Eight Years Gone, page 43
He nodded as he captured her hand. “You deserve so much more than this. I want to give you something as gorgeous as you are, but maybe this can be a holder ring until we get back from Montana.”
She shook her head as tears filled her eyes. “I love this, Jagger. I want this. It’s perfect.”
He kept her hand in his as he held her gaze, kneeling on one knee. “Let me at least get this part right.”
She smiled.
“You make me better. You make me happy. I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you, and I will for the rest of my life. Marry me, Gracie. Be mine.”
Her tears fell now as she nodded. “I’ve always been yours, Jagger.”
He slid the simple ring on her finger, then gained his feet, kissing her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
He kissed her again. “We’re newly engaged and making babies. This is going to be one hell of a vacation.”
She nodded as she grinned, locking her arms around the back of his neck. “But we should probably start celebrating here.”
He wiggled his brow as he danced with her in a slow circle. “The bed’s a mess.”
“I’m game for the floor if you are.”
“Hell yeah, baby. Let’s get crazy.”
He grinned when Grace laughed as he pulled her down to the rug with him.
The End
Three Siblings. One Year. Everything Changes.
Stained glass artist Callie Davis is in desperate need of a vacation. Burnt out and on the edge of a nervous breakdown, she yearns for lazy days and solitude. But then she meets gorgeous Sheriff Nate Carter.
Nate and Callie’s relationship quickly heats up until Callie starts remembering secrets from her past that have the potential to rip apart their lives.
Click here to enjoy Secrets Hidden In The Glass, book one of The Carter Island Trilogy.
Chapter One
Hartford, Connecticut
July 1995
Callie stood next to the grease-smudged door, sucking her thumb and clutching Emily Dolly close in the crook of her arm. Tinny music played through cheap speakers as she stared at the big man sitting in a booth across the room, snoring with his chin touching his chest while the food on his plate went cold. Glancing around at empty tables and chairs, Callie recognized that she was in a restaurant. Mommy took her out to eat sometimes, but she’d never been to this place before. She flinched and her gaze flew to a set of metallic doors when a woman with bold red hair pushed them open and walked from the kitchen.
The woman stopped abruptly and rolled her eyes as she looked toward the man, who sounded like a pig. “Good grief, I need to get off this midnight shift.” The woman shook her head, grabbing a washcloth from a bucket, then wiped down the long counter top. Her dangling hoop earrings caught in the light while she hummed along with the radio and wiggled her hips in the pink skirt she wore. After tossing the cloth back into the bucket, she picked up a stack of menus and turned, gasping when she made eye contact with Callie. “Dear God in heaven,” she said as her free hand flew to her chest. “You scared me half to death.”
Callie gripped Emily Dolly tighter and stepped back, bumping into the cool glass.
The woman frowned as her gaze tracked around the room. She set the menus on a table, walked over, and crouched down in front of Callie. “Sweetie, are you alone?”
Callie tried to move farther away but there was nowhere left to go.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me.” She smiled and stroked her fingers down a lock of Callie’s long blond hair. “I work here.”
Callie stared into the woman’s green eyes while her stomach twisted and turned and felt yucky.
“Let’s see if I can find your mommy.” The woman gained her feet and walked down a short hallway, opening a door. “Hello?” She moved a few steps and turned another doorknob, doing the same thing. “Hello?”
The woman came back and pushed through the door Callie stood by, letting in the sounds of the cars driving by as she walked off into the dark. Moments later, she came back inside, hurrying over to the man in the corner, shoving on his arm. “Hey.” She did it again. “Hey, you.”
The man snorted as his eyes flew open. “Jeez, lady. What the hell?”
“Is that your little girl?” The waitress pointed in Callie’s direction.
The man turned his head, looking at Callie. “No, that’s not my little girl.”
The woman’s hand ended up on her hip. “Did you see her come in with anyone?”
He stared at Callie a second longer and shook his head. “I’m seeing her for the first time right now.”
“Well, where did she come from?”
He shrugged. “Beats me.”
The waitress walked back to Callie, crouched down again, and sent her another warm smile. “Can you talk?”
Callie nodded.
“What’s your name, pretty girl?”
She took her thumb out of her mouth. “Callie.”
“Do you know how old you are?”
She nodded again.
“How old?”
“Four.”
“Where’s your mommy, sweetie?”
Callie’s breath shuddered in and out when her tummy felt yucky all over again. “I don’t know.”
“How did you get here?”
She blinked rapidly, and tears trailed down her cheeks. “I don’t know.”
“Oh, good heavens.” The woman picked her up and hugged her close. “Everything’s going to be all right.” She walked toward the metallic doors and pushed her way into the big kitchen. “Earl, call the police. I think we have an abandoned child on our hands.”
Continue reading Secrets Hidden In The Glass.
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Also by Cate Beauman
The Bodyguards of L.A. County Series
Morgan’s Hunter
Falling For Sarah
Hailey’s Truth
Forever Alexa
Waiting For Wren
Justice For Abby
Saving Sophie
Reagan’s Redemption
Answers For Julie
Finding Lyla
Deceiving Bella
The Carter Island Novels
Secrets Hidden In The Glass
Aftermath Of Secrets
No More Secrets
Standalone Titles
Eight Years Gone
About the Author
Cate Beauman is the multi-award-winning, international bestselling author of The Bodyguards Of L.A. County series and The Carter Island Trilogy. She currently lives in North Carolina and is a proud wife and mom of two boys and a Saint Bernard, Jack.
www.catebeauman.com
Cate Beauman, Eight Years Gone
