Summer Chances: Mountain Ridge Resort

By Lisa Freed

JADE

Everything that could go wrong in my life recently has. Normally I'm not impulsive, but sometimes you must take a deep breath and take the chance. Which brings me here to Mountain Ridge Resort. When a hungover, sexy older man steps out of the bushes, it doesn't take much to convince him we can get over our woes together and have the best revenge by enjoying ourselves. Flings are meant to end, and I can't ask for more. Can I?

 

BAXTER

Planned at the request of my ex, I should have cancelled this trip as swiftly as she ended our relationship. Who goes to a romantic resort by themselves anyway? Yet here I am, alone, drunk, and miserable. When I stumble across a woman doing yoga to hard rock, more than the music catches my interest. We agree to a fun-filled week together and what happens at the Mountain Ridge Resort stays here. Except, I don't want to lose what I found with her. Will she take a chance on forever with me?   

 

Summer is the season for love at Mountain Ridge Resort! Pack your bags and get ready to have the time of your life at this charming, lakeside resort nestled in the Virginia mountains. This summer, our guests are getting much more than they expect, when what starts as a summer getaway ends in love and happily-ever-after! Your reservation is confirmed. Check in today, and join some of your favorite romance authors for 25 unforgettable, steamy, summer love stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lisa Freed
• Release date: Aug 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9798223964216

Lisa Freed

Lisa Freed loves nothing more than some sunshine and a good book. When not writing you can find her somewhere with her nose buried in a book or out walking the beaches in search of new ideas and sea glass. 

Book preview

SUMMER CHANCES

JADE

Everything that could go wrong in my life recently has. Normally I’m not impulsive, but sometimes you must take a deep breath and take the chance. Which brings me here to Mountain Ridge Resort. When a hungover, sexy older man steps out of the bushes, it doesn’t take much to convince him we can get over our woes together and have the best revenge by enjoying ourselves. Flings are meant to end, and I can’t ask for more. Can I?

BAXTER

Planned at the request of my ex, I should have cancelled this trip as swiftly as she ended our relationship. Who goes to a romantic resort by themselves anyway? Yet here I am, alone, drunk, and miserable. When I stumble across a woman doing yoga to hard rock, more than the music catches my interest. We agree to a fun-filled week together and what happens at the Mountain Ridge Resort stays here. Except, I don’t want to lose what I found with her. Will she take a chance on forever with me?   

––––––––

Summer is the season for love at Mountain Ridge Resort! Pack your bags and get ready to have the time of your life at this charming, lakeside resort nestled in the Virginia mountains. This summer, our guests are getting much more than they expect, when what starts as a summer getaway ends in love and happily-ever-after! Your reservation is confirmed. Check in today and join some of your favorite romance authors for 25 unforgettable, steamy, summer love stories.

CHAPTER ONE

BAXTER

An epic guitar riff pulls me from a wonderful dream. Even worse, it wakes me from the first decent sleep I’ve had in what feels like weeks. I want to scream, to curse, and strangely, start head banging.

Scrunching my eyes closed, I can almost remember the happy young man I was when I first heard this song over twenty years ago. Back when I was a nobody kid, with my head full of dreams and most months my bank account dangerously close to being overdrawn. My dry lips crack open in a sneer, my left hand blindly fumbling for the half-empty bottle of Jack on the nightstand.

My motions are too fast and the bottle crashes to the floor. Blearily, I crane my head to view the shattered bottle and the deep amber liquid puddling. Thumping my head back onto the overlarge, fluffy pillow, I stare sightlessly up at the crisscrossing golden timbers of wood making up the ceiling of the cabin. The very expensive luxury cabin I reserved at my then-girlfriend’s urgings.

Very much like the spilled booze and broken glass on the floor, my life is a mess.

The music continues to vibrate through me, stirring up nostalgia and a slow burning ember of anger.

‘A scenic getaway, peace and tranquility... it will do you a world of good, Bax.’ The condescending voice of my manager, Melvin, echoes in my head. My fist flies out and smashes into the empty pillow next to me.

Peaceful, my ass.

I only booked this for my ex. Why the hell did Melvin think this would be a good idea? Obviously, my manager likes to torture me.

With a groan, I swing my legs over the side of the bed and sit up, rubbing my hands over my face and through my tangle of curls, snarling a bit when I rip through a knot. I probably deserve every bit of misery I’m currently feeling. What I don’t deserve is the racket that woke me up.

Standing up, I jerk back with a yelp, the back of my knees hitting the thick wooden bedframe and my body falling onto the firm mattress. Dazed, I lay there for a moment, panting harshly and staring up at the ceiling beams that I’m beginning to dislike, before bringing my foot up and gazing at the reddish liquid dripping from it in a slow trickle.

Oh yeah, the Jack Daniels. I’m lucky the warm liquor startled me and not a piece of the broken bottle slicing into my foot.

I take greater care when getting to my feet this time, skirting the mess on the floor. Rolling my shoulders, my neck cracks and the loud pops of my spine remind me I’m getting too old for this shit. Something I should remember the next time I feel like drinking myself into a stupor.

Grabbing my shorts and the t-shirt from yesterday, I waste little time tossing them on and shoving my feet into a pair of sandals. I’m halfway out the door when I wince and stumble back, groping for my dark sunglasses. I slap them on and go out in search of the loud music, which has switched over to some classic AC/DC.

This is a nice place, semi-secluded cabins, clean walkways and trails all over, and sweet-smelling fresh air. If I left my cabin more, I’d probably enjoy it.

I don’t feel like being sociable, so I’ve rarely left it since checking in, having my meals brought around for an extra fee. I barely refrained from laughing when the cheerful desk attendant was so hesitant about the extra change. What good is money if not to buy me some privacy? I’m fucking loaded, even if Melvin whines about me not working in over a year.

The music grows louder as I approach the next