He’d turned it into the perfect place for a celebration. “What have you done?”
He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close where she always wanted to be. “Everyone wanted to celebrate with us.”
“How did ‘everyone’ know?”
“Well, it started with me asking Glori for advice on rings. Then, I went to the jewelry store and ran into Rosie and Brodie…word spread, and they all wanted to be here for us.”
She couldn’t believe how many people had shown up. “Everyone’s here.” Her parents, Jaime, Leddy and Carl, Glori, the Bowie brothers and their wives and children…all the local artisans who sold their goods in her store. “The whole town.” She fell into his warm, strong embrace. “I love you so much. I can’t believe you did all this.”
“Oh, honestly, you two are inseparable.” Her mum tapped Declan’s arm. “You might want to get your boys under control.” Her gaze swept to the top floor of the barn where the hockey boys were tossing hay at each other, dust and sticks floating to the ground.
“Dammit.” He kissed her cheek. “Be right back.”
Once he left, her mum said, “Congratulations, my love. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you as happy as you are here.”
It had taken several months for her mum to be able to drop her own defenses and accept the damage she’d done. Only after a couple of heart-to-heart talks was Phinny able to begin the process of forgiving her.
And now that Andrew had a contract with an American hotel chain, her parents came to visit several times a year. Her mum had begun doing some interior design consulting. She was good at it, and the pro bono work she’d done for the chain had led to paying jobs. Her mum seemed well and truly satisfied in a way she never had before. It seemed finding your good work did that for a person.
“Did you help him with all this?” Phinny took in the people laughing and candle wicks flickering.
“He’d already done most of it. And I must say, I was quite impressed. I’d expected hockey stick chandeliers and puck garlands, but he apparently has better taste than I’d imagined.” Her mum smiled to let her know she was teasing.
Knowing her parents and future husband got along meant the world to her.
“Darling, do you see the woman chatting at the table behind me? The one with the colorful scarf?”
Phinny looked. “Oh, yes, that’s Waverly. I met her at the Reliquary Museum last year.”
“Poor dear lost her husband at such a young age, and she’s turned to baking. She even took a pastry course in Paris. She brought the most delectable desserts for the party. You must try one. And I think you should consider selling them in your store.”
“Pastries?”
“Fresh, gourmet pastries. And we’ll get you a coffee machine so you can make espressos and tea.”
“I love that idea. I’ll talk to her. Thanks, Mum.”
“Let me make you a plate. They’re divine.”
As her mum headed to the buffet table, Phinny stood back and took it all in. It had taken some time to forgive her mum, but now that she had, they had a good relationship because it was authentic. I’m authentic. When she’d moved out here, she’d stopped dancing for her parents, and they’d had to meet her on her terms. They’d fallen in love with Calamity and the Gongshow Ranch.
And her fiancé.
She watched Declan join in the hay-throwing fight, her heart so full of love she thought it might burst. He caught her watching and mouthed, I love you, golden girl.
Her whole body went electric. I love you more, hockey boy.
Thank you for reading THE DEEPER I FALL! You’re going to love LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO, the next book in the Calamity Falls series about the hottest hockey player in the NHL and the single mom of three little girls living in his house. This larger-than-life party boy never imagined he’d spend his nights learning how to braid hair on YouTube tutorials! You’re going to swoon as you watch him find the family he’s never had!
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Need more Calamity Falls, where the people are wild at heart?
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KEEP ON LOVING YOU
WE BELONG TOGETHER
THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
IT WAS ALWAYS YOU
CAN’T HELP FALING IN LOVE
COME AWAY WITH ME
WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
YOU’RE STILL THE ONE
THE DEEPER I FALL
LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO
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Have you read the Rock Star Romance series? Come meet the sexy rockers of Blue Fire:
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YOU REALLY GOT ME
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT
MORE THAN A FEELING
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Look for LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO in September 2022! Grab a FREE copy of PLANES, TRAINS, AND HEAD OVER HEELS. And come hang out with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Pinterest or in my private reader group.
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Do you love second chance romances? How about an elite athlete who’s only ever loved one woman? Check out the first book in the Calamity Falls series, Keep On Loving You!
Excerpt of Keep On Loving You
Her senses filled with the scent of laundry detergent, Calliope Bell leaned against the washing machine as she read the comments from Traci Allen’s Instagram page.
You rat bastard. There is no excuse. You hear me? None. I don’t care if you miss the Pope’s wedding, you don’t abandon your girlfriend when she needs you. Fin Bowie, you suck!
Oh, my God, you left your girlfriend alone in a hospital in a foreign country??? How heartless can you be? You are the worst boyfriend, Fin Bowie!
He totally is. Fin Bowie’s seriously the worst boyfriend ever. I can’t even.
Ha! Fin Bowie = world’s worst boyfriend!
#worldsworstboyfriend
Callie couldn’t believe it. What had Fin done?
A bark of laughter jerked her attention out the mudroom window to the rehearsal dinner going on in her parent’s backyard. The lowering sun glanced off silver bolo ties, gold bangles, and belt buckles. She should be out there with her brother and his bride, but these comments… so many women advancing on Fin with pitchforks in their hands.
As much as she wanted to revel in his just-rewards, she knew how horrifying this kind of attention would be to him. He wanted to be a known as a champion like his older brothers—not some social media celebrity.
Well, he’d brought it on himself. Since breaking up with her six years ago, he’d gone off the rails. At first, seeing him party with so many women had gutted her. Scooped out her heart and rendered her a puddle of goo. So, she’d blocked him. It had been the only way to get on with her life.