My New Book Hearts on Fire (Destination Billionaire Romance) is now Available
I'm thrilled to announce that my newest book Heart on Fire, a Destination Billionaire Romance is now Available!
Get Your Copy HERE
Get Your Copy HERE
This novel is set in beautiful Sonoma Valley, California. I first fell in love with the beautiful rolling vineyards and majestic countryside when my family and I went there on vacation. We've since been back many times. It's a little slice of Italy--a place to relax and savor the moment. I love the culture, food, and architecture. The irony is that I don't even drink alcohol, and I'm enamored with wine country because of all the other aspects of the area!
I jumped at the chance to write a story about a bed and breakfast in the Sonoma Valley. Of course, considering my love for interior design, I had to also incorporate that. The characters came alive, lighting a fire in me that had me furiously pounding the keyboard until the wee hours of the morning to get the story from my head to the computer screen. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Here's the description:
Rising star Peyton Kelly has her own remodeling show on HGTV. But when her mother dies suddenly, Peyton becomes a partial owner of the rundown bed and breakfast that’s been in the Kelly family for three generations. Located in the center of breath-taking wine country, the bed and breakfast could be a jewel. In a cruel twist of fate, Carter Webster her former fiancé purchases the other half. Peyton wants to revitalize the bed and breakfast, but Carter’s determined to tear it down and build an exclusive resort in its place.
Sparks fly as Peyton and Carter square off. It doesn’t take long for the flame between them to reignite, and their hearts are drawn together, but their heads have other ideas. Can Peyton and Carter put aside old grudges and yield to the desires of their hearts, or will the secrets of the past consume them?
Sparks fly as Peyton and Carter square off. It doesn’t take long for the flame between them to reignite, and their hearts are drawn together, but their heads have other ideas. Can Peyton and Carter put aside old grudges and yield to the desires of their hearts, or will the secrets of the past consume them?
Here's an excerpt:
Prologue:
Peyton couldn’t help but feel like
Cinderella as her gaze took in the opulent surroundings of the courtyard at the
Webster Mansion. Twinkling white lights and thin strips of gauzy fabric adorned
the gazebo and trellis, adding a dreamlike quality to the warm evening. A live
orchestra played soft music in the background, and the tender scent of fresh
flowers filled the night air. Stars shimmered brilliantly above, applauding the
happy occasion of her upcoming wedding.
Peyton looked down at her exquisite
mango-colored dress and couldn’t resist swishing discreetly from side to side,
loving how the wind whooshed underneath the silk fabric. She felt as buoyant as
a balloon, soaring high and free, where nothing bad could touch her. It was
still hard to believe she was marrying Carter tomorrow.
His mother, Kathryn, had been
vehemently opposed to the union, but was starting to come around. This party at
Kathryn’s sprawling mansion was her gift to Carter and Peyton. It meant the
world to Peyton that Kathryn was finally accepting her.
Peyton straightened her shoulders
as she nodded and smiled at the mayor and his high-society wife. She
straightened her back. A part of her wondered if she’d ever feel completely at
home in Carter’s glitzy world of mansions, expensive cars, and spontaneous
trips to Europe. It boggled Peyton’s mind that Carter could just up and go
anywhere he wanted when it had taken six months of planning, scrimping, and saving
for her family to drive nine hours to Disneyland.
Peyton was sure there would be battles
to fight when it came to the differences in their upbringing, but she was
confident her and Carter’s love was strong enough to see them through the rough
spots. They’d weathered their fair share of storms already. She scanned the sea
of faces, relieved when her eyes found a familiar face, Mr. Labrum. Her high school English teacher
smiled and waved as he walked over and gave her a one-armed hug.
“Good evening,” he said stiffly.
“You look lovely as always.” He pushed his inch-thick glasses back up on his
nose and cleared his throat like he was about to deliver an important speech.
“Beauty, sweet Love, is like the
morning dew,
|
|
Whose short refresh upon the tender
green
|
|
Cheers for a time, but till the sun
doth show,
|
|
And straight ’tis gone as it had
never been.”
|
|
Peyton laughed. “Thanks … I think.”
“A sonnet by Samuel Daniel, born in
1562.”
“Oh, I haven’t heard that one,”
said Payton. A self-confirmed, lifelong bachelor, Art Labrum spent his life
buried in a book. Socially awkward, with a ruler-straight part in his oiled
hair, he reminded Peyton of George McFly from the movie Back to the Future. Mr. Labrum’s eccentricities made him an easy
target for the meaner kids in high school, but Peyton had always liked him. She
found his quirks endearing, and he was kind and helpful to his students.
“You know, Peyton, I had a feeling you and Carter would end
up together the first time I caught you locking lips in the supply cabinet.” He
wagged a finger, a smile creeping over his lips.
Peyton chuckled. “Yeah, you weren’t
too happy about that. Made us do two rounds of detention, if I remember
correctly.”
He snorted. “Oh, the foibles of
youth. To be—” He stopped mid-sentence, looking thoughtful. “You know, the two
of you remind me a little of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. You have my
sincerest congratulations. It’s not often that people have the fortitude to
defy convention and follow their hearts.”
“There she is … the lady of the
hour,” a female voice squealed.
Peyton turned to see two girls
about her age approaching.
“How sweet you look tonight,” the pretty
blonde bubbled. Her dress was poured on—so tight Peyton doubted she could sit
down.
“I’m sorry. Do we know each other?”
The girl touched Peyton’s arm. “I’m
Claire and this is Mindy.”
Mr. Labrum shrank into himself.
“Well, I must be going,” he said in a formal tone. He gave Peyton a slight bow
before shuffling away.
Peyton turned her attention to the
two girls, her mood dampening slightly. She’d rather endure Mr. Labrum’s long
quotes a hundred times over than be forced into making small talk with
strangers. Then again, maybe she was missing out on a friendship. They were
part of Carter’s world, and she was about to marry into it. She’d better start
developing her own contacts. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said, in a voice that
sounded falsely cheerful to her own ears. “Are you friends of Carter’s?”
Claire smirked. “You could say
that. Carter and I used to date.”
Peyton tensed. “Really? He never
mentioned you.”
An easy laugh escaped Claire’s
lips. “You know how Carter is. He probably didn’t want to upset you.” She waved
a hand. “Anyway, it was a thousand years ago. Water under the bridge.”
Peyton lifted an eyebrow. And yet
she chose to mention it now. Interesting.
“You’re so lucky,” Claire chirped,
turning to Mindy. “Doesn’t she look darling?” She zeroed in on Peyton. “I’ll
bet you look good in any old thing. I saw your same dress on the clearance rack
at Dillard’s last season. Only a short girl like you could pull off wearing it.
I had to have something specially made by my designer to fit my tiny waist.”
Mindy sniggered while Claire
fluffed her curls, her lips forming a sultry pout. “I always wondered what kind
of girl had enough torque to lasso Carter Webster.” She looked Peyton up and
down. “Huh,” she mused softly. “Just goes to show, you never can tell what’s
going to make love click.”
Mindy giggled and lurched forward.
“Funny!” she gasped, wiping at her eyes.
Peyton’s cheeks warmed. All right—I’m done playing nice. She
looked Claire in the eye and smiled brightly as if she were in a toothpaste
commercial. “And sometimes, dresses are like clunker cars—no matter how much
money you pour into them, they’ll never be a classic.”
Claire’s face turned scarlet like
she might have a heat stroke.
Peyton was about to excuse herself
when strong arms encircled her waist from behind. She looked back as Carter leaned
in, tickling her ear with his warm breath.
“Hey, I’ve been looking for you.
We’re about ready to do the toast.”
“Oh, I’ve just been getting
acquainted with your old girlfriend.”
He jerked. “My what?”
Peyton motioned. “Claire. According
to her, the two of you were thick as thieves.”
Carter’s eyes went large, and Claire
suddenly took interest in someone across the way as she caught hold of Mindy’s
arm. “Oh, look, there’s Steven.” With a sniff, she cut her eyes at Peyton and
Carter. “Well, it was great to see you both. Congratulations again,” she
quipped, as she and Mindy scattered.
Peyton chuckled dryly. “Yeah, just
as I thought.”
Carter shook his head, amusement
twinkling in his gray eyes. “Peyton,” he hummed in a low tone, “what’ve you
been up to?”
She laughed. “She started it.”
He pulled her close, gazing into
her eyes. “I have no doubt. Poor Claire got more than she bargained for when
she tangled with you.”
The corners of her lips turned
down. “Poor Claire, my eye!” She spiked an eyebrow. “So you did date her?”
“We might’ve gone out once or
twice.” A devilish glint lit his eyes. “Not jealous, are you?”
She scowled. “Hardly.”
“Don’t worry. I only have eyes for
you.” He leaned in, his voice going husky. “You are so beautiful. I can’t wait
to get you to myself.”
She laughed, a tingle of anticipation
circling down her spine. “The minute we say I
do, I’m all yours.”
“I’m counting on it.” Carter pulled
her closer, swaying to the beat of the music, his eyes locking with hers. “I
love you, Peyton Kelly. I always have, and I always will.”
“I love you too.” Peyton felt her
heart swell to the point of exploding. She’d never been this happy. He was so
handsome she could hardly breathe when running her fingers through his thick
mane of dark blond hair. She loved his strong jaw, with just enough stubble to
give him a rough-and-tumble charm, and his kind eyes lit up and flowed warmth when
he smiled. He was smart, attentive, witty, and—miracle of miracles—he loved her!
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to
make a toast.”
Peyton and Carter looked toward the
portable stage where Carter’s mother, Kathryn, stood, looking regal in a sleek black
dress, hair twisted in a chignon. She held a glass of wine in one hand and a
microphone in the other.
A waiter offered Peyton and Carter a
glass. Peyton was about to decline when Carter whispered in her ear, “It’s
sparkling water.” He winked. “I got your back.” Carter knew how much Peyton
detested alcohol on account of her alcoholic stepfather.
“Thank you,” she mouthed.
“I so appreciate all of you joining
us this evening to celebrate the union of my son Carter and the lovely Peyton
Kelly.” Kathryn paused as if collecting her thoughts. “I’m not ashamed to admit
that at first I wasn’t sure how Carter and Peyton’s relationship would work.”
Peyton stiffened, not sure where
this was going. She saw Carter’s jaw clench and his arm tightened protectively
around her waist.
A magnanimous smile stretched over
Kathryn’s lips. “But seeing them together, it’s obvious the two of you love
each other very much.” Her eyes went misty. “And I suppose that’s what it’s all
about—true love.” She lifted her glass. “May you have a lifetime of happiness
and joy.”
Applause broke out around them.
“Speech!” a man bellowed from behind.
“Speech!” another man repeated, and
then the crowd started chanting it.
Carter held up a hand to quiet the
crowd. “Okay, a speech it is.” He clasped Peyton’s hand and pulled her to the
stage, where Kathryn handed him the microphone.
Carter peered over the crowd. “Is
someone here getting married?” he asked dubiously, eliciting ripples of
laughter.
Peyton gave him a playful shove.
“Seriously, I’m the luckiest man
alive. Tomorrow, I’m marrying the woman of my dreams.” His voice caught as he
turned to Peyton, sincerity shining in his gray eyes. “Thank you for taking a
chance on me. I promise I won’t let you down.”
Peyton’s eyes teared up as she
nodded.
Carter handed Peyton the
microphone. “Your turn.”
A commotion went through the crowd.
Peyton looked toward the back to see what was happening. Her heart lurched when
she saw Harold, her stepfather, staggering through the guests. He mumbled incoherently
and pointed toward the stage.
For a second, Peyton was paralyzed
with humiliation. Her fairy-tale evening had suddenly turned into a nightmare
as she thrust the microphone at Carter and rushed down the steps of the stage to
Harold’s side. The crowd parted, equal looks of horror and disgust carpeting
her way.
“What’re you doing?” she seethed. “You
need to leave!”
Check
and courtyard were the only two words
Peyton could make out of his garbled speech. She tried to take his arm, but he
jerked out of her grasp. Pushing her away, he sent her sprawling backwards,
where she landed on her rear end, her beautiful mango dress bunched around her
legs.
“Hey!” Carter jumped off the stage
and put Harold in a chokehold. Harold tried to resist, but his efforts were
futile. Two security guards ran in, took Harold from Carter, and dragged him
off the grounds.
“Are you all right?” Carter asked,
helping Peyton to her feet.
Tears stung her eyes as she nodded.
The twinkling lights, so romantic earlier, now blared. The place was spinning, menacing
faces closing in around her. She caught sight of Claire and Mindy’s triumphant
sneers. Peyton could only imagine what they must be thinking. “I need to go to
the bathroom,” she hiccupped.
Carter took her arm. “Okay, I’ll go
with you.”
The overseer of the wineries, a
silver-haired man with hard eyes, stepped up to Carter. “I’m sorry to
interrupt, but can I talk to you for a moment …” He lowered his voice. “About
the incident.”
Carter looked like he might protest
until Peyton put a hand on his arm. “It’s okay,” she said quickly. “I’ll be
right back.” She needed a little space to pull herself together.
Carter searched her face. “You
sure?”
She offered a tight smile. “Yeah.”
“Okay,” Carter said reluctantly.
“I’ll be right here.”
***
Peyton attempted to go to the guest
bathroom off the foyer, but it was occupied. A maid directed her to another,
more private bathroom in the back section of the mansion.
After Peyton composed herself, she
had to fight the temptation to head home. Instinctively, she knew if she didn’t
go back out and show her face tonight, she’d never be able to look these people
in the eye again. There’d never been any love lost between Peyton and Harold,
even though she’d never outright hated him. But at this moment, she did.
And she was super ticked at her mother.
Her mom refused to come to tonight’s party because she detested Kathryn Webster.
The last Peyton heard, Harold was staying home, too. Why did he have to pick
tonight, of all nights, to show up here? Had Peyton’s mother come to the party,
she might’ve been able to keep Harold in check before he made a buffoon of
himself.
When Peyton left the bathroom, she heard
voices coming from the nearby study. She almost walked on by when she heard her
name. She halted in her tracks, easing toward the door.
Carter was sitting in the
overstuffed chair, his back towards Peyton. Kathryn was standing over him, her
expression livid. A catering cart was parked just outside the double French
doors, preventing Peyton from getting closer. She attempted to push it aside,
but it wouldn’t budge. Peyton craned her neck to see inside, without being
seen.
Kathryn’s voice was harsh, her face
pinched. “I’ve never been so humiliated in my entire life. I told you, it’s
never going to work with Peyton. She’s not like us. You come from two different
worlds. I know you feel obligated to her.” She held up a finger. “Don’t try to deny
it, because I can see it in your eyes. That’s the problem with you, Carter:
you’re too good-hearted. You feel sorry for Peyton, but this can’t continue.
Otherwise, you’ll end up resenting her in the end.”
Heat stung Peyton’s face as she
waited for Carter to respond.
What Peyton saw and heard next
would be branded in her mind forever as her world shattered to pieces. A tremor
started in her hands and rippled through her body. Tears sprang to her eyes as
she gulped down a sob and ran the other direction. Her only thought was to get
as far away from Carter Webster as possible.