CAN'T LET GO
By Barbara Freethy
Callaway Cousins #5
From #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy comes
another stunning blend of heart-warming romance and spine-tingling suspense in
her popular Callaway Series…
Talented graphic artist and animator Annie Callaway has been
commissioned by a Hollywood studio to create the next superhero blockbuster
movie, but a bout of creative block has Annie searching the Southern California
beach scene for inspiration. A local Irish bar in an old train depot, run by
the ruggedly attractive and somewhat mysterious Griffin Hale, piques her
interest, and she finds herself weaving fantasies about not only Griffin but
also the quirky characters who work there.
The last thing Griffin Hale needs at his bar is a nosy artist
looking for personal stories to turn into movie plots. He has carefully
cultivated a scene of complete normalcy for people who need it more than Annie
could possibly imagine, and it's his job to protect them. But the beautiful
redhead with the compelling green eyes is difficult to turn away. Annie's
fantasy world where good always conquers evil is not the life that Griffin has
lived, and he can't help but think she'll never be satisfied with anyone less
than a superhero.
After a string of bad relationships, Annie willingly admits that
most real men don't live up to her muscle-bound, cape-wearing protectors of the
world, but when her stubborn curiosity propels her into a danger she never
expected, she begins to realize that some heroes work in the dark…and a man who
fights for you is a man worth fighting for.
While Griffin is determined to keep Annie alive, he's not at all
convinced he can give her the happily-ever-after she's looking for. But then
some stories take an unexpected turn…
PRAISE FOR BARBARA FREETHY BOOKS
"Powerful and
absorbing...sheer hold-your-breath suspense." ~ NYT Bestselling Author Karen Robards on Don’t Say A Word
"A fabulous,
page-turning combination of romance and intrigue. Fans of Nora Roberts and
Elizabeth Lowell will love this book." ~ NYT
Bestselling Author Kristin Hannah on Golden Lies
"In the tradition of LaVyrle Spencer,
gifted author Barbara Freethy creates an irresistible tale of family secrets,
riveting adventure and heart- touching romance." ~ NYT Bestselling Author Susan Wiggs on Summer Secrets
"This book has it all: heart, community, and characters who will remain
with you long after the book has ended. A wonderful story." ~ NYT Bestselling Author Debbie Macomber on
Suddenly One Summer
"Freethy has a gift for creating complex
characters." ~ Library Journal
"Barbara Freethy is a master storyteller
with a gift for spinning tales about ordinary people in extraordinary
situations and drawing readers into their lives." ~ Romance Reviews Today
"Freethy’s skillful plotting and gift for
creating sympathetic characters will ensure that few dry eyes will be left at
the end of the story." ~ Publishers
Weekly on The Way Back Home
"Freethy skillfully keeps the reader on the
hook, and her tantalizing and believable tale has it all– romance, adventure,
and mystery." ~ Booklist on Summer
Secrets
"A page-turner that engages your mind while
it tugs at your heartstrings...Don’t Say A Word has made me a Barbara Freethy
fan for life!" ~ NYT Bestselling
Author Diane Chamberlain on Don’t Say a Word
"I love The Callaways! Heartwarming
romance, intriguing suspense and sexy alpha heroes. What more could you
want?" ~ NYT Bestselling Author
Bella Andre
EXCERPT
A man walked into the bar.
He wore dark-gray slacks, a white button-down shirt, and a striped navy-blue
tie. His brown hair was cut very short, his face cleanly shaven. And he was the
last person Griffin wanted to see. But whatever Paul Daniels had to say needed
to be said with a bit more privacy.
He tipped his head toward a
table in the corner, then poured two shots of bourbon and walked around the
bar, sitting down across from a man who inspired both loyalty and frustration
whenever they met up. "Could you look more like a fed?" he asked.
"I didn't have time to
change," Paul Daniels replied. He took the shot with a swallow of
satisfaction. "Smooth."
"You must be off the
clock."
"Almost."
That answer didn't make him
happy. "I told you we need to take a break."
"And we did. It's been
two months," Paul replied. "Megan is a twenty-four-year-old woman.
She's jittery, fragile, and isn't doing well in isolation. She needs people
around her that she doesn't have to lie to. It won't be for long—a week, maybe
ten days."
"You always say
that."
"And I'm mostly
telling the truth."
He drank his shot, breaking
his own rule about not drinking while working, then said, "Where is
she?"
"In the car."
"Alone?"
"Rob is with
her." Paul paused, resting his forearms on the table, as his brown-eyed
gaze settled on Griffin's face. "She's not any happier about this than you
are, but I think this would be a good place for her."
"Where is she
from?"
"A long way from here.
I'm not worried about danger finding her; I'm worried about her cracking or
running. Some people can live a lie with no problems. Others can't."
He
knew that better than anyone.
The door opened again, and
for a split second he thought it might be the person Paul had brought to the
bar, but the woman with reddish-blonde hair and sparkling green eyes was much
more familiar and even more disturbing. She'd been very attractive in the orange
bikini she'd had on yesterday, but it had been hard to get past the enormous
fear in her eyes. Today, wearing white jeans and a clingy blue top, she looked
beautiful and back on her game.
But
why was she here?
He couldn't believe it was a coincidence.
"Damn," he
muttered.
"Ex-girlfriend?"
Paul asked, raising an eyebrow as he followed his gaze.
"No, but not someone I
wanted to see."
"You never want to see
anyone. I'm still surprised someone as unfriendly as you decided to open a
bar."
Sometimes—like today—he
asked himself the same question. But while there were a lot of people in the
bar, he didn't have to interact with very many of them.
As the redhead's gaze lit
on him, a smile spread across her face. He felt like he'd just been struck by a
hot, bright ray of sun. It warmed up places in his body that had gone cold a
long time ago.
"I'm going to get
Megan and bring her in," Paul said, getting to his feet. "I'll let
you deal with whatever this is."
"What?" he asked,
a little distracted by the woman making her way across the bar.
"I'll be right
back."
He had a lot more he wanted
to say to Paul, but his friend was already gone, and the woman he'd pulled out
of the ocean yesterday was almost at his table. He stood up, his nerves
tightening. He could sense danger from a mile away. He didn't know why this
woman was trouble; he just knew that she was.
About the Author
Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of 60 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Traditionally published for many years, Barbara opened Fog City Publishing in 2011 and has since sold over 7 million books! Twenty-three of her titles have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists, including one title, SUMMER SECRETS, which hit #1 on the NYT. In 2014 Barbara was named the Amazon KDP Bestselling Author of all time! She was also the first Indie writer to sell over a million books on Barnes and Noble.
Known for her emotional and compelling stories of love, family, romance and suspense, Barbara is a six-time finalist and two-time winner in the Romance Writers of America acclaimed RITA contest for her novels DANIEL'S GIFT and THE WAY BACK HOME.
For more information, visit her website at www.barbarafreethy.com
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