The Inn at Laurel Creek by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson Page A

who?"
    Ben's expression changed from flirtatious to serious. "Are you over him, Carly?"
    I stood, pushed the food tray aside and sat on Ben's lap, nuzzling his neck. "I'm over him, Ben. From the moment I saw you, Matthew didn't matter. I don't even care that he's married, in fact, I hope he's happy."
    "Do you think it's possible to fall in love that quickly now?"
    I knew what he was asking. He wanted to know if I was in love with him. I was, but I wasn't sure if he felt the same, and I didn't want to say the wrong thing. "I'm more open to the idea now."
    He leaned down and picked up his guitar. "I want to play you what I wrote for you."
    I scooted off of his lap and back to my chair. "Okay." I twisted my hands together, nervous and excited.
    "I played it for my manager this morning, and I've added it to my playlist. It'll be the first encore on the first night of my tour, and I'd like you to come out on stage with me."
    On stage? "I don't know if I can do that. I've never been on stage before. What if I make a fool of myself? Or of you?"
    He laughed. "You won't, I promise."
    "But I thought you wanted to keep your private life private?"
    "You're right, and when I think about it, I don't want to share you with anyone."
    His fingers picked the strings of the guitar, playing a slow, soft melody that reminded me of the few moments just after we'd made love, wrapped in each other's arms, feeling happy and sated.
    Ben's voice was low and smooth, and I could feel the emotion coming from deep inside of him.
     
    " I hadn't found my way,
    Living my life day to day,
    Not thinkin' about what I was missing,
    No miracles for me,
    Until I saw you lying there.
    In that moment, I knew I'd never be the same.
    So let's not waste time, let's take this leap of faith.
    I knew I loved you from the moment I saw you. "
     
    He didn't finish the song. Instead, he set down his guitar, grabbed my hands from across the small table and pulled me over to him again. "I knew I loved you from the moment I saw you."
    "I love you, too."
    "So I guess you believe it's possible to fall in love in a short time now?"
    "I didn't know."
    "Because you'd never experienced it."
    "But now I do, and I have to admit, it's amazing."
    He leaned his forehead into mine. "Yes, it is."
    He kissed me then, a kiss that lasted a long, long time.
     

R EAD ON FOR C HAPTER O NE
OF
U NFINISHED B USINESS
A N A NGELA P ANTHER N OVEL
     

BY
C AROLYN R IDDER A SPENSON

P RAISE FOR
U NFINISHED B USINESS
A N A NGELA P ANTHER N OVEL
     
     
    "I laughed and I cried...and laughed...and cried...throughout the entire book!  This book was so real (yes even with the heroine seeing her mother's ghost) and the emotion in it will stay with me for a long, long time!"
     
    — Joe Cool Review
     
     
    "It definitely touched a chord with anyone who has ever lost a loved one. The writing was strong and the dialogue -- which many people simply cannot write—was terrific."
     
    — Christie Giraud, editor, Editingpro.com
     
     
    "What a fantastic read! I couldn't put it down! I had to keep reading just to see what twist life was going throw out at Angela next!"
     
    — Chicklit Plus
     
     
    "The author has a great sense of humor, even about death, but when the story called for it, she was reverent and empathetic in the way her characters handled each other."
     
    — Caroline Fardig, Bestselling Author of It's Just a Little Crush
     

C HAPTER O NE
    THE AIR IN the room felt frigid and sent an icy chill deep into my bones. Searching for comfort, I lay on the rented hospice bed, closed my eyes, and snuggled under Ma’s floral print quilt. I breathed in her scent, a mixture of Dove soap, Calvin Klein Eternity perfume and stale cigarettes. The stench of death lingered in the air, trying hard to take over my senses, but I refused to let it in. Death may have taken my mother, but not her smell. Not yet.
    “You little thief, I know what you did now.”
    I opened my eyes and searched the room, but other