Book 7: The Mountain Monroes
The Littlest Cowgirls
This soon-to-be dad is getting a double surprise
Wyatt Halford’s kept his cool as one of Hollywood’s hottest action stars. But coming to Second Chance and discovering he’s about to be a father to twins? Now he’s definitely off-kilter. He certainly can’t afford any complications—like falling for spirited, redheaded actress Ashley Monroe. Wyatt’s dealing with the biggest plot twist of his life. But can he do the right thing…and still find his happy ending?
Tropes: cowboy turned actor, sexiest man alive, twin switch, secret baby, small mountain town romance
Excerpt:
Ashley Monroe stood on the porch of the Lodgepole Inn with her best smile planted firmly on her face as she watched Wyatt Halford’s assistant park their SUV in front of her.
This meeting in Second Chance, Idaho, had been five months in the making.
Her sister’s future happiness hinged on this meeting. She tried to squelch the fluttery feeling in her chest that thought caused.
Wyatt stepped out of the back seat of the SUV like the Hollywood royal he was—tall, proud and with a casual appearance that was anything but casual. More like practiced and perfected. Apart from that cowlick that looked like it couldn’t be tamed. There was the tan skin. Those scuffed black cowboy boots. He carried a black cowboy hat. All time-consuming prep and props to create the impression that Wyatt was a genuine rough-and-tumble cowboy who’d become a genuine rough-and-tumble action film star.
She’d bet he’d never shot a real gun in his life. Or learned how to make little sports cars drift in circles, stopping on a movie mark. Or…
Wyatt removed his sunglasses and glared at Ashley.
Cue dramatic music.
This man wasn't happy. And he wasn’t trying to hide it.
Ashley’s feet suddenly felt as if they were slipping on a steep slope. She curled her toes in her black suede booties and glanced behind her.
Three females crowded the inn’s front window—her mother, Laurel and Gabby. Gabby was wide-eyed, cell phone in hand. Laurel looked worried, a crease in her brow. And Ashley’s mother? Her disapproval was evident without so much as a downward turn of her mouth. As Ashley’s agent, Mom felt there was more on the line for Ashley than for Laurel. Actors with bright shiny reputations were paid more than those associated with scandal. Therefore, Mom reasoned, Ashley’s public image must be protected at any cost.
And that was just it. For too long, Ashley had been the daughter the Monroes protected, the one everyone considered too fragile to safely navigate a Hollywood career alone. No more. She'd stand on her own now and face the fallout from her mistakes head-on.
She turned toward Wyatt.
He won’t break me.
Wyatt walked up the inn’s steps, sunglasses held on top of his head by that artfully created cowlick. He still carried that cowboy hat.
I will not back down.
Not when Ashley knew her course to conquer Hollywood as a producer-director could only be charted with smarts, professionalism and a whole lot of luck, not with the reputation of America's good-natured sweetheart. No way was she going to let the highest grossing actor of last year see her sweat.
Begin as you mean to go on.
“Thanks for coming.” Ashley stepped forward to greet Wyatt, rising on her toes to kiss each of his cheeks.
And…yikes. Wyatt did the whole celebrity bit well. He even smelled good, as if she were on a walk through a lush green forest.
Wyatt held on to Ashley’s elbow with a light but firm touch. The look in his dark brown eyes… It hid nothing. Backed down from nothing. “How could I refuse the request to be your wedding date?”
Oh, that voice. So deep. So smooth. So dangerous. He was quite the package.
No wonder Laurel fell under his spell. Even if it would only last twenty-four hours.
Ashley was falling now. Standing too close, staring into his eyes too long. She could feel his magnetism.
But she could pretend his charisma was a facade—a role he was playing—and resist.
Ashley brushed a thumb over the summonee’s cheek. His lightly stubbled cheek. Goodness. “You look like you’re waiting for me to feed you your next line,” she said, without so much as a tremble in her voice. And then she stepped back, grabbed his hand and led him toward the door.
Anyone who saw them would think they were friends, maybe even dating. Through the window, Gabby held up her phone as if taking a picture. And Ashley, who was as camera-shy as Wyatt was rumored to be, had to work hard not to turn away.
“Hang on.” Wyatt planted those boots. “We need to talk about…” He gestured toward Ashley’s midsection.
He knows something.
Ashley’s smile became strained. She could feel a break in character coming, barreling toward her like an avalanche. And then, her acting training kicked in, upholding that fourth wall between herself and her audience. Breathe. Relax. Focus on the emotion you’re trying to project. Calm. Ashley was calmer than a shallow pool on a hot summer day. No ripple of panic. No wave of guilt.
“I saw something on the internet,” Wyatt said in that hard, angry voice. “A post on an encyclopedia website about your sister and me.”
He knows everything.
“Ashley, I’ve never met your sister.” His brow furrowed, making him almost human. “It had to be a typo, your sister's name instead of yours.”
He thinks I'm pregnant? He knows nothing!
To her credit, Ashley kept on smiling. She shifted her head, as if trying to get a handle on the meaning of his words. “Is there a question in there somewhere?”
The door behind her opened. Laurel’s cheeks may have filled out during the pregnancy, but her features were still nearly identical to Ashley’s. Laurel patted her very round stomach and arched her very slim brows. “It’d be easier on everyone if we were more direct.”
So much for breaking the news to him gently. Ashley sighed and faced Wyatt. “That was no typo. You’ve met my sister. And surprise.” Those two words fell flat, just not as flat as the ones that followed. “You’re going to be a father.”
The Story Behind the Story
When I sold the Mountain Monroe series to Harlequin, I sold them the first six books of the 12 Monroe cousins. They wanted me to wrap up storylines that crossed over the series every 3-4 books. This book has a lot of storylines that needed to be resolved. If that wasn’t a hard enough task, COVID hit during a long-planned move from California (and our home of 30 years) to Oregon. It was chaos.
But I loved these two characters. Wyatt, who makes every career choice with a chip on his shoulder. And Ashley, who is playing the same game of chess in Hollywood, but trying to prove she’s more than a pretty face. How? By producing and starring in a gritty western about a local bandit in Second Chance, Idaho.
And then Harlequin threw in another wrinkle. Walmart was interested in giving shelf space in their stores to Heartwarming books, but only if they were western-themed. Harlequin wanted this book to feature a cowboy or cowgirl, not just be about the prep work that goes into creating a western film. Now, readers of the series will recognize that there are cowboys and cowgirls in Second Chance, but that Wyatt and Ashley are Hollywood royalty. I had to give Wyatt a cowboy backstory and increase the scenes with Ashley showing off her cowgirl skills.
Net: this book was a challenge. But Wyatt and Ashley still hold a fond place in my heart, and I hope they find a place in yours.
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