by Jodi Linton
“What are you doing here?” She gripped her coffee, realizing fairly quickly it wasn’t a good panic reliever. Her nails dug into her palm, and her heart drummed loudly, making an attempt at breathing really damn difficult. How could he want anything to do with her after all she’d caused him to lose? “We had our fun, but we’ve moved on. It’s for the best.”
“No, Hannah. It isn’t.” Nate took a step closer, with both arms at his side. “I’m an idiot.”
“Idiot is a bad word.” One of her students looked sternly at Nate, and Hannah couldn’t help but laugh. “You have to give two stars up for saying that word. It’s a Ms. Lawson rule.”
“I would never hurt you. I bumped into Sally on my way to the bar and before I could stop it she tried to kiss me. I want you. Only you, Hannah.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Shit. These last few weeks have been hell.”
“Shit is a five star removal word.”
Poke.
“Ms. Lawson doesn’t like potty mouths.”
Poke.
“I think she’s probably going to ask you to leave.”
The guy making the room spin on its axis peered down at her student. “What do you say I give you a dollar to be quiet so I can tell your teacher how special she is to me?”
The kid narrowed his eyes on Nate. “Make it ten and we have a deal.”
Hannah stared, unable to utter a single response but watch the exchange take place. Nate reached into his back pocket and pulled out a wallet, retrieving a bill to hand over to the kid. He looked at her as he placed it in the boy’s hand. “In my head this was so much more romantic.”
That she giggled at. “I’d say you’re doing pretty well, wouldn’t you, kids?”
The classroom erupted in soft, tiny voice cheers.
She slid a glance at his shirt then back up to his face. “I’ll admit that shirt has earned you a few extra points.”
His eyes sparkled, and her heart swelled. “I’m thinking this graphic tee thing is a very good look on me.”
“I will say it highlights all your awesome features.”
“I can be awesome, but I think you’re more fabulous. I should’ve told you a long time ago. I shouldn’t have been such a coward.” He shrugged, seemingly understanding that they were being watched by a bunch mini-folks. “I should’ve told you that I loved you. Always have.”
Her heart slammed in her chest. No. She was the damn fool. He hadn’t run like some coward. It’d always been her. All along she’d been the one too scared to change. All along change had been right in front of her nose, and even when it’d smacked her upside the face she’d chosen to flee back to her safe, predictable life. When she looked up into Nate’s tender gaze, tears started to stream down her cheeks. She was crying for the past, and for the future, and for the moment right before her. With the man of her dreams wanting, no asking her to accept him, flaws included.
She set her coffee mug on her bookcase and dashed through the balloons, popping a few underneath her tennis shoes. But then she found herself standing face to face with Nate and a ginormous pink balloon bouquet. She sobbed through a smile. “I’m the idiot.”
“Miss Lawson said a bad word,” the whole class reprimanded her, but Hannah didn’t care. She only had eyes for one person…Nate. “I shouldn’t have run,” she said. “I should have let you explained yourself. I’m the coward. Not you. Me.”
Nate touched her cheek. “I just want you back. I want you in my life, and I want to marry you one day, and have babies with you…”
Instead of voicing her answer, Hannah grabbed him by the face and crushed their mouths together. Nate was home. The kiss soared through every molecule in her fiber, hitting low in her belly, and eventually she felt her Converse tennis shoe pop in the air. Like a real romantic movie cliché this man of hers had given her a toe-curling kiss. She sighed, finally feeling whole. Strong arms wrapped more firmly around her waist as he dipped her back to deepen the kiss. As he pulled away to place openmouthed kisses to her neck and chin, the kids went, “Eww.”
Nate laughed into the crook of her neck. “I love you, Hannah, I love you. Really, I do.”
She blinked. “I know.”
That sexy grin returned. “But I think we should take the kissing someplace not so PG.”
Hannah grinned at him. “And that right there is why you, Nate Fox, complete me.”
Then he proceeded to give her a couple more kisses as he took her hand in his and they both turned to face a classroom of stunned preschoolers.
Epilogue
Four weeks later
Nate stared at the cute redhead seated inside his Jeep. God, she was perfection. Just the way she was, all quirky patterned socks, bubbly personality, and a soft spot for kids. He wouldn’t change her one bit. Ever.
They quickly told their friends and family about the hoax engagement and filled them in on how through pretending they’d found true love. With each other. Since then they’d been inseparable. And today Nate would finally venture off on that long awaited road trip with the woman of his dreams at his side. Everything was just the way it should be. Well, it would be once he popped the question to Hannah.
“What kind of brownie points do I get tonight for parking the motorcycle so you could be more comfortable on our road trip?” He shot Hannah that flirty wink he found out did a number on her. “Please say a shower partner.”
His soon-to-be fiancée giggled, although she didn’t know her status was about to change. He hadn’t popped the question, but he would tonight in Berry Hill, their first stop on the drive to Montana. She tugged the brim of her sunhat lower and squinted back at him. “If you packed some Gummy Bears, I guarantee a shower buddy.”
He reached across her lap and popped open the glove box. “Take your pick, Gummy Bear decapitator.”
There was a long pause, then she turned to him, mouth agape.
“Is that what I think it is?”
He arched an eyebrow, curiously. Then spotted what had captured her attention. Well, so much for surprises.
Nate went to grab the ring box. “I had this whole amazing day planned. Well, so much for surprises,” He gave her a self-depreciating smile as he opened the box and slid the ring on her finger. “So here we are inside a Jeep, not exactly the romantic creds I wanted, but I’m going for it…” His deep, assessing gaze met hers. “Will you marry, Hannah? Be my wife.”
She gave him a flirty look. “No. I think you’re right, this isn’t very romantic. We should probably scratch that proposal and head to Berry Hill. It’ll give you time to rehearse your lines.”
He frowned. “I think I regret buying the Gummy Bears. I should have brought health bars.”
It seemed like a few lifetimes passed before her upper lip curved and Hannah burst into a fit of laughter.
“Gotcha!” She threw her arms around his neck and put her nose to his. “If you hadn’t asked me this weekend, I was going to get on bended knee in front of you.” Her smile grew. “I’m a go-getter now.”
“A twenty-first century, dangerously sexy woman, that is.” Nate looked her in the eyes. “You do realize I need to hear the word ‘yes’ from your lips. I’m sort of old-fashioned like that.”
She wet her lips. “Yes-yes, Nate.”
Absolutely all he needed to hear. He slanted his mouth over hers and pulled her on to his lap, forgoing a soft brush against her lips to kiss the woman he loved senseless.
A note to the reader
Thanks so much for reading Make Mine A Heartbreaker! I hope you enjoyed Nate and Hannah’s love story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you’d like to keep update on my upcoming releases, receive review copies of my next book, or join my newsletter please Click Here! I promise not to spam you, but I’ll send out notices when I have my next book launch or when one of my titles is discounted either by my publisher or me.
About the Author
Jodi Linton is the author of the Deputy Laney Briggs series and the Dirty Sinners Motorcycle Club
. She lives in Texas with her husband and two kids. When she's not writing about sassy females and dirty-talking heroes, she enjoys long walks and family time down at the river.
Discover more books by this author here: www.JodiLinton.com
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Acknowledgments
Ashlee Mallory, I couldn’t have pulled this crazy meet-cute off without your weekly critiques. You made this love story better than good.
Thank you, Veronica Forand, for the brilliance that is PeeWee and Thor. And Deb, we love you, too.
Carmen Falcone, thank you for the late-night GIF PMs, kiddie playdates, and friendship. I will always cherish them.
Karen Grove, from our first Laney Briggs novel edit to the Dirty Sinners and now a romantic comedy, I’m always grateful for the editorial advice. You make my writing better and make me laugh. Thanks for being an awesome editor and getting me. I will visit a brew fest with you one day.
To my readers: hugs! I can’t wait for y’all to get to know Nate, Hannah, and their quirky love story.