by Julie Kenner
“I was going to soon. I swear. Things blew up.”
“That they did,” Payton agreed. “Maybe I owe you a thank you. I should have left your father a long time ago.”
As she spoke, she pulled up in front of Celeste’s house. Jeffry had called ahead and spoken to Lacey, and now her niece came flying out of the front door. “Oh, my god, Jeffry,” she said when he got out of the car.
“I know,” he said. “Kind of the worst-case scenario, huh?”
“Or the best,” she said, echoing what Payton had already said. “You can be yourself now, right?”
They all headed toward the front door where Celeste was waiting to greet them. Travis, Payton noticed, didn’t seem to be home.
“I’m so sorry to barge in,” she told her sister. “I know the timing couldn’t be worse for you.”
“No,” Celeste said firmly. “It’s okay. I—I want to help.” Her smile wavered. “I think I need to.” She ushered them inside. “I made sandwiches and cocoa.” She gave Jeffry a squeeze. “Love you, kiddo.”
“Love you, too, Aunt Celeste.”
“You made snacks?” Payton said, fighting back tears. Maybe this was going to turn out to be even better than she imagined. Maybe this was the kick Celeste needed to push her back to the land of the living.
“Well, they’re not gourmet, but...”
“Thanks,” Payton said gently. “I love you.”
They all settled in the kitchen and ate sandwiches and drank cocoa, and though no one pushed him, Jeffry told them about his friend Scott and the event. “He’s not like my boyfriend. But I guess I am kind of dating him.”
“Then I want to meet him,” Payton said.
“Same old, same old,” Brit said, laughing. “All boyfriends must meet Mom.”
“I should get you settled,” Celeste said. “You’ll take the guest room?”
“Actually, I need to go out again,” Payton said.
“Really?” Brit asked.
“Jeffry’s made me do some thinking, and there’s something I should do tonight. Go on to bed, you guys.”
Celeste nodded slowly. “If you need to talk...”
“I know,” Payton said, then hugged her sister. “I love you.” She glanced at the kids. “I’ll be back in the morning, and we’ll figure everything out then.”
“Love you, Mom,” Brit said, then headed up the stairs.
“I do, too,” Jeffry said. He started toward the stairs with Lacey, then paused and turned back. “And by the way, Mom, I know I already said it, but you were really great tonight. I won’t ever forget it.”
* * * *
You were really great tonight.
Payton shifted her weight from foot to foot as she stood in front of Francine’s door with Jeffry’s words still running through her head. Great, he’d said, but it had been the look on his face that had truly spoken to her. A look that said he loved her. That he was proud of her.
And most of all, that he could be himself with her.
It had been a long time since she’d done something solely for the kids’ sake, without thinking about Sebastian and his ridiculous career or about how her actions would look on social media.
She’d gotten out of the habit of doing the right thing—the honest thing. Instead, she’d been doing the expected thing.
Tonight, she’d flipped all of that around, and it had felt good. Great, even.
And now she wanted to feel even better.
Now, it was time to do something not for Sebastian. Not for the kids. Not for the community or the church or anybody else.
Right now, Payton was wallowing in self-interest. She’d told Jeffry she loved him for himself, and she didn’t expect him to be anybody but the man he was.
Why the hell should she expect less of herself?
She shouldn’t, and that was what had brought her to Francine’s door. What had her stomach twisting nervously and her palms sweating.
With her heart pounding in her chest, she lifted her hand and knocked. A moment passed, then another and another. She feared that Francine wasn’t home, and all the nerves and butterflies were for nothing.
But then she heard footsteps, and then the doorknob turned, and then there was Francine, standing in the doorway with a smile on her face, her eyes soft and bright and welcoming.
“Payton,” she said, “what are you doing here so late? I’m thrilled to see you, of course. But is everything okay?”
“It’s great,” Payton said, reaching out to take the hand of the woman who’d become her friend. Who was, maybe, more than a friend.
Tomorrow she would undoubtedly see Sebastian and Marylee again. Tomorrow, things might start to unravel even more. But as she smiled into Francine’s warm and friendly face, Payton couldn’t think about that. All she could think about was this moment.
And no matter what storms might be rumbling in the distance, for right now, at least, everything was perfect.
* * * *
The story continues with Episode 7, Blinding Rain by Elisabeth Naughton. Click here to purchase.
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Rising Storm story
Storm Season: Ginny & Jacob – the Prequel
by Dee Davis
Rising Storm
Storm, Texas.
Where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy…
Nestled among rolling hills and painted with vibrant wildflowers, the bucolic town of Storm, Texas, seems like nothing short of perfection.
But there are secrets beneath the facade. Dark secrets. Powerful secrets. The kind that can destroy lives and tear families apart. The kind that can cut through a town like a tempest, leaving jealousy and destruction in its wake, along with shattered hopes and broken dreams. All it takes is one little thing to shatter that polish.
Rising Storm is a series conceived by Julie Kenner and Dee Davis to read like an on-going drama. Set in a small Texas town, Rising Storm is full of scandal, deceit, romance, passion, and secrets. Lots of secrets.
Look for other Rising Storm Season 2 titles, now available! (And if you missed Season 1 and the midseason episodes, you can find those titles here!)
Click to purchase.
Rising Storm, Season Two
Against the Wind by Rebecca Zanetti
As Tate Johnson works to find a balance between his ambitions for political office and the fallout of his brother’s betrayal, Zeke is confronted with his brother Chase’s return home. And while Bryce and Tara Daniels try to hold onto their marriage, Kristin continues to entice Travis into breaking his vows…
Storm Warning by Larissa Ione
As Joanne Alvarez settles into life without Hector, her children still struggle with the fallout. Marcus confronts the differences between him and Brittany, while Dakota tries to find a new equilibrium. Meanwhile, the Johnson’s grapple with war between two sets of brothers, and Ian Briggs rides into town…
Brave the Storm by Lisa Mondello
As Senator Rush’s poll numbers free fall, Marylee tries to drive a wedge between Brittany and Marcus. Across town, Anna Mae and Chase dance toward reconciliation. Ginny longs for Logan, while he fights against Sebastian’s maneuvering. And Hector, newly freed from prison, heads back to Storm…
Lightning Strikes by Lexi Blake
As Ian Briggs begins to fall for Marisol, Joanne and Dillon also grow closer. Joanne’s new confidence spreads to Dakota but Hector’s return upends everything. A public confrontation between Marcus and Hector endangers his relationship with Brittany, and Dakota reverts to form. Meanwhile, the Senator threatens Ginny and the baby…
Fire and Rain by R.K. Lilley
As Celeste Salt co
ntinues to unravel in the wake of Jacob’s death, Travis grows closer with Kristin. Lacey realizes the error of her ways but is afraid it’s too late for reconciliation with her friends. Marcus and Brittany struggle with the continued fallout of Hector’s return, while Chase and Anna Mae face some hard truths about their past…
Quiet Storm by Julie Kenner
As Mallory Alvarez and Luis Moreno grow closer, Lacey longs for forgiveness. Brittany and Marcus have a true meeting of hearts. Meanwhile, Jeffry grapples with his father’s failures and finds solace in unexpected arms. When things take a dangerous turn, Jeffry’s mother and sister, as well as his friends, unite behind him as the Senator threatens his son…
Blinding Rain by Elisabeth Naughton
As Tate Johnson struggles to deal with his brother’s relationship with Hannah, hope asserts itself in an unexpected way. With the return of Delia Burke, Logan’s old flame, Brittany and Marcus see an opportunity to help their friend. But when the evening takes an unexpected turn, Brittany finds herself doing the last thing she expected—coming face to face with Ginny…
Blue Skies by Dee Davis
As Celeste Salt struggles to pull herself and her family together, Dillon is called to the scene of a domestic dispute where Dakota is forced to face the truth about her father. While the Johnson’s celebrate a big announcement, Ginny is rushed to the hospital where her baby’s father is finally revealed…
Rising Storm, Midseason
After the Storm by Lexi Blake
In the wake of Dakota’s revelations, the whole town is reeling. Ginny Moreno has lost everything. Logan Murphy is devastated by her lies. Brittany Rush sees her family in a horrifying new light. And nothing will ever be the same…
Distant Thunder by Larissa Ione
As Sebastian and Marylee plot to cover up Sebastian’s sexual escapade, Ginny and Dakota continue to reel from the fallout of Dakota’s announcement. But it is the Rush family that’s left to pick up the pieces as Payton, Brittany and Jeffry each cope with Sebastian’s betrayal in their own way…
Rising Storm, Season One
Tempest Rising by Julie Kenner
Ginny Moreno didn’t mean to do it, but when she came home to Storm, she brought the tempest with her. And now everyone will be caught in its fury…
White Lightning by Lexi Blake
As the citizens of Storm, Texas, sway in the wake of the death of one of their own, Daddy's girl Dakota Alvarez also reels from an unexpected family crisis... and finds consolation in a most unexpected place.
Crosswinds by Elisabeth Naughton
Lacey Salt's world shattered with the death of her brother, and now the usually sweet-tempered girl is determined to take back some control—even if that means sabotaging her best friend, Mallory, and Mallory's new boyfriend, Luis.
Dance in the Wind by Jennifer Probst
During his time in Afghanistan, Logan Murphy has endured the unthinkable, but reentering civilian life in Storm is harder than he imagined. But when he is reacquainted with Ginny Moreno, a woman who has survived terrors of her own, he feels the first stirrings of hope.
Calm Before the Storm by Larissa Ione
Marcus Alvarez fled Storm when his father’s drinking drove him over the edge. With his mother and sisters in crisis, Marcus is forced to return to the town he thought he’d left behind. But it is his attraction to a very grown up Brittany Rush that just might be enough to guarantee that he stays.
Take the Storm by Rebecca Zanetti
Marisol Moreno has spent her youth taking care of her younger siblings. Now, with her sister, Ginny, in crisis, and her brother in the throes of his first real relationship, she doesn’t have time for anything else. Especially not the overtures of the incredibly compelling Patrick Murphy.
Weather the Storm by Lisa Mondello
Bryce Douglas faces a crisis of faith when his idyllic view of his family is challenged with his son’s diagnosis of autism. Instead of accepting his wife and her tight-knit family’s comfort, he pushes them away, fears from his past threatening to undo the happiness he’s found in his present.
Thunder Rolls by Dee Davis
In the season finale …
As Hannah Grossman grapples with the very real possibility that she is dating one Johnson brother while secretly in love with another, the entire town prepares for Founders Day. The building tempest threatens not just Hannah’s relationship with Tucker and Tate, but everyone in Storm as dire revelations threaten to tear the town apart.
Blinding Rain
Rising Storm, Season 2, Episode 7
By Elisabeth Naughton
Now Available
Click here to purchase.
Secrets, Sex and Scandals …
Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.
As Tate Johnson struggles to deal with his brother’s relationship with Hannah, hope asserts itself in an unexpected way. With the return of Delia Burke, Logan’s old flame, Brittany and Marcus see an opportunity to help their friend. But when the evening takes an unexpected turn, Brittany finds herself doing the last thing she expected—coming face to face with Ginny…
* * * *
Logan pulled the bottle the rest of the way off the shelf and sloshed whiskey over the ice he’d already filled in a glass as he glared at his oldest friend. “My life is fucked when Marcus Alvarez, bad boy extraordinaire, has become the voice of reason.”
Marcus chuckled as he sat on the barstool and rested his forearms on the gleaming bar top. Dark hair fell over his eyes, and he shook his head to force it back. “What can I say? I’m wise beyond my years.”
Logan huffed and added Coke to the tumbler, then moved down the counter and set the drink in front of one of Murphy’s regulars. Grabbing a dishtowel, he wiped his hands as he walked back to the computer, keyed in the order, then turned to stand in front of Marcus, more relieved than he wanted to admit that his friend had shown up at the perfect time and saved him from making yet another terrible decision. “It’s two o’clock on a Wednesday. What are you doing in here? Shouldn’t you be working?”
“I was.” Marcus grabbed a pretzel from a bowl on the bar and popped it into his mouth. The bar was only sporadically filled, but in a few hours it would be hopping. “Took off early. I’m meeting Ian in a bit. We’re heading out to look at some property.”
Logan nodded and tossed the towel over his shoulder as he studied his friend. Marcus’s family life might be shit in a hundred different ways now that his old man was back in town, but Marcus had something solid. He had Ian Briggs on his side—a man who was more of a father to Marcus than Hector Alvarez had ever been. Logan knew Marcus was stressed about what was happening with his mother and sisters now that his abusive father was back in the picture, but because of Ian, Marcus had a shot at a real future now—a partnership in a new ranch, land soon to build a home, freedom from the hell he’d grown up in. Heck, Marcus even had the perfect girl to start his new life—Brittany Rush. The prettiest girl in all of Storm, Texas.
Logan’s chest pinched because he knew that wasn’t true, at least not for him. The prettiest girl in Storm, Texas, wasn’t blonde and blue-eyed like Brittany. She had dark curly hair, even darker eyes, and a belly that was rounder every time he saw her thanks to her pregnancy, growing a child that would never be his.
His mood took a serious nosedive, and he glanced back toward the bottles on the shelves behind him. Man, he needed a drink. Standing here talking to his friend should make him feel better but all it was doing was making him relive the shitstorm that was his own life. Why couldn’t he stop thinking about Ginny Moreno? He hadn’t dated her that long. She’d already been pregnant when they’d met. They’d never even slept together. That baby growing inside her was never going to be his, and he’d known that from the start. So what did it matter if she was carrying Jacob Salt’s kid or Senator Rush’s brat?
Bile swirled in his gut, edging
its way up his esophagus. Because it mattered to him. It mattered that she’d slept with a married man. It mattered that she’d told the world she was carrying Jacob’s baby so the truth about her affair with Senator Rush would never come out. But mostly, to Logan, it mattered that she’d lied to him. That during the months they’d dated when he’d thought they’d connected on a deeper level, the whole time she’d just been using him to make herself feel better.
That’s what really burned. That he’d been a fool the whole time. That he’d been played. He’d shared everything with her—his time in Afghanistan, the friends he’d lost, even his fucking PTSD—and she’d shared virtually nothing. Nothing that the rest of the world didn’t already know. Everything that mattered, everything intimate and secret and true about her she’d kept from him. And now he wasn’t even sure who she really was.
1001 Dark Nights
Welcome to 1001 Dark Nights… a collection of novellas that are breathtakingly sexy and magically romantic. Some are paranormal, some are erotic. Each and every one is compelling and page turning.
Inspired by the exotic tales of The Arabian Nights, 1001 Dark Nights features New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors.
In the original, Scheherazade desperately attempts to entertain her husband, the King of Persia, with nightly stories so that he will postpone her execution.
In our version, month after month, each of our fabulous authors puts a unique spin on the premise and creates a tale that a new Scheherazade tells long into the dark, dark night.
