by Erin Wright
“One thing at a time,” she said, trying to inject some rationality into the conversation. “You want to marry me.” She said it as a statement, but he nodded anyway. “And I want to marry you.” His face broke out into a huge smile.
“Oh, thank God!” he exclaimed. “I thought you were busy trying to figure out how to tell me no.”
“I just might have to,” she told him seriously. The joy instantly disappeared and was replaced by total confusion.
“You lost me,” he said slowly.
“You lost me,” she retorted. “Moose Garrett, I’m giving you one chance to give me a good reason for you buying a house without even talking to me beforehand, and fair warning: It damn well better be a real good reason.”
“Without talking to you?” He stared at her, the wheels turning in his head as he thought through what she’d just said.
“Yes, without talking to me. Unless you had a conversation about this house with me while I was sleepwalking, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t part of this plan. Hell, Moose, I still don’t even know where we are!”
“But…I had to have a house before I could propose,” he pointed out, as if stating that the sky was blue and the grass was green. “I mean, I shouldn’t have even proposed to you until I signed the closing papers, but I couldn’t wait any longer.”
“You and Levi. No wonder you two are best friends,” Georgia muttered to herself. “Have you ever considered that just the idea of marrying someone was big enough by itself, and you don’t have to lump children or houses into the equation too? Just propose to me. Ask me if I’ll marry you. Don’t ask me if I’ll have your children. Don’t ask me to move into a house I’ve never even laid eyes on. Just ask to marry me. Then we figure everything else out after that. Together.”
He clasped his hands behind his head as he turned in circles in the emerald green lawn. He finally stopped back in front of her. “My family is real weird, you know that?”
Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times, and then she finally said, “Yeah, I’m beginning to figure this out, thanks. Is this some Garrett rule – that you have to have a house before you can get married?”
“Yeah. The house my dad bought for my mom wasn’t anything grand or amazing, but it was theirs, and they kept it as a rental after my dad bought the second house – the one they live in now. Both were a surprise to my mom. My dad told me that it wasn’t something the wife needed to worry about too much, because it was my job to take care of all of it.”
“Are you even listening to yourself right now?” Georgia asked, astounded and pissed as hell. “‘My dad bought the house for my mom.’ ‘My dad bought the second house for my mom.’ ‘It’s the man’s job to do all of this and don’t worry the dumb little housewife with any of the details.’ These are the words of a patronizing prick. Moose, I run a damn branch of a credit union. I know more about house buying in my little pinky than you probably do in your whole body. No offense, but this is my career. So I’m asking you now and you better consider your words carefully: Do you hold the same philosophy as your father? Should I just expect to have all major life decisions made by you, and I am to be the little housewife who is told afterwards what the almighty husband has decided?”
She tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice, she really did.
Oh shit, who was she lying to. She absolutely did not try to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. In fact, she might’ve laid it on a little thicker just because she was boiling angry.
Moose did a real fine impersonation of a trout flopping around on land, gasping for air, but nothing coming out. He held his hands up defensively. “Georgia, I love you. I’ve loved you all my life, I think. I love you because of your brains and your take-no-prisoners attitude and your heart and how you don’t simper and sigh and bat your eyelashes and expect me to make all of the decisions and do everything on my own. I want to work as a team. I just haven’t had that modeled to me. I guess it’s going to take a while for me to find all of the holes in my upbringing. When you’re a kid, what your parents do is what every family does. I’m still learning how to distinguish between the good things that my parents do versus the bad.”
She let her shoulders relax a little and she nodded. “It makes sense. My parents…every decision was made together. They’re too poor to go off buying houses and cars and stuff without talking to the other person. If they pulled that stunt a couple of times, they’d probably end up in bankruptcy court. That’s how I was raised. My mother is equal to my father in every way. Your mother is not equal to your father, and I am not okay with that. I mean, it’s their relationship. They can conduct it however they want to. But I’m not okay with that for me.”
He took a deep breath and let it out, visibly trying to calm himself down. “I sure screwed this one up,” he said with a discouraged smile.
“Yeah,” she agreed, “but the important part is that you realize where my problem comes in at, and you don’t do this again. I’m guessing that we’re in the foothills of Franklin?”
He nodded. “A couple of miles out of town.”
“That’s fine and all, but there’s so much to consider. Property taxes are wildly different between Franklin and Sawyer, even though they’re in the same county. Franklin is a tourist town because of the ski resort just up the road, and the pricing reflects that. Maybe we want a large ostentatious house instead of buying something smaller and traveling more. Maybe we want something smaller, we don’t travel much, and we pour everything into a retirement account so we can retire early. What is the school district like between Franklin and Sawyer? Is one better than the other? Do we want to live this far out and have to drive through snow in the winter, or is it better to live in town and have better snow plowing access? Plus, my family, your family, and my job are all in Sawyer, along with all of our friends and the fire department. Do we really want to live 40 minutes away from everyone and everything? I haven’t even gotten into buying old vs new, remodeling, renovating, what to do with my condo…
“This is such a huge decision on every level, and I want to make it with you. That’s part of being a couple.”
Moose grimaced. “When I screw up, I really screw up, don’t I?”
She took his hands into hers and said softly, “A deposit on a house isn’t the same as buying it. You can get out of the deal, or we can end up wanting to stick with it. Before we get to that discussion though, I think there was a question that you were busy asking.”
He squeezed her hands tight, brought them to his mouth and kissed the back of each of them, and then dropped to one knee. “Georgia Rowland, will you marry me?” he asked simply.
“Yes,” she said simply.
Because sometimes, the simple things in life were what truly mattered.
And as Moose slipped the ostentatious ring onto her finger and then took that hand, weighed down with the promise of forever – all contained in a rock and some metal – she realized that what her parents did wasn’t right 100% of the time, and what his parents did wasn’t right 100% of the time. They’d have to forge their own path together, and they’d have to discover the potholes and detours as a couple. Sometimes they’d fall into a hole and would flail around like fish out of water.
But as long as they did it together, that was all that mattered.
* * *
Oh, but the fun has just begun! Keep reading to learn more about Levi’s upcoming novel, Fire and Love…
In every way that counts, Levi is the polar opposite of his best friend, Moose. Instead of coming from the richest family in Long Valley, Levi’s father is the town drunk, and his mother, sick of the beatings, took off when he was only two.
Over time, he’d found a bit of stability when Moose’s family took him in, but life is never easy, and Levi quickly finds that coming from the wrong side of the tracks causes more than one problem in this sleepy town…
Coming July 2018, Fire and Love is the third novel in the Firefighters of Long Valley series, although all books
in the Long Valley world can be read as standalones. It has some strong language, and oh my, sexy times. Enjoy!
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Preorder today and save! Only $2.99 if you preorder it before it’s released.
A FREE Story For You…
Enjoyed Inferno of Love? Not ready to quit reading yet? If you sign up for my newsletter at http://news.erinwright.net, you will receive Stampede of Love, the love story of Rex and Kimber, right away as my thank-you gift for choosing to hang out with me.
Stampede of Love
Eight seconds…
That’s all Rex Kingsley wants. Eight seconds on the back of Bodacious, the most feared bull in the PBR. Two years ago, the massive bull threw him and stomped him into the sands of the Tulsa Rodeo in front of ten thousand spectators. Rex survived. Barely. Now his single goal is to conquer the bull touted as “unbeatable.” No bull rider has lasted eight seconds on Bodacious’ back for over five years. Rex aims to break that streak, and his lofty ambition leaves no room in his life for a woman.
Until Kimber…
Kimber Adams just wants to celebrate her birthday with friends. A few drinks. Maybe a spin on the dance floor. But when she falls into Rex’s arms, literally, her plans change. She and Rex share a night of passion but the handsome cowboy wants more. Kimber’s no stranger to the perils of bull riding, though. She makes it clear that Rex needs to choose between eight seconds on Bodacious…or a lifetime with her.
Their love is young and fragile. Can it survive the dangers of a rodeo cowboy’s life?
* * *
Read on for a taste of Stampede…
Stampede of Love Preview
(Rex and Kimber have just met in a bar, and sparks are flying…)
“I never caught your name,” he said, realizing that he couldn’t use her name if she hadn’t been the one to tell him. That was just stalkerish and weird.
“Kimber, not Kimberly.”
“Well, Kimber Not Kimberly, I’m Rex.”
“Rex?” She eyeballed him. “Like T-Rex? Who names their child after a dinosaur? I thought I had a weird name…”
“I will say, I’ve never heard of Kimber Not Kimberly.” She stuck her tongue out at him and he winked and grinned. “Rex is…it’s a nickname.”
“And you’re not going to tell me your real name, are you.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Not a chance,” he said with a grin.
“If I guess it, will you tell me if I’m right or not?”
“Not a chance,” he repeated, and grinned wider. She rolled her eyes and plowed ahead.
Roger…
Alonzo…
Maurice…
Crawford…
“You did hear that I wouldn’t tell you even if you were right, right?” he asked, laughing, after she guessed Lesley.
“But I thought I’d bat my baby blues at you and change your mind.” She batted her eyelashes in a mockery of a southern belle, and he laughed.
“Turns out, I’m immune to baby blues.”
“Well I’m just screwed…”
* * *
Stampede of Love is ONLY available by signing up for my newsletter – sign up for it here: http://news.erinwright.net
The story doesn’t end…
You’ve met a few people and have fallen in love…
You’re probably wondering when and where you can meet everyone else. Here’s the list of books, current and to-be-released, in the Long Valley world:
Accounting for Love – The bank’s threatening to foreclose on Stetson’s farm…and the auditor on the case is damn hot. Jennifer doesn’t mind a tough job, but handsome Stetson is trouble. And then came the night she had to spend on the farm. Can she find a way for him to save his farm? And if she can’t, will he ever forgive her?
* * *
Blizzard of Love – Luke never expects to end up spending Christmas at the Miller farm. Everyone knows he hates Christmas. But Bonnie adores Christmas, so when her best friend invites her to the Miller farm, she jumps at the chance. When a blizzard hits, sparks fly. Can the magic of mistletoe tear down the barriers between them?
* * *
Arrested by Love – When Wyatt Miller ended up in the Long Valley County Jail over Christmas, he never expected to receive the greatest gift of all: Love and forgiveness…from his jailer.
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Returning for Love – If Declan could turn back time, the rugged cowboy would do things differently. For one, he would've never let go of Iris Blue McLain. Fifteen long and lonely years, and the ache in his heart is as painful as ever. When he sees her again, he can’t deny his feelings any longer, and vows to win the only woman he’s ever loved.
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Christmas of Love – This December, Ivy wishes she could just skip all the festivities. Parties? No thanks. Getting together with family? Not even. Mistletoe? Let’s not go there. But everything changes when she meets a rugged cowboy with a slow, sexy smile. Austin’s kiss melts her heart, but can two people with painful secrets have a chance at happily ever after?
* * *
Overdue for Love – When Dawson left Arizona nine years ago, he never expected to see Chloe again. Until he runs into her at a diner in Sawyer, Idaho, and finds that she has a memento of their last meeting in tow…
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Bundle of Love – Dr. Adam Whitaker, vet extraordinaire, has spent the last nine years helplessly in love with Chloe, and deserves his own happily ever after. Except, what if the love of his life comes with one condition…a baby? [COMING JUNE 2018]
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Lessons in Love – Elijah hasn’t exactly made stellar choices in life, but the one thing he’s never regretted? His daughter, even if his ex-wife is doing all she can to keep them apart. In the midst of their custody battle, something unexpected happens: He begins to fall in love. Everyone knows your daughter’s elementary school teacher is off-limits, but someone forgot to tell Elijah’s heart… [COMING AUGUST 2018]
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Baked with Love – When Gage took over his grandparent’s bakery three years ago, love was the last thing on his mind. Despite the best efforts of his wanna-be-matchmaker sister, Emma, he was content to keep his nose to the grindstone, work his ass off, and make the bakery the success he knew it could be.
That all changed the day the neighbor from hell bought the shop next to his and began remodeling, destroying Gage’s well-ordered life in the process. It really was too bad she was so damn gorgeous... [COMING DECEMBER 2018]
* * *
Stampede of Love – Rex the Bull Rider only wants one thing in life: To beat Bodacious, the most feared bull in the PBR. But when he meets Kimber, he has to make choice: Eight seconds…or a love of a lifetime.
Bonus: Stampede of Love is available only to my mailing list. Sign up to receive it today: http://news.erinwright.net
~ Firefighters of Long Valley ~
Flames of Love – Jaxson’s not interested in love, or the perils that come with it. His priority is caring for his two small boys, and being fire chief of Sawyer. Everything changes the day he catches sight of Sugar, the pretty girl with the fragile smile. He wants her all to himself, and preferably in his bed – a no-strings arrangement that won’t break what’s left of his heart. But love’s as unpredictable as fire…
* * *
Inferno of Love – Georgia has spent a lot of years – roughly 26 of them – pretending Moose wasn’t the finest man in town. For the record, she barely notices how his slow, sultry smile makes her knees weak, and always ignores the close fit of his faded jeans. But when she gets trapped in the flames of a wildfire out in the hills of Long Valley, Moose appears amidst the smoke, ready to walk through fire. For her…
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Fire & Love – In every way that counts, Levi is the polar opposite of his best friend, Moose. Instead of coming from the richest family in Long Valley, Levi’s father is the town drunk, and his mother, sick of the beatings, took off when he was only two.
Over time,
he’d found a bit of stability when Moose’s family took him in, but life is never easy, and Levi quickly finds that coming from the wrong side of the tracks causes more than one problem in this sleepy town… [COMING JULY 2018]
* * *
Burned by Love – Nephew of the former fire chief of Sawyer, Troy was happy when no one looked his way to take over after his uncle retired. Troy appreciates his solitude, and just being a part of the background makes it easy to guard his secrets.
But secrets have a way of forcing themselves to the surface, no matter how hard one tries to hide them… [COMING SEPTEMBER 2018]
~ Servicemen of Long Valley ~
Thankful for Love – Gunner Nash left town the day after high school graduation, and hasn’t looked back since. He and his twin sister, Georgette, were happy living anywhere but Sawyer. But he’s finished his stint in the Navy, and is now drifting, looking for a purpose in life, or at least a roof over his head. His older brother, Luke, offers him a place to stay until he can get back on his feet.
He never expects to find love in the process… [COMING NOVEMBER 2018]
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