Good Sunday morning! I hope everyone is getting somewhat back to normal after the busy Christmas season. Me, I’m working on finishing up my next release, Double Take at Mistletoe Ranch. It’s the last book in the Mistletoe Ranch Series.

Now, if you haven’t read books 1 & 2, then you have time before the 3rd installment comes out at the end of January. Each book explores life of Denver and Maddy on the Mistletoe Ranch. This last one with have you wondering about how it will end. Here’s a little snippet from this book:

“Maddy, do you know how much I love you?” Denver said as he climbed into bed, curling up beside Maddy.
“I do, but I never grow tired of hearing it.” Maddy turned on her side to face her husband. She still had a hard time with the reality that this amazing man was her husband. They’d been married for over a year and he’d showed her everyday how much she meant to him. She’d never felt the depth of love that he had shown her.
Denver pulled her into his strong arms, “I love you more than you can even fathom.” He bent his head and kiss her forehead. Sometimes it scared him at how much he did love her. She was the light in his world and he couldn’t imagine life without her. Denver wasn’t sure how he breathed before she came into his life.
Maddy pulled the blanket up a little more. “It must be getting colder outside.” She shivered a little as the chill in the air ran down her spine.
“Here, let me get you warm.” Denver pulled her closer, feeling her tremble. “You’re not coming down with a cold are you?
“I don’t think so. But I have been feeling a little over for a couple of days. Maybe it’s the changing of the seasons.” Winter had been particularly bad this year. Maddy had thought the first winter here at Mistletoe had been rough, but she was sadly mistaken. The snow was double the amount this year that last. It was March, but outside looked like the middle of January. The early spring melting hadn’t started yet.
“Maybe so. But just in case, maybe you should drop in to see the doctor. I don’t want you getting sick.” Denver held her in his warm arms, wrapping them both in the thick blanket that was on their bed.
In a few minutes, she began to warm up. Maddy slipped into a light sleep as his body warmth helped to sooth her. She’d been feeling strange lately. That morning as she was making their bed, a dizzy spell came over her. For a moment she had to hold onto the bed post until the spell went away. But she brushed it off as exhaustion from her lack of sleep.
Denver kissed the top of her head. The thick blanket was making him sweat, but he wouldn’t let go of her until he was sure that she was warm enough. He’d noticed slight dark circles under her eyes this morning at breakfast. Was she working too hard at the barn? Ever since the newest calves had come in, she’d been in the barn every day, feeding them and taking care of them. She was trying to take the place of their mother. Maybe he needed to get her to stay home tomorrow and rest. But he knew his wife and that wouldn’t be happening, unless he tied her to the bed post.
Sometime around midnight, Maddy woke up feeling sick to her stomach. She slid out of bed, not waking Denver. She tiptoed across the wooden floor to the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind her. Maybe the beef tips and gravy she’d ate for dinner had been too much on her stomach. For a minute she sat on the edge of the huge tub. As another wave of nausea swept through her, she leaned forward, letting her head fall between her knees.
The sound of the door opening made her look up. Denver was leaning in the doorway, looking half asleep. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“I felt a little sick at my stomach.” Maddy said as she stood up and grabbed a washcloth. After she ran some cool water over it, she wiped her face. “I think dinner didn’t set too well.”
Denver came into the bathroom and put a hand to her forehead. “You don’t feel feverish. There’s some medicine in the medicine cabinet for nausea.”
“I’ll take some and see if that helps. It could just be a bug.” Maddy shrugged. She never got sick.
When he went back to bed, she opened the medicine cabinet that was on the wall between the mirrors over the vanity. She pulled the nausea medicine out and poured some into the dosage cup. It was thick and just the sight of the thick medicine made her feel like she was about to vomit. She managed to get it swallowed, but it took everything in her to keep it down. There was no way she would be getting any sleep right now. And if she stayed in the bathroom, Denver would get back up to check on her. He needed his sleep.
Maddy walked down the stairs and went into the den to sit by the fire. The warmth at her back was nice and calming. As the nausea medicine started to calm her stomach, she got up and laid down on the couch, pulling the thick throw off the back. The warmth of the fire and the thick throw soon had her sound asleep.
Denver woke her just before daylight. “Maddy, are you feeling better?”
With a lot of effort, Maddy opened her eyes. “A little.” She sat up, rubbing her eyes. “I must have fallen asleep.”
“Why don’t you stay home today and get some rest?” Denver said as he sat down on the edge of the couch.
Maddy shook her head with a frown. “After a long hot shower and some food, I’ll be good as new.”
“Maddy, don’t push yourself too much. As you said last night, you’ve been feeling a little off the last couple of days. If you’re coming down with a cold, then rest is the best medicine.”
“Ah, it’s just the change of the seasons.” Maddy pushed past him. “I’ll be down in a little bit for breakfast.”
The hot shower helped some. She walked into the kitchen and the scent of the frying bacon hit her nose. A wave of vicious nausea swept through her, taking her by surprise. She had to put her hand over her mouth and run to the hall bathroom.
Denver came through the door, reaching down to hold her hair as she heaved. The nausea was like nothing she’d ever felt and every time she raised her head, it came over her again. When she was able to sit back on the floor, her eyes were filled with water and she felt weak.
“I’m taking you back to bed.” He reached down and swung her up into his arms. On the way past the kitchen door, Maddy put her face into his shirt to keep from smelling the food. Her stomach lurched violently at the hint of food.
Annie followed him up the stairs. “Maddy, do you want me to make you some dry toast? It might settle your stomach.”
Maddy nodded, “Thank you.”
Denver turned to Annie in concern. “Do you think she has a bug?”
“Could be. But several people in town have the flu, so it could be that too.” Annie walked over to feel Maddy’s forehead. “You don’t feel warm. Do you have a sore throat?”
“No. I’m just nauseated.” Maddy groaned as just the mention of nausea made her stomach churn.
“Just stay in bed and I’ll get that dry toast and a little coffee. Maybe something on your stomach will help.” Annie went out the door.
“Alright, that’s it. I’m calling the doctor.” Denver said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.
“Denver, if it’s just a virus, then there’s no use in bothering the doctor.”

I hope you liked this small look at the last book of this series. It will be released on January 29th! But you can preorder it now at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DFBY6PR.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…