Trouble in Sudden Falls: A Sudden Falls Romance (39 page)

After the fire at the store, Maddie was pretty sure that at least her professional life in Sudden Falls would be over. However, the town really came through. In addition to the award, they’d helped her rebuild. Most of the building had been beyond salvation, but between her insurance and donations from the local hardware store and a local contractor, her store would once again open the week after she and Eli returned from their honeymoon. She had a pretty good indication that this time, she wouldn’t have to worry about missing inspections or a lack of customers.

“Honey, your wedding was perfect. I couldn’t have planned it any better myself,” Maddie’s mother said as she wrapped her arms around Maddie.

High praise coming from her mother. They’d been getting along much better. Maddie suspected they’d never be as close as some mothers and daughters, but they’d made great strides. It had been difficult for her to let go as far as the wedding planning was concerned—not to mention the rest of her life—but her mother had finally mellowed out a bit and trusted Maddie to take care of her life, especially once Maddie managed to get the house sold.

A nice family with three small children moved into Maddie’s childhood home and she took up residence where she belonged, with Eli and Rogan.

Now everything would be perfect if only she could reclaim her car. She’d tried a number of different tactics, from sucker bets to promises of sexual favors, but Eli wasn’t playing.

“What are you thinking about?” He leaned down to whisper in her ear.

She shrugged and winked. “I’m plotting how I’m going to finally get my car back after the honeymoon.”

He shook his head. “In your dreams, my friend. In fact, I think I’m going to manage to come out of the trip with tinkering privileges.” His grin was pure male arrogance, starting a wicked pulsing low in her belly.

“That’s never going to happen,” she said. “You can trust me on this.”

About the Author

Elizabeth Bemis is a six-time Golden Heart® Finalist and 2012 Winner. Her first book, Love & Oreos was named a
"Must Read" book of 2015 by USA Today
, who said,

"Elizabeth Bemis makes her sassy, sexy, confetti-worthy debut with Love & Oreos, the first book in her Sudden Falls contemporary series. Bemis’ voice is humorous and sly, her characters realistically complicated, her storytelling engaging and silky smooth... The heart, heat, snark and energy in Love & Oreos make Bemis’ inaugural release a bright and buoyant win."

When she’s not writing romance, she operates
Bemis Promotions
, an advertising agency for authors, fights for control of her house with her sons and various fur-bearing creatures. When she’s not in front of her computer she can occasionally be found running with her dog, training for the
Little Miami Triathlon
and the
Flying Pig (half) Marathon
.

You can find more about Elizabeth and her books at her website,
elizabethbemis.com
or you can like her on
Facebook
, follow her on
twitter
, or
sign up for her newsletter
.

Author's Note

As always I have a bunch of people to thank for help with this book.

First and foremost, Vivi Andrews (aka Lizzie Shane) and Jenn Stark (aka Jennifer Chance, aka Jennifer McGowan) both read an early version of this book and were able to pinpoint what wasn't working. If you loved this book, I highly recommend you check out their books,
www.lizzieshane.com
,
www.viviandrews.com
,
www.jennstark.com
,
www.jenniferchance.com
, and
www.jennifermcgowan.com
.

Special thanks to Caleb Roark, nephew extraordinaire, gamer geek, and Type I diabetic. You influenced a great deal of this story, whether or not you knew it at the time. I'm in awe of how well you play the (sometimes) crummy hand you've been dealt. Thanks also for checking out my gaming scenes (along with Jen Soko and her son) to make sure I didn't sound like a dork (in,
you know
, a bad way.)

April-You continue to help me hang on to my sanity (sometimes by a very thin and brittle thread)! Thank you for all that you do.

Jenn Stark-Without your love and support, I would not have made it through the last, (very trying) year. Thank you for everything!

And last, but never least, to Riley and Alex. You guys are my everything! I love you both so much!

More from Sudden Falls

If you liked
Trouble in Sudden Falls
, you're certain to love the rest of the books in the Sudden Falls series!

Love & Oreos

Katherine Mendoza is curvy PR exec whose passion for Oreos is tempered only by her workaholic lifestyle. But when an invitation to her high school reunion lands on her doorstep the same day she takes on the obscenely attractive owner of a chain of fitness centers as a client, she decides it’s a sign from the gods. Who better to get her backside into shape than the guy whose backside she’s about to save?

Fitness-master Quinn Mitchell is more than happy to help Katherine slim down, but keeping his hands off her curves is proving to be the bigger challenge. Unfortunately, he’s got oversized problems of his own: his fitness centers are coming under fire from a reporter with a vendetta, he’s behind schedule and losing backers, and his business partner insists that being seen with anyone who’s not model-thin is bad for business.

When Katherine and Quinn put everything on the line to succeed… but can they win it all without losing their hearts?

Buy the Book

Read an Excerpt

Friends and Fortune Cookies

When columnist Grace Mendoza is handed the dream assignment of a “Dating for Dummies” series, she knows it’s her ticket to national syndication. Too bad that when it comes to dating, she’s the biggest dummy of all. Jilted at the altar, abandoned by her best guy friend, Grace is about to hang up her keyboard for good until said best-friend lands back in town. He
owes
her, and she’s determined to collect.

Rehabber Joe Baker is good at fixing things, but he can’t fix his emotions for Grace. When he realized he’d fallen for the quirky columnist right around the time he’d had to give her the bad news about her bastard of a bridegroom, he knew he had to split town, fast. Now he’s back and stuck on a job that may make or break his business. He can’t escape—especially when Grace demands that he tag along as a watch-dog for one disastrous date after another, all in the name of giving her avid readers what they want. Joe may be Grace’s biggest fan, but all he wants… is a second chance with her.

Buy the Book

Read an Excerpt

Promises & Pina Coladas

It was a promise made for piña coladas

Back in college, Annie never wanted to settle down, while Ben dreamed of making it big. But one celebratory night, a pact made over a particularly wicked pitcher of piña coladas caught them both by surprise: if either of them needed anything, (anytime, anywhere) the other would be there. It was the kind of thing best friends say, never expecting the words to matter. Only now, a decade later, that promise is coming due.

And now it’s the perfect plan

Ben has everything he wants: he’s a top exec with a New York financial firm, he just received a promotion that will take him halfway around the world, and he has all of the money and security a guy would ever need. Only—he’s never met the girl of his dreams. And Annie, a free spirit following her dreams as a radio dejay and social activist, is still missing one critical piece in the puzzle of her life—her heart. Then Ben is assigned to Annie’s hometown for a brief stint before his newest career move. Will love finally get a second chance to make the perfect match?

Buy the Book

Read an Excerpt

Temptation & Tequila

Never trust tequila on your birthday.

She loved him. She’d always loved him. And it took just one tipsy birthday kiss for him to shatter her heart. But horse vet Chloe Tremont doesn’t wrangle studs for a living only to let brooding hunk of a horse trainer Gray Kyleson to get the best of her. She’s got a plan, and Gray doesn’t stand a chance.

Never let temptation make you weak.

That birthday kiss should never have happened, and no one knows it more than Gray. Chloe Tremont’s family took him in when no one would have him, and he won’t do anything to betray their trust—especially when it comes to their daughter. But when a series of attacks on his horses force him seek help from the one woman who’s gotten under his skin—and into his heart—Gray worries that his tight control is slipping. And Chloe’s right there to take the reins.

Buy the Book

Read an Excerpt

Lights. Camera. Marriage!

After two serious relationships end short of the altar, Sophie Redmond decides to put love in fate’s hands and signs up for a Reality TV Show called Lights. Camera. Marriage! On the show, twenty men compete for the attentions of one woman, and America at large votes off the cast members until the last man standing is contractually obligated to marry her and live with her in front of the cameras for the rest of the season.