Fall in Love Book Bundle: Small Town Romance Box Set

by Grover Swank, Denise

  Easy Going (prequel novella)-Gabe & Addison

  Going Down Easy- Gabe & Addison

  Taking It Easy - Logan & Dana

  Eggnog Makes Her Easy - Matt & Lindsey

  Nice and Easy - Caleb & Lexi

  Getting Off Easy - James & Harper

  And much more—

  including my printable booklist— at www.ErinNicholas.com

  Bad Alibi

  Jessica Prince

  Having grown up trapped in a gilded cage, the events of one tragic night changed everything.

  Farah Highland was raised with more money than most people could ever dream of, but with that wealth and privilege came cold indifference and cruelty. Determined to start living for herself, Farah cut ties with everything and everyone she’d ever known for the chance at starting over in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.

  Notorious town playboy, Cannon Banks grew up living the good life. He had it all, loving parents, good friends, and a face and body that drove women wild. Love and commitment were the last things on his mind . . . until he locked eyes with a woman across a crowded bar, and everything changed in a heartbeat.There’s just one problem. Bad Alibi’s newest waitress wants nothing to do with him. But he’s nothing if not determined.

  Cannon and Farah are about to enter into a battle of wills.

  May the best man . . . or woman, win.

  Prologue

  Farah

  Stepping across the threshold into the entryway of the old Victorian, I was hit with the smells of wood rot and mold.

  I was far from an expert when it came to construction, but considering the state the house was in, I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn the whole place needed to be ripped down to the studs.

  And that didn’t bother me one damn bit.

  “Uh, Ms. Hyland?”

  At my realtor’s voice, I stopped gazing around and turned my attention to him. “Please, call me Farah.”

  “Okay, Farah. I have to admit, I was more than a little surprised when you asked to view this property.” He looked around at the rambling pile of rubble with undisguised dismay. “It’s . . . well, a disaster, really.”

  “It’s not a disaster, Mr. Clark,” I insisted, taking in what was probably a stunning parlor back in the day. Where the tin ceiling tiles probably once added character, they were now completely covered in rust. The gaudy floral wallpaper was peeling, and rodents had eaten holes in the drywall, exposing wiring that would undoubtedly fail inspection. What was once a gorgeous home had been abandoned, left to rot away. “It’s a fixer-upper.”

  “That may be. But with your budget, you can easily afford a place that’s move-in ready. This . . . this will take a lot of work.”

  I knew he was trying to talk me out of the place, but I felt a sense of belonging in this house. It had been neglected far too long, just like me. With the help of the two people I held most dearly, I’d been able to pull myself up and put the pieces of my tattered life back together, and now that I was strong enough, I was going to offer this old girl the same chance.

  The shape of the house might have been a deterrent to most people, but to me, the challenge made my blood sing and filled me with excitement.

  I was a twenty-six-year-old woman who, until recently, had never had to work for anything. All my life, I’d had things handed to me on a silver platter. But those things came with a million strings attached, and the saddest part was, most of what I had, I’d never wanted in the first place.

  Just like every generation before me for as long as I could trace back, I’d been born and raised in Connecticut, living the entitled life that came with the Hyland name. My great-great-grandfather had struck it big in steel, setting my family up to be one of the richest in all of New England. The Hyland’s were the very definition of old money, and with the name came expectations I’d always hated.

  From the time I came into this world, my entire life had been planned for me. Everything from what college I’d attend and what I’d major in to the man I’d eventually marry had all been chosen without my say. Hylands didn’t make waves. We were expected to sit back, keep our mouths shut, and just go with it. But because I had a mind of my own and dared to question my parents’ plans for me, I was labeled the black sheep of the family.

  All my relatives looked down their noses at me, snickering and whispering behind my back at family events.

  As far as my parents were concerned, I was a stain on the family name. I was the daughter of Geoffrey and Margo Hyland, for God’s sake. My father was the oldest son and heir to the Hyland Steel fortune. I was to do as they said without batting an eye, and the fact that I believed I should have a say in my future made me a huge disappointment to them—something they’d begun making all too clear to me as soon as I was old enough to understand words.

  After so many years of having my own parents despise me, that strong will I’d been born with had been beaten into submission. I stopped thinking about what I wanted and became the obedient daughter they’d always desired.

  I attended Cornell University because that was where they wanted me to go and got a worthless degree in Fine Arts because they deemed it appropriate. After all, it wouldn’t do for a Hyland woman not to be educated, but we weren’t actually supposed to work. It was our job to marry money, pop out babies, and volunteer on the boards of several respectable charities.

  I’d begun dating Lance Maryweather, the son of my parents’ best friends, not because I was attracted to him, but because it had been arranged by our families. And when he proposed the winter before last, I’d said yes because, according to my father, it was a wise business move, having the princess of a steel fortune married to the heir of a line of thriving department stores.

  We’d been set for a spring wedding, because spring was the ideal time for a lavish outdoor wedding for the upper crust of society. Our mothers had been in fits, planning the wedding of the century, and for months it was all anyone could talk about. Everyone who was anyone would be in attendance, and I was going to be the envy of all the women in my social circle. Or at least that had been the plan.

  Then one night had changed everything in a way that was irreversible. It had changed me. But then, nearly dying had a tendency to do that to a person.

  I woke up in that hospital bed a broken shell of my former self. It had taken months to pull myself together, but once I had, I knew I’d been given a second chance, and there was no way I was letting it go to waste.

  Starting fresh hadn’t been easy. Cutting ties that had kept me tethered to a life I never liked nor wanted had been an arduous task, but I’d done it. Breaking things off with Lance had been the easiest part. Truth was, knowing I wouldn’t be stuck with him for the rest of my life was a serious weight lifted off my chest, but my parents were a different story. In spite of how they’d made me feel growing up, I still craved their approval. They were my blood, and having them turn their backs on me hurt more than I could have imagined.

  I guess, in the back of my mind, I’d held out hope that they would understand why I needed to do what I’d done. But I’d been wrong.

  By the time I’d finished shaking off the dregs of my old life, I only had two people left to support me. Fortunately, they were more than enough. With their help, I held on to the strength I needed to start this next chapter of my life.

  I was a whole new Farah. Granted, I was a new Farah who didn’t have the first clue what she wanted to do with her new life, but still, it was exhilarating to have the chance, and I wasn’t going to squander it.

  Turning back to my realtor, I felt my lips tug up in a smile so big it made my cheeks ache. “Anything worth having is worth putting in the work, Mr. Clark. Make an offer.”

  He raised one brow, giving me an incredulous look. “You’re sure?”

  “Oh yeah.” Tipping my head back, I scanned the house that would hopefully soon become my home, feeling an unfamiliar warmth begin to unfurl in my chest. “I’m absolutely positive.”


  Chapter 1

  Farah

  “So, what do you think? What’s the damage?” I asked nervously. I’d been standing in my brand new house, anxiously gnawing on my thumbnail the whole time the contractor had been looking everything over, and I couldn’t shake the sense that I’d bitten off more than I could chew when I finally got the keys to the old girl last week.

  Lowering the clipboard he was holding to his side, he gave me his attention, and I couldn’t help but notice just how handsome the man was . . . all tall, muscular, and commanding. I normally would have been in a state of panic at being alone with a man like him, but he’d been nothing but professional and polite since pulling up in his big truck earlier, and his demeanor had put me at ease.

  He let out a heavy sigh as he looked around the would-be parlor. “I’m not gonna lie to you, Ms. Hyland—”

  “Farah. Please,” I said quickly. I couldn’t stand it when people called me Ms. Hyland. It was something my mother insisted everyone address her as, like it was an honorable title or something, and I wanted to distance myself from that as much as possible.

  His eyes shined with kindness as he amended, “Farah. Well, truth is, it’s gonna be a lot of work.”

  “Just how a lot are we talking here?”

  He scratched at his scruffy jaw hesitantly before giving it to me straight. “None of the plumbing or electrical is up to code, so that’ll have to be dealt with. The drywall is more mold than anything else, and there’s barely any insulation. There’s some serious foundation work that needs to be done, the whole roof needs to be replaced, and—”

  “So, basically, what you’re saying is everything needs to come out.”

  He gave me a sympathetic smile that ratcheted up his attractiveness. “Yeah, basically. And that’s just the big house. There’s no telling what else will need to be done to the rest of the property.”

  The Victorian sat on several acres of land that had been unattended for decades. The landscaping was in disarray, with grass and weeds and thickets growing so high and dense, it was a danger to walk in. There were several other buildings on the property, including a greenhouse, shed, barn, detached garage, and what looked like a carriage house, all just as bad off as the main house.

  I released a sigh, giving myself a few seconds to feel the disappointment before shaking it off and moving forward. That was my new motto, after all. Shake off the bad and move on. “All right. When can you start?”

  His expression registered surprise for about three seconds before he spoke again. “You know, some people like to get more than one bid before they decide on a contractor, Farah. If you’d like to get a few more quotes first—”

  “What do you think of this house, Mr. . . .”

  “Morrison,” he offered. “But you can call me Clay.”

  I nodded and smiled, repeating my question. “What do you think of this house, Clay?”

  “I think . . .” He paused long enough to take another look around before returning his attention to me. “I think you got your hands on a treasure. Always loved this house. If I could’ve afforded it, I’d have snatched it up for myself. I’m just glad someone finally did and is willin’ to put in the effort to return her to her former glory.”

  My smile grew ten-fold. “That’s exactly what I think. Now, let’s say I was to look into another contractor, and he claimed half the stuff you said needed to be done didn’t, what would your response to that be?”

  His features grew hard and serious as he stated, “I’d say the guy was lazy and cuttin’ corners. That he wouldn’t do this place justice, and it would be more than likely you’d call me again to make the necessary repairs.”

  That warmth I’d felt the moment I walked into this place began to come back in force, telling me that everything was working out exactly as it was supposed to. All my life I’d ignored my instincts, and it had gotten me nothing but misery. From now on, I was going with my gut. And my gut was telling me that Clay Morrison was the man to put my trust in. “Great. Then when can you start?”

  With a low chuckle, he gave me a nod of understanding. “I’ll have a crew in here to start demo first thing Monday morning if that works for you.”

  “Awesome,” I said in a soft whisper. Clay and I parted ways shortly after that. I locked the house up, climbed into my car, and started the engine just as my cellphone began to ring.

  With a huge grin still pinned to my face, I hit the button on my steering wheel to activate the Bluetooth as I put the car in gear. “Perfect timing. I was just about to call you. I have the best news.”

  Jase’s deep timbre filled the cab. “You came to your senses and dumped that pit you call a house?”

  Rolling my eyes at the road before me, I warned, “You know, you keep insulting my home like that and you won’t be invited out to stay with me.”

  Jase laughed my comment off.

  “I’m serious,” I insisted. “You can spend the holidays with Mom and Dad.”

  “Christ,” he grunted through the line. “Now you’re just being cruel.”

  I was, and I couldn’t help myself, pushing my big brother’s buttons was something I’d always gotten a kick out of. “They’ll spend them like they always do, breathing down your neck, interrogating you on when you’re finally gonna settle down and get married to one of the picture-perfect Stepford wives they have picked out for you.”

  “All right, I give. No need to play dirty.”

  I couldn’t help but smile at his surly attitude. I mean, I was his little sister, and it was my job to annoy him every chance I got. “I’ll call truce if you promise to stop knocking my new place. Deal?”

  “Deal,” he relented on a grunt. “Sorry, sweet pea. I just worry. You’re down there all by yourself, and it’s driving me crazy I’m not there to look after you.”

  My breath stuttered in my chest, and that familiar niggling started in my sinuses, alerting me to oncoming tears. I sniffled loudly, trying to beat them back as I cleared my throat, hoping to dislodge the lump that had suddenly formed before I spoke. “I know, bub,” I said quietly, using the nickname I’d given him when I was a little girl. “I miss you like crazy, but I’m good down here. I promise.”

  His voice was gentle and full of love as he replied, “I know you are, honey. You’re the strongest, bravest person I know. Doesn’t mean I don’t wish I was there to have your back.”

  It was stating the obvious, but God, I loved my brother. If it hadn’t been for him, I wasn’t sure where I’d be today. He’d been my self-appointed protector for as long as I could remember. While my parents spent most of their time ignoring me, he’d been my constant companion. On the rare occasion my mother or father would decide to acknowledge my existence, it was usually to berate me for not being perfect, and during those times, I could always count of Jase to stick up for me, coming between me and their venom whenever necessary.

  When I woke up in the hospital all those months ago, his were the first eyes I saw. I could still remember the broken, ravaged look on his face when I said his name. It was his arms that wrapped around me first, offering the only strength and security I’d ever had. And it was his shoulder I’d cried on when the memories of that awful night came flooding back.

  With his help, I’d started moving past it, and while I might not be back to 100 percent, I was slowly but surely getting there.

  “That’s because you’re the best big brother in all the world. Now, enough with the mushy stuff already. You’re gonna make me cry, and I’m driving.”

  His chuckle sounded through the speakers and settled in my chest. “All right, no more mushy. So tell me your good news.”

  That excitement I’d been feeling just minutes ago came rushing back, along with that warmth I’d begun to feel after moving to Redemption a few weeks back. “I found a contractor, and work on the house starts next week.”

  There was no hiding the glee in my voice, and when Jase responded, I could hear him smiling. “That’s amazing, sweet pea. I
’m happy for you.”

  “It’ll take a while,” I continued. “There’s a lot that needs to be done, but I’ll be sure to send you pictures of the progress so you don’t freak.”

  “I’d appreciate that. You tell Bennett yet? He’ll want to know.”

  A wave of nostalgia crashed into me at hearing that name. The only other person besides Jase who’d ever shown me any affection was our driver, Bennett. He’d been working for our family for years, starting off with my grandfather before moving to us when Grandpa passed away of a heart attack years ago.

  He’d been such a huge part of my life for so long, that, in spite of the fact he was already in his seventies, he was more of a father figure to me than my own had ever been. He’d taught me how to ride a bike and roller skate. Every ballet recital or cheerleading competition I was in, Bennett was in the audience, beaming proudly. He wasn’t just a driver to me. He was my family, putting himself in the role of parent when it became obvious my own couldn’t be bothered with me.

  He was at my high school and college graduation. He attended every football game just so he could watch me cheer on the sidelines. He’d been there when I was crowned Homecoming Queen, and he’d been the one to dry my eyes that very same night after I caught my boyfriend making out with my best friend at the dance.

  Bennett was present for every single milestone in my life, and the truth was, I was in Redemption because of him.

  This was the very town he’d grown up in, and he’d spent years telling me stories of his childhood. So when the time came for me to start over, I’d picked a place I’d never been, but had such fond memories of, all because of Bennett.

  I’d often asked him why he’d never gone back if he missed his hometown so much, and he’d always brushed my question off. Then one day, the day of my eighteenth birthday, he’d given me the truth. He had planned to go back. Until my brother and I came into his life. He’d fallen in love with us just as we had with him, and he couldn’t bring himself to leave us behind.