Hometown Star - By Joleen James Page 0,71
place for dinner,” Cade said.
Finn and Emma ran off to the kitchen, shouting, “Star’s here. Star’s here.”
Cade came toward her. She ached for him, prayed he wouldn’t turn her away. Where did she begin? How did she apologize for everything she’d put him through?
When he reached her, he didn’t speak. Instead, his arms came around her, and then he was kissing her. Giddy relief washed through Star and she kissed him back, needing this, needing him, not allowing herself to think about what would follow. His kiss made her whole again.
“Gross,” Brad said with disgust from the hallway.
They broke the kiss, but Cade’s arms tightened around her.
“Star!” Trudy cried, as she rushed from the kitchen, nearly running over Brad. Ron, Finn, and Emma followed until the foyer was crowded with O’Briens, all of them talking at once.
Cade let go of her as Star was passed from O’Brien to O’Brien until she’d hugged them all.
“We were just about to have dinner,” Trudy said, her voice rising above the chatter. “I’ll set you a place.”
“I ate at Brandi’s,” Star said. “My whole family is there. But don’t let me keep you from your dinner. I can come back later.”
“No.” Cade’s fingers closed around hers. “Stay.”
“Really?” she asked, afraid to hope.
“I insist.” He turned to Ron. “Hold the turkey. Give us a minute.”
“Come on, kids,” Ron said, spreading his arms wide in an attempt to corral everyone and lead them back to the kitchen. “Let’s get the food on the table.”
One by one the O’Briens shuffled away.
“Come on,” Cade said, tugging on her hand.
Star didn’t budge. “No, wait.”
He stopped. “What is it?”
“I have to tell you something.”
“Tell me.”
Star looked into his eyes. “That day, when we took the pregnancy test, well, I know I said I was relieved when I wasn’t pregnant. The truth is, I wanted that baby. I wanted your baby. I just didn’t know it at the time. I’ve been a mess ever since.”
Cade smoothed her hair. “I wanted that baby, too, but for different reasons. I wanted a tie to you, one that couldn’t be broken. It was selfish of me, especially since I knew you didn’t want that.”
Star’s throat closed with emotion. “I want a family.” Star touched him this time, her palms against his chest, his heart beating under her right hand. “I’ve been mourning you and your kids. I love all of you. I can’t do it anymore. I know I’m risking my heart, but I want to take the risk. I need to know, do I still have a chance with you?”
“Yes!” Cade picked her up, swinging her around. He kissed her. “I’ve missed you.”
Star kissed him back, growing serious. “I love you,” she whispered against his mouth. “So very much.”
“I love you, too.” Cade smiled. “Come on.” He led her outside. “I have something to show you.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” His hand closed around hers, and together they ran through the swirling snow toward Patsy’s place. When they broke through the trees, Star saw a footing had been poured. Snow covered most of it, but there was a definite footprint of a house outlined in the snow.
“Brandi said you demolished Patsy’s place. I figured you were trying to exorcise me.”
“Hardly.” He laughed. “I leveled it to build your dream house, a house complete with a giant home office.”
“What?” She looked at him. “My dream house? I thought Trudy and Ron were going to live here.”
“Plans change. Trudy won’t leave the new kitchen.” Cade pulled her into his arms, hugging her close. “I want to give you a home, Star. A real home of your own. I want to give it to you with no strings attached. I want to build it for you because I’m crazy in love with you.”
“Even after everything I said about not wanting kids or a husband?”
“You can push me away all you want, but I’m not going anywhere. We’ll find a way to make it work. Love is about compromise. If we have to split our time between two cities, I’m okay with that. Winters are slow here. We can make it work. And summers, well, I wanted to make a place for you, where you could work from here if you wanted to. I don’t expect you to be a full–time mom to my kids. I know how important your work is. I can be there for them when you aren’t and vice versa.”
“You darling man,” Star said with wonder. “My life is here, with you. I’ve thought about this, a lot. I’m an associate producer now. I think I can talk Frank into letting me telecommute part of the time. I’ll have to go out of town on location periodically, but for the most part, I think I can make it work.”
“Whatever it takes,” Cade said. “I’m behind you one hundred percent.”
“I love you, Cade.”
“I love you, Starlene White.” He gave her hair a playful tug.
Her heart bursting with love, snow falling softly around them, Star kissed him.
And she knew, once and for all, that she was finally home.
Also by Joleen James
UNDER A HARVEST MOON
Among the grapes they discovered a passion for the land and a passion for each other...
Nico Delrosario will do anything to hold onto the vineyard he loves, even charm his new boss, a woman determined to sell the vineyard to the highest bidder.
For Danielle Whitney, selling the vineyard is her only option. Haunting memories of the past and worries for her son's future make it impossible to stay, even when she discovers she’s falling in love with Nico.
But the tables turn, and Nico, unable to resist Danielle, soon finds himself the victim of his own plan. When the truth shatters their fragile trust, Nico must win Danielle back, because to lose this game will cost him more than the land he loves, it will cost him his heart.
FALLING FOR NICK
It’s taken Clea Rose ten years to get over the one night she spent with bad boy Nick Lombard—a night of teenage passion that produced her son, and sent Nick to prison for murder. Now, with her life finally back on track, Clea’s about to marry a wonderful man and leave town for a promising career in New York. The last thing she expects is Nick’s return and the intense feelings he stirs within her.
Sent to prison for a murder he didn’t commit, Nick Lombard comes home to the tiny town of Port Bliss to attend his mother’s funeral, but he doesn’t count on running into Clea. Seeing her reminds him of everything he’s tried to forget, and everything he longs to remember. When Nick learns Clea is about to marry the man who sent Nick to prison, he knows he must stay and fight for the family he was forced to leave behind.
Against all odds, Nick and Clea must find their way back to the summer they were young lovers on the beach in Port Bliss, realizing that together their love is strong, strong enough to survive anything, even the web of lies that separated them ten years ago.
About Joleen James
Award–winning author Joleen James became an Indie author with the launch of her short story Hostage Heart. Since that time she has released two contemporary romances novels Falling For Nick and Under A Harvest Moon. Hometown Star is her third novel.
When she’s not busy writing, Joleen enjoys spending time with her family at her lakeside home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. You can find Joleen at www.joleenjames.com and on Facebook and Twitter.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Also by Joleen James
About the Author