Synopsis

The Shaughnessy Brothers are back

He lives by a schedule

Aubrey Burke is on the run from an about-to-be-disastrous mistake when resort owner Hugh Shaughnessy catches her climbing through his office window. Until Aubrey tumbled into his life, Hugh had relied on work and discipline to safeguard a heart damaged by family tragedy. Now his careful world will never be the same.

She lives for the moment

Hugh’s approach to life and love is the opposite of Aubrey’s, but she soon finds herself falling hard for the handsome hotel mogul. There’s a darker reason behind her “live for today” attitude than Hugh could possibly know, but for the first time Aubrey dares to hope this man’s love might make it worth taking a chance on the future.

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Excerpt

“So a bunch of us are going out tonight. You in?”

Hugh looked up from the pile of mulch he was carefully spreading out along the flower bed in front of his father’s house and stared blankly at Quinn.

“Dude? Come on. Every time you come home, you pretty much just…you know…sit. Let’s go out tonight, grab a couple of drinks, play some pool. You know, like we used to.”

“I never used to do that.” Hugh moved the rake through the mulch pile again.

Quinn rolled his eyes. “All the more reason to come out and do it tonight. Come on, Hugh. Aidan’s going, Bobby’s going, Riley and his shadow are going. Hell, I think we’re even going to get Owen to go if he gets here in time.”

Hugh chuckled. “What exactly do you think Owen’s going to do in a bar?”

“Laugh if you will, but he’s a whiz at pool. He spouts all kinds of geometry crap and he’s a little slow making his play, but when he does, it’s a thing of beauty. We made a killing last time he was in town.”

“That’s just wrong.”

“No,” Quinn corrected, “it’s fun.”

Hugh supposed some could call it that. “Thanks, but I think I’m just going hang back. By the time I’m done here in the yard, Aubrey should be back, I figured I’d take her to dinner.”

Taking the rake from his hands, Quinn shook his head. “Uh-uh. Nope. I already took care of that too. Anna’s taking the girls—including Darcy—to her place for a continuation of girls’ day. She’s making them dinner and they’re going to watch a movie and do whatever it is girls do at those things.”

“You mean like having pillow fights in their underwear?”

“Dude. Gross. Our sister is going to be there. Don’t make me stab my own eyes out.”

Hugh shuddered. “You’re right. Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Anyway, I think Dad and some of his friends may meet up with us too, so you have to go. Everyone will be there. Don’t be all…you know…you. Be like us mere mortals for a night.”

There was no way he was going to win this argument. Quinn was the most tenacious of all his siblings, and when he wanted something—or thought he was right about something—he’d keep the argument going all night. Not what Hugh was in the mood for.

But the thought of going out—especially without Aubrey—wasn’t appealing.

“Stop it. Stop it right now,” Quinn snapped.

“What? Stop what? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“God, you are so whipped! I can’t believe it. You’ve been dating Aubrey for what? A month? Two? I can already see it. You’re standing here with a look on your face normally reserved for thirteen-year-old girls looking at the latest teen magazine and fantasizing about dating Justin Timberlake or a member of One Direction. Knock it off!”

Hugh grinned. “I think it’s adorable you know who One Direction is.”

“Screw you. You know I’m right. You’re all sad and a little depressed because you’re not going to see Aubrey tonight. Stop being such a chick! Why are you even dating anyone?” He took the rake from Hugh’s hand and tossed it aside. “You have the perfect life! You and Riley—I swear—I don’t know how you got to be so lucky.”

“You’ve lost me. Again, might I add.”

Quinn rolled his eyes again and began to pace. “You travel all over the country—sometimes the world. You have no ties to any one place. Why would you tie yourself to one woman? You could literally have a girlfriend at every damn place you own and be living the sweet life! Why are you tying yourself down? And so damn fast! Hell, Hugh, you barely know this girl!”

Rage started to slowly build inside of Hugh. It wasn’t often he shared his personal life with his family. Primarily because he didn’t have much of one. But right now he really resented the fact his brother was talking like this about Aubrey.

“First off,” he began with a deadly calm, “it’s none of your damn business. If you have a problem with Aubrey…”

“That’s not it,” Quinn quickly interjected. “I just don’t get why you—careful, always has a plan—are suddenly so committed and deeply involved with a woman you just met. It doesn’t make sense.”

Hugh guessed he could understand. It didn’t fully make sense to him either. He’d never felt like this before and no matter how much he analyzed it, there weren’t any clear answers or explanations. All he knew was he and Aubrey simply fit.

About the Author

Samantha Chase, a creative writing teacher, released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Since then, she has published seventeen more titles and has become a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She lives with her husband of twenty-four years and their two sons in North Carolina.

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