My Deadly Valentine - By Valerie Hansen & Lynette Eason Page 0,73
car?”
“Already taken care of. Alex’s dad hired them when he realized his son wasn’t making any progress with you. One of them shot Sassy, too.”
She grimaced. “He wanted my land. Alex said I should have just married him and none of this would have ever happened. On the one hand, he was doing everything he could to get me to fall in love with him. On the other, he was trying to scare me into running to him. That was him at my house, wasn’t it? And in the car at the church?”
His hand rubbed her arm. It felt good. He said, “Yes. We think so. Apparently, Mr. Harwood, Sr. gave Alex an ultimatum. Get your land one way or another or get lost.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “What? He did?”
“Yes. So Alex had to step up the incidents. He was trying to get you to run to him for protection.”
“I ran to you instead.”
Eli leaned over to kiss her lips. She reveled in the feeling until she remembered. She pushed him back. “The auction!”
“All taken care of. Mary and the rest of the committee stepped in and took over like champs.”
Holly wilted back against the bed, lips still tingling from his kiss. Lifting a hand, she caressed his cheek. He needed to shave. “I’m so glad you came home when you did, that you were here for me during this horrid time.”
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here before.”
“It’s all right. You’re here now. And you kept Valentine’s Day from being quite a deadly day. I don’t suppose I’ll ever look at February foureenth the same again.” She shivered and closed her eyes. Felt him lean in for another kiss.
“I love you, Holly Maddox. I’ve loved you for a long time, but now I know how to love you. Like Christ loves us. Unselfishly and unconditionally.”
Tears flooded her eyes. “I love you, too, Eli. But you’ve got a new job, you’re leaving again,” she whispered.
He brushed the tears from her cheeks. “No, I’m not. You ran out before I had a chance to tell you that, yes, I had applied for the position some months ago, but then after my partner died and Dad got hurt and I came home…” He shrugged. “My priorities had changed. I forgot about the job. In fact, I just assumed they’d already filled it since it had been so long since the interview. But I don’t want it. And I don’t want to spend the rest of my life without you. I turned it down and accepted the job as interim sheriff of Rose Mountain, North Carolina. I plan to stay and help Dad at the farm and run for election in the next race for sheriff.”
Speechless, Holly could only stare at him. “For real?”
He placed his lips on hers and her stomach flipped and quivered and she shivered all over again.
This time it didn’t have anything at all to do with being cold.
She was very, very warm.
He smiled against her lips. “Yeah. For real. Happy Valentine’s Day, darling.”
She decided it wasn’t such a bad day after all.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Eli and Holly’s story. I had a great time creating them and dropping them in the midst of trouble. When I was at the beach, I got a call from my agent saying Steeple Hill wanted me to be one of the authors in this anthology. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance. Right then, I grabbed my writing buddies and we brainstormed the whole story within about an hour. I just think it’s so wonderful how God places people in our lives just when we need them. Eli arrived home in time to protect Holly and help figure out who was after her and her land. At first Holly wasn’t real thrilled that he was there, but thank goodness God can see the big picture. Sometimes in real life, we don’t always like or understand the way things work out, but one thing I’ve learned is that as long as I’m trusting God, He’ll bring me through whatever storm crosses my path. Again, thank you for reading my story. I always love to hear from my readers. You can reach me at [email protected].
God Bless!
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
At the beginning of the story, Holly is waffling between whether or not to give Alex another chance. Then her store is robbed and she sees Eli Brodie for the first time in months. Immediately, she knows she’s not supposed to be with Alex. What makes her know this? Why does it take seeing Eli again to bring her to this conclusion?
What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?
Someone is after Holly’s land and no amount of money interested her enough to sell. Do you have something that you value that much? (Not including living people like family or friends.) If so, what is it about that thing or place that means so much to you?
Holly is a worker, a go-getter. She’s committed to her family, her home and her community. What did you admire most about her? Was there anything you didn’t like about her?
Eli comes back to town a changed man. Or so he says. What do you think about the way he wants to start things back up with Holly? Did his actions back up his words?
Did the identity of the villain surprise you? Why or why not?
Holly was in danger, felt like her mother was in danger and didn’t tell Eli about the threats. What would you have done in her place? Would you have told or continued on alone, trying to figure out what to do?
What do you think about the changes tragedy brings to people’s lives? Eli lost a good partner and friend, but his death left Eli a changed man, a godly one. Have you ever experienced anything like this or know anyone who has? How did it affect your life?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-4872-8
MY DEADLY VALENTINE
Copyright © 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:
DANGEROUS ADMIRER
Copyright © 2010 by Valerie Whisenand
DARK OBSESSION
Copyright © 2010 by Lynette Eason
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.
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