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Chapter 166: Noemi
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The Love Barn Chapter 167: Epilogue
SIX MONTHS LATER...SCARLETT SAT STRETCHED OUT on the old, wooden swing content to watch the circus going on over in the flower garden.Mom threw her hands up and said something Scarlett couldn't hear. She chuckled and knew the others were likely beside themselves trying to figure out how to make Mom happy.They all called Noemi's mother Mom now. It just felt right. Garth stood next to Mom, shaking his head at the others. Noemi bent, fussing no doubt over the way the blankets lay or how the bow sat.Benji and Dixie had the whole light kit out and three cameras.All the attention was focused on the bundle of joy currently sleeping soundly in the cradle Garth had carefully restored. It was one of a handful of old things he'd found in the barn and kept. Judging by the initials on the bottom of the old crib, generations of Livelys had slept in that thing.And now so would her baby.Scarlett smiled and sank further into the cushions Cole had set up for her. She was still ex
The Love Barn Chapter 1: Cole
Volume 1: Give Me Back My ManCole ODELL RODE his bicycle's momentum through the intersection and craned his neck to look up the hill."Christ," he muttered.If this wasn't a metaphor for his life, he didn't know what it was.He took a foot off a pedal as the bike came to a stop and balanced himself while studying the brown barn that sat on the highest point for miles around.This was where he was scheduled to get married in five weeks and five days.Except he was missing the other half of the equation.His bride.Cole swung his leg off the bike, dragged his arm across his brow and began walking.The sting was gone as was the anger. He'd burned through all of that during the last few weeks since he came home to nothing but a note that said, I'm sorry, weighted down with her key to the apartment. She could have kept the key if she'd have left his dog.This wasn't the first time he'd had to reinvent his life. His hands had been tied these last few weeks, his decisi
The Love Barn Chapter 2: Scarlett
Scarlett CLUTCHED HER brother's clothes to her chest and stared at the doorway leading to the hall bathroom where her unexpected guest was showering.Holy... Just-holy.When she'd stared at that man she'd stopped thinking, lost in eyes that were a light green. Or blue? Kind of minty. She'd been caught completely off guard by him. Then the stupid pig bolted. The neighbors had probably arrived home which meant the possibility of food and Scarlett had gotten a lot more acquainted with her would-be rescuer.It said a lot about her relationship status that having a random, attractive man fall on her was about as good as she'd gotten lately. She was in need of some help if her mind equated that with being held. But then he'd scrambled off her and any fantasy she'd have harbored was gone.The image of mud-boob prints on his cheeks would be burned into her memory. Even now her cheeks heated thinking about it. God, why were these things always happening to her? Couldn't she be a normal
The Love Barn Chapter 3: Scarlett
Those four words hit Scarlett in the stomach one after the other.The wedding?Was off?She opened and closed her mouth, not sure what to say."That was actually what I came up to talk to someone about." Cole braced his hand on the island and faced her, all business now. This gaze was sober, serious. "I wasn't privy to the booking details and seeing as how there isn't going to be a wedding, I was hoping to recoup some of the money."Scarlett blinked at him. She wanted to know what had happened, how it had gone wrong, if AK was okay, if he was okay. But she couldn't ask those questions."Your name was on the emails Allie copied me on." He glanced back at her.Scarlett mentally did the math.It was currently September nineteenth.His wedding was scheduled for October twenty-eight.Oh crap.Her heart fell to the floor. "I can't say off the top of my head what we can do. I'd have to talk to my cousins." She gripped the edge of the counter. He had to be going throug
The Love Barn Chapter 4: Cole
Cole SAT SHOTGUN in Scarlett's Jeep, the cracked window blowing warm air on his face, which was not helping him cool down. He glanced at his chauffer, her hair dancing wildly in the wind.Every time he looked at her the world felt as though it fell away and all that mattered was her, this moment. He hadn't touched her and somehow sharing space with her felt intimate.Guilt bit into him.A couple of weeks ago he'd been engaged to another woman. A woman who now barely registered in his thoughts.Cole had to get a grip on his thoughts.Puppies.He should focus on that.Damn he missed going home to a dog. His old lab had passed away months ago and his new dog had bonded more with Allie seeing as how she was at home all day. Sometimes he wondered if he missed the corgi mix pup more than his fiancé. That was rather telling, but he wasn't ready to examine those feelings. He'd rather get on with it, settle into his new life and leave Allie behind."Sorry about the AC. It's gett
The Love Barn Chapter 5: Scarlett
Crap. What now?Scarlett spun and the three of them bolted out the rear door of the bakery into the alley that led to one of the streets that crossed the main drag of the small town.An old pickup truck sat across the street, a metal garbage can sitting on its side. A red head stood in the street, cursing a blue streak."Jessica, what happened?" Scarlett stopped at the curb, bouncing on the balls of her feet, poised as if to do something."Are you okay?" Harper bent and scooped up garbage that had rolled out of the overturned receptacle."I'm fine." Jessica threw her hands up. "A gold Buick just turned in front of me.""A gold Buick?" Scarlett echoed. "Like Sissy's?""I don't know." Jessica sighed.Cole grabbed the hefty garbage can and hauled it upright with a clang."I bet it was Sissy." Scarlett shook her head."I didn't say that it was," Jessica said then glanced at him with interest. "Well, hello there, stranger.""Hello." Cole gave a little wave then hooked
The Love Barn Chapter 6: Scarlett
Scarlett WINCED WHEN she saw both of her cousin's trucks in the drive.Of course they were back. She couldn't just slip in, grab her painting clothes then get out before either of the guys cornered her. Neither had texted her, but she knew the rumor mill had to have reached them about Cole and the canceled wedding.She shifted the Jeep into park and slumped in her seat, staring at the trees that had grown up around the house, providing a nice, shaded area.What the hell had happened to her today?It wasn't unusual for Scarlett to find a connection with someone. She fell hard and fast for men, sometimes without them knowing. But today? That chemistry? It was off the charts, and he'd felt it, too. She'd seen it in the way he looked at her, and then she'd gone and touched him. It had been an automatic thing, she hadn't thought about it, but when their hands connected, it was as if her body were on fire.This was bad.She shut her eyes and pushed thoughts of Cole down deep.R
The Love Barn Chapter 7: Scarlett
The blood went out of Scarlett's face and she stared at Benji."I don't think Garth saw that, but you probably don't want him to. Care to share?" Benji grinned."The pig. I slipped. He came over to help and fell." She covered her face with her hands, the memory of Cole's wet hair, those shoulders and the ridges of muscle making his chest and abs a playground."That's better than I'd hoped for." Benji let out a belly laugh and slammed his fist on the island.Scarlett kept her hands over her red cheeks. How had she forgotten about packing up his wet things?"You hungry?" Benji asked, no doubt fishing for an invitation to eat at her place."You mean, am I going to make dinner you can steal?""Maybe.""I'm headed up to the bed-and-breakfast to help the girls paint the new rooms. Ingrid's picking up a pizza. We could always use someone tall." She bat her eyelashes at him."I think I'll pass. I'm going down to The Hole, I guess.""Avoiding Garth that much?""Do you blam
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