The past never stays buried forever... The past caught up with Harper Carrington in the cruelest way. After tragedy summoned her home to Virginia's Blue Ridge mountains, she was confronted with another twist of the knife – Wyck, her first love who abandoned her fifteen years before and disappeared off the map. Wyck Ward never planned to see Harper again after her powerful father exiled him from Carrington Ridge. Consumed by the desire for revenge, Wyck spent over a decade systematically destroying the man's corrupt legacy. But with his enemy suddenly dead, Wyck realizes his all-consuming vendetta could cost him what his fractured soul needs - Harper. Join Harper and Wyck as they discover if some hearts are too damaged to ever mend or if even the coldest embers can flare back to life when two fractured souls find the pieces they’ve been missing. If you enjoy small town, second chance romances with complex characters, all the feels, a side of steam, and lots of twisty mountain roads, you'll love this first book in the new Carrington Ridge series.
View MoreBeloved Mayor Dies in Tragic Accident. The bold letters across his screen screamed at him. The traffic noise coming through the windows, the clacking of his assistant's nails on her keyboard, and the chatter of employees in the office all faded away. As if a switch had been flipped, the normal sounds were replaced by a roar in his head like a giant waterfall.
He felt an icy chill skitter down his spine followed almost immediately by a burning rage in the pit of his stomach. He forced himself to look at the monitor again. There was no mistake. It was him. His picture was there in vivid color below the headline. Jonah Carrington, the man he had hated his entire life, the man who, ironically, had also set him on his path to success, was gone. God damn it!
Wyck threw the first thing his hand touched, a stress ball, at the wall. It made a wholly unsatisfying, soft thunk against the sheetrock. He abruptly jolted from his seat and ran his hands through his carefully styled black waves in frustration. It gave him a wild, untamed look that ran contrary to his usual perfectly polished style.
He must have made more noise than he thought as Mindy, his executive assistant, looked up from her keyboard, her eyes going wide as she focused on him standing behind his desk, hands on his head, looking like a bomb about to explode.
“Mr. Ward? Is everything okay?” She rose from her seat and approached his open door with careful steps, her heels clicking slowly across the hardwood floor.
His nostrils flared as he blew out heavy breaths trying to calm himself. His normally full mouth tightened into a straight line. Usually implacable grey eyes looked like dark storm clouds as they met his assistant's nervous eyes in the doorway.
“It’s fine, Mindy,” he growled through gritted teeth. “Hold all my calls.”
“Yes, sir.” The uneasy woman agreed quickly, backing out of the room and shutting the door with a quiet snick behind her.
Wyck threw himself back into his chair and whirled toward the windows that looked out over West Franklin Street in the upscale historic district of Richmond, Virginia. He stared blankly at the dark red brick of the buildings, the iron scrollwork, and the historic landmarks in front of him that usually instantly calmed him. Today, he didn’t even see it.
His vision was filled with the sunny mountain tops, the switchback ridges, and the shaded hollows of the world he grew up in. A world without a straight line to be seen, where there were as many secrets as the countless trees in the vast Jefferson National Forest that bordered the town of his boyhood, Carrington Ridge.
Wyck gave a derisive laugh. He had deluded himself all these years thinking that he had left that godforsaken place and never looked back. That was a lie. His whole life had been dedicated to looking back and planning the takedown of the man who had destroyed his boyhood dreams, run him out of town, and destroyed his heart so long ago.
Jonah Carrington was a monster as far as he was concerned. He ran that town like his own personal fiefdom and expected to get his way in everything. And more often than not, he did, considering he owned half the county's land and over half the town's businesses, including the very buildings that housed those enterprises. It was how he kept getting elected mayor.
No one wanted to cross Jonah lest they find their rent doubled or more of their land gobbled up next time they were late paying their land taxes. He shook his head with the ugly reminiscence. He'd never understood how Harper and that man could be related.
That single name flitting through his mind felt like a body slam. Harper. Memories of her that he had suppressed for years flooded back to him in a deluge. Her throaty laugh, her smile that shone like a sunrise, her genuine kindness to everyone. A more specific memory came unbidden then. One that had him groaning aloud. Her long, honey-colored hair cascading over the back of a leather sofa, her lips warm and soft on his neck, her changeable hazel eyes looking at him with all the love in her heart.
He ran a hand over his eyes as if that would make the image disappear. He suddenly sat up straight in his chair. The funeral! When was the funeral? Harper would be there. He turned back to the online paper pulled up on his monitor and scanned the article. “A private graveside service for family only will be held on Saturday, December 4 at the Carrington family cemetery.” He had two days.
“Mindy!” His door popped back open a few seconds later.
Mindy stood in the doorway, her hand holding onto the doorknob tightly. “Yes, sir?”
“Cancel everything for the next week unless it can be done by phone. I have to go out of town,” Wyck announced.
“Do you need me to make you a reservation?” she asked. Usually, he had his exacting assistant create detailed itineraries for any of his trips.
“No, I’ll take care of it. This is personal,” Wyck said, stuffing his laptop and files into his leather laptop bag. He grabbed his coat off the rack next to the door causing Mindy to hop out of the way. “I’ll be in the mountains so my cell service might be sporadic. I’ll check in when I get settled.”
“Okay,” his assistant said. “Um, have a safe trip. I think they’re calling for snow in the mountains.”
A grim smile tipped up one corner of his mouth. “Yeah, what’s new,” he mumbled as he headed for the stairs.
As he fought his way through the afternoon traffic ten minutes later, he called Davis, his Chief Acquisitions Agent, and his best friend since his days at Old Miss.
"Hey, my man, what are you doing out of the office before seven o'clock? Isn't that against one of your rules?" Davis chided him over the Bluetooth.
"Yeah, well. I have something personal that came up. That's why I'm calling you," Wyck answered distractedly.
Normally, he'd bullshit with Davis for several minutes before getting down to business, but today his mind was consumed with what he'd just learned and where he needed to be. "I need you to pull up everything you can find on that Carrington Development Corp. Reach out to that attorney that has handled our previous acquisitions and find out what's left. The principal died." Wyck paused and his voice turned icy. "I want it all, Davis. Everything."
"Ah, shit! The old man kicked it?"
Besides Wyck, and Jonah himself,
Davis was the sole individual who knew the circumstances that had led a poor kid from hollers of the Southwest Virginia mountains to end up at Old Miss on a full ride scholarship. Wyck, with mediocre football skills, cash to burn, and a chip on his shoulder as large as the mountains he was from, had taken that boon and turned himself into a new man. One that set out to ruin the man who'd exiled him there – Jonah Carrington."Yeah, some accident," Wyck answered shortly. "I'm headed out to Carrington Ridge now. The bastard escaped me being able to personally tell him who was ruining him, but I'll finish what I started anyway. He can watch his kingdom crash and burn from hell."
"Okay, man. I'll get right on it," Davis agreed. "I'll holler at you when I find out."
"Thanks, Davis." Wyck blew out a breath.
"Sure, man. Hey, it's almost over."
"Yeah," Wyck responded, but he didn't sound nearly as sure.
While sunlight played on the dust motes swirling like miniature dancers all around the room, Elizabeth Carrington stood amidst the chaos of the deconstruction, her clipboard clutched to her chest like a shield. She knew the changes would transform her family home to a Bed & Breakfast and be another step to rebuilding the town that carried her family name, but there were days when the necessary destruction pained her. The excavation of memories, both joyous and sorrowful, buried beneath layers of plaster could be overwhelming. When she'd returned to Carrington Ridge to bury her father, she'd never planned to stay. She'd expected to do her duty and return to her life as an architect and project manager for the large company she worked for. Creating condos and businesses wasn't anything close to her dreams of restoring old buildings and making them come alive again, but it was a lucrative living and she'd built a solid reputation for herself. But when her sister, Harper, had latched on t
Harper peeked nervously out of the window watching as the last of the guest were seated under the large white tent. Outdoor heaters had been placed all around the space to keep everyone warm. She knew it was folly to plan an outdoor wedding in December, but she and Wyck didn't want to waste one more day being apart, and Harper wanted her wedding to take place at her new home, overlooking the valley she loved.The day had dawned cold and clear, the sun doing its winter best to shine for their big day. She swallowed a little nervously as she took in all the people. Most of the town must have shown up. "Ready for the red carpet, Love?" A warm voice asked behind her. Harper turned with a smile for her best friend. Cam had been a stalwart presence over the last year. He hadn't had any plans to move to a tiny mountain town when he brought her to Carrington Ridge to attend her father's funeral, but he'd taken all the changes in stride, falling in love with the town and people. And everyone
Though he still had dark periods and searing migraine pain, Harper learned when to hold him and when to give him space. Bit by bit, signs of her old Wyck re-emerged - his ready laugh, the teasing gleam in his eye, arms wrapping her close while they watched movies at night.One afternoon as the warmth of summer gave into the crispness of fall in the mountains, Harper arrived to find Wyck typing determinedly on his computer despite the tremors wracking his hands. His grin flashed when she appeared in the doorway."Are you up for a little drive?" Enthusiasm and mischief danced in his eyes. "What are you up to, Wyck Alan Crockett?" She'd never been able to think of him as a Ward. He'd always be a Crockett to her.Harper tried to sneak around behind him to see what he'd been working on, but he quickly shut the laptop before she could see.Wyck twisted to look up at her, more alive and eager than she'd seen him since the accident. "No peeking. It's a surprise." His eyes held a hint of his
Over the next hours, Wyck's parents and Harper shared stories from their childhood and their lives since leaving Carrington Ridge. Though he called often, Wyck had rarely ventured back to the town he'd grown up in. He'd even moved Marjorie and Hank to a new home overlooking the New River several years ago. Hearing these missing pieces, Harper felt even closer to the complex man she loved.Late that night after Wyck's parents reluctantly went to the hotel to rest, Harper dozed off still holding his hand. Around dawn, she gradually awoke to the feeling of fingers lightly brushing her hair. Disoriented, her eyes flew open.Wyck was watching her, his grey eyes finally open but still dulled with pain and medication. Harper jolted upright. "Wyck! You...you're awake!" He gave a faint, lopsided smile around the oxygen mask that had lived on his face since they had taken him off the ventilator. His fingers continued weakly combing through the length of her hair.Tears of awe and relief flooded
Harper startled as the waiting room door swung open. A tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and tortoiseshell glasses strode toward them, green scrubs wrinkled from hours in surgery. Harper's heart lodged in her throat as she shot to her feet. Was this the doctor? Did he bring news of Wyck?The man offered a tired smile. "Family of Wyck Ward?" At their anxious nods, he extended his hand. "I'm Dr. Nash. I operated on Mr. Ward."Harper clutched Brenna's hand tightly, bracing for his next words. Cam placed a comforting hand on her shoulder while the doctor gathered his thoughts.Finally Dr. Nash began solemnly. "Mr. Ward sustained very serious injuries in the accident. Major trauma to his abdomen required immediate surgery when he arrived. We had to remove his spleen and repair a severely lacerated liver."Harper swayed. Cam's grip tightened, anchoring her upright. She blinked back tears, gesturing for the doctor to continue."He also had several broken ribs, one of which punctured his lun
Cam followed right on the trooper's bumper flying down I-81 toward Roanoke. The flashing red and blue strobe lights hypnotized Harper. She was numb. And cold. So cold. All she could think of was the words Cam had spoken 'There's been an accident'. She couldn't really process anything after that. An accident. A single tear tracked down her cheek."He's going to be fine, Love. You've got to believe that." Cam gripped her hand as if he could ground her in reality by his touch alone. "He's young and strong."Harper didn't respond. Her hand lay limp in his grasp. She stared straight ahead."Harp? We're almost there. You just hang on, okay?" Brenna said from the back seat. Her voice wavered just a bit, but she wasn't crying any longer. "Elizabeth is bringing Mama. We'll all be here for you."Cam met Brenna's eyes for a moment in the rear-view mirror, silently worrying about what would happen to Harper if Wyck didn't make it. She would never forget the Trooper's calm, matter of fact voice as
Harper rested her forehead against Wyck's after kissing him again. She sighed heavily. "I hate you're going to miss the Artisan Market opening."Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Wyck drew back and met her sad hazel eyes. "I know, Angel. Believe me, I'd much rather be here." He pressed another fervent kiss to her lips. "But Davis says the board is demanding an in-person meeting in Richmond to review expansion plans."Wyck's jaw tightened with frustration as he explained the urgent summons that would pull him away for several days. The board of directors of his development company had been pushing aggressive ideas to take Ward Development national. But since starting the Carrington Ridge project, Wyck was committed to thoughtful growth focused on improving communities, not just chasing profits."Davis thinks they may try forcing a vote while I'm gone, so I can't risk brushing this off," he told her. "I know timing couldn't be worse with the market launch. I tried to delay but th
"Oh my!" Harper's hands flew to cover her mouth in surprise as she walked out onto the deck and took in the scene.A round table covered in a thick, white tablecloth sat there where only lounge chairs had been before. A beautiful centerpiece of hydrangeas and baby's breath sat in the middle and the table was set with silver and crystal. A strange man in a black shirt and pants pulled out a chair for her, "Ma'am?""What is all this?" she asked as she took the seat offered to her."This is just the beginning of all the things I want to give you." Wyck appeared behind her looking insanely handsome. His white linen pants were loose and his matching shirt was partially unbuttoned and had the sleeves rolled up to showcase his muscular, tan forearms. A little shudder of delight ran through her. When had forearms become sexy?Wyck took a seat and nodded at the man who had pulled out Harper's chair. He silently disappeared back into the house. "How did you get all this done without me knowing?
"Ready for our adventure?" Wyck leaned across the console of the Range Rover to steal a kiss, his smile boyish. "More than ready." Harper laughed happily, beyond ready for their romantic getaway. "I still can't believe you won't tell me where we're going."Wyck shot her a rakish smile and waggled his eyebrows. "You'll see soon enough. Just sit back and enjoy the ride."Rolling her eyes at him, she squeezed his hand and did as he recommended. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been on a true vacation. Building her real estate career had required lots of nights and weekends and continuing education classes in between. Since returning to Carrington Ridge and unexpectedly launching Legacy, her days had never been busier. Yet the work here fed her soul in a way her old career never had. Building McMansions and upscale townhomes in Raleigh catering to transplanted techies had been profitable, sure. But if Harper was honest, it had also been soul-sucking.The hum of the tires on the
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