Blind Tasting 3 (5 page)

“If my brother is hurting and wants to be alone, I know exactly where he would go. Come on. Let’s check the barn. He must have brought Bella back and then took off.” Reece led the way. He was right and Bella was in her stall. Reece directed her out and saddled her up. He then told Becca where she’d find Chase. “He doesn’t like people to know but my brother is very sensitive underneath the macho appearance.”

Becca felt touched by the love heard in Reece’s tone. “Thanks Reece. I just hope he’ll listen to me.”

“I know how much he likes you. I can tell by the expression in your eyes, you feel the same. Speak from your heart Becca. I’m certain it will work out.” Reece smiled and patted the horse. “Now go get him.”

She rode off with determination.

She found Chase exactly where Reece said he’d be. “Reece?”  He asked.

“Yeah, I asked where I could find you. He told me if you were hurting, you’d be here.”

Chase sat quietly. Becca got off Bella and tied her to the tree beside Chase’s horse, Champ. She sat beside him on the grass. “I’m sorry you found that piece of paper, Chase. I’d like the chance to explain.”

“No worries. I know my reputation for being a ladies’ man. Guess it caught up with me and bit me in the ass.” His tone sounded full of hurt. He turned to face her. “Becca, I really like you. Actually I think I’m in love with you. I thought you were the one. My mother always told me I’d know when it happened. I’ve been burned before. I’m just sad this was a game for you. I wanted it to be the real deal.”

Tears formed in Becca’s eyes. His words ripped at her heart. She took a deep breath. “I love you Chase. I’ve been in love with you for months. My heart was in protection mode and my mind told me to forget about real love. The Love List was not meant to be a game. It was something four women came up with to find true love—we hoped.”

“We each picked someone we knew who wasn’t right for us, but perhaps for our friend. We were tired of being lonely and unlucky in love. That’s all. When I picked your name, my first thought was - Fate was bringing us together. I never admitted to anyone how I really felt about you. I should have thrown out that piece of paper, but I think I kept it because I’d look at your name and my heart smiled. I’m so sorry. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. It’s not a game. I love you. I want you. All I want is for you to feel the same. That’s all I have to say.” Becca stood and wiped away the tears that had fallen upon her cheeks. She said what she came to say. He sat quiet which told her it did not matter.

Becca went to untie Bella from the tree when she felt his hand on her arm. She turned and he pulled her into his arms. The emerald eyes she loved, met hers. Without a word, his lips brushed against hers slowly. Passion quickly overcame the gentle kiss. Chase withdrew from the kiss long enough to say, “I love you Becca and I want my lady more than you could ever imagine.”

Then his lips went back to where they belonged. A
gainst hers.

Look for the other stories in

The Love List

Love Uncorked

Jennifer Conner

Story 1

Tegan Taylor is the owner of the  Que Syrah Syrah wine shop in Vine grove, the heart of wine country. After her plan of starting a book club to meet single, local men falls flat, her new found friends come up with The Love List. Each dropped a name of a nice guy their friends may like but just not a guy they’d date. Or think of romantically.

Tegan chooses Richard. After one disastrous meeting with him, Tegan wonders if The Love List isn’t a terrible idea.

Richard’s a jerk. But, when handsome Australian cowboy, August, shows up, things may take a turn.

Read book one in the Love List Series as Tegan, Chloe, Laura and Becca try to find love in a small town.

Love Found Me

Sharon Kleve

Story 2

When it’s Chloe Miles turn to pick a name out of The Love List she hadn’t expected to find true love. She just wanted to go on a date with a nice, available guy. Not one who drank too much, or was unemployed and wanted to stay that way. Or especially one who didn’t know what monogamous meant.

Mitch Brodin didn’t know his heart was in the hands of The Love List. His Fate set the moment he set foot into Roy’s Pet Rescues looking for advice on how to care for new born kittens.

Chloe is vivacious, unpredictable, and tons of fun, while he is methodical, predictable, and well... cynical. He surely hadn’t planned on falling in love. But that’s what you get when you’re not looking for love.

Blind Tasting

Angela Ford

Story 3

Dr. Rebecca Miller (Becca) thought her life was complete in New York. After three long shifts at the

hospital all she wanted was to crawl into bed next to her fiancé. Shocked to find her best friend already

there she packs her bags and transfers to a small town in Washington wine country. Devastated and alone, she discovers the wine shop Que Syrah Syrah. She figures the next best thing

to a best friend is a good bottle of Chardonnay. Inside she meets Tegan Taylor, the owner of the shop. Tegan invites her to the wine tasting for singles. Only four women show and the Tuesday night Book Club begins. After six months, they spice it up and change it to The Love List. They each pick a name of an eligible bachelor in town they may not date but their friends may.In the heart of wine country, four friends create The Love List; looking for love.

Becca’s pick is Chase Tanner, a local firefighter she’s met a couple of times. There’s something about him that allows her senses to breathe again. A fire brings Chase under the doctor’s care and into her heart. The love list seems to be working for Becca until Chase discovers the list and believes to be fooled. Will Becca be able to convince him she does love him?

Building up To Love

Joanne Jaytanie

Story 4

A small town can be a quaint, friendly place to call home. It can also be an impossible place to find a date. When Tegan, the owner of Que Syrah Syrah wine shop starts a Tuesday night singles-mingle, Laura, Chloe, and Becca are the only attendees—not a single man in sight. They continue to meet every Tuesday, but secretly change their name to The Love List. Each woman writes the name of a few single men who they know and drop them into a basket. All four women draw from this basket and promise to ask the man they have drawn on a date. The Love List seems a success as one by one the women find their true love. Except in Laura’s case, date after date she is plagued with losers. She is certain the basket is cursed.

Travis Jerome comes to Vine Grove to help his ailing grandparents. He notices a “Help Wanted” sign outside of a Victorian house and jumps at the chance to get back to his roots and have the feel of a hammer in his hand. He gets an extra bonus when he meets the attractive owner of the home, Laura Tate. Unfortunately she doesn’t appear to have the least bit of interest in him.

Love isn’t always impossible to find, sometimes it can be right in plain sight.

About the Author

Angela Ford originates from Nova Scotia...Canada’s Ocean Playground! Her love of the ocean and sunsets are always in her heart and give her inspiration. Her love for words keeps her turning the page. She is never without a book, whether she’s reading or writing. Her dedication and involvement with cyber safety seminars gave her an Award of Distinction and sparked the idea for her first book Closure. Between two jobs, being a mom with a home always filled with teenagers and rather interesting stories; she is lucky to have one very patient and understanding man. Every possible quiet moment she finds, she treasures and just writes about the moments to come. You can follow her at www.bookstogonow.com or visit her website at www.angelafordauthor.com

She is a member of the RWA, her local Mississauga Writers Group and an avid reader.

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