The Coach's Valentine Bride: Meadow Ridge

By Catherine Moore

Welcome to Meadow Ridge, Texas, where high school football and gossip are the town's favorite sports! Julia Evans finds love again with former professional football player-turned-high school coach, Tyler Blalock. The two met six months ago when Julia moved to town with her son, Jason, who is coached by Tyler. That's enough to make a small town talk. Throw in a few bitter boosters and a wedding guest with a big secret, and you're invited to an unforgettable wedding!

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cobalt Blue Publications, LLC
• Release date: Feb 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781733085830

Catherine Moore

Catherine Moore grew up under the Friday Night Lights of Texas high school football. A former football blogger, she's moved to sports romance with the introduction of the Meadow Ridge Football series.

Book preview

New Year’s Day

Julia looked at Tyler across the kitchen table in disbelief. Get married on Valentine’s Day? As in, six weeks from now?

Why not? Tyler countered, We know we want to get married, why wait any longer?

Julia looked into his mesmerizing blue eyes. A former professional football player turned high school coach, Tyler Blalock still looked like he could suit up and play on Sunday. His medium-brown hair was cut short, and while it showed some signs of thinning, nothing else gave away his age. In a gray waffle-knit shirt and faded blue jeans, he appeared casual and confident.

The sight of him made her think she was dreaming. I still can’t believe I’m engaged to a gorgeous football coach who used to play the game professionally, she confessed as she got up and moved toward the coffeepot. She needed more coffee to discuss this idea further. She stood by the kitchen sink and noticed her engagement ring caught the morning sunlight from the window as she refilled her coffee mug. The shiny jewelry provided a stark contrast to her outfit, a well-worn favorite navy blue sweatshirt and the first pair of jeans her hand touched when she’d opened her dresser drawer this morning. Her hasty makeup job and tousled, slightly damp dark brown hair completed a picture that she had no doubt made her look less than glamorous as this important discussion took place.

We just got engaged, she told him as she set her mug on the counter and replaced the coffeepot. Indeed, the couple got engaged just a week earlier, on Christmas Eve.

To say her life had taken an unexpected turn was an understatement. Julia Evans moved to Meadow Ridge, Texas with her son, Jason, six months ago. She chose the town as a place to start a new chapter of her life after being widowed two years earlier. Instead, she found herself engaged to Tyler, her son’s football position coach, something she never anticipated.

Tyler walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her temple, whispering, I’ve waited my whole life for you. I don’t want to wait anymore.

She closed her eyes, basking in Tyler’s embrace. When you put it that way, how can I resist? she whispered back.

Tyler backed up, grabbed his coffee, and handed Julia her refilled cup. Here’s to getting married on Valentine’s Day, he clinked his cup against hers.

To getting married on Valentine’s Day, she echoed, with excitement and a hint of trepidation in her voice.

One

Tyler sat in the living room watching college football bowl games. He had texted a few friends with the news that a wedding date was set. Julia had observed the process from the opposite end of the couch, envying the simplicity of men’s communication styles. A simple text announcing the date and a text back. She’d secretly wondered if the replies were one word, Bruh, or Bet. In the end, she decided she preferred not knowing.

From her perch on the couch, she tried texting her news to Jenny Atkinson, her closest friend in town and a lifelong friend of Tyler’s family.  The reply was not a text, but a phone call of elation, which made Julia leave the living room and continue the call in her office. Jenny was delighted for her new friend and her old friend, Tyler, who was like an honorary older brother to her. She followed up her initial excitement with questions on planning specifics. Julia took the moment to ask Jenny to serve as maid of honor, which she accepted, and both women agreed to talk again in the next few days.

Breaking the news to Julia’s mother via text was impossible, too. Which was why she found her mother’s name in her contact list as she sat back in her desk chair after she finished her call with Jenny. She waited for her mother to answer.

Julia, happy new year! Sharon Montgomery warmly greeted her only daughter. Julia’s father was deceased, and while her mother lived alone, she was in the same town outside Austin where Julia’s brother lived with his family.

Happy new year to you, Mom, she began.

And how is that handsome fiancé of yours? Sharon was initially surprised to learn of Julia’s