RED LINES by T.A. Foster
February 2015
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23840031-red-lines
Love on remote Perry Island was one thing, but with the flash of a camera everything has changed.
Movie star Evan Carlson has just landed the role of a lifetime, playing the infamous Dexter Red. Fans can’t get enough of the sexiest, most-talked-about guy to ever hit paperback pages.
Haven is in Austin working on her songwriting career, and Evan’s faith and commitment are put to the test. No matter which way he turns, Hollywood keeps getting in the way.
Does realizing their career dreams mean losing their relationship? Can they survive the headlines and media frenzy surrounding Evan’s new role?
When it comes to love, some lines are meant to be blurred.
Last night was a mix of everything Haven loved and a dash of things she was uncertain about. Evan seemed comfortable and relaxed at the ranch, not unlike how he was on the island, but something was different. Maybe it was the staff and the responsibilities he had to face, or maybe it was the fact she knew his real name, his complete identity, and that made her see him in an entirely new light.
Regardless of the confusion swirling in her head, she was excited about seeing the ranch. She followed Evan to the far end of the garage.
βWe have to drive?β she asked.
βSorta.β He pulled the cover off a four-wheeler. βThis is how I like to see the ranch.β He walked to the opposite wall and retrieved a few helmets.
She secured it over her head and clasped the buckle in place against her cheek. βHow does this look?β
βIβd say itβs the best lookinβ helmet in Texas. Ready?β He straddled the ATV and patted the back of the seat for Haven to sit behind him.
She followed his instructions and slid her hands around his waist.
βHold on tight.β He revved the engine, threw the four-wheeler into reverse, and peeled out of the garage.
The sun was glaring as Evan turned the bike onto a dirt path. She always thought August in North Carolina was hot, but this was a whole new level of heat. She was glad they were going fast. The wind whipping through her hair gave the illusion that it wasnβt a scorching Texas day.
The house disappeared behind them, and eventually, they were rolling through an open field. Haven couldnβt see the road or a single building. They were actually alone.
Evan called over his shoulder, βThis used to be a grazing pasture, but the cattle have been moved to another part of the ranch to let this part grow back.β
She nodded, but wasnβt sure he saw it. There was a huge grin on his face as he steered them deeper into the rolling fields. He turned them toward a cluster of trees.
βI want to show you my secret fishing hole,β he yelled, then spun them hard left until they were in the shade of low-growing oaks. They emerged after a few seconds in front of a pond. Evan cut the engine.
Haven noticed a few chairs, and the stone circle of a campfire pit. It made her smile.
βThis is my escape when Iβm here.β He led her toward the chairs.
βWhy do you need to escape at the ranch?β she asked. He had everything he needed at the house, not to mention you could get lost trying to find the bathroom. She thought the house was his escape.
He picked up a few rocks and started skipping them across the stillness of the pond. The ripples carried from one end to the other.
ββCause, sometimes itβs too much. And I like to be alone.β
βOh.β She twisted her lips into a frown.
βNot like that. I didnβt mean that. Not alone away from you. I meant away from the staff. Away from work. This is my place. I wanted to share it with you.β
βI think itβs beautiful.β She stooped to grab a handful of pebbles and walked closer to the pond. βWhat kind of fish are in here?β She tried to skip the rocks but could only get two hops at a time.
βCatfish mostly, but since I havenβt been here all summer they are probably enormous. Want to fish with me?β
βYes, letβs do some fishing. Iβve never fished in a pond before. We donβt exactly have any on the island.β
βMaybe there is something I can teach you about the water after all.β Evan chuckled. He strolled to the four-wheeler and unhooked a cooler and two rods that were strapped to the back.
Haven reached for one of the rods.
βOk, so the beauty of fishing here is the fish canβt escape.β
She laughed. βThat seems cruel. They donβt have a chance.β
βThen they shouldnβt take my bait. Trust me, we need to fish this pond. Itβs probably overrun by now.β He attached bait to the ends of their lines and cast his lure into the center of the pond. βNeed help?β
Haven shook her head. βOh no, I can cast. Grew up on an island, remember?β If there was one thing she could do, it was catch a fish. When you spend your summers as a kid on the docks outside your parentsβ store, you get good at perfecting your fishing techniques. She was excellent with a cast net, a crab net, and had won her fair share of pinfish tournaments.
βRight, right.β He pulled the chairs closer to the edge of the pond and stretched into the seat.
It was quiet, but not the same kind of quiet Haven was used to. There were no sounds of crashing waves, or boats cruising by. She couldnβt hear the squawk of seagulls, or the sound of wind chimes bouncing around from a sea breeze. Ranch quiet had its own sounds, and she couldnβt identify them all.
Evan reached into the cooler and pulled out a beer. βWant one?β He offered the cold bottle to her.
βNo, I donβt think I should drink before my interview. What if I mess up?β
βDarlinβ, itβs not an interview. You already have a contract. It might take the edge off.β He pushed it in her direction and she finally accepted it.
βI guess I do have a few hours.β She twisted the top off and took a big gulp. She couldnβt remember the last time she had a beer in the morning, probably never, but this one tasted good.
βIsnβt this perfect?β He smiled.
βYeah, it is.β She relaxed in her seat. Evanβs hand rested on her knee. Her line was in the water, and they were alone. It was completely perfect.
T.A. Foster is a Southern girl whose heart and spirit are connected to the beach. She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children and two canine kiddos.
Her long love affair with books started at an early age, and as soon as she was able, she transformed imaginative stories into words on paper. Time Spell is T.A.βs debut novel, and the first in a series about a very adventurous, clever, and magical girl named Ivy.
T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When sheβs not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing or planning her next beach trip.
Author Links:
Blog: http://www.tafosterauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tafosterwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAFosterauthor
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164289.T_A_Foster
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