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As they stood by the tree and counted their blessings, Hope said a silent prayer to God. Without Him, none of this would have been possible. He had blessed them abundantly! She knew neither she nor Grayson would ever lose sight of the love they shared or the path that had led them to this moment in time.
THE END
Breathless by Belle Calhoune—January of 2017
A whole new adventure begins featuring the Donahue cousins of Pelican Bay, Florida. Parker Donahue is a P.I. living in his hometown of Pelican Bay, Florida. When Cadence Johnson walked back into his life—the only woman he’s ever loved—Parker has to steel his heart against her breaking it all over again. And when he discovers the real reason Cadence has come back into his life, Parker will stop at nothing to help Cadence…and himself.
Guarding Her Heart—December 2016 release
Prologue
Guilford, Connecticut
Chapter One
Marissa Santana nursed her diet Coke and watched from across the courtyard as her sworn enemy chatted up a group of good looking ladies. It was like watching a train wreck, she thought. She wanted to look away from the disturbing sight, but she couldn’t manage to do it. Matt Cruz was like a panther –sleek and deadly. And the eligible ladies of Briarwood were acting as if he was the last single man on the planet Earth.
He was handsome, she had to admit, in a rugged kind of way. He was tall, 6’3 she would guess, with a massive build comprised of pure muscle. His features were strong and bold – high cheekbones, a strong nose and full ruby lips. His skin was burnished, no doubt with a little help from the Texas sun. His onyx colored hair hung to his shoulders in a straight, no frills style. On another man it might’ve looked girly, but it just served to make him look more manly. His brown eyes were dark as sin and looked almost black. His good looks could certainly make a woman stop and stare.
As a Christian woman she hated feeling so angry toward him, but he was rude and an absolute fool. And he’d made it clear on several occasions that he despised everything about her. Every time she was in his presence, he made her feel agitated.
You’re nothing a small town, narrow-minded petty gossip.
Cruz’s words had been cutting and to the point, leaving no question as to his disgust toward her. It still bothered her that he harbored such animosity towards her, such unbridled hatred. She wasn’t used to people not liking her; in her profession it was vitally important that she be likable, personable and approachable. Without those qualities she wouldn’t be able to sell ice water in the desert, never mind million dollar homes in Texas. And she was good at her job, the best in fact in the entire region.
Heat seared through her as he looked up and met her gaze, his dark eyes inscrutable and forbidding. For goodness sakes he was practically scowling at her, Marissa realized. Who did he think he was anyway? She had just as much right to be here as he did. Sierra was her best friend, and her relationship with Caleb had grown into a solid friendship over the past few months.
When Sierra sidled up to her and lovingly put an arm around her shoulder, it provided Marissa with a well-needed distraction from Matt Cruz’s annoying presence.
“Hey my friend. Thanks for the fabulous party. Caleb told me how much you helped with the planning. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”
Her best friend was beaming, Marissa thought. She radiated happiness. And she was looking more gorgeous than ever. She held her hands up in protest. “Don’t thank me. Your Mom was like a machine the way she ran things. She could be a professional party planner if she wanted to.?
?? Self-consciously, she darted a glance in Cruz’s direction.
Sierra followed her gaze and said, “Like bees to honey. They’re really swarming around him, aren’t they?”
Marissa sniffed and said, “It’s amazing what some people find attractive.”
Sierra let out a throaty laugh. “C’mon, Marissa. You may dislike the man, but you have to admit he’s gorgeous.”
“And ugly on the inside,” she muttered.
Sierra swatted her hand at Marissa. “Stop it. He’s not so bad. I know the two of you got off on the wrong foot, but he’s a really good guy.”
She sputtered on her soda. “Wrong foot? That’s putting it mildly. The last time we ran into each other he had a lot of nasty things to say about me. And then some.”
Sierra patted her on the arm reassuringly and said, “I’m sorry about that. He doesn’t know you like I do. You’re one of the most generous, kind people I’ve ever known.”
Tears pricked in Marissa’s eyes as she listened to Sierra’s soothing words. She’d never wanted to admit how much it had hurt when Cruz had called her out and labeled her as a vicious gossip. And all because of a simple rumor she’d passed on about him and the widow Jenkins. She hadn’t created the rumor, for goodness sakes. She’d just passed it on a couple of times. Well, perhaps it had been more than a couple of times, but talking to clients was part of her job duties as a realtor. Sometimes exchanging tidbits of information was part of the process of selling real estate. She barely remembered repeating the story. And how did he know she was the one who was responsible?
Caleb suddenly appeared at Sierra’s side and wrapped a strong arm around her waist, pulling her toward him in a tight embrace. As Marissa looked on, Caleb planted a tender kiss on Sierra’s lips, one that drew clapping and whistles from the guests. Caleb pulled away from his wife and scowled at his audience. “Hush. Can’t you see I’m trying to romance my beautiful wife?”
“By the looks of it bro, you’ve already done a bit of romancing,” Drew, Caleb’s handsome twin brother, piped in as he pointed to his sister in law’s bulging belly. His comment drew laughter from the crowd, and she couldn’t help noticing that Cruz threw his head back in laughter and clapped Drew on the back. So he does laugh, after all. He wasn’t just brooding looks and snarky comments. He wasn’t just a bully with a badge. He was human.
The party was in full swing, complete with a rhythm and blues band, a cartoonist drawing caricatures, an impromptu performance by an up and coming blues singer and enough catered food to feed an army. It was the perfect time for her to slip out of the festivities unnoticed. Anyone who was anyone in Briarwood had shown up for Sierra and Caleb’s celebration, Marissa thought with admiration. They were beloved by all. She’d bet that nobody would even notice her disappearance from the party.
She was exhausted. There was nothing she wanted more than a hot shower and some bed rest. After waking up at six this morning she’d put in a full day at the office, then headed over to the Jackson’s estate for her best friend’s baby shower. As much as she hated to admit it, she’d suffered a small twinge of jealousy at the sight of a very pregnant Sierra, radiant in her floral maternity dress, slow dancing with the love of her life, Caleb. She’d watched from the sidelines as he’d lovingly patted Sierra’s belly, his eyes filled with worship as he whispered secrets to his unborn child and his soulmate.
