Excerpt: Easy for Keeps by Kirsten Proby

Series: The Boudreaux Series #4.5
Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated on May 24, 2016
Genres: Anthologies (multiple authors), Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 114
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Adam Spencer loves women. All women. Every shape and size, regardless of hair or eye color, religion or race, he simply enjoys them all. Meeting more than his fair share as the manager and head bartender of The Odyssey, a hot spot in the heart of New Orleansâ French Quarter, Adamâs comfortable with his lifestyle, and sees no reason to change it. A wife and kids, plus the white picket fence are not in the cards for this confirmed bachelor. Until a beautiful woman, and her sweet princess, literally knock him on his ass.
Sarah Cox has just moved to New Orleans, having accepted a position as a social worker specializing in at-risk women and children. Itâs a demanding, sometimes dangerous job, but Sarah is no shy wallflower. She can handle just about anything that comes at her, even the attentions of one sexy Adam Spencer. Just because heâs charmed her daughter, making her think of magical kingdoms with happily ever after, doesnât mean that Sarah believes in fairy tales. But the more time she spends with the enchanting man, the more he begins to sway her into believing in forever.
Even so, when Sarahâs job becomes more dangerous than any of them bargained for, will she be ripped from Adamâs life forever?
The next afternoon, Iâm stocking bottled beer behind the bar, lost in thought. At this time of day, business is slow, so my mind wanders.
And lately, itâs been wandering to a certain beautiful brunette.
âWhy are you so chipper?â
My head whirls around at Callieâs voice. âIâm not chipper.â
âYouâre whistling,â she says with a laugh and grabs a wet rag to wipe down the already clean bar. âYouâre happy about something.â
âWhy shouldnât I be happy?â I counter and toss the empty crate to the side of the bar. âWe have a great business and itâs a beautiful day.â
âAnd youâve been spending a lot of time with a certain woman,â she says and raises a brow in my direction.
âTruth,â I reply and smile.
âSheâs pretty,â Callie says thoughtfully. âAnd you said she has a child?â
âYes, Hailey. Sheâs five.â
âHow long has Sarah been divorced?â
I frown. âSheâs not. Sheâs widowed.â
âOh.â Callie frowns and looks down at the bar and then back at me. âIâm sorry to hear that.â
âYeah. He was a cop, killed in the line of duty.â
âThatâs horrible.â She leans on the bar and crosses her arms over her chest, watching me.
Itâs not that Iâve been keeping Sarah and Hailey a secret. Not at all. Iâve been consumed by them. When Iâm not here, Iâm with them, and Callie has been in Nashville with her husband, Declan, while he produced a new album for a country singer.
I glance up to find her still staring at me.
âWhat?â I demand.
âYou probably donât want to hear this.â
âThatâs never stopped you before,â I reply. âWhatâs on your mind?â
âYouâd better not hurt her,â Callie says sternly. âSeriously, Adam, sheâsâĤfragile.â
âB*llshit.â I pace away, then turn back and brace my hands on my hips. âSheâs not weak, Callie. Sheâs one of the strongest people Iâve ever met.â