say, nothing. “Uh, no, just a pretty horse will do.”

  He let out a low chuckle that sent tingles scattering across Kayla’s skin. She did her best to ignore them. “A pretty horse. Alright,” he said.

  Kayla went over a few more details then arranged to meet him at the Manor House in East Roark that evening.

  Someone on a motorcycle revved by, startling Kayla and reminding her of her ex again. She hadn’t seen most of the wedding guests since their engagement party a couple of years previous and braced herself for the questions and comments that were sure to come her way. She had to stop thinking about what could have been even though her mother and sister enjoyed reminding her. Instead, she had to focus on getting through the wedding with the hope to book more photography gigs—although she wasn’t sure that was her passion. She just happened to have a good camera and a decent eye.

  She yawned again, unable to ignore how she felt spread so thin: with her jobs, money, worry about the future, and the wedding. She gripped the steering wheel. “Kayla, you can do this,” she said, catching the reflection of her eyes in the rearview mirror. “Get through the next two days and then Bridezilla and Momzilla can take a break.”

  A tow truck pulled out in front of her with a rusty car on the bed, likely the source of the traffic, and everyone sped up. She was nearly at the exit.

  She was already la
te enough that Chloe would have the diva-meter turned up to seven, no, maybe eleven, but she needed to make a pitstop and get a pick-me-up for the rest of the ride. A car honked as she pulled into the parking lot of a café—likely a fight over an empty spot. She circled a few times until another one opened up.

  One of the many things she loved about Hawk Ridge Hollow was its simplicity and slower pace—not like Roark, the city where she’d grown up. Either that or she’d learned to avoid the days and times she knew there’d be crowds, especially during the winter ski season.

  Everyone must’ve needed a mid-morning snack because the line at the café reached the door. A crying toddler stomped his foot in time to the music pumping over the speakers. An elderly man stood outside the bathroom and hollered for an employee.

  Kayla was in that awkward place where she didn’t have a space to stand inside the door but didn’t want to leave it open since it was a brisk spring day. Someone shoved past her from behind and she bumped into the man standing in front of her. Her face smooshed into the plaid shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders and hugged his biceps. The jeans he wore hung in such a way that her attention was drawn to his butt.

  One slow night at work, Kayla and several of the other waitstaff devised a hot buns rating system. His were knock me on my buns perfection. Which was exactly what happened. The door to the café knocked into Kayla again when another customer rudely swept in and she lost her footing, sending her to the ground.

  She let out an oomph, but the music and talking was so loud, no one heard her.

  However, the guy in the plaid shirt, who’d politely ignored her when she’d bumped into him, turned around.