Stroke of Luck(Sterling's Montana #1)
by B.J. Daniels
Paperback, 384 pages
Expected publication: February 19th 2019 by HQN
ISBN 1335041028
He’s hoping to bury the past. She’s ready to settle the score.
The Sterling Ranch’s season opening isn’t going so smoothly. With the ranch’s lodge full of guests and a Montana blizzard threatening, Will Sterling needs help—and he needs it fast. So when his childhood friend Poppy Carmichael agrees to lend a hand, he’s grateful for a second chance…and more enticed by the woman she’s become than he cares to admit.
For Poppy, it was supposed to be a retreat full of horse rides and hoedowns—with a side of showing Will what he’s been missing all these years. But as the snow deepens outside, the guests’ suspicion and mistrust turn sinister inside, catching Will and Poppy in the crosshairs.
Weathering the storm in each other’s arms is all too easy for Will and Poppy, but will a confrontation with a killer mean their reunion is short-lived?
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author B.J. Daniels starts her Sterling’s Ranch series off with a bang in this suspenseful story of romance and revenge.
Excerpt:
“I would be in your debt.” He squeezed the re¬ceiver of the landline in the kitchen. To say that the guest ranch was remote was putting it mildly. There was no TV, no internet, no cell phone service. The lodge had three landline phones with outside access, one of them large and black and possibly original to the ranch. It was located in the lodge lounge. Guests always got a kick out of it since anyone under about thirty had never used a phone with a dial.
“Seriously, I apologize for calling at such late no¬tice,” he said, closing his eyes as he made a wish that this would work out. “I’ll understand if you really can’t do it.” There was no reason this woman would agree to this given the way he’d treated her when they were young.
Another bemused chuckle. “How about I pick up a few things and see you in a couple of hours.”
Will couldn’t believe it, telling himself that no matter what Dorothea said, their luck had changed. He let out a relieved breath. At the back of his mind, though, there remained a sliver of unease about hir-ing Poppy given their history. He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake.
He watched his younger brother leave the kitchen to go outside to welcome the guests. Shade was more of a natural at this than either Garrett or himself, Will thought. But it was late March, calving season, so both of his brothers would be returning to the ranch down in the valley today. They’d only stopped up to bring him the supplies Buckshot hadn’t been able to finish delivering himself after he’d broken his leg.
“You’re saving my life,” Will said into the phone.
“What are old friends for?” Poppy replied and disconnected.
He stood for a moment holding the phone, repeat¬ing her words in his head and trying to decide if her tone was cause for concern. They had definitely not been old friends—at least, not at the end.
“What’s wrong?” Garrett asked as he finished his water and deposited the plastic bottle in the re-cycling bin.
Will shook his head. “Poppy. It’s just that I don’t remember leaving things on the best of terms with her before she moved away.”
His brother laughed. “That was twenty years ago! I’m sure she doesn’t remember. She was just a kid.”
He nodded. “A kid with a crush on me. I’m bet¬ting I could have handled it better.”
“Seriously?” Garrett said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. “You were fifteen and what was she, twelve?” He shook his head. “It will be fine.” Then he laughed. “Of course, if I’m wrong you just hired a cook who might poison you.” He seemed to think that was a lot more humorous than it was as he left laughing.
Will turned to see Dorothea shaking her head.
“Everything is going to be fine,” he tried to assure her and himself. He’d waited years for his father to step aside and let him run the guest ranch. After his father’s fatal heart attack, he wanted to make him proud. They might have butted heads, but he loved his father and knew that the man only wanted the best for him and his brothers—and the guest ranch. Now, it was up to Will to take over the legacy he’d been left and not screw it up. “I have everything under control.”
“I would be in your debt.” He squeezed the re¬ceiver of the landline in the kitchen. To say that the guest ranch was remote was putting it mildly. There was no TV, no internet, no cell phone service. The lodge had three landline phones with outside access, one of them large and black and possibly original to the ranch. It was located in the lodge lounge. Guests always got a kick out of it since anyone under about thirty had never used a phone with a dial.
“Seriously, I apologize for calling at such late no¬tice,” he said, closing his eyes as he made a wish that this would work out. “I’ll understand if you really can’t do it.” There was no reason this woman would agree to this given the way he’d treated her when they were young.
Another bemused chuckle. “How about I pick up a few things and see you in a couple of hours.”
Will couldn’t believe it, telling himself that no matter what Dorothea said, their luck had changed. He let out a relieved breath. At the back of his mind, though, there remained a sliver of unease about hir-ing Poppy given their history. He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake.
He watched his younger brother leave the kitchen to go outside to welcome the guests. Shade was more of a natural at this than either Garrett or himself, Will thought. But it was late March, calving season, so both of his brothers would be returning to the ranch down in the valley today. They’d only stopped up to bring him the supplies Buckshot hadn’t been able to finish delivering himself after he’d broken his leg.
“You’re saving my life,” Will said into the phone.
“What are old friends for?” Poppy replied and disconnected.
He stood for a moment holding the phone, repeat¬ing her words in his head and trying to decide if her tone was cause for concern. They had definitely not been old friends—at least, not at the end.
“What’s wrong?” Garrett asked as he finished his water and deposited the plastic bottle in the re-cycling bin.
Will shook his head. “Poppy. It’s just that I don’t remember leaving things on the best of terms with her before she moved away.”
His brother laughed. “That was twenty years ago! I’m sure she doesn’t remember. She was just a kid.”
He nodded. “A kid with a crush on me. I’m bet¬ting I could have handled it better.”
“Seriously?” Garrett said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. “You were fifteen and what was she, twelve?” He shook his head. “It will be fine.” Then he laughed. “Of course, if I’m wrong you just hired a cook who might poison you.” He seemed to think that was a lot more humorous than it was as he left laughing.
Will turned to see Dorothea shaking her head.
“Everything is going to be fine,” he tried to assure her and himself. He’d waited years for his father to step aside and let him run the guest ranch. After his father’s fatal heart attack, he wanted to make him proud. They might have butted heads, but he loved his father and knew that the man only wanted the best for him and his brothers—and the guest ranch. Now, it was up to Will to take over the legacy he’d been left and not screw it up. “I have everything under control.”
About B.J. Daniels:
NYT and USA Today Bestselling author B.J. Daniels was born in Texas but moved with her family to Montana at the age of five. Her first home was a cabin in the Gallatin Canyon and later a lake house on Hebgen Lake outside of West Yellowstone.
Most of her books are set in Montana, a place she loves. She lives now in a unique part of the state with her husband and three Springer Spaniels.
When she isn't writing, she loves to play tennis, boat, camp, quilt and snowboard. There is nothing she enjoys more than curling up with a good book. https://www.bjdaniels.com/
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