Where the Heart Lies

  Where The Heart Lies

  By Michelle Garren Flye

  All widowed Alicia Galloway has left of her war-hero husband are the flag that draped his coffin and his final wishes: to move to his hometown, take over the family bookstore and enjoy a simple, quiet life with their two small children. When she arrives, her husband’s best friend makes that new life anything but simple. How can she be so drawn to Liam Addison?

  Liam only intended to help Alicia get settled. But one unexpected kiss awakens his long-held forbidden feelings. Soon, the town busybodies swoop in to warn Alicia away from him. Because no matter the man he’s become, he’ll never live down his reputation as town troublemaker and wolfish womanizer.

  No one wants the war hero’s sweet widow and the supposedly former bad boy together. But the more everyone tries to keep them apart, the closer he and Alicia get. And the more determined Liam is to prove he’s a changed man. Will it be enough to convince Alicia to let a new love in her life?

  87,000 words

  Dear Reader,

  Inspiration comes from the strangest places. Every month, I whine a little when my coworker in charge of production, Jenny Bullough, emails to tell me it’s time to write a new Dear Reader letter. “But, but, I don’t know what to write about,” I say. This month, I added to my whine, “People have been telling me they actually READ these letters. Now there’s PRESSURE.” To which Jenny replied:

  My usual offer still stands ;)

  Dear Reader,

  Angela is busy sunning herself on a beach somewhere; we’ll return to our regularly scheduled dear reader letter in August. Meanwhile, enjoy this book!

  ~Jenny Bullough

  Unfortunately, since I write these letters months in advance, while this particular letter is going in the July books, and you’re perhaps reading this during the summer, the truth is, right now I’m dealing with allergy season, and not beach season. Though I did get to visit a beach in Florida a few weeks ago during a conference. Ahhh, memories…

  But I hope, for your sake, as you’re reading this, you are sunning yourself on some beach. With a tropical drink or frosty beer in hand. And a good-looking cabana person of your choice serving it. Oh, and no biting insects (our beach has biting insects and they hurt!).

  Still, I thank Jenny for the offer, and the inspiration to help me start off this letter. I have to admire the dedication of our authors who, every month, use their inspiration and write such fantastic stories that make great companions on the beach, by the pool, or even in your favorite reading spot indoors. This month, we have another creative and diverse group of releases for your reading pleasure.

  Kicking off the month is a sweeping historical romance from Laura Navarre. By Royal Command offers every­thing you’re looking for in a great historical read: rich historical details, sweeping passion, intrigue and, I don’t think I’m giving anything away by saying this, an amazing happy ending! Joining Laura in starting off our month of releases is debut author Kait Gamble with her fascinat­ing science-fiction romance Liar’s Game. Meanwhile, KC Burn keeps readers in the detailed science-fiction universe of Spice ’n’ Solace with her follow-up super-hot-and-spicy erotic m/m novella Alien ’n’ Outlaw.

  Longing for a particularly delicious erotic romance to turn up the heat inside, while it’s hot outside? We’ve got you covered this month. In addition to Alien ’n’ Outlaw, check out erotic romance offerings from Delphine Dryden and Karen Erickson with The Theory of Attraction and A Scandalous Affair, respectively. And we’re proud to announce debut erotic romance author Samantha Ann King with her ménage novel Sharing Hailey, and debut author Zaide Bishop with her erotic historical novella Eliza’s Awakening.

  Meanwhile, Michelle Garren Flye offers a compelling and emotional contemporary romance, Where the Heart Lies.

  Also this month, join Allegra Fairweather in another para­normal adventure in Island of Secrets by Janni Nell. And make sure you check out Jeffe Kennedy’s Rogue’s Pawn, which kicks off her new fantasy romance series!

  Other returning Carina Press authors this month include Natasha Hoar with The Ravenous Dead, the next installment in her Lost Souls series; Dee J. Adams’s Dangerously Close, which continues the high-octane Adrenaline Highs series; Anne Marie Becker, bringing you another slightly creepy and very suspenseful romance in Avenging Angel; and Hunter Raines with the paranormal m/m romance Sight Unseen.

  In addition to Samantha Ann King, Kait Gamble and Zaide Bishop, we’re proud to introduce another debut author, R.L. Naquin. If you enjoy your urban fantasy with a cheeky edge and a sense of humor, while offering the urban fantasy and romantic elements you love, make sure to check out Naquin’s debut novel, Monster in My Closet.

  I hope you these July 2012 releases as much as we do. And that you really do have a cabana person to wait on you ;)

  Remember, we love to hear from readers, and you can email us your thoughts, comments and questions to [email protected]. You can also interact with Carina Press staff and authors on our blog, Twitter stream and Facebook fan page.

  Happy reading!

  ~Angela James

  Executive Editor, Carina Press

  www.carinapress.com

  www.twitter.com/carinapress

  www.facebook.com/carinapress

  Dedication

  For Bobby and Bruce: My brothers and my heroes.

  Acknowledgements

  Although writing is a solitary venture, making a book is not. Where the Heart Lies is an excellent example of that. Since its conception, this book has outgrown two other titles, been rewritten several times and been in the hands of a number of my friends.

  Many, many thanks to my friends Amelia and Suzanne, who read the earliest of those drafts and helped me on my way to writing this one. Thank you also to my friend Jenn, who has continued to support and promote my writing career.

  Thank you to my Carina Press editor Alison Janssen for all her hard work and invaluable suggestions and for seeing something in this story worth pursuing.

  Finally, as usual, thank you to my family, immediate and extended. Chris, Josh, Ben, and Jessi: You guys are my inspiration and your belief in me is the reason I continue to write.

  Contents

  Prelude

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Prelude

  Ty lay his hand on her still flat belly. “It’s the perfect place to raise children. Boys and girls. There’s a pond for fishing and swimming. And the street is pretty quiet, so they can ride their bikes. The house is the perfect size—not too big. Just homey.”

  Alicia laughed and rolled over, and his hand slid across her belly to her hip. “You might be a little prejudiced considering it’s your childhood home.”

  He pulled her closer, kissing her, and her body responded to him as she always did. She loved his long, lean form and the way he touched her with such confidence.

  S
he drew away after a moment, unable to resist teasing him a little. “Are you sure it won’t be a little, um, inhibiting for you?”

  “What do you mean?” He looked at her, uncomprehending, his hands caressing the backs of her thighs now, causing little rivers of pleasure to run through her veins.

  She smiled wickedly at him, using all her self-control to keep from letting him know how pleasant his touch was. All part of the game. “Well, you know, being in the same bedroom your parents were in when they—oh, you know…”

  He laughed and rolled over on top of her, pressing her down into the mattress and kissing her firmly and thoroughly. His lips left hers and trailed over her jaw and down her collarbone as he cupped her breasts. She gasped at his touch on her sensitive nipples and felt his mouth curve. His lips returned to her neck and he nibbled her earlobe. “Baby, as long as you’re there, I won’t have any trouble being inhibited,” he whispered.

  Chapter One

  “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Alicia Galloway pulled her minivan into the driveway of her new home. The last time those words had popped into her head had been the day Ty’s CO placed a neatly folded triangle of red, white and blue silk into her hands, and she knew the rest of her life wouldn’t be with her husband. She remembered staring at the flag, thinking about its thirteen symbolic folds.

  Fold one is for life, fold two for eternal life. Fold three stands for our fallen veterans. Fold four is for the One who guides us in peace and war. Fold five is for our country and the sixth fold is for where our hearts lie…

  She pulled away from the memory, her eyes tearing. Wiping the tears away, she looked around, trying not to be too cynical. “Hard to believe the rest of my life begins here.”

  Her children slept in the captain’s chairs behind her, surrounded by a mound of crayons, empty baby bottles and juice boxes, goldfish crumbs and small toys. The mound had grown larger on the drive between the hotel in Charlotte and where she now sat in front of the small ranch-style house in Hillsborough, NC. She might be any mother coming home at the end of a long day of running children around, ready to make dinner for her husband.

  Except her husband wouldn’t be coming home.

  Alicia gritted her teeth against the pain. “Shit. How can I do this without you, Ty?”

  “Mommy?” Gemma sounded drowsy. “Are we there?”

  Alicia swallowed hard and swiped another tear away with a hurried hand. She’d tried to keep her emotions under control with her children. Baby Jason, born two weeks after Ty’s death, had never met his father. Gemma had cried, of course, when Alicia told her her father wouldn’t be coming home this time, but she was young, and as long as Alicia didn’t let her see her tears, Gemma seemed okay. Daddy had been gone so much anyway; Mommy was the main caregiver. While Alicia was both grateful for and in awe of her young daughter’s capacity to accept change, she wished it was as easy for her.

  “Yeah, baby.” Her voice sounded a little foggy to her ears. She cleared her throat and tried again. “You want to go check out the house?”

  “Yeah!” Gemma was wide awake now. Alicia rolled her eyes. Forget afternoon naps when there is a whole new house to check out.

  Alicia opened her door, hopped out and walked around the car, happy to hear some enthusiasm in her daughter’s voice. As she worked the infant seat loose from its base, she paused a moment, looking at her son’s peaceful face. How proud Ty would have been of his son. Not that he wasn’t head over heels in love with his daughter. He never got a chance to love his son, but that didn’t change the fact that he was one of those men who was meant to have children.

  If only that sniper’s bullet had come two weeks later. At least then Ty would have seen his son’s face, if only in an emailed picture or videoconference.

  Alicia hoisted the baby seat and slung it over her forearm as she searched for the keys her mother-in-law had sent. She located the ring in her purse and found the neatly labeled front door key. The door opened, spilling stale air out over the budding daffodils. Alicia swung Jason’s car seat over Gemma’s head and set him down gently inside before letting Gemma go. She watched her daughter sprint down the hallway to the right, going in all the bedrooms, stopping to flush a toilet and run a sink, as if they were different from any others she’d ever seen. Of course, the house was new to the kids. Ty had been overseas so much, he and Alicia had only visited Hillsborough a couple of times, and the last time had been when Gemma was a baby. Millie and Jim had made the trek to Georgia many times, however, delighted to spoil and cuddle their only granddaughter.

  Alicia left the door open as she transferred Jason to the kitchen, picked up the telephone and dialed her mother-in-law’s cell phone number.

  Millie picked up on the second ring. “Alicia?” She sounded anxious.

  “Hi, Millie.” Alicia tried not to sound as tired as she was. “We’re here.”

  “You’re later than you planned,” Millie said. “Did you have any problems?”

  “Just traffic.”

  “I’m sorry, dear. I hope it wasn’t too much for you.” Her mother-in-law’s tone was sympathetic. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Of course, nothing would ever be fine again, but she saw no reason to point that out. “Just tired.”

  “I’m sure you are, sweetheart. I wish I could be there to cook you dinner and welcome you and the children. We would be except for Jim’s appointment.”

  “Of course.” Alicia set her purse on the kitchen counter and opened the refrigerator. Empty. “How is Jim?”

  “The neurologist we saw today was very pleased with his progress.” Millie’s voice changed to something that almost resembled hopeful. “He’s done really well since the stroke. He’ll be happy to know you and the kids made it all right.”

  “Give him a hug from us.” Alicia turned as Gemma ran past to the back door. She reached around her daughter and unlocked the door, opening it and letting her out. Gemma raced to the swing set and climbed the steps of the faded red slide, pausing at the top to look around the backyard for further delights.

  “I will, dear heart. Is everything all right at the house?”

  “Umm-hmm.” Alicia picked up a picture of Ty as a teenager. He and another boy held up fish, each obviously certain he had the bigger one. She couldn’t help smiling. Her eye fell on a pile of mail on the counter. “There’s some mail here. I’ll bring it to you when you get back in town.”

  “Don’t worry yourself, honey. I’ll pick it up. God bless Penny. She’s been an absolute heaven-sent angel since Jim’s stroke. I asked her to stop by and check on you later, by the way. You remember Penny, don’t you? Penny Turner. Of course, she’s married since you met her.”

  “I think so.” Alicia cast about trying to remember Penny and was only able to summon a very vague picture of a pretty woman about Ty’s age. Ty said they were good friends in school. Didn’t she have a baby right after graduation? Probably a huge scandal in this little town. Alicia shook off the negative thoughts. “I’m sure Ty would have been glad to hear she was married. I think he cared a lot about her.”

  “He did. He always asked about her. Anyway, her daughter Amy is the perfect age for babysitting now. And trying to earn some money for college next year, so keep her in mind. But you’re probably tired from your trip and you’ll want to go shopping to get some food in the house.” Millie sounded as sure of herself as always.

  Alicia grinned. She’d seen a McDonald’s on her way into town and had every intention of going there for her first meal in her new home, but she didn’t dare tell her mother-in-law that. “Yeah, I guess I better get on that.”

  “Love you,” Millie said.

  “Bye, Millie. Love you too.” Alicia hung up thinking how nice it was to be able to say that to her mother-in-law and mean it. Maybe their relationship was helped by the fact that
Millie had always wanted more children but had never been able to have any after Ty. Or maybe it was because Alicia’s parents had died when Alicia was in college. At any rate, Millie had taken over the role of mother to Alicia at her wedding, at the births of both her children and most of all at Ty’s death. The bond between them was as undeniable as the friction that sometimes surfaced in spite of their best intentions.

  Alicia remembered her own mother closing the door behind an exiting family member and turning with an exclamation of relief. “You can’t choose your family.” As Alicia checked on her daughter in the backyard, she added, “Thank God.”

  As she turned from the window a voice called out from the front hall. “Neighborhood Watch! Who’s in here?”

  Startled, Alicia walked quickly out of the kitchen and into the arms of a tall blonde woman who gave her an enthusiastic hug. “Yay! I thought you’d never get here.”

  “You and me both.” Alicia backed away and brushed a strand of her bedraggled red hair out of her eyes. So this was Penny. She had a hazy memory of meeting her on her last trip to visit Jim and Millie after Gemma was born. Penny’s enthusiastic mannerisms, her obvious love for Ty’s parents and her adorable adolescent daughter had made a favorable impression. Alicia summoned a welcoming expression now.

  Evidently it didn’t work. Penny gave her a sympathetic look. “You look absolutely shell-shocked. Come, sit, tell me all about it.” She led Alicia into the kitchen and poked around in the cupboards. “Goodness, I was going to make you a cup of tea, but there’s really nothing here, is there?”

  Alicia leaned on the counter. “Not much. You know Millie and Jim haven’t lived here since Jim’s stroke. Right after that they moved into the assisted living home.”

  Penny frowned. “I should have stocked you up with groceries. What kind of friend am I? Never mind, I’ll send Amy out for some later.”

  “Amy?” Alicia laughed. “She was so young the last time I was here. It seems strange to think of her driving.”