States of Love: Illinois Innkeeper: States of Love

By Ann Omasta and Callie Love

After Graham's inn burns down, his life turns upside down…

 

Graham Timber has put everything into his quaint bed and breakfast in Charming Falls, Illinois. When disaster strikes and his business burns to the ground, his entire life is upended.

 

Miranda Wilson lives to fight fires. She's drawn to the quiet and handsome innkeeper, until the arson rumors surface.

 

Although Miranda doesn't want to believe it, the evidence seems to point to Graham as the culprit behind the fire.

 

Will Graham and Miranda's explosive chemistry burn out before their flame of passion can fully ignite? Find out in Illinois Innkeeper.

 

The States of Love books are scorching stories with heat, heart, and laughter. They feature strong characters, sizzling chemistry, and satisfying happily-ever-afters. Start anywhere. Binge-read them all. Feel the burn of true love with Illinois Innkeeper and satisfy your steamy romance craving.

• Language: English
• Publisher: More Happily Ever Afters
• Release date: Mar 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798201346553

Ann Omasta

Ann Omasta is a USA Today bestselling author.  Ann’s Top Ten list of likes, dislikes, and oddities: I despise whipped cream. There, I admitted it in writing. Let the ridiculing begin. Even though I have lived as far south as Key Largo, Florida, and as far north as Maine, I landed in the middle. If I don't make a conscious effort not to, I will drink nothing but tea morning, noon, and night. Hot tea, sweet tea, green tea––I love it all. There doesn't seem to be much in life that is better than coming home to a couple of big dogs who are overjoyed to see me. My other family members usually show significantly less enthusiasm about my return. Singing in my bestest, loudest voice does not make my family put on their happy faces. This includes the big, loving dogs referenced above. Yes, I am aware that bestest is not a word. Dorothy was right. There's no place like home. All of the numerous bottles in my shower must be lined up with their labels facing out. It makes me feel a little like Julia Roberts' mean husband from the movie Sleeping with the Enemy, but I can't seem to control this particular quirk. I love, love, love finding a great bargain! Did I mention that I hate whipped cream? It makes my stomach churn to look at it, touch it, smell it, or even think about it. Great––now I'm thinking about it. Ick! ** I would LOVE to send you a free copy of my novella, Aloha, Baby! Visit annomasta.com for details. ** Stay up-to-date on new releases and insider info by liking / following Ann: - Facebook: facebook.com/annomasta - Goodreads: goodreads.com/annomasta - Bookbub: bookbub.com/authors/ann-omasta - Website: annomasta.com

Book preview

1

GRAHAM

Ihave always been calm, quiet, and perfectly content to live in the background, while my younger brother is the magnetic, rock star-type––literally. He’s Gavin Timberbatch. Yes, the one who has stadiums full of screaming fans throwing their lacy skivvies onstage and hoping to shoot their shot with him.

Gavin has calmed down considerably in recent months and has even acquired a steady girlfriend, whom he seems to have fallen head over heels for, but that doesn’t stop his top fans––the self-proclaimed Timberbitches––from going to extreme lengths to meet him.

I’ve even had a few of his most avid fans show up at my inn with the hope that I might be able to introduce them to Gavin. As much as I’d like to help out the starry-eyed women, I won’t do anything to jeopardize my relationship with my kid brother. He and I don’t have the greatest parents or a large family, so Gavin is everything to me.

Besides, these women must be raving lunatics to travel all the way to my tiny inn, The Charming Hideout, located in Charming Falls, Illinois. It’s not like it’s on the way to, well, anywhere. But the quaint hotel is all mine, and I couldn’t be any prouder of it.

Gavin went through a rough patch with his fame with some false accusations that threatened to ruin his skyrocketing career, but he came through it like the champ that I know him to be.

Actually, the entire world knows he’s a champ, thanks to his win on USA Idol. I’ve never been so proud as the night he was voted the winner of that televised, nationwide singing competition. And that was just the beginning for Gavin. His career exploded after that… until the sexual assault claims threatened to take it all away from him.

I never doubted my brother’s innocence for a moment, but everyone else did. Well, everyone except his new love, Demi.

Demi stood by Gavin’s side during that dreadful time in his life and proved that she truly cares about the real man behind the rock star.

The two lovebirds came here for a quick visit a couple of weeks ago, and I couldn’t be happier for them. Gavin deserves that kind of all-consuming passion and love. We all do.

Gavin’s career has slowed down a bit now, and he is taking things in a new direction. With his phenomenal level of talent, I have no doubt that he will be massively successful no matter how he chooses to perform.

Other than my brother, my biggest pride and joy is my inn. I have done everything at The Charming Hideout––from sanding and staining the wood floors, to hanging and painting the crown molding. There likely isn’t a square inch in the entire place that hasn’t been touched, cleaned, or detailed by me. That kind of handiwork to improve a place creates a deeply ingrained love that can’t be bought.

Sure, it would be nice to have an easier career or a competent manager to run this place for me, but I can’t give up on my hotel baby. It may not be a huge moneymaker, but it’s mine, and I can’t imagine anything I’d rather be doing.

My guests choose this inn for the architectural details and rustic charm. I take the time to get to know them and cater to their needs in a way that a chain hotel near the highway can’t accomplish. The job may not be glamorous and sometimes it gets lonely, but it’s my life, and I’m content.

Today, I use the midday lull between morning check-outs and evening check-ins to run errands. After stopping by the local hardware store for more painting supplies to continue what seems to be the never-ending touchups from dings and scratches on the inn’s walls, I head to the grocery store for cereal, peanut butter, frozen dinners, and Oreos––my main food groups.

After I load the grocery bags into the back of my trusty old Jeep, I notice Mrs. Swindell ambling out toward her car. The independent, opinionated woman has been a staple in Charming Falls for as long as anyone can remember.

I return my cart to the corral and jog over to greet the cranky, older woman. It’s a beautiful, sunny day, isn’t it, Mrs. Swindell?

You came all the way over here just to blabber on about the weather? she asks in a grouchy tone.

Unoffended, I lean down to say near her ear, Actually, I rushed over here to flirt with a lovely woman, but I needed an excuse to speak to her.

At first, she seems confused by my compliment as she looks around. When comprehension dawns that I was referring to her, she pats her chest before fluffing her silvery-blue pin curls. Oh my… Yes, it’s a very nice day, Graham.

As I reach over to push her cart for her, she immediately slips back into her grumpy tone as she snaps, I can do it myself.

Oh, I know that you are a perfectly capable and independent lady, I assure the woman, before adding, But I would be honored to escort you to your car.

All right then, she answers primly.

Once I load her few grocery bags into her ancient, white Cadillac and close the enormous trunk’s lid, she says, It’s nice to see a young man from your unruly generation with actual manners.

In all the years I’ve been trying to win the standoffish woman over, it’s the nicest thing she has ever said to me.