Page 1 of Sweetie Pie (Wildwood Construction)

Maggie

Groaning, I sit up and stretch. This has been the worst week of my life, I swear.

I’ve been working like a dog for my family’s company and then in what little spare time I have I’ve been struggling to find the words to finish my very first book.

Nobody in my family knows but I’ve always wanted to be a writer and I decided after my father died and my brother took over the company that this is the time.

I’m done with college and although I help out at Wildwood, I still need to do this.

My father’s legacy stands for something but I want something of my own. I want something that is only mine. Not my family’s.

Although I love them, I just need….I need me. I’ve tried explaining what I’m feeling to my sister-in-laws, Fern and Aster, but they have already found their niche and I just don’t think they understand what’s causing problems for me.

Fern is a helluva business woman and her consulting company saved our family’s business when Dad died. It was a shock to realize how badly he’d run things into the ground.

Aster is a beautiful woman who spent almost all of her life in front of cameras, being pushed by her stage manager mother into more and more work until she got so burnt out that she couldn’t take it anymore and rebelled, running away to Wildwood and straight to my brother, Max.

Hell, even Reva Reed, who was the fire chief’s daughter has her life all figured out. Even though her dad didn’t want her going into firefighting, she fought to get what she ultimately wanted.

Back to me. I can feel the story, feel the characters and what they’re trying to become.

But there’s something missing. Something that’s huge for a romance.

I’ve never really dated. Never fallen in love and I sure as hell haven’t had sex with any man. I’ve experimented on my own but that doesn’t really help me here.

How the hell am I supposed to write a romance if I haven’t experienced anything for myself.

Right now, I’m taking some time off and heading for a little town near ours for a much-deserved break.

I’m going to visit some clubs and see if I can find some lucky guy to show me a good time.

I don’t know if I’ll have sex with anyone but I think that I should. I mean, it’s for my story, right? That’s as good a reason as any to lose my virginity. All writers experiment to get their voices right when they write.

I should have done it in college but I just never felt like getting close to any of those boys. They were so immature and I just didn’t feel anything for them but mild disgust and amusement.

I want a man. Not a little boy playing at being a man.

I can’t help but think about the only man I’ve felt even an iota of attraction for.

Colt McKendrick. The Sheriff. A man that’s old enough to be my father.

Forty-one years old and sexy as hell. Deep blue eyes, six foot four inches of solid muscle.

He’s not slim and lean, he’s built like a brick wall and his chest is wider than my hips.

He’s got dark salt and pepper hair that curls around his ears and collar but he keeps it short and my fingers want to dip into it and see if it’s as silky-soft as it looks.

But he doesn’t even give me the time of day. I’m only twenty-two years old and apparently that means that I’m too young for him to even notice that I’m a woman. Let alone that I would love to find out what all the fuss in romance books is about and I want to experience it with him.

Snorting, I sit up and eye my phone screen, wincing when I see at least four text messages from my older brothers.

Even Eli, who moved away a long time ago to find his own way in the world away from our father has managed to send me a message about my trip.

“Ridiculous,” I huff. All of them act like I’m a child. A spoiled princess that can’t take care of herself.

I can take care of myself fine but thanks to their overprotective asses I can’t find anyone willing to do a damn thing with me. Not even a date. The last time I had a guy ask me, the new bartender, both of my brothers stopped in to ask him about his intentions.

Even Colt got in on the action and stopped him to “check in”!

I need to get away from this town if I’m going to find any relief for my lady bits and my writing muse.

I fire off a couple of quick texts to all my brothers, reminding them that I am an adult and I can take care of myself.

And then I turn off my messages and smirk when I picture their response.

The assholes are just gonna have to suffer.

I’m going to have a good time this weekend even if it kills all of them!

Whistling, I grab my clothes and head for the bathroom to get a shower and get dressed.

This weekend could be just what I need to get my dreams on track. I just hope that I can find the inspiration that I’ve been missing.

I hope that this is just the beginning of my future as a first-rate author and a woman who goes after what she wants.

No matter what her damn brothers think!