Читать книгу Forbidden Falls - Робин Карр, Robyn Carr - Страница 6

I am deeply grateful for the continued and dedicated early readings and fantastic suggestions made by my friend Michelle Mazzanti of the Henderson District Public Libraries. I count on you more than you’ll ever know.

Kate Bandy and Sharon Lampert, my dear friends, my right arm and my left, thank you for early reads, traveling with me on book business and staking out bookstores to hand sell books.

Colleen Gleason, you scary-smart writer you, my deep appreciation for critiquing, brainstorming, reading early drafts and making the most terrific suggestions.

I have the most wonderful team assisting, keeping me straight, giving moral and professional support and I’d be so lost without you. Thank you, Nancy Berland of the Berland PR Agency, Liza Dawson of Liza Dawson Associates Inc., and Valerie Gray, executive editor of Mira Books. You are true goddesses.

Thanks to Jeanne Devlin of the Berland Agency and Cissy Hartley of Writerspace.com. I reap the benefits of your many hours of creative work. I am so lucky to have you in my camp.

It is with humble appreciation I’d like to thank the entire Harlequin team. I know that I have the fun job and you do all the heavy lifting and I am profoundly grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful opportunity to spend every day in Virgin River.

Thanks to the men and women who gather at the virtual Jack’s Bar online—your enthusiasm is often the bright light on a cloudy day. You’re like family and I enjoy your company so much.

And, finally, to the thousands of readers who have written with comments and suggestions, with your personal stories and encouragement, I am indebted to you. I take each e-mail very seriously and you’ll never know how much it means to me that you take the time to write. Bless you.

Below is an excerpt from ANGEL’S PEAK, the next book in the Virgin River series. Available February 2010.

Sean Riordan hadn’t seen his ex-girlfriend, Franci, in four years. The second she walked into the little bar, he knew with stunning clarity that he’d been a fool to let her go. He wasn’t about to be that stupid again. So he followed her.

He had just about caught up to her as she was unlocking the door of a small, silver sedan. “Franci?” he called out.

She jumped, turned and stared at him, wide-eyed.

“It is you,” he said.

She pulled her coat tighter around her. “Sean?”

“Yeah,” he said, laughing. “I can’t believe I’m running into you here, of all places. You look great. How long have you been here? In Arcata?”

“I … ah … don’t actually live in Arcata. I was just meeting some friends for dinner.”

He took another step toward her. “Franci, let me buy you a cup of coffee. Let’s catch up a little.”

“Ah … No, I don’t think so, Sean,” she said, shaking her head. “I’d better get—”

“I looked for you,” he said impulsively. “To say it was a mistake, the way we broke up. We should talk.”

“Listen, don’t even go there, Sean. It’s all in the past. No hard feelings,” she said. “So good luck and good—”

“Are you married or something?” he asked.

She was startled. “No. But I’m not looking to go back. Maybe you were able to just blow off our last discussion, but I—”

“I didn’t blow it off, Franci,” he said. “I looked for you and couldn’t find you anywhere. You got out of the air force and disappeared on me. That’s why I want to talk.”

“Well, I don’t,” she said. “I think you’ve probably said enough on that subject.”

“Franci, what the hell?” he asked, confused and a little angry by her immediate rebuff. “Can’t we have a conversation? We were together for two years! It was good, me and you. We never had anyone else, either one of us and—”

“And you said it wasn’t going any further,” she said, stiffening her back. “In fact, that was one of the nicer things you said. I’m glad you’re doing fine, you look just the same, happy as can be. Don’t push this. We decided. We’re over.”

“Come on. I don’t believe you mean that,” he said.

“Believe it,” she retorted. “You made a decision—you didn’t want a commitment to me and there you are—you don’t have one. Bye. Take care.”

She got in her car and slammed the door. He took two giant steps forward and heard the door locks click into place. She quickly backed out of her parking space and drove away.

Now that he’d seen her, he knew what he’d long suspected. He was far from over her. And he was damn sure going to get her back.