Rookie Love

by Skye Turner

Thank you to my Beta Readers: Betsy, Heather, Kelly, Kristin, Melonie, and Summer.

  Thank you Kari Ayasha of Cover to Cover Designs for this beautiful, sweet, and perfect cover! EXACTLY what I wanted! Grand Slam!

  Thank you to my readers for buying and loving my work. I have so much more to share with you.

  My very best friends in the world: Gabbie, Jaime, Michelle, and Tyf. Love you ladies so hard.

  And finally, but most importantly… Thank you to my loves: my husband James, for ALWAYS supporting me, our diva darling, and our lil man. You three are why I get up every morning and where some of the awesome and hilarious in my books comes from!

  About the Author

  Skye Turner

  Skye Turner is an avid reader and an editor turned Internationally Bestselling Author of the Sexy Adult Rocker Romance series – Bayou Stix, the Romantic Suspense Series – James Black, Contemporary Romance – Unwanted Desire, Military Romance – With Gratitude and Love, Dark Twisted Romance – His Only Salvation, Erotic Romance Short Story Series – Dear Diary, Erotic Romance Short Story Series – Gemstone Burlesque, Country / Rocker Romance Series – A Lil Bit Country A Lil Bit Rock & Roll, Contemporary Baseball Romance – Rookie Love, and the Military Romance – Behind My Charade.

  She attended Southeastern Louisiana University and Louisiana State University where she majored in Mass Communications, centering her studies in Journalism. Unfortunately, life intervened and she never finished her studies.

  She lives in small town Louisiana with her husband, two children, and nine fur babies.

  When she’s not chained to her laptop pounding out sexy stories she can usually be found playing ‘Supermom’, reading, gardening (playing in the dirt), listening to music and dancing like a fool, cooking, baking, crafting, or catching up on her family oriented blog.

  She loves to incorporate pieces of Louisiana into her writing.

  You can find her here:

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/SkyeTurnerAuthor

  Twitter: @SkyeTurner_Auth

  Blog: www.skyeturnerauthor.com

  READER GROUP / Street Team on Facebook: Skye Turner’s Bayou Belle’s and Beau’s

  www.facebook.com/groups/1425424561003650

  Goodreads:

  www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164331.Skye_Turner

  E-mail:

  skyeturnerauthor@gmail.com

  I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to reach out!

  Special Sneak Peek of:

  A Legacy Falls Romance

  By:

  Behind My Charade

  A Legacy Falls Romance

  By

  Skye Turner

  Skye Turner Copyright ©2016

  All rights reserved.

  This ebook is the sole property of the author and may not be reproduced or transmitted without the permission of the author. Please help prevent the piracy of ebooks. If you are reading this book and you did NOT purchase it from a retailer, or get it as a one-time loan from someone who purchased it from one of the FOUR above mentioned places, you have an ILLEGAL copy! I like to eat and I like to feed my children, so please support myself and other authors by acquiring our work the LEGAL way. Don’t be a douche and steal our hard work.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, places, events, or occurrences is purely coincidental unless otherwise noted below.

  Cover Design by: Kari Ayasha of Cover to Cover Designs

  www.covertocoverdesigns.com

  Editor: Indie Edits by Skye

  Formatting: BB eBooks Thailand / Paul Salvette

  bbebooksthailand.com

  Author Bio Photography: James Turner

  *** Due to graphic sex scenes and strong language, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. This is an ADULT book and contains graphic sex scenes and explicit language. It also contains delicate topics that may be hard for sensitive readers to handle.

  Chapter One (Prologue)

  Remy

  Eleven years ago

  There she is. Bethanie Reynolds. My best friend and the girl I love. Too bad she won’t even think about giving us a shot though I know she feels it, too.

  She had dreams she said. Dreams of serving our country, like her father. I can’t hold it against her. It’s very noble. She was brought up with the tales of his greatness from her mom and grandmother. He died when she was too young to really remember him, so all she knows is the photos she’s seen, the news articles from here in Legacy Falls, and what she’s been told. He died a hero and she wants to follow in his footsteps. Well, not the dying part, but the serving our country part.

  I have dreams, too, but my dreams all center around her. I want to marry her and have her help me run my family’s wheat farm. We would be happy.

  Looks like only one of us is going to get their dream and it sure as shit ain’t me…

  Bethanie

  I can’t contain my excitement. It’s Career Day at Legacy Falls High and I’m next in line to talk to the Army Recruiter.

  This is it! It’s what I’ve been waiting for, what I’ve dreamed about for as long as I can remember.

  I want to enlist. I want to join the Army, just like my daddy did. My momma has tried to talk me out of it. She’s scared of losing me like she lost Daddy, but I won’t be discouraged. I want to join the Army and as soon as I can get up there, I get to talk to the recruiter. Then all I have left is one year of school and I’m off!

  Feeling eyes on me, I turn. My breath hitches in my chest. My best friend, Remy LeSalle, is staring at me with that look again. I know he doesn’t want me to go. He loves me. He keeps trying to get me to go out with him other than just as the friend he’s been my whole life. But, I can’t do that.

  Those dark brown eyes and that chiseled jaw along with the lean body he gets from working on the farm make my heart race. I know that if I give in to him, I’ll cave. I’ll forget all about the Army and my dreams and I’ll end up married to him and populating his family’s farm.

  Not that it would be a bad life, it even appeals to me… but not as much as I want to serve my country.

  He smiles at me and gives me that wink, the one that sets my heart afire, and I quickly turn around. I can’t be all flustered when I talk to the recruiter. I need to be assertive and professional. After all, I’m going to be a soldier!

  Oh my God, it’s my turn.

  Chapter Two

  Bethanie

  Present Day

  I jolt awake and feel the sweat covering my skin as I lay in the sterile hospital bed. Taking slow deep breaths, like the doctors and psychologists have told me, I feel my heart start to slow. That was a bad one.

  The nightmares come every night. But on good days, they no longer come at me during the day. That’s progress. And today is the day that I’m scheduled to be released. I’ve been here for four weeks. Taking another deep breath, I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling of Landstuhl, the hospital in Germany. As my heart continues to steady, I sigh.

  I’m not ready to get out of here. It’s not right. I shouldn’t be here. I should be with the other members of my unit… my friends. But, I’m not.

  They’re all in pine boxes, probably safely nestled in the ground of their hometowns. Their families will be grieving. I’m grieving.

  They were my friends. My comrades. It’s not right.

  Why am I here while they didn’t make it?!

  What makes me special?

  I’m not special.

  I see a glimpse of a white coat from my peripheral vision and turn my head. The kind older doctor that’s been handling my care is standing at my bedside. He smiles at me. I try to smile back, but it’s stuck. I shouldn’t be smiling. I don’t want to smile. I’m not ready for this.

  As if he understands, he nods slightly and gives me another reassuring smile. Then his accented voice is saying, “Ar
e you ready, Miss Reynolds? You’ve been with us long enough. You’ve come a great way in your recovery and it’s time to discharge you. Today is the day you get out of here.”

  My heart starts to race again and I feel sweat pop out on my upper lip and between my breasts as stone cold dread races down my back.

  No. No. No.

  I must have closed my eyes to try to stave off the impending darkness, because the next thing I know, Dr. Aderman is gently covering my hand and saying, “Bethanie, it’s time. You can’t stay here because you’re scared to leave. Part of healing is moving forward.”

  I feel the tears leak from the corners of my tightly clenched eyelids. I can’t open them. I don’t want to see the pity or compassion on his face. My nails, jagged and gnawed to the quick, rake the sheets so hard, it’s a wonder I don’t shred them. Turning my head away from the look I know is on his face, I blink at the sterile white wall of the hospital and whisper. “I don’t want to heal. It’s not right. I’m alive and none of the others are. It’s not right…”

  I can hear his resigned sigh. He squeezes the top of my clenched hand. “It would appear that the man upstairs has other plans for you. It’s not up to you to decide. Everything happens the way it’s meant to and no, it’s not fair, it just is.” I hear him stand. He pats my hand once more and says, “Good luck, Sergeant Reynolds.” I hear his footsteps fade away as he crosses the floor. As he gets to the door, I can hear him talking to someone, probably a nurse, but I can’t make out the words.

  I stay exactly as I am for a long while as the panic consumes me and tears roll down my face.

  Eventually, a nurse walks in. She says with a heavy German accent, “Sergeant Reynolds, I have your discharge papers. You need to get up and get dressed. It’s time for you to leave.”

  I blink repeatedly and swipe my hand across my face to remove the telltale signs of my tears before turning to face her. Her face is determined as if she expects me to argue with her. I don’t.

  Instead, I sigh and slowly raise myself to a sitting position, taking great care with my shoulder. This causes her to smile slightly. “I’ll need your hand to remove the IV. You can remove the monitor stickers yourself.” Reluctantly, I hold out my left hand and she expertly and efficiently removes the IV needle from the back of my hand as I focus on the wall again. Her thumb holds pressure on the exit point and then I feel a bandage cover the spot. “You can remove the bandage in approximately one hour.” I nod at her to acknowledge that I heard her and continue to examine the blank white wall. She mutters something under her breath that I can’t hear before laying my hand back on the stiff sheet on the bed. “Good luck, Sergeant. You can do this.” Turning my head, I nod at her. She smiles ever so slightly and I can see the concern for my wellbeing in her gaze. It causes my chest to constrict and I know I could easily cry again.

  She turns on her heel and then glances at me over her shoulder. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes. Make sure you are dressed and ready to go. I’ll have a wheelchair and an escort and we’ll get you out of here and back into the real world.” Without waiting for my response, she walks out and I’m left in a cold and sterile white hospital room in Germany.

  Well, ok then. I guess it’s time for me to go.

  Dear God, help me. I need you to help me… so, so much. I don’t know if I can do this.

  Two weeks later

  “Hey, Momma. It’s me. I’ll be getting on plane in about three hours. I’ll be stateside tomorrow. It’ll take about a week to get all of my paperwork straight and then I’ll be heading home…” My breath hitches as I leave the message. “I’ll call you when I land and then let you know the details about my coming back once I have them.

  “I miss you…” I sigh. “Ok, well, I’ll call you later. I love you, Momma. Bye.”

  I hang up the phone at the airport and grab my duffel from my feet. My shoulder is still sore and I was given strict instructions to work it every other hour. The shrapnel pierced the skin and buried itself deep within the muscle, so there are still fragments they were unable to remove, but it missed every major organ and my chest.

  They say I’m lucky…

  I don’t feel lucky.

  Sighing once more, I transfer the bag to the other hand and roll my shoulder as I walk. My uniform is gathering attention and many people are smiling at me. I nod and smile grimly as one small child stares at me in awe.

  Don’t waste your time, sweetie. I’m nothing to hero-worship over.

  Trying my best to ignore everyone, I walk to my terminal. I’m no one special and flying coach, so the flight is sure to be crowded and uncomfortable, but oh well.

  I can deal with it. I will deal with it.

  I grab a magazine from the airport gift shop and sit as far into the corner and away from everyone else as I can as I wait for my flight to be called to board.

  Remy

  Wiping the sweat off my brow with my forearm, I lean on my shovel and stare around at my spread. Wheat fields as far as the eye can see.

  This is mine.

  My chest swells with pride as I look at the sheer beauty surrounding me. Sure, it’s hard work and the hours are long, but the sense of pride I feel in knowing that this place thrives because of me and my crew fills me every single morning I step outside and again every single night when I drag my weary body back home. My family has owned LeSalle Farm since the 1800’s. My ancestors settled here in Legacy Falls in 1879 and every generation since has cared for the farm. What started out small is now a thriving enterprise based off hard work, love, and pride.

  My dad passed the farm over to me about two years ago when he got sick. The cancer was unexpected and really took us by surprise. His stubbornness prevailed for a bit, but as his health rapidly declined, Momma and I convinced him to see a doctor and he was diagnosed with stage 3 pancreatic cancer.

  He was in denial for a short time. Hell, we all were. Within a month or so, his large, strong stature began to cripple though. He stayed proud until the end and refused chemotherapy. He said that he was not going to be a weakling and that for the remainder of his time, he was going to enjoy it. He did, too. He turned the farm over to me and he and Momma traveled for a few months. They’d never really been outside of Legacy Falls, so they toured the country and went to Mexico.

  The smiles on their faces as they told me about it tell me it was worth it. He died nine months after his diagnosis right here, on his beloved farm, in his own bed, surrounded by Momma, me, and his sisters. He passed with a smile on his face.

  That was last year and I miss him every day. But, I use the work ethic he taught me and take care of Momma, though she recently moved out of the house and into a small cottage on the edge of the property, closer to town.

  I told her she didn’t need to do that, but she insisted that it was time and that the house was mine… for my family…

  I sigh as I tip the bridge of my hat back.

  The only woman I ever saw myself having a future, a family with, was Bethanie Reynolds and I haven’t really seen her for almost six years now. Her momma keeps me updated on her though.

  She joined the Army right after high school, just like she always wanted. She climbed the ranks and her momma is always telling me about her accomplishments when I see her in town. She also stops by occasionally to give me a casserole or pie she’s baked. She and Momma are close and they worry about me being all alone out here.

  Hell, I’m so over being alone myself.

  I’m not pining for Bethanie… Of course not. We never even dated, so there’s nothing to pine over. But, she was my best friend since we were two years old. We grew up together.

  Her family has lived on the plot next door for almost as long as the LeSalle’s have been here. Our families are linked.

  Leaning my chin on the handle of the shovel, I sigh again and chuckle as I mutter, “And here again… Bethanie Reynolds is consuming my thoughts…”

  “You’re an idiot, Remy. It’s time to get over her and find yourse
lf a good woman.”

  I do want a family and to have that, I’m going to need a woman. Yet, no one has ever compared to Bethanie in my eyes.

  Sure, I’ve tried. I’ve dated. I date. I even have sex. I am a red-blooded man, but something in me just holds back and when it’s time to commit, I can’t do it.

  None of them are Bethanie.

  Shit…

  And now she’s coming home.

  Her momma stopped me in town last week to let me know that sometime in the near future, Bethanie would be returning to Legacy Falls.

  My heart stopped when I heard the news.

  She’s coming back. For good.

  Bethanie… She’s coming home.

  Maybe my dreams aren’t so far-fetched after all.

  Shit… this fantasizing isn’t getting the work done.

  Snap out of it, LeSalle.

  This field isn’t going to take care of itself.

  Fall Harvest will be here before we know it and I have a lot to do before September.

  Shaking my head, I settle my hat back on my head and lift the shovel. Nothing makes me happier than manual labor.

  As I work, I continue to think.

  Bethanie.

  Her momma says she’s different from when she left. Her unit was attacked while she was patrolling in Afghanistan. One of her squad members used his body as to shield her from the majority of the attack and she ended up being the only survivor. She was wounded and has been recuperating, but she survived.

  I can’t think about what could have happened to her…

  All that matters is that she’s alive.

  She’s alive and though she’s different, she’s coming home…

  I can handle whatever I need to, but this time… she’s back and I’m fighting for her.

  I let her go. I supported her when all I really wanted to do was pull her to me and hold on tight.

  I let her pursue her dreams because I loved her.