Love at Lucky Stables

By Ashley Hampton

Mystery surrounds Lucky Stables. Many, like Emily Lane's parents, fell in love there. After tragedy struck, Emily ran far away, believing the Stables were cursed. In Emily's absence, Shane Patterson stepped in to help Emily's aging father. When Emily returns home, will Shane help her believe in love and luck again?

This book is the first in a set of stand alone stories that will make up the "Every Woman's Fantasy" series. This series will include swoon worthy sexy heroes in professions that are "every woman's fantasy." Each story will be a quick, hot erotic romance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashley Hampton
• Release date: May 8, 2017

Ashley Hampton

Ashley Hampton works as a Licensed Psychologist in private practice during the day. When she leaves work, she puts on her writer and photographer hats and enjoys living in the worlds created in her mind. She lives near her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama with her cat, Gemma. Ashley wanted to find a creative way to meld her love for music and psychology with writing, and the Southern Rock Lyrics series was born. With other series planned, Ashley wants to write in the romance, erotica, and psychological thriller genres.

Book preview

Prologue

Emily

10-years-old

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Mama, I don't want you to die. I sob as I hold her thin hand. I want to fix her, but I am not sure how.

Baby, it's okay. I'll continue to watch over you everyday. I'm proud of you. I want you to continue to work hard, and I know all your dreams will come true. Look at me, Sweetheart.

I look up to meet her eyes, and I notice a tear roll down her cheek. She sniffs and grips my hand tight. I want you to take care of your Dad. You remember the story we told you about the stables, right? I nod my head, and she continues. The Stables are lucky. I found your Dad there when I was a teenager. He was so handsome, and the way he was with the horses stole my heart. It was love at first sight. We weren't the first ones, baby girl, and we won't be the last. Keep working and learning. The Stables will bring you love and happiness. It's your home, Emily.

Yes, Mama, I reply as I carefully cross my fingers behind my back. The Stables aren't lucky. If they were, they could make my Mama better. I will take care of my daddy, but I'll never find love at the Stables. Love hurts. Love leaves. Besides, boys are gross. No thank you. Not interested.

1

Emily

Present Day

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Doctor Emily Lane.

The president of Auburn University calls my name, and I walk across the stage, shoulders back, head high, and a huge smile on my face. As I shake his hand and accept my diploma, I feel a tear escape the corner of my eye and roll down my cheek. I step away from him and attempt to discretely wipe it away as I continue across the stage. My Mama would have enjoyed seeing this. I glance over to see my daddy smiling, and I wave. He waves back and gives me the thumbs up sign, which makes me giggle.

The couple next to my daddy are Hank and Charlotte West, my surrogate grandparents. To my small hometown of Ruskin, Tennessee, Hank is the town physician, and Charlotte is the town veterinarian. They started their practices in the days when doctors made house calls, and they still prefer to work that way to this day.

When my Mama got sick, Charlotte took me with her on her house calls. She inspired my career choice, and a series of events is leading me home to Ruskin to take over her veterinary practice. Moving back to Ruskin was not in my plan. It is a tiny town about 20 minutes outside of a slightly larger but still small town called Thurston. A couple of months ago, my daddy had a nasty accident on the farm tractor. He continues to try to rehab his leg, but Hank has told me it is likely Daddy will need a cane to walk for the rest of his life. Walking with a cane and working a farm with open stables aren't exactly synonymous. So back to Ruskin, I go, even though I wanted to accept a job offer from a veterinary group in Birmingham, Alabama. I'll take over the household duties and work with Charlotte until she fully retires at the end of the year. Daddy told me he hired a stable hand, Shane Patterson, shortly after the accident, and Shane has told Daddy he wants to stay on at least until I get settled. Apparently he does a good job. I have already heard rave reviews from Daddy and Hank about his work.

The other graduates stand to leave, and the reality of the ceremony hits me hard. I am officially Doctor Emily Lane. As I remove my hat and smooth my hair, I chuckle to myself at what a great cat toy my tassle will make. My cat, Stevie, will love batting it around and chewing on the tassle.

Emily! Over here! I hear Charlotte yelling.

The three of them are a sight to behold. They have been my personal cheering squad for my accomplishments over the years. Although the Alabama summer is hot and muggy, my daddy is wearing a long-sleeve shirt and what appear to be new Wrangler jeans with his dress boots. I never understood how he could wear a long-sleeve shirt in the dead of summer and not die of heat exhaustion. Hank is dressed in a short-sleeve dress shirt, khakis, and his signature bowtie. He is mopping sweat from his bald head with a handkerchief. The only hint of Charlotte's age is the gray in her hair, which is pulled back into a bun. Her trim figure is elegant in a plum pantsuit, which is a far cry from the muddy jeans and boots I am used to seeing her wear. She once told me she had to stay fit to take care of large, strong animals, like horses, when they were sick. I now think she's just slim by nature's grace, where I need at least an hour in the gym every day to stay in shape.

I approach the group and take turns hugging each of them, thanking them for making the trip to share in my special occasion. Charlotte is the first to speak, which is not unusual amongst the three of them.

Emily, we are so proud of you, and I am looking forward to working with you. When are you coming home? Charlotte minces no words, and we all have a good laugh at her expense.

Charlotte, she's been here eight years. She needs some time to get things together before she leaves. Don't pressure her, Hank answers for me as he pats Charlotte's shoulder.

Daddy clears his throat, and I shift my gaze to him. I'm happier than you two put together. He hobbles toward me and wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me tight. My baby girl is finally coming home. It's about time. He kisses the top of my head before shifting to look me in the eyes. I'm proud of you, Sweetheart.

Thanks, Daddy. We did it. Now let's go back to my apartment and celebrate with the lasagna Charlotte made. I link my arm with Daddy's and walk toward the parking lot with Hank and Charlotte holding hands behind us.

As I dole out the food onto a table that supported my studying for countless exams, I am grateful for the time to enjoy my family without an impending test, a long to-do list, or an emergency cell phone tied to the vet hospital. Eight years of long days and nights full of studying, hardly any sleep, and eating on the run is over. It is time to move home and start working.

2

Emily

Daddy , Hank, and Charlotte left early Monday morning to avoid the packing insanity invading my small apartment. Boxes, packing tape, and bubble wrap cover every surface and have spilled into the living room and kitchen floors. After dinner, they tried to help me pack but abandoned helping when they realized they did not know what I would be selling or giving away before the move. We shared quite a few laughs when Charlotte put two items into a box and I removed one. They called it a night, and I continued packing, too amped to go to sleep at a decent hour.

As I stare into what remains of the packing abyss while I eat breakfast, I realize there isn't much left to pack. Most of my belongings will fit in my enclosed trailer I bought from the school a couple of years ago. The surplus gods worked in my favor that day, and I scored a sweet enclosed trailer with decent tires for a couple hundred bucks. Having a trailer to move my things home is a huge bonus.

Because I promised to finish up and be on the road by the end of the week, I hop up and start wrapping dishes. I know the kitchen will take the most time to pack because I am keeping almost everything. I am moving back to the guesthouse at Lucky Stables, my daddy's horse farm, so I don't need to move any furniture. Daddy said he already moved my personal things from my bedroom and some of my Mama's things into the guesthouse. I want to purchase new furniture instead of moving my mismatched college furniture that had really seen better days.

I check my watch just as I hear a knock on the door. I open it and see a handful of undergrad boys right on time to pick up the furniture I am selling for their new apartment. As they pick up the futon, one of them introduced himself as Andrew and handed me a fistful of cash.

Thank you, Andrew. I appreciate you coming to get this stuff on short notice, I said as I counted the cash before folding it and putting it in my pocket. "Are