Butler, VT: The Complete Paperback Series, Books 1-9

Grayson took another deep sip of the scotch, letting the searing heat soothe him.

“What’s that stuff?” a little voice next to him asked.

He looked over at the girl with the red curls who’d sat next to him in his quiet corner that wasn’t so quiet anymore. “It’s scotch. You ever had it?”

She wrinkled her adorable nose. “Of course not. I’m a kid. Kids don’t drink scotch. My Pop likes it, though, so that’s how I know what it is.”

“What do you drink?”

“I like apple juice, but Mommy says it has too much sugar, so it’s a special treat.”

“Your mommy is very wise.”

“She’s very pretty, too.” Pointing, the girl said, “That’s her right there.”

He followed her finger to the blonde he’d met the night before, and had to agree that Lucy’s sister, Emma, was indeed gorgeous. Her daughter took after her aunt Lucy with her red hair, green eyes and pale skin, whereas her mom was a willowy blonde with big blue eyes.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Who wants to know?” he asked, amused by the girl’s blatant matchmaking.

“I do.”

“And what’s your name?”

“Simone.”

“That’s a pretty name. Do you have a boyfriend?”

“No! I’m nine. Nine-year-olds don’t have boyfriends. You’re like Colton,” she said of his cousin, who was engaged to Lucy. “He knows nothing about kids.”

Grayson knew more about kids than any childless man his age, but he didn’t share that information with the girl. “What kind of stuff should I know?”

“Well, you should know that nine-year-old girls don’t drink scotch and have boyfriends.”

“I guess you don’t smoke, then, either, do you?”

She dissolved into giggles, and he lost a tiny piece of his heart to her. What a cutie. “No! I don’t smoke. Smoking is gross, and it kills you.”

“That’s exactly right. Stay away from that stuff.”

Emma came to claim her daughter.

“Are you bothering Grayson?” Emma asked.

“Your name is Grayson?” Simone asked, giggling. “What kind of name is that?”

“Simone!”

“It’s a smart, distinguished name, I’ll have you know.”

Simone covered her mouth, as if that could contain her laughter, and he was utterly beguiled by the glee in her mischievous eyes.

“I’m sorry about her,” Emma said. “The charm school wouldn’t have her, so I’m doing the best I can on my own.”

“I’d say you’re doing a pretty great job,” Grayson said, looking up at her. She had a body that wouldn’t quit and absolutely stunning blue eyes.

“You should ask my mom to dance,” Simone said. “She loves to dance, and she doesn’t get to very often cuz of me.”

“Simone, honestly.”

For Grayson, however, the thought of dancing with Simone’s sexy, embarrassed mother was far better than sitting in the corner drinking scotch alone while old memories resurfaced to prove they could still hurt him all these years later. “That’s about the best idea anyone’s had all day,” Grayson said.

Simone’s expressive eyes widened with joyful pleasure. “Really?”

Grayson stood and extended his hand to Emma, who blushed madly. “Really.”

“Oh, um, you don’t have to,” Emma said haltingly.

“I’d love to. Shall we?”

As she looked up at him and took hold of his hand, Grayson felt like he’d been struck by lightning or gut punched or something equally unpleasant, except there was nothing at all unpleasant about it. In fact, it was the best feeling he’d had in a long, long time.

• Single mom romance
• Small town romance
• Family saga
• Long-distance romance