Greene Family

Two aching hearts. A meddling small town. A second chance. It's not a new story. Wife finds out husband's been cheating on her and she packs up her four kids and heads back to her hometown, Sunrise Bay, Alaska. Yeah, not a fresh start, but thousands of miles away from my ex will do just fine. I'm prepared for the cold weather, the early snowfalls, and dark days and nights. What I'm not prepared for is coming face to face with my ex's cousin and for the same feelings from twenty years ago to ignite like the flame never went out. It doesn't take long before people are whispering about the widowed Hank Greene and me. But we both have children to think of this time around. Then again, Hank knows what it's like to be a single parent and sometimes those damn dimples of his make it hard to remember why we can't be together. NOTE: This is a prequel to The Greene Family series and does not have to be read in order to enjoy the series.

Author Note: Previously titled My Beautiful Nemesis Who's the mystery woman who just walked into my brewery? I'm not the only one from my Alaskan small town asking themselves that question. But I'm positive, I'm the only one in Sunrise Bay undressing the pretty blonde in my head. Everything about her, from her make-up to her high heels says she's a fish out of water. Whispers and speculations run rampant until the secret of who she is gets uncovered. Then the rumor mill goes into overdrive when she announces she's staying to open a bookstore in the building next to mine-throwing a big wrench into my plans to buy that empty building. I quickly find myself in a tug-of-war since my business partner/brother is upset she's ruined the opportunity to expand our business. I try to keep my distance, but I've got one sister with a gossip column on the local radio station and two meddling grandmas setting me up as a tour director. And now I kind of like the idea of our new neighbor staying. But small-town life isn't for the weak-time will tell if she has what it takes to be one of us.

In the middle of a crowded bar in our small Alaskan town, my estranged wife snuggles up to me as if we're still a happy couple. Don't get me wrong, we were a happy couple-before she walked out on me a year ago. We were the high school sweethearts everyone thought were destined to be together forever. We thought so too, which is why we married shortly after graduation. We had a good marriage. Until she left me without any real explanation. Now, she's back-and this is the real kicker-she has amnesia and thinks I'm still her husband. Technically I am, although the divorce papers are sitting at the lawyer's office. She's desperate to remember her life in Sunrise Bay but I only want to find out why she left me. Once we conjure that memory up, it's sayonara because there's no second chances here. But, as you probably already figured out, things didn't go quite as I planned.

Waking up next to a stranger wearing a wedding ring was not on the itinerary. I came to Las Vegas for a quick girl's trip, but somehow ended up a married woman. What I thought would stay in Vegas followed me back to my small town of Sunrise Bay, Alaska. Of course, my new husband-MMA champion fighter, Logan Stone, couldn't find me alone at my house to tell me he wants to give our impromptu nuptials a shot. He has, to tell me in front of my entire family and half the town. The two of us couldn't be more opposite, but he offers me a deal I can't refuse which involves me pretending we're happily married for three months. Yeah, a lot of things can, change in that short amount of time, most importantly catching feelings for a man whose lifestyle I despise.

Catch up with the Greene family during their annual summer party. There's sure to be surprise announcements and unexpected guests!

I broke the cardinal rule and slept with my sister's best friend. Granted, I'd just found out that I was now a single father to a three-year-old little girl and was low on willpower. It should also be noted that there's been sexual tension between us for years. There's no way it would be a surprise if anyone in our small town found out. That is if we were telling people, which we're not. We're in agreement to keep our affair a secret, especially since neither one of us do relationships. You've probably figured it out already, but things didn't go as planned.

I never thought of myself as dad material. Until my one-night stand showed up in my small Alaskan town five months pregnant. But I don't shy away from responsibility. First, because I'm a Greene and not to boast but we're kind of a big deal in Sunrise Bay. Second, I'm the Sheriff. I couldn't have predicted how protective I'd become for the safety of her and my unborn baby to the point of asking her to move in with me and be my roommate. Just when I think I have the situation under control, another surprise knocks me over, but it only spurs me to double down. I'll be the first to admit, I didn't think it through. Somewhere between the dinners, the TV show binging, the doctor appointments, and me walking in on her naked, lines blurred. In what feels like warp speed, my bachelor for life status is in jeopardy and I'm fighting for the most important thing of all-my family.

Preparing a Christmas to remember is no small feat with a family the size of the Greenes. Especially when the woman who has always been the planner down to every minute detail, falls ill only five days before the holiday. The family has no choice but to scramble to ensure that nothing is amiss. Cookies need to be decorated, gingerbread houses assembled and decorations to be hung. They'll need all hands on deck, both young and old, to make this holiday happen. But of course, what would a Greene Christmas be if not chaotic with a dash of drama?