Acceptance, The Read online

  “Put it in park.”

  Courtney reached for the shift and pushed it all the way to the top. Her hand shook when she let go of the gearshift and Tyler took it in his.

  “You did it. You drove. You got in the car and drove.”

  “I did, didn’t I?”

  “Courtney, Fitz was right. There isn’t anything you can’t do.”

  She bit down on the inside of her cheek. There were tears coming and she wasn’t sure she could stop them.

  “Fitz loved you, but there was so much more going on in him. We can’t even begin to understand what he saw. What he knew. But what we can do is live on knowing he loved you and carry on his spirit.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. I still have to go on—even without him.”

  “But you have me,” he said, raising his hand and caressing her cheek. “Hold on.”

  The door opened and Tyler stepped out. Courtney sat and waited for him. A moment later he opened the door. She turned toward him and swung her legs out and set her feet on the ground. Tyler took her hand and helped her from the car.

  He offered his arm, but this time she laced her arm through his and pulled him closer.

  “Why are we at your parents’ house?”

  “Most private road I knew,” he said on a laugh. “But there’s more.”

  Tyler stopped walking. He turned her toward him and took her hands.

  “When my mom ran from my dad because of the circumstances surrounding her past, he didn’t give up on her. He loved her more than what came before.” He stepped closer to her. “I love you more than any burden you think you could be.”

  “Tyler, I love you. I never should have thought that’s what I was.”

  “I’m happy to hear you say that. See, I had this amazing plan for tonight at the gala, but then you didn’t show up.”

  “Oh, Tyler, I’m…”

  He put his finger over her lips. “I want you to see something.”

  “See?” She smiled at him.

  “The way you do. Here take a look.”

  He took her hand and turned it palm up. Then he set something in it. “What is it?”

  “Look.”

  She let out a breath and wrapped her other hand around it. It was a velvet box, just like the one Fitz gave her with earrings.

  Her hands began to tremble as she felt for the break between lid and bottom. She pushed open the top and stopped for a moment. There was something about that instant you learned what the surprise was. She could use her lack of sight at her advantage for that moment. The box was open and she didn’t know if it was a piece of candy, earrings, or—dear Lord—a ring.

  “Aren’t you going to touch it?” Tyler asked during her pause.

  “I’m looking at it,” she joked and he laughed.

  Timidly she straightened her fingers and touched the item in the box. Her lips trembled when she felt the stone. He’d bought her a ring. A ring that would glisten in the sunlight she could see. A ring that would be silent on her finger as the dark she lived in. A ring that meant eternity—or so she assumed.

  She raised her head. “Tyler…”

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? It reminds me of you. Bright and shiny and simple and beautiful.”

  He took the box from her hand. “Your father was happy it wasn’t just a gold band. But you’re not as plain as a gold band.”

  “My father?” She jerked back her shoulders. “You talked to him about this?”

  Tyler moved in and rested his hand on her cheek. “Of course I did. A gentleman asks for a lady’s hand in marriage. He doesn’t just take it.” He chuckled and she could almost feel his smile, because she knew he wore one.

  “You’re going to ask me to marry you?”

  “I did that, remember? We agreed to wait until the time was right.”

  “And it’s right?”

  “It’s right.”

  With her hand in his, she felt him move and the gravel crunched under his feet. He let out a few groans and snorted out a laugh. “Why is this part tradition? I just got a rock in my knee.”

  “You’re proposing to me on one knee? Oh, God.”

  “Did you have something else in mind?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t think anyone would ever propose to me ever. Go on.”

  Tyler cleared his throat. “From the very moment you dropped that scarf and I handed it back to you, I’ve been a little smitten with you. But with you by my side, even for a few hours, I was able to accept what had been dealt to me. I gained my life back when I met you and I gained a whole lot more. I fell in love and I knew right away you were the one I wanted to share forever with.”

  The tears were rolling down her cheeks now. She lifted her free hand to her mouth to hold back the sobs, which would escape if she didn’t.

  Tyler gave her hand a squeeze. “Courtney, will you do me the honor of sharing forever with me? Will you marry me?”

  Words didn’t come so she nodded, hoping he’d notice. When she felt the ring slide onto her finger, she knew he’d seen her answer and a moment later he was standing in front of her, pulling her in close with a kiss that could melt the stars from the sky.

  “I love you, Courtney.”

  “Oh, Tyler, I love you too.” She rested her head against his shoulder until she stopped crying. When she pulled back she felt for the ring on her finger and gave it a good looking at. “This is beautiful. I can’t believe you bought me such a beautiful ring.”

  “Avery helped. I’m not very good with picking out pretty things—except for my fiancée.”

  “I picked you out, remember?”

  He laughed. “Right. I smelled good.”

  “You still do.” She reached for his face and pressed a kiss to his lips. “So why did you bring me here to propose? I mean aside from the fact I blew off the gala?”

  “This is where my father proposed to my mother. It seemed fitting and that marriage has lasted a long time and endured its share of things that would tear some apart.”

  “You’re a very thoughtful man, Tyler Benson.”

  “I hope you always think so, because I will never be running away from anything again. Nothing can make me cower with you by my side. You taught me to accept the things I cannot change. And to face them head on with my chin high.”

  “I taught you that?”

  “You did.”

  “Why don’t we go home,” she pulled him closer to her. “And I’ll drive.”

  We hope you enjoyed book eight in

  the Keller Family Series

  THE ACCEPTANCE

  Here is a sneak peek at book nine

  THE MERGER

  Coming Fall of 2014

  To keep updated on the release dates of

  Bernadette Marie’s books please join her at

  www.BernadetteMarie.com

  Chapter One ~ The Merger

  Oregon was a fine place. Perhaps, Spencer Benson thought, he’d like to come back someday and visit as a tourist. However, he was into his fifth month of merger negotiations with Pacific Line Lumber and his desire to ever fly out to the pacific coast again was waning.

  He pressed his head to the back of the boardroom chair as he listened to the ninety year old owner of the company reminisce, again, about the day his father had taken down the first tree to build their family house. And an empire was born.

  Spencer had a great appreciation for family business. He was part of one. His great-grandfather had started Benson, Benson, and Hart. His grandfather took over, followed by his father. His cousin Ed had been holding the CEO position for years now. It was time for him to rise to the position. However, taking five months to close a deal wasn’t making him any friends back home.

  A moment later, the door opened and Spencer felt the twinge in his chest start as it did every time that bitch of a lawyer walked in the door. Julie Jacobson had found a million little flaws in the proposal. He’d like to not see her face again.

  Okay, he thought, it wasn�
��t a bad face. She wore her blonde hair back in a ponytail most times. Her eyes were brown. He’d noticed that as she’d burned holes through him for the past five months with them.

  Today she hurried into the boardroom, dropping a stack of paper on the table. It toppled over and she scrambled to pick it all up as every man in the room watched.

  Okay, he’d later admit he’d rather have watched her fume over the papers and thought it was just. But he wasn’t that kind of man. Spencer stood from his seat and walked across the room to help the frazzled lawyer with the mess she’d created.

  When everything was stacked back on the table she turned those brown eyes on him. They were bloodshot and full of sadness.

  “Thank you,” she said very softly, as if not to let the rest of the room hear her.

  “My pleasure,” he lied and walked back to his seat.

  The meeting continued with brief interludes from the owner as he reminisced about this or that. But a brief five hours later, they finally broke and Spencer gathered his things and headed back to his hotel.

  As he walked through the lobby, his phone rang. It was his father and he’d even toyed with the idea of not answering it. However, that wasn’t like him.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  “Make any progress?”

  Spencer blew out a breath. “You know that bitch of a lawyer is making me crazy. We’re up to replanting. How many trees and seedlings will we replant each year to replace everything we use?”

  His father laughed. “And how many will we?”

  “I don’t know,” he said pushing the button to the elevator. “I have a lot of math to do tonight.”

  “This is your project. You’ll do fine with it.”

  “Sure, you just don’t get what a bitch this woman is,” he said, just as he noticed that bitch step into the elevator as the doors closed. He let out a grunt. “Dad, I’ll talk to you later.”

  He turned off his phone and shoved it back into his pocket. Julie Jacobson didn’t turn to look at him. She didn’t say a word to him. But there was something going on. Something was wrong.

  Was she crying?

  Oh, who cared? She deserved to cry. She was costing him time and money each time she opened her damn mouth in that boardroom and he was tired of her. Let her cry.

  The elevator opened again and another man walked in, looked her up and down, and then pushed a button. The elevator raised a mere two floors before he got off.

  Spencer watched as Julie literally stomped her foot in aggravation for the stop.

  They rode in silence for a few more floors and then the doors opened and he began to step off.

  But the blood that ran through him didn’t let women suffer. He lodged his hand in the door and looked at her. She was indeed crying.

  “Ms. Jacobson, are you okay?”

  She lifted her head. The bitch didn’t seem to be in there. This was a broken woman with troubles. He could see that. She only nodded and he accepted her answer.

  “Okay, then. Have a pleasant night.” He stepped back again, but when her head lifted again and the sadness burned through him he couldn’t handle it. He tucked his foot back into the door forcing it open.

  “Mr. Benson, what are you doing? I’d like to get to my room please.”

  Ah, there she was, he thought as the door closed.

  “You don’t look okay. I mean something’s going on and I just want to be here if you need someone.”

  She let out a grunt. “You hate me. I know you hate me. I’m costing you time and money.” So, she was a mind reader. “My private life, on the other hand, isn’t any of your business.”

  He nodded. He could accept that.

  She lifted her hands to wipe away the tears and he noticed the very tell-tale sign of a wedding ring having been taken off. There was an indent in her finger and a white line where it must have been worn for years.

  “Would you be interested in having a drink?”

  She turned to him and those brown eyes bore right though him. “Are you kidding me? You want to take me out for a drink? I’m the lawyer for the company you’re trying to buy. I don’t think that would look very good, do you?”

  He hadn’t thought of that. “No. You’re right. I just…”

  He just had a moment to catch his breath before the woman lunged at him and pushed him up against the wall of the elevator. Spencer was ready for the knee to the groin, but her mouth coming down on his, her tongue pressing into his mouth, her hands in his hair—none of this he’d expected.

  Spencer was gripping the bar on the wall, but the man in him decided that a woman throwing herself at him would be better to hold. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her to him even tighter. Heat rose between them. The moan from her throat was enough to make him go light headed as the blood traveled away from his brain.

  When the door opened, Julie stood straight and stepped away from him. As Spencer moved to her she held up her hand and straightened her shoulders.

  Her breath was coming in great big gasps. Pink colored her cheeks and those brown eyes didn’t hold fire.

  “Good night, Mr. Benson,” she said as she stepped out of the elevator.

  Goodnight? What in the hell? His body wasn’t quick enough to chase after her before the doors closed and she was out of his sight.

  The blood was rushing back to his head and he thought he might need a very cold shower when he got back to his room.

  What was that all about? Bitch one moment—panting, horny woman the next?

  Who needed it? This was just the force and fire he needed to walk into that meeting tomorrow and say ‘take it or leave it’. He’d had enough of Pacific Line Lumber and their legal staff.

  As the door opened Spencer stepped out onto his floor and went straight to his room. He slid the key in the lock, and then again, and again. He hated these stupid pieces of plastic. Finally the door beeped and he pushed it open.

  Then his head was light and he needed to sit down.

  He knew this feeling. He’d had it before. Crap! That woman had kissed him senseless. That’s what it was.

  Something was up with the blonde with those dark, burning eyes. Never before would he have imagined a woman like her in tears. No, something was hurting her—or someone.

  He’d make sure to take the time tomorrow and find out what was going on.

  Spencer lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. The heat of that kiss swam in his head. Her hips under his hands. Her body pressed to his.

  Oh hell, she’d messed with his mind.

  Tomorrow, she’d finally see his fire. She wasn’t going to mess with him like this. All hell was going to break loose tomorrow.

  For now though, he was going to take a very long, very cold shower.

  Meet the Author

  Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie is known for building families readers want to be part of. Her series The Keller Family has graced bestseller charts since its release in 2011, along with her other series and single title books. The married mother of five sons promises Happily Ever After—always. She says she can write it, because she lives it.

  When not writing, Bernadette Marie is shuffling her sons to their many events—mostly hockey—and enjoying the beautiful views of the Colorado Rocky Mountains from her front step. She is also an accomplished martial artist with a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.

  A chronic entrepreneur, Bernadette Marie opened her own publishing house in 2011, 5 Prince Publishing, so that she could publish the books she liked to write and help make the dreams of other aspiring authors come true too.

  You can connect with Bernadette Marie:

  www.bernadettemarie.com

  www.5princebooks.com

  If you enjoy Contemporary Romance with a hint of comedy, 5 Prince Publishing would like to introduce you to bestselling author

  Susan Lohrer.

  Enjoy an excerpt from her novel

  OVER THE EDGE.

  CHAPTER 1 ~ OVER THE EDGE

&n
bsp; Kat shifted her wrists in the steel handcuffs. Rough, ancient bark pressed against her cheek, and the damp air intensified the resinous tang of the virgin forest. She’d been here since dawn—long enough to be on a first-name basis with Harvey, the Douglas fir. Which, if she let herself consider for more than a minute at a time, was kind of a weird development for a grown woman who had a respectable career. She’d consider it in more depth later. Right now she had enough on her mind.

  A gust of coastal wind snatched her hat, and chilly rain plastered her hair to her scalp and trickled down her neck, making her teeth chatter. Nearby, a group of men wielded wrenches on a logging machine that refused to start. One of her students, the school board superintendent’s son, retrieved the hat and plopped it back on Kat’s head.

  “Don’t worry,” he whispered, “they’re not going to get that machine going anytime soon.”

  Alarm nibbled the back of her mind like a classroom gerbil gnawing a toilet paper tube. “There’d better not be a reason you know that.”

  He laughed. “I’m just saying.” Then, calling to his friends, he trotted off.

  Kat wondered whether she’d still have her job at the end of the day.

  The superintendent had made it clear she’d lose it in a blink if the kids did anything more than show up, and Kat had made them promise not to chain themselves to any trees. So far, all they’d done was text the protest’s breaking news to their friends… unless they’d messed with the equipment before she got here this morning. The thought made her stomach feel like she’d eaten fir needles for lunch. She stared up into the dense boughs radiating from Harvey’s trunk high above her.

  “You don’t think the kids wrecked that machine, do you, Harv? I mean, they know my career is at stake here.” Harvey only sighed in the wind, branches waving toward the broken-down machine. Yeah, it had Kat a little worried, too.

  She flexed her shoulders, stiff from the hours she’d spent shackled to the tree. She wasn’t against logging; she lived in a wood-frame house and used reams of paper. What school principal didn’t? And the logging industry in Mills Creek fed a lot of families.