By
Heather Slade

A guitar player looking for redemption.
A widow needing a second chance at love.
Fall hard for the rock star and the cowgirl…

OLIVIA

Barrel racing competitively was my dream, but my heart took me elsewhere, into the arms of a F15 pilot, forever—or so I thought. Fate had other plans, leaving me alone, raising our daughter, widowed and broken. Now, years later, back on the ranch, cranky and bored, I need more, want more. And when Ben Rice’s music reignites my fire, he’s all I can think about, all I want. But why would a rock star fall for a cowgirl like me?

BEN

Hard work, dedication, and talent, got me where I am, climbing the Billboard music charts, following my dreams. But when Olivia Fairchild shows up in my life, my dreams, my fantasies, my desires, start to shift. I can’t give her what she wants, what she deserves, now I need to make sure, she doesn’t FALL FOR ME.

Ben Rice lead singer/guitarist of the band CB Rice met Olivia after their performance at Red Rocks. He spotted her in the audience and sang to her.

Olivia ‘Liv’ Fairchild was at the concert at Red Rocks with her daughter Renie, her best friend Paige and Paige’s daughter Blythe. Much teasing occurred as Ben crooned his songs to her. It’s after the band left the stage that things got more interesting.

The seats the friends had scored for the concert were next to the VIP section and that’s where Ben and his band settled after their set to watch the rest. For Ben though he only had eyes for Olivia.

When he introduces himself after the concert we see just how clueless Liv is about flirting.

This is a favorite scene.

The second band began to play, and soon everyone in the ten-thousand-person audience was on their feet, dancing and singing along.

“Look.” Renie pointed to Liv’s left.

She looked up at the large rock formation, expecting to see something projected on it. “What?”

“Not up there. There.” Renie pointed again to the VIP area, where CB and his band were seated.

When Liv looked over, CB was looking right at her, just like he had been while onstage. Warmth traveled up her cheeks, and she looked away. A few minutes later, she looked back. His eyes still rested on her; this time he smiled and winked.

“Hey, you.” Paige smiled when Liv scooted closer, putting Renie and Blythe between her and the ropes.

“Mom’s hiding from CB Rice.”

Paige leaned back.

“Don’t look,” Liv gasped.

“Why not?”

“He’s been staring at her all night,” Blythe groaned.

“Shh…” the people behind them whispered again, which only made Liv and Paige giggle.

When the second band’s set ended, Liv sneaked a peek at the VIP area, disappointed that she didn’t see any members of CB Rice.

“You were ignoring him, so he went home,” Renie smirked.

Liv rolled her eyes.

Soon, the third band took the stage, and the audience went wild. Liv forgot all about CB and his band as she danced and sang along for the rest of the two-hour show.

Too soon it seemed, the band played their encore, and the audience slowly began making their way to the exits.

“Wait,” Liv heard someone yell.

“Mom, stop.”

When Liv turned around, CB was standing right behind her.

He smiled. “Hi.”

“Uh, hi.”

“What’s your name?”

Liv looked around. “Me?”

CB laughed. “Yeah, you.”

“Liv,” she answered, and then turned back around. “And this is my friend, Paige, my daughter, Renie, and Paige’s daughter, Blythe.”

He bent to see around Liv. “I’m Ben Rice. Nice to meet you.” He waved, and then rested his gaze back on her. “Thanks for coming to the show tonight, Liv.”

“You’re welcome. Um…well…nice to meet you, um…Ben” Liv pushed past Paige. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Nice to meet you.” Paige waved and followed Liv, who was already beyond the end of the row, near the exit.

“What has gotten into you?” Paige asked when they got in the car.

“Nothing. Why?”

“You weren’t very polite to him, Mom.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He was flirting with you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Liv murmured and turned up the volume on the stereo.
Slade, Heather. Cowboys of Crested Butte Boxed Set Volume 1. Kindle Locations (183-208). Sparrow Publishing. Kindle Edition.

This isn’t the only time Ben is going to run into Liv and that becomes the catalyst for a interesting relationship.

Liv’s daughter Renie is heading to college, and every moment she can spend with her is special. Skiing they run into Ben again with his sons, and then Ben once more in Las Vegas for a Charity Concert. While Ben takes this as an omen, Liv decides she has to find herself as Liv before she can even think about a relationship.

Lots of Laughter, Tears and Some Sizzle.

5 Contented Purrs for Heather!

Heather Slade

My books are filled with things that bring me joy: music, wine, skiing, families, artists, and cowboys. Not always in that order.

I’m an Amazon best-selling author, and a PAN member of Romance Writers of America. I speak, teach, blog, am an executive sommelier, and all-around entrepreneur.

I grew up an east coast girl, and then spent half my life on the west coast. Now my husband, our two boys, and I happily call Colorado home.