Kelly Moran is a bestselling author of enchanting ever-afters. She gets her ideas from everyone and everything around her and there's always a book playing out in her head. No one who knows her bats an eyelash when she talks to herself.

Kelly is a RITA® Finalist, RONE Award-Winner, Catherine Award-Winner, Readers Choice Finalist, Holt Medallion Finalist, and landed on the "Must Read" & "10 Best Reads" lists at USA TODAY's Lifestyle blog. She is a proud Romance Writers of America® member, where she was an Award of Excellence Finalist. Her books have foreign translation rights in Germany, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands.

Kelly's interests include: sappy movies, MLB, NFL, driving others insane, and sleeping when she can. She is a closet coffee junkie and chocoholic, but don't tell anyone. She's originally from Wisconsin, but she resides in South Carolina with her three sons, her two dogs, and a cat. She loves hearing from her readers. 
www.AuthorKellyMoran.com

Trisha Eaton has been plagued by mysterious nightmares ever since her parents adopted her as a young girl. She chalked them up to childish nuisances until they return-- with a vengeance. Something about the Drake house next door to her family’s apple orchard haunts her. Now, her night terrors and sleepwalking seem to be luring her to something dark. When a series of strange events crops up, Trisha turns to Nick Mackey. 

As the new deputy in town, Nick just wants to put his traumatic past behind him. An undeniable attraction for Trisha has piqued interest and has him wondering if a shot at a normal life was possible. But Trisha has somehow struck a nerve, and a long-buried secret. A secret that someone they know will kill to keep veiled. Uncovered answers only seem to lead to more questions in a case where nothing makes sense. 

One chilling fact remains... some nightmares are all too real.


The Drake House

While Nick leaned against the doorjamb of her dining room, Trisha stood at the head of the table staring down her men, looking too weary to even do that. She rubbed the fatigue from her features and sighed heavily.


"I know you all want to protect me, and each other, but I can't have you acting this way again. I love you all, for many reasons. I appreciate your concern, but this is over with now. Mike apologized and is entering rehab. It took courage to come here and say that, so he has earned some of my respect back. I will assist him in getting another position somewhere else, and I don't care how you feel about it."


Gingerly, she sat in the chair and placed her face into her hands in a rare display of weakness. Concern pinched his chest, but he remained where he was standing. Odd, because he never really had the urge to comfort, to take care of someone before. Trisha wasn't the type of woman to need consoling either.


Chapter 21