Crime Makes an Entrance is Over – What’s Next at Dellani Oakes?

Another story is complete, and I hope you enjoyed it. I had fun sharing Crime Makes an Entrance with You. Moving from the East Coast, out West, I invite you to read and enjoy my next offering ~ Blacksmith’s Heart.

Newly graduated from college, Hana Sutherland thinks she’s going to get a job and get on with her life. Unfortunately, Life has other plans. Her job falls through, after she’s already moved from Houston to Albuquerque. Out of money and out of prospects, she’s delighted when her great-aunt asks for her help.

It doesn’t seem that the Lazy J Dude Ranch is going to be the solution to her problems, but sometimes opportunities are hiding in strange places – at least that’s what Hana discovers.

I hope you’ll enjoy Blacksmith’s Heart, and share it with your friends. Below is a short excerpt from Part 1, which will begin next time. ~ Dellani

Blacksmith’s Heart ~ A Love Under the Sun Romance by Dellani Oakes by Dellani Oakes ~ Part 1

Enid Parker was an addict who never wanted to admit she had a problem, because all of them were completely legal vices. However, the combination of cigarettes, alcohol and prescription pain medications, eventually landed her in the hospital with a near fatal stroke. Goaded by her family and doctors, she decided to take a rest cure in New Mexico.

A trip to the Lazy J Dude Ranch appealed to her, but she was unable to go alone. Every assistant she’d hired had ended up leaving after a few days. Enid was very demanding. Never having been very even tempered, she was worse than ever. Frustrated by her inability to cope alone, her independent nature made living with her hell. She couldn’t pay anyone enough to stay on with her, so she turned to family.

Hana Sutherland was Enid’s great-niece. At 23, she was fresh out of college and between jobs. When she graduated, she’d had a job with a good computer software company, ground level, but it fell through at the last minute. After moving from Houston to Albuquerque, she’d used up what little savings she had and couldn’t afford to move back home. Job hunting wasn’t going well.

Enid’s stroke, though problematic for her, was a blessing in disguise for Hana. She put all her things in storage and flew, at Enid’s expense, back to Houston. From there, they drove to the Lazy J. Enid refused to fly or take a train. Despite her great-aunt’s cranky nature, Hana enjoyed the trip. She was seeing parts of the country that she’d never visited before. She even convinced her aunt to stop at Carlsbad Caverns. Aunt Enid would never admit it, but she enjoyed the tour just as much as Hana.

The trip took about a week, but it wasn’t rushed and Hana wasn’t exhausted when they arrived. In fact, once she had Aunt Enid ensconced in her ranch style cabin, with TV remote, six pack of Fresca and her salt free pretzels, Hana went out for a short walk. The Lazy J was pretty, in a quaint, deliberately rustic way. Everything was carefully planned to remind the guests they were in the Wild West. Each cabin had a hitching post by the front door and geraniums growing in window boxes.

© Dellani Oakes 2022