The Weather Girl
by Amy Vastine
Clean Adult Contemporary Romance
January 1st 2014 by Harlequin
Turbulence is in their forecast.
Summer Raines knows when it's going to rain. She can feel it. That's why the local weather girl's so good at her job. Too bad she couldn't have foreseen the tumultuous arrival of Travis Lockwood, everybody's favorite star NFL quarterback. Make that former star NFL quarterback. Sidelined back to Texas after an injury, the golden boy is trying to steal her precious on-air time. Summer is reduced to reporting from…football games. It's enough to make her quit and become a storm-chaser like her parents. She's stuck with a career that's going nowhere and a man who delights in her refusal to be charmed. Falling in love isn't nearly as easy as predicting the weather.
“I should go inside,” Summer said for the twentieth time. She kept saying it, but never actually got out of the car. Not that he minded. He was waiting for the perfect moment to kiss her goodbye. He’d have to initiate this time, but he couldn’t help being smug that she had kissed him first, as he had predicted.
“Thanks for driving,” she said.
“You’re welcome.” He reached out and squeezed her hand, afraid they were getting close to really saying goodbye. His thumbs brushed the soft skin on the back of her hand as he tried to remind himself it would be wrong to kidnap her from her grandparents’ driveway.
“I should go,” she said again. He didn’t want her to go. He wanted to keep her forever.
“So you’ve said,” he teased. He could tell she didn’t want to leave yet. “Can I call you later?”
She grinned. “I’d like that.”
He was leaning in for that goodbye kiss when a knock on the car window caused them both to jump. Travis’s heart stopped for a second. An older woman with the same eyes as Summer looked apologetic as Travis tried to catch his breath. Summer reached back and grabbed her overnight bag from the backseat.
“Thanks again.”
“Anytime.”
Pushing the door open, she made introductions. “Mimi, this is Travis. Travis, this is my grandmother, Sarah.”
“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” He nodded and gave a little wave, trying to play it cool, but all he could do was smile like a fool.
“Don’t call me ma’am, call me Mimi. And saying hello to an old woman in the driveway isn’t meeting her. Turn that car off and come on inside. Summer missed church and we held lunch. Least she can do is let me get to know you properly.”
“Mimi...” Summer looked hesitant. A nervous hand gripped the strap of her bag so tight the knuckles turned white. Wary eyes flitted between Travis and her grandmother. “He just drove four hours. I’m sure he has better things to do than hang out with us.”
“Well, you got something better to do, Travis?” Mimi asked, hand on hip. Summer’s spunk was definitely inherited.
“No, as a matter of fact, I don’t believe I have anything to do.” He shut off the car and got out. Spending more time with Summer was the only thing he wanted or needed to do today.
Summer smiled, but there was worry in her eyes. “Are you sure? Please don’t let her—”
He wondered if she was asking because she was really concerned about taking him away from something or if she wasn’t comfortable with him meeting her family. They had crossed a major bridge last night, but he feared seeing that look in her eye, the one that was always searching for an escape.
“I’m all good,” he assured her with a wink. He slid the strap off her shoulder and carried her bag to the house. Mimi tipped her head and smiled her approval. If he could win the grandma over, he’d feel a bit more confident. When Mimi opened the door, a black Labrador bolted out and headed straight for Summer, tail wagging.
“There’s my boy.” Summer knelt down and gave her dog the attention he craved. “Was he good for y’all?” she asked her grandmother, who was halfway inside the house.
“Oh, you know Big D spoils that animal rotten!”
The friendly dog realized Travis was an unknown and quickly positioned himself between the man and his owner. He gave the stranger a good sniff, checking for trouble. “Hey there, big guy.” Travis petted his head.
“Storm, Travis. Travis, Storm.”
He liked the name right away. It was so very Summer. “Nice to meet you, Storm.” Now that Travis was no longer a threat, the dog had no time for him. He was much more interested in Summer’s affection. Travis could completely relate. The dog followed them up onto the porch and through the front door. Inside the small, cozy house waited one more obstacle, however. Summer’s grandfather eased out of his faded blue recliner. When he stood, he was eye to eye with Travis, who was almost six foot four.
“Travis, my grandfather, David. Big D, this is my friend Travis.”
“Kissing friend,” Mimi added, arching her brow. Summer scowled at her grandmother, making the old man shake his head. Travis bit his tongue and chose not to remind Mimi there had been no kissing thanks to her.
David Raines was tall and thin, with gentle eyes. His shoulders were narrow and his pants were belted tight. “For heaven’s sake, didn’t you embarrass the girl enough when she was growing up?” he asked his wife as he stuck out his hand for a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, Travis. Don’t you listen to anything that one has to say about anything. And please don’t hold any of it against Summer.”
“Never, sir.”
“Oh, come on. Let an old woman have some fun.” She grabbed Travis by the arm. “Help me in the kitchen while Big D gets the scoop. My granddaughter never tells me anything.”
“Shocking,” Travis said with a laugh.
“Thanks for driving,” she said.
“You’re welcome.” He reached out and squeezed her hand, afraid they were getting close to really saying goodbye. His thumbs brushed the soft skin on the back of her hand as he tried to remind himself it would be wrong to kidnap her from her grandparents’ driveway.
“I should go,” she said again. He didn’t want her to go. He wanted to keep her forever.
“So you’ve said,” he teased. He could tell she didn’t want to leave yet. “Can I call you later?”
She grinned. “I’d like that.”
He was leaning in for that goodbye kiss when a knock on the car window caused them both to jump. Travis’s heart stopped for a second. An older woman with the same eyes as Summer looked apologetic as Travis tried to catch his breath. Summer reached back and grabbed her overnight bag from the backseat.
“Thanks again.”
“Anytime.”
Pushing the door open, she made introductions. “Mimi, this is Travis. Travis, this is my grandmother, Sarah.”
“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” He nodded and gave a little wave, trying to play it cool, but all he could do was smile like a fool.
“Don’t call me ma’am, call me Mimi. And saying hello to an old woman in the driveway isn’t meeting her. Turn that car off and come on inside. Summer missed church and we held lunch. Least she can do is let me get to know you properly.”
“Mimi...” Summer looked hesitant. A nervous hand gripped the strap of her bag so tight the knuckles turned white. Wary eyes flitted between Travis and her grandmother. “He just drove four hours. I’m sure he has better things to do than hang out with us.”
“Well, you got something better to do, Travis?” Mimi asked, hand on hip. Summer’s spunk was definitely inherited.
“No, as a matter of fact, I don’t believe I have anything to do.” He shut off the car and got out. Spending more time with Summer was the only thing he wanted or needed to do today.
Summer smiled, but there was worry in her eyes. “Are you sure? Please don’t let her—”
He wondered if she was asking because she was really concerned about taking him away from something or if she wasn’t comfortable with him meeting her family. They had crossed a major bridge last night, but he feared seeing that look in her eye, the one that was always searching for an escape.
“I’m all good,” he assured her with a wink. He slid the strap off her shoulder and carried her bag to the house. Mimi tipped her head and smiled her approval. If he could win the grandma over, he’d feel a bit more confident. When Mimi opened the door, a black Labrador bolted out and headed straight for Summer, tail wagging.
“There’s my boy.” Summer knelt down and gave her dog the attention he craved. “Was he good for y’all?” she asked her grandmother, who was halfway inside the house.
“Oh, you know Big D spoils that animal rotten!”
The friendly dog realized Travis was an unknown and quickly positioned himself between the man and his owner. He gave the stranger a good sniff, checking for trouble. “Hey there, big guy.” Travis petted his head.
“Storm, Travis. Travis, Storm.”
He liked the name right away. It was so very Summer. “Nice to meet you, Storm.” Now that Travis was no longer a threat, the dog had no time for him. He was much more interested in Summer’s affection. Travis could completely relate. The dog followed them up onto the porch and through the front door. Inside the small, cozy house waited one more obstacle, however. Summer’s grandfather eased out of his faded blue recliner. When he stood, he was eye to eye with Travis, who was almost six foot four.
“Travis, my grandfather, David. Big D, this is my friend Travis.”
“Kissing friend,” Mimi added, arching her brow. Summer scowled at her grandmother, making the old man shake his head. Travis bit his tongue and chose not to remind Mimi there had been no kissing thanks to her.
David Raines was tall and thin, with gentle eyes. His shoulders were narrow and his pants were belted tight. “For heaven’s sake, didn’t you embarrass the girl enough when she was growing up?” he asked his wife as he stuck out his hand for a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, Travis. Don’t you listen to anything that one has to say about anything. And please don’t hold any of it against Summer.”
“Never, sir.”
“Oh, come on. Let an old woman have some fun.” She grabbed Travis by the arm. “Help me in the kitchen while Big D gets the scoop. My granddaughter never tells me anything.”
“Shocking,” Travis said with a laugh.
Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read.
In September of 2012, she saw a tweet about Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write contest. She entered, hoping for nothing more than a little feedback from some people in the business. Amazingly, The Weather Girl made it into the semi-finals, thanks to the many wonderful voters out there! The manuscript didn't make it to the finals, but the editors over Harlequin were still interested. A few revisions later and The Weather Girl was contacted for publication with Harlequin Heartwarming - a dream come true!
Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet but mischievous puppy dog.
- Grand Prize: $25 Amazon gift card, red umbrella, signed copy of THE WEATHER GIRL, umbrella bookmark, and decorative box (US Only)
- 5 ebooks of The Weather Girl (INT)
- April 21 - May 11
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5/4 - Grand Finale
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