The Rock Star’s Retreat (as Belle McClain)

The Rock Star's Retreat

Cassandra Geoffrey runs In The Pines Campground six months of the year and spends the other six alone on the West Virginia mountain. She isn’t completely happy with situation, but she loves her wacky, close knit hometown and the man of her dreams doesn’t seem to be appearing.

Until he does.

Jason Callisto is the lead guitarist from Touchstone. Two years ago his supermodel girlfriend dumped him in People – in a side bar. Since then he’s been impossible to live with. So much so that his manager exiles him the West Virginia before he breaks up the band on the eve of the Grammys.

Cass sees Jason as the adventure of a lifetime. Jason sees Cass as an ego boost. 

Can they accept the risk to reach for more?

 

Excerpt:

 

The guests would love the out and out Mayberry-ness of it. Like traveling back in time to simpler days. She’d be booked solid by March, and the Wegmans would be too. The townspeople would have a blast.

Then she remembered it was Wednesday. Jamming the folder in her box with the mail, she sprinted down the sidewalk and tossed it in the back of the truck before running inside the grocery store.

Jason was under siege in the canned goods aisle. Nobody at the register, nobody in the office, nobody in the deli. Mr. Henderson hadn’t noticed yet, but he might be sleeping in the warehouse. Jason’s eyes lit up when she rounded the chip display. “Cassandra Bella,” he called.

Cass almost stopped and looked behind her. He couldn’t be talking to her. “How’s it going?” she asked, hoping to pass off the heat on her cheeks as cold.

“Mr. Callisto said you made him dinner last night, but you’re leaving him on his own for the rest of his stay.” Cori Gwynn pouted her too-pink-to-be-natural lips. “I said I’d come cook for him.” Her voice dropped to a sultry tone that left nothing to the imagination.

“And I told her she’d have him poisoned before the weekend.” Kady Stern smirked.

“Oh, Mr. Callisto, you don’t want that kind.” Angela Costi picked up one of the cans in Jason’s basket and put it back on the shelf. “It takes milk. You want this kind. This you just put in the pan and heat up. You do have a pan, don’t you?”

Jason turned to Cass. “Do I have a pan?”

Cass sighed. She should have known better than to let an eligible man walk into Henderson’s Grocery unescorted on a Wednesday, let alone one as wildly eligible as Jason. “I can loan you one. Kady, Cori, if Duke catches you out here there’s going to be trouble.” Mr. Henderson’s first name felt awkward, but had the desired effect when they both paled. “Angela, why don’t you go back to the deli and slice up a pound of ham, a pound of turkey, and a loaf of Italian bread for Mr. Callisto?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea, Cass. I’ll get some potato salad and broccoli salad too. Would you like that, Mr. Callisto? It’ll keep to the end of the week at least.”

Jason managed a smile. “Great.” He hadn’t moved from his defensive position against the cream soups.

“Oh, and some cheese. We have some nice cheese.” Angela hurried away.

“It was like a scene from The Birds. All of a sudden they were everywhere,” Jason whispered. He sidled out to the middle of the aisle, peeking around the corner.

“Sorry, I forgot about them. Do you really plan to eat canned soup for two weeks?” The errands should have been enough time out of Jason’s gravity,but her heart rate said differently.

He shrugged. “I haven’t gotten to the frozen stuff yet. I’m really not very good at this. I eat out a lot.”

She met his gaze. Familiar heat spread through her. His face softened. He shifted his grip on the basket so it hung at his side. The view changed and Cass couldn’t understand why until she realized she was leaning forward. The pulse in his throat throbbed inches from her face. Her body matched his beat. His eyes grew darker, inviting. He licked his lips. Her stomach tightened in anticipation.

“Cass.”

Jason and Cass leaped apart. Jason’s basket banged against the shelf behind him, knocking a can of peas on the floor. Cass reached back to steady herself, nearly pulling down half the soup display. She got her feet under her and tried not to look like she’d been caught shoplifting as she turned to meet the voice.

“What are you doing down the mountain already? Didn’t we stock you up well enough?” Duke Henderson bellowed from the far end of the aisle.

“I’m fine, but my guest needed some supplies, so I bought him in.”

“Ah.” Duke stopped in front of them and looked Jason over. “Well, welcome to town, son. Hope you enjoy your stay. Next time you give us a call in advance, and we can send a delivery up to you.”

“You can?” Cass blurted out.

Duke glared at her. Her nerves sparked as if she’d been caught en flagrante delicto on the floor. She tried to remember that she had nothing to hide from Duke Henderson and nothing to prove to him either. Instead she focused on the imprint of corrugated cardboard on his cheek above his whiskers, proof he had been sleeping in the warehouse. “When did you start that?”

“Oh, about ten minutes ago. I could get some business delivering groceries to your campers. Would that work for you?” He hooked his fingers through his belt loops and rocked back on his heels.

Cass wanted to bury her face in her hands. She’d asked him about that exact service the first year she’d opened, and he’d told her it wasn’t worth his time. “Of course, Mr. Henderson. Is it all right if I put that in my confirmation letters?”

“Now that’s a very good idea, Cass.”

Duke looked at the basket in Jason’s hands, frowning. “You’re going to need a cart, son. Can’t get two weeks’ food in a basket.” Then he walked away whistling.

“What was that about?” Jason asked.

“It’s a long story.” At least, Cass thought, Duke hadn’t commented on her coat.

Jason had been about to kiss her. He’d licked his lips and leaned toward her. After the beauty queen rivalry and meeting her parents, as well as a few select townspeople, who seemed intent on selling her to him, he still wanted to kiss her. He probably wanted more than kisses, but they were in public. And she was having a harder and harder time remembering why that would be bad.

Cass rubbed her face. “Come on. Let’s hit the frozen aisle and pick up your deli stuff.”

“I liked your parents. They seemed like nice people. I didn’t realize you had planned on stopping to visit them,” Jason said following her past the detergent aisle.

“I didn’t. I’d hoped to duck them.” Cass dodged into paper products. She should have known she’d never get in and out of town without her parents catching her. If she had, they would have come up the mountain. She grabbed a package of paper plates and a mixed bag of plastic utensils. When she turned back, he was standing right behind her. She clutched the plates against her chest.

“Why?” he asked.

“Why?” Cass bit her lip. “I didn’t think you’d want to meet my parents. It’s not like we’re dating.”

His lips curled into a slow smile. “I see. I suppose you’re right.”

Cass thrust the plates and utensils at him. “You’ll need these.”

“Thanks.” He plucked them out of her hands and paused for somewhat shorter than a heartbeat before stepping back and allowing her past him.

As she turned the corner, Cass glanced down to make sure she hadn’t put on high heels at some point. Nope, still wearing tennis shoes. Maybe the floor was getting more uneven with age. Or West Virginia was having its first earthquake since the Cretaceous. Cass stopped at the end of frozen foods before she stumbled into a freezer case. “Okay.” She tried to cough the squeak out of her voice before trying again. “Okay, here you are. Every frozen food known to Potterville, West Virginia.”

Jason peered down the long aisle of lit cases. “Anything you recommend?”

Cass shook her head. “I don’t eat much frozen food.”

“I guess not. I wouldn’t either if I could cook like you.”

He was gazing at her with invitation in his eye.

Duke Henderson wouldn’t be interrupting this time. She should thank him for the compliment, but didn’t think her mouth would work.

“I was hoping you’d bend your rule about not cooking for the guests at least one more time,” he murmured reaching for her hand. The callused tips of his fingers scraped across her palm.

A sigh built in the back of her throat. Her vision filled with Jason. In Henderson’s. Henderson’s Grocery where every Pottervillian bought groceries. Where she belonged and Jason didn’t. Where anyone could see her and know, or assume, she’d fallen for her famous guest—giving the town one more thing to feel sorry for her about. Cass drew her hand away. “I’ll go get your deli order.”

 

Coming October 6th from Freya’s Bower!
Buy now!