by Lynda Stacey
Diaries at the farmhouse had told of Nina’s obsession. Of how she’d been abused by her stepfather. How she’d killed him, then searched for love and had latched onto Rick’s kindness, mistaking it for affection. Jealousy had driven her. But her motives had been clear and following the inquest, Ella had actually felt sorry for the person that Nina had become, knowing that if she’d had a loving home, with the love of a mother and a father, if she’d had the family time, the Christmases and birthdays that Ella had had, then Nina’s life would have almost certainly turned out very differently.
Ella sighed, turned the page and smiled as Will’s face stared up at her. She read the headline with pride: ‘Local Editor brings life back to Filey.’
‘Hey, what are you up to?’ Will’s voice came from the kitchen. ‘I’m making coffee, do you want some?’
Ella turned and smiled at Will who stood in her cottage doorway. He’d lost weight since the injury, making his shorts hang loosely around his waist. His T-shirt was held in one hand, while his other arm was stretched above his head. The wound that almost killed him was still clearly red, puckered and visible. He caught Ella’s eye, saw her studying the scar and quickly pulled his T-shirt on to hide it.
‘Don’t hide it. You’re still here; that’s all that matters.’ She walked towards him, kissed her fingertips and held them to his skin as his arm surrounded her and pulled her against him.
‘So, what are you up to?’ His lips teased her neck as his hand traced the curve of her spine.
‘Oh, I was just reading about how you set up the social media page, how the crowdfunding was arranged and how the Filey fishermen now have boats and hydraulics to get them in and out of the sea. And all because of you.’ She put her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the lips. ‘You’re a local hero.’
Ella felt herself being pulled towards the stairs. ‘Mmmmm … But I just want to be your hero,’ Will whispered as his mouth moved gently over hers. His arms tightened around her and she could feel every inch of him as he pressed himself close to her body. ‘You know, you could always take me upstairs and—’
Ella began to laugh. ‘Hey, stop it …’ She pointed to her equipment bag. ‘I have a wedding to photograph today and I have to be with the blushing bride in just under an hour.’ She looked down at her watch, at the luminous hands that continually ticked by and her mind flew back to that day on the moors, of how she’d wished for more time, of how many bargains and promises she’d made, of how she’d felt her life slowly slipping away, and of how she’d kept her eye on the time, on the seconds and minutes, determined to live.
Now she appreciated everything she had, made every second count and genuinely tried to make the best of every single day. If nothing else, the last few months had taught her so many valuable lessons. She now knew how slowly time could pass when you’re watching the clock, how precious life was and how in one single moment it could so easily be lost forever. She thought of how she’d almost lost Will, of how she’d sat by his hospital bed night after night and of how she’d promised to love him, and to do everything she could to make him happy, if only he too survived.
She took in a deep breath and smiled, turned back to him and allowed her eyes to lock with his as she took off her watch. ‘We have time,’ she whispered as she laid her watch on the sideboard, and between kisses she pulled him up the stairs behind her. ‘We’ll always have time.’
* The End *
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Thank you!
Dear Reader
Thank you so much for reading The Fake Date.
I really enjoyed writing this book and I hope that you enjoyed following Ella’s story. I’m sure you’ll agree that right from the beginning, she had quite a battle on her hands and went through a really tough time before finally finding the happiness she deserved with Will.
As an author, I still find it surreal that I now have four novels published. With that in mind, I’d love to know your thoughts and I’d be delighted if you’d take just a few moments to leave me a review.
If you enjoyed The Fake Date, then please take a look at my other titles, House of Secrets, House of Christmas Secrets and Tell Me no Secrets.
Please feel free to contact me anytime, either at @Lyndastacey on Twitter, Lyndastaceyauthor on Facebook or on my website at www.Lyndastacey.co.uk
Once again, thank you for reading, it was a pleasure to write this novel for you!
With Love, Lynda x
More about Lynda next …
About the Author
Lynda is a wife, step-mother and grandmother who grew up in the mining village of Bentley, Doncaster, in South Yorkshire.
She is currently the Sales Director of a stationery, office supplies and office furniture company in Doncaster, where she has worked for the past 25 years. Prior to this she’d also been a nurse, a model, an emergency first response instructor and a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor … and yes, she was crazy enough to dive in the sea with sharks, without a cage. Following a car accident in 2008, Lynda was left with limited mobility in her right arm. Unable to dive or teach anymore, she turned to her love of writing, a hobby she’d followed avidly since being a teenager.
Her own life story, along with varied career choices, helps Lynda to create stories of romantic suspense, with challenging and unpredictable plots, along with (as in all romances) very happy endings.
She lives in a small rural hamlet near Doncaster, with her ‘hero at home husband’, Haydn, whom she’s been happily married to for over 20 years.
Lynda joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association in 2014 under the umbrella of the New Writers’ Scheme and in 2015 her debut novel House of Secrets won Choc Lit’s Search for a Star competition. Lynda writes for both Choc Lit and Ruby Fiction.
For more information on Lynda visit:
www.lyndastacey.co.uk
www.twitter.com/LyndaStacey
See all of Lynda’s novels next including a preview of Tell Me No Secrets
More from
Lynda Stacey
House of Secrets
A woman on the run, a broken man and a house with a shocking secret …
Madeleine Frost has to get away. Her partner Liam has become increasingly controlling to the point that Maddie fears for her safety, and that of her young daughter Poppy.
Desperation leads Maddie to the hotel owned by her estranged father – the extraordinarily beautiful Wrea Head Hall in Yorkshire. There, she meets Christopher ‘Bandit’ Lawless, an ex-marine and the gamekeeper of the hall, whose brusque manner conceals a painful past.
After discovering a diary belonging to a previous owner, Maddie and Bandit find themselves immersed in the history of the old house, uncovering its secrets, scandals, tragedies – and, all the while, becoming closer.
But Liam still won’t let go, he wants Maddie back, and when Liam wants something he gets it, no matter who he hurts …
Winner of Choc Lit’s 2015 Search for a Star competition!
Purchase from your eBook provider or visit www.choc-lit.com for more details.
House of Christmas Secrets
Sequel to House of Secrets
This year we’re just going to have a nice, normal Christmas …
Last year’s Christmas at Wrea Head Hall didn’t quite go to plan which is why Jess Croft is determined this festive season will be the one to remember, for the right reasons. And she has plenty of reasons to be hopeful – she’s going to marry the man of her dreams, Jack Stone, seven days after New Year’s Eve.
However, as family secrets are revealed in hidden letters and two unexpected guests turn up on the doorstep, Jess is left wondering whether her life will ever be the same again.
Can Jess and Jack still experience a
peaceful festive season that they had imagined or are there some problems that even Christmas can’t fix?
Purchase from your eBook provider or visit www.choc-lit.com for more details.
Tell Me No Secrets
Can a secret be worse than a lie?
Every time Kate Duggan looks in a mirror she is confronted by her guilt; a long, red scar reminding her that she was ‘the one to walk away’ from the car accident. Not everyone was so lucky …
On the surface her fiancé Rob is supportive – but the reality is different. He’s controlling, manipulative and, if the phone call Kate overhears is anything to go by, he has a secret. But just how dangerous is that secret?
When Kate begins work at a Yorkshire-based firm of private investigators, she meets Ben Parker. His strong and silent persona is intriguing but it’s also a cover – because something devastating happened to Ben, something he can’t get over.
As Kate and Ben begin their first assignment, they realise they have a lot in common. But what they don’t realise is that they’re about to bring a very dangerous secret home to roost …
Read an extract here.
Purchase from your eBook provider or visit www.choc-lit.com for more details.
Read about Ruby Fiction next …
Introducing Ruby Fiction
Ruby Fiction is in imprint of Choc Lit Publishing.
We’re an award-winning independent publisher,
creating a delicious selection of fiction.
See our selection here:
www.rubyfiction.com
Ruby Fiction brings you stories that inspire emotions.
We’d love to hear how you enjoyed The Fake Date. Please leave a review on the eBook store where you purchased this novel or visit www.rubyfiction.com and give your feedback.
Ruby novels are selected by genuine readers like yourself. We only publish stories our Tasting Panel want to see in print. Our reviews and awards speak for themselves.
Could you be a Star Selector and join our Tasting Panel?
Would you like to play a role in choosing which novels we decide to publish? Do you enjoy reading women’s fiction? Then you could be perfect for our Tasting Panel.
Visit here for more details …
Keep in touch:
Sign up for our monthly newsletter Spread for all the latest news and offers: www.spread.choc-lit.com. Follow us on Twitter: @RubyFiction and Facebook: RubyFiction.
Stories that inspire emotions!
See a selection of other Ruby Fiction novels next …
More from Ruby Fiction
Why not try something else from our selection:
Who Cares if They Die
Wendy Dranfield
Did she jump or was she pushed?
It starts with the hanging woman in the Maple Valley woods; the woman with no shoes, no car and no name. On paper it’s an obvious case of suicide – but to Officer Dean Matheson, something doesn’t add up.
Then there are the other deaths, deaths that also look like suicides – but are they? The victims are all women living on the fringes of society, addicts and criminals. Who will miss them? Does anyone really care if they die?
Dean Matheson is making it his business to care, even if it means he becomes the target …
Purchase from your eBook provider or visit www.rubyfiction.com for more details.
The Best Boomerville Hotel
Caroline James
Let the shenanigans begin at the Best Boomerville Hotel …
Jo Docherty and Hattie Contaldo have a vision – a holiday retreat in the heart of the Lake District exclusively for guests of ‘a certain age’ wishing to stimulate both mind and body with new creative experiences. One hotel refurbishment later and the Best Boomerville Hotel is open for business!
Perhaps not surprisingly Boomerville attracts more than its fair share of eccentric clientele: there’s fun-loving Sir Henry Mulberry and his brother Hugo; Lucinda Brown, an impoverished artist with more ego than talent; Andy Mack, a charming Porsche-driving James Bond lookalike, as well as Kate Simmons, a woman who made her fortune from an internet dating agency but still hasn’t found ‘the One’ herself.
With such an array of colourful individuals there’s bound to be laughs aplenty, but could there be tears and heartbreak too and will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?
Purchase from your eBook provider or visit www.rubyfiction.com for more details.
The Purrfect Pet Sitter
Carol Thomas
Introducing Lisa Blake, the purrfect pet sitter!
When Lisa Blake’s life in London falls apart, she returns to her hometown rebranding herself as ‘the purrfect petsitter’ – which may or may not be false advertising as she has a rather unfortunate habit of (temporarily) losing dogs!
But being back where she grew up, Lisa can’t escape her past. There’s her estranged best friend Flick who she bumps into in an embarrassing encounter in a local supermarket. And her first love, Nathan Baker, who, considering their history, is sure to be even more surprised by her drunken Facebook friend request than Lisa is.
As she becomes involved in the lives of her old friends Lisa must confront the hurt she has caused, discover the truth about her mysterious leather-clad admirer, and learn how to move forward when the things she wants most are affected by the decisions of her past.
Purchase from your eBook provider or visit www.rubyfiction.com for more details.
Arlette’s Story
Angela Barton
One woman’s struggle to fight back against the enemy in order to protect the ones she loves.
When Arlette Blaise sees a German plane fly over the family farm in 1940, she’s comforted by the fact that the occupying forces are far away in the north of the country. Surely the war will not reach her family in the idyllic French countryside near to the small town of Oradour-sur-Glane?
But then Saul Epstein, a young Jewish man driven from his home by the Nazis, arrives at the farm and Arlette begins to realise that her peaceful existence might be gone for good …
Purchase from your eBook provider or visit www.rubyfiction.com for more details.
Evie’s Little Black Book
Hannah Pearl
Is hunting down every man you’ve kissed the answer to finding Mr Right?
When Evie is invited to the wedding of the guy she’d fancied throughout her teens, it’s the final straw. What’s wrong with her and why can’t she keep a man?
In between consoling herself with ice cream and chocolate, and sobbing her heart out to her cousin Chamaine, Evie has a brainwave – and it all centres around her ‘little black book’ (well, more floral patterned notebook really) – which contains the details of every man she’s ever kissed or dated. Perhaps the cure for her disastrous love life has been nestled within its pages all along …
Does Evie’s little black book really hold the answers, or will learn she learn that exes are exes for a reason?
Purchase from your eBook provider or visit www.rubyfiction.com for more details.
Read a preview of Tell Me No Secrets by Lynda Stacey here …
For my wonderful friend of over 30 years, Kathy Kilner.
You’ve always been there for me, you’ve always taken the time to listen and you’ve always supported me in everything I do. Thank you x
Acknowledgements
Firstly, I’d like to thank the lady who this book is dedicated to, Kathy Kilner. I’ve lost track of the hours that we’ve sat in your conservatory, staring at the cottage next door. We’d often discuss how sad it was to be empty, and we’d constantly wonder who would next move in and once they did, whether they’d ever tame their unbelievably overgrown garden. It was your cottage that gave me the idea for Ella’s cottage, along with your puppy Millie who I just had to bring into the book. Thank you x
Thank you so much to good friends Andrew Isaacs and Tracey Bramfoot who both gave me the most amazing legal advice, along with courtroom protoc
ol. I’d also like to thank my wonderful friend and fellow author Jane Lovering, who is my constant support. Her critique service is amazing (www.janelovering.co.uk). We often have very long brainstorming phone calls to discuss plot, characters and story arcs. She often helps me pull the story apart and put it back together and somehow by the end of the call, we always come up with the answers. Thank you x
Thank you also to my husband, to Haydn. He’s supported me in everything I’ve ever done and puts up with the rollercoaster that I constantly seem to be on. The last twenty-eight years have been quite a ride, but I’m so pleased we’ve taken it together. Thank you x
Thank you to my publishers and editors at Choc Lit and Ruby Fiction. You’ve been a great support to me this year. But, after a lot of hard work, we finally have a great book to be proud of.
Finally, a big thank you to the fabulous Tasting Panel who passed my book for publication: Dimi E, Janine N, Susan D, Yvonne G, Sigi, Alma H, Els E, Melissa B, Barbara P, Rosie F, Jenny K, Hannah McK, Bianca B, and Karen M.
Copyright © 2018 Lynda Stacey
Published 2018 by Ruby Fiction
Penrose House, Crawley Drive, Camberley, Surrey GU15 2AB, UK
www.rubyfiction.com
The right of Lynda Stacey to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988