Meet Me at Clayborne's

Book excerpt: “The entire Hale Street series receives my highest praise.”—Reader review Bartender Kennedy’s new boss has her both shaken and stirred. Barmaid Asia strives to keep her past a secret from a sexy but persistent CEO. Entertainment manager Sloan helps a grieving drummer find a second chance…and more. Immerse yourself in Amy Knupp’s first three Hale Street stories instantly! SWEET SPOT: A bartender, a bakery girl, and a past full of mistakes… Former marketing whiz Kennedy Lowell knows bartending isn’t her destiny. After derailing her life to epic proportions, though, she’s content with the easy refuge of pouring drinks and keeping to herself. But the arrival of her sexy new boss has her both shaken and stirred. Add the temptation of a bakery in need of a marketing guru and Kennedy begins to wonder if easy is all it’s cracked up to be. Easy is Hunter Clayborne’s middle name. Uncomplicated is what he expects when he moves back to Nashville to take over the family business. What he finds is the polar opposite of easy—a bar losing money, a family entrenched in its old-fashioned ways, and an irresistible bartender who keeps him at a distance in spite of their sizzling mutual attraction. Hunter tries to prove he’s a good-hearted, trustworthy guy, but what if Kennedy is her own worst enemy? Can he help her see herself through his eyes before it’s too late? SOFT SPOT: It’s all fun and games until the sexy CEO wants to know her secrets… Asia Knowles’ life has been on a downhill slide for as long as she can remember, but with her promotion and her new apartment on charming Hale Street, things are finally starting to look up. When polished and persistent and tough-to-resist Jackson barges into her world, Asia does what she can to keep her less-than-sparkling background to herself. CEO Jackson Lowell has worked hard for everything he has—perhaps a little too single-mindedly. When a friend challenges him to go on a “real” date, not a business function with a blind date, Asia seems like the perfect choice. Everything from her sunshine-bright outfits to her don’t-get-too-close vibe draws him in. Asia finds it hard to ignore Jackson’s charm, but she’s conditioned to keep her secrets close to her chest. The more she shuts him out, the more determined he becomes to get to know her anyway. If she finally lets him in, will he cut his losses or realize the biggest payoff ever? ONE AND ONLY: Second-best will never be good enough. Drummer Micah Sullivan lost his music and his dreams when his wife died unexpectedly. In the aftermath, he quit his band and pushed away family and friends. Three years later, he’s opened a music shop and tells himself he’s content trying to make it a hit. What he failed to consider is that success requires connections—including the very ones he turned his back on. When Sloan McGuire takes a job at a bar as the entertainment manager, she doesn’t expect to run into Micah, whose late wife was her best friend. She can tell he’s still lost in grief, and out of love for her friend, she resolves to help him find peace. What she and Micah find together, though, has the potential to be something more. Sloan fights the attraction, not only because of their history but because she’s always been second fiddle. To Micah, a solo act seems safer than a duet, but with Sloan, he develops a new appreciation for harmony. Music may be his forte, but can he find the words to convince her she’s his one and only? Related books: True North, Book 1 in the Hale Street spin-off series North Brothers, is the story of Sierra Lowell and Cole North. Other Hale Street stories by Amy Knupp include Last First Kiss and Heartstrings. Clayborne’s After Hours is a Hale Street duet set that includes Last First Kiss and Heartstrings.