 Title: Riverbend
Author: Tess Thompson
Series: The River Valley Collection
Format: PDF, epub, mobi, paperback
Publication Date: May 19th 2013
Publisher: Booktrope
ISBN 1620151421
Gnere: Adult Contemporary Romance w/Suspense
Blurb:
“Tag. I found you.”
Just
as Annie Bell’s reputation as one of the best chefs in the Pacific
Northwest grows to new heights, she receives a threatening phone call
from her abusive ex-boyfriend. Marco is out on parole and hungry for
revenge, blaming her for his ten-year imprisonment. Fearing for her life
and that of her young son, Annie reluctantly accepts help from Drake
Webber, a cold and wealthy recluse hiding a dark history of his own.
Supported by the gang of misfits from their restaurant Riversong, Annie
forges ahead despite her growing terror that Marco will appear at any
moment and make good on his threats.
Author
Tess Thompson (formerly known as Tess Hardwick) reunites the colorful
cast of endearing small-town characters from her bestselling novel
Riversong and takes you on a journey that will renew your faith in love,
friendship and the power of community – even in the face of seemingly
insurmountable grief and fear. You’ll find yourself once again cheering
for the residents of River Valley, especially the big-hearted and
compassionate Annie Bell.
Escape
with a blend of love, laughter, friendship, suspense and gourmet food
while remembering it’s never too late for second chances.
Buy links
Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Barnes and Noble
Excerpt
2
Two
days later, the first Monday she was to start work for Drake Webber,
Annie dreamt of a man chasing her down the streets of Los Angeles as
she carried baby Alder in her arms. Was it Marco? She couldn’t be
sure. At a bump in the sidewalk, she tripped and fell. Blood spilled
onto the cement. Then, there was a phone ringing, an old-fashioned
ring tone like phones from her childhood.
With a start, she
awakened, sitting up in bed, the blankets tangled around her legs and
her pajamas soaking wet from perspiration. The ringing continued; it
was her cell phone. She’d recently changed the ringtone to that of
the old rotary phones. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she reached for
the phone on the bedside table. What time was it? Not yet six a.m.
Who would be calling this early? It was probably her mother with news
of another boyfriend who left her penniless and unable to pay rent.
This happened every year or so and Annie always sent money. And her
mother always found one more loser to move in with a short time
later.
“Hello,”
she said, fully prepared to be annoyed that her mother had awakened
her so early.
“Tag.
I found you.”
Her
stomach, like it might during a sudden five-story drop in an
elevator, sank below her knees. Marco.
His voice was rough, hard—she would recognize it anywhere.
Was
she still asleep? Please,
God, let this still be my nightmare, she
prayed silently.
She
trembled, the sweat-soaked pajamas cold on her skin. Her hand
twitched, as if in a move to hang up the phone, but he spoke again.
“What? Cat got your tongue?” She continued her silence, frozen.
“Listen, bitch, I know it’s you. You’re all over the Internet
these days. All you have to do is put your whore name into Google and
there’s a dozen articles on you. You’re looking good, especially
compared to what a cow you used to be. I’m coming to town.
Shouldn’t be hard to find you. And then you’ll pay for what you
did to me.”
She
dropped the phone like it was hot and stared at it. Then she picked
it up and punched the hang-up button before tossing it back on the
bed. She folded her knees, wrapping her arms around them and rocking
back and forth for several minutes. Oh
no, no, no, no,
a roar in her head.
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