Always A Cowboy, available now!

What a sense of completion, to finally finish my first series! Yep, as of Friday, the Love at the Crazy H series is officially complete. For those of you who have been waiting and prodding me for Trip's story, well, here it is: TA DA!

So here's a taste of Always a Cowboy, available now from the Wild Rose Press. Click on the cover for more information!

Blurb: Trip, the youngest Hall brother had a nice career going in Los Angeles until a car-crash gone wrong destroyed his future as a stuntman. Now he’s back in Shirley learning how to walk again and learning to be a single dad to baby Trevor. He doesn’t have time in his life for a woman, especially one with a three-year-old daughter. Beth learned her lesson back in high school about Trip’s playboy ways, and she knows better than to give her heart to him again. But when a stalker targets Beth and her daughter, will Trip be able to save them in time? When old friends reunite, danger threatens and sparks fly.

Excerpt (G)
Beth Corcoran watched warily as Trip Hall approached. Tall—about six foot three now that he was done growing, she thought, and lean as ever. He was limping and it took all her willpower not to run over and take the heavy plate and bottles of water out of his hands. She’d heard about his accident—Shirley was too small of a town for her not to—but this was the first time she’d laid eyes on him since he’d moved back home last winter. In fact, since she’d been working with Rhiannon to design a website for the bookstore, she actually knew far more about Trip—and the rest of the Hall family—than she wanted to.

“Lizzie? Is it really you?” He flashed her that mega-watt Hollywood smile which showed the one dimple in his left cheek, and handed her one of the bottles of water. After he set his plate down on a nearby stump, he held out his right hand for her to shake.

She took the water, shook his hand and smiled back, trying hard to ignore the miniscule tingle that ran up her arm at such a casual touch. Just one look in those sky-blue eyes of his had her heart going pitter-pat. She tried not to notice that his wavy black hair had been freshly trimmed, though that one rogue lock still fell across his forehead—just like it always had. She’d spent all of high school resisting the urge to smooth it back out of his face.

“It’s me, all right. Though I go by Beth these days. You’re looking good, Trip.” And wasn’t that the understatement of the year?

He shrugged, his broad shoulders rippling beneath the jacket of his western-cut suit. He and CJ had stood up with Fitz, and were all dressed up, while most of the guests were in what she called “Wyoming casual”—sweaters with denim or flowered skirts on the women, while the men wore pressed jeans and bolo ties topped by either western blazers or denim jackets.

“I’m alive. I’m walking. These days, that’s about as good as I can ask for. How have you been doing, Liz—Beth?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” she answered vaguely. It would be so easy to fall into those eyes and drown, to forget all the reasons she needed to steer clear of charming playboys. She chanced a look at his face, saw the new lines that bracketed his eyes, the thin white scar on his temple, and she allowed him a real smile. She was so damned glad he was here and alive. Even if he’d unintentionally broken her teenage heart, she’d never wanted him hurt. “I heard about your injuries last year. It’s good to see you up and about again.”

He nodded, giving her his trademark lopsided grin, the one that had haunted her dreams all through school.

“Thanks. But that’s the way it goes, I guess. Life throws you curveballs and you either swing or watch them go by. And if you’re smart, you learn a little something along the way. So here we are, older and hopefully wiser.”

She couldn’t stop the wry laugh that emerged as she nodded. “Yeah, that about sums it up, doesn’t it?”

“Mommy, why’d you stop?”

Beth looked down at her almost four-year-old daughter and realized she’d quit pushing the swing. “Sorry, kiddo. Mommy was just talking to an old friend.” She obediently gave Bailey’s bottom another gentle shove.

“She’s a beauty, just like her mom,” Trip offered warmly. “What’s her name?” The compliment rolled so smoothly off his practiced lips that Beth didn’t think he even knew he was doing it. Trip had always been able to effortlessly charm any woman from one to one hundred. That was what made him so dangerous. She was a grown-up now, with responsibilities. She couldn’t afford to fall under the hypnotic spell of Howard Hemingway Hall—better known as Triple H or Trip for short.

By now, though, Bailey was staring at the intruder with rapt curiosity. “My name’s Bailey,” she offered proudly. “What’s yours?”

“This is Mr. Hall, honey. He went to school with Mommy a long, long time ago.”
Trip laughed and gravely shook the little girl’s hand, making Beth’s heart twist even tighter.
“Pleased to meet you, Miss Bailey.” He straightened and turned to Beth. “It sure seems that way, doesn’t it? It’s only been fourteen years since graduation, but it seems like a hundred.”

If only he knew. Some of those years had dragged like centuries. But Beth pasted her polite social smile back in place. “I think Harper is trying to attract your attention.” She pointed across the park to where Trip’s oldest sister was collecting up members of the Hall family for the photographer. “It was nice seeing you again, Trip. Bye now.”

He grimaced and picked up his plate. “You too, Beth. See you around sometime.” He turned and limped away.

She muttered beneath her breath, “Not if I see you first.”

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