We Talk to Ourselves...a Lot! (Father's Day edition) by Loree Lough and Cerella Sechrist

As you can imagine, we’re both so excited about our latest Heartwarming novels, Harper’s Wish and Sweet Mountain Rancher, which will be available this September.

Like most romance authors, we developed a bit of a crush on our heroes, and thought you’d like to hear why. So we got them together—not an easy feat, considering their dedication to work and family—but we’re nothing if not determined!

First, we flew Cerella’s hero, CONNOR CALLAHAN, to Colorado for a much-needed respite from ‘chef-ing’ and running his restaurant, then we sent NATE MARSHALL, Loree’s hero, to Findlay Roads, Maryland—180 degrees of difference from life on the Double M. When we merged the discussions, we discovered that although Connor was Ireland-born and Nate spent most of his life on his family’s ranch, they have a whole lot in common…including natural ‘good dad’ traits. What better way to honor dads everywhere, than with a Father’s Day-themed blog post!

See for yourselves why we’re smitten with these handsome heroes:

Nate: So Connor, what was it like, moving from Ireland to Maryland?

Connor: I was just a kid when we moved. It was after my mam had passed on, and my dad was looking for a fresh start. It was tough, adjusting to a new home and school – a whole new country. But it really deepened the bond between me and my sister, Rory. We looked out for each other a lot in those first few years. But my dad was great about encouraging us to remember where we came from while still embracing our new roots.

You know, when I heard you were a Major League pitcher, I wondered how you made the transition from life on a family ranch and life in the big city….

Nate: Noises at the Double M consisted of cattle, mooing in the distance, or horses, nickering in the corral. It took a while to get used to the car horns and sirens, but I figured out that first night…New York isn’t the only city that never sleeps! I coped by reminding myself that I was living almost every boy’s childhood dream…playing professional baseball. (snickers) And by wearing earplugs at night! 

But what about you? You inherited the Rusty Anchor—love your Shepherd’s Pie, by the way—but if your dad hadn’t left you the restaurant, what would you have done for a living? 

Connor: It’s hard to imagine being anything other than a chef. I grew up around my dad’s restaurant. I was working there in my teens and then I went on to culinary school and opened my own establishment after graduating. I think, even if I wasn’t a chef, I’d still be working in a restaurant. It gets in your blood, and it would be difficult for me to leave it behind.

It seems we have something else in common. (frowns slightly) My wife left me when she realized how demanding my work was. And you lost your fiancé in that car accident… 

Nate: (nods slowly) Yeah, and that night changed me, big-time. 

Connor: But not permanently? 

Nate: (grins)  I thought the ‘never say yes’ mindset had stuck…until I met Eden…. 

Connor: I know what you mean. Harper changed me, too. It’s funny because at first, I was convinced she was a harpy. Back when she was still a restaurant critic, she gave me a rotten review on my first restaurant. But after she showed up at the Anchor, looking for work…well, let’s just say that she shook me up and got me to take a fresh look at things. 

Nate: Still, I bet it wasn’t easy, working with her after the things she wrote about you. 

Connor: You can say that again! (laughs softly) But she changed everything for me, including my relationship with Molly, my little girl. It’s always been tough, being a single father. I’m not sure how my dad did it, raising both me and my sister. Molly got into her fair share of mischief until Harper came along. It took some time, but now she wants to be just like Harper. 

Nate: Yeah, kids have a way of bringing the best—or the worst out in people. In my case, it took a dozen kids, each with his own unique problems. Don’t mind admitting it was scary at first, getting close to those boys—and letting them get close to my family. But they proved you can’t judge a book by its cover and that with a little fatherly advice and attention, we can reach even the toughest kids. Well, most of ‘em, anyway. 

Connor: Ah, you’re referring to Thomas.

Nate: (takes a deep breath) So what was your secret, man? I mean, how did you learn to trust Harper with Molly and your future?

Connor: In the end, Harper did something to prove to me just how committed she was to both me and Molly, as well as our future together. It still took some faith to recognize she wouldn’t abandon us like Molly’s mother did and to believe we could make things work, but I decided that Harper was worth that risk.

And you? What made you decide that ‘never say yes’ wasn’t working anymore?

Nate: Confession time. (chuckles)  I never actually followed that stupid rule. Gave it a good old-fashioned try…with unimportant stuff. But when someone I cared about needed help, I couldn’t help myself. I had to say yes. (slight pause) There was just the one time, really, when I wish I’d said no. When I gave my fiancé the keys to my sports car…. 

But enough about that! What are you doing on Father’s Day? 

Connor: Harper and Molly are being kind of secretive about it, but we’re having a special brunch menu at the restaurant to honor dads. It includes a full Irish breakfast, but Harper insists I take the day off and stay out of the kitchen. I think that’s going to be impossible, but I’ve learned by now that when she’s determined to have her way, I should just step back. (chuckles)

And you? 

Nate: The women in my family will use just about any holiday as an excuse to throw a party, so rain or shine, we’ll have a noisy hoedown in the Marshall party barn. Somehow, Eden convinced the powers-that-be that her boys would be better off living out here, on the Double M, full time. But shoo-eee, talk about red tape! They inspected everything, from our marriage license to the rooms I added to the ranch house to make room for them, to the boys’ toenails! But Lady Luck smiled on us, ‘cause we passed muster. 

How ‘bout you and Harper? Lots of changes in your living situation, too, I’ll bet! 

Connor: It’s definitely different to have moved out of the apartment above the restaurant and living in a real house for a change! 

Fatherhood has changed me, too. Being a single dad to Molly for so long allowed me some really precious one-on-one bonding with my little girl in her early childhood. Don’t get me wrong, though, I wouldn’t change having Harper in our lives for anything. But I’m glad I had the opportunity to grow so close to Moll while she was still young. It’s been tough because I lost my own mam when I was just a kid, but my dad set a good example, being a single dad himself. 

You’re not the boys’ father by birth, but I’m sure you know what I mean. 

Nate: Yeah, at least, I think I do… Never would have guessed it, based on the way I’d lived my life before Eden and those kids came into it, but you’re right. Fatherhood changes a man. I never gave a whole lot of thought to it, because my dad, grandfathers, uncles made it all seems so easy and natural. But seeing how much kids—especially teenage boys—rely on a man’s viewpoint and example, well, suffice it to say I’ve taken a closer look at it. 

For starters, saying ‘it isn’t just about me anymore’ has to be more than lip service. (shakes his head) There’s so much to teach them—and they’re downright eager to learn—everything respecting one another, to making sure Eden knows they’re grateful for the sacrifices she’s made for them.

I’ve learned a lot from them, too, like why it’s important to mean it when you admit when you’ve made a mistake, because even when it doesn’t look like it…they’re watching and listening, and they really do learn by example. (chuckling) But listen to me, preachin’ to the choir… 

Connor: Oh, and hey - (shakes Nate's hand) congratulations on tying the knot, mate! 

Nate: I guess we both deserve some congratulations on that score! We oughta get our gals together. I’m guessing they’d get along great. 

Connor: No question in my mind. (sits back, nodding) So what’s on the menu for the big Marshall clan Father’s Day bash? 

Nate: Oh, the usual…steak, burgers and dogs, Mom’s famous potato salad and my aunts’ cakes and pies. (winks) And a big ol’ kettle of my Five Alarm Chili. 

Connor: Five Alarm Chili? Now that sounds like a dish I might like to serve up at my restaurant. You’ll have to share your recipe. 

Nate: Happy to! I guess we’d better turn things back over to Loree and Cerella about now! 

*** 

We hope you’ve enjoyed a chance to get to know these two father figures! Don’t forget to try Nate’s chili (recipe below) and check out the release of both Sweet Mountain Rancher and Harper’s Wish, coming this September! And be sure to tune in next month on Friday, July 10, for the next edition of We Talk to Ourselves…a lot - Loree and Cerella have a great giveaway planned! You won't want to miss it!

About Loree:

With nearly 5,000,000 books in circulation, best-selling author Loree Lough's titles have earned numerous 4- and 5-star reviews and industry awards. She splits her time between her home in Baltimore and a cabin in the Alleghenies (where she loves to show off her “Identify the Critter Tracks” skills). The release of Once a Marine (#1 in the “Those Marshall Boys” series for Harlequin's new Heartwarming line) brings Loree’s number of books in print to 104! Loree loves to hear from her readers and answers every letter, personally. Visit her at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and www.loreelough.com!

About Cerella:

Cerella Sechrist lives in York, Pennsylvania with two precocious pugs, Darcy and Charlotte, named after Jane Austen literary characters. She has won various competitions and a scholarship for her writing, which include devotionals, full-length plays, and novels. She divides her time between working in the office of her family’s construction business and as a barista to support her reading habit and coffee addiction. Her novels exhibit her love for both the written word and food in fiction. You can find her online at her website www.cerellasechrist.com where she pens “Literary Fare: Fiction & Food”, a blog for readers.