Annie's Turn

By Debra Holt

Meet Annie, Trace, and Travis... the Cartwrights of Cartwright’s Crossing, Texas. In this prequel that introduces you to them, you’ll get a preview into their lives and what brought them to their own searches for happily-ever-after’s.

Trace, world-champion bronc rider, began the Cartwright saga with his story... Claiming the Maverick’s Heart (inspirational romance). He left his fiancé standing on the steps of the church with a Dear Jane letter in her hand. It took him a while to grow up and realize that his heart had remained behind with her and he needed to find out if a second chance with his one and only love could be the answer to his prayer.

Trouble Rides a Horse (contemporary romance) introduces Travis, the oldest of the Cartwright siblings. He took on the raising of his young siblings and the reins of running the Cartwright ranch all at the same time. He had to grow up fast and there wasn’t time for the frivolities of youth or anything else. He needs a nudge to find that special woman who could match him step-for-stubborn-step. Annie gets involved and advertises online for just such a person for him and sparks fly in more ways than one.

Annie’s story, The Neighborly Thing to Do (contemporary romance), ends the trilogy. Annie’s luck has been bad when it comes to catching bridal bouquets. This time, she tosses it away to the new fire marshal in town. She isn’t in the market for another romance, but her new tenant might just change her mind. While his job is putting out fires, he has an uncanny knack in starting a blaze within her. But is he all he seems or will she be duped again and her heart left in pieces?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BurnettYoungBooks
• Release date: Dec 13, 2017

Book preview

Annie’s Turn

Prequel to The Cartwright Series-

Claiming a Maverick's Heart

Trouble Rides a Horse

The Neighborly Thing to Do

By

Debra Holt

Annie’s Turn By Debra Holt

Published by BY Books

P.O. Box 1

Clarklake, MI 49234

ISBN: 978-1-64071-012-2

Copyright © 2017 by Debra Holt

Cover design by Elaina Less www.Forthemusedesigns.com

Interior design by Donato Toledo Jr.

Available in print and ebook from your local bookstore, online, or from the publisher at: www.BurnettYoungBooks.com

For more information on this book and the author, visit: www.DebraHoltBooks.com

All rights reserved. Non-commercial interests may reproduce portions of this book without the express written permission of BY Books, provided the text does not exceed 500 words. When reproducing text from this book, include the following credit line: Trouble Rides a Horse by Debra Holt published by BY Books. Used by permission.

Commercial interests: No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by the United States of America copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination or are used for fictional purposes.

Any mentioned brand names, places, and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners, bear no association with the author or the publisher, and are used for fictional purposes only.

Brought to you by the creative team at Burnett Young Books: Meaghan Burnett & Cyle Young

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Holt, Debra

Annie’s Turn / Debra Holt 1st ed.

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter One

The sun was just about to set behind the hills to the west. The last golden rays filtered through the stained-glass windows. The inside of the church was eerily quiet. Guests had gone home and the organ was mute. The bright yellow roses and white daisies of the altar piece at the end of the aisle looked a bit forlorn. Much the same as the bouquet lying at her feet on the carpet, its yellow and white ribbons out of place against the deep burgundy pile. Annie Cartwright bent to retrieve the bridal bouquet that had been tossed by the bride. The difference being that it had been thrown away in pain and anger… not in happiness. It had no purpose now. She knew the feeling.

While her brother Travis drove Macy, the bride, back to her home, Annie had been the one to remain behind and call the list of vendors and pack up what personal items remained in the changing room. She had endured more than enough shocked exclamations of disbelief and fought to push down the rising bilge of shame in her throat due to guilt by association to the man who had ruined so much… her brother, Trace Cartwright. The groom who had left a ‘Dear Jane’ letter for her best friend, Macy Donovan… the woman he had professed to love so much.

The buzzing of her cell phone buried inside her shoulder bag echoed in harsh tones across the peace of the sanctuary. She withdrew it and then caught her breath in surprise when she saw the caller ID.

You’ve got a hell of a nerve calling me, Trace! You better be on your way back here right now. The words flew out of her mouth fueled by the anger boiling up like a geyser inside her. Sorry. She flashed a quick look towards the altar, reminded too late of her surroundings. She turned to stomp up the aisle, gathering her chiffon skirts as best she could in the hand that also held the bouquet, trying not to trip on them in her haste. Using her shoulder, she pushed through the door to the outside. Where are you?

That’s not important right now, Annie. How’s Macy?

Annie had to count to ten before she answered. Gee, I don’t know, Trace. How do you think a bride would be right now having arrived at the church on the happiest day of her life to find that the man she thought loved her and would be there waiting for her had jilted her? He had turned tail and run like a yellow dog coward! Annie fought to keep her voice level low, but it was a losing battle. All she really wanted to do was reach through the phone and grab her brother by the throat and drag him there.

A low, deep sighing sound came across the line in the silence. If she wasn’t so angry she might be concerned