Table of Contents
PRAISE FOR MELISSA FOSTER “You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that’s fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won’t want to stop reading. Every book’s a winner!” —New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak “What sets Melissa Foster apart are her compelling characters who you care about . . . desperately. I dare you to read the first chapter and not be hooked.” —New York Times bestselling author M. J. Rose “With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!” — New York Times bestselling author Julie Kenner “Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!” — New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely “I’m highly addicted to her stories, and still want to kick my own behind for taking so long to finally read her.” —The Power of Three Readers “The author’s writing was amazing, and to be completely honest here, to get me to read a subgenre I would n
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MORE BOOKS BY MELISSA Have you read Melissa’s Love in Bloom big-family romance collection? Each book may be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel or read as part of the larger series. Characters from each family appear in other Love in Bloom family series. For more details on the Love in Bloom series, visit www.MelissaFoster.com. SNOW SISTERS Sisters in Love Sisters in Bloom Sisters in White THE BRADENS Lovers at Heart Destined for Love Friendship on Fire Sea of Love Bursting with Love Hearts at Play Taken by Love Fated for Love Romancing My Love Flirting with Love Dreaming of Love Crashing into Love Healed by Love Surrender My Love River of Love Crushing on Love Whisper of Love Thrill of Love BRADEN NOVELLAS Promise My Love Our New Love Daring Her Love Story of Love THE REMINGTONS Game of Love Stroke of Love Flames of Love Slope of Love Read, Write, Love Touched by Love SEASIDE SUMMERS Seaside Dreams Seaside Hearts Seaside Sunsets Seaside Secrets Seaside Nights Seaside Embrace Seaside Lovers
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Text copyright © 2017 Melissa Foster All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Montlake Romance, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake Romance are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542049016 ISBN-10: 1542049016 Cover design by Letitia Hasser
For Lisa Bardonski and Lisa Filipe
CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT EPILOGUE A NOTE FROM MELISSA ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHAPTER ONE BRIDGETTE DALTON FLEW through the front doors of Chopstix, wincing at the sight of the owner, Li, holding up her bag of Chinese food. I am officially becoming the worst mother on earth. Someone who fed her son takeout three times in one week was not the type of mother she aspired to be. She flashed a harried smile. “Thanks, Li. No offense, but hopefully I won’t see you for a while.” “I packed an extra spring roll for Louie. Tell him Uncle Li misses him.” He waved as Bridgette rushed toward the door. “Will do! Thank you.” Uncle Li. Okay, maybe she wasn’t the worst mother on earth. She’d done at least a few things right, like moving back to her close-knit hometown of Sweetwater, New York, after the death of her husband five years ago. She and Louie had more family here than they could ever hope for. She set the bag on the passenger seat with the other groceries she’d picked up, wishing there was a restaurant that offered takeout lasagna. At least then she’d be feeding her son
CHAPTER TWO WHILE LOUIE SET up a command station with his action figures in the playroom, Bridgette put away what was left of her groceries, hoping to distract herself from thoughts of Bodhi. When that didn’t work, she searched the pantry for peanut butter to make Louie’s dinner. Her phone vibrated with a text, and she snagged it from the counter. Her sister Piper’s name flashed on the screen, and she read the text. I booked a table at Dutch’s for Willow and Zane’s engagement party Friday night. Can you get a sitter so Mom and Dad can come? Dutch’s was a local pub, and it would be packed Friday night. Perfect. She needed a night out to de-stress, although her sisters would probably use it as another chance to push her to get back in the dating game. That’s what margaritas are for. She typed a response and sent it off. Yup. I’ll line up a sleepover with one of his friends. What can I do to help? She grabbed the toiletries she’d bought, embarrassed anew at the thought of Bodhi’s big hand
CHAPTER THREE “I HAVE A sleepover tomorrow night!” Louie announced Thursday morning when they arrived at the bakery. The Secret Garden adjoined Willow’s bakery, Sweetie Pie. Most mornings Bridgette and at least a few of her siblings met at the bakery before work, and Roxie picked up Louie there each morning. Piper sat on a counter eating what was probably her third doughnut. It was a wonder she still fit into her size 2 jeans, the way she scarfed down goodies. Willow was wrist deep kneading dough, her blonde hair tied back in a thick braid that hung nearly to her waist. “A sleepover?” Roxie said. “How fun.” “Uh-huh,” Louie agreed. “Mom said I can have a blueberry scone today, Auntie Willow.” Willow flashed a curious smile at Bridgette. “Mommy did, did she? A scone. Interesting.” For as long as Willow had been baking, she’d connected people with baked goods. She’d even created a special dessert named after Zane, before he’d become her fiancé. Loverboys. The perfect mix of pleasurable, m
CHAPTER FOUR FRIDAY WAS A madhouse at the flower shop. Bridgette didn’t have five minutes to breathe. She was thankful that her mother had been willing to watch the shop long enough for her to bring Louie to his sleepover. Bridgette might have been relying on fast food and looking forward to a night out with her sisters, but that didn’t mean Louie wasn’t her priority. She needed his sweet hugs and kisses to hold her over until she’d see him the next morning, but mostly, she didn’t want him to feel that having only one parent meant he came second to her other responsibilities. Her mind was scattered enough these days by the big, beefy guy living next door. But Louie had given him an in last night, and Bodhi had been quick to turn him down. A little too quick. He’d also skillfully evaded responding to her comment about the blonde in the Jeep yesterday afternoon. And yet here she was, pulling into her driveway later that evening, running late to get ready for Willow’s engagement party, an
CHAPTER FIVE “WIFE?” BEN LAUGHED. “Dude, I don’t have a wife.” His eyes turned serious. “Bridgette’s my sister.” Bridgette couldn’t stifle her smile at the lost look on Bodhi’s face. “I’m sorry. I just assumed when you said Dalton . . .” Ben glared at him. “Should we talk about you two seeing each other in various stages of undress?” “No, we should not,” Bridgette snapped, wondering if Bodhi knew Aurelia or if he’d just picked her up. Aurelia Stark had been raised by her grandparents, who had owned the only bookstore in Sweetwater for more than forty years. She’d gone to school with Willow and had moved away after college. “Come on, Benny.” Aurelia dragged him away. Bodhi’s gaze bored into Bridgette as wordless seconds ticked by like a hundred fuses nearing explosion. His arm swept around her, bringing her against his magnificently hard frame. One large, strong hand splayed across her lower back, and the other threaded into her hair, like he owned her. And oh, how she wanted to be owne
CHAPTER SIX BRIDGETTE�
��S THOUGHTS RACED every second of the short drive home. She tried to think rationally and slow herself down. But her body was acting like it was the Fourth of July, and every rational thought was shot down by how badly she wanted Bodhi. The fact that he was her neighbor should at least give her pause, for Louie’s sake if nothing else. But as she watched him stalk around the truck, impossibly handsome and powerful, his taste lingering in her mouth, neighbor didn’t hold the significance it probably should. Her body clearly thought she was not only ready to get back in the game, but it was anxious to play. He opened her door and with one swift move turned her toward him, planting his hands on either side of the doorframe, his face a mask of serious restraint. “I meant what I said,” he warned. “If you’re looking for more than tonight, we end here.” Why was his bluntness such a turn-on? “I’m not looking for anything. This—you—are unexpected.” He glanced at her house, th
CHAPTER SEVEN BRIDGETTE WRESTLED WITH guilt as she washed up and dressed after learning that Louie had a bellyache and had just thrown up. She’d been having the most magnificent night she’d had in years when she should have been with her son. “I’ll drive you over,” Bodhi said for the second time. “Bodhi, I appreciate the offer, but it’ll just raise questions that he doesn’t need to think about.” She’d been a single mother long enough to handle a puking kid, but she loved that he’d offered to help. He took her by the shoulders with a serious look in his eyes. He was back to Bodhi, neighbor, with an undercurrent of something more. “He knows I’m your neighbor, and he’s . . . five?” “Yes.” “Then hopefully his mind isn’t attuned to the nuances of adult romance yet. All he’s thinking about is being in Mommy’s arms. If he throws up on the way home, you’ll have to pull over to help him. Besides the fact that he could choke in the car, it’s not safe for the two of you to be alone on the side of
CHAPTER EIGHT WHILE THE REST of Sweetwater slept, Bodhi painted the rec room and repaired the shelves in the pantry. If Bridgette continued to get under his skin, he’d have his mother’s house renovated in no time. He’d been so frustrated over how the night had ended, he’d finally fallen into bed around four in the morning. But the sheets had smelled like Bridgette, and when he’d finally dozed off, she’d invaded his dreams. After too little sleep, he’d seen her leave for work this morning, and she’d looked exhausted. He wondered how many times Louie had been up last night. He wished she’d taken him up on his offer to watch the flower shop. He knew what it was like to be the sick kid of a single parent and to be stuck at home with a sitter. Granted, a grandmother was different from a sitter, but still. She’d made it clear that Louie didn’t do well with anyone but her when he was sick. He respected the hell out of her for doing what she had to do for her business and her family. She’d pro
CHAPTER NINE SUNDAY SWEPT THROUGH Sweetwater with clouds and sporadic rain. The perfect day for Bridgette and Louie to lie low while he recuperated. His fever hadn’t returned, and by midday he was back to his chatty self. Louie begged to go outside and play on the porch, but Bridgette knew that while her little boy thought he was ready to plow full speed ahead, he still needed to rest. But resting didn’t have to be boring. Using the bookshelves, coffee table, and couch as anchors, she made a fort out of sheets in the living room, like she and her siblings used to do, and filled it with his favorite toys. They spent the afternoon playing games inside their hideout. Every time she went into the kitchen, she thought of Bodhi standing beside her when he borrowed sugar. Those thoughts led to the image of him stalking into her flower shop with a big bag of sugar and stalking right back out. He was about as easy to read as hieroglyphics. It’s silly, she told Willow when she’d called earlier.
CHAPTER TEN BRIDGETTE SLEPT THROUGH the alarm Monday morning, sending her into a panic. She raced through her shower and getting Louie’s breakfast ready. Louie spilled cereal all over his clothes, and all over Jeter, which caused a torrent of tears. “It’s okay, honey. You run upstairs and get changed, and I’ll get him cleaned right up.” As her little man hurried up the stairs, she washed the stuffed animal in the sink, trying to picture Bodhi’s reaction to this morning’s mayhem. His morning chaos probably consisted of which to do first—turn on the coffeemaker or let Dahlia outside. A knock sounded at the door, and she hurried to answer it, but Louie got there first. Her insides melted at the sight of Bodhi crouched in front of her boy with their foreheads almost touching. Louie had changed into a long-sleeved T-shirt with YANKEES emblazoned across the chest, a pair of shorts, and his favorite old, one-size-too-small blue rain boots he refused to throw away. He put his arms around Bodhi
CHAPTER ELEVEN BODHI’S HARSH TONE made Bridgette’s stomach twist. She’d kicked herself seconds after sending those last two texts. She sounded like a possessive girlfriend. She’d wanted to send a text telling him she was hoping for a kiss good night, but that seemed too needy. She walked through the kitchen and saw his hulking figure bent at the waist as he placed something on the ground. Her nerves took flight as she opened the door. Dahlia trotted to the porch as Bodhi rose to his full height, broad and powerful against the night sky. He stalked toward her, amping up her pulse with each determined step. He didn’t stop until he was nearly standing upon her. He hauled her against him and took her in a punishingly intense kiss that rang through her veins. She pushed up on her toes, wanting more, and used his shoulders for leverage as she futilely tried to climb him like a mountain. He smiled against her lips and lifted her into his arms. His mouth was like an ocean of heat and desire, a
CHAPTER TWELVE BRIDGETTE SPENT TUESDAY floating on cloud nine. Bodhi had come by the flower shop in the morning to tell her he’d gotten the tickets to the Yankees game, and seeing him for those few minutes had made her whole day brighter. She was a little nervous about meeting his mother, but he’d explained her love of baseball so matter-of-factly, she was trying not to read too much into it. She picked up Louie on time and mentioned the trip to him during dinner. After a full five minutes of jumping up and down and cheering, he’d called Bodhi on the walkie-talkie to thank him. Now it was early evening, and as she stood on the back porch with Dahlia, who had suddenly become very attached to her, she watched the two of them fixing the playset. Bodhi had bought a child-size tool belt for Louie, along with a set of plastic tools, and Louie wore it proudly. He watched Bodhi intently, mimicking his actions. He grabbed his plastic hammer, holding it exactly as Bodhi held his. Bodhi said some
CHAPTER THIRTEEN “I CAN’T HIRE that girl,” Bridgette said to Talia. She was arranging the second of three centerpieces for a last-minute order from the owner of a local restaurant. It was Thursday afternoon, and she was late picking up Louie again. Talia had stopped by on her way home to help Bridgette work her way through the applications she’d been ignoring. “I know too much about her, and yes, that’s judgmental. But she sleeps with every guy she can get her hands on. That’s not the type of person I want around my family and customers.” “Bridge, you’ve nixed the last three applications because of personal reasons.” Talia closed the laptop, giving Bridgette the have-I-taught-you-nothing look she’d honed over the years. “You need to throw caution to the wind, bite the bullet, and hire someone.” Bridgette sighed heavily and set the flower she was holding on the table. Hadn’t she been throwing enough caution to the wind lately? “Tell me something I don’t know. Mom and Dad have plans toni
CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE NEXT TWO days flew by, and before Bridgette knew it, it was Saturday afternoon, and they were on their way to New York City. She’d been so excited about their weekend away, she’d closed the flower shop early. Bodhi had bought tickets to see The Lion King, and Louie had watched the movie twice since they’d mentioned it. Louie chatted the whole first half of the almost two-hour drive. Bridgette worried that his incessant talking might grate on Bodhi’s nerves, but Bodhi took it all in stride. Now Dahlia slept on the seat beside Louie, and Louie, having worn himself out, was fast asleep. Bodhi reached for Bridgette’s hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it
. He held it until they hit stop-and-go traffic in the city, when Louie woke up like a bundle of energy ready to explode. Louie peered out the window. “There’s no grass here. Where will Dahlia go poop?” Bodhi chuckled. “I’ll show you when we take her for a walk.” The three of them had taken Dahlia for a walk along t
CHAPTER FIFTEEN THEY WALKED THE rest of the way home with Louie sleeping soundly on Bodhi’s chest and Bridgette snuggled against his side. Dahlia was so excited to see them, Bodhi had to take her right outside so she didn’t wake Louie. Bridgette changed Louie into his pajamas and tucked him into bed. He was so worn out, he remained asleep. She tucked Jeter in beside him and sat on the edge of the bed, admiring her sweet boy. He loved Bodhi the same way he loved Aurelia and their other close friends. She saw it in the way he looked at him and how he’d reached for Bodhi’s leg and not hers in the elevator. She had ached a little at that, in a good way. She wanted his world to be full of love, and thinking of Bodhi and Louie’s relationship in the same way she thought of Louie and her other friends helped her to put things into perspective. She heard the front door open and the heavy cadence of Bodhi’s footsteps coming down the hall. Her body prickled with anticipation. Dahlia trotted into
CHAPTER SIXTEEN FOR ALL THE calm Bridgette had felt in the days leading up to meeting Bodhi’s mother, when Sunday arrived, she was a nervous wreck. She took her shower while Louie slept, and after she dressed, she found Louie helping Bodhi cook waffles. She stood outside the kitchen watching her little man standing on a chair, pouring batter onto the waffle iron with her big man’s help. Bodhi kept one hand protectively around Louie’s waist and spoke in a low, patient voice. “That’s it. Perfect.” Bodhi took the measuring cup Louie was using to pour the batter from him and set it on the counter. “Now we close the lid and let it cook.” “Sometimes my mom burns my waffles.” Great. At five he was already throwing her under the bus. “I burn them sometimes, too,” Bodhi said. Thank you for having my back. “My grandma never burns them.” “Grandmas are pretty special. They know how to do everything,” Bodhi said. “Did your grandma teach you to make waffles?” Louie rested his head on Bodhi’s shoulde
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