Stacy Claflin's Blog, page 9

Start your NEW YEAR off right!

I can hardly believe it’s already December.

Are you with me? I had all these lofty goals for the new year, but then life threw in more wrenches. This year was like 2020 Two-Point-Zero.

But there’s good news! We’re nearly to a fresh new year.

That’s where the HB90 Bootcamp comes in… I’m ready! Are you?

I’ve been following Sarra’s HB90 method for two years now, and her system has really helped me a lot! Sure, things have been going crazy all around me on so many levels, but at least I have a method to get me through the madness!

Not only will the course help you figure out and implement your goals, but Sarra is a wonderful person who loves to help the author community. She gives to other authors constantly, always sharing her wisdom and insights.

What exactly is the HB90 Bootcamp? It’s a different planning method – with a community and coaching videos. It runs each quarter, and the next round of bootcamp is nearly here.

This system works, and I wouldn’t recommend it if it didn’t. Like I said above, I’ve been using the HB90 method for over a year now, and it’s totally changed the way I plan. It helps me get and stay focused ... even when life gets in the way.

But more than that, it helps me to get more things done because I don’t get sidetracked by unimportant things. It helps me focus on what’s important to me and my goals. Not what other people say I “should” do, but what fits into my life plan.

It’s flexible enough to work for different personality styles and career goals. 

You discover how to move toward your dream life.

What are you waiting for?

Learn more here…

The post Start your NEW YEAR off right! first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

Dead of Night: A captivating new thriller!

★★★★★ “This series gets better with each book.”

★★★★★ “I was hooked from the first chapter!”

Pick up your copy today!

Brad Morris isn’t the only killer in his family.

When his teenage daughter Hadley accidentally kills her friend, Nate, Brad knows exactly how to cover it up — as an assassin, he’s been getting rid of bodies for years.

But he has no idea how to shepherd his daughter through the guilt and remorse that’s eating her alive. Despite everything Brad does to keep her out of jail, she still wants to confess. Brad doubts that the police will believe Hadley’s claim that Nate was threatening her, and he can’t bear to see Hadley go to jail.

Worse, the social worker who’s searching for Nate won’t leave the Morris family alone. Unless Brad finds a way to pin the murder on someone else, it’s only a matter of time before Hadley lets the truth slip out.

Will Brad’s false trail lead the police and the social worker to a believable dead end? Or will he have to confess to Nate’s murder to save his little girl?

Pick up your copy today!

★★★★★ “This series gets better with each book. There are so many twists and turns. This family could be any family in our neighborhood, but man, do they have the bad luck! At the end though, we do find out, there will be another book, and for that, I am do happy!” — Brian Tabatha Robinson

★★★★★ “The entire series from book one to now book three, leaves you wanting more. This family is the poster family for dysfunctional family but with a twist. Seriously funny but also scary.” — J.T.F.

★★★★★ “A fantastic collaboration, well written and I found myself easily drawn into the story though I did want to slap Brad and his wife a few times and was sat here shaking my head at others it’s a thriller I simply cannot put down!” — debbie

★★★★★ “I was hooked from the first chapter! The twists and turns just kept on coming. This is a very well developed thriller with so much drama and suspense. I just never knew what would happen next. I highly recommend this thriller.” — Sammye

Dead of Night is the third book in the new Stacy Claflin and Nolon King thriller series, Dead For Good.

Pick up your copy today!

The post Dead of Night: A captivating new thriller! first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

Last Chance! Hot #thriller deals! 🔥

Ending October 19th…

For the first (and probably only time ever) the box set of my Brannon House books is on sale for just 99c – for a very limited time.

In addition to this rare deal, I’ve teamed up with an AMAZING group of authors, of which I’m very honored to be a part. You’re sure to recognize lots of the authors in the promo, so this is a great opportunity to start reading the best of the best in the thriller biz. 

Thrills. Adventures. Chills. 

What are you waiting for? Click, click…

The post Last Chance! Hot #thriller deals! 🔥 first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

New Release: Left for Dead (Dead for Good #2)

What’s an innocent assassin to do?

Brad Morris was just cleared of murdering one annoying neighbor when another one turns up dead. Luckily, he was at a party with everyone on the block when the body was found, but that doesn’t stop fingers from pointing his way. Especially since the murder weapon was a BlueBlade, the knife company that Brad’s boss, Kurt, uses as a front for the real work that Brad and his fellow assassins do.

Kurt demands that Brad find the real killer — without blowing his cover or dragging BlueBlade into the investigation. If he can’t, he’ll be thrown to the wolves. Or worse, “retired.”

Does one of Brad’s suburban neighbors hate him enough to frame him for murder? Or does he have a much more dangerous enemy lurking within the fellowship of assassins?

Left For Dead is the second book in the new Stacy Claflin and Nolon King thriller series, Dead For Good.

READ IT TODAY

Early praise for book #2:

★★★★★ “Well book two carries on from book one and it is every bit a good as book one if not better and the twists and turns had me biting my nails down to the quick!”

The post New Release: Left for Dead (Dead for Good #2) first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

He saved her life. She’ll shatter his… #Free #Romance

Kenna Mitchell grew up despised and mistreated by those who should’ve loved and protected her. Now homeless and alone, with pain too heavy to bear, she’s ready to end it all.

Enter Rogan Scott, an up-and-coming rock star with one focus—his band. Out in the woods, looking for song inspiration, he comes across a beautiful girl seconds from ending her life. He saves Kenna, only to face her anger. Intrigued, he pulls her into his world of rock and roll.

But his social circle proves as cruel as the one she left behind. If Rogan can’t show Kenna that life is worth living, the merciless secrets of her past will convince her to finally end it all. And it will rip him apart… unless he proves to her that their love story can have a happy ending.

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Google Play | Nook

Excerpt

Kenna

The railroad tracks rumble beneath my pink sneakers, vibrating my entire body along with them. My heart thunders in my chest.

I’m not backing out.

Sunshine beats down on me. It’s early summer, but it’s already proving to be an especially hot one. A rarity for a suburb of Seattle. It’s too bad I won’t be here to enjoy it.

Off to the side, near the shade of the trees, movement distracts me. Something is nearby. I can’t tell what.

And I don’t care.

The rumble of the tracks grows stronger. It’s harder to balance.

My pulse races as the deep-throated horn blares through the air.

Though the driver clearly sees me, the green and yellow machine doesn’t appear to slow.

Good. That’s exactly what I want.

The horn wails again, this time rippling through me.

My right foot slips from the track. I land in the middle of the two long pieces of metal. It’s probably for the best. I’ll be hit by the center of the train. More force to end it all faster.

Squeal! Tssh…

The brakes.

No!

Don’t stop!

Trains take forever to stop. Like half a mile or something. This can still happen.

I do the only thing I can. I burst into a run toward the massive, now-slowing vehicle.

The horn blares again, but I barely notice it. I can’t let the train stop before it reaches me. If I’m going to get anything right in my life, it has to be this.

Now that I’m running, it’s coming toward me faster. My heart pounds harder.

This is it. It’s really going to happen. I can almost count down, but it would be too disappointing to get to zero, only to find out that I’d miscalculated.

The horn now sounds like a constant noise. That driver really wants me off the tracks.

He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.

I’m ready for this.

Something hits me. From the side.

Wait, what?

Now everything is a blur. I’m sailing through the air sideways. Away from the train! It’s leaving my line of sight.

My shoulder hits the ground first. Then my hip and side. My head hits. Hard.

I roll. Dirt and gravel get in my face.

I’m a mess of soil and grass.

The train barrels past.

I missed my train!

“What were you thinking?” demands a male voice from behind.

I spin toward the voice and glare at its owner. The gorgeous face of the owner. His almost-shoulder-length wavy hair is mostly covered by a gray beanie which perfectly matches his plaid flannel shirt.

“What were you thinking?” he repeats.

I jump up and dust rocks and grass from my jeans and shirt. “Me? What about you? Why’d you do that?”

He stands, but doesn’t dust himself off. “You mean why did I save your life?”

“Yeah.” I glower at him. My heart continues racing, but now from anger instead of excitement. “I had it all planned perfectly. Then you show up. The one variable I didn’t take into account. Jerk.”

He shakes his head. “You’re unbelievable. I save your life, and you call me names.”

“I called you a jerk. That’s one name. Learn to count.”

“Why’d you do it?” He adjusts his hat and tilts his head. His eyes are filled more with concern than annoyance now.

The guy is flipping gorgeous, but in the most down-to-earth way imaginable.

It’s infuriating.

“What’s so awful that a pretty girl like you wants to end it all?”

Pretty? Me? The guy obviously needs glasses. Maybe they flew off when he ruined my plans.

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“Not to you.” I fold my arms.

“Hey, I saved your life. The least you could do is tell me why you were going to throw it all away.”

I sigh as dramatically as I can. Seriously, I really draw it out and even manage a slight eye roll. Maybe I should’ve gone into acting. Too late for that. For anything, really.

There will be another train.

I ignore the hottie and storm toward the tracks. “This time I’m going to get it right.”

He jumps between me and the tracks. “And if I don’t let you?”

“You’re going to try to stop me again?”

“Yeah.” He knits his brows together, clearly daring me to try and stop him.

Why does he have to be so attractive? It’s aggravating.

I clench my fists. “I’ve fought off guys bigger than you.”

He arches a brow. “Really?”

“You’d better believe it. Wanna try me?” I step closer, ready to kick him where the sun doesn’t shine for messing up my plans. I should be all over those tracks, yet here I am just arguing with a mysterious guy who shows up out of nowhere.

He steps back with a little laugh. “Okay, I believe you. Hey, why don’t we grab something to eat?”

I just stare at him. He can’t be for real. “You want to get some lunch? After this?”

“I’m hungry. Aren’t you?”

“Doesn’t matter. I didn’t bring any money.” I need to get rid of him so I can catch the next train. It’ll be another fifteen minutes. Yes, I checked. Just in case something went wrong. I’m prepared.

He shrugs. “I have money. Come on.”

It takes me a moment to realize what he said. “Now you want to pay for my meal?”

“Yeah. Come on.”

“What? Am I your charity case for the day?”

He doesn’t move a muscle.

My stomach growls. Loudly.

He chuckles and rubs the light dusting of facial hair across his cheeks. “Sounds like you could use something to eat.”

“What I need is the next train!”

Why did I admit that to him?

“Let’s get something to eat. You don’t even have to tell me why you’re out here. Just eat the food, and sit there being furious at me for saving your life. Sound like a plan?”

I clench my jaw, not wanting to give into him. My stomach rumbles again. Why did he have to bring up food?

“Well?” The corners of his perfect mouth twitch. He finds me amusing.

“Fine.” I may as well get a meal for my trouble.

There will be other trains. And looking at this guy won’t be the worst way to spend my last hour.

Kenna

“What’s your name?”

I stare at the menu, pretending not to hear him. It isn’t hard to ignore him when the prices catch my attention. I’ve never been to this restaurant before, or any remotely as nice.

I can’t believe he brought me here when he could’ve just taken me to a fast food place. Maybe he wanted me to have a nice last meal.

Normally I’d be uncomfortable here, especially with dirt on my clothes, but today I don’t really care.

“Oh, come on. I don’t even get a name?”

Could he be any more annoying? I glance up at him. “You said I didn’t have to talk.”

“What’s it going to hurt to tell me your name?” His mouth twitches again.

My heart nearly jumps into my throat. What is it about him?

“Do you want my name first?” He taps his menu on the table, his eyes shining with amusement.

“Fine.” I flick him another eye roll. I haven’t rolled my eyes this much since I was fourteen and my stepmom moved in.

“Rogan.”

“What kind of a name is that?” Besides perfect. Everything else about him is jaw-dropping. Why not his name too? “Like, your parents tried to name you Logan, but couldn’t figure out how to spell it?”

He laughs.

“Am I right?”

He sips his water. “It’s a mixture of my parents’ names. I like it.”

So do I. A lot. Not that I’m going to admit that to him. To Rogan.

“Now that you know my name, what’s yours?”

There doesn’t seem to be any harm in telling him. “Kenna.”

“Really?” He tilts his head, seeming interested.

Or maybe I just want him to be interested.

No! No, I don’t. I only want lunch—the aromas of the restaurant have made me twice as famished—then I’m going back to the tracks.

“It’s really pretty.”

“What is?” I glance at the menu.

“Your name.” There’s a smile in his tone.

I don’t look up to see if it’s on his face as well. “Right. Thanks.”

“Is there a story behind it?”

“My name?”

“Yeah.” He taps the table.

“Not that I know of.”

“You don’t know why your parents chose your name?”

I snap my attention to him. “I’m not talking about them. Got it?”

He puts his hands in the air, like I’ve just pulled out a pistol on him. “Don’t talk about the parents. Understood.”

“Good. So, uh, what should I order?” It’s awkward, but I have to know with prices so mind-boggling.

“Whatever you want. Steak sounds good to me.”

I flip over to that page and my mouth falls open when I see the price. It’s literally three times more than anything I’ve ever been allowed to order.

“You okay, Kenna?”

“Yeah, sure.” I clear my throat. “It just seems a little, you know, heavy for lunch.”

“Why limit good food to dinner?”

“If you say so.” I flip through the pages again. Lobster catches my attention. I’ve always wanted to try lobster. But it’s even more expensive than the steak!

“Their lobster is to die for.”

I glance up at Rogan. “Is that a jab at my dance on the tracks?”

He shakes his head slowly. “Nope. Just saying it’s to die for. Try it, if you want.”

I study his dark brown eyes. They have flecks of green and gray. They’re completely spellbinding.

He says something, but I’m so lost in his eyes like a lovesick puppy that I don’t have a clue what he said.

I pull my attention away from the deep abyss that is Rogan’s eyes and take a deep breath.

“Well?” He raises an eyebrow.

“I’ll have the lobster.”

A nicely dressed waitress appears—she probably has a fancier title than waitress, but all I know is the crappy hole-in-the-wall dives I’ve ever been to—and she flirts with Rogan. They act like they’re old friends.

Jealousy twists in the pit of my stomach.

Why do I even care? I’m not going to see Rogan again after this.

I’m not going to see anyone again after this. Especially not my family. Good riddance to them. My stepmom and stepbrother in particular. They’ll probably throw confetti at my funeral. If they even go.

The waitress finally leaves after Rogan gave her our orders. He actually told her to bring me lobster.

At least I will enjoy my last meal. It’ll be the most expensive thing I’ll ever eat, and I’ll get to stare at him the entire time. Never before had anyone half as hot as him paid me any attention, much less talked to me.

Speaking of talking, Rogan was saying something again. And here I was, lost in thought about how he looks.

“What?” I try to focus.

He grins. “I said, I’m going to the bathroom. Don’t go anywhere.”

I snort. “Right. You just ordered me lobster. I’d stay in this seat if the building caught fire.”

“Well, if you do go anywhere, I know exactly where to find you. I’ll push you out of the way again.”

“Whatever.” I pick up the dessert menu so I don’t have to look at him.

From the corner of my eye, I watch him walk away until he’s out of sight. Then I drop the menu and lean against the chair, half-ready to slide down to the floor.

Everything is so surreal. It’s like I had died, and gone to Heaven.

Maybe I did get hit by that train and just didn’t realize it. Rogan showed up as my angel to show me around this new place where lobster rains down from the sky and unbelievably gorgeous guys actually care what happens to me.

“Did you pick out a dessert?” Rogan sits back in his seat.

“We haven’t even had the meal yet.”

The waitress arrives again. She drops off a basket of bread slices, each a different color, along with some little cups of butter and oil. She winks at Rogan before leaving.

“She your girlfriend or something?” I ask.

“Ana?” He shakes his head with a chuckle. “No, she thinks she’ll get a better tip if she flirts.”

“Why?”

Rogan studies me. “Because that’s how it works with most guys. Not me. I don’t care about fake flirting.”

“Huh.”

He bores his gaze into me, and again, I get lost studying the colorful flecks in his eyes.

Finally, he pulls away. “Dig in. I can hear your stomach from here.”

I shake my head. “Whatever.” But I grab the first slice of bread and take a small bite even though I just want to stuff the whole thing in my mouth to get rid of the hunger pangs.

“You in school?” he asks.

I swallow. “Just graduated. You?”

“Last year.” He dips a piece of bread into one of the cups of oil. It has spices floating in it.

Curious, I dip a piece of bread in it. It tastes like garlic and something else—Heaven, maybe?

After a few minutes, all the bread is gone. I think I ate most of it. Rogan is watching me like I’m a puppy behind a store window.

I need to get the focus off me. “You in college?”

He shakes his head. “It won’t get me where I want to go with my life, so I can’t see the point in wasting time or money on it.”

I nod.

“Are you headed for college?” he asks.

“Seriously? You know what my plans are. The train.”

“That’s honestly your big plan?” He scratches his chin and leans over the table, staring at me.

I glance to the side, not wanting to get lost in his eyes again, and twist my glass in a circle. “Yeah.”

“Don’t you—?”

Miss Flirty arrives again, this time with our steaming meals. She sets the lobster in front of me.

The thing still has its shell. Everywhere. How on earth am I supposed to eat that?

She flirts with Rogan, who I notice doesn’t return the favor.

Finally, she leaves, then he turns to me. “Ready to dig in?”

Pride almost keeps me from admitting I don’t even know how to eat the food in front of me. “Yeah, but I’m not sure how to.”

I cringe, waiting for him to laugh at me and make fun of me.

He doesn’t. “Oh, you haven’t had lobster before?”

“Nope.” Not even from a can. My stepmom had bought that on occasion but always said it was too expensive for me to eat.

Rogan reaches across the table and picks up what appears to be fancy pliers. “It’s easy once you get used to it. Watch.”

Two minutes later, I find myself eating lobster. And it’s seriously the best thing to have ever found its way on my taste buds.

Between the lobster and Rogan, I have no other choice but to believe I actually did die and go to Heaven.

Rogan  

I can’t stop staring at Kenna. Everything about her intrigues me. I don’t know what it is about her specifically—maybe it’s a combination of everything.

She’s gorgeous. Not in the Hollywood plastic-beautiful way that everyone fawns over. There’s something so rugged about her that it just grabs my throat and won’t let go.

Then there’s the fact that she just doesn’t care about anything. Maybe that’s what sent her to the tracks. I don’t know. Like I said, I just can’t figure her out. Was she really going to stay on the train’s path, or was she going to jump out of the way in time?

“Do I have a booger or something?” She wipes at her nose.

I shake my head, trying not to smile. Does she really not know why I can’t stop looking at her?

“What, then?” Kenna blows her bangs away from her face and pushes the straw around in her glass.

It’s so refreshing to be around a girl who isn’t falling over herself trying to impress me. She actually seems kind of annoyed with my existence.

And that makes me want to figure her out all the more. Her long dark hair falls over her face, and she does nothing to move it. It’s like she doesn’t want me to look at her.

How could I not want to? She’s a mystery I want to unravel.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, reminding me I don’t have time for this.

I kind of don’t care. Yes, I have an important deadline looming over me. People waiting on me.

But Kenna. There’s something about her. I don’t just want to figure out what she’s all about. I need to know more about her. Why was she playing that dangerous game with the train? Does she really not care about anything, or is it all an act?

She glances up at me, one eye still covered by her hair. “I should get going.”

Everything in me cries out against that. I tilt my head slightly, not showing my true feelings. “How about some dessert?”

Her dazzling eye widens. “Dessert?”

I smile, but it comes out as a playful smirk. “That’s what I said, isn’t it?”

Kenna doesn’t say anything, and her expression doesn’t give me a clue as to what she’s thinking.

This girl is driving me crazy. And I love it. The fact that she isn’t acting like something she isn’t to try and impress me makes me want to drop my responsibilities until I get her figured out.

“Better make up your mind. The server is headed our way.”

Kenna’s nose wrinkles and she sits up taller. “Yeah, let’s have some.”

My phone buzzes again. I press the button to make it stop through my pocket, then scoot toward the edge of the booth. “I’ve got to answer a call. Why don’t you order something for the both of us.”

Her mouth drops open.

“Pick anything you want.” I nod toward the dessert menu and hurry away before she can protest.

I stand outside the bathrooms and check my missed calls. Sometimes it’s nice to be needed, but this isn’t one of those times. I press call to the most recent one.

“Why aren’t you answering anyone’s calls?” Ashton greets me.

“Dude, chill. Just carry on without me this once.”

“Without you? How are we going to do that?”

“You’ll be fine.”

“Where are you?”

I take a deep breath. “Something came up. I’ll be there tomorrow, I swear.”

“What came up? You know how important this is.”

“Of course I do! I also know you guys will be fine without me this once. I’ll call you soon, okay? If I can, I’ll swing by later.”

Ashton grumbles. “Lathe is really getting on my nerves.”

“Tell him to go pound ice. I just got inspiration for like five new songs. Trust me, my time is best spent where I am right now. You guys just practice. Tomorrow, we’ll work on the new stuff.”

“Wait. Five new songs? Are you serious?”

“Yeah. Let me go before the inspiration wanes right out of me.”

“See you tomorrow.” The call ends.

I spin around and head back to the table. Kenna’s tapping her fingers on a plate, staring at an enormous piece of cake in front of her. There’s an even bigger one at my spot across from her.

My insides tingle. Five songs? Kenna will probably inspire a dozen. I’ll be up all night writing them.

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Google Play | Nook

The post He saved her life. She’ll shatter his… #Free #Romance first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

New Release: Dead for Good (a nail-biting thriller)

When your only alibi is a dead man, you don’t have much of a defense. 

Brad Morris likes to think of himself as one of the best: an assassin at the top of his game. For years, he’s juggled work and family — attentive husband and loving father by day, cold-blooded killer by night.

But when the charismatic neighbor that Brad openly despises turns up dead on the same night he was out on a hit, Brad suddenly finds himself a prime suspect. His wife lies to the police but her lie only lands him deeper in trouble, and it’s clear she thinks he might be guilty too.

Brad’s being framed and he knows it, but it’s nearly impossible for him to prove his innocence without admitting he’s an assassin.

Can he catch the killer without endangering his family — or blowing his own cover?

Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo | Other

★★★★★ “Fast-moving, so many secrets revealed: great suspense!”
★★★★★ “So many lies and secrets – wow.”
★★★★★ “Highly recommend!”

The post New Release: Dead for Good (a nail-biting thriller) first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

New Cover: No Return (A Domestic Thriller with Heart)

Family comes first. Until it kills you…

Rusty Caldwell is a lonely victim of tragedy. After losing his wife and kids to a drunk driver, he spends most nights towing drunks to keep them off the streets. His one-track existence takes a turn when he finds out his estranged sister Mandy has committed suicide.

After flying out to offer his support, Rusty learns there’s much more to the story. It turns out his sister had been cheating on her husband Chris with Travis Calloway, the rich CEO of the biggest company in town. Before Mandy died, she claimed that Travis fathered one of her children and demanded that he pay up…

While Rusty is trying to figure out the truth, Mandy’s friend Laura offers to help look into Travis. Sparks start to fly between her and Rusty, and soon neither can deny the attraction. Before they can catch a break, they receive death threats for their efforts.

With Travis and Chris both looking guilty, Rusty better find out the truth before he or Laura are the next one to fall.

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Google | Nook

Read an excerpt here.

★★★★★ “Another amazing page turner!”

The post New Cover: No Return (A Domestic Thriller with Heart) first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

Kindle Vella: Amazon’s Serialized Fiction Platform

Looking to sample some new books? Kindle Vella is a great new option!

It just launched this morning, and I’ve been reading plenty of stories. There are so many good ones! I’ve really been blown away.

Amazon makes it so easy!

-The first three episodes of every story are free!
-Currently, they’re giving away 200 tokens to readers. (Tokens are how you pay for episodes 4 and beyond.)
-It’s easy to follow and support the stories you like: Click the follow button on the story and the thumbs-up icon at the end of each episode.

What do you have to lose? Nothing! Start reading today:

Read a serialized novel today.

The post Kindle Vella: Amazon’s Serialized Fiction Platform first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

Will the next wedding they plan be their own?

Dakota Hunter is great at wedding planning but terrible at finding a guy. Each one she encounters is worse than the one before… until she meets Clay. There’s one teensy problem: her attractive new assistant has a long-term girlfriend.

Clay Harper is thrilled to land his new job with Dakota, surrounding himself with happy couples day in and day out. But when he sees true love in person, he realizes his own relationship is far less than happy. It doesn’t help that being around Dakota feels easy. It feels right.

As Dakota and Clay grow a deeper connection, Clay’s girlfriend refuses to go down without a fight. Can the wedding planners go from seeing happy couples… to being one?

READ FREE TODAY:

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

Excerpt

Dakota Hunter squeezed her wine glass with such force, she was sure it would shatter. She narrowed her eyes at Tate, who sat across the table.

He laughed at his own joke, oblivious to Dakota’s annoyance. “…and what’s worse, she actually thought I found her attractive!”

Tate stared at her, clearly waiting for her to join in on the laughter.

“Pardon me.” Dakota held herself together well enough to set down her wine glass without breaking it, and then she fled to the bathroom. She waited for the other two patrons to leave and then she paced. “Deep breaths.”

Out of all the bad dates she’d ever been on, this was the worst—by a long shot. Tate hadn’t stopped talking about his long history of ex-girlfriends since they’d sat for appetizers, and there was no question why his list was so long. The only thing she couldn’t figure out was how any of them made it past the first date.

The meal hadn’t even arrived, and Dakota couldn’t take another minute with him. She had two choices—three, really, but the last one wasn’t an option. She could either run for her car from the bathroom, go back to the table and pay him for the dinner she wasn’t going to eat, or sit through the meal.

Dakota had a reputation to uphold and she couldn’t risk him speaking badly about her business, so she knew the answer. She needed to tell him she wouldn’t be able to stay for the rest of the meal. Then she would give him whatever cash she had in her purse and get out of there.

She’d long ago learned to bring her own car and some cash on a first date.
“What’s my excuse going to be this time?” She turned to the mirror and fixed some smudged mascara. Then she took a deep breath and prepared herself in case he made a scene. At least she had plenty of experience calming people down in her line of work.

She had the perfect excuse to leave—piles of work to do back at The Chateau. One might even call it an emergency. She sure would.

Dakota took another deep breath and headed for the table.

“Is everything okay?” Tate asked. He was studying his reflection in a knife with marked pride.

She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, there’s an emergency at work. I’m the boss, so I have to be there.”

He frowned, still looking at himself. “Is there a fire?”

Dakota shook her head as she dug through her purse. “Nothing that bad. Just work stuff, but it needs my attention right away.”

“I didn’t realize weddings could be so dangerous.” He chuckled and finally glanced at her.

“You have no idea.” She handed him two twenties. “Have a nice night.”

He tucked the cash into a pocket. “Maybe we can try this again another night?”

Dakota’s stomach lurched at the thought. “I’ll give you a call when I’m ready for that.”

Tate smiled. “Great.”

The server arrived, and he immediately started flirting with her.

Dakota shook her head and rushed away. She had blocked and deleted Tate’s number from her phone before reaching her car.

By the time she reached The Chateau, her mind had finally stopped racing.

“Maybe that was a sign that I need to stop dating for a while,” she mumbled as she climbed out of her car.

It had been a long time since she’d had a steady boyfriend. Maybe she was trying too hard. She thought of Tate. Or she wasn’t trying hard enough.

She went inside, eager to bury herself in paperwork and forget all about the botched date—and perhaps men in general.

“Back so soon?” asked Marcel, her main photographer.

Dakota groaned. “Don’t ask—please.”

He hurried over. “You can’t leave me hanging like that. What happened?”

She leaned against the nearest wall and ran her hands through her hair. “I said not to ask.”

“You know better than to say that to me. The date didn’t work out?”

“Do they ever?”

Marcel frowned. “What about that one guy? What was his name? Aaron?”

She shook her head. “He was too obsessed with his mother. I just need to focus on work and I’ll be fine.”

“Want me to dig out a bottle of wine from the cellar?”

“Thanks, but I have so much to do. I have to be prepared when Charlotte calls, and I’m not sure when that will be.”

Marcel’s eyes lit up. “This is going to put us on the map, you know.”

A dull ache intensified at the base of Dakota’s head. “Don’t remind me. I need to hire another assistant—there’s no way I can do this with the current staff.”

“Do you want me to do anything?”

“Just keep taking your beautiful pictures.” Dakota forced a smile and headed for her office. She settled into her chair and stared at the stuffed manila files. They almost made an evening with Tate not seem so bad.

No. No, they didn’t.

Dakota grabbed the top file and feathered through the pages. She really needed another assistant. Aria and Marina were wonderful, but she really needed a third now that she had a big name client.

She leaned back in her chair, still trying to believe that Charlotte Pemberley—one of the stars of Real Homemakers of Seattle—wanted Dakota herself to plan her big wedding with her agent-turned-fiancé.

She found a top twenty station and got to work.

Her mind wandered back to the fateful phone call…

“Can I talk to Dakota Hunter?” boomed the feminine voice on the other end of the line.

“Speaking,” Dakota said, distracted by an email.

“This is Charlotte Pemberley, and my cousin—”

“Did you say Charlotte Pemberley?” Dakota interrupted. “The Charlotte Pemberley?”

She sighed. “Yes. You come highly recommended, and I was wondering if you can do a rush wedding? I want it in the winter. An outdoor, snowy wedding would be nice.

Can’t you see it? It does snow there in March, right?”

Dakota’s mouth dropped open. She didn’t know what was crazier—a wedding in the snow or the fact that a famous reality star wanted her services.

“Are you still there?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes, yes. Sorry. I can accommodate you. I can’t promise snow, but it’s a possibility.

We had some this April, but last March, everyone was in their shorts.”

“We could probably do fake snow, right?”

“Sure. I’ll just need to get some information first.”

Knock, knock.

Dakota sat up straight, brought back to the present. “Come in.”

The door opened, and in walked a man a little over six-feet tall with light brown, shoulder-length hair tucked behind his ears. His dark blue eyes seemed almost purple.

He was gorgeous, and obviously lost.

Clearly, he was a groom. Such a lucky bride.

She smiled at him. “The consultations are down the hall in room thirty-four. Aria will be right with you.”

“Dakota Hunter?” He rubbed his light beard and pulled off his dark blue blazer. He wore a form-fitting shirt, which showed how clearly muscular he was.

He knew her name? Usually, she was just the wedding planner to most of the grooms.

She cleared her throat and sat taller. “I am. And you are?”

He extended his hand and walked toward her. A dimple formed as he smiled. “I’m

Clayton Harper. You can call me Clay.”

Dakota’s voice caught in her throat. She stood, shook his hand, and coughed.

“Pleasure. How can I help you, Clay?”

“I heard you’re in the market for an assistant.”

She nearly choked on the air. “I am, actually. Where did you hear about me?”

“From Sullivan. We were friends in college, and I ran into him. We got to talking.” He shrugged, his grin still lingering.

“Sully?” Dakota asked.

Clay nodded.

Dakota would have to give her brother a huge thank you. “Have a seat.”

His eyes widened. “You want to interview me now?”

“Sure. You’re here.”

“Oh, okay.” He sat, obviously flustered. “Well, I don’t have my resume printed out at the moment. I can pull it up on my phone.”

Dakota sat and leaned over her desk, trying not to get distracted by his rugged good looks. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just chat.”

He leaned back in the chair. “Sounds good. The Chateau is most impressive.”

She arched a brow. “Oh? Have you already looked around?”

“I checked it out online, but I have to say, it’s much grander in person.”

Dakota beamed. “I’ve put a lot of work into it.”

“That much is obvious.” He held her gaze and pulled some loose hair behind an ear.

Her heart raced. As much as she needed an assistant, she’d rather spend a night on the town with Clay. Too bad she couldn’t start the night over, replacing Tate with Clay.

He pulled his gaze away and glanced around the room. “So, you like weddings?”

She snickered. “You could say that. I’ve always loved planning big events, so this business seemed to be the natural choice. What about you?”

Clay turned back to Dakota. “To be honest, I’m looking for experience running a business. I got my MBA, but I’ve done nothing with it as of yet. Just working in cubicles. If I have to do that for another day, I might have to throw myself off a cliff.”

“We can’t have that. But why here?” She leaned back in her chair, starting to feel more relaxed.

“You have an opening.”

“What kind of business do you plan to run long-term?”

“I’m not sure. That’s part of my problem. I just don’t know what I want to do. I love everything about business—marketing, planning, you name it—but somehow I ended up stuck doing grunt work.” He paused and raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m totally screwing up this interview, aren’t I?”

“No. You’re honest. I like that.”

He smiled. “Do you want to see my resume now?”

“Sure.”

He dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out the hottest smartphone on the market. He scrolled across the screen and handed it to her. “Sorry, I would have printed it first, but I didn’t think you’d want to interview me on the spot.”

Dakota glanced over his resume. “Yet you came in person, anyway?”

“I thought it would be better than a phone call.”

She handed the phone back to him along with her business card. “Can you email that to me?”

Clay slid his finger across the screen a few times. “Done.”

“So, are you willing to deal with paperwork, licensing issues, red tape, and similar things?” She was testing him before letting him know that she really needed his help with the big wedding.

“I love that stuff.”

Dakota gave him a double-take. “You do?”

He leaned forward. “I like to think of it as a challenge.”

“Okay, well that’s good to know. What about working with clients?”

He nodded. “I’ve been told I’m a people person.”

Dakota grinned, feeling like the room had warmed ten degrees since he’d entered. “I have a big-name client that I’m going to need help with. I’ll need you to fill out a confidentiality agreement.”

Clay flicked a nod. “Sure thing.”

Her heart rate sped up. “Okay, then. Let me check out your references, and if everything looks good, you can start as soon as possible. I assume you need to give notice at your current employment.”

He chuckled. “Already did. I can start Monday.”

“You quit without a job lined up?” Her eyes widened.

“What can I say? I like to live on the edge.”

Dakota rose and held out her hand. “I think we’ll get along. Welcome aboard.”

He stood up. “I’ve got the job?”

She smiled. “Assuming you don’t turn out to be a serial killer, I’d say so.”

“You can rest assured my record is clean.” Clay took her hand and shook it with a firm grip.

How would she be able to focus with him as her assistant? She took a deep breath.

“Then I’m sure I’ll see you Monday. I’ll give you a call by tomorrow night. We can discuss salary and benefits then. Also, you’re okay with working Saturdays, I hope.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. Thank you very much.” He released her hand, gave a slight nod, and showed himself out of the office.

Dakota fell back into her chair and fanned herself. She’d have to send Tate a thank you card for being such a horrible date. Otherwise, she may have missed out on meeting Clayton Harper.

Hopefully having Clay as her assistant wouldn’t prove to be too much of a distraction.

This was a business, after all. She didn’t mix business with pleasure. Although she might be willing to bend her rule for him.

Stop.

The most important thing was giving Charlotte Pemberley the best wedding anyone had ever experienced.

Dakota released a long, slow breath and then sat up. She needed to check his references, but first she needed to dig a little deeper. Sullivan had gone to school with him, and he could tell her more about Clay. But first, she needed to call her brother-in-law. It wouldn’t be the first time the lieutenant had run a quick background check for her.

She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer, hoping Clay was as good as he seemed.

Then she picked up her phone.

READ FREE:

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google

The post Will the next wedding they plan be their own? first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.

People change, but some feelings last forever…

[image error]

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry for the things I said at Sweet Caroline’s. It wasn’t fair. Or true.”

Relief washed through him. “Really? So, you don’t think I’m all brawn and no brain?”

“I mean it. I was insensitive. The thing is, I’m used to being hard-lined and direct at work. It’s the only way to get things done. But this isn’t politics, and you’re…” Her voice trailed off.

He leaned forward.

“You’re a friend.”

Ouch. Well, it could be worse. She could see him as an ex to leave in the dust, or…

“You’re also a good person. I know that.” She drew in a deep breath. “You’ve always looked out for Evan, for both of us. For anyone you care about.”

Her gaze lingered, as did the silence between them.

Dylan swallowed. Should he tell her he cared about her? Was she waiting for him to say it? Or was it too soon?

Brooke pulled out her phone and scowled at it. “And it isn’t just that. Things at work are really stressing me out.” She looked back up at him, her eyes shining.

His heart leaped into his throat. He wanted to jump up and wrap his arms around her. Instead, he scooted closer and put his hand on top of hers. It was so soft. She smelled so good, too. Like a field of wildflowers.

“I could lose my job, and there isn’t anything I can do about it.” Her voice cracked. “And I didn’t do anything, either. Somebody’s making me look guilty to cover their own tracks.”

“What? Are you serious?”

She tugged on her ponytail and nodded. “DC is a vicious place to work.”

He squeezed her hand and resisted the urge to hold her in his arms. “Is there anything I can do?”

“No.” She blinked and a single tear ran down her cheek.

Dylan couldn’t take it anymore. He wiped the tear away. “Let me secure the rest of the auction items so you can deal with this.”

“You’d do that?”

He nodded.

“Even after the things I said to you?”

“You didn’t mean them, right?”

She shook her head no. “It was the stress talking.”

“Then let me take this burden from you.”

Brooke held his gaze, her mouth gaped just slightly like she was going to say something. Or like she wanted him to kiss her. Did she?

He wanted to feel her sweet lips on his. To stop thinking about the past kisses and experience the real thing again.

She didn’t say anything.

Dylan took that to mean she wanted the same thing. He leaned forward…

Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo | Google

He can have any woman he wants… except her.

NFL quarterback Dylan Manley’s life revolves around his career and the fame associated with it. He’s only back in Indigo Bay to help with a fundraiser in memory of his best friend. But then finds he has to work with Brooke—the one person who has always made him trip over his own feet.

Brooke Davenport is a far cry from the girl next door who left town years ago. Focused on her political aspirations and still recovering from the loss of her doting brother, she wants nothing more than to return to DC for good. But first she has to get through the fundraiser with Dylan, who she blames for her brother’s death.

When a family emergency pulls Brooke’s parents out of town, the success of the fundraiser depends on Brooke and Dylan. He’ll do whatever it takes to show her he’s a new man, but every attempt only makes him look worse. If he can’t make things right, he’ll lose her forever.

Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo | Google

The post People change, but some feelings last forever… first appeared on Stacy Claflin, Author.