Spotlight: Aspen Cove Series by Kelly Collins
/
One Hundred Reasons
by Kelly Collins
(Aspen Cove, #1)
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
A woman who wants to leave.
A man who has to stay.
And a love that won’t be denied…
Nurse Sage Nichols’ life isn’t going as planned. When a favorite patient passes away, Sage abandons her post for a few minutes longer than planned — and just like that, she’s without a job and a paycheck.
But Sage’s patient left her a parting gift: a creaky bed-and-breakfast in the heart of the Rockies. So, determined to sell the rundown property and return to Denver for a fresh start, Sage heads north to the mountains.
When Cannon Bishop’s mother died, he gave up his dreams of leaving Aspen Cove for good and returned to run the family business. As owner of the only bar and son to the town drunk, he’s got no room in his life for a woman. But when Sage Nichols breezes into town, she changes everything.
And if there’s one thing Cannon hates, it’s change.
Recruited by the local doctor, Sage finds herself more involved in small town life than she intended. But the warm welcome she receives from the locals does not extend to the man next door.
Then trust sprouts unexpectedly between them and when Sage’s plan to return to Denver falls through, she is left wondering if her future might lie in Aspen Cove after all.
Sometimes love gets in the way of the best laid plans…
Welcome to Aspen Cove, the tiny Colorado town where fresh starts, hope, and true love live…
Excerpt
He turned his back to the crowd and gave his undivided attention to Mike, a one-eyed alley cat that made his home in the corner of the bar. He found the poor thing in a dumpster in Copper Creek outside the discount liquor store where he bought supplies.
Mike wasn’t injured; he was born without an eye, but for a one-eyed cat, he was an excellent mouser.
“Hey there, bud. You eat today?” He pulled a box of Mike’s favorite treats from the cabinet and placed a few in front of him. The cat looked at him like he’d lost his mind because he liked it when his treats were hidden around the bar. It was a kind of game with them; Mike liked to work for his food. “Sorry, but there are too many people here today.” Cannon scratched the top of Mike’s head and turned around to see the girl everyone called Sage standing at the end of the bar. Her eyes were covered in ridiculously large glasses, which meant his father had left his mark.
Even though he’d snapped at her yesterday, he felt bad today because, in hindsight, she was only trying to help. It was a thankless job that he’d been saddled with for years.
“Can I get a beer?” Her voice was small and uncertain. “Any kind will do.”
He pulled a frosted mug from the under-the-counter freezer. “Do you prefer light or dark?”
She stared at him for a minute. Her gaze focused on his nose and the purple shadow sitting below his eyes.
“I prefer dark.” She slid into the empty barstool and pulled off her glasses.
He winced at her injury. “I’m so sorry you got hit yesterday.”
She ran her fingertips under her eyes. “Oh, it’s okay. It hurts worse than it looks.” She gave him a half smile.
“It looks pretty awful.”
“I tried to cover it up, but my makeup skills only go so far.” She leaned forward to get a better look at his injury. “We could be twins.”
He poured a pint of Amber Bock and set it in front of her. “If that’s true, I’m the ugly one.” He smiled, hoping it conveyed something nice and friendly.
“I think we got off on the wrong foot.” She wiped her hand on her pants and offered it to him. “I’m Sage Nichols, and for now, I’m your new neighbor.”
He dried his hand on a bar towel and took her tiny one in his. If he closed his palm, hers would have disappeared. “I’m Cannon Bishop. It’s nice to meet you.”
She looked at Mike, who was sprawled next to the cash register. His orange tail swished lazily back and forth.
“Your cat has one eye.”
He brought his finger to his lips. “Shh, he doesn’t realize he’s different.”
When she smiled, his icy heart thawed.
Buy on Amazon
About the Author
Like FREEBIES? Join the VIP readers at http://bit.ly/KellyCollinsFreeBook for members-only exclusives!
~ Tip: Just hit "FOLLOW" for notifications about deals & new releases! ~
International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.
Kelly has sold more than a quarter of a million books worldwide, and in 2021 she was awarded a Readers' Favorite Award Gold Medal in the Contemporary Romance category for A Tablespoon of Temptation.
You can learn more about Kelly at www.authorkellycollins.com.
Connect:
https://www.authorkellycollins.com/
https://www.facebook.com/authorkelleycollins
https://twitter.com/kcollinsauthor
https://www.instagram.com/authorkellycollins/
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kelly-collins
https://www.amazon.com/Kelly-Collins/e/B00H3JAYJ8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1435982615&sr=8-2-ent
