Bourbon Runaway - Signed Paperback

Bourbon Runaway (Bourbon Canyon Book 2)

I’ve been a recluse since the accident, but there was a wedding I refused to miss. I just never expected to come home with the bride.

Now, I have a runaway bride in my Montana cabin who needs time to lick her wounds. Summer Kerrigan is as bright as her name, even on her worst of days. Too bad she’s been off-limits since she dated my brother in high school. It doesn’t matter that fifteen years have passed since we lost him. She was his. She’ll never be mine.

When she goes back down the mountain, I can’t forget her.

Turns out I don’t have to.

When she surprises me with another visit just before a blizzard snows us in together, staying away from her becomes impossible. It’s tempting to let her all the way in, except every time she’s come into my life, the bourbon empire heiress has left again to return to her own. One I’m not a part of. One I can never be a part of. Unless this damaged mountain man can find a way to keep up with his pretty bourbon runaway.

Chapter One Sneak Peek:

Jonah ignored them again. His dark focus was on me. “Summer?” he said quietly.

The tears were back and spilling over. I’d made a mess of this day. I would have to face my family, Jonah’s parents, other family friends, and tell them I’d fucked up. People had spent money and time to get to this damn wedding, and it was my fault they were getting nothing out of it.

My skin crawled. My lack of action had cost people I cared about everything before. And now it was happening again.

“I don’t want to face them.” I didn’t want to see anyone. I was supposed to be the role model, yet I’d been snowed.

I was a fool. A scared and selfish little girl.
“I can’t let my sisters see me like this.” Could I leave before they heard what had happened? Could I just leave? “I don’t want to go home.”

If I went to my condo in Bozeman, I might have an encounter with Boyd. He didn’t have a key, but he could come pounding. If I went home, to the house that always felt like home, Mama’s house on the Bailey ranch, then I’d be witnessed in all my failure. I’d have to face my brothers’ questions and stay strong for my sisters and I just wanted to be.

Jonah’s steely gaze went to the exit door. His eyes were a deep indigo blue. I hadn’t remembered until he glanced toward the glow of the exit sign. There’d been a lot of things about Jonah Dunn I’d tried to forget.

The muscles in his jaw clenched. “All right. Get your stuff.”

I shook my head. A walk of shame. A spectacle. I’d be the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. “My stuff is in the changing room. I just can’t . . .” The tears continued to roll. “I was so stupid.” My voice was ragged, barely a whisper. “So stupid. I don’t want them to see.”

His sigh was barely audible. He put an arm around me and led me to the exit. “I’ll get you out of here.”
His steps were uneven and his cane hit the ground erratically. When we barreled out the door, a cold wind hit me in the face. Another detail I hadn’t wanted for my wedding. Frigid weather and snowpack on my happy day. Forecasted snow and dark gray clouds in the distance. More snow was coming.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

I sank into Jonah’s side, not caring where he steered me, only that it was away. The steel of his body shouldn’t be comforting but it was. I’d known Jonah for a long time, but this was the closest I’d ever been to him.

“Summer!” Wynter called.

I tensed and almost stopped but was helpless against Jonah’s strength. “She can’t be running out here. She’s too pregnant.”

He finally halted and looked over his shoulder. “I’ll get her home.”

I snuck a peek. My sisters were charging outside. Myles already had an arm around Wynter’s waist to keep her from chasing me. Junie’s eyes widened when her gaze landed on Jonah. He didn’t get out much, and Junie no longer lived in our hometown. She probably hadn’t seen him for years. Did she know who he was? Jonah had once been close to my brothers, especially Teller, but the guys were all older than us.

My brothers crowded in the doorway. Tate, Teller, and Tenor, all in suits, all with severe concern etched into their faces.

My stomach sank. They’d get involved and they’d want to run Boyd out of town—or run him over. I didn’t want to be in the center of the mess I’d caused.

“What’d he do?” Tate asked Jonah like he knew I wouldn’t tell him.

Tate tried to step around Junie, but Autumn nudged in front of him. She pushed my suitcase toward me, the wheels bumping on the pavement. I didn’t know how she’d known I’d need it, but Autumn was more observant than the others.

One roller hit an ice chunk and the bag tipped. Teller tried to shove through my sisters. He’d probably grab the luggage and me too. He’d rightfully want an explanation and then want to kick Boyd’s ass.

I cringed. I wanted to forget how stupid I was. I wanted to slink away and nurse my pride.

Jonah put a hand up. “She wants privacy.” He cleared his throat like he wasn’t used to talking this much or this loud. “Take care of that piece of shit inside of there.” He tipped his forehead toward the church. “Make sure that asshole can’t get near her again.” He limped forward and bent his big body to pick my suitcase up. His left leg didn’t bend as much as the right.

“Summer?” Tenor was my mellowest brother, but anger and worry gleamed in his eyes. “You good?”

“I will be,” I said quietly. “I just need some time to process what happened. Please tell Mama not to worry.”

We all knew she was going to.

Jonah passed me and tossed my bag in the rear passenger seat. His old red-and-silver pickup was a balm to my nerves. He didn’t drive a flashy car like Boyd. Jonah’s old truck was covered in dust with thicker dirt caked around the wheel wells.

When he opened the door for me, I noticed him. I’d never seen him out of jeans and a flannel, but he was in black slacks and a dark blue dress shirt. He looked good, ruggedly handsome in a dark and mysterious way, but I’d rather he was in denim.

He opened the passenger door. “Get in.”

I faced my family. “I’m sorry,” I said, barely loud enough to carry on the cold wind toward them. Then I gave a little wave that was supposed to be reassuring, but my hand trembled. I got into a truck with a man I hadn’t spoken to in years, but it was better to leave my wedding with a near stranger than with the groom.