Rescued (A McKenzie Ridge Novel Book 1) by Stephanie St. Klaire Read Free Book Online Page A

daughter with Lou Shaw, she was quick to drop and run. Bette wasn’t one to plant roots anywhere, which meant Sam didn’t either, so finding McKenzie Ridge and a home she could ditch her daughter, made chasing her next husband become much easier, and Sam finally had stability in her life.
    Lou couldn’t stand the sights of Bette Morrison, didn’t trust that woman any more than a rabid raccoon in the middle of the afternoon, but Lou was a fair woman, believed in second chances, or in this case twenty or thirty—people could change. Lou loved Sam, so she was happy to take her in and raise her as her own, especially when Bette needed to ‘take a trip’ that she would never come back from.
    ***
    Evie was already in the sunroom sipping her coffee and eating cookies, eyeing Sam with a devilish grin, as she came into the room. Sam halted in the doorway completely aware of what was coming next, small town, news travels fast. Rolling her eyes, Sam threw her head back, cheeks blushed, and quickly turned to retreat and avoid entering the Evie’s web of questions. She was here to eat sweets, not get grilled.
    Fun, energetic, and kind spirited, Everly Shaw—jaws drop and heads turn when she’s around, her beautiful blonde hair, golden skin, and hazel eyes are like a ray of sunshine, pouring in. Tall, lean, toned in all the right places, she was hot, but she was choosing to live vicariously through Sam, rather than find love herself.
    Evie’s parents died when she was nine. They were killed in an accident while hiking. Evie was spared, but waited two days alone with her deceased parents in the woods, waiting for rescue. Something like that changes a person, as a child it either enlivens you or completely screws you up; Evie had traces of both. Her childhood rooted her desire to be a nurse, but with adventure. Stationed at the same hospital as Sam, in the town they were raised, Evie’s days were filled with the excitement of helicopters, with her life flight assignments, and rappelling down cliffs to save lives as Search and Rescue. She was a real thrill seeker.
    The appeal was adventure, but Sam and Granny Lou knew it was a distraction; Evie never talked about what happened to her family. Her family was Granny Lou, Sam, and the smallest lady of the house, little Ellie—they were her everything. That little girl changed all of their lives and softened the hardness that was Evie’s heart; but only as much as a 4-year-old could. The most unlikely pair, opposites in every way, Evie and Sam were true soul sisters. She and Gran helped Sam through the early days of that whirlwind known as Ellie Lou—named after her and Gran in fact. Evie would do anything for the ladies in her life. Today, however, it was more about grilling Sam and enjoying every uncomfortable moment of embarrassment. This was going to be good.
    “Hold up sister, where do you think you’re going? Seems you have some steamy news to tell, my friend!” Everly said while rubbing her hands together like a sinister old maid; the sinister part was solidified by the deep throaty chuckle that accompanied the wiggling eyebrows.
    “Evie, please, you look like a starved piranha and it’s not a cute look on you,” Sam replied in hopes to shake the nagging dog off her scent. “I just want to stuff my face with some of those little bites of heaven over there or hide under a rock to avoid the nosey hen, lovingly known as you.”
    “Oh honey, you sit right here and stuff your face all you want while you explain that glow you’ve been carrying around. Something tells me it’s called Dawson Tayler?” Everly said in a sassy southern drawl while fanning herself and batting her lashes.
    “It’s called tired, and sweat, its hot outside,” Sam said in reference to this imaginary glow Everly was claiming. “And that something is called gossip. I swear this town is entirely too bored if my non -love life is the topic of town discussions.”
    Scooting her chair closer, Evie