by V. A. Dold
Krystal Le Beau sat the last box of kitchen glassware on the granite countertop and stretched her back. That was the last of the breakables she moved herself.
Now, for food and household supplies. The drive to the ranch was a long one, but groceries weren’t going to buy themselves, and they hadn’t hired kitchen staff yet.
“Julia, are you up to a trip to the store with me? Mother Hubbard’s cupboards are bare, and I think stocking the kitchen may take two carts.”
“Sure. I noticed Emma hid steaks and potato salad in the bottom of the cooler for dinner, but I won’t survive without coffee in the morning. Plus, I don’t even want to think about things like using the bathroom just to find there’s no toilet paper.”
“Let’s tell the guys where we’re going and head out. Lucas would never let me hear the end of it if I got lost in the dark on these country back roads and we had to call him to come find us.”
“I can hear him now,” Julia said and rolled her eyes. Mimicking Lucas’s voice, she said, “How did you manage to get lost? You’re wolves for cryin’ out loud. Couldn’t you smell your way home?”
Krystal let out a belly laugh at Julia’s imitation of Lucas. She had him pegged, the voice and mannerisms were spot on.
Lucas and Thomas waved as the women left, then continued to unload the truck. They wanted to go along, but someone needed to stay at the ranch. The movers were scheduled to arrive that afternoon, and they would need instructions on where to place the furniture.
Lucas lucked out, not only did he manage to find a large, usable cattle ranch for sale, but the dude ranch on the next spread was also for sale. So, he bought both and designed a website. Everyone was shocked when reservations began to pour in. Now, there were only four short weeks to prepare the main house and guest cabins before the first guests arrived at the dude ranch. Not to mention they needed to hire cowboys, buy horses, and stock the ranch with a herd of longhorns.
Julia’s eyes grew wide as she read over the grocery list Krystal handed her. The endless number of items filled an entire legal pad. “I’m amazed by how much stuff people normally have in their pantry and refrigerator that they take for granted. When you have to start from scratch, the undertaking is a bit mind-boggling.”
“And this list is only what I need for the main house. Tomorrow we’ll start a list of items we need for the guest cabins. We don’t even have beds or dressers in them.”
Julia gaped open-mouthed at her sister. “It’s a dang good thing Thomas, and I came along to help.”
Krystal shook her head and laughed. “You have no idea.”
They each grabbed a cart as they entered the local grocery. If they worked the store row by row and kept moving, they would be home in time to have cocktails with the guys and barbecue the steaks.
“Maybe we can grill the steaks over the fire pit out back and dedicate the ranch to the wolf goddess properly. I made sure to pack the items I’ll need for the dedication and Emma taught me the ritual,” Krystal thought aloud.
“That’s a great idea. Hopefully, we’ll be back in time,” Julia agreed whole-heartedly.
Krystal was studying the yogurt options when two women parked a cart close to her and began to discuss cottage cheese.
She glanced at them, ready to introduce herself when she noticed the aura of the taller of the two. How interesting…the colors and pattern looked identical to Lucas’s aura. As she examined the fluctuating colors more closely, the woman’s spirit guide stepped forward. Kensie Brown is your cousin, Lucas’s, soul mate. Please help her.
Krystal gave the spirit guide a slight nod. Careful no one saw her as she talked to an invisible entity. Few people knew her secret. Not only could she see and read auras, but she could also see everyone’s spirit guides and speak to them.
Her breath caught in her throat. She could hardly believe her luck! Lucas’s mate stood not three feet from her.
She shook off the shock and cleared her throat. “Hello, my name is Krystal. I just moved to town. Do you live around here?”
The younger woman, the one with dark brown hair and large blue eyes, smiled brightly. “Hi! Yes, I do, and it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jolene, but my friends call me Jojo Brown, and this is my big sister, Kensie. I’m fairly new, too. I only moved here myself about six months ago. You’re going to love living here. Everyone I’ve met is very friendly.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you both. So, you said you moved here, Jojo. Do you live somewhere else, Kensie?”
“Yes, I’m only visiting for a week, then I need to head back to Minnesota.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. I hoped to invite you both to dinner once we’re unpacked.”
“Thank you, but I only came to make sure Jojo was doing okay. I have patients waiting for me back home, so I can’t stay.”
“Yeah, Kensie is a famous doctor at the Mayo Clinic and has a waiting list about a mile long. I practically had to kidnap her to get her to take a few days off and come see me.”
“If you would like to come to dinner, Jojo, I would love to have you over.”
Jojo practically squealed. “I’d love to. Here’s my number. Just call me when you’ve finished unpacking.”
Krystal took her information and said goodbye as she moved to the next aisle. Her excitement over meeting Lucas’s mate practically crackled in the air. She would have to come up with a plan to get Kensie to visit again so she could introduce her to Lucas.
Kensie was gorgeous, with her long red hair and large brown eyes. Lucas had a thing for redheads, and she would knock him on his ass when he met her. Now, she just needed to figure out a way to get them together. How the heck could she accomplish that if the woman never took time off from her busy schedule?
Krystal tapped her pen on her chin as she puzzled it out. A call to Aunt Emma might be in order. She was the sneakiest person she knew and might have an idea how she could get Kensie to visit again. Texas was going to be much more interesting than she expected.
Lucas pulled his cell phone from his pocket. The truck was unloaded, and there were still several hours of daylight left.
How’s the shopping going? He texted Krystal.
I estimate two more hours. She texted back.
Taking Thomas for a ride, call if you need me.
Okay, have fun and don’t fall off. She added an image of a cartoon character with a head injury for good measure.
LOL, you’re funny today.
I’ll be here all week. She joked back. See you in a couple hours.
See you soon. He responded.
Thank Goddess he already shipped his horse, Elvis, to the ranch. The handsome bay stallion was a gift from a rancher in South America after he saved the rancher’s daughter from a nasty group of men. He also purchased a sweet buckskin filly named Marigold along with a few other horses from a local rancher when he closed on the sale of the property. With the horses, he would be able to give Thomas a tour, and they could make plans for the future of his operation.
Lucas tucked the phone away and went to find Thomas. “Hey, man. Want to take a ride? I can show you some of the ranch.”
“Sure. That would be great,” Thomas agreed. “I could use some fresh air and sunshine.”
Lucas saddled Elvis and Marigold quickly. “Do you know how to ride? The mounting block is over there if you need it.” Lucas tilted his head toward the block as he continued to tighten the cinch of Elvis’s saddle.
“I’m not an expert, but I know how to ride,” Thomas assured Lucas as he led Marigold from the barn.
“You’ll like her. She’s sweet and well trained. Once we have a herd, I might even use her for cutting cattle.”
“Wow, she must be good.” Thomas looked the horse over with new appreciation. “Where did you find her?”
“A few ranches over, they raise and train cutting horses. She was good, just not good enough to compete, so they happily sold her to me. We’re negotiating a few more he
ad for the ranch hands to use.”
“What about trail horses? You don’t plan to use the cutters for the general public do you?” Thomas asked, concerned not only for the guest but also for a well-trained animal at the mercy of an ignorant city slicker.
“No,” Lucas chuckled. “I was given the name of a man the next town over who specializes in docile horses. Most of his stock is crossbreeds. He has developed a bloodline over the years, which produces a calm, intelligent, but very sturdy animal. I believe he said most of his stock has a percentage of draft horse, which accounts for their size and sturdiness.”
“They sound like the perfect trail horse. You might even be able to use them for hayrides. How many head do you think you can get?”
“I left a message I was interested in ten to fifteen to start with. Once we get a feel for the guest load from the dude ranch operation, we can purchase more if we need them.”
“That’s a sound plan,” Thomas nodded. “Have you considered letting experienced riders do an advanced option at the dude ranch and actually help work the cattle?”
Lucas smiled and nodded. “I’ve considered the idea. But I want to get the basic dude ranch operation running smoothly and the cattle herd in place before I give advanced programs serious thought.”
“Good idea. Holy cow. This is beautiful,” Thomas exclaimed as they neared the narrow river that cut through a large portion of the ranch.
Lucas beamed, taking in the incredible view. “This river is one of the major reasons I purchased this spread. I have a water supply that doesn’t dry up. The river is shallow enough in spots to cross the herd, but also deep enough in places to ensure water is always available. I researched the source extensively. There are several creeks and rivers that feed the water supply as well as a half dozen springs.”
“No wonder it took you so long to settle on a location. Dang, Lucas. Who knew you were so savvy?” Thomas laughed.
“Apparently, not you,” he joked back.
Lucas managed to show Thomas the section of the ranch that would be used primarily for the dude ranch before they headed back.
By the time Krystal and Julia returned it was late. The dedication would have to wait until Emma arrived.
SERIES
K.I.S.S Series
LUCAS: Prelude to a K.I.S.S.
Book 1 First K.I.S.S.
Le Beau Series
Book 1 CADE
Book 2 SIMON
Book 3 SIMON & ROSE
Book 4 STEFAN
Book 5 THOMAS
Book 6 CADE & ANNA
Book 7 LUCAS
Book 8 RICHIE
Book 9 SETH
League of Guardians Series
Book 1 Dangerous Destiny
Book 2 Etienne (Coming Soon)
Hell Yeah Kindle World
RACE TO TEBOW
CADE
Plus-sized Anna James is finally free of her good for nothing, cheating husband. She’s in no hurry to trust another man anytime soon. Well, except for the hottie who stars nightly as the romantic hero in her dreams. It’s a darn shame he isn't real.
Cade Le Beau is a billionaire with a furry secret. But even billions can’t buy happiness. He blew his chance to meet the woman of his dreams six months ago. Dreaming is a fine way to pass the time, but he wants the flesh and blood female.
When a second opportunity presents itself, it comes with baggage. Anna’s past has come for a visit, and she’s been taken. Racing against the clock, Cade has forty-eight hours to deal with the threat and claim what’s his.
SIMON
Desperate to find his mate, Simon Le Beau joined the Marines. No matter how badly he wanted his destined female, she wasn't going to walk up and knock on his door. Maybe a bit of travel while serving his country would bring him a little luck in love.
Four years later, he returns home from deployment, stuck in wolf form. Little did he know, his mate would, in fact, show up at his family’s plantation. If only he had opposable thumbs.
Rose O’Leary is a beautiful, voluptuous woman. Raised in foster homes, she fears abandonment and avoids men. Relationships bring nothing but pain.
As if they didn't have enough problems, a secret organization is out to destroy the Le Beau family. What better way to cripple the royal family than to steal their females? And the one they hired wants Rose for himself.
SIMON & ROSE:
Mark Anderson’ Story
Simon Le Beau desperately wants two things: to help his fellow service veterans and have a baby with his beloved mate, Rose. He has no idea how to start a charity, but his friend, Mark, is just the man to help him figure it out
Rose Le Beau loves her mate, but babies terrify her. What does she know about babies? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Tragically wounded, combat veteran Mark Anderson has a lot of time on his hands. No longer able to serve his country and suffering from PTSD, he’s bored and at his wits’ end. That is, until his conversation with Simon. What had he been thinking when he offered to be one of the singles auctioned off? A date, he’s okay with. Anything more sends him into a panic attack.
Sharon Lejeune's intuition is screaming that something big is about to happen. She just didn’t expect that something big to be her mate. Who knew a shifter could purchase a mate at a singles auction?
To the Le Beaus, family is everything. Together, there isn’t much they can’t overcome. Have they finally met a situation they can’t solve?
STEFAN
Beautiful, successful, and plus-sized El suffered a violent attack that has left her hating all handsome, wealthy men. Unfortunately for Stefan, he’s exactly what she hates.
Stefan is a playboy to the extreme with one hard and fast rule: date a woman once, take her to bed, and be gone before morning.
Until El.
When he is the winning bidder at his brother Simon’s charity auction, he thinks his dream of finding his one true mate has come true. Wrong. So very, very wrong.
It’ll require drastic measures by the entire Le Beau family to make this mating happen.
THOMAS
As the owner of The Backwater shifter bar, Julia Le Beau is happy with her place in the shifter community. The only thing missing in her life is a man. Until he arrives on his white horse, she has stacks of romance novels to fill her nights. Too bad, her crazy mother doesn’t see it that way.
Thomas James’ childhood has molded him into the man is today, extremely protective and relationship shy. As the chief of security for the royal family, he has his hands full. His grandparents, Isaac and Emma Le Beau’s lives are in his hands. Women don’t factor into that other than as an unwanted distraction.
Though they are destined to be mates, the obstacles standing between them and their happily-ever-after, seem insurmountable.
Will Julia and Thomas’s happiness be snuffed out before it has a chance to begin or will they forge through—obstacles be damned?
CADE & ANNA
Attending an ultrasound for his pregnant mate, Anna, becomes a catalyst for pure chaos for Cade Le Beau. Seeing his daughter larger than life on the computer monitor sets him onto a path of foolish, but well-meaning choices.
In a state of panic, he instigates a series of disastrous projects with the help of his brothers Simon and Stefan, as well as his stepson, Thomas. The final disaster is worse than all others combined and threatens to end terribly.
As a shifter mate, and psychically linked through their bond, he feels everything—absolutely EVERYTHING. Labor is an experience no male should endure—EVER.
Why would a woman ever wish to go through this a second time? Insanity, plain and simple.
LUCAS
Krystal Le Beau has a secret—she's a psychic matchmaker. Little does her cousin, Lucas, know she’s worked her magic on him.
Lucas Le Beau’s dream of owning a ranch has come true. He thought he had everything he wanted…until the most beautiful woman h
e’d ever seen knocks him flat on his back. Three times!
Kensie Brown has a plan. Spend one week in God-forsaken Texas to please her sister and then get the heck out of Dodge. She should have remembered that the best-laid plans often go awry. What was she thinking?
Mix one stubborn Yankee workaholic, a determined cowboy wolf shifter, and meddling family. Stir well, and you have the recipe for a wild Texas ride.
RICHIE
Four years ago, Richie met a group of Tulane freshmen when he saved one of them from a mugger.
Now the first of their menagerie is getting married.
Surprise of all surprises, Richie meets his mate, Piper, at the wedding in Missouri, of all places.
He didn’t expect her to be a bounty hunter or that her murderous prey had turned the tables and she was now the hunted.
Will Piper apprehend her bounty or will her bounty get to her first?
Can Richie save her from the death he foresaw in a premonition?
Injuries are mounting, and time is running out.
SETH
Circumstances and heartbreak have driven Seth Le Beau to join the elite band of hunters. Shifters pledged to serve the Wolf Goddess, Luperca as her right hand. Meting out justice to the shifters who go rogue.
The Goddess has one last assignment she needs Seth to handle before he retires. The most challenging of his life with the highest stakes imaginable.
Sara Adams is a homicide detective, and a damn good one, too. Her brother, Grant has been murdered by a rogue and Sara will be damned if the monster sees another day.
