She
blogs about prairie life on her personal blog http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/
Thank you so much Paty for having
us today!
I’m excited to be writing for the
Honky Tonk Hearts series because I was asked by Rhonda to write the stories of
the Lonesome Steer’s main characters--Gus, Keira and Marshall. First up will be Lonesome Cowboy, Marshall’s
story and then the series will be wound up with Keira’s romance, Lonesome Tonight. As you read all the stories in the series,
you will find hints of Gus’s romance throughout. It’s funny because though I didn’t plan it
that way, the three romances connect in more ways than just the closeness of
the characters…they ended up being unique versions of lost loves…the ones you
lose, the ones you missed out on, and the ones that just won’t leave your heart
alone.
Since Marshall’s story is in the editing process
right now and comes out first, I’ve brought along the blurb and an
excerpt.
Unofficial Blurb for Lonesome Cowboy
With a title under his belt, a
purse in the bank and a ring in his pocket, Marshall Dekes returned for the
woman he loved...only to find her at the alter saying 'I do' to another man.
Two years later, he's stunned to
find Amy sitting at the bar of the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk. Anger and resentment still burning in his
head, he lets her have it, sending her on her way without the forgiveness she
sought. But two steps towards the door,
a medical emergency has his heart overruling his head and he's by her side in
an instant. Nothing could prepare him
for what happens next.
But what his head can't forgive,
his heart can't forget and having her staying with her cousin in nearby
Redemption is too close for comfort.
When events of the past start slowly coming to light, he doesn't know if
his heart is strong enough to risk a second chance at the life he’d all but
given up on.
Unedited Excerpt
Her hand had returned to the
twisted napkin and she glanced around the busy honky tonk, her brows dipping
before returning her gaze to him. “Is there somewhere we can talk for a
minute.”
Hell
no.
He forced his jaw to relax and leaned
back against the cash register until the lip of the drawer dug into his
backside. “Here’s fine.” Why should he be the only one uncomfortable?
Rose lips pressed into a thin line.
“Fine. I guess I really can’t blame you for being…angry.”
She fidgeted with the straps of her
floral sundress. The sweetheart neckline exposed just enough ripened breasts to
make his jaw re-tense, and though the high bar blocked everything below, he was
sure the skirt would be short, showing a teasing amount of those sleek and sexy
legs.
God
she’s still beautiful.
Other parts of his anatomy
instantly tightened and he hid his further—and painfully annoying—discomfort
behind a forced, casual cross of his ankles.
Marshall hoped she got to the point soon because
it was taking all his effort to stand there. The gall of the woman showing up
like this out of the blue. What had she expected? That he’d welcome her with
open arms and catch up like old friends...as if she never destroyed him?
She winced and twisted slightly
with a hand to her back. He raised a
brow at the motion, but stopped himself.
Just like the nervous habit of twisting the napkin that she’d never had
before, he didn’t care. Wouldn’t
care. Look what it got him the first
time ‘round.
After a quick glance to him, Amy
dipped her chin to stare at the crumpled paper.
“I came to...I just wanted to...apologize.”
“Fine,” he clipped and pushed off
the register.
“Wait, that’s it?” Her tone held
annoyed disbelief.
“Yep. You apologized. We’re done.”
“Marshall, please.”
The put-out tone in her voice
snapped his tightly reigned control.
“What?” He spun back on her.
“What do you want, Amy? Do you
want me to say, ‘Hey no problem’”—he waved a hand in the air mimicking a
friendly gesture—“’forgive and forget, how ‘bout we do lunch sometime?’ Well sorry,
darlin’, ain’t gonna to happen.” He splayed his hands wide on the bar top,
leaning in until he could feel the heat radiating off her reddened cheeks. “I came back from six months on the circuit
with a buckle, a key and a ring in my pocket, only to find out you were already
married. Tell me, Amy, which part of
that sounds easy to forget, let alone forgive?”
He could hear the swallow drain
down her delicate throat. The light
peach of her shampoo filled his nostrils and he shoved himself back, away from
the unwanted temptation to run the dark strands over his cheeks like he used to
do.
Her gaze dropped to the bar. “I-I’m
sorry.”
The low spoken words didn’t work
back then with tears in her eyes, and they certainly weren’t going to work now
with her brows creased over pale features.
Marshall made a quick glance around the honky
tonk, thankful their little ‘chat’ wasn’t drawing too much attention. The pounding of the rockabilly, karaoke
classic didn’t help his growing headache.
“Go home, Amy. You picked your bed. Go back to the pretty little life you chose
over me. Go back to good ol’ Hank.” The
minute the name, her slim brows dipped further and a little quiver quaked
through the bow lips; telling sign if ever he’d seen one. Marshall leaned a hand back on the grooved
oak and narrowed his gaze. “Or is that
what this is? Did you come to find
bachelor number two because Hank finally saw what a two-timer you were and
kicked you to the curb?”
His lips twisted at the snap of her
head, steel fire glinting in the stern eyes.
Bullsey—
“Hank’s dead.”
Coming soon to the Honky Tonk
Hearts series….Lonesome Cowboy by
Stacy Dawn
