Single Dad to the Rescue by Cari Lynn Webb #SDTTRTour Grand Finale

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for

Single Dad to the Rescue

By Cari Lynn Webb

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops

you'll find snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

Welcome to my blog tour with Prism!

I’m thrilled to be celebrating the release of my new book, Single Dad to the Rescue, in my City by the Bay Stories with Harlequin Heartwarming. Single Dad to the Rescue is a sweet contemporary romance that brings together animal rescuer, Brooke Ellis, and paramedic, Dan Sawyer. . .

Reading Is My SuperPower - Review

"A Single Dad to the Rescue is – true to its imprint – heartwarming and sweet. It’s the kind of story that leaves you sighing contentedly after you turn the last page, the kind that shows you that good-hearted people who put others first do still exist, the kind that reminds you that second chances sometimes show up when – and with whom – we least expect. The characters are equal parts layered, real, and compelling, and you’ll enjoy revisiting friends from previous books in the series if you’ve read those. If not, it works just as well as a standalone. A great read for animal lovers, rescuers-at-heart, and fans of sweet romance."

Remembrancy - Review

"Webb gives readers a story of healing, of finding the courage to live life to the fullest after living through the worst kind of pain, and of the blessings (and yes, sometimes challenges) of living in a community that cares."

It's All About the Romance - Excerpt

“I saw the lights on.” He lifted several cloth shopping bags and his smile, then added, “Grocery delivery.”

Brooke wanted to close the door. His appealing half grin could disarm her if she was someone else. Someone who believed in fairy tales, storybook romance and that once-in-a-lifetime love could happen again. But she couldn’t shut the door. This was Dan, Rick’s son. And her stomach growled. “How much do I owe you?”

“I’m not interested in money.” He handed the bags to her.

EmpowerMoms - Review

"I enjoyed this sweet romance story! I liked the main characters Brooke Ellis, Dan Sawyer, his son and the grandfather. . . . Easy to read, great characters-loved it!"

Hallie Reads - Review

"Though not without its complications, Single Dad to the Rescue is a sweet addition to Webb’s series. Any reader in need of a heartwarming contemporary romance could be delighted with this book—I know I was."

Thoughts of a Blonde - Review

"An emotional journey of life, love and growth! Cari Lynn Webb pulls at our heartstrings time and again with the latest in her City by the Bay Stories series. . . . The story is sweet with a punch of sadness and held my attention throughout. Really enjoyed the richness of the characters and the connection they shared. Highly recommend!"

Splashes of Joy - Review

"Author Cari Lynn Webb does a really good job of weaving all of the past hurts and heartaches in both Brooke and Dan’s lives taking them on a journey that will finally give them the love and life they deserve. I enjoyed the animals, and it made me realize juzy how much fires and other disasters traumatizes the lives of our fur babies. The author does a good job with discussing the pets and their feelings. As well as Dan’s son Ben and his medical issues. The entire book was very well written, and I will look for more books from this author."

Kathryn Cooper Writes - Review

"Single Dad to the Rescue is a sweet clean romance read! . . . I felt heartwarming feelings build up throughout this read. Single Dad to the Rescue by Cari Lynn Webb is a romance with life building experiences which we can all relate to in different ways."

Nicole's Book Musings - Review

"The thing that I loved about this book the most is the feeling of hope through out the book. . . . I love the sense of community and coming together. Dan's precious son is too adorable and I just loved the scenes with him and his friends. This book packed the feels and it's one you can easily get lost in. I'm looking forward to more from this series."

Jorie Loves A Story - Review

"The attention to detail and the care in which Webb describes the artfulness of healing through compassionate volunteering with rescue animals is part of what endeared me to this story. . . . This is a multi-layered story about the intersection of lives and the curious ways in which the heart leads us forward into a tomorrow that has more hope of promise than the past we're trying to outrun. I loved the way Ms Webb composed this story, how she tucks us so dearly close to her characters and their internal battles; whilst providing us with a firm understanding about life, love, loss and the second chances we must choose to embrace if we hope to aspire towards a future filled with the hopefulness of a renewed sense of purpose."

Hearts & Scribbles - Excerpt

Evie’s love for the children was more than obvious. Dan’s love for his son would be just as strong. Just as protective. Ben was no doubt the reason for Dan’s white lie. Was Dan’s love only reserved for his son? Love. Where had that come from? She’d fallen in love before. The head-over-heels kind. The once-in-a-lifetime kind. She’d be too greedy to consider a second chance. Brooke reached for that invisible pause button to stop her tumbling thoughts.

A strong hand landed on Brooke’s lower back and settled as if to catch her when she fell. Brooke glanced over her shoulder. Dan stood just behind her, his smile gentle.

My Devotional Thoughts - Review

"First of all, this is squeaky clean romance with nothing offensive in it. [Moreover], this is a book that can be enjoyed in an evening, by the beach, on vacation…in short, it is a nice, quick read that will provide just the kind of clean romance fans of this genre crave."

janicesbookreviews - Review

"The book is a beautiful story. I especially loved all the dogs and cats in the book — also the little boy. . . . This book was my first one by the author. I enjoyed her writing very much. I definitely will read more of her books. I loved all the characters in the book so much."

Cover To Cover Cafe - Review

"I absolutely love Cari Lynn Webb’s writing style. She is highly talented and definitely an author that is quickly becoming one of my favorites. . . . If you love clean romances, sweet boys and lovable furbabies, then this is a story for you. Webb will quickly work her way into your soul with her work and leave you a fan for life. Great job and hats off to you, Webb! Can’t wait for more."

Two Points of Interest - Review

"The novel was a cozy romantic read with likable characters and not so likable characters. I found Ben to be cute and loveable along with all of Dan's friends. The author weaves the perfect amount of drama to keep readers drawn to the story and not become overwhelmed. Overall, it was the perfect romantic beach read."

Harlie's Book - Excerpt & Review

Ben’s absolute certainty softened Dan. That was all he’d ever wanted to give Ben: a safe home. One without chaos. One with stability and love.

Brooke shifted to look at Dan.

Again, her dark brown gaze pulled him in. Her wide soulful eyes called to him. Made him want to learn everything about her. Made him want…

"Yall, I have to admit that this is the best book in the series. Yes, I’ve read the others but this one has all the feels. . . . I just really connected with everyone in the book. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Webb does next."

Peaceful Pastime - Review

"I have read a lot of books in the Harlequin Heartwarming line and while they have all been good, I have to say that this book is one of my favorites. . . . Overall, this truly was a heartwarming read with a wonderful storyline that flowed at a perfect pace. The characters are compelling and for those reasons, I highly recommend, Single Dad to the Rescue."

Pause for Tales - Review

"Ben was cute and a smart kid. The animals added a nice extension for the humans to show their love. I could see just how big Brooke’s heart was. I enjoyed this second chance at love despite life’s circumstances story."

Teatime and Books - Review

"I really loved this book, it's a really sweet romance and I absolutely loved Brooke's character, what a dynamite lady and the perfect one for Dan! I highly recommend this if you're looking for a nice, clean, sweet romance! . . . I will definitely be reading more from this author!"

Andi's Book Reviews - Review 

"As it should be in any great romance, the two are drawn to each other via a slow burning ember that has the potential to be fanned into a steady flame. It also has the potential to be easily snuffed out. And both of their pasts threaten to do just that."

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post, if you haven't already...

Single Dad to the Rescue
(City by the Bay Stories #4)
By Cari Lynn Webb
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
August 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming

He offered her help

And he found love

Her home destroyed by a wildfire, Brooke Ellis finds temporary shelter at the home of paramedic Dan Sawyer and his young son, Ben. With the addition of Brooke and her lively fur family, Dan finds his carefully planned routine delightfully turned upside down. And his carefully guarded heart daring to trust in love again. When his ex-wife suddenly reappears, will it be Brooke to the rescue?

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Should you make a purchase through my affiliate link, I may earn a few pennies at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my websites!

Other Books in the Series

About the Author

Cari Lynn Webb lives in South Carolina with her husband, daughters and assorted four-legged family members. She's been blessed to see the power of true love in her grandparent's 70 year marriage and her parent's marriage of over 50 years. She knows love isn't always sweet and perfect, it can be challenging, complicated and risky. But she believes happily-ever-afters are worth fighting for. She loves to connect with readers. Visit her at her website.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest│Instagram

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card & The Return of the Blackwell Brothers five-book series (print books to US winner, ebooks to international winner)

Open internationally

Ends August 14, 2019

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review of The Virgin Club by Kayley Wood

Welcome to the book blast tour for The Virgin Club by Kayley Wood, a contemporary romance with a smidge of comedy that is ever so much fun to read! Please enjoy my review and an excerpt before you download your own copy. You won't be disappointed. (And it's currently only  $0.99!) And then also remember to leave comments and questions along the way as you follow the tour and then enter the giveaway.

The Virgin Club

Challenge: Lose my virginity before my 24th birthday. Time Left: 23 days.

Appletinis, a semi-meltdown, and a ‘Lose My Virginity Challenge’ post. That's all it took for my little blog to go viral.

I’m going to be fine. I’m anonymous. I can just delete the post and pretend it never happened. No big deal, right?

Wrong!

My co-worker crush, Logan—gorgeous, yummy and out of my league—found out about my secret deadline-driven cherry popping quest.

Humiliated would be an understatement.

Fortunately, my besties come to the rescue with a brilliant plan that involves my trending blog. If all went smoothly, I'd not only win over the untouchable Logan but also live my dream of becoming a full-time writer.

The plan isn’t just brilliant, it's perfect… until my new boss, Alexander Freeman comes into the picture with his Brooks Brothers suit and Tom Ford briefcase.

So what if the Stiff is hot? I will not ruin my one chance with Logan or my dream career.

But I'm in more trouble than I originally thought.

Turns out Alex has a few intentions of his own and a huge secret I'm totally unprepared for.

Read an excerpt:

David and I walked down the hallway toward the conference room, Maria and Claire trailing behind us.

“Have you noticed what’s trending on Twitter right now?” David asked.

“No. I’ve been absorbed in the Moonstorm Press account. Anything interesting?”

“Very,” David leaned in closer and whispered. “Apparently there is a twenty-three-year-old virgin out there who is set on cashing in her V-card before her twenty-fourth birthday.”

A cold sweat started to form under my arms. This was not good. I let out an over-exaggerated laugh. “Why would something that stupid be trending?”

David smirked. “A twenty-three-year-old virgin sharing her sexual escapades like it’s her diary for the entire world to see? This is the next viral thing. Mark my words.”

Viral? No. My blog was not going viral. I had to delete that post the moment I got home. Maybe even the entire blog.

“Are you talking about The Virgin Club?” Maria caught up beside David and her eyes lit up like she was ready for some juicy gossip.

Yup, I will never drink and post again.

“Yes!” David said. “Have you read any of it?”

“Some, but the site kept crashing, but thankfully someone posted some screenshots on Instagram. Did you see her goal for the first week?”

I wanted to sink through the floor and disappear. The last thing I needed was my work colleagues talking about my sex life—or lack thereof.

Available on Amazon

**My thoughts**

I will admit that when I first read the blurb of this book, I was a little apprehensive. I thought perhaps it was going to be like some kind of reality show where all the girl does is try to sleep around or something like that. But this little voice in the back of my head kept telling me to give it a try. I am so glad that I did.

It's not at all what I thought it was going to be. I was surprised to find myself relating to Emma so much, especially considering I am a generation older than she is, which I think helped me to really get into the story. Emma has her job that she goes to daily and does well at, two best friends, and seems to be doing okay on her own, only she is a big fail in the romance department. She is also a writer and has an anonymous blog that talks about a pact that she and her friends made in college - to remain virgins all the way through school. This is something that you almost never hear about anymore. Usually it seems like people are competing to see how early they can lose it, instead.

So when Jada and Lauren move on to their respective serious relationships, and subsequently give up their V-cards, Emma is left being the last one standing. She decides to shift her blog's focus from being a single girl still trying to hold onto her virginity to vowing to give it up by the time she turns 24 in a few weeks. And suddenly she goes viral.

People can't stop tuning in to see what kind of trouble Emma is going to get herself into today, especially when it involves her little love triangle that has developed between her, Logan - the new hottie at work, and Alex - the new boss. Even more intriguing is that Logan and Alex have their own past, making the game a little bit more exciting. And of course, she is still, in theory, anonymous, but you know she is going to get found out at some point.

What I loved is that Emma ends up learning a lot about herself as she writes out her story. She is figuring out how to find what's real and good in a relationship and continues to realize that it's not all about sex. She learns a lot about trust and love as well as friendship and loyalty. She learns that blogging after enjoying a few appletinis may not be the smartest move (although it did let her be honest, which led to thousands of followers, and who hasn't done this at least once or five times before?). And I love that she learns to embrace herself as  a super lovable klutz, which actually makes her even more endearing to me. (Says the woman who just recently sprained her ankle doing something stupid and trivial as well.) 

If you're looking for a lot of hot sex, don't bother. Or maybe you should try this book, just to try something different. I actually loved having a cleaner romance to read for a change. The men will still give you plenty of swoon-worthy moments in the romance department. And you won't be able to help but laugh at, but mostly with Emma, along the way. I was really reminded of beloved authors like Sophie Kinsella, Helen Fielding, Marian Keyes, and other great indies like Tawdra Kandle, Melissa Baldwin, and Becky Monson. Adding Kayley Wood to my list and definitely reading more of her work.

About Kayley Wood

Kayley has three simple rules in life:

1. Surround yourself with some incredible, kick-ass women you call friends.

2. Don’t worry about failure or mistakes. It’s how you respond to them that makes all the difference.

3. An appletini is never complete without two cherries.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44301055-the-virgin-club

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18941724.Kayley_Wood

https://www.kayleywood.com/

Kayley Wood will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Catfishing (A Romantic Comedy About Dating Online) by Linda West

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I think my readers will enjoy. 

Catfishing: A Romantic Comedy About Dating Online

Cat-Fishing ( To pose as a fake person. To lure or trick a mate online.)

Sable Mancini runs the family restaurant, and is perfectly happy with her simple life in Buffalo. She has a great family, great friends, and a wonderful boyfriend she's about to get engaged to. Although 'Mancini's Pizza and Pasta' is losing business to the new trendy pizza chain across the street, it doesn't compare to the mess that Sable's best friend Ann Marie is having with her love life! No matter who Ann Marie meets online, they end up being someone, or something else. It seems that in the modern world of online dating, that getting catfished is a common pitfall. One night, Sable's stable world suddenly falls apart, when she learns her beloved boyfriend's supermodel ex fiancé wants him back! Tiffany Histon, is a beautiful famous heiress, and Sable is freaked out with jealousy, and afraid he's going to return to her. She goes off the deep end, and comes up with a really stupid idea to stop Tiffany from stealing her man! Together with Ann Marie, they come up with a plan to catfish Tiffany and spy on her via Facebook.

When Tiffany starts to return their fake catfish messages, Sable falls into a trap she can't get out of. She takes off to LA to meet her nemesis and attempt to do damage control, but her whole world turns upside down...She ultimately learns that sometimes, what truly makes you happy, is already in your own back yard.

Available on Amazon

** Rave Reviews **

"A wonderful journey through the pitfalls of finding love and online dating! I enjoyed it tremendously!" - KindleGoodBooks 

"What an entertaining and fun book! I read it in one sitting!"- Cheryl Patchett 

"I am a big fan of Linda's Kissing Bridge series so I was very excited to find out she had ventured into contemporary romance. I fully enjoyed this book, very unique!" - D. Smithson 

"Simply fantastic and fun. I loved it and I loved Sable and Ann Marie's relationship as best friends." - Romance World

About Linda West

Linda West is a number one best selling author on Amazon, and the author of the best selling romance "Christmas Kisses and Cookies." She is also the owner of Morningmayan publishing where they publish books good for the soul.

Hi I'm Linda! Thanks for coming by to check out my books! I'm a mom to a wonderful young son who is the light of my life and keeps reminding me how lucky I am everyday. I was inspired to write my first Christmas novel because I couldn't find one that quite captured the happy go lucky holiday spirit I was looking for - so I wrote my own! I grew up in the snowy winter wonderland of Buffalo, New York which was the the inspiration for the town of Kissing Bridge Mountain in 'Christmas Kisses and Cookies'. After living for years in sunny shallow Los Angeles I learned how valuable family and the Christmas spirit really is.

I have just recently started writing fiction and I hope you enjoy my books as much as I did writing them:))
I am most well know for my work in the science of frequencies and the law of attraction. If you've ever wanted your dreams to come through, but thought only money would make that happen; please come learn about how to manifest anything you want to you with no money, just love!!

I love to help people be happy and achieve love and success. Come on by to Facebook or visit me on youtube as Morningmayan where I have many inspirational and empowering videos that are life changing! I also work full time as an Empowerment and Love Coach at morningmayan.com

Also please write us anytime at MorningMayan@gmail.com our publishing company where we write books that are good for the soul! I'm happy to send you any of my books for a first time reader for free just write and let me know which one you prefer!

Read an excerpt from the #FREE read 'Her Heart for the Asking' by Lisa Mondello

Blurb:

Promises made...secrets kept...

Mandy Morgan swore she’d never step foot in Texas again after Beau Gentry left her for life on the rodeo circuit eight years before. He once promised he'd love her forever. But he'd abandoned their love for the rodeo and she hadn't seen him since. Now she's back in Texas. Her uncle’s heart is failing and Mandy has to convince him that surgery will save his life. She never dreamed the first thing she’d see when she stepped off the plane would be her biggest nightmare...the one man she’d never stopped loving.

Beau Gentry had the fever for two things: the rodeo and Mandy Morgan. But for Beau, loving Mandy was complicated by his father’s vendetta against her uncle and a promise he'd made to an old friend. Hank Promise, Mandy's uncle, was more like a father to Beau than his old man had been. The hardest thing Beau had ever done was leave Mandy behind for the rodeo. He can still see the bitterness and hurt on her face. It has killed him all these years to think Mandy had forgotten him...maybe even in the arms of another man. But now they’re both back in Texas, and Beau's going to do all he can to win back her love.

Read an excerpt:

"What are you doing here?" Mandy Morgan asked, dropping her too-heavy overnight case on the sun-roasted tarmac. After a grueling forty-eight hour work stint and a five-hour flight from Philadelphia, she stood wilting under the brutal Texas sun, facing her biggest nightmare.

Beau Gentry.

She groaned inwardly, drinking Beau in with her eyes as if she hadn't had a drop of water in months. Eight years was more like it. If she were eight years smarter, she would be moving her aching feet as fast as she could in the opposite direction. But all she could do was stare at eyes so bright they rivaled the blazing sun. At lips so kissable she'd spent the better part of her adult life trying to wipe the memory clean from her mind.

She had expected Beau would have aged some. When she allowed herself to think about him at all, she reminded herself. The faint lines etched in the corners of his sleepy gray-blue eyes gave a hint of maturity, but most probably caused by long days in the cruel sun.

She fought the urge to take a closer look at his ruggedly handsome features, but failed. How could he have gotten better looking after being abused by every bronc-busting horse on the rodeo circuit? His angular jaw, strong and determined, was shaded with beard growth that was probably a day old, maybe more. Mandy suspected if Beau grew a full beard, it would grow in thick and be the smooth texture of his almost black head of hair. She forced aside past memories that gave her such knowledge with renewed irritation.

The man didn't even have the decency to have a crooked nose. What should have been bent and awkward from being broken a few too many times was instead long and straight, shaped perfectly between high cheek bones most women would swoon over, or kill to have themselves. But on Beau Gentry, it was just one thousand percent robust cowboy.

Damn him.

"I'm your ride out to the Double T," Beau said, gripping the edge of his white straw cowboy hat and tipping it in a cordial gesture.

She ground the heels of her low pumps into the soft tar to contain her growing irritation. Did he think she was an idiot? "No way."

"'Fraid so," he said, his expression slightly askew.

"Hank didn't mention anything about you coming to get me when I spoke to him on the phone."

"I suspect he thought you would have found some excuse not to come if you knew I was picking you up."

"He would have been right. Why didn't one of the hands come get me?"

Settling his hand at the base of his neck, Beau replied, "You're looking at him. As of three weeks ago I am one of the ranch hands at the Double T."

What?! Mandy fought the urge to keep her surprise from showing, but immediately failed. Beau Gentry was the son of her uncle's biggest rival. It hadn't stopped her from falling head over heels for the man on those long, lazy summers she came down to the ranch to visit her aunt and uncle. Of course, back then, rodeo was all Beau cared about, not his father's spread. Not her, she remembered painfully.

He was going to go PRCA and be a world champion. It was his dream and all he ever talked about. He was good enough to do it, too, Mandy thought wryly. So good, he hadn't given her a second glance when he rode out of Texas without her eight years ago on the heels of a golden sunset.

Her chuckle was almost hysterical. "You really expect me to leave this airport with you?"

"That was the plan," he said smiling, his gray eyes seeing more of her than she wanted him to see. He held his ground. He had to know how difficult it was to see him after all this time. It didn't matter that he didn't share her unrest. He could have at least had the decency to think about her feelings. But then he hadn't thought about her feelings eight years ago when he broke her heart, so it didn't seem he was any more incline to do so now.

Beau Gentry might be clueless, but there was no way Mandy was going anywhere with him. No way she'd spend the next two hours bouncing up and down in a hot pickup truck breathing in his scent and wrestling with memories...

Mandy twisted on her heels and surged in the opposite direction. "Forget it," she called over her shoulder.

There had to be a cab going somewhere. Anywhere. A hot, sticky bus would be a lot more inviting than spending the next few hours in inescapable close quarters with Beau.

"Mandy, what are you going to do, walk all the way to the Double T?"

"I'm sorry you were dragged out here like this, Beau. But I'm afraid it was a waste of your time. I...can rent a car."

Behind her, Mandy heard his heavy sigh and the sound of his boots stop short on the tarmac. Defeat? Regret? She wasn't sure, but she was very sure she shouldn't care.

Since Mandy had just come off a forty-eight hour work-marathon and let her cell phone battery run down, she concentrated on finding a payphone.

"It's been a while since you've been around. The car rental service went belly up here two years ago. About the closest thing you could do to get away from me right now is to take a cab to the bus depot. And I'll just have to pick you up when you get to Steerage Rock anyway."

She stopped walking when she reached the pay phone just outside the small terminal, angling back to see where Beau was standing. The airport was small enough not to have gates. All passengers exited the plane on the tarmac. She glanced past the booth to the boarded up window near the entrance to the small building that housed the air tower, the terminal and a small restaurant-a fast food diner of sorts. The peeled paint of the weather-beaten banner didn't hide the letters of a rental car company that indeed had gone out of business.

She blew out an exasperated breath of frustration in the already hot Texas heat. She wasn't ready to give up. Right now, a bus looked as if it might be a possibility, since the last orange taxi just pulled out of the parking lot with one of the passengers who'd been on the same flight she'd taken. She remembered seeing a bus depot not far from here when Uncle Hank used to pick her up. It wouldn't take her all the way to the Double T, but close enough not to put Uncle Hank or Aunt Corrine out when she called and asked for a ride.

She was being ridiculous. Part of her knew that, accept her behavior as being childish. But part of her rationalized it as necessary. She knew all too well the dangers of being with Beau Gentry. It had taken Mandy too long to get over him and she wasn't about to let anything allow the man to seep into her heart again.

"I can manage," she said resolutely.

"I suspect you could. You seem to have done fine for yourself, judging by the fancy clothes you're wearing and that designer luggage."

With a fistful of quarters in her palm, she swung around, cradling the phone in her other hand. Leveling him with a warning stare, she said tightly, "I don't think you're in a position to judge me after what you did."

His face showed a momentary flash of regret. "That was a long time ago, Mandy."

She gripped the quarters in her hand, felt her pulse hammer in her wrist. "I have a long memory."

Turning her attention back to the task at hand, Mandy decided the phone book was useless. What was the company name on the side of that yellow cab? It had been eight years since she'd been in Texas. Eight years was a long time for a county to change. Who could she possibly call if her one and only ally in Texas sent the one man she swore she'd never lay eyes on again?

Defeated, she dropped the out of date phonebook, and chided herself for not charging her cell phone before she left for the airport. She had most of her numbers on speed dial and couldn't even recall the number for the Double T. It would teach her to let her cell phone battery run down again, leaving her unprepared.

"Tell me, Beau. Why did you come here? Someone else could have easily come for me. Why did it have to be you?"

His gray-blue eyes lost some of their luster and grew solemn. There was a time long ago when she thought she could stare at those eyes and be lost in them for hours. You still could, she realized with sudden regret.

Not a good sign.

He adjusted his hat in that lazy way he always did. "Because Hank asked me to. That's why."

There was her life in a nutshell. Beau was asked. And Mandy wasn't. Mandy was never asked, she was told. And like the good girl she was raised to be, Mandy always complied.

She thought back to the conversation she'd had with her mother just three days ago with renewed irritation.

"I'm not asking, Mandy," Leandra Morgan had said over the phone.

I'm telling you.

Her mother didn't have to actually say the last part for Mandy to know what she was thinking. It was a given. It followed every request the woman ever made. I'm not asking you to keep your tongue. I'm not asking you to come to your cousin's party. I'm not asking you to apologize to your father. I'm not asking you to work for the family business...or date the son of your father's biggest client. I'm telling you.

Three days ago Mandy had sat in her downtown Philadelphia office on the phone with her mother, impatiently drumming her foot on the lift on her chair. "I am knee deep in this project for Dad, Mom. There's just no way I'm going to be able to get away. I can't make both of you happy at the same time."

"You'll just have to find a way." Leandra's voice came like static over the phone. "Your uncle...isn't himself. It's been a long time since you've visited him in Texas. I think it would do him some good to see you again. I think it's time you go."

A tug of emotion had squeezed her chest. It had been years since she'd visited Uncle Hank and Aunt Corrine at the Double T. She'd never told her mother why she'd stopped her summer visits, and thankfully, her mother had never pushed for a reason. Mandy suspected her mother had just accepted her decision to not make her summer vacation as Mandy asserting adolescent independence, wanting to remain in Philadelphia to enjoy some summer freedom with her friends. She'd never spoken about what happened that last summer. Never confided of her first love. And that was just fine with Mandy. She didn't need to be reminded.

"I'll call Uncle Hank and explain. I can't get away now. He'll understand," she'd said.

"You make it happen, young lady." I'm not asking.

A voice boomed over the outdoor loudspeaker announcing the arrival of another flight. Mandy was immediately pulled back to the present, back to Texas, and the hot tarmac she now stood on, heels sinking into the sun-softened tar.

"We've got a couple of hours ahead of us. I'm going to get something cold to drink for the ride," Beau said, ambling toward the building. Turning back, he asked, "You want something?"

Yeah, I want you to go away. I want to forget the way you broke my heart all those years ago. But she knew that was futile. She'd been a fool to think she'd gotten over him. If eight years and countless dates with very eligible men hadn't exorcised the memory of Beau Gentry from her heart and soul, nothing would.

Mandy glanced at him, defeat sitting just beneath the surface of her composure, and shook her head.

How could he act so normal? How could he be asking her something as simple as whether she wanted a soda when the last time they'd seen each other had been such a sham?

And how dare he be so handsome after a two hour ride in a hot pickup truck? His white tee-shirt stretched taut across his muscled shoulders. She knew first hand just how strong those arms were when they were wrapped around her in a warm embrace. After years of breaking every wild bronc on the circuit, they were sure to be even stronger.

There wasn't an ounce of body fat on the man. His jeans weren't a tight fit, even baggy in a few places where she longed to lazily roam her hand over and on a few occasions long ago had. But on Beau, there was nothing sloppy about it. Just high voltage sex appeal that had her rampant heart doing an acrobatic dance right there on the blazing tarmac.

And he was nonchalantly asking if she wanted a soda.

The door closed behind him as he stepped into the building and Mandy watched through the tinted window while he wandered over to the soda machine in the corner and made his selection. He stood there, his weight shifted lazily to one hip in a never-do-care way.

She tore her gaze away from her torture. Beau Gentry might look like a dream come true from the cover of Modern Cowboy, but she was an utter disaster after her long flight. Suddenly aware she was still wearing yesterday's silk suit, she ran her hands down her skirt in a futile attempt to smooth out the wrinkles. Giving up, she rummaged through her purse for a barrette and a comb. Anything to pull together hair that had become unruly from neglect, heat and the wind. Settling on a hairband and her fingers as a comb, she wrestled her normally-wavy-gone-curly-in-the-heat dusty blonde hair into a pony tail. She hated that it made her look sixteen again. But there wasn't much she could do until she could get back to the ranch and unpack her things.

As Mandy watched Beau walk out into the sunshine with two Root Beers and a bag of chips in his hand, she reasoned she wasn't as vulnerable as she had been then. Letting the likes of Beau Gentry stomp on her heart was something she wouldn't do ever again. She was a woman now. She could do this. She led corporate business meetings. She used her innovative ideas to dazzle prospective clients into spending millions of advertising dollars with her father's firm. She'd just purchased an elegant townhouse in one of the trendiest sections of Philadelphia. All she had to do was pull herself together and she could handle this situation like the professional she was.

"I'm not going," she said, cursing inwardly for sounding like a spoiled child. So much for the corporate executive touch.

Beau's lips curled into a slight grin. He wouldn't win any points if he ticked Mandy off by laughing at the way her chin tilted up in defiance. That hadn't changed much. Or the flash of fire in her deep brown eyes. They still looked as black and contrasted wildly with the natural streaks of blond in her hair. He'd always found that appealing, adorable as all get-out. Already his fingers itched to dig in and let the soft curls of her hair tumble in his hand.

But she had changed. Any fool could see that Mandy Morgan had blossomed into a five star beauty while he'd been out roaming the country these last eight years.

She was still slim as she was at sixteen, but her figure had filled out in all the right places that made a man take notice. The light rock in her hips that had taunted him when she was sixteen had matured into a graceful sway he found hypnotizing. Although she'd chewed off most of her lipstick, he noticed she now wore a slight hint of makeup on her cheeks and eyes, giving her the more exotic look of a woman.

And she still had the power to make his head spin like a lasso chasing a calf. He longed to see her smile again, hear her laugh bubble up from her soul. But given the way things ended between them, and the way she stood before him now with her arms knotted tightly in front of her chest, her jaw set, he knew she wouldn't crack a smile just to spite him.

Lord only knew why Hank insisted he be the one to pick her up at the airport.

"Did you hear me?" she finally said when he didn't answer her.

"Yeah, I did."

Her dark eyes widened slightly. "Oh. Good."

Beau reached down and picked up her leather garment bag, watching as her bewildered eyes followed his movement.

"It doesn't change anything though. Hank asked me to pick you up at the airport and bring you home, and that's what I'm doing if I have to toss you over my shoulder and drop you in the pickup."

Mandy gasped. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Wanna try me?" He couldn't help but smile. She just looked too darlin' getting all hot and flustered. She had to know he wouldn't give up. Not just because she was virtually stuck, and knew it, but because she knew he would never refuse Hank's request.

She sighed and closed her eyes. "You touch me and I'll..."

"What?"

"I'll..."

"Afraid of what you'll do?" His smile widened just thinking. "Or are you afraid of how you'll feel in my arms again?"

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Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Lisa Mondello, is an award winning author and has published over 20 romance novels. Her bestselling series includes TEXAS HEARTS, DAKOTA HEARTS and Fate with a Helping Hand. She’s held many jobs in her life including managing a Boston rock band, selling catering tools and working in special education. But writing novels in the last job she’ll ever have because she’s not retiring! For more information and to get news about upcoming books, visit her at http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisamondello.author

Twitter: @lisamondello