Becca works long hours at a job she’s good at but hates. She longs for a slower pace of life for her daughter. When her aunt and uncle ask her to come to their ranch for the holidays, she thinks it’s because it’s been too long since they visited. She doesn’t know they have a plan and job offer that would bring her back permanently. Then Clint drops a bombshell when he tells Becca the only regret he has in life is not coming to get her when she became a single mom.
Twelve years ago, Clint watched Becca walk away from him. He refused to be the reason she didn’t pursue her dreams. Now she’s home for the holidays, and he’s not letting her leave without telling her everything he wanted to that day. He’s determined to give every reason to stay this time.
Tropes: Small-Town Romance; Second-Chance Romance; Friends-to-Lovers Romance; Closed Door Romance; Single-Parent Romance; Sweet Romance
Excerpt 1: Becca
He leans forward, places his hand under my chin, and gently lifts it. “I want you and Abby in my life every day. Camden has always has been your home.” He leans in further until his nose grazes mine. “Come home to me, Becca.”
Excerpt 2: Becca
After pouring us each tea, I sat on the stool across the counter from Auntie as she worked on dinner. “Auntie, can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
I tapped my fingers lightly on my glass unsure if I should ask the question. ”Did Clint ever marry?”
“No, baby, he didn’t. He’s dated some, but nothing serious.”
“How is that possible? Besides being handsome, he’s kind and hard working. He’s a catch. Always has been.” I meant to think it in my head, not say it aloud. The words were already out before I realized what I had done.
She stopped slicing veggies and looked across the butcher block island, locking her caramel-colored eyes on mine. She placed her hand on mine and slowly patted it. It was something she’d done since I was a little girl and would spend summers here and again once I moved in after my mom died. It was her way of comforting me when she knew I didn’t want to talk. ”He was caught when he was sixteen, and he let her go almost four years later. I think a part of him always hoped for a second chance.”
Excerpt 3: Clint
My heart skipped as she walked down the stairs in a light pink sweater dress that hit just above her knees and black knee-high boots. That’s the Becca I fell head over heels for in high school. I had to let her leave the first time, but I’m not letting her go without a fight this time. I need to convince her to stay.
By JLynn Autumn