In honor of Father's Day, I'm posting an excerpt from my paranormal romance, Loving Boone. Both Boone and Beth-Ann's fathers play important roles in this story and are two of my favorite characters.
Beth-Ann's father, Geoffrey Miller, is a single dad. After his wife died, his grief led him to escape into the Tennessee mountains where he forged a life for himself and his daughter in the wilderness. Others followed and now he's the undeclared leader of a group of like-minded people seeking to live off the land.
Boone's father, Patrick Evans, a cougar shifter, is a single dad of two sons. His wife was murdered when his children were young and he's been doing his best to raise and protect them from the people who wish to do them harm. Before the story begins, he finds Geoffrey and negotiates a deal that gives him territory on the mountain where he can live peacefully and where his children can grow and learn to use their shifter abilities.
Both of these fathers have made sacrifices for their children. They haven't had it easy and they've both made mistakes along the way, but they continue to do what they think is best for themselves and their families. And they both have their own stories to tell which I'm currently working on. I gave a brief glimpse of Patrick's story in a recent limited-edition boxed set that is no longer available. However, he has more to tell of his story, so I'm adding to that before I re-release it. Check back for updates!
Happy Father's Day to all those who are dads or father-figures to kids who love and look up to you!
Loving Boone
The Cougar Shifters
Beth-Ann Miller returns to her Tennessee mountain home to find chaos erupting between her survivalist family and their shape-shifting neighbors. Her father is convinced the were-cougar clan is responsible for the murders occurring in their area and interrogates one of the shifters, Boone Evans, her childhood sweetheart. When Boone declares several members of his shifter family have gone missing including his little brother, Beth-Ann suspects someone else is behind both the murders and abductions.
Boone never expected to see Beth-Ann again. When she frees him from her father’s cabin and promises to help find his brother, Boone doesn’t plan on rekindling their passionate love affair or facing the pain of past mistakes. Nor does he plan on coming face to face with the man responsible for altering his family’s life forever.
With men hunting the were-cougars, can Beth-Ann and Boone risk all to have a future together? Or is loving Boone too high a price to pay?
Excerpt:
It began with a phone call.
"Beth-Ann, come home. Right away, honey."
"What? Dad, why?"
"It's started."
That was all it took for Beth-Ann Miller to leave her dorm room at campus one morning in early October to drive four hours of interstate and back roads to reach her Tennessee mountain home. The tone of her father's voice haunted her the entire trip. He explained nothing more. Hadn't told her what prompted his sudden phone call. Simply ordered her to come home. As much as she wanted to balk at his mysterious command, she wouldn't. Being the good daughter she was and knowing that her father wouldn't make such a demand if he didn't need to, she dropped everything and ran home.
As she reached the long dirt road that led to her father's cabin, a man dressed in camouflage and wearing hunting gear stepped out of the fall foliage to block her path. He angled a rifle toward her car. This surprised her for only one reason. Her father wouldn't post a sentry unless there was something seriously wrong.
When she stopped the car, the man walked cautiously toward her. As he neared, she recognized her father's neighbor and close friend, Henry Jenkins.
The moment he identified her, he lowered his weapon and jogged the rest of the way to her car.
She lowered the window as he approached. The crips autumn air invaded the warm atmosphere she created by blasting the heater in the car.
Henry rested his hand on the roof of the vehicle and leaned toward her with a welcoming smile.
"Hello, Beth-Ann. Your daddy's expecting you."
"What's going on, Henry?"
His face grew grim. "Trouble. I'll let your daddy tell you about it. Go on ahead but keep a lookout around you. We have men posted, but you never know if something might get by them."
Something.
The way he spoke the word like it was a bad taste in his mouth revealed more than he could've explained otherwise.
"Okay."
"It's good to see you, Beth-Ann. Despite the circumstances."
"Thanks, Henry. You, too."
As she pulled the car away, Henry stepped back. Glancing in the rear-view mirror revealed Henry with a walkie-talkie to his mouth.
"She's on the way..." His voice carried in the distance, but the noise of the dirt road muffled the rest. Assuming he reported to her father, she continued the long drive up the mountain for several minutes.
On any other day, the beautiful forest scenery with the falling colored leaves of reds, yellows, and oranges would've seemed peaceful and serene. Instead of enjoying the quiet beauty, Beth-Ann kept a keen eye on her surroundings, searching for sudden movements or anything that didn't belong.
When she reached the clearing near the summit of the mountain, she let out a sigh of relief. There were several cabins built at a discreet distance from one another. Each cabin had a tank used to collect rainwater for personal use and a solar-powered generator for electricity. Gardens, usually teeming with vegetables and fruit, filled the space between the cabins. There was an orchard near the back as well as a compost area and a large barn used to store farming equipment and other items.
Her father helped build this self-sustaining community with several other like-minded individuals and families who wanted to either go off grid or simply get away from the hustle and bustle of civilization like her father. Some people prepared for end times. Some people thought it smart not to rely on the technology that ran the world. Sometimes people stayed permanently. Sometimes people went back to civilization.
Beth-Ann parked her car among the jeeps and SUV's near the front of her father's cabin. There was no sign of anyone until she cut the engine. The door to the cabin opened and a man stepped out, carrying a rifle like Henry Jenkins.
With all the frowning men carrying weapons, her fears that the community was under lockdown seemed confirmed, but she didn't want to assume anything until she spoke face to face with her father.
"Miss Beth," Rhody Miller greeted from the cabin's porch. He stepped down as she opened the car door. Rhody swooped her into a one-armed bear hug the moment she stood. "I'm glad you're here."
"My dad called. I came as fast as I could," she said as he released her. "What is it, Rhody? What's going on? Where's Dad?"
"Hunting," Rhody said, but he turned his head so she couldn't see his eyes. It was a tell she remembered from her young cousin. He wasn't speaking the entire truth.
"Rhody?" She tilted her head to capture his gaze again. "What is it? What has everyone so spooked?"
Tears glistened in the corners of his eyes, taking her aback. Rhody wasn't the kind of guy to show such emotion, but his face twisted in untold pain.
"Rhody, tell me."
"Um..." He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, but was unsuccessful. "They're dead. Three of 'em. Dead. We've gone to war."
"Dead?" Beth-Ann gasped. "Who's dead?"
"Marty, Trent and Oliver Wycoski."
"Marty?" Beth-Ann repeated her cousin's name. "Your brother is dead?"
Rhody nodded as tears fell from his cheeks to splash on the dirt at their feet. It was odd that the tears sounded loud. They echoed in the silence of the forest.
Beth-Ann took a moment to breathe deeply, trying to comprehend Rhody's statement that his brother was dead. Marty was older than her by three years. Since she had no siblings of her own, her cousins became her playmates as a child. For quite some time, they had been inseparable.
Marty's face flashed before her eyes, a face similar to Rhody's. Blue eyes, a sharp nose and a mouth constantly turned into a smile. Marty was handsome and charming and funny, always able to get the people around him to laugh.
Thinking of that happy face now frozen in death made her stomach quiver in knots.
Beth-Ann blinked. Her gaze focused on the front of Rhody's flannel shirt.
"Is that blood?"
Rhody glanced at his chest. "Uh, yeah. It's Mr. Peterson's."
"What happened?"
"He's been shot."
Her questioning gaze flashed to his face.
"It was an accident. He got in the way while the cougars were attacking. I'm not sure who shot him. But he's okay."
"What do you mean the cougars were attacking?" As she spoke, a chill shivered down her back. "Rhody, where's my father?"
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