Out of My League: a Hope Valley novel

by Prince, Jessica

  Nona made a face I couldn’t quite get a read on until she spoke. “Gotta say, babe, I’m stoked the date went so well, but I was kinda hoping for a spicier ending to the night.”

  “I was too,” I admitted sullenly after taking a chomp from one of the strips of bacon on my plate. “I actually invited him in, but he said no.”

  “He what?”

  “Yeah,” I grumbled unhappily. “I was pretty surprised and more than a little disappointed. But he said I wasn’t like Crystal or any of the other girls he’s dated in the past. He said it was only our first date, and that he wanted to do this right.”

  Nona’s eyes went wide, and her fork paused midair on the way to her mouth. “Wow. That’s actually really sweet. And hot in that sexually frustrated, makes-you-want-him-even-more kind of way.”

  I shoved the other half of the bacon strip into my mouth. “Yeah, tell me about it.”

  “So what did you say to that?”

  Blowing out a breath full of that sexual frustration she’d just mentioned, I answered, “Well, I pointed out that it was technically our second date, considering we’d already had lunch at the diner.”

  Nona’s head fell back on a peel of laughter. “Oh, that’s great! Wish I’d been a fly on the wall for that conversation.”

  My lips tilted in a grin as I continued with my story. “I’m making him dinner at my place tonight. And I just so happened to remind him that tonight makes date number three. If I don’t get me some tonight, I might just go crazy.”

  “Get some of what?”

  Nona and I turned at the sound of Tristan’s voice to find him slowly stumbling into the kitchen, his hair in disarray and his pajama pants and tee wrinkled, as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

  “Mornin’, sweetie,” Nona greeted her son as he shuffled toward her, still half asleep, and flopped into his mom’s side. It was adorable to see that, even at twelve, he was still didn’t hesitate to snuggle against his mom.

  “You made bacon?”

  Nona leaned in and placed a kiss on his temple since he was already too tall for her to reach the top of his head. It wouldn’t be long before the sweet boy topped Nona. “I did. Grab a plate.”

  He moved from her hold and headed for the cabinet. “So what’re you guys talkin’ about?”

  “Grown-up stuff, bud,” Nona answered. “Don’t worry about it.”

  He looked at us with curiosity. “But what’s Miss Eden want to get some of?”

  “I smell bacon,” Blythe interrupted, finally awake and joining the fray. Like her little brother, she was still in her pajamas, but unlike Tristan, hers were of the shorts and tank variety.

  “On the stove, honeypot,” Nona told her. “Help yourself.”

  Blythe followed behind her brother, both looking like zombies as they loaded their plates with eggs and bacon before coming to sit on the stools on either side of me.

  “Mornin’, Miss Eden.”

  “Morning, honey,” I replied, smiling down at Blythe as she dug into her food. “You sleep well?”

  “Uh-huh,” she muttered, staring blankly at her plate while shoveling food in her mouth.

  “Miss Eden joined us for breakfast so she could tell me about her date with Lincoln Sheppard last night.”

  At Nona’s declaration, Blythe snapped out of her trance and jerked her wide eyes my way. “You went on a date with Lincoln Sheppard?” she asked in a stunned whisper.

  “Yeah. To The Groves.”

  “Oh my god! Lincoln Sheppard took you to The Groves? Oh. My. God!” She squealed so loud I flinched and had to lean away.

  “Jeez, Blythe. Keep it down, would ya? I think my ears are bleedin’,” Tris grumbled.

  She leaned over me to cut her brother a scathing look. “Shut it, pipsqueak. You’re still just a kid, so you don’t get how big a deal this is.”

  Turning my head, I bugged my eyes out at Nona and pulled my lips between my teeth at Blythe’s insinuation that she was all grown up.

  “Miss Eden,” she continued, pulling my attention her way, “this is, like, huge. Practically every girl in school knows who Lincoln Sheppard is, and they all have a crush on him! He’s totally old, but no one cares. That’s how hot he is. When I go to school and tell my friends that my mom’s BFF is dating him, and that he took her to The Groves, they’re gonna flip!”

  Swinging back to her, I scrunched my face in a playful frown. “Hey now. He’s not old.”

  “He’s, like, forty-two,” Blythe returned seriously. “To teenagers, that’s ancient. But it’s cool, ’cause he’s got a killer body.”

  “Eww, gross!” Tristan cried. “Mom, make her stop!”

  But Nona was too busy glaring at her daughter with a look that screamed unhappy mama. “And what do you know about killer bodies or otherwise?”

  “Please,” Blythe scoffed in that dramatic teenage girl fashion. “I’m fourteen, Mom, not nine.”

  Nona’s hands went up in the air to cut her daughter off. “All right, enough of that. I get that you’re all about the high school hierarchy, but you and your friends are too young to be judgin’ the hotness of grown men.”

  “Whatever,” she muttered sullenly and went back to eating. “I still think Miss Eden’s like, the coolest for catchin’ his eye.”

  “I think they fit together,” Tristen added. “Lincoln’s cool, but Miss Eden’s super pretty. She needs a cool guy like him.”

  My god, I loved Nona’s kids. “Aw,” I sang, lifting my arms and hooking the kids around the shoulders so I could pull them into tight hugs. “You guys are the best!”

  “I did all right, huh?” Nona asked with a wink. “They aren’t so bad when they’re not bein’ surly and angsty.”

  That earned a beaming smile from Tristan and another mumbled “Whatever” from Blythe, but her lips quivered against the smile she was trying her best to hide.

  My heart swelled in my chest as I watched Nona and her kids interact. I knew my friend was worried about what the divorce was doing to her kids, and how they blamed her, but watching them now, I knew she had nothing to worry about. She was an excellent mother, and they knew that too, whether they always showed it or not.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Eden

  Tonight was going to be the night. I was desperate and aching for it. After breakfast at Nona’s, I’d managed to get some work done before heading to a cute little boutique in town to buy the perfect outfit.

  I took extra time in the shower to shave everything that needed shaving and moisturized every inch of my skin afterward with my favorite lotion, making my whole body smell like vanilla and honey.

  Standing in front of the mirror in my bathroom, I slid on the bra and panties I’d purchased earlier. The mint green color looked pretty against my skin, and the lace made me feel attractive and feminine.

  I let my hair air dry so it hung natural and wavy down my back past the clasp of my bra, then applied a minimal amount of makeup before sliding on my new maxi dress I’d gotten because I fell in love with its pretty pastel colors and delicate paisley pattern.

  The porkchops were frying, the green beans were blanching, and I was stirring the potato salad in my large teal mixing bowl when a knock came on my door at five minutes to seven.

  “It’s open,” I called out, not wanting to leave the boiling oil on my stove unmanned. A second later the door creaked open and I could hear Rocky’s claws clicking on the floor as he ran into the kitchen to greet me.

  “Hey, monster,” I greeted with a huge smile. Rocky plopped his butt on the floor, his tail swishing back and forth happily as he panted up at me.

  “Baby.”

  At the sound of Lincoln’s deep, rumbly voice, I looked up and a spark of pleasure shot from my nipples straight between my legs. My voice came out breathy as I replied, “Hey.”

  He came fully into the kitchen and rounded the island to my side at the same leisurely stride he always walked with. It was both casual and commanding all at the same time. H
e strode with an easy confidence that could only come when a person was completely comfortable within his own skin. I envied that confidence while still being insanely attracted to it.

  His big hands spanned my waists before his arms wrapped completely around and pulled me tight against him. I smiled up into those emerald eyes as his lips came down on mine in a quick kiss that packed just as strong a punch as all the rest he’d given me so far.

  “You left your door unlocked,” he stated plainly as soon as he ended the kiss.

  The skin between my eyebrows puckered with a confused frown. “Uh, well… yeah.”

  “And you just hollered for me to come in without even checkin’ who was at the door first.”

  “Yeah, but it was just you.”

  Lincoln’s face went hard with a displeased scowl. “But you didn’t know that.”

  “Well, not a hundred percent, but I knew you were more than likely on your way, and it turned out I was right. Besides, I’ve got oil going. I didn’t want to leave it.”

  Lincoln’s face went even harder, and for a second I thought he was mad at me, but then he spoke again and I realized that hardness was coming from a place of concern. “Baby, there’s someone out there breakin’ into houses all around town. You’re a woman who lives alone. That means when you’re home, you keep the doors locked and the alarm set.” His arms flexed tighter as he finished, “I just want you safe, Edie.”

  My chest grew warm and tight as I lifted my hands and rested my palms against his chest. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, pressing my hands deeper, wanting to ease the tension in his expression. I’d heard about the robberies, but I honestly hadn’t thought much about them until Lincoln brought it up. “I’ll be more mindful. I’ll keep the doors locked and the alarm set.”

  That did the trick. The stoniness of his expression melted away, and that sexy dimple popped out when he smiled down at me. “Thank you, darlin’.” His arms loosened but didn’t fall away as he looked down at me, finally taking me completely in for the first time since walking through the door. “Damn, you look gorgeous.” I beamed up at him as he lifted one hand to tug at a lock of my hair. “Fuckin’ love your hair wild like this. Love it always, but like this….”

  Another spark shot through me and my knees went weak. “Glad you like it, honey.” At my endearment, his eyes flashed with an unmistakable heat that I loved a lot. “And I really like that look in your eyes, but if you don’t let me go, there’s a strong possibility that I’ll burn dinner.”

  Lincoln’s lips tipped up with humor. “Well, we wouldn’t want that. Kiss me and I’ll let you get back to it.”

  Lifting on my toes, I pressed my lips to his, initiating the kiss between us for the very first time.

  We broke apart a few seconds later, and I moved back to the stove. “There’s beer in the fridge if you want something to drink.”

  The chops were a perfect golden brown, and as I used the tongs to pull them from the grease, I felt Lincoln’s heat hit my back and his chin come to rest on my shoulder. “Damn, buttercup. Those look great.”

  “The secret’s the cast-iron pan. It fries everything evenly.”

  “The pan the reason it smells so damn good too?”

  Lincoln’s head came up when I turned mine to look at him. “Nope,” I replied on a grin. “That’s all me.”

  He winked one gemstone eye. “That’s what I thought. You want me to get you a drink while you finish that up?”

  “That’d be great, if you don’t mind. There’s a bottle of wine right over there.” I tilted my chin to the counter closest to the fridge. “Glasses are in the cabinet above.”

  “On it. Anything else I can do?”

  “Nope. Just take a load off. This’ll be ready in a sec.”

  I plated everything up, taking a moment to silently appreciate the fact that the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on in all my life was currently in my kitchen, and that he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off me.

  We dug in, and the moment Lincoln took his first bite, he let out an appreciative groan. “Damn. She’s beautiful, funny, and can cook.”

  “Thank you,” I returned, the compliments becoming easier and easier to accept with the more time that passed.

  Easy conversation flowed between us as we ate dinner. I asked more questions about his family, and he answered with ease, making me laugh and smile so much that my cheeks and abdominals ached by the time we finished our meal.

  Leaning back in my chair, I crossed one arm over my stomach and held my wine glass aloft in the other hand. “So, you went into the Marines and your brother became a famous singer, but what I want to know is what you two were like together when you were kids.”

  “Well, there’s a ten-year age gap between us, so when I was a teenager, he was a huge pain in the ass because he wanted to go everywhere with me. There was one time when I was about seventeen, I was meeting some friends at the movies.” He stopped and let out a chuckle while shaking his head. “He wanted to go, but I told him no. He didn’t like that too much, so he went out to my car. I’d been to a bonfire party the night before, had a couple beers. But my buddies had a lot more, and one of ’em must’ve tossed their bottle caps in the back seat, and that little shit found ’em. He came back with this smirk on his face and held the caps up, tellin’ me that if I didn’t take him to the movies, he’d tell my folks I’d been drinking.”

  “What did you do?” I asked on a laugh, struggling for breath.

  “What could I do? I took him. He was the only seven-year-old in our town to see Candyman. Scared the livin’ shit outta him. Woke up screaming from a nightmare and ratted me out to our folks the first chance he got. So not only did the kid cock-block me when I tried to make a move on Lynda Kessler in the back of the theater, but I was grounded for two weeks. One for taking my kid brother to a horror movie, and another for underage drinking.”

  “Oh my god!” I cried as I lost control of my hysterics. “That’s priceless.”

  “That’s nothing compared to the time he jacked the stash of condoms I had in my nightstand and used them to make water balloons.”

  “Holy shit!”

  “Yeah. That one got me and my pop in trouble ’cause my mom didn’t know I’d started having sex, and my pop was the one to buy them for me.”

  “Who’d have thought the famous Maddox Sheppard used to be a blackmailing snitch.”

  He took a pull of his beer. “Yeah, well, just made it so I have a lot of shit to hold over his head if he ever steps out of line.”

  “Are you two close now?”

  “Yeah, real close,” he replied with a smile. “When he’s not touring or recording, he and his wife have a place by our folks a little over two hours south of here.”

  “It’s good you have that, and that they’re close.”

  My throat suddenly closed up and my eyes began to sting as a pang of envy lanced through my chest. I never had that, and it was hearing stories like Lincoln’s that made me sad, made me wish for something different than what I’d been cursed with. I usually spent my Thanksgivings eating Chinese takeout and watching football in my PJs. On Christmas I laid on the couch, binging Christmas movies on the Halmark channel that usually made me teary during the scenes where the families gathered around the table for a big holiday meal complete with a turkey and all the fixings. One year when I was younger, I’d thought it would be a good idea to make a turkey dinner for myself but ended up sobbing into the leftover sweet potato casserole as I sat on the floor in front of the opened refrigerator and lamented my loneliness. I learned my lesson to never do that again and stuck to whatever takeout place was open that day.

  For the most part, I was fine. It was just that times like this came up unexpectedly, and I’d forgotten to brace against the pain.

  Clearing my throat, I stood and grabbed our empty plates. “I’m just gonna clean up a bit. Grab yourself another beer if you want.” Giving him the best version of a smile I could muster, I added, “And I�
�ll even let you have control over the remote if you want to put on the TV.”

  I moved to the sink and started rinsing to give myself something to do while I tried to get a handle on my emotions.

  I listened for the pop and hiss that usually accompanied a beer bottle opening, but it didn’t come. A second later, Lincoln’s warmth hit my back and one of his arms came around me to turn off the hot water while the other gripped my waist and spun me to face him.

  “Did I say something wrong?”

  “What?”

  His hand came up, his palm resting against the side of my neck so his thumb could brush gently across my jawline.

  “You got pale there for a second and bailed from the table pretty damn fast. Was it something I said?”

  “No. God, no. You didn’t say anything wrong. Not at all.”

  His face was so soft and warm that the stinging in my eyes started up all over again.

  “Then what’s goin’ through your head right now, darlin’?”

  “It’s nothing, really. I’m good,” I said to his throat, unable to lift my head to reach his eyes.

  “Then why are you refusin’ to look at me?”

  Damn it.

  With a heavy sigh, I leaned in until my forehead collided with Lincoln’s chest. “It’s stupid, but I just got a little… jealous.” The word tasted acrid on my tongue.

  “Jealous?”

  “See!” I shot up, slapping my hands against his chest where my forehead had just been. “I told you it was stupid!”

  “Stop,” he ordered softly. “I don’t think you’re stupid. I just need you to explain it to me.”

  Pulling from his arms, I went back to the table and grabbed my wineglass, downing the last of it before turning back to him. “To say I had a shitty family would be a serious understatement.”