Where You Lead
By Mary Calmes
4/5
()
About this ebook
ATF agent Peter Lomax isn’t a hearts and flowers kind of guy, but he can be possessive, and it caused problems until Carver Fleming. Carver may be part of the art world, but he gets Peter, loves belonging to the man, and Peter treasures the way Carver understands them together.
Carver loves Peter, but he's fully aware that six months doth not a commitment make. Carver wants to make the relationship last forever, but he’ll have to leave their life in Chicago to take care of the family he loves. He wants to do it with Peter by his side, but going from the city of Chicago to tiny Colt, Kentucky is a big change.
Carver has only one Christmas wish: Please, oh please, let Peter fall enough in love with Carver's family to follow Carver home.
Mary Calmes
Mary Calmes believes in romance, happily ever afters, and the faith it takes for her characters to get there. She bleeds coffee, thinks chocolate should be its own food group, and currently lives in Kentucky with a five-pound furry ninja that protects her from baby birds, spiders, and the neighbor’s dogs. To stay up to date on her ponderings and pandemonium (as well as the adventures of the ninja), follow her on Twitter @MaryCalmes, connect with her on Facebook, and subscribe to her Mary’s Mob newsletter.
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Reviews for Where You Lead
41 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Classic Calmes. Sweet Christmas story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely fantastic book with a great story line, totally recommended!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautiful love story.. it's a story of a families love for their son no matter who he chooses to love...it's a story of small southern town acceptance and a welcome home to a beloved son and friend. It has much more than just a happy ending. Be aware that it is centered around a controversial subject that many may/will find objectionable. The reader can't have any preconceived prejudices in order to feel any degree of happiness for these two. It's short...only 54 pages... but it's ....as I said...beautiful in every meaning of the word.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What a great holiday story. And not just because it is set around Christmas, but it's the spirit of the story, with its theme of love, home, and family that makes it so special. Pete, the slightly gruff ATF agent, and Carver, the somewhat wild artist and gallery owner, are a wonderful couple. And even though they are trying to find their way into "forever" after only six months of knowing each other, with all the emotional fireworks that entails, I never really doubted they would make it. Their love is just that deep and they are both that determined.
Having Pete, the tough special agent, needing to make a decision to move if he wanted to stay with Carver was unexpected for him. Add the fact he is facing small town life, and I can see why he may hesitate. Worse than that, Carver never even told him until it was too late. Yes, he may have been scared, and yes, he may have had his own issues to deal with (his mother's stroke basically causing the whole situation), but he really should have discussed it with Pete.
The secondary characters, mainly Carver's parents, were brilliant too, as was the peek into small town life where everyone knows everyone else and their secrets. If you like sweet, warm Christmas stories, if you enjoy seeing two stubborn men butting heads over who loves whom more, and if you're looking for an absolutely lovely read about home and family, then you will probably enjoy this novella. I certainly did!
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
Book preview
Where You Lead - Mary Calmes
One
TRUTHFULLY, THE idea had been a good one, and you had to give it to the director’s wife for coming up with a fun way to drum up contributions to the fallen agents’ fund, but why we all needed to go was beyond me. It wasn’t like, on our salaries, plus living in Chicago, we could actually afford to purchase any of the art on sale.
Not that any of us had any real appreciation of what we were looking at anyway. I had a little more than the others because I had the hot boyfriend who ran a different gallery in the city. He was on loan, along with a lot of other people, to oversee the well-publicized black-tie event.
It’s a roach,
my partner, special agent Elliott Dorsey of the ATF, was explaining to his lovely wife Felicia. Pete and I had to come over here earlier to drop Carver off some food so he wouldn’t starve to death, and we saw this creepy piece of crap then.
I asked C when the giant—
I burped up a chili dog I’d had for lunch. —can of Raid was gonna be added, but he just told me to get out.
Which was rude,
Elliott commented.
Right?
And I still don’t see it.
He pointed, gesturing at the eyesore in the center of the gallery.
No sound from Felicia, so after a second, we both turned to look at her. She looked absolutely horrified.
What?
I asked her.
Are you kidding?
She seemed agitated but still beautiful. I had never seen her in an evening dress before.
Bug making you wanna hurl?
I don’t really get it,
Elliott said, wincing. And if you think about it, it’s actually kinda gross.
It’s not a bug!
Felicia Dorsey insisted, looking at us both like we were nuts. And where is Carver? I need him here to cut the stupid.
He’s around here some—Hey,
I said defensively. Are you trying to say something about me and your husband?
Trying?
she demanded sarcastically.
It’s totally a bug,
Elliott said, pointing at the long strands protruding from the top—or what I thought was the top—of the sculpture. Those are the feeler thingies on top.
Antennae,
I corrected him.
They are not,
Felicia insisted.
Are you high, woman?
Elliott asked his wife, gesturing with both hands. Can you not see the legs and the wings? It’s a sewer roach.
It is,
I agreed, tipping my head at the back end. And I think that’s supposed to be crap it’s climbing out of.
Oh dear God,
she groaned.
Maybe it’s supposed to represent urban decay,
Elliott said, obviously pleased with himself.
The plight of the inner city.
She whirled around to face the both of us. You guys are disgusting. They would not put a giant roach on display here at the Sanderson Gallery! Ask Carver if you don’t believe me.
We were both quiet.
Stop looking at me like—Gah! I hate you both.
I squinted at her. Money where your mouth is, smarty-pants. Twenty bucks says it’s a bug.
She’s not taking that bet,
Elliott said. It’s totally a bug.
Ohmygod, where is Carver?
she moaned loudly.
Don’t cry about it,
I baited her.
She’s just bein’ weird ’cause she’s all dolled up for once and she doesn’t want us to make fun of all the froufrou art.
Elliott yawned again. Man, I’m beat.
What art?
I grumbled. It’s a bug.
It’s not a bug!
she half yelled. Do you know what normally gets sold out of this art gallery?
Art?
Elliott snickered, cracking himself up.
I nodded helpfully.
Seriously, could you two just grow up for one night?
Gotta be good,
I told him. We’re dressed up.
’Cause it’s nice in here.
Upscale.
Fancy,
he said, dragging out the word
Swank.
Refined.
He made a clicking noise with his tongue.
Stylish.
Chic.
Ritzy.
He furrowed his eyebrows because he was thinking.
Ohmygod, stop,
his wife snapped at us. If you two could not ruin my night with your juvenile crap, I—
Speaking of,
Elliott said, cutting her off, his gaze on me. I bet you can’t take a crap here.
You’re daring me to take a dump?
No, I’m saying I bet the bathroom is way too nice here to drop a load in.
Are you kidding?
Felicia moaned.
No matches,
I offered.
Only scented candles,
he confirmed, shaking his head. Not gonna cut through the noxious cloud of gas.
You’d have people passing out all over the place.
I gestured to include everything.
Ohmygod, you two need to be separated,
she whispered harshly, stepping between us.
But why?
Elliott stomped his foot.
Spinning me around and then shoving me forward, she ordered me to get lost.
Yeah, but—
Go rescue your man from whoever’s got him,
she directed, sliding her arm through her husband’s to lead him away.