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About Anna Edwards
Anna Edwards is a USA Today Bestselling British author from the depths of the rural countryside near London. When she has some spare time, she can also be found writing poetry, baking cakes (and eating them), or behind a camera snapping like a mad paparazzo. She’s an avid reader who turned to writing to combat her depression and anxiety. She has a love of traveling and likes to bring this to her stories to give them the air of reality. She likes her heroes hot and hunky with a dirty mouth, her heroines demure but with spunk, and her books full of dramatic suspense.
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Once in a Lifetime
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR ANNE B. DOE
Chapter One
KATHERINE
June, the summer after senior year of college
“Oh my God, Kate!” Callie says as they enter the room. “This house is amazing; the whole town is really. Now I get why you love this place so much.”
“Fancy moving here?” Becky asks from her place on the bed, with her hair and makeup already done. Now Penny is sitting in the makeup chair, getting her hair curled.
“I wish,” Callie lets out a longing sigh. “Maybe one day, when Hayden retires, we can move to a small town like this. I wouldn’t mind it at all.”
“I’m still stuck on the fact that Emmett built it. Like all on his own,” Yasmin shakes her head.
“Well, technically, he had help, but yes.”
Emmett’s parents had given him a part of their land so he could build a house of his own. He and his dad have been working on our house every summer since we started college. Emmett wanted to do it all on his own, but we knew we’d need time and money, so doing it in phases was the perfect solution. This year, after graduation, we’ve finally been able to move in, and it was everything that I could’ve wanted and more.
The house was built so that our back porch overlooked the pond. It was fitting since it was the place where we fell in love. It was far enough away from his parent’s house to give us privacy but close enough for Emmett to help them run their family ranch and for me to lead the rehabilitation center for children with disabilities. I had been working my ass off to get it up and running between all the wedding planning.
“He built you a house, Kate,” Yasmin points out once again as if I’m not understanding her correctly. “If we didn’t already know how much that man loves you, this would seal the deal.”
“As if you’re one to talk, Mrs. Cole.” I let out a soft chuckle, which earns me a glare from the makeup artist. “Sorry.”
“You’ll have to sit still if you want us to be done on time.”
“Of course, I’ll be—”
The door of my bedroom opens, and Jade enters. “Okay, I’m finished with Emmett’s photos. On my way down here, I walked around the wedding site to ensure I have all the best angles in my head once the ceremony started, and damn… Everything looks amazing outside, Kate.”
“Thanks, Jade.”
Jade Cole was a photography student back at Blairwood and the younger sister of one of Emmett’s college buddies. She’s been there when I was trying to organize this whole event, so it seemed fitting to ask her to do the photos instead of trying to search for somebody else. I’ve seen some of her stuff, including Nixon and Yasmin’s wedding photos from this spring, which were stunning.
“No problem. Oh, and your aunt is so sweet. She gave me this little sandwich to have before the ceremony.” She lifts a little napkin, letting the sides open.
Shit.
“I tried telling her no, but she wouldn’t have it. So I figured I’ll just eat it, and then we can get to work.”
“That’s Miss Adams for you,” Becky chuckles. “Wait until you meet Emmett’s mom. The two of them individually are hard to say no to, but together? They’re a force to be reckoned with.”
