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  He managed a tight smile. “You and thousands of other people. I hated that damn commercial and all the bullshit that went with it. I was the symbol that people recognized and that built my parents’ business. I couldn’t go anywhere without people singing at me, or worse, pointing and laughing, asking me to dance. My parents didn’t seem to notice it embarrassed me. Dad chalked it up to me just being a kid.”

  She dropped her arms, softening her expression. “I didn’t have a good relationship with my mom, either. I’m called audacious for a reason.”

  “I didn’t have much of a relationship with either of them. I grew up with nannies and housekeepers. Most of them didn’t stay long because I was an awful kid. Hell, I was a pain in the ass who did everything he could do get noticed.” He looked at the grass beneath his feet. “The only one who stuck around was one of my nannies, Elsa. She used to bake special treats on Sunday mornings. She moved back to Sweden when her sister got sick. I’d had her for five years, and at that point, I was fifteen and I found every potential chance to cause trouble. My parents had stopped using me for commercials when I was eleven because I’d grown too tall for the part. They hired some kid to do it instead.”

  He sat beside her. “I’m not proud of the first twenty-nine years of my life, Ronnie. I was selfish and stupid and never thought about anyone but myself. My parents died a year ago. They were headed out to buy new furniture for their restaurants when they had a wreck on the highway. I spent the last year trying to ignore the lawyers and the press.”

  She took his hand and his heart leapt. “I’m sorry, Jack.”

  “I’ve been alone most of my life, even in a crowd of people. I had no one.” He squeezed her hand. “Until a wise waitress served me coffee and made me drink it black.”

  “Good coffee doesn’t need cream and sugar.” The corner of her mouth twitched as she offered that helpful advice.

  He had to tell her everything. “I sold the Meat Place BBQ franchise, much to the horror of the damn lawyers. I donated half of it to a horse rescue and the most of the rest of it went into investments. What was leftover I bought the house with. I never expected to find you.” He tilted her chin to look into her eyes. “I’m falling hard for you, Veronica Meredith Graham.”

  Her eyes widened. “Why?”

  Jack could see the little girl she’d been, struggling to be loved and cared for. She was the best mother in the world to Ace, but she still didn’t know how to accept love for herself.

  “You’re smart, funny, and you’re a pastry chef.” He kissed her, his hands and heart shaking with hope and fear. “I’m the best me when I’m with you.”

  Her eyes grew bright with unshed tears. “Damn, that was a good answer.”

  He barked a laugh. “I thought so, too.”

  “I’ve never done this before.”

  “Neither have I. Considering how much I fucked it up, that was obvious.”

  She cupped his face. “We’re a pair of damaged souls. Do you really think we can make a normal life together?”

  He shook his head. “No, never normal. But we can make a good life for us. Being with you makes me realize I didn’t know what I was missing, things I never knew were possible to feel. I want to wake up every day to your blue green eyes and your pastries.”

  “Are you asking me to move in with you?”

  “When you’re ready, yeah. I think we make a good team.” He blinked away stinging in his own eyes. “You and Ace feel like family. We can make our own way in the world together.”

  She blew out a breath. “Holy shit. I didn’t expect that.”

  “Neither did I, but it felt right as soon as it fell out of my mouth.” He kissed her one more time. “I know you need time to think. I won’t change my mind, and I won’t push you for an answer.”

  He got to his feet and held out his hand, cursing the fact that he had bungled everything. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he needed to hang on with both hands.

  *

  Ronnie was in a daze all the way back. She stared out the window, watching the scenery go by. He’d asked her to move in with him. Wow. She had spent so much of the last ten years taking care of her son, she’d spent no time on herself. Then there was seeing Laz again and realizing she’d lost the family she’d treasured as a child.

  Jack offered her an opportunity to be happy and have a family and a home. She’d been through a shock discovering his past. She didn’t blame him for leaving behind the pain of his growing-up years, but she wished he’d have told her without being forced into it. Hells bells, he was rich. Really, really rich, not just kind of fancy dressed rich.

  Then he’d blown her away by telling her he was falling for her. She’d already fallen for him and damned if that thought didn’t make her stomach was as tight as it could be. She might not ever eat again if she didn’t figure out a way to unknot herself.

  When they arrived back at his house, she helped him settle the mares in the barn. Doing something for these magnificent horses helped her. She filled their water and was happily surprised to find he’d already stocked the barn with hay and feed.

  It was another hour before they emerged from the barn. It was almost suppertime, and Ace would be expecting her to pick him up. She needed to talk to him about everything before she made any plans with Jack.

  “I’ll head out now.” She walked toward her car. Jack’s gaze burned into her back.

  “Ronnie?”

  She stopped and waited.

  “I really do care about you. No matter what you decide, I’ll always be here for you. Always.”

  His words echoed in her ears on the way to Patty’s. The expression on her face must’ve spoken volumes, because her friend’s brows went up.

  “You want to stay for supper?”

  “No, thanks.” She gave her friend a hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Ace was silent on the ride home, although his eyes widened when she went through the drive-thru. Ronnie never splurged on fast food, but today was a different day. It was a day the likes she’d never experienced.

  They ate at their folding table and then cleaned up. Ace was a smart kid, and he waited for her to tell her what was going on.

  “Jack bought two horses today.” It was a safe topic and a starting point for her to begin. “Two beautiful mares. Tomorrow you’ll be able to meet them.”

  “Cool. I’ve never seen a horse up close.” He grinned. “I think I’ll have to learn how to use a shovel.”

  She chuckled. “There will be plenty of manure.”

  “What are their names?”

  Ronnie shrugged. “Jack thought maybe you might want to name them.”

  Ace threw up his fist. “Yes!”

  “Something else happened today, too, kiddo. First, I ran into a cousin of mine, Lazarus. I think we’re going to go visit them soon. They live over near Briar Creek, which is a couple hours from here.” She sat on the bottom bunk and waited for him to scoot in beside her. “Jack asked us to move in with him.”

  Ace grew still. “I like his house, and he’s nice.”

  “What do you think about living with him?” She wouldn’t make a decision that Ace didn’t agree with. At the end of the day, her son was the most important person to her no matter what.

  “I think I’d like it.” Ace snuggled closer. “Do you love him, Mom?”

  Her throat tightened. “I think I could.”

  Ace looked up at her. “Does he love you?”

  She brushed away the hair from his eyes. “Maybe.”

  “He sure looks at you like he loves you.” Ace nodded. “I think if he makes you happy, then you should be with him.”

  Leave it to a ten-year-old to cut through the bullshit and see the truth. She had been hiding behind her fear.

  “Then I’m going to tell him yes.”

  Ace grinned. “Good. We won’t have to live in the bunk beds anymore, will we?”

  Ronnie laughed. “No, you’ll get your own room.�
�� She couldn’t wait to see Jack and tell him yes. Tomorrow would be a happy day.

  *

  The sunshine streamed through the windows of Beans. Ronnie’s stomach jumped and shivered as she waited for the morning to pass. Patty told her she could leave at noon and the minutes were going by like a snail in molasses.

  The bell above the door jingled and she glanced behind her, then did a double-take. Jack stood there with a bouquet of flowers and a smile that made her heart flip.

  “That’s a good paying customer right there. Get to work.” Patty repeated her words from more than a month ago, then laughed and pushed Ronnie toward the door.

  She walked toward him with a menu in her hand. She was nervous and hanging onto what she knew best, serving a customer, was safe.

  “Breakfast, sir?” Her voice shook just a smidge as she looked into his beautiful blue eyes.

  “Mmm, coffee and a pastry, please.” He followed her to the table by the window.

  He pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit. She wanted to giggle and blush but she maintained her cool and perched on the chair. He handed her the flowers, which were an explosion of bright colors including blue, orange, yellow, pink, and red.

  “These are lovely.”

  “I was going to get roses, but they’re boring. You’re like these, a field of wildflowers. Wild and gorgeous.” He kissed her and smiled that gorgeous heart-stopping grin. “I missed you last night.”

  She shook her head. “You have terrible taste in women. I’m short tempered and can have a sharp tongue.”

  He waggled his eyebrows. “I happen to like your tongue.”

  “Life isn’t going to be easy with me.” She leaned toward him.

  “I hope not. I want audacious, and I want it with you.”

  She hugged him close, her heart so full she thought it might burst. Who said that coffee was bad for you? It brought her an incredibly precious gift into her life. A man named Jackson and a future of love and life to savor.

  About the Author

  Beth Williamson, who also writes as Emma Lang, is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her books range from sensual to scorching hot. She is a Career Achievement Award Nominee in Erotic Romance by Romantic Times Magazine, in both 2009 and 2010, and a quarter-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.

  Beth has always been a dreamer, never able to escape her imagination. It led her to the craft of writing romance novels, fueled by Reese’s and tenacious pursuit of the perfect story. She’s passionate about purple, books, and her family. She has a weakness for shoes and purses as well as bookstores.

  Life might be chaotic, as life usually is, but Beth always keeps a smile on her face, a song in her heart, and a cowboy on her mind. ;)

  Circle Eight Millennium

  Lazarus

  Samuel

  Grant

  Audacious

  Sawyer

  bethwilliamson.com/series/circle-eight-millennium

  Published by Beth Williamson

  Copyright © 2019 Beth Williamson

  Smashwords Edition

  Edited by Catherine Wayne

  Cover Design by The Killion Group

  thekilliongroupinc.com

  License Notes:

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  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author at [email protected].

  This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  For more information on the author and her works, please see www.bethwilliamson.com.

  ISBN: 978-1-943089-44-4