Much as I love summer, August always knocks me for a loop. It’s the month of extreme weather; heat, heat and more heat along with spectacular lightning storms, hail, wind- oh wait, that was back in my home province.
Now, we get endless days of cerulean blue skies, the briny scent of the ocean, and tasty blackberries.
People often ask if I miss home. Truthfully, how can I when we live in my idea of paradise?
Update on my illness:
I didn’t go to the doctor (I know!) but I am feeling MUCH better now. The ugly blistering rash on my leg is healing and my energy is returning. I have a feeling it was Shingles. Hopefully, a one off thing!
Free for a Limited Time
In the game of love all bets are off
When professional poker player Matthew Shaughnessy wins the pot of a lifetime, he didn’t expect to land himself a fiancรฉe.
Cassandra Gardener is left with little choice but to play the part of a Texan’s fiancรฉe for a week if she wants to clear her father’s gambling debt.
Will two people with so much to lose win the biggest bet of all- love?
International Link: http://books2read.com/HoldEm
Add to your TBR List: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34682965-hold-em
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/hold-em-gambling-hearts-1-by-jacquie-biggar
Excerpt
Cassandra barely waited until they had left Mattโs family behind for the cool, terracotta comfort of the house before she turned on him.
โI am not sleeping with you,โ she hissed, all but stamping her foot. Lapis-lazuli eyes snapped like fireflies and her fists clenched at her sides like she wanted to whap him one. Was it wrong that he was turned on?
โRelax, princess.โ Matt grinned. โWhat do you take me for? Iโm not that kind of guy.โ
She snorted. โYouโre all that type of guy.โ Her purse strap had slipped off her shoulder, her cute summer dress was rumpled, and the carefully styled hair sheโd started the day with looked as though it had come through a wind storm.
He liked it. It made her seem more approachable.
Until she spoke.
โWhat is that?โ she squealed, ducking behind him and peeking around his shoulder.
Matt looked to where she was pointing and laughed outright. โThatโs my dog, Chewy.โ He bent in time to catch the hairless Chihuahua limp-racing across the tiles, nails click-clicking to a chorus of yapping.
Consuela, dressed in a colorful swirly skirt and white peasant blouse with bangles jingling on her outstretched arm hurried around the corner. โOh, Master Matt, Iโm so sorry. He was eating one minute and then he was gone.โ
Matt tried to control the excited pooch working its way up his chest, tongue hanging weirdly out the side of its mouth and little bug eyes glittering with joy. โItโs okay, Consuela, I was wondering where he was.โ
โItโs good to have you back, your abuela misses you.โ
Matt ran a gentle hand over his petโs bony spine, flattening the narrow black strip of coarse fur that had a mind of its own. โAnd I missed all of you, but Iโm home now, andโฆโ He twisted his torso until Cass came into view, โI brought a fiancรฉe.โ
Cass gave him an ugly glare, then switched on a warm smile for the housekeeper. โThis is my first trip to Texas. You have a beautiful home here, Consuela.โ
She nodded and stepped forward to take Chewy from his arms. โThank you, miss. The Shaughnessys are like family.โ She patted Mattโs cheek. โThis one, he is special.โ
Warmth for this woman, who had helped his grandma raise a troubled boy, flooded his chest. โIf I am, itโs because of you. I canโt thank you enough for taking care of all of us over the years. And nowโฆโ
โShh, donโt talk of it, child. We donโt want to invite bad spirits.โ
Matt smiled through the ache. He couldnโt count the number of times heโd been warned about the spirits. โYes, maโam. Iโm going to show Cassandra to her room. Itโs been a long day.โ He hugged Consuela and whispered in her ear. โItโs good to be home.โ
He stepped back and smiled into her tear-filled eyes. โNone of that now. This is meant to be a celebration.โ
Consuela swiped at her wet cheeks and nodded. โWe will make it special. You get married here, on the ranch? Your grandmother, sheโs been talking non-stop about it since you called. Wait until you see her plans. Itโs been good for her. For all of us.โ
Matt winced. He couldnโt believe heโd gotten himself into this mess. What started out as a simple way to please his grannie before she passed on had turned into a three ring circus. He glanced at the fuming woman beside him and wondered how long it would be before she blew the lid off this charade.
Time to find some privacy and remind her of her obligation.
โWeโll discuss the wedding tomorrow.โ He tugged Cass under his arm. โMy bride-to-be is swaying on her feet.โ He got them moving, heading down the hall toward his childhood bedroom. โCโmon, honey. Letโs get you tucked in so you can get your beauty sleep.โ
She poked him in the ribs and he grunted. Damn, she had bony elbows. As soon as Consuela was out of sight, Cass escaped his hold. Her heaving breasts were a distraction until he realized he was staring, and jerked his gaze to her face.
โThis has gone too far,โ she snapped.
Matt opened the door to his room and ushered her through, determined to keep this private. He secretly agreed with her, but theyโd already entered into this bargain, he didnโt plan on letting her renege.
He closed the door and leaned back to watch Cassandra pace his boyhood room. She avoided the king-sized sleigh bed heโd exchanged for the twin he had until early teens, to check out his trophy collection from swimming and baseball. Then she moved on to the few framed pictures lining his dresser, mainly him and his friends mixed with a couple of him and Gran, out riding horses or herding cattle. Sheโd always taken an active role in the running of the ranch. Right up until the doctor told her she couldnโt do it anymore three months ago. Funny how life fell into two categories like that. The before filled with days taken for granted, and then the after diagnosis where every moment becomes something to be cherished.
โIs this you?โ Cassandra asked, holding up a picture of him in a black and white tux, his then girlfriend, Candy, perched on his arm in a bright yellow ball gown.
โProm,โ he answered, amazed heโd ever looked that young.
She ran a finger down the glass and his body responded as though sheโd physically touched him. He cursed under his breath. The last damn thing he needed was to be attracted to a woman who detested the ground he walked on. Never mind the fact she was engaged to be marriedโand it wasnโt to him.
He shoved away from the wall and stalked across the spacious room to his desk where his overnight bag had been left by one of the staff. He unzipped the side compartment and pulled out the distinctive blue box.
โPut this on.โ He tossed the container at her and had to admit he was impressed with her swift catch.
She eyed it warily, then slowly slid the lid off to reveal the midnight blue velvet box within. โIs this what I think it is?โ
There she went with that finger again, rubbing the box like it was a geneโs lamp. Matt stared. Goosebumps chased up his spine and whispered in his ear that he was in a boatload of trouble. Yeah, he had that part figured out.
โYou need a ring,โ he said, shifting to ease the sudden pressure behind his zipper. โGrannie will expect you to have one. You can keep it when we part waysโconsider it a bonus.โ God, he could be such a dick sometimes.
She sent him a glance that cut to the bone, then carefully pulled the box out of its wrappings and opened the lid as though she thought it might explode in her hand. The flash of surprise she quickly hid tugged at his heart. She liked it.
โWhereโs my ring?โ she asked, sliding the pretty solitaire onto her finger.
He was happy to see it fit. โYou mean my ring, donโt you?โ
She snapped the jewelry box closed and he winced.
โItโs in a safe place. You live up to your end of the bargain, princess, and Iโll live up to mine.โ
Cass waved her hand in the air, and the new ring glinted under the lights. โIโm here, arenโt I? Letโs just try to get through this week without killing each other.โ She flopped onto the side of his bed and bounced a couple of times. โWhere are you going to sleep?โ
Matt hid a grin. If this werenโt so serious, and she wasnโt holding all the cards, heโd be hard-pressed not to like this girl.
โWell, darlinโ, thatโs where it gets interesting.โ
And From My Friends- Click the covers to get the books
Ella Fierce is the lone girl of the Fierce Five. Sheโs calm. Sheโs cool. Sheโs collected. The rock of the quintuplets. Only no one knows she crumbles like a ten-day-old stale cookie left out on the counter unwrapped when it comes to men. And if she has her way, no one ever will.
Travis McKinley suffered an unthinkable loss forcing him to reevaluate his life and priorities. All those things that made him who he wasโall those things that made him a strong protectorโwere now floating away in the wind. Heโd failed those closest to him and he wasnโt sure heโd ever even want to succeed again. Until Ella Fierce. The only problem? She all but chews him up and spits him out every time she sees him.
As the daughter of a Native American chief, Remi soon has to rely on ancestral instinct to save herself.
In the public eye, her marriage to Dr. Marshall Wagner is one to be envied, but their intimate life is a farce –ย
her husband is enjoying forbidden sexual adventures elsewhere.ย
Turnabout is foul play. With Marshall’s dark secret about to be exposed, Remiโs life is endangered.ย
When sheโs abducted by one of his enemies, watch out for Remi as she digs deep to assure her survival โ sheโs about to become a real a badass.
Kibbles and Bits is a literary sampler of excerpts from the first five published books of time travel series, THE FAIRIES SAGA.
Enjoy a chapter or two of the stories of the friends and family who travel through The Trees, the portal between the 18th and 21st centuries, to interact with the fictional characters of a popular time travel series who just happen to be real.
The day after Pam’s fun and fabulous July 4th party, Ryan Maddox discovered a sleeping body in a lounge chair under the cabana on the dune. Further investigation revealed who. A confession over coffee proved once again that you never really know those who are closest to you, what their secrets are, their heartaches. And especially for older people, the ravages of time may take its toll on the body, but it’s just a facade. Passion and inner beauty never grow old.
You should’ve gone to the doctor. Shingles are nothing to play with. I hope you feel better soon.
And I ADORED the excerpt.
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You’re right, of course. I’m hoping it doesn’t make a return visit. Thank you for the kind words about my story ๐
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Staci is right about shingles, Jacquie. I’ve seen how miserable they can be. Not by me personally but my grandma’s husband. I’m glad you are feeling better. Thanks for sharing the freebies. Love the hammock!
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If I get up the courage, I’ll go in and see about getting a shot for shingles. I imagine it still works if you’ve had them before?
I love hammocks (not that I’ve ever been in one, lol), they look so inviting ๐
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I don’t know about getting the shot after you’ve had it, Jacquie. My doc has me down to get one, but I’ve been avoiding it. I’ve TRIED to get in a hammock. ๐
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I’m glad you are feeling better. I’ve heard shingles can be quite painful. I’m not a fan of the doctor either but sometimes you have to go:( Rest up and stay cool…
Thank you for the freebie. I added it to my TBR list:) Have a great weekend.
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Thanks, Denise. We have cloud cover today, never thought I’d be happy to see gray skies, lol.
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I got a shingles shot last year and am so glad I did. I’ve known several people that had them (including one who was hospitalized). I’m glad you’re better but if you get ANY reoccurrence, I’d high-tail it to the doctor.
Feel better and take care. And thank you for another awesome Freebie Friday. My TBR is so out of control but I am happy to add to it ๐
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I’m not sure if that’s what I had, but I shared the same symptoms. I didn’t realize it could mean hospitalization (though the flu-type symptoms really knocked me around), I’ll definitely go in for the shot.
I know EXACTLY what you mean about the TBR list- I added four new books this week, lol
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I’m going to join in the refrain, you should have gone to the doctor. Come on Jacquie, you live in Canada, we have universal healthcare. I am glad you are feeling better though. I love the look and sound of this one, off to Amazon. Have a good weekend.
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Yes, we’re very lucky with the health system we have. It’s all me. A dumb phobia that I need to overcome.
Thank you for the interest in my book, Carla!
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