Order a Signed Paperback copy of My Valentine Adventure
- Contemporary Romance Novella
- 3 Flames
- 115 pages
- Paperback Dimensions – 5×8
Dumped on Valentine’s Day. Tricked into a blind date. Will she give love another shot?
Widowed father Parker Townsend is stuck in a rut. After his two little hellions place a “Mom Wanted” ad in the local paper, he’s roped into a blind date. If that’s not bad enough, why did it have to be on Valentine’s Day—the most commercialized holiday of the year?
Claire Lauer answers the want ad to appease her daughter, not to connect with a handsome man drowning in emotional baggage. Hadn’t she learned anything from her ex-husband? But then an animal rights protest takes a turn, and she lands in her date’s bed.
With the past closing in, how will Parker and Claire seize their second chance at forever?
Excerpt
Parker cursed under his breath and chased after her. As people stomped and raised their arms, he twisted around them and ducked two different times as someone almost elbowed him in the face. No matter where he looked, he couldn’t pinpoint his tall blonde spitfire anywhere. Glenn shouted into a blow horn at the front of the crowd, and Parker forced his way through the masses to reach the leader of PAFF.
“Have you seen Claire?” he shouted and grabbed Glenn’s arm to get his attention.
Glenn dropped the slick white horn by a few inches and shook his head. “Don’t worry about her. She can take care of herself.” He turned and shouted again, trying to calm the protesters.
Parker scrubbed his hands down his face. Voices echoed in his ears—he could barely hear himself think—and then a horrified, high-pitched scream drew his attention to the fence.
Someone shouted tiger, and the carnies ran off or jumped back in their golf carts.
“God, no.” Glenn dropped the horn to his side as a look of pure disgust scrunched his face into deep lines. He whipped his gaze to Parker. “Find Claire and get her out of here. The cops will be here soon.”
“What happened?”
“I think someone snuck over the fence and opened a tiger cage. Every PAFF member knows illegal direct action like that doesn’t help, but sometimes emotions run too hot. A carnie, a trainer, or the cops will shoot the tiger if it hurts someone. The poor animal must be terrified.”
The scream Parker heard sounded terrified, too, but he didn’t say it. He tried to run off to find Claire, but Glenn caught Parker’s arm as several protesters shouted in triumph and several more rushed in all directions. “I’m glad to meet ya, man. Don’t let one incident scare you off. If you want Claire, you have to share her love for justice. And that’s what this is. Fighting for justice and speaking for those who can’t speak for themselves.”
Parker didn’t care about Glenn’s speech, not when he needed to find Claire and make sure she was safe. Police sirens wailed in the distance—someone probably called them before the tiger prowled free, which explained how they arrived so soon—and he finally spotted his wayward date.
Claire climbed up on the cab of Glenn’s truck as though for a better vantage point. She swept her gaze over the protesters and then waved her arms in the air as she met Parker’s gaze.
He forced his way to her. Relief flooded his veins like a drug as he reached her side. Lifting his arms, he grasped her waist and helped her down.
“Stuff like this doesn’t happen often, Parker. It’s just a crazy night.” She braced her hands on his shoulders as she slid down the length of his body. People shoved past them, fleeing both the incoming police and the freed tiger out for blood.
Parker tightened his arms around her, holding her close, not giving her the chance to fly the coop. Claire gripped the lapels of his jacket as a strange gleam lit her eyes like blue fire. She kissed him as though her life depended on it. Stars danced in his eyes from the fevered onslaught of her lips. Her body pressed against his, but he couldn’t savor the moment.
Red and blue lights flashed down the street and headed right toward them.