Across the Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove, #1)(139)
Rhodes’ jaw went slack. “Did you just call me stupid? And who the hell are you?”
“Didn’t call you stupid. Called your actions stupid. Reckless. Take your pick.” Neither was something I needed in my life, that was for damn sure.
A throat cleared, and we both whirled. Shep stood there, ballcap still on but amusement clear as day on his golden-boy face. “I see you two met.”
“Met?” Rhodes parroted.
Shep’s grin only widened. “Rho, meet my friend and your fire-restoration expert, Anson. Anson, meet my sister, Rho.”
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ALL THE MISSING PIECES SNEAK PEEK
Colt
God, I was an asshole. But it had been the day from hell, and this woman was trying my last ounce of patience. The only problem was that the moment the challenge slipped free, her blue eyes flashed in a way that had me sucking in a breath.
There was no denying she was beautiful. That had been clear as day the moment I’d turned around. Long, blond hair that hung to her waist and looked bleached by the sun. She wore shorts that exposed long, tanned legs, and flip-flops revealing toes painted in an array of sparkly colors. Rainbow fucking toes and even they were cute.
Her face had the kind of symmetry that meant she could’ve just as easily graced the cover of a magazine as this cement sidewalk. But it was those eyes flashing that nearly did me in. Because there was fire in those eyes. A kind of fire that spoke of vitality and an absence of fear. That fearlessness grabbed me by the throat and wanted to pull me right in.
She tugged something out of her back pocket. A tiny wallet that looked more like a coin purse. A second later she was handing me a card. “Here you go, Officer.”
“Sheriff,” I corrected. Those blue eyes flashed again. They were a deep blue, the tones you’d find deep in the ocean, but when they flashed, it was as if they turned liquid.
“Sheriff,” she ground out.
The annoyance had me fighting a laugh as I took the offered piece of plastic. Her driver’s license, I realized. My gaze dipped. Ridley Sawyer Bennett. Twenty-seven. From Ohio. “Far from home.”
“Is that a crime?” she challenged.
And damn, I liked the way her voice transformed with it, taking on an almost sultry air. “That depends. If I run you, am I going to find any warrants I need to arrest you for?”
Her eyes didn’t flash this time; they danced. “Only one way to find out.”
Hell. The dancing was worse. I cleared my throat and handed the license back to her. “I’ll let you off with a warning. This time. Try to keep from inciting any future riots, would you?”
She snatched the license and shoved it and her wallet into her back pocket. “Can’t make any promises, Law Man.”
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book, man. It was my Everest. And as I’m sitting here, getting ready to send it off for proofreading, I can admit I got a little teary when I tackled the final note. I’ve never worked harder on a book or bled more for a story. It was a struggle to find myself in a new world, and it took me more than a few tries to get it right. But in the end, it’s wonderful to know I gave Dex and Brae my all. Because they deserve it.
This author career is a journey, and I dealt with a lot of self-doubt over the course of writing this book. From the title to the story to the characters, it felt like everything was making me question myself. But I am incredibly lucky to have some amazing women in my life who reminded me to trust myself, trust my gut, trust my path. I’d like to give an extra little shout-out to those who helped me believe in myself when I was doubting: Devyn, Sam, Laura, Elsie, Rebecca, Ana, Lauren, Kandi, Amy, Willow, Jess, and Paige. Thank you for taking me out of spirals and helping me find my path. I love you all.
And an extra special shout out to Elsie’s Baby Silver for helping me get all those slang terms just right! I couldn’t have done it without you.
To all my incredible friends who have cheered and supported me through all the ups and downs of the past few months, you know who you are. Romance books have given me many things, but at the top of that list are incredible friends that I am so lucky to have in my life. Thank you for walking this path with me.
To my incredible betas, Glav, Elle, Jess, Jill, Kelly, Kristie, Tina, and Trisha, who read this one at various phases and helped find the characters when I was struggling. And an extra special thanks to Glav, who read this one twice when I begged.
And to the most amazing hype squad ever, my STS soul sisters, Alice, Hollis, Jael, Katrina, Laura, and Paige, thank you for the gift of true friendship and sisterhood. I always feel the most supported and celebrated, thanks to you.
The crew that helps bring my words to life and gets them out into the world is pretty darn epic. Thank you to Devyn, Jess, Tori, Margo, Kelli, Paula, Chelle, Jaime, Julie, Cat, Stacey, Katie, Jenna, and my team at Lyric, Kimberly and my team at Park, Fine & Brower Literary Management. Your hard work is so appreciated!
To my team at Sourcebooks: Christa, Gretchen, Katie, and so many others, thank you for helping these words reach a whole new audience and making my bookstore dreams come true. And to my team at Evermore and Century in the UK, especially Claire, Jess, and Rosie, thank you for bringing the stories to stores across the globe.