Hi Dear Reader!
How are you enjoying Kade and Delilah’s story so far? It is a fun one. I wrote it a few years ago and it was my second full-length novel.
I just wanted to give you a little update before heading into the next section of the chapter. This past month, we added a little girl our family. Now, Baby Bock is a no longer a baby but a big sister. She loves the little baby and Tank the Dachshund is looking forward to getting fed from the table by two little girls.
Our house has been topsy-turvy with trying to balance life with the new baby and I haven’t been getting any writing done this past month. Cassandra and Trevor’s story is percolating in the background, at least I hope so! ;) I have been reading a lot. Do you have any good recommendations? Preferrably something romantic and not too heavy?
The next book on my TBR is The Gunnery Sergeant’s Ready Made Family by Kathleen Ryder. It sounds really good and has a bunch of tropes that I like: marriage of convenience, brother’s best friend, military man.
Book Blurb:
Brought together by grief…
When her brother is killed in action in Afghanistan, Stephanie (Stevie) finds herself unexpectedly thrown into the role of sole guardian of her two young nephews.
Determined to do the best she can for them, Stevie enters a marriage of convenience with her brother’s best friend. After all, she has known Chase for years and knows that he will provide for and protect them as if they were a real family.
It doesn’t matter that she had always hoped for more with Chase, for her nephews, she will put her own dreams on hold, the same way her brother had when they themselves had been orphaned too young.
Will the weight of guilt tear them apart…
There was nothing that Chase would not do for Kyle. Kids when they first met, they had spent more time together than apart.
Marrying Stevie was a no-brainer. She and the boys needed a stable home, medical insurance, and familiar faces to help them heal, all benefits that Chase could provide.
The fact that it was Chase’s fault that Kyle was gone was his own personal cross to bear. One that he was determined no one else should ever find out about.
Or will faith lead them to forgiveness and love?
As Stevie and Chase begin blending their lives together, helping the boys through the first year without their beloved daddy, they begin to see each other, and themselves, in a different light.
When Stevie learns the truth of her brother’s death, will she be able to forgive Chase, and claim the happiness they both deserve, or will she lose him forever?
Now onto chapter 9 of Second Chance with My Bull Rider. If you are just joining us, you can read Chapter 1 below.
Chapter 9 Part 2
Delilah
Kade was infuriating. When he walked out on me eleven years ago, he never looked back. I had called him and left him messages. No answer. But I had to get on with my life. I would have never thought I’d find myself pushing his wheelchair around the house. He wanted to go sit outside on the porch, so I wheeled him out the door.
“Where are you going?” He called over his shoulder as I set the brake and headed back into the house.
“To get some pillows or something. I bet your backside is sore.” I pushed through the door. “You don’t have any padding back there,” I muttered as I swept up some pillows and a comforter from the couch to add to the swing. “Here you go.” The swing swayed gently in the breeze as I arranged the pillows and blanket to pad the wooden swing. “You can sit here with your leg propped up.”
Kade rolled close to the swing. As he reached out towards me, our hands touched, electric sparks tingled up my arm as I helped him into the swing. The old flame of desire flared at his touch. It reminded me of how gentle and caring he was when we were a couple. He loved me and showed it all the time. I tamped down the old feelings and focused on being a nurse. The rust chains creaked as he sat down. His sky-blue eyes met mine and my heart pounded. I broke the contact, lifting his right leg onto another pillow. “Here’s some ice.” I packed it around the leg. I wiped my hands on my pants. He caught my hands in his and rubbed his thumb over the back of mine. A small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. Unsaid thoughts swirled in his eyes and drew me in. Was there still something between us? Could there be something between us? Or is there too much hurt? I mentally shook myself back to my job, trying to not let my heart fall for Kade all over again.
“Why don’t you get some sweet tea and sit with me?” He gave me big puppy dog eyes and motioned to the chair next to him. Could I sit next to him? Can I protect my heart? The wariness must have shown on my face. “Come on, Dee. I am sorry about this afternoon. I promise I will be nice.”
I sighed and pulled my hair back into a ponytail as I headed back into the kitchen. “Fine. I’ll get us some cookies and sweet tea.”
I handed him a glass of sweet tea and a package of sandwich cookies before plopping into the rocking chair next to him. I threaded my fingers together and placed them behind my head. The sun beat down on us. The cows mooed as they inched their way across the pasture next to the house, looking for blades of grass. The wind blew tiny gusts across the flat pasture, stirring up small twists of dust. I rocked back and forth. I tried to keep my thoughts from the man sipping sweet tea and munching on cookies.
“So, you and Kaleb are an item?” His quiet voice filled the awkward silence between us.
“No.” I scoffed. His expression was unreadable. “Why?”
“Isn’t Kaleb a nice guy? Or is he not your type?” He swirled the tea around in his glass. The ice cubes clunked together.
I cut my eyes to him. What was he getting at? Did I have feelings for Kaleb? Seriously, he was asking me that? I don’t even know what to say to that. “He’s a nice guy and I know a lot of girls in town find him attractive.” I narrowed my eyes at him and shrugged.
“You don’t like him?” He set his cookies down and leaned forward.
“Seriously, Kade. He’s like an older brother I don’t need. Damien is enough for one girl.” I studied him as he fidgeted on the swing. “Why? Are you jealous?” I tried not to smirk. That’s it. Kade Kisment was jealous of me and his older brother. Ha, that was funny.
“I can’t figure out why Kaleb has you helping me.” He shook his head but still did not meet my eyes.
“You ran away all the other in-home nurses and he figured I could stick with it.” I kicked off my shoes and drew circles in the air with my toes. The silence stretched on.
“He’s paying you?” Kade’s eyelids raised and his hand stopped midway to his mouth.
I turned to look at him and nodded.
“But don’t you have a job.” His brow wrinkled as if this was a hard concept.
“I quit my job. I told you that. And he’s paying.” I shrugged and reached over to steal a cookie.
“Are you only here for money?” He looked hurt and those big blue eyes widened into an incredibly sad puppy dog look.
“Really, Kade? I’ve avoided you and your whole family for the last eleven years. Do you think I would do this out of the goodness of my heart without getting paid?” I scoffed. I rocked back in the chair.
“No, I guess not.” He sucked down the rest of the sweet tea. “I kind’ve wished you did it just to be with me.”
It was so soft that I almost didn’t hear it. I guess I am going to ignore that comment. I rocked back and forth. The awkwardness got thick and I didn’t know what to say to that.
“I’m going to get dinner ready. Don’t eat all the cookies.” I grabbed my shoes and went inside.
Hugs,
Allie
P.S. If you want to read ahead, Second Chance with my Bull Rider is available for purchase on all retailers and to check out from your local library.