Excerpt!
Rosie
When the show is over everyone gets up to leave, as do I, but Amon stays right where he is. Obviously waiting for me. I make my way to the end of the row and stand before him, his eyes dancin’ a little. “Amon.”
“Rosie.”
“Are you here for me?”
“I am.”
“Oh. I see. Well. What can I do for you?”
“I asked you to go bowling last night.”
“You did.”
“You turned me down.”
“That’s right.”
“Well, I was wondering if it was just bad timing or if it was me.”
I let out a breath. “Why are you wondering that?”
“Why?” His eyebrows shoot up. “Because if it was bad timing, I’m gonna ask you again. But if you don’t like me, I’ll move on.”
“That’s very forthcoming of you.”
“Thanks. I like to be forthcoming.”
He’s talking with a straight face, but I’m smiling pretty big right now. “Well, can I think about this a little bit?”
“Can you define ‘little bit?’”
I smile bigger. “You’re flirtin’ with me.”
“Why does that surprise you? You flirt with everyone.”
“Well, yeah. But that’s me. You’re… you.”
“What are you saying? I’m not flirty?”
“Are you flirty?”
He smiles now. But he narrows his eyes too. “Should I ask again? Or should I move on?”
“If I say move on, will you truly move on? Or will you try again?”
His smile grows. “Try again.”
“Then I’m gonna tell you to move on.”
He nods, still smiling, then leans forward. “By the way, I read your little paper. Not the one you gave me, but the one from last week. My sisters had a copy.”
“Oh, right. They do the Revival marketing and I’m part of the marketing now.”
“I like it.”
“Which part? The whole idea of it? Or just the vibe?”
“The writing.”
I nearly giggle. “You like the ads?”
“Yeah. I’m kinda jealous of Robust and Hearty because I like his taste in women. And I was thinking that the woman he described sounded a little bit like you.”
I nearly guffaw. I manage to hold it in, but my cheeks get hot and I know I’m probably turning bright red. “You fancy a…” I pause to think back on what kind of partner Robust and Hearty was looking for. “A courageous and resilient woman who is ready to embrace the thrills and trials of a life less ordinary?”
Amon nods. “I do.”
“Well.” I pull myself together. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Amon Parrish. But I am not looking for a man at the moment. I am quite happy with my life as it is.”
He nods at me. Pretends to take off an imaginary hat and bows a little. And even though he’s not in costume—he’s wearing his usual outfit of black tactical pants and black t-shirt—I picture him in one. “Well, then,” he says. “I will leave you to your day. But I’ll see ya around, Rosie Harlow.”
I nod back. “See ya around, Amon Parrish.”
He turns and walks out, not even looking back. But I’m not unhappy about that because he already told me that he’s gonna try again.
I am being courted.
By Amon Parrish, of all people.
Rosie Harlow is desperately seeking… well, she’s not sure. A romance would be nice but so would a dinner conversation with her pre-teen son. Too bad her boy is way too busy growing up to pay his mama any attention. Rosie never meant to swear off men and she’s not frigid—you don’t become a single mom at fifteen by being frigid—but this dry spell of hers had gotten out of hand and something must be done.
Enter Amon Parrish. Back in high school Amon was voted most likely to get caught with his pants down. He was a trouble maker. The quintessential bad boy. But twelve years away from home, traveling the world and working with Collin Creed doing super-secret (and somewhat illegal) things, changed all that and these days Amon Parrish is a brand-new, stand-up man.
And, to Rosie’s surprise, a romantic man as well. Because he has decided to court her. And this is not just any ordinary courting, either. It’s… well, a page ripped right out of a bodice ripper.
But everyone in Disciple, West Virginia has a secret in their past.
Even the cheerful, perpetually optimistic, and seemingly innocent, Rosie Harlow.
Author bio:
JA Huss is a scientist, New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, and a cowgirl who rides English. Five of her books were optioned for TV/film, several of her audiobooks have been nominated for the Audie and SOVA Awards, and she was a RITA Finalist in 2019. She has been an indie author in both fiction and non-fiction for seventeen years and lives on a ranch in Colorado with her family, horses, dogs, goats, donkeys, and chickens.
