Ride Wild(54)

A huge round of applause and hoots and hollers went up as the boys put  on their miniature cuts. Sam looked so much like a younger Slider that  Cora could only shake her head. Some girl was already in so much trouble  in another ten years, and she didn't even know it. What an amazing  gesture it was for the club to make to these boys who had witnessed so  much these past months. Teary again, she met Haven's smiling gaze and  nodded. Thank you, my friend. Because Cora had no doubt that Haven had  had a hand in this.                       
       
           



       

"And the last blessing I'd like to count is a more personal one." Dare reached out a hand. "Haven, would you join me?"

A grin came immediately to Cora's face as she watched her friend stand by her man in front of the entire club.

And then Dare Kenyon went down on one knee.

Cora sucked in a breath as Haven's mouth dropped open, and you could've  heard a pin drop in the room as the club's president began to talk.

"Haven, you have literally saved my life. But even before you did that,  you'd saved me in a different way-you made me face that I was only  ghosting through the life I had and dared me to want more. And even more  than that, you made me believe I deserved it. For a man who spent most  of his life certain he didn't deserve anything, you've given me  everything. And so, I want to give you everything back. My heart, my  love, my name. I don't want to ride alone anymore. I want you in my  saddle and at my side, always. So, Haven Randall, will you do me the  greatest honor of my life and be my wife?"

Cora pressed a hand to her mouth, her heart so full she had no chance of keeping her emotions in.

"Nothing would make me happier, or prouder, than marrying you, Dare," Haven said.

Grinning bigger than Cora had ever seen before, Dare slipped a ring on  Haven's finger, then rose and took her in his arms. While the club  clapped and cheered, their friends kissed and laughed and started a life  together.

Just like the life Cora and Slider were starting. Just like the little life growing in Cora's belly.

"Someday soon that's gonna be us," Slider whispered in her ear.

Cora smiled and wiped happy tears from her eyes. "Yes, it is, Mr. Evans. Yes, it is." But Cora wasn't in any rush.

For all the craziness, she'd only been together with Slider for less  than three months, and they had the boys to consider. So she and Slider  were focusing on settling in together, adjusting to having a new family  member arrive soon, and helping Slider start a new business. Not to  mention spending time as a family with the boys-and with Bosco the  Lovable Basset. Whose nametag now read Bosco T.L.B. Campbell-Evans.

The rest? It would come when they were all ready.

In the meantime, Cora already knew where she belonged. And Slider  already knew she was his forever. And they both knew love. So much love.

And in this life, what more was there?

They all brought out the desserts, and then Dare raised his glass one  more time. "To brotherhood, club, family!" he called out, his arm around  his new fiancée's waist.

"To brotherhood, club, family," they all cheered back, bringing to a close the best Thanksgiving Cora had ever celebrated.

But that was just a start to the celebrations that brightened her life these days.

Because Slider proposed at Christmastime, and baby Jackson Dare Evans  was born in June, and Cora Campbell became Mrs. Slider Evans in  September. And for the first time in her life, the girl who nobody  wanted learned to believe in happily-ever-afters, and found hers, too . .  .





A Note from the Author




One of the most challenging things about writing this book was  researching dogfighting and the abuse and neglect that animals face  every day. I'm a huge animal lover and a dog owner, and reading about  (and seeing) how so many dogs are treated and what they  endure-especially those involved in dogfighting-truly broke my heart.  That is why I'm donating a portion of the proceeds from Ride Wild to  Noah's Arks Rescue, a real nonprofit organization that supplies  emergency medical, surgical, and rehabilitation services to abused  animals. The injured dog Cora witnesses on her first day at the animal  shelter, whom I named Otto, is in memory of Noah's Arks' Otto, whose  story you can find on their site, www.noahs-arks.net.





Acknowledgments




Some books are a trial by fire, and this was definitely one. Of  necessity, this book had to be written fast. But the most amazing thing  happened-Slider and Cora were so right for each other that the words  often flowed faster than I could get them down. This couple surprised me  at every turn-with the depth of their emotion, their profound  connection, their amazing humor, the way they loved the boys. And I  found myself falling in love with the Raven Riders all over again. They  have certainly come to feel like my home, too.

I have a couple of people who absolutely must receive my words of  appreciation, because when life made finishing Ride Wild difficult,  these people helped make sure it could happen. My first thanks must go  to my editor, Nicole Fischer, for the incredible support she gave me in  letting me finish on a less-than-ideal schedule. Knowing an editor has  your back that way means the world, and I really appreciated it.  Similarly, a huge thanks to my agent, Kevan Lyon, who was my biggest  cheerleader-and my reality check-throughout the entire process. It's  amazing to work with such supportive women every day.                       
       
           



       

Next, I have to thank my bestie, Lea Nolan, for always being available  to plot and brainstorm, including at least one midnight phone call when  I'm convinced she got back out of bed to help me. That's true  friendship, and I couldn't have finished without her. Also, an  incredible thanks to another amazing friend, Christi Barth, who put her  polishing touches on the book, posing probing questions that made me go  deeper right when it counted, and giving me the confidence in a crazy  writing situation to know that Slider and Cora were as awesome as I  hoped. These two ladies made this book possible, and to have them as my  bestest friends makes me the luckiest girl ever.

I can't miss thanking my amazing husband and daughters, who really  sacrificed to support Mom on the world's craziest deadline ever. I  couldn't do any of this without their constant love and support, and it  means the world to me.

Finally, I must thank my Heroes and my Reader Girls for being constant  sources of encouragement and motivation. And I have to thank each of you  for taking my characters into your hearts and letting them tell their  stories again and again.

~LK