By Caroline Clemmons
In the first book of the Pearson Grove Series, MAIL ORDR MORIAH, Alexandra
Novak was not heroic. In fact, she was a spiteful brat. Since then, life has shaken her world and
forced her to realize how selfish she’d been. Don’t you love it when the bad
girl turns good? I hope you do, because she is the heroine in ALEXANDRA’S AWAKENING, book 2 of the
Pearson Grove Series. The book is on
sale for 99¢ from today through Monday midnight, August 30.
Here’s the blurb:
A wealthy woman
forced to change...
A heroic sheriff
standing his ground...
The danger that
unites them…
Alexandra Novak has been raised in wealth and is used to having
whatever she wishes. Her parents have spoiled her and she’d begun to believe it
her right. A fire that destroys her family home and almost costs her mother’s
life starts Alexandra to rethink her values. When her father’s revelation
shatters her world, she is determined to do whatever necessary to make her
father happy—even if it means being nice to that
girl he’s brought into their home.
Virgil Witt is
the best sheriff Pearson Grove has had. Under his leadership, crime is at an
all-time low. He has reconciled himself to the fact that he is destined to live
alone except for his dog. Maybe that’s best since his job is a dangerous one.
He can’t understand why Alexandra chases him, especially not after he’s
explained he has no money.
When danger strikes the Novak family, can Virgil solve the problem
in time? How can Alexandra convince Virgil she has changed? Can the two of them
work together or will her need for the best resurface?
Here’s the buy
link at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Alexandras-Awakening-Pearson-Grove-Book-ebook/dp/B07QN87L13/
Here’s an excerpt:
Alexandra crept
until she was several houses away then hurried to the footbridge over Pearson
Creek. She leaned on the railing and let out all her frustration,
disappointment, and resentment. With her arms crossed on the rail and her head
pillowed on them, she didn’t know how long she sobbed.
“Here, now.
Nothing’s as bad as that. You mustn’t jump.” Strong arms gently pulled her away
from the rail.
As if being
caught here wasn’t bad enough, she recognized that voice. “I wasn’t going to
jump, Sheriff Witt. Can’t a person have any privacy?”
“Miss Novak? This
is not an area of town for a woman like you to be out alone in the evening.
What are you doing here?”
“That’s none of
your business. Besides, I thought you prided yourself that the town was safe.”
How could she explain such a humiliating incident?
He turned her to
face him but she wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Alex… Miss
Novak, I can’t force you to explain, but as sheriff of Pearson Grove, your
safety is very much my business. In general, Pearson Grove is a safe town. All
it takes is one bad person to assault you. You understand why I can’t leave you
here alone. I’ll walk you home.”
“I can’t go home
with my face all red and blotchy. What if someone sees me on the way?” She
broke out in a new wave of sobbing and rested her head on the sheriff’s chest.
His arms came
around her, patting and caressing her back. “Nothing is as bad as all that.
What or who has you so upset?”
“Papa… Papa and
Ron are at that girl… that Lula’s house. Why are they there? What is the attraction
that she offers that Mama and I don’t? Why did they lie and say they were going
to the Lodge? Oh, it’s too horrible to contemplate.” She couldn’t stop the new
round of sobbing against his broad chest.
His embrace
tightened and she thought he kissed her hair near her temple. Before she could
process that intimacy, he continued, “Instead of worrying, why don’t you ask
your father?”
“Ask him? Admit
that I’ve been following him? How can I do that? He’d be hurt and angry. What
would Mama think if she knew? Poor Mama.”
“Would asking him
for an explanation be so bad? Could hearing any reasons possibly be worse than the
way you feel now?”
She heaved a
heavy sigh. “I guess not, but I don’t know if I can bring myself to confront
them.”
Still holding her
close, Virgil chuckled, his mouth near her ear. “I believe you can do whatever
you set your mind to do. Come on,” he pulled away and handed her a
handkerchief, “Dry your eyes so I can walk you home.”
Alexandra dabbed
at her eyes and blew her nose. When she cried her face got all blotchy red and
she imagined that’s how she looked now. She pulled the shawl further forward
over her face, hoping it shielded her features from prying eyes in case they
met anyone on the way home. With a deep breath, she stiffened her spine and
held her head erect.
“I’m ready, Sheriff.”
She took his arm as if he were leading her in most formal circumstances.
“Miss Novak,
please don’t come down this way again alone at night. I come this way every
evening. I’d be happy to escort you wherever you wish to go.”
“I’ve seen more
than enough of this part of town and have no wish to ever come here again. But,
I thank you for your offer.”
They strolled
toward her house with the sheriff stopping once in a while to make sure a door
was locked.
“Do you always
rattle doorknobs like that?”
“That’s another part
of my job. I ensure that no one forgot to lock his door and that no one broke
in. Since I’ve been sheriff, the crime rate in town has gone down. I intend to
keep it that way.”
“Do the
businessmen know you do this?”
“They certainly
do and they’re all in favor. It’s especially important if someone’s in a hurry
and forgets to lock up. I don’t want any invitations issued for burglars to
help themselves.”
“I only know
about the bank and I know Papa and Ron always make sure everything is locked. I
bet you’ve never found their door unlocked.”
“Nope, not even
once. You’d be surprised at some I have found open.”
“Such as?”
“To quote you, Miss
Novak, that’s none of your business.”
The nerve of him,
talking to her like that. “Virgil Witt, you are the orneriest man.”
“Thank you. The sheriff’s
not supposed to be a sweet pushover. People are supposed to be a little bit
afraid of me.”
“Ha, like when
you shoveled the snow from old Mr. Althoff’s walk last winter, that kind of fear?
Oh, and when you repaired Mrs. Whittenberg’s front porch, that must have
terrorized her.” If there were brighter light from the lamp post she’d be sure,
but she thought he blushed.
His free hand
tugged at his collar. “Well, I do community service you know. That’s part of my
job too.”
“Phfft, I don’t
think it is. I remember reading the requirements for the sheriff. You’re only
to keep the peace and not break laws and to be fair so that everyone gets the
same treatment. I suppose you do that even though you’re a lot friendlier to
some than others.”
“I have friends I
like to associate with when I can.”
“Like the
Fergusons.”
“Yes, Scott’s
been a friend since he moved here and now Moriah is a friend as well. I also
know people I never want to be around unless I absolutely have to.”
“Like me.”
His steps
faltered. “M-Miss Novak, why would you say such a thing?”
“Don’t think I
haven’t noticed that every time you see me, you turn and go the other way. I
guess partly you’re mad at me for breaking the engagement with Scott.”
“Not at all. You two
should never have been engaged in the first place.”
“Why would you
say that?” Before he could answer, she held up her hand. “No, wait, now that I
think about it, you ran when you saw me before Scott and I stepped out
together, much less were engaged. What did I ever do to make you dislike me so
strongly?”
He spluttered a
bit before he said, “I-I don’t dislike you, Miss Novak, so please don’t think I
do. Here we are at your home’s front door. I’ll bid you goodnight.” He tipped
his hat and turned to leave.
She fisted her
hands on her hips. “There you go, running away again as if I were some sort of
monster who frightened you.”
He turned back
and faced her, a scowl on his face. “I do not run away in fear when I see
anyone, Miss Novak, is that clear?”
She took a step
his way. “What would you call the way you turn tail every time you see me?”
He sent her a wry
grin. “Merely self preservation, ma’am.” He bowed and tipped his hat. “Goodnight.”
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Don't forget that THEODOSIA: A Proxy Mail-Order Bride, is available now for only $2.99 or free in Kindle Unlimited. The print version is awaiting Amazon's approval. THEODOSIA is a sweet western
historical romance set in 1878.
https://www.amazon.com/Theodosia-Proxy-mail-Order-Bride-ebook/dp/B09BD7RKXFStay safe and keep reading!
