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Ten Brand New Kindle Freebies! Download Now While Still Free: Andy Holloman’s Shades of Gray, Pamela M. Richter’s Midnight Reflections, Shadonna Richards’ His Island Bride, Lorilyn Roberts’ How to Launch a Christian Best-Seller Book, Susan Wingate’s Spider Brains, Colleen Collins’ The Zen Man, Robert Gregory Browne’s Down Among the Dead Men, Ken Brosky & Isabella Fontaine’s The Grimm Chronicles, Verlie Rider’s Looking For You and Michael Allen’s Daphne Before She Died

With hundreds of new books turning up free each day now in the Kindle Store, it can be tough to hone in on books that you will actually want to read. And almost of the new free books will be free for just a day or two at a time, so we are working hard to make sure that you do not miss the ones you want!

Here are a few books that have just gone free by authors who have already proven to be  favorites with Kindle Nation readers. Please grab them now if they looks interesting to you, because they probably won’t stay free for long!

Important Note: This post is dated Tuesday, August 14, 2012, and the titles mentioned here may remain free only until midnight PST tonight.

Please note: References to prices on this website refer to prices on the main Amazon.com website for US customers. Prices will vary for readers located outside the US, and even for US customers, prices may change at any time. Always check the price on Amazon before making a purchase.

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Shades of Gray

by Andy Holloman

4.1 stars – 103 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:
How far would you go to save your child’s life?    Could you break the law?       
                          
What if your  business was suddenly in danger of going under because of 9/11 ?        
   
 A single father decides to partner up with woman from the opposite side of the tracks.    
                                                                                                                                                      

Can their partnership deliver the cash they BOTH desperately need?                                                                                                                                                                                             

Could they fall in love?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
 And will they survive to see the Summer of 2002?
                                                                                        
 (Combine “Breaking Bad” and “Cops” with a disturbing, dark remake of “The Love
Boat” and you have all the flavors of  SHADES OF GRAY)

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Midnight Reflections

by Pamela M. Richter

4.2 stars – 21 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

MIDNIGHT REFLECTIONS

Julia’s midnight reflections actually happened at four in the morning.  She was far from home, lonely, watching a handsome man sleeping in her bed at the Beverly Hills Hotel.  Robin, the handsome sleeping man had put himself in terrible danger so she could solve a mystery.  Now she was feeling guilty as hell.

Robin finds himself obsessed by Julia, knowing something besides her attractiveness enchanted him; an illusive mixture of sweetness and intelligence that beckons.  He’s playing a role, hiding his true identity, trying to win her heart.

Julia is playing a dangerous role herself, working for a man she believes is a murderer.  She also suspects that Robin is much more than the simple man he proclaims himself to be.  Can she trust him?

Together they uncover information so inflammatory they are forced to flee a
dangerous and angry politician.  He rules a profitable drug army.  People who will do anything to get into his good graces. Even murder…

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4.0 stars – 7 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

HIS ISLAND BRIDE (BOOK 4 IN THE BRIDE SERIES)  ***A Romance Novella

She wasn’t looking for love, but love found her…while vacationing on the sunny island of Jamaica.

With mixed emotions, Jessica Mills can’t wait to escape to the Caribbean–away from an arranged marriage agreement to honor her new found heritage. She is to meet her potential groom-to-be in two weeks. She finally books her long-awaited vacation to a resort in Jamaica only to be double booked in the same suite as a gorgeous, irresistible stranger–who happens to get under her skin.

Sexy, undercover billionaire, James Carrington has more on his mind than relationships. On the verge of making an important business decision that can affect his entire future and everything he’s worked for, he goes to Jamaica to think and indulge in recreational activities. He did not count on having a beautiful brunette in his suite–a pleasant but ill-timed distraction. There’s no mistaking the sparks that fly between Jessica and James at one of the island’s hottest resorts. But Jessica is betrothed to someone else…which direction will her heart follow?

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4.8 stars – 22 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:
The John 3:16 Marketing Network is a network of Christian authors that launch books to best-seller status on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book retailer/websites through the use of social networking. This book details the steps and methods which have been successfully used to launch many best-seller books in the Network.

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4.7 stars – 7 Reviews
Or currently FREE for Amazon Prime Members Via the Kindle Lending Library
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:
After her father’s death last year and, now, in the throes of a gnarly teacher’s whim as she thinks ahead to college, a small black arachnid bites fifteen-year-old Susie Speider on the finger and sends her nights into fantastical dreams about taking revenge on a teacher–a one Ms. Morlson–who, ultimately, holds Susie’s college aspirations in the sweaty palm of her cold calloused hand. But, after Susie figures out the dreams are real, she ups the ante and visits the teacher regularly but… as the spider. And, oh, by the way! Who is that boy spider munching on flies, hiding over there in the corner?

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The Zen Man

by Colleen Collins

4.2 stars – 15 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

Just as washed-up criminal defense attorney, life-long Deadhead (nickname “The Zen Man”), and current PI Rick Levine decides to get relicensed as a lawyer, he’s charged with killing one and ends up in the slammer with a half-mil bail.

Released on bond, Rick and his girlfriend Laura have 30 days to find the real killer. In the course of their investigations, they dig for dirt among Denver’s shady legal backrooms to its tony corporate centers. Dodging bullets, a kidnapping, trumped-up charges and the FBI’s unwanted intervention, Rick and Laura continue tracking key suspects who have motive…eventually learning that true redemption begins at home.

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Down Among the Dead Men (A Thriller)

by Robert Gregory Browne

4.5 stars – 8 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

From the bestselling author of TRIAL JUNKIES comes the ITW Thriller Award Nominee for Best Novel

When assistant district attorney Beth Crawford’s sister Jen invites her on a weekend cruise to Baja California, Beth is looking forward to a few days of much needed down time.  But the fun in the sun doesn’t last long when Beth meets a mysterious couple on board and Jen disappears without a trace on the streets of Playa del Sol.

Now Beth must travel through Mexico’s violent underbelly–a stranger in a strange land–while searching desperately for her missing sister. And the only one who can help her is Nick Vargas, a disgraced newspaper reporter on the trail of a dangerous and deadly cult that has big plans for the upcoming celebration of El Dia de los Muertos … The Day of the Dead.

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The Grimm Chronicles, Vol. 1

by Ken Brosky, Isabella Fontaine

Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

200 years ago, the Brothers Grimm unleashed their stories upon the world. Literally. Now the characters of the Grimms’ stories walk among us. With every day that passes, they grow more evil. They are the Corrupted, and only a hero can stop them.

For 18-year-old Alice Goodenough, that means taking precious time off from her summer vacation. In addition to volunteering at the local library, Alice must stop the Corrupted who are now actively hunting her down. With the help of her magic pen and her trusty rabbit friend, the world has suddenly gotten a lot more complex. The Corrupted are everywhere, and only Alice can see them for what they truly are.

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Looking For You

by Verlie Rider

5.0 stars – 3 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:
A little something for everyone in this lighthearted book of poetry and essays, giving us a sense of what is most important in life in an enjoyable way.  Sometimes experience is our most valuable tool as we explore the thoughts of others.  We can understand that no matter what problems we may be having, someone else has overcome the same things, and there is another and more positive way of looking at them.  We can always remember that there is Someone who loves us, no matter what, and if we are lucky, there are more someones than we are aware of. Whatever we give out will return to us in great measure.

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Daphne before She Died

by Michael Allen

5.0 stars – 1 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

Daphne, before she died, made me promise to tell you this story. It’s the story of a secret love affair – one which nearly destroyed her life, but which made her intensely happy. It was what she thought about most, during her last days in the hospice.

When she was a respectable married woman of nearly forty, Daphne fell in love with a young man half her age. For the best part of a year, she conducted a reckless and passionate affair with him – one which put her constantly at risk of scandal and disgrace.

My mother, who was Daphne’s best friend, demanded my help in ensuring that all of this remained a secret. And why was my mother so desperate to protect Daphne? Because she deserved to be protected. During the second world war, Daphne had risked her life many times over, and had never betrayed her friends, even under torture. For such a woman, my mother and I would go a long way.

This enthralling account of an older woman’s love for a younger man is set in an English public school in 1960. Use Look Inside to get the full flavour of it, or download the free sample from the beginning of the book. You will certainly want to read the rest.
(This is a sponsored post.)

Like a little romance? Or a lot? We think you’ll love the never before published trilogy RIGHT MATCH.COM by KND fave Kathryn Shay … Begin reading RIGHT MATCH.COM trilogy with this free excerpt from BETTER THAN BEFORE – Now 99 Cents on Kindle

Last week we announced that trilogy RIGHT MATCH.COM by KND fave Kathryn Shay is our Romance of the Week and the sponsor of thousands of great bargains in the Romance category: over 200 free titles, over 600 quality 99-centers, and thousands more that you can read for free through the Kindle Lending Library if you have Amazon Prime!

Now we’re back to offer our weekly free Romance excerpt, and if you aren’t among those who have downloaded this trilogy, you’re in for a treat! Here is a free excerpt of Better Than Before:

3.8 stars – 4 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

“Kathryn Shay knows how to pack an emotional wallop.” Booklist

In her never before published trilogy RIGHT MATCH.COM, Kathryn Shay tackles some of her trademark emotional issues: the dangers of online dating, deception, divorce, disabilities, domestic violence and raising children, all framed by three brothers who finally find their soul mates!

In BETTER THAN BEFORE, charismatic and super rich venture capitalist Spence Wickham makes a bet with his brother to join an online dating service and prove people lie on these sites. But his deceit trips him up with sweet and generous Annie Hopkins who’s looking for the type of man he’s pretending to be. When the truth comes out, Spence must find a way to make Annie love him for the man he is.

Don’t Forget to Check Out Waiting For You & Meant To Be in The RIGHT MATCH.COM Series:
Here’s The Set-up:
In WAITING FOR YOU, tough cop Joe Moretti meets the love of his life, Dana Devlin, on his brother’s dating website. Little does he know she’s harboring a very big secret, one that almost destroys their relationship. Joe must find a way to prevent that secret, and his own personal ghosts, from ruining their chance together.

&

Meant To Be

By Kathryn Shay

Kindle Price: $3.99

Here’s The Set-up:
In MEANT TO BE, thirty-four year old Cole Matheson gets himself entangled with Beth Montgomery, forty-five, while he’s lying to her about his age. When he finally tells her the truth, she reluctantly forgives him. But he’s unable to be completely honest with her and, eventually, Beth cannot deal with his consistent deceit. Now, sexy, adorable Cole must convince her he can be the kind of man she deserves.
Praise for Kathryn Shay’s contemporary romances:
“A wonderful work of contemporary romance, with a plot ripped straight from the headlines. Kathryn Shay never disappoints.” NY Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner.

“Shay writes an emotion-packed story. With angst and some hot sex, this dramatic tale also has a nice touch of humor.” RT Book Reviews

 

And here, for your reading pleasure, is our free excerpt of Better Than Before :

 

Prologue

“So, big brother, do you want to invest?”

Spence Wickham studied his youngest sibling, who looked like hell, unshaven and dressed in sweats, with lines around his youthful mouth and eyes. The cause of Cole’s appearance was the tiny bundle of pink pressed against his shoulder, his infant daughter, Ellie. That he was asking, in such dishabille, for a huge amount of money to start an online venture made the situation ludicrous. Then again, his baby brother was the total opposite of him; Cole made decisions and acted in ways Spence never would.

“Dating sites don’t work.” Spence leaned back in the kitchen chair, loosened his tie and undid the top buttons of his crisp, white shirt. He’d come to Cole’s place from work and was still wearing a suit. “Weirdoes sign up and most people don’t find a mate.”

Patting the child’s back, Cole walked the length of the dining area off the main room of his spacious apartment in an effort to quiet her. Despite his obvious fatigue, instant fatherhood seemed to agree with him. “How would you know? You’ve never done online dating.”

“I hate those sites.” Spence’s middle brother, Joey, slouched on a recliner about ten feet away, half- listening to them, half- watching a football game on a big screen TV. Though they all had different fathers and the age span between Cole and Spence was twelve years, the three of them were close. “All cops do. They’re full of stalkers.”

“You don’t need them,” Spence told him. “You’ve had women falling at your feet since you were a high school star.” Joey was the athlete of the family, with muscles and agility that had made him a spectacular football and baseball player at East High in the city of Rockland.

Joe snorted. “Not that it makes a difference now.”

Joey had been recruited by Syracuse University and on his way to the pros when he’d blown out his knee his junior year. In the end, the doctors decided he couldn’t play any more ball. Not much later, he’d dropped out of college. Spence and Cole had to pull him from the depths of despair—and several bars—more than once. He’d finally gotten his act together and became a cop like his dad, but the months following Joe’s injury were one of the few times in his adult life that Spence had felt powerless. And he’d absolutely hated it!

Bravado won out as it often did among the three brothers, and Joe switched gears. “At least I’m one of Rockland’s finest now. Not some blood-sucking money monger like you, Spence.”

Purposefully softening his tone but not enough to embarrass Joe, Spence said, “Yeah, and we’re proud of what you do.”

Cole crossed in front of Spence to put Ellie in the bassinet. A December sun, rare in upstate New York, streamed in through four skylights and warmed the whole place. Smells of baby powder and milk filled his used-to-be bachelor pad on the top floor of a building in Rockland’s yuppie community on Park Avenue.

While his brother fussed with the infant, Spence took another pass through the prospectus Cole had drawn up. He planned to hire a staff of three—an administrator to set up the site, an accountant to deal with money and a psychologist who would work with him to develop the profiles, then orchestrate the matches. The kid was smart, insightful and articulate, even if he was a starry-eyed romantic.

After Ellie had settled, Cole refilled his coffee mug and joined Spence at the table. “Global Industries will make a bundle if you back me.”

“Maybe.” His venture capitalist firm did well in nearly all of their investments, mostly due to Spence’s business acumen. The firm was his proudest achievement and the center of his life. “Are you sure the over-forty population is the best age group to target?”

“Uh-huh. Demographics show that’s when more than half the population goes to online-dating sites.”

Spence shook his head. “Hard to believe.”

“Just because you’ve given up on love, doesn’t mean the whole human race has.” Cole was always trying to change Spence’s attitude toward relationships. After Spence’s two failed marriages, that would never happen, but they both enjoyed the sparring.

Again, Spence examined the figures. “In this economy, will people have enough money to pay so much to join? You’d charge a hefty fee.”

“I’m going for an upscale clientele. There are enough free sites or those with smaller fees. I want to be different.”

“You always did, kiddo,” Joey put in, still staring at the TV. “Damn, Buffalo fumbled again.”

Cole’s concept was probably a solid investment. What’s more, Spence knew his little brother would succeed. He always had. Besides being a musical whiz, he’d had computer smarts and chose to go to MIT. After he’d graduated, he’d been hired by a large conglomerate and developed software for computer games. But a year ago, the medical student he was dating had gotten pregnant and had no interest in motherhood. Cole had talked her into having the child and giving her to him, renouncing all her parental rights. He’d also quit his job and had developed and patented a computer chip that proved useful for a variety of purposes; it had provided him with a solid nest egg. It wasn’t enough to front this online site, though, because he had to provide for his daughter’s future. But still, Spence couldn’t give in too easily. It was a sibling thing.

“Don’t you feel as if you’re cheating people? Everybody lies on dating sites.”

“Nope. One in five relationships start online, Spence. I’ll be helping people.”

“You are such a flaming romantic!” A thought occurred to Spence. Maybe he could make a game of this. “Fine, I’ll present your proposition to the board if you agree to a bet.”

Cole’s light blue eyes narrowed. When he was little, he’d fallen for a lot of Spence’s and Joey’s tricks and come out on the short end. “What kind of bet?”

“If I prove that people lie on these sites, you do free computer work for me for a month.”

Slanting a look at his daughter’s crib, Cole grinned. “And if I win, you have to babysit Ellie whenever I want you to for a month. No hired help.”

“Holy hell.”

Rising from the recliner, Joey sauntered into the kitchen. After he’d gotten another beer out of the fridge, he sat down with them. “How would you do that—prove that people lie and get away with it?”

Spence thought for a minute. “I’ll conduct an experiment. I’ll join the site myself, as two different people—the real me, and as a guy the exact opposite of who I am. The former will get dates, of course, because he’s rich, but his success will serve as a baseline. I’ll also set up a totally phony persona. The bet is that he can get dates, too, thus showing a person can lie and get results.” He calculated terms in his head. “If at least six women want to meet the real me and six want to meet the other guy I pretend to be, I’ve won.”

Cole frowned. “Why would you do that? What’s in it for you?”

A half-formed thought popped into Spence’s head—that his suggestion had something to do with his disastrous marriages and bachelor existence, with proving his inability to sustain a long-term relationship wasn’t his fault but was simply the nature of love and romance. But he pushed the notion aside. As Cole had said, he’d given up on both of those things. There were times when he felt a hole in his life because of it, but he wasn’t willing to try again. “I’ll be proving a point. Getting the best of you. You know how I like to win.”

“I want you to get the site, Cole,” Joe said, “but I still think they’re dangerous.”

“I’ll take steps to make it safer, I promise.” Cole scrubbed a hand over his jaw and mouth. “But I don’t know about Spence’s deal. He could hurt the women he lies to.”

“I won’t let it go that far with any of them. When each of the women gets serious enough and asks to meet either of my personas, I’ll cut her off with some predetermined excuse to let her down easily. No one will suspect any different.”

Cole glanced around the apartment, cluttered now with baby paraphernalia. “I need some work I can do from here for a while. You promise nobody will get hurt?”

His brother’s naiveté never failed to surprise Spence. Cole lived in a world where people kept their promises and a person’s word was inviolable. Spence knew better, but he promised anyway.

Joe poked Cole in the arm. “There could be a benefit to this, kiddo.”

Spence had heard that tone before. It never boded well. “What?”

“Cole and I have been hoping you’ll meet a woman who gets past your cynicism.” His brows raised. “Maybe it will be one who likes the other you.”

Laughing, Spence shook his head. “That won’t happen. I don’t think there’s a woman alive who’s able to make me believe in lasting relationships again.”

“Joe and I can only hope.” Cole held out his hand to Spence. “It’s a deal, then.”

Spence shook.

And Cole asked, “When do I get the money?”

 

 

Chapter 1

Three months later

Spence’s BlackBerry vibrated as he sat in the conference room of Global Industries, listening to one of their clients, Jacob Henderson, explain how his company’s falling sales and business infrastructure could recover from its spiraling decline. All the partners in the firm understood that they might get important calls while in meetings, and it wouldn’t be considered rude if Spence checked his incoming messages. Besides, he’d already made up his mind about AllGreen Gear. The president and CEO simply didn’t have the expertise to revamp his company, and though Spence felt a curious kind of detached sympathy for guy, he certainly wasn’t going to vote to pour money into a venture doomed to lose.

Fishing the BlackBerry out of the inside pocket of his suit coat, Spence glanced at the email address. It was her—Number Six on the B List. The last in a string of women with whom he’d corresponded online in one short month, both as himself and as the average American schmuck.

“Spence?” The chair of the board addressed him when the client finished and discreetly left the room. “Would you like to give us your input?”

Bracing his arms on the sleek oak table, Spence leaned forward. “As you all know, I was against putting up the money for this project. An all-green business selling environmentally friendly products was timely a few years ago, but I was fearful that in an economic downturn that kind of venture would suffer.” Luckily, after the group had overridden his objection, he’d insisted and gotten controlling shares in the company so they could shut it down anytime. “I think we should cut our losses.”

Harold Samson, the partner who’d brokered the deal, sat forward too, mirroring Spence’s position. Now fifty-five, Harold had been a valued member of Global Industries for years, ever since Spence had brought in him and five others after his startup businesses had grown so big he’d decided he needed partners. They each took twelve-month stints to chair the group and plan and run meetings. All were highly skilled business people.

However, Harold had recently married a babe who was much younger than him. Since then, Spence thought, Harold had lost his edge. And it was one trait that Spence couldn’t tolerate—an executive’s personal life affecting his professional decisions. Spence’s mother consistently said he needed to show his softer side, but in the world of finance that was the kiss of death.

“Closing AllGreen is premature,” Harold began. “It’ll put a lot of people out of a job and we still have a chance to make the company a success.”

“It’s a business decision, not a social welfare one.” Spence scanned those around the table. “We can recoup the lion’s share of our investment if we act now.”

“I’d prefer to give them extra time.” Harold was more committed to this venture than Spence had realized. And the partners would listen to him because he’d brought in companies that made them significant revenue. However, AllGreen wasn’t going to be one of them.

After the vote was taken and AllGreen was given a month to come up with a new business plan, Spence didn’t balk again. They’d find out soon enough that he was right, and he’d probably have to go in and do the dirty work. Though Spence didn’t get off on destroying people or their dreams, he had a cool-headed ability to call a halt to a deal that wasn’t working. His forté had always been making the tough decisions, which was one of the few valuable lessons he’d learned from his father.

After the issue was settled, Lester, the current chair, asked Spence about Cole’s dating service, named RightMatch.com.

True to his word, after Spence had pushed the financing through, Cole had hired a staff and gotten the site up and running in about a month. Now it was the hottest dating service on the Net. And true to his word, Spence had joined as two personas, his own and Spencer Tracy Brewer, his real middle name—God bless his mother—and her maiden one.

They both garnered a number of winks, designed to let the patrons indicate they were interested in each other. He picked six for each of his profiles. He won the first half of the bet within days, as women flocked to meet the rich Spence right away. Those interested in his other profile—a construction worker, widowed, no kids but wanted some, who was looking for a girl-next-door type to settle down with—were more reticent to meet him, which was understandable. This group, as a whole, didn’t seem to have much confidence in themselves. That realization had caused him twinges of guilt, but he managed to squelch them. Overall, it had taken longer than he’d thought it would, but five women had asked to meet with him, and he’d dropped them under the ruse of being a widower who wasn’t ready to take the next step yet.

One more to go—Number Six—for the construction worker.

“The dating site is already a success. I know you had some concerns about investing in my brother, but he’s come through.” Spence rolled his gold pen between his palms. “It’s shocking how many people are willing to pay so much money for a date.”

“Leave it to you to say that.” The comment was made by another partner, John.

Given his good genes and the confidence that came with indisputable success, Spence had his pick of women from the glitz-and-glamour circles of the Rockland social scene. Though the town wasn’t the Big Apple, Rockland’s female component was interesting enough for him. The women he actually dated were a hell of a lot different from the one who was emailing him now. He pictured Marlena, the advertising executive he’d been seeing off and on for the last six months. Now she was his type—tall, slender, cool and sophisticated.

The meeting ended and Spence returned to his spacious office, with a view of the city’s skyline. As the founder and biggest stockholder of Global Industries, Spence had kept the headquarters in Rockland to be near his family. He didn’t like getting too close to anybody, but he couldn’t help himself with his brothers and mother. He often flew to New York where he’d set up another office and met the board or clients there, but he liked living in his hometown.

Dropping down in the chair behind his big cherry desk, he clicked into his computer, which also received his personal email. He opened Number Six’s first.

The note was written this morning. Often, like this one, her stories were about her kids and dog. After he’d finished reading the tale about a nocturnal visit to the animal hospital, he sat back and stared at the screen.

Annie was more interesting than the other women who had wanted to meet him. For one thing, she was taking the longest to suggest a date, which was a challenge. She liked to cook, garden and was religious about environmental issues—she asked him if he switched off lights went he left a room, if he unplugged cords when not in use to save electricity and if he eschewed the use of plastic-bottled water.

She also was getting her master’s degree at a local college and worked at a spa when her kids were in school or busy with their father. It must be an issue of money, but he couldn’t ask, as they hadn’t disclosed that kind of personal information. He had no idea why she’d split with hubby.

They agreed not to share any baggage but inevitably revealed their backgrounds, which he falsified and he presumed she told the truth about. Their profiles and some of the emails discussed the kind of person each was hoping to date. Again he lied, and again, she was truthful. Now they were emailing on a regular basis about their daily activities.

He felt another spurt of guilt. She was a nice woman and he was stringing her along. But there was more to his unease than that simple explanation—damned if he didn’t like her, even worry about her sometimes. And who would have thought he’d find her and her stories about her kids and dog endearing?

Unwilling to examine that notion, or maybe because of it, he reached for the BlackBerry and punched in a number to make a date with Marlena. When she answered, he said, “Hi, there, gorgeous, it’s Spence. Got any plans for dinner?”

“As a matter of fact, I don’t,” the sultry voice over the phone line purred. “I was wondering when we’d get together again, Spencer.”

He glanced at the computer. “I’ve been busy.”

Pleased that Marlena had accepted, he made arrangements and clicked off. He had a meeting in fifteen minutes and should go over his notes on an impending deal where he planned to convince an unwilling company to go public, so he didn’t understand at all why he scrolled down his phone contacts and found Number Six’s cell number. He’d wheedled it out of her because he hoped talking to each other might facilitate her request for a date, which he wanted in order to end this charade. Now he admitted he wouldn’t mind hearing the voice that matched the picture she’d posted online. Maybe he’d call her after he got back from his meeting.

That he felt a jolt of anticipation at talking to her for the first time concerned him a bit. This hadn’t happened with the others. But he ignored the feeling and pulled up the next client’s file.

o0o

Annie Hopkins was so tired she could barely see straight. She’d been at the animal hospital all night with Jake, her beautiful but ill dog, a Shiba Inu. Her mother had come over to stay with the kids. Annie had gotten back at seven a.m. but had not been to sleep. To boot, Alex and Hope had the morning off from school because of teacher workshops, so they were home, and she couldn’t take a nap.

Her seven-year-old daughter, Hope, sat on the family-room floor with Jake. “Are you sure he’s okay, Mommy?”

A few months ago, the dog had gotten lost and she and the kids had put up flyers around the suburb where they lived, hoping someone would find their pet. After two weeks, they’d given up and mourned the dog’s loss. Then a neighbor had discovered Jake in the woods behind her development, starved and sick but alive.

All three of them, including her pre-teen son who tried hard to be tough, had cried when Jake had come home. They’d nursed him back to health with a ground beef–and–rice mixture the vet recommended and Annie made fresh every day. The problem was, now the animal wouldn’t eat regular dog chow.

“The vet said he’s fine, honey. It was the store-bought food I gave him that made him sick. I guess he’s not ready for it.”

Hope had inherited Annie’s light brown hair and hazel eyes, but her smile was all her own. As always, that smile filled Annie’s heart with joy. These were the best times of her life, when she could be with her kids and enjoy them.

Given that, she felt a bit bad of for starting a new job tonight at an upscale restaurant run by her best friend, Julia. Annie had planned to get a second job once she finished her graduate work. But after a vacancy on the staff had opened up, she’d had to take the spot before she finished her classes. Waitresses at Julia’s café made a good amount of money. That money would tide her over until she got the next thing she wanted most in life, a full-time, teaching job. As it was March, she’d already sent in applications.

Alex sauntered in and dropped onto the couch next to her, his adolescent body gangly and awkward. She mourned the loss of his childhood. And she was worried about him. For the past few weeks, he’d been sullen, cranky even, which wasn’t like him. Her ex, Keith, thought his moods swings were because he was approaching puberty, but Annie sensed more was bothering him. He wouldn’t talk about it, though, when she’d questioned him.

“How you doing?” she asked, mussing his hair, the same shade and texture as his father’s.

“Okay. We gotta go to school this afternoon?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t you?”

“I dunno.” He stood. “I’m going outside and toss my ball around.” Alex loved baseball and hoped to try out for the seventh-grade team next year.

“Put a jacket on honey. It’s cool out today.”

For once, he didn’t argue and grabbed a sweatshirt from the arm of the couch.

“Want me to pitch to you?”

He assumed a male indulgent expression. How had he learned that so soon? “You throw like a girl, Mom.”

“You can play for real with your dad tonight when you go over to his house.” The kids spent Wednesdays and every other weekend with Keith. He’d been a lousy husband, but he was a good father and rarely missed a set time with them. “Meanwhile, you could give me a chance.” She smiled at him. “I’ve been practicing.”

When Alex agreed, Hope stood. “I’m coming, too, Mommy. You can play with me in the sandbox afterwards.”

Willing away her fatigue, Annie followed them out, the dog in tow. Alex took up position at one end of the big backyard near a huge oak tree. Hope crossed to the sandbox, which Annie had filled yesterday with white sand. It was early in the season for that, but Hope had asked for it. Nudging away from all of them, Jake settled in the shade.

Annie had improved, as she’d indeed been practicing with Julia’s boys, and made several acceptable catches. Her pitching wasn’t bad either. One caught a strike.

“Hey, Mom!” Alex seemed startled. “You did great.”

“I told you I was better.”

After fifteen minutes of play, Alex lost interest. He’d taken a seat at one of the umbrella tables with his Game Boy, so she walked over to the sandbox. “Ready for a castle?”

“Uh-huh. I got out the molds for it.”

First Annie went to the house, turned on the water, then returned to Hope. Annie was really getting tired now, and the ache between her shoulder blades bordered on painful. “You make the turrets, Mommy.”

Holding up the hose, she said, “That’s why I got this, sweetie.”

Five turrets and one fairly lopsided castle later, Annie checked her watch. “Time to go inside and clean up, guys. Then I’ll fix you lunch.”

“Will you take us to school, Mom?” Alex asked. “The bus is so lame.”

“Sure.” Then she could get some sleep.

Just as the kids got inside, the cell phone in her pocket rang. She kept it with her in case one of the principals called about one of the jobs she’d applied for. Sinking onto the padded chair Alex had vacated, she put her head back against the cushion and answered. “Hello.”

“Annie?”

She didn’t recognize the male voice. “Yes, this is she.”

“It’s Spence.”

Oh. Oh! “Spence, from online?”

“Uh-huh.”

Suddenly energized, she sat up straighter and tried to calm her pulse. “Hi.”

“You said I could call.”

“I’m surprised you did, though.”

“I read your email,” he continued. His voice was deep timbered and slightly husky. “Had a rough night?”

“Yeah.”

Nervous, she fiddled with her hair. Though she’d resisted the fortieth birthday present Julia and Lauren, her other best friend, had given her—a subscription to the hot, new online-dating site RightMatch.com—she was enjoying this particular match.

Spencer Tracy Brewer, given his first two names by a father who collected old films, was the only man she was in contact with now, and in a moment of weakness, she’d given him her phone number. Maybe it was because they emailed every day. Maybe it was because they discussed their beliefs, their goals, their deepest wishes, many of which they had in common. She had kids and he wanted some. He preferred a quiet out-of-the-limelight life, as did she. They both liked movies, casual dinners and walking in the city. But they hadn’t shared baggage, hadn’t shared ugly pasts.

And Annie had an ugly past.

“Annie, are you still there?”

“Sorry, I’m zoning out. Jake’s better today. Right now we’re in the yard and he’s sleeping under the tree.”

“You’re outside?”

“Uh-huh, I was playing with Alex and Hope.”

“The kids are home? What about school?”

She explained the morning off.

“After I read you’d been up all night, I was hoping you’d get some rest.”

“I will as soon as I drive them to school.”

“Not before?”

“No, of course not. It’s, um, nice to hear your voice.”

There was a long pause. Jeez, should she not have said that? Email was much safer because you could think about what you wrote.

“I thought maybe it was time to take the next step, Annie.”

“I guess.” Annie still hadn’t decided how many steps she wanted to take with this man. Her insecurities had been heightened by her bad breakup with Keith, and even though two years had passed, she was still sorting things out. But Lauren and Julia said she should push herself, so she would.

“Actually, what I meant to say is I’m glad you called.”

“That’s what I want to hear. Your voice is different from what I thought it might be from your picture.”

“Really, how?”

“Not sure. I’ll have to hear it again—a few times probably—to decide.” His tone was teasing, flirty. Cute.

“Are you asking if you can call again?”

“Can I?”

“Yes. I’d like that.”

“Great. Now I have to go. I’m meeting my mother for our weekly lunch.”

“How sweet.” They had that in common, too—devotion to their moms.

“Take a long nap. And rest tonight.”

“I wish I could. I’m starting a job at a restaurant in town and have to be there by five.”

“Why on earth would you do that?” She was surprised by his autocratic tone. “You already work at a spa, don’t you?”

“Yes, but after I finish school, I’ll need another job until the fall. If I wanted this one, and I do, I had to take it when a position opened up.”

“You work too hard.” His voice lowered a notch. “I worry about you.”

Now, that felt good. It had been a long time since a man had truly worried about her well-being. Keith had, at first, until their relationship had gone sour.

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”

Hope wandered outside and waved to Annie.

“I have to make lunch for the kids.”

“All right. Email me later.”

“I will.” She clicked off, buoyed by the call. Spence was like her in so many ways, wanting what she did, sharing her values. Maybe, just maybe, he was a guy she could date.

o0o

Spence might have had a rotten track record with women, but there was one in his life he loved unconditionally. His mother, Ellison Brewer Wickham Moretti Matheson.

As he’d told Annie, he tried to have lunch with her weekly when he was in town. Today, he’d brought takeout to her house. They’d spent a leisurely hour talking over her favorite pecan-crusted chicken salad and now sat on the deck of her modest home. The day was pristine with sunshine dusting the wrought-iron furniture and the wooden decking. Cole and his dad, Rick, a retired music teacher, were golfing, and his mother was caring for Ellie. After an hour of cooing and gurgling, the baby had gone down for a nap.

His mother sat with the sun glinting off her golden hair, still slim and pretty at sixty-five. Though she’d had a hard life, you’d never know it by her appearance. “So, are you ready to tell me what’s going on with you and the boys?”

Taking a sip of coffee gave him room for hesitation. She didn’t know about the bet and he wanted to keep it that way. “Has one of them said something to you?”

Cole didn’t have a speck of deception in his gene pool and never could keep a secret. He and Joey had called their youngest brother Snitch for a whole year before Ellison had found out about it and put a stop to their teasing.

“No, they have not! One thing about our lives together that did go well was the three of you have always been close.”

“Our lives were fine, Mom.”

She squeezed his forearm. He’d taken off his suit coat and was in his dress shirt, rolled up at the sleeves. “You suffered because of the wrong choice I made the first the time around.”

“But Joe Moretti was the best and treated me like his son. So did Rick.”

“Yes, I was lucky to find both of them. Unfortunately, your father still influenced you.”

Spence stared out at the wooded backyard. A deer peeked through the trees. Annie would love seeing it. Since he’d talked to her an hour ago, he’d been having a hard time getting her out of his mind. Her voice been rich and sensual. It curled through him like old Scotch.

He turned back to the discussion about his father. “I’ve grown out of his influence, don’t you think, Mom?”

“In some ways. But the armor you’ve built around yourself to keep from letting anybody hurt you is still in place. Even when you were married, Louisa and Jocelyn could never dent it.”

Thoughts of his exes made him angry. “Mother, Louisa cheated on me and Jocelyn decided our lifestyle wasn’t working for her—when she said at the beginning that was exactly what she wanted. They both lied to me. People lie all the time in relationships.”

Once again, he experienced an uncomfortable feeling about the bet he’d made with Cole—that it had come from his desire to somehow prove that the nonexistence of lasting relationships in his life wasn’t his fault.

“You never shared yourself with either of them, dear. It’s amazing that you let the boys in as much as you do.”

“And you.”

She was quiet, her expression troubled. “You don’t really let me in, Spence.”

“I think I do.”

“Not your innermost thoughts. Even with Joey and Cole, you hold back some.”

Swallowing hard, he took her hand. He hated upsetting her. “It’s hard for me to open up.”

“You could start by telling me what’s going on now.”

He felt his face redden.

“You’re jittery talking about this and you’ve checked your email several times since you got here. It can’t be a business deal, because you’re stone cold during those.”

He couldn’t lie when she was staring straight at him. Even when he was little, he’d evaded the truth when they had one of these conversations. “It’s a long story, Mom.”

Though he knew it was more than the time it would take to tell her. His mother would wholly disapprove of the bet and his online deception. Basically, he was ashamed to admit to her how he was deceiving a seemingly lovely woman. So he checked his watch. “And I have to get back to work.”

“Now there’s a fib.”

“Fine, I haven’t been completely open with you, but I can’t tell you anything yet. You might think less of me.…”

“Poor Spence. You don’t have to be so perfect, so in control, you know. Life is messy. You never could accept that fact.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I won’t judge whatever it is. Your father did, but I won’t.”

“Another piece of the bastard’s legacy.”

Thankfully, Ellie’s cry came through the baby monitor. His mother stood. “I’ll get her.” Before she left, she bent down and kissed his cheek. “We’re not done with this yet, Spencer.”

“I know, Mom. Don’t worry about me.”

“Impossible,” she called out, heading into the house. “Impossible.”

o0o

The phone shrilled. Annie startled awake, sat up and then got a glimpse of the clock. “Damn it.” She grabbed the extension in the bedroom.

“Annie?”

“Jules? Oh, God, I’m so sorry.”

“No problem. I was leaving the café and noticed you weren’t here.”

“I just woke up. I was at the animal hospital all night with Jake.” She explained the situation.

“You spoil that dog.”

“I’m a sucker for needy animals. I have to shower. I’ll be there soon.”

“Don’t kill yourself getting here,” Julia said. Her friend had always been solicitous, but since Annie’s divorce, she seemed even more concerned about Annie’s welfare. “No customers yet. I can’t stay, though, to see you. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Bounding out of bed, Annie raced to the shower, yanked it on and, after wrapping her hair in a towel, stepped inside. “Arrgh…”

The water was freezing. She needed to be woken up, but she wouldn’t have chosen to do it this way. As the temperature warmed, she kept her head forward and let the needle-like spray pummel her neck and shoulders, which were achy and knotted.

Luxuriating in the aqua massage, her mind drifted to how she would have preferred to be awakened. With a massage, but given by callused masculine hands—maybe Spence’s hands. The woodsy scent of his cologne would encompass her. She’d feel his body heat, his masculine presence behind her in the stall.

Laughing, Annie finished up and left the warmth of the water. Fantasizing about a man was so not her. She was probably doing it because he’d called this morning. After she dried off, she yanked the towel from her head and wiped a circle in the frosted vanity mirror. A very tired woman stared back at her. Circles under her eyes that hadn’t been there yesterday. Hair frizzing a bit from the moisture. Not bad skin for being forty. She shrugged, pulled back her hair, swiped on some concealer and blush, then hurried to the bedroom.

The one she’d shared with Keith. The one where she’d confessed so many of her hopes and dreams to that man, too, because she thought she’d be with him forever. Berating her romanticism, she dressed in the black skirt, white shirt and heels of the servers at the café, then she roused Jake. He yawned, nuzzled her hand and eased off the bed. Following her downstairs in his lumbering gait, the dog went out back to do his business while she got her purse, a light coat and car keys. After Jake came inside, she kissed his head and settled him in his bed and was out the door fifteen minutes after Julia’s call. She arrived at the restaurant a half hour late.

Mary, who managed the wait staff, was at the entrance. “I’m so sorry, Mary. This isn’t the way to make a favorable impression.”

“No worries. A table of four came in just before you got here. Want it?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I served drinks, so you have a minute.”

After Annie had stored her belongings, she went out onto the floor of Julia’s Café. The restaurant was well-appointed, with white tablecloths, maroon napkins and candles on every table. Working here was a big perk. Thank God for her best friends. Lauren Lanahan and Julia Camp were also wives of Keith’s cohorts from the country club, and the three couples had been tight. But after Keith had dumped her, the women had not. Refused, in no uncertain terms, to end their friendship.

That was when Annie had discovered the true meaning of loyalty. And in the two years she’d been divorced, the relationship among the three of them had become even richer.

After giving the new patrons time to enjoy drinks, Annie approached their table. Four people, dressed in chic clothes. She hoped they left a substantial tip. Maybe she could buy a new blouse for when she finally met Spence.

“Hello, everyone, I’m…” Her words trailed off. “Keith?”

Her ex-husband’s brows shot up and his features got taut. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here? You have the kids tonight.”

“They’re with a sitter. I have season tickets to the Broadway touring theater.” He glanced at the woman he had been engaged to before he met Annie, and had begun an affair with a year before he left her and the kids. Seeing Belinda Stevens always caused Annie’s insecurities to surface. She was the woman Keith should have married to begin with. His expensive suit complemented her silk sheath, his Rolex went well with her diamonds, and both had expensively styled hair—his dark and hers blond. Annie had to force herself not to tidy the wisps that escaped the clip at the back of her head.

Annie didn’t begrudge people their taste in fine things—she’d had them, too, when she’d been married to Keith. But no matter how dressed up she was, what plagued her, and had from day one with Keith, was a deep sense of inferiority to him. Oh, she’d tried to be what he wanted, but that had backfired and she’d ended up resenting that she couldn’t be herself with him.

“Excuse me a moment.” Keith stood, threw back his chair and loomed over her. “This is unacceptable.” Taking her by the arm, he dragged her away from the table to the coatroom near the entrance.

Stunned by his actions, it took her a minute to come to her senses. Before she could speak, his fingers bit into her arm and he whispered harshly, “Are you trying to embarrass me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Those people at my table know you and I were married. They’ll think I don’t pay alimony or child support. It looks bad to have my wife working as a waitress.”

“Ex-wife.” She flung off his arm. “Number one, you don’t pay me alimony.”

“Because you won’t let me.”

“Number two, if you ever manhandle me like that again, I’ll call the police and have you arrested for harassment. And to answer your question, I’ve taken a waitress job at the café.”

“Nobody told me that. And I haven’t seen you here in the past.”

“What do you mean? Julia never told me you frequented the place.”

“Only a few times. And your friend wasn’t working then.” He scowled. “In any case, I’ll make sure Lance puts a halt to your employment here.”

Annie gave a sardonic laugh. “You won’t have any more luck with that than when you told him to tell Julia she couldn’t be friends with me.” Straightening her shoulders, Annie lifted her chin, even though she ached inside at the confrontation. She’d once deeply loved this man. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll find somebody else to wait on you. I’ll ask to work in the other room, too, so I don’t…what did you say?…embarrass you.”

Head held high, she started away, then turned back. “Oh, and Keith, don’t come to the café again. I’m not quitting.”

She strode out of the alcove, quickly, so Keith wouldn’t see how upset she was. And how angry she was at herself for her reaction to him. She’d thought, after all this time, she was past letting him… wound her like this with his ambushes.

What had she been thinking to get involved with somebody like him? A girl from the wrong side of the tracks should marry her own kind, her mother had told her, but Annie hadn’t listened.

At least now she’d learned her lesson. Now she was going to stick to men like Spence. Thoughts of the widowed construction worker cheered her up. Maybe she’d ask to meet him.

o0o

Joe sat in Fire and Ice, the fire and police departments’ hangout, sipping a beer, listening halfheartedly to the drone of the ballgame on one of the huge TV screens. The Sox were down by nine and the game had turned boring. It didn’t take his mind off the brutal shift he’d just put in at the precinct, as he’d hoped it would.

A call had come in after five, and Joe and his partner, Shelly, had sped over to a small house on Orange Street. A break-in by a thief who was long gone when they got there had caused an elderly woman’s heart attack, and she’d died at the hospital. Thoughts of his inability to keep everybody safe had him ordering a shot of whiskey as Cole walked in through the door.

His genius brother, who looked a little Patrick Dempsey, dropped down on a stool as if he didn’t have the strength to keep himself upright.

“Hey, kid. You okay?”

“Punchy from lack of sleep.” Cole rubbed a hand over his scratchy jaw. “Thank God Mom took her namesake for the night. I should be home in the sack, but I haven’t been out in months and am going stir crazy.”

He clapped his brother on the back. “It’s worth it though, isn’t it?”

The expression on Cole’s face transformed into pure, unadulterated joy. “Yeah. I never knew I could love somebody so much.”

“I felt the same way when my girls were born. Think Spence will ever experience that?”

“Nope. He’s a lost cause in the husband and father department. Too bad his dad did such a number on him.”

Bradley Wickham had been an absent father, cold and shrewd, and had left their mother right after Spence had been born. In the years following, Spence spent some weekends with him and usually came home sullen. Joey thought those times had formed parts of his personality, and not for the good.

“How’s the online thing going with him?”

Cole rolled his eyes. When the bartender came over, he ordered a beer. “Five down, one to go. He swept them off their feet with little effort. I’m gonna lose the bet.”

“You know why he’s really doing this?”

“Not just to best me. Beneath his tough exterior, I think he feels bad about striking out in the relationship department. He’s never failed at anything else. Lying on the site, and being successful at it, vindicates his cynical outlook on true love.”

“Maybe. Man, I wish somebody would hook him. Make him fall hard and fast, and then have to grovel to get her.”

Chuckling, Cole knocked back a gulp of beer. “Don’t hold your breath. But I wish that would happen, too.”

From behind Cole, Joe saw two women approaching. “Hell,” he muttered as they descended on him and his brother.

“Hey, Joey,” the blonde in a skimpy-back T-shirt said. “Who’s your friend?”

“Hi, Stacey. This is my brother, Cole. Bro, this is Stacey and…?”

“KiKi.”

“You guys want some company?”

Joe caught Cole’s subtle shake of the head. “Nah, my brother here has a baby and is on one of his free nights out. We’re just hangin’, but thanks.”

After the women had left, Cole asked, “That happen to you often?”

“Yeah, I guess. I think it’s the cop thing. You sure you don’t want company?”

“God, no. Besides, what woman’s gonna want to spend time with me these days? An infant does serious damage to your love life.”

“You could blow off steam. Have a one-night stand.”

“I’m not into that, and neither are you.”

Joe directed his gaze to the TV. “No, not anymore, at least.”

After injuring his knee, Joey had screwed around with woman and booze. Finally, with the help of his brothers, he’d been able to clean up his act. “I do wish I could meet somebody, but bars like this aren’t the place.”

Cole swiveled on his stool, already looking more relaxed. “I know you said you didn’t like dating sites, but I think you should join RightMatch. We’ve taken precautions so it’s safer than the average service. You’re forty-four and single, so you qualify.” He chuckled. “If I could go on it, I would. I’ve seen some interesting profiles.”

“Aw, too bad you’re only thirty-three.” Joe shook his head. “I’m desperate enough to try the thing despite my reservations, but I can’t afford your fees. Child support and rent clean me out. The only other thing I spend money on is clothes.” He glanced down at the nice brown jeans and silk shirt he’d bought at the outlets.

“Gimme a break, I’d never make you pay the fee.”

“Seriously?”

“Joey, how can you even ask that, with all you’ve done for me and Ellie before and after she was born?”

“It was a tough decision, Cole. But a good one.”

“You and the girls come over all the time, which makes a huge difference for me.”

“Leona used to say how hard it was staying at home with the kids alone. I never much listened to her.”

“Regretting the divorce?”

“I always regretted it. But we couldn’t live together anymore.”

Reaching across the bar, Cole snatched up a napkin and stray pencil. He scribbled something on the paper. “Here’s the address and acceptance code. Go on, write up your profile, give it a shot. You’ll be in the company of thousands.”

Sometimes Joe didn’t know what he’d do without his brothers. Though Spence could be a bastard, Cole always came through for people. “Hey, thanks. I mean it.”

“Just bring Kara and Kaelyn over soon to play with Ellie.

“You’re on.”

Joe stared at the napkin, sighing heavily. He’d never thought his life was going to come to this, but like everything else that happened to him, he’d do what he had to do!

o0o

Spence got home from his date with Marlena exhausted. Usually he had boundless energy, but for some reason, tonight he was drained. During dinner, he kept thinking about his conversations with Annie and with his mother, which made him irritable and edgy.

Purposely, he didn’t check his computer to see if there was an email from her. Instead, he switched on the news and dropped down on the couch in his home office. Like the other rooms in his end unit, it, too, faced the golf course. The condo would fit a family of five and was filled with costly antiques, paintings and furniture. The decorator had made it a showplace, but lately, Spence been vaguely dissatisfied with it and other trappings of wealth he used to enjoy so much. He’d first acknowledged the feeling three months ago, when he’d made the bet with Cole. This place, his material goods, didn’t seem to mean as much anymore. He didn’t know why, and he didn’t like the change in his attitude at all.

Hell, why was he ruminating about this? Because of Annie? If she’d just ask to meet him, he could get the bet over with and go back to the way he was. Maybe his call today had helped her decide.

He went to bed troubled and woke up thinking about her. Fuck! He’d dreamed of her, again, and now wondered how she was today, if work was tiring last night, how the dog had fared. So after he’d poured his morning coffee, he clicked into his email, and sure enough, there was a note from her.

He smiled as he opened it, but that disappeared when he read through her description of yesterday. Though she didn’t say so explicitly, something was wrong. He could sense it, and he responded immediately.

I read your chatty email and there’s something between the lines. What happened last night? When you get up, write and tell me the truth. You can confide in me about anything, Annie. I mean it.

Rising from the computer, Spence crossed to the huge window of his home office and watched the newly budding branches of several oak trees sway in the breeze. He glanced at the computer wondering how soon she’d write back.

The chime rang, indicating an incoming email, and like a teenage boy waiting for his girl to contact him, Spence hustled over to the machine.

It was indeed from Annie.

You are so smart and sensitive. I did have a bad experience last night, but we aren’t supposed to share baggage. Right?

Dropping down on the chair, he responded without considering his actions. I think we’re past that by now, don’t you? Tell me.

He pressed send and waited. No answer. He got up, went to the kitchen to pour more coffee and then came back to the computer and stared at it until her email appeared in his inbox.

What the hell? Who did her ex-husband think he was? The bastard had embarrassed her. It was a good thing Spence didn’t know her last name, or he’d…

He stopped himself mid-thought. Why was he so upset? This was just another woman with divorce woes. He wasn’t involved with her. Swearing at his conflicting emotions, he set down his coffee and, already in a sweat suit, decided to go for a run.

The March morning was crisp, and he started out slowly. The rhythmic pounding of his feet on the jogging path of his gated community soothed him. His mind would go blank any minute, like it always did.

Huh! Not this time. Instead, he kept thinking of some jerk cornering nice, sweet Annie in the coatroom of a restaurant, probably scaring her, certainly making her uncomfortable. He seethed about it for three miles. After he arrived home, he went to the computer and wrote back in the other Spence’s voice.

I’m upset by what happened with your ex. It’s unconscionable. Is there anything I can do?

Her reply came immediately, as if she’d been waiting this time.

I was thinking—would you like to meet now? You said we were past keeping things from each other. My kids are home this weekend, but they’re going out for the afternoon on Sunday. I could meet for brunch. Are you free?

Bingo! Spence sat back in his chair and steepled his hands, still staring at the screen. He’d won the bet with Cole! He’d told his brother as soon as six women wanted to meet, his online escapade was over. He should be elated…but he wasn’t. Staring at the computer, he ordered himself to end this thing with Annie. One simple email would do it. He’d implement the ploy he’d used with the others—let her down gently, say he wasn’t ready for a face-to-face because he was still mourning his dead wife. Annie would get the picture and wouldn’t email him again. She might be disappointed, but…

Or, he could meet her once. What would that hurt?

He checked his calendar; he was playing squash with a prospective client on Sunday. But they’d scheduled it early, so he could do both.

Yes, he emailed back. I’d like to meet. And I can be free at noon. You should sleep as late as you can.

Annie confirmed the details and then was off to get her kids to school. Edgy now at what he’d done, Spence decided to go to work. He walked into his room-size closet and studied the clothing racks. The Hugo Boss and Armani wouldn’t do at all when he met Annie. Neither would the tailor-made shirts and casual pants. He’d have to have something less expensive to wear. Hmm. He could borrow clothes from Joey, but maybe he’d invest in some Levis and a non-designer shirt. He was pretty sure he was going with the grieving widow tack, so he needed to keep up the ruse with his appearance.

What if, once they met, he wanted to continue seeing her? More than likely, that wouldn’t happen. But if it did, he’d have to reveal his real persona. How would Annie react? Glancing around at the cadre of clothes, he told himself all women wanted a rich guy.

Except Annie. She’d said so many times online. Well, the probability of this thing between them heading down that path was slim, so he’d go with the flow for now. Chances were Annie would remain Number Six on the list, so he had nothing to worry about.

 

Continued….

Click here to download the entire book: Kathryn Shay’s Better Than Before >>>

Ryan Potter, sponsor of this week’s Kindle Fire giveaway and author of The Cleaner – A heartfelt and humorous novel about the power of friendship and its ability to create even the most unlikely hero – 4.9 stars with all rave reviews & now just $2.99 **Plus A Link to Enter This Week’s Kindle Fire Giveaway Sweepstakes

The Cleaner

by Ryan Potter
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4.9 stars – 8 Reviews

Or currently FREE for Amazon Prime Members Via the Kindle Lending Library
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
*** Author Ryan Potter is this week’s Kindle Fire giveaway sweepstakes sponsor. To enter your name into this week’s sweepstakes click here!
Here’s the set-up:

Spinks Webb is thirty-four years old, lives in his widowed father’s basement, and suffers from a fear of leaving his hometown that he blames on his ex-fiancée, a woman who broke up with him twelve years ago. Some might call Spinks a loser, but the man has heart, and he also has a unique talent. Turns out Spinks Webb can consume vast amounts of food in short periods of time, hard-boiled eggs and hot dogs in particular.

With the help of his best friend and business partner Danny Fleck, Spinks quickly hones his gorging skills and becomes the talk of his blue-collar Michigan town as Danny, an amateur filmmaker, captures it all on video for a future documentary. Danny eventually encourages Spinks to go for the World Series of competitive eating and compete for a spot in the Nathan’s Famous International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest in Brooklyn, New York. Of course, numerous roadblocks stand between Spinks and Brooklyn, two of which include mending his broken heart and beating his irrational fear of travel, and to conquer those he’ll need all the help from Danny that he can get.

THE CLEANER is a heartfelt and humorous novel about the power of friendship and its ability to create even the most unlikely hero.

What are readers saying?

★★★★★ “I love this novel. It’s sharp, funny, and wise. The characters are memorable. The plot is unique. The dialogue is authentic. Potter can write…I haven’t been this enthralled by a writer since Michael Kun.” ~Mark Trost

★★★★★ “Ryan Potter has written a wonderful story with ‘The Cleaner.’ The characters are unique, memorable, and real…I couldn’t stop grinning as I read the last quarter of the book.” ~Jen

★★★★★ “Extremely well done. I’m a voracious reader, and I loved this book. Very fast read, and good character development. Very likable main character and surrounding cast.” ~Rockybrown

About The Author

After earning two degrees in American history, Ryan Potter realized he wanted to write about things he made up rather than analyze things that had already happened. He wrote his first short story in 2003 and was lucky enough to get it published in a well-respected online literary journal. He’s had several stories published both online and in print since.

EXIT STRATEGY is his debut young adult novel. Ryan’s debut adult novel, THE CLEANER, was published as an Amazon eBook exclusive in 2012. THE CLEANER is the ultimate competitive eating novel and tells the humorous story of Spinks Webb’s rise from lifelong loser to professional competitive eater.

For more information please visit his website at www.NotSoMainstream.com.

(This is a sponsored post.)

Kindle Free Book Alert for August 14: 390 brand new Freebies in the last 24 hours added to Our 4,200+ Free Titles sorted by Category, Date Added, Bestselling or Review Rating! plus … Charles P. Ries’s THE FATHERS WE FIND (Today’s Sponsor – 99 cents)

Powered by our magical Kindle free book tool, here are this morning’s latest additions to our 4,200+ Kindle Free Book listings. Occasionally a title will continue to appear on this list for a short time after it is no longer free on Kindle. ALWAYS check the price on Amazon before making a purchase, please! If a book is free, you should see the following: Kindle Price: $0.00
But first, a word from ... Today's Sponsor
Charles Ries’ story of his youth and family life is full of colorful characters, evocative details, episodes both harrowing and humorous, and subtle wisdom. Every family – every life – should have a chronicler as honest, clear-eyed, and loving as Charles Ries.
THE FATHERS WE FIND
by Charles P. Ries
5.0 stars - 5 reviews
Supports Us with Commissions Earned
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here's the set-up:
“Few authors capture the narrative voice with the perfect balance of self-deprecating humor and poignant insight that Charles Ries brings to THE FATHERS WE FIND. Ries' account of a small-town farm boy set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War combines humor and heart to create a truly remarkable memior. The narrator stumbles his way to enlightenment with help from a series of delightful men in a journey that is hilarious and nostalgic.”

Camille N. Cline, Editor
One Reviewer Notes:
Charles Ries' The Father's We Find reminds me of Frank McCourt's (Angela's Ashes, "Tis, Teacher Man) memoirs with their keen attention to character and strong voice. Ries' characters' voices are ring loud and clear, I can hear them calling, long after putting the book down. When I read a book that resonates with my experiences, one wrought with so much care and detail, I know that this is a winner. When characters follow me for days after reading, when I'm sad to see the story end, I know this is true.
Karl Huston, Author
UK CUSTOMERS: Click on the title below to download
THE FATHERS WE FIND
Each day’s list is sponsored by one paid title. We encourage you to support our sponsors and thank you for considering them.
Free Contemporary Titles in the Kindle Store
Welcome to Kindle Nation’s magical and revolutionary Free Book Search Tool — automatically updated and refreshed in real time, now with Category Search! Use the drop-down menu (in red caps next to the menu bar near the top of the page) to search for free Kindle books by genre or category, then sort the list just the way you want it — by date added, bestselling, or review rating! But there’s no need to sort by price — because they’re all free!
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Learning English? You'll find this book very helpful. You'll love it and get motivated to learn more English.Your English will get better too. The cartoons will help you to understand the meaning of each word and you can remember the new words easily. Highly recommended for English learners....
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ESL Cartoons: Learn English Through Pictures
By: Elliot Carruthers
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In this book we can find different types of entertainment for adults. So that they are distracted and at the same time have fun thinking about how to develop these activities....
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Smart Games for adults
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Paris. Eighteenth Century.Julie de Lespinasse runs the most famous salon in Paris and regularly socialises with some of the most brilliant minds in France. Her heart belongs only to one – the M. de Condorcet. But when the city’s most eligible bachelor, Jacques de Guibert, makes his attraction...
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An undercover cop, four quirky senior sleuths, a pesky bodyguard, and a murderer on the loose... When an art heist ends in murder, can an undercover cop and her senior crime-fighting gal pals catch the killer before she gets marked off the hit list?Packed with mystery and suspense and brimming with...
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When the optimistic and enthusiastic Abbie Lawrence moves in next door to the heartbroken and cynical Jem (short for Jemima) life on Hooper Street is never the same again. Previously published in the lesbian romance anthology Girls Next Door (Bold Strokes Books, 2017)....
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Small Business: Quick and Easy Guide to Marketing, Business and the Digital Generation - 2 Book Bundle. Two Web Marketing Books Inside: • Quickly Dominate Social Media Marketing: The Ultimate Guide Top Tips to Pinterest, Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube Viral Marketing....
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Nick Woods is tired of waiting. America's greatest sniper has spent the better part of two years up in the mountains of Montana, waiting for the government to double-cross him and try to come get him.But waiting in isolation, with his wife Anne gone, has caused his paranoia to reach dangerous...
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Kindle Free Book Alert for August 14: 390 brand new Freebies in the last 24 hours added to Our 4,200+ Free Titles sorted by Category, Date Added, Bestselling or Review Rating! plus … Charles P. Ries’s THE FATHERS WE FIND (Today’s Sponsor – 99 cents)

A fast-paced and deeply enjoyable debut novel – CSP McNulty’s historical thriller The Parachutist’s Daughter is Our eBook of the Day at just 99 Cents, with 4.9 Stars on 11 out 11 Rave Reviews, and Here’s a Free Sample

Here’s the set-up for CSP McNulty’s The Parachutist’s Daughter, just 99 Cents on Kindle:

Gabriella, a striking, thirty year old Austrian Holocaust survivor is the driving force behind a secret Jewish organization (Nokmim) that hunts down Nazi criminals for the singular purpose of retribution.

But her group, and much of the purpose of her life, is dying out. Flush with the success of capturing Adolf Eichmann in Argentina in 1960, Gabriella’s compatriots are turning away from the unsavory, back alley justice that is her specialty.

Resistant to the changing tides, Gabriella heads to Central America on what could be her final assignment; tracking down Friedrich Guderian, an SS Major renowned for brutality in Chelmno and Treblinka concentration camps.

Her search leads her to the Central Highlands of Nicaragua, where she crosses paths with Christian Logansfriar, a German missionary. Gabriella is forced to take up residence in a remote village while she tries to determine if Christian, a seemingly good and devout Catholic priest, is in fact the Nazi butcher, Friedrich Guderian.

From the reviewers:

“A fast-paced and deeply enjoyable debut novel…”  KIRKUS REVIEWS

The Parachutist’s Daughter is a deeply poignant and riveting read. – Amy Edelman

A gripping mix of history and intrigue.  The Parachutist’s Daughter is an excellent, well written story peppered with facts, romance, history and excitement. This book had my attention from the very beginning. At times I found myself completely empathizing with Gabriella’s mission and at other times found myself wondering if “two wrongs don’t make a right” was the better perspective. The book is entertaining but also very thought provoking. I look forward to more from Mr. McNulty. –  Larry

The Parachutist’s Daughter was a page turner! If you are looking for a fast-paced book with elements of romance, murder and intrigue peppered with historical facts from WW II then this is the book for you. You find yourself in Jerusalem then Nicaragua with flashbacks to Austria and Poland. I could not put my Kindle down while reading it.  – Tessa

I was hooked within the first chapter of this great description of Gabriella and her Nazi killing in response to World War II. The entire book created such an amazing conflict within me as I learned more and more about her story. Such a great read and I can’t wait for the next book.  –  “KB”

Visit Amazon’s CSP McNulty Page

CSP McNulty was born in Greensboro, NC, but spent his teen years in San Marino, CA. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he wrote an honors thesis on the fascist movement in the United States during the Great Depression.

Currently, he is a real estate professional specializing in corporate transactions. He lives in Southern California with his wife, son and identical triplet daughters.

The Parachutist’s Daughter is his first novel.

And here, in the comfort of your own browser, is your free sample of The Parachutist’s Daughter by CSP McNulty:

 

Thanks to Amazon’s Big Deal and Kindle Nation fave author Cheryl Kaye Tardif for making WHALE SONG available for just 99 Cents Until August 23!

Amazon is loving the works of Cheryl Kaye Tardif and once again, they have arranged for one of her titles to be included in a major Amazon promotion. During “The Big Deal” promotion, 500 specially selected ebooks are on sale, some as low as $0.99—Whale Song is one.

AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER & AMAZON TOP 100 BESTSELLER!

Whale Song

by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

4.7 stars – 101 Reviews
Or currently FREE for Amazon Prime Members Via the Kindle Lending Library
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

Thirteen years ago, Sarah Richardson’s life was shattered after the tragic death of her mother. The shocking event left a grief-stricken teen-aged Sarah with partial amnesia.

Some things are easier to forget.

But now a familiar voice from her childhood sends Sarah, a talented mid-twenties ad exec, back to her past. A past that she had thought was long buried.

Some things are meant to be buried.

Torn by nightmares and visions of a yellow-eyed wolf and aided by creatures of the Earth and killer whales that call to her in the night, Sarah must face her fears and recover her memories―even if it destroys her.

Some things are meant to be remembered―at all cost.

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

Reviews

“I read Whale Song and loved it.”actress Jodelle Ferland, “Bree Tanner” in Eclipse (Twilight Saga)

“Moving…perennially crowd-pleasing combination of sweet and sad…Tardif, already a big hit in Canada…a name to reckon with south of the border.” —BOOKLIST

“Whale Song is deep and true, a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart. Cheryl Kaye Tardif has written a beautiful, haunting novel.” — NY Times Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice, author of Beach Girls

“Cheryl Kaye Tardif’s novel, Whale Song, would be a tough act to follow for any written genre.” —Fresh Fiction

“Tardif again leaves a lasting mark on her readers…Moving and irresistible.” —Midwest Book Review

“Whale Song is reminiscent of Ring of Endless Light by M. L’Engle, and Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.” —Carol D. O’Dell, author of Mothering Mother

A percentage of Cheryl’s royalties goes to help people in need.

Pick up the Kindle edition of WHALE SONG today, while it’s on sale for only 99 cents. This is a limited time offer. Expires August 23rd.

About The Author
Meet International Bestselling Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Booklist raves, “Tardif, already a big hit in Canada…a name to reckon with south of the border.”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif is an international bestselling suspense author from Canada who enthusiastically tackles sensitive questions and terrifying scenarios that most people don’t like to even think about. From psychic investigators, abuse in the foster care system, serial killers, fountain of youth serums, nanotechnology, conspiracies, bullying, racism, assisted suicide, child abductions, sexual assault, alcoholism, drug addiction, mind control and more, she delves into the human psyche and picks at our worst fears.

(This is a sponsored post.)

Award Winning Author Dirk Wyle’s Medical Mystery AMAZON GOLD – A hard-boiled thriller with a scientific twist and readers are raving – 4.5 Stars on Amazon with all rave reviews & now just $3.99 or FREE via Kindle Lending Library

4.5 stars – 4 Reviews
Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled
Here’s the set-up:

Ben signed up to be a highly paid pharmaceutical consultant, not an industrial spy in Miami.

Rebecca signed up to be a world health physician, not a hostage in the Brazilian Amazon.

But strange things can happen when you discover a new kind of gold.

Series author Dirk Wyle has created a new kind of mystery-thriller — powered by medical science, business and anthropology, and driven by the professional challenges of a two-career couple. In a stunning climax, Ben and Rebecca are reunited to discover astonishing truths — and to fight for their lives.

Reviews

“Wyle has given the hard-boiled thriller a scientific twist, making his novels pleasing for both their intrigue and their intellect.” — Booklist

“If Amazon Gold was a movie … it would win it for best screenplay because it is a well-crafted, mystifying, thought-provoking and entertaining story that thrills laymen and science buffs equally well. You are in good company with Ben Candidi and Rebecca Levis – and are ready to go with them wherever their next adventure takes them.” — Amazon Reviewer, 5 Stars

About The Author

Dirk Wyle’s mystery-thrillers play out against an authentically rendered backdrop of biomedical science. His stories are informed by a long scientific career that included a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, postdoctoral work in Germany and service as a medical school professor in Miami (“Google” Duncan H. Haynes). He conducted research in abnormal blood coagulation and drug delivery and invented a drug microencapsulation technology (searchable at www.uspto.gov) which led to the founding of three companies employing approximately 65 people. Countless story ideas came as a byproduct of that quest, and eventual commercial success gave him leeway to create the Ben Candidi mystery-thriller series. Believing there are no stone walls separating the realms of popular science, serious literature, formal mystery and cliff-handing suspense, Dirk Wyle has created stories that play out in all four arenas. Protagonist Ben accepts “straightforward scientific” projects which quickly turn perplexing, mysterious and then sinister. With the help of fiancee Rebecca Levis, world health physician, Ben solves the mystery just before the bad guys (and gals) strike back. Like his protagonists Ben and Rebecca, Dirk Wyle does not regard work and play as necessarily separate activities. He enjoys researching the books’ exotic locations, which include the waters of South Florida, the Bahamas and the Brazilian Amazon.
(This is a sponsored post.)