Yours to Give
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When YouTube daredevil Laura McKinney accepts resort owner Max Connelly's ultimate challenge—get married for publicity—she thinks it's just another stunt. What she doesn't expect is how real it might become.
Max Connelly needs Laura's massive online following to put his luxury mountain resort on the map. She needs content that will break the internet. A fake marriage seems like the perfect solution—publicity for him, viral gold for her, and absolutely no messy emotions involved.
But Max hasn't counted on Laura's fearless spirit making him want things he'd sworn off. And Laura hasn't planned on a rugged resort owner who challenges her in ways that have nothing to do with her YouTube channel.
When the cameras stop rolling and the fake becomes dangerously real, they'll have to decide: Is this just another challenge to complete, or the beginning of something worth fighting for?
A story about taking risks, finding home, and discovering that the biggest adventures happen when you let someone into your heart.
~Lantern Bay — a coastal haven where broken hearts heal and families find home~
—Lantern Bay—
- Yours to Give
- Yours to Treasure
- Yours to Cherish
- Yours to Keep
- Yours Forever
- Yours to Love
—Mackenzies—
- A Place Called Home
- Secrets at Parata Bay
- Escape to Shelter Springs
- What You See in the Stars
- Second Chance at Whisper Creek
- Summer at the Lakehouse Café
Excerpt
Max Connelly narrowed his eyes against the bright sunlight and gave a long low whistle as a young woman tore by on a state-of-the-art mountain bike. She wore ripped jeans and a tiny top. Strands of long blonde hair escaped her safety helmet and flew behind her as she hurtled at breakneck speed down the steep grassy slope. Within seconds she’d reached the edge of the bluff and flew off, into the air.
Max held his breath like everyone else around him, waiting to see if she and her bike would part ways. Only the most experienced bikers ever attempted that jump. As she landed with a thud and a wobble, there was a collective outrush of amazement. But she didn’t stop. Instead, she hurtled along the ridge, either side of which precipitous cliffs plunged.
Max gripped the balustrade of the terrace and cursed under his breath. Surely she wouldn’t risk everything merely to get to the edge—a challenge reserved for only the most extreme sporting aficionados. At the last moment she twisted the bike around. Dust flew up around her as she jammed on her brakes and came to an abrupt halt at the very edge of the drop.
She gave a whoop of exultation and Max grinned—partly sharing her excitement and partly in relief. Her infectious laughter filled the small valley as she jumped off the bike and went to join her friends.
Without looking away from the woman, he placed his drink on the table and leaned over the balustrade of the Lodge’s wide terrace, shaking his head in disbelief. “Did you see her? Man, she can move!”
“Max!” He looked around to find his sister, Lizzi, grinning at him. “Is that the owner’s perk—checking out young women?”
“Who is she?” Max asked, ignoring her question. “An actress or model or something?”
“No idea. Whoever she is, she’s popular. Looks like she’s got quite a circle of admirers.” Lizzi laughed. “Good luck with that one, bro!”
Max’s eyes strayed back to the woman who’d unclipped her helmet and was shaking out her blonde hair. Like everyone else, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
The bright light seemed to emanate from her like an aura, but he knew it was more likely the effect of them being over five thousand feet up in the Southern Alps.
She was gorgeous. She was also either courageous or stupid—he didn’t know which but he decided then and there he’d find out. And there was something else, another quality, which was totally disarming. She moved with an ease and unselfconsciousness, as if she had no clue how truly compelling she was. She tossed her helmet to someone and now stood, hands on slender hips, legs slightly apart. Not girly feminine, but definitely attractive. Very attractive.
“That’s Laura McKinney,” said Rachel, one of his other sisters who he’d managed to persuade to join him at his summer party at the mountain lodge. “She’s the new YouTube sensation. She accepts dares and films them as she goes. She’s quite something. Haven’t you come across her? She’s the darling of the media in the US. She’s over here for a few weeks.”
“In Queenstown? For a few weeks?” Max turned to Rachel. “How come I haven’t heard of this?”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “An oversight of your staff, I’m sure.”
“My staff managed to get you here. That’s a near miracle.” He frowned. “How did they manage to tear you away from Wellington, anyway?” It was as if a cloud descended on Rachel and she looked away. Max looked across at Lizzi to see if she was aware of a change in Rachel, but Lizzi was in a world of her own since she’d met Pete. He was glad but it didn’t help him any. He made a mental note to find out what was bothering Rachel. But not now. Later. He looked back at the vision below him. “So how come they didn’t tell me about the famous Laura McKinney? She could be good for business.”
Rachel rested her folded arms on the railing and looked up at him. His first instinct was correct. Something had unsettled Rachel. He could see it in her eyes but before he could ask her what the matter was a cheer went up as waiters, carrying bottles of Champagne, approached Laura and the crowd which had gathered around her.
“Laura doesn’t do planning. She arrives, she surprises, and then she’s gone again. I doubt even Chelsey knew about Laura’s intentions.”
“Huh,” grunted Max. “I pay her to know this kind of stuff.”
“Why are you so annoyed?”
“Because that’s the whole point of the summer party—to raise the Lodge’s profile, to draw visitors to it—both summer and winter. That’s why I have a PR team.” He huffed an irritated sigh. “And, besides, I’ve made arrangements to leave for Australia in a couple of days.”
“Ah, I get it,” said Rachel. “Now you’ve seen Laura, you’d prefer to hang out here, rather than enjoy Sydney’s high life. Although, seriously, Max, I don’t think Laura is your type.”
Max frowned. “And what’s my type?”
Rachel and Lizzi exchanged knowing glances. “You know. Super sophisticated, wealthy types. Jimmy Choo shoes, Birkin handbags, Ray-Ban sunglasses.”
Max’s frown deepened. “None of that means anything to me.”
“No, but the type of women wearing them do.”
“Give up, Rachel,” said Lizzi. “He’s a lost cause.”
But Max was oblivious to their teasing and continued to watch the blonde below the terrace.
“You won’t get anywhere there, Max, so I wouldn’t even bother,” said Rachel.
The idea of a woman turning him down was a new one to Max. “Why? Doesn’t she like men?”
“Oh, she likes them all right. Likes them enough to insist that she’ll never go out with anyone longer than a month. She’s publicly stated that long-term relationships are for idiots and marriage is ridiculous.”
“My kind of girl, then.”
Rachel laughed and shook her head.
“See you later,” said Max, descending the steps towards the blonde.
***
