A Love Stolen

A Love Stolen by Ella Jade

A Love Stolen is book one in the Steeple Town Series. This is a three book series that

introduces the reader to a trio of best friends who all find love. Each book will focus on

one of the women and the other two will play prominent roles throughout the story. The

novellas can stand alone and can be read in any order the reader chooses.

A Love Stolen features estranged lovers Lila and Trevor.

Blurb

Lila Crofton flees the town of Steeple when she learns of her boyfriend Trevor

Matheson's betrayal. Trevor's one night stand proves to be too much for the young

lovers. Lila won't stick around and watch the only man she's ever loved move on with

another. She heads to the city and starts over.

Six years later, recently divorced Sheriff Trevor Matheson is picking up the pieces of his

life. When his high school sweetheart Lila returns to Steeple to bury her father, Trevor

sees it as a sign. He's getting over a failed marriage and she's grieving the loss of her

dad. They need one another. The timing couldn't be more perfect.

Can the two overcome the ghosts of their past and rekindle a love lost. Is there a

second chance in their future or is their stolen love gone forever?

Book One in the Steeple Town Series.

Excerpt

"Have you decided if you're going to stay in Steeple for a bit?" Jenson

asked. "We don't want you to leave."

"I don't know." Lila sipped her soda. Her stomach had been unsettled since

coming back. She wanted to believe it was the funeral, but she knew better.

"You shouldn't be alone," Cali said. "We can help you clean out the house."

When Lila moved her father in with her, she'd hoped he'd one day be able to

return to Steeple, so they'd left most of his belongings in the family home.

"What are you going to do with the house?" Jenson asked.

"I haven't made any plans yet." Lila sighed. "I grew up in that house. All of my

memories of my parents are in there." Lila's mom had passed away when Lila was ten,

but she remembered everything about her.

"That's why you should stay and take your time." Cali placed a bottle of water in

front of Jenson. "We'll be here for you."

Lila nodded. It wasn't as if she had anything to go back to the city for. She'd been

laid off from her teaching job, because she hadn't earned tenure, and the new teachers

were always the first to go. She'd kicked around the idea of going back to school to get

her doctorate. Her father had left her more than enough money to live comfortably for

quite some time.

"I don't know." Lila played with the straw in her drink. "There are so many

memories here."

"Screw the sheriff." Cali was always so protective of Lila, especially when it came

to Trevor. "Don't let Trevor run you out of this town again."

"He didn't run me out the first time," Lila said. "I wanted to go."

There was no way she could stay and watch him marry another and raise a child.

"Bullshit." Cali wiped down the bar. "You switched schools and never looked

back. You never came back to us."

"What was I supposed to do?" Lila asked. "Stay and watch him marry her?

Congratulate them when the baby came?"

"You could have fought harder for him, if you really wanted to. Not that I think

the pig was ever worth you." Cali had never forgiven Trevor for getting Mary Grace

pregnant.

"Cali," Jenson said, "none of that matters anymore. Lila is over it."

"Sure she is." Cali knew Lila well. As much as Lila tried to forget Trevor, she'd

never gotten over the love she'd lost. First love really did die hard.

"Okay, guys," Lila said. "It's been a long week and I have a headache." She

couldn't deal with any more today.

"I'm sorry." Cali grabbed her hand. "You know I love you. I don't want you to run

back to Boston because you're afraid to face him. I miss you, and I want you to stay.

This is your home."

"Me too," Jenson said. "Stay with us."

"I'll think about it, but right now I want to head home and take a hot bath." Lila

picked her bag off the bar and slipped off the stool. "Thanks for being there for me this

week. I couldn't have planned everything and made it through the funeral without either

of you."

"We'll always be here for you." Jenson hugged her. "I'll call you later and see if

you want me to bring you dinner."

"Thanks, but I'm going to crawl into bed and sleep all night. I'm beat. I'll stop by

the book store tomorrow." Lila leaned across the bar and kissed Cali's cheek. "I'll be

fine."

"I know what you're capable of." Cali smiled. "You'll bounce back. You always

do."

"Talk to you tomorrow."

As Lila walked toward the door, she dug into her bag for her car keys. She wasn't

watching where she was going as she stepped into the entryway of the restaurant. She

slammed into a hard, muscular body, dropping the keys to the floor.

"I'm so sorry."

She kneeled down to pick them up, feeling like an idiot for bumping into

someone. When she stood up, she was met by a warm smile and those beautiful green

eyes. He could still take her breath away.

"Hey, Lila."

Buy at Noble Romance

***

Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had

a notebook and pen with her and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and

dialog have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them.

That all changed when she discovered the eBooks industry. She started penning novels

at a rapid pace and now she can't be stopped.

Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young boys. When she's not

chasing after her kids, she's busy writing, attending PTO meetings, kickboxing and

scrapbooking. She hope's you'll get lost in her words.

Hook up with Ella at her site.