Short Rides is an anthology compilation of
two novellas and one short story in the Rough Riders world. These are
NOT meant to be read as standalone stories, but are a peek into favorite
character’s lives after the happily ever after…
The stories included in the Short Rides anthology are:
King of Hearts* — Deputy Cam McKay deals with a murder/suicide case on Valentine’s Day.
Rough
Road — Chassie, Trevor and Edgard Glanzer spend a romantic weekend away
from the ranch and kids celebrating their anniversary…only to return
home to face their biggest challenge yet.
All Knocked Up — Keely and Jack Donohue are having a
baby. Given Keely’s raging pregnancy hormones, will Jack need to wear a
cup in the delivery room?
*previously published in the Guns and Roses anthology in 2012
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ROUGH ROAD excerpt
“Mama, what’s a faggot?”
Chassie’s entire body seized up and she
nearly dropped the bowl she was washing. She turned her head and met the
startled eyes of her husband Trevor, who was packaging leftovers on the counter
beside her. She managed to ask, “Where’d you hear that word?” in a steady
voice.
“At school. A third-grader said my dads
were faggots.”
She briefly closed her eyes. Living an
unconventional lifestyle in a conservative rural area guaranteed this question
would come up at some point—but she hadn’t expected it this soon. Their six-year-old
son Westin had just started first grade a month ago.
Chassie rinsed and dried her hands
before she turned around. “How about if we wait to talk about it until Papai is done giving Max his bath? You
can stay up a little later tonight.”
Westin’s big blue eyes were somber,
suspicious of the bribe. But he nodded and returned to his “homework”—an
activity book they’d purchased after his disappointment at not having
schoolwork every night in first grade.
Trevor came over and set his hands on
her shoulders. He kissed her temple and whispered, “Come on, Chass. Baby, take
a deep breath. We’ll get through this. That word doesn’t have the power to
destroy what we’ve built unless we let it.”
She nuzzled his jaw. “I know that. It’s
just...”
“Mama!” A little person slammed into
the backs of her legs. She glanced down. A naked little person.
Two-year-old Max grinned at her, his
brown eyes triumphant, his dark hair sopping wet.
Edgard sauntered into the kitchen, a
bath towel draped over his forearm. “That boy is as slippery as an eel.” He
wrapped the towel around Max like a straightjacket and hoisted him up amidst
Max’s happy shrieks and giggles. “Kiss Mama and Daddy goodnight, little
streaker. Then if we can wrassle your jammies on fast, we’ll have time for one book.”
“Two books!”
Chassie smooched both of Max’s chubby
cheeks and smoothed her hand over his wet hair. “’Night, Max. Love you.”
Trevor kissed Max’s forehead. “Love you
son, ’night.”
Edgard’s gaze winged between Chassie
and Trevor. He mouthed, “Problem?”
“I’ll fill you in upstairs. I need to
check on Sophia anyway,” Trevor said. He looked at Chassie. “I’ll tuck her in
if she hasn’t already crashed.”
Four-year-old Sophia ran at such high
speed all day that many nights she conked out while watching TV or playing in
her room.
The guys disappeared upstairs.
Chassie finished cleaning the kitchen
and headed to the basement to throw a load of clothes in the washer. Her mind
had locked on Westin’s question. She knew one thing about her thoughtful
son—the taunt hadn’t been tossed at him just today. Westin tried to figure
things out on his own, so she worried he’d been dealing with defining the nasty
word for longer than a day.
She leaned against the wall, fighting
tears, fighting memories of the cruelty directed at her growing up. The
jeers—lazy Indian, ugly squaw—still lingered years later. Back then she’d been
so shy she hadn’t fought back. Her brother Dag might’ve gone after her
tormentors, but he’d been fighting his own demons. No doubt he’d had the word
faggot hurled at him.
What really caused that long ago hurt
to deepen was the knowledge that if their father had known Dag’s sexual
orientation, he would’ve flung that word at his son without hesitation.
When Chassie, Edgard and Trevor decided
to add kids to their family, they all three worked every day to make sure their
children knew they were loved. To make sure their children knew their parents
loved each other. And to show them that love is what built and what sustained
their lives. Especially when it was love that a lot of people didn’t
understand.
Chassie held on to that thought as she
scaled the stairs.
****
Trevor plugged in the nightlight and
left the door open a crack before he headed down the hallway to the master
bedroom.
He removed his long-sleeved shirt and
T-shirt, tossing them in the hamper along with his dirty jeans. After washing
his face and arms, he slipped on a pair of black sweatpants and a gray tank
top. He’d need to channel his frustration after they talked to Westin, because
guaranteed he’d wanna punch the shit out of something.
Faggots. Who taunted a kid—a kind,
innocent little boy—with that term?
You
would have.
Goddamn. Trevor didn’t want to think
along those lines, to remember the judgmental asshole he’d been at one time.
He’d been raised that way—as had Chassie and Edgard—which was why they were
raising their kids differently.
He perched on the edge of their
gigantic custom-made bed, forearms resting on his thighs, his face aimed at the
carpet. Westin and Sophia were aware their family was different from the norm.
But due to divorces and remarriages, didn’t most kids these days deal with
multiple parents? How was it anyone’s business how they lived in their own
home? Or how they loved each other? He’d bet the ranch very few traditional
family units were as attuned to each other as theirs. They had to work harder at communication because of having a third
partner. And he wouldn’t have it any other way—regardless of the societal
repercussions.
Footsteps fell across the carpet. A
pause. “Did you mean to leave the light on in Sophia’s room?” Edgard asked.
“No. Guess my mind was elsewhere.”
Trevor glanced up. “Was she still awake?”
“Nah. She just yanked the covers over
her head. I shut the light off.”
“Thanks. And Max?”
“Out. He didn’t last through one book,
let alone two.” Edgard gave Trevor a once-over. “We working out tonight?”
“I’ll need to hit the heavy bag
after...”
“After what?”
He sighed.
“Trev, what’s goin’ on?”
So Trevor told him.
Edgard didn’t say anything. Then he
crouched in front of Trevor to get his attention. “That’s not all of what’s
bugging you.”
The man knew him so well. Trevor
reached out and ran the back of his knuckles along Edgard’s jaw. He hadn’t
shaved for a day and Trevor had the sudden need to feel beard burn on the
inside of his thighs. On his chest. Scraping on his cheeks and neck as he
kissed Edgard senseless.
“Dangerous to keep lookin’ at me like
that, meu amor. Burning me alive with
those fiery eyes of yours won’t make me forget the issue at hand, as much as
I’d like to.”
“I know.” Trevor dropped his hand. “I
fuckin’ hate that I used to be that type of kid Westin is dealin’ with.
Anything I didn’t understand, I belittled. I laughed when I made kids cry. Laughed. Jesus. How many people I bullied
growing up would say I’m getting what I deserve? Seeing my son cry.” He exhaled. “I’m to the point I can handle what anyone
calls us. But it breaks my damn heart that Westin is hearing that shit.”
“Hey. You’re not the same man you were.
Thank God for that.” Edgard stood and held his hand out to Trevor. “Worrying
about karma coming back to bite you in the ass won’t help us now.”
As soon as he was upright, Trevor
tugged Edgard against his body and buried his face in Edgard’s neck. “I’m
grateful every damn day that we have this life.”
“Me too. We knew goin’ into it, it
wouldn’t be easy.”
“Some days I can’t believe we’ve all
been together eight years. And other days, I feel like my life started when I
met Chassie and you came back.” Trevor lifted his head. “Do you think we oughta
cancel—”
Edgard covered his mouth with a brief
kiss. “No. The three of us need the time together. Chassie will be relieved
that we’d planned to keep Westin out of school tomorrow anyway.”
“So we’re all set?”
“Yep.”
Trevor grinned. “Chass is really gonna
be surprised.”
“I was surprised. It was a sweet,
romantic thing to plan, Trev.”
“What can I say? You and Chassie bring
out the best in me.” Trevor kissed him, more than a soft peck but less than the
tongue tangling soul kiss he preferred. “Let’s go talk to our son.”
Source: eARC for honest review
My Review...
So this book was of three short stories from the Rough Rider series. I adore this series and I was so happy to get a window into the lives again of Cam, Trevor, Chassie & Edgard and Jack and Keely.
In all the stores they have still have their old burdens that they are dealing with but you get to see how they are coping and moving forward. Each story had their own special point to make.
With Cam it was his mental wounds from the war and how he was coping but when things got rough he first chose to close everyone off and deal with it on his own, until the love from his woman and his family broke through letting him know that he was not alone and he has the love of his family to help through.
With Trevor, Chassie and Edgard finding balance for one another and having a safe environment for their kids with their unconventional lifestyle was put to the test and in the end it was about love, support and communication that created that safety. Support not just from the immediate family but the whole McKay/West clan.
Now with Jack and the firecracker of Keely was still hot as ever. I thought she would have softened or calmed over the years but nope it just wasn't in her. With Jack his love for Keely was only stronger and more passionate.
4 Thumbs up!
Lauren
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