Winter's Gambit — Dana McSwain

Winter's GambitSaddled with the grim inheritance of a bankrupt Russian teahouse in a Detroit slum, Alex Winters' life is filled with more misfortune than a Tolstoy novel. Using her knack for observation and the songs playing on the radio, Alex passes the time by writing quirky backstories for the parade of inner city characters that drift in and out of her teahouse, each one inspired by her love of music. But all that changes when an enigmatic stranger walks though her door. Tall, dark, and grumpy, ex-Marine Frank Brennan's daily visits to the teahouse defy any plot twist Alex can imagine. Frank's mysterious behavior leaves her wondering who he really is and why he keeps trying to improve her bleak situation. But when Frank's unique brand of tactical chivalry slams head-on into a mob payment gone bad, Alex finds herself on the run in an epic cross-country road trip with a twitchy veteran who acts like his mission objective is to get as far away from her as possible......which would be fine if Alex hadn't the misfortune to fall hard for the rough-around-the-edges Gunner. Getting Frank Brennan to admit he feels the same is a risky gambit, but Alex Winters has four days, two thousand miles of road, and a strategy for unconditional surrender that could bring even the most battle-hardened soldier to his knees.