It's In His Heart (A Red River Valley Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page B

shirttails flapping in the breeze. She gave her head an infinitesimal shake. What a waste; that perfect male body paired with such a sour personality.
    Turning away, she scrolled through her missed call log. Her parents and her sister, Charlene. Ouch. Probably wanting to know if she arrived in Red River safely. They were also more than likely plotting some sort of family conspiracy to get her to move back to East Texas. She’d call them later, after she had a few dozen more cups of coffee.
    A couple of missed calls from close friends back in Albuquerque, also probably wanting to check up on her. She sent them a quick group text. Got here fine. Well, mostly, but the details were too long to type in a text. No cell reception at cabin. Call on landline.
    She checked her voice mail. Cynthia Caldwell’s name popped onto the screen. Ella glanced up at Cal. “Uh, Cal. Why don’t you go on in, and get a cart for me. I’ll be right there.”
    “Sure.” Cal ambled into the small market with a teenaged swagger.
    She hit the Listen button, and Cyn’s voice crowed through the line. “Violet! How’s my favorite New York Times Bestselling Erotic Romance Author? Girlfriend, I’m still on cloud nine about it,” her editor gushed. “Just making sure you got to . . . where is it you’re staying for the summer? Anyway, your deadline for book three has been moved up. Wanton Publishing has decided to fast-track the next release because sales for the first two books have shot through the roof! Send me what you’ve got so far. And don’t forget, we need an excerpt for book four, like yesterday. That should have the preorders flooding in.” Cyn cackled. “Did you see this morning’s top news story?”
    Ella turned and looked both ways down the street, her chest tight.
    “A chick fight broke out at a Book-Mart in Cleveland. Apparently, two of your fans tried to grab the last copy of New Mexico Naughty. ” The excitement in her voice made Ella’s embarrassment grow, and heat eased up her neck into her cheeks. Even the tips of her ears grew hot. “Really, haven’t these women heard of e-readers? I’ll just bet book three debuts even higher on the bestseller list than the first two. Well, tootles, and call me soon.” The message ended, and Ella looked around to see if anyone had guessed her dirty little secret. Even though she wasn’t on speakerphone, she felt exposed. Like after having a dream where she was naked in a public place.
    Jeez, Dennings, grow up , she scolded herself, because really, she was a grown woman for crying out loud. Why should she care if her real identity got out? Except that she’d been a role model for her high school students and had grown up in the Bible Belt sitting in the front pew every Sunday because her dad was a deacon. Her family would probably disown her, and if she ever wanted to return to the teaching profession, she might be hard-pressed to find a school district that would hire an erotic romance novelist to teach impressionable teens.
    But if she was careful, no one would ever find out.

    “I can’t tell Ella, Dad,” Coop insisted, for about the hundredth time since they walked into the Gold Miner’s Café.
    Caricatures of famous visitors hung on the wood-paneled walls. Most of the glossy wood tables were occupied with patrons wanting the best home-cooked breakfast in town. Chatter was high, but heads were down, eating and talking at the same time because the food was just too good to let it get cold.
    “Tell me what?” Ella stepped from behind a group of customers who loitered in the aisle to exchange pleasantries with another table. She sat down next to Butch, and Cal plopped into the chair opposite her. “That you’re hiding out in Red River until your legal problems back in Albuquerque are resolved? Something to do with a woman scorned, I think Cal said.”
    Coop blinked; he tried to speak but nothing audible came out. Then he leveled a deadly look at his little brother.