Excerpt Day: Fool's Gold by Jenna Byrnes

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Cattle Valley: Fool's Gold by Jenna Byrnes
Release Date: June 22, 2009
Publisher: Total-e-Bound
ISBN: 978-1-907010-37-8
Publisher Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=489

Blurb: Adeline Murphy believes the Apple Valley Inn is the only thing waiting for her in Cattle Valley, and it's up to Melissa Danes to change her way of thinking. Adeline Murphy heads to Cattle Valley, Wyoming looking for a fresh start. She's invested every dime she has and purchased the local bed and breakfast. Arriving in town with a cranky girlfriend in tow, Addie's devastated to discover the inn has been vandalised. With the property uninhabitable, she has no source of income and a mounting stack of bills. Melissa Danes' quiet Cattle Valley existence is shaken by the arrival of the beautiful Addie and her surly tagalong, Chloe. She's captivated by Addie, but stays away thinking Addie and Chloe are in a committed relationship. When she discovers differently, all bets are off. Mel discovers Addie has several barriers to cross, including repairing the damaged inn and her even more wounded self-esteem. When Mel looks at Addie she sees more than Fool's Gold, but she needs to find a way for Addie to see it too.

Note: This novel is a stand alone title which includes characters created by Carol Lynne in the Cattle Valley Series. Visit the Cattle Valley website for more information on this bestselling series!

Excerpt:

Late in the afternoon, Mel was changing out the front window display when she heard a noisy rumble from the street. She glanced out and saw an ugly car with flaking, dark green paint cruising slowly down Main Street. The noise, the grating sound of metal scraping asphalt, seemed to be coming from something dragging in the back.

The car slowed in front of the store then made an awkward turn and pulled in to park.

Mel peered through the dirty windshield, but it was impossible to see the driver. Nobody from around here. She was sure of that.

When the woman climbed out, stretching after what had apparently been quite a drive, she was hard to miss. Her shapely, tanned legs led up to a pair of short, jean cut-offs, with a T-shirt over them. Mel tried not to notice the pleasant way the shirt was filled out, instead skipping up to the woman’s face. Zoing. Her heartstrings lurched.

The stranger was definitely attractive. Her cheeks were gaunt as a model’s, but her lips were full and a pretty shade of pink. Dark eyes were heavily lined with a makeup pencil, and long lashes were coated thick with mascara. Short black hair with tips of red framed her face. Wowza. Mel hadn’t seen anyone that cute in town for ages.

They didn’t get a lot of strangers through Cattle Valley. Most visitors were friends or relatives of town residents. In the summer, they had tourists, especially during Rodeo Days, but that was several months off.

Mel watched the woman adjust her clothes then lean down to check her face in the mirror on her car door. When she straightened and looked towards the bookstore, Mel hurried away from the window.

She tried to act nonchalant, leafing through a stack of paperwork, when the door jingled. She looked up as casually as she could and offered a smile. “Hi there. Help you?”

The woman strode towards her. If Mel hadn’t seen the car, she might have believed the casually dressed bombshell to be an actress or a model. But nobody, not even a famous person going incognito, would choose that big, green boat to drive.

She gave Mel the once-over before replying. “I’m looking for a guy named Mel. Tia Brooks told me he’d have the keys to the bed and breakfast I purchased.”

“You purchased?” Mel blinked, attempting to hide her surprise.

“Yes. I’m Adeline Murphy. I’m the new owner of the Apple Valley Inn.” She stared at Mel for a moment then asked, “So, is he around? Mel?”

Mel’s heartbeat drummed so loudly, she thought the other woman would surely hear it. She cleared her throat and tried to remain cool. “I’m him. I mean, I’m Mel! Melissa. Melissa Danes.” Now I’m babbling. She closed her mouth.

The woman’s pouty expression changed to a smile for the first time. “You’re Mel? Oops, sorry about that. I guess Tia never specified. She just said Mel would have the keys, and I assumed…well, anyway, sorry.”

“No problem. I do have the keys. I wasn’t expecting you. Tia said you’d call.”

“She never told me that. Or if she did, I forgot. She was in kind of a hurry the last time we talked.”

Mel nodded. “Her mother was sick. I guess she told you that. Tia was anxious to get back home. She’s from Jamaica, you know.”

Adeline chuckled. “I could tell by her accent when we talked on the phone. Not much doubt about it. So…” She glanced around the store then let her eyes settle back on Mel.

The dark pupils seemed to gaze right though her. Mel shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. She normally wasn’t shy around people. I work retail, for crissakes! I’m around people all day long. Something about this woman made her squirm, though.

“Nice bookstore.” Adeline looked around again.

“Thanks. My friend owns it, I just work here.” Mel touched a display of the latest best seller sitting on the counter. “Do you like to read?”

“When I—” The front door opened, the sound of the bell interrupting her words.

“I thought you were getting the keys. You decide to stop and shop or something?” A blonde-haired woman in even skimpier clothes than Adeline wore walked towards them. She looked around as she passed shelves of books, an expression of distaste on her face. “Doesn’t seem to be much to shop for in here.”

Mel studied the newcomer. Her breasts were barely concealed by the sheer blouse she wore, but even with the blatant sexuality, Mel didn’t find her attractive. Where Adeline was made up nicely, her acquaintance had used the eyeliner to the point of overkill. Thick black lines circled her blue eyes, giving her a racoonish appearance.

“I haven’t been in here that long,” Adeline murmured. “Just making conversation.”

“Oh, yeah?” The woman stared at Mel with distrust in her eyes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Mel watched in disbelief as she lit one up, blowing a puff of grey wisps towards the ceiling. Frowning, Mel jiggled the small ‘no smoking’ sign on the counter. “You can’t smoke that in here.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” The newcomer rolled her eyes, batting the lashes for effect. “I’ll take it outside, then. I assume it’s okay to smoke outside in Cow Village?”

“Cattle Valley,” Adeline corrected in a hushed voice. “Go out, I’ll be right there.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.” She gave Mel another scathing once-over before turning slowly and leaving the store, a trail of smoke above her.

Adeline waved at the grey cloud in front of her face. “Sorry. It’s been a long, tiring trip.”

“That’s okay.” Mel reached under the counter for her purse and dug out a big key ring. “Here you go. You’ve been to the inn, right?”

“No. Actually, I’ve never seen it. Just pictures.”

“Oh.” Mel raised her eyebrows. Generally not much surprised her, but this woman continued to do just that. “You bought something that expensive sight unseen?”

Adeline shrugged. “The timing didn’t work out to come see it. I really should go. If you could just direct me to the place…”

“Sure. It’s on the corner of Walnut and Bower, near Beauregard Park.” She pointed. “Go up to the stoplight and take a right. It’s just a couple of blocks. You can’t miss it.”

“Thanks.” Adeline snatched the key ring and hurried to the front door. When she got there she muttered, “Uh oh.”

“What’s wrong?” Mel followed her, looking out the window. Ryan Blackfeather was crouched behind the big, green car, examining it.

“Is he a cop?” Adeline asked with a tired sigh.

He wore a uniform shirt, but with his faded jeans and long, black ponytail, Mel agreed it was kind of hard to tell. “Ryan? Well, yeah, he’s the sheriff. But he’s cool. Come on.”

She pushed open the front door and glanced around. There was no other foot traffic on the street. She could leave the store for just a moment. “Hey, Ryan,” she called.

He straightened and glanced at her. “Hey, Mel. How’s the book business today?”

“Pretty good. How’s the sheriffing business?” she tossed back their standard greeting.

“Just got a sight more interesting.”