High Stakes (29 page)
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.”
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Thank You
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.
Ryan Spencer has
earned his reputation as a ladies man. He loves everything about them, so much
so that he’s never been able to limit himself to just one. But when every guy
in the office starts talking about the gorgeous new lawyer with the killer
smile, it makes Ryan wonder how he can convince Brianna his days of playing the
field are over.
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?