Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 114211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Peace and quiet. That's all I'm looking for after two grueling tours in the Army.
Pete swears I'll find it if I join him on a trip to Spruce, Texas to reunite with his old military pal Cody.
What I find instead is the human hurricane called Anthony Myers.
We start off on the wrong foot. And that's followed by too many more wrong feet to count—or forgive.
That cocky, baby-faced, certifiable hot mess is loud, chaotic, and impossible to ignore.
He thinks he's gonna run me out of this town, but I've dealt with worse,
growing up defending my vulnerable brother and mother against our drunk father.
I'm more than equipped to handle a small-town menace
who's clearly got a chip on his shoulder for outsiders.
Besides, the more I encounter him, the pettier I'm inspired to be,
and two can play these games.
ANTHONY
This summer's been a total train wreck.
But I just found my groove with Juni, my new bestie and drinking partner-in-crime.
The last dang thing I need is an uptight, rule-abiding muscle-head named Bridger ruining my fun.
I'm everything he can't wild, reckless, and in his face.
But that doesn't give him the right to look down on me
with his annoyingly pretty blue eyes—like I'm nothing but the mess he can't fix.
Now my peaceful hometown of Spruce is a warzone of a different kind,
and I just might be the one and only thing standing between him
and the peace he's apparently so desperate to find.
Or maybe I'm the chaos he never knew he needed.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
SPRUCE GLOSSARY
The Spruce, Texas family is a big one with lots of characters and locations you will become as familiar with as if this town was your home. I’ve compiled a nice little glossary of all the main families and locations around Spruce that have been introduced up until this point, in case you’re not as familiar with Spruce yet or just need a refresher. Of course, you’re welcome to skip on ahead to the story if you prefer. (I won’t tell anybody, wink, wink.)
CHARACTERS
THE STRONGS & THE TUCKERS
TANNER TUCKER-STRONG: Formerly a college football star, he now proudly coaches football at Spruce High. He’s married to his hometown sweetheart Billy Tucker with whom he has two sons Marcus and Joshua. They live on the Strong property in a cozy house by a pond. He has one younger brother Jimmy.
BILLY TUCKER-STRONG: After years working at his parents’ diner Biggie’s Bites serving off-the-menu desserts, he finally went to culinary school and now owns and operates the T&S Sweet Shoppe, serving pastries, ice cream, and sweets to all of Spruce. His parents still own and operate Biggie’s Bites. Billy is the loving, devoted (and maybe sometimes high-strung) hubby of Tanner Strong with two sons Marcus and Joshua.
JIMMY STRONG: Younger brother of Tanner Strong who lives with his lifelong love and husband Bobby Parker. The two have athletic backgrounds, Jimmy being a dancer, and Bobby playing soccer. After graduating college together, they opened the Spruce Fitness Zone, a gym complex they now operate in the heart of the town. At the end of every summer, Jimmy is known to perform a special finale dance at the Spruce Ball, now and then with Bobby as his quick-footed dance partner. It’s low-key adorable and melts everyone’s hearts.
NADINE STRONG: The lively, loud and proud matriarch of the Strong family, mother to Tanner and Jimmy, as well as the recently elected Mayor of Spruce. Her calm-natured husband Paul is her rock (and some say balance her out perfectly). She and her husband are co-owners of Nadine’s, a fine-dining restaurant named after her in the neighboring town of Fairview.
JACKY-ANN: Longtime housekeeper of the Strong ranch and friend of Nadine, whose secret recipe for a notably tasty lemonade eludes Nadine even still after all these years.
GARY & MARIBEL STRONG: Nadine’s brother-in-law and his adoring wife, who run a ranch together just outside Spruce. Gary is known for his kindness and patience, and Maribel for her quick thinking when troubles arise on the ranch—two peas in a pod.
THE ARNOLDS & DAVISES
TREY ARNOLD-DAVIS: Following in the footsteps of his father, Trey is the young reverend of the Spruce Fellowship church, as well as a registered nurse at the Spruce Clinic working under Dr. Emory. His mother passed away when he was 15 and lives on in his and his father’s memories. He is the proud husband of Cody Davis.
CODY ARNOLD-DAVIS: After suffering a near-fatal injury in the Army saving the life of his buddy Pete, he was discharged, shipped back home to Spruce. Turned out to be for the best, as he’s now happily married to the man who nursed him back to health: Trey Arnold, also known as the only man on earth who seems able to put up with his attitude.
BETHIE DAVIS: Cody’s mother. Single, but spends an awful lot of time around Trey’s father since their sons got married. She works at the courthouse.
MITCH ARNOLD: Former reverend of the Spruce Fellowship church, who enjoys reading fantasy books and tending to his flower garden, planted in honor of his late wife. He is the father of Trey and proud father-in-law to Cody.
NOTABLE COUPLES AROUND TOWN
HARRISON KEMP & HOYT NOWAK: Harrison happily runs a furniture business on Gary Strong’s property while his boyfriend Hoyt attends college at Fairview Community and works part-time at the gym. Harrison is a former football player and close friend of the Strongs, particularly Tanner. Hoyt is a pain in everyone’s ass, but over the years seems to be coming around. He has an adorable little sister named Gemma who is a total princess.
LANCE GOODWIN & CHAD LANDRY: Keeping mostly to themselves on a small ranch halfway out to the neighboring town of Fairview, Lance runs a fashion business called Goodwin Designs while his devoted boyfriend Chad tends to the ranch. This unlikely pair reconnected at their high school reunion not too long ago, and the rest is history.
TOBY MICHAELS & DONOVAN “VANN” PANE: This young couple is known for causing quite the scene during their senior year at Spruce High before moving away to the thriving colorful beach town Dreamwood Isle, where it’s said they are living a happy, art-filled, and rather interesting life with new friends.
MALCOLM TUCCI & SAMUEL BUCKLEY: Malcolm, whose father is Mario Tucci, the head chef at the Fairview restaurant Nadine’s, lives in Spruce now and acts as Mayor Nadine Strong’s event coordinator, while his bunny-cuddlin’ boyfriend Samuel is a veterinarian, taking care of way too many adorable animals.