by Debbie Mason
There’d been a time when she’d loved him beyond reason. Sometimes she was afraid that she still did. It’s why she’d stopped taking his calls. She gave her assistant the evil eye. It didn’t do her much good. Sprawled over the handrail trying to catch her breath, Cherry sounded like she needed oxygen.
Shay nudged her to keep her moving while defending herself to Michael. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t break any laws.”
“So you’re telling me that you didn’t enter the apartment after picking the lock?”
She heard a hint of amusement in his voice. “They’re setting me up, Michael. I won’t go down for something I didn’t do. I won’t.”
“Trust me, they won’t get away with it. I won’t let them. Just…Hang on a minute.”
She wanted to believe him, but she’d lost her innocence a long time ago. There’d been a time when she’d trusted him, though. When she’d believed it didn’t matter that they came from two different worlds. She’d thought a love like theirs could survive anything and anyone.
She frowned at the thought, unable to believe that she’d ever been that naïve. She supposed it was possible. But the sentiment seemed more like something Michael would have believed. He’d been an idealist and an optimist. He’d also been incredibly persuasive. So different from her in so many ways.
All things considered, it wasn’t really surprising that she’d been the one who’d paid the price the summer their worlds collided. Her life had ended up in tatters. Michael’s, as far as she knew, had remained as privileged as ever.
There were muffled voices in the background and then Michael came back on the line. “All right, in the next couple of minutes an agent will call you on this number. He’ll arrange a meet. His name is Tom Bryant. You can trust him, Shay. I promise, everything will be okay.”
A lump formed in her throat, surprising her. She would have expected relief, not this odd sense of longing for what might have been. “Thanks. I appreciate your help.”
“Yet if it was up to you, I wouldn’t have had the chance to give it to you, would I? The only reason you’re talking to me right now is because your friend—”
“Wait. Why did you call? And why did you lie to Cherry and say you’re with the FBI? Did you think I—”
“I didn’t lie to your friend. I am with the FBI, and you would’ve known that if you hadn’t cut me out of your life, Shay. As to why I was calling, it’ll keep. We’ll talk after you’ve met with Tom and gotten the situation there under control.”
A door slammed several flights below, immediately followed by the sound of booted feet running up the stairs. Crap. She yanked Cherry upright and practically carried her back to the floor they’d just passed. “Your friend Bryant? You better send him here, like, now, Michael. Our situation has…” A bullet shattered the concrete an inch from her head.
About the Author
Debbie Mason is the USA Today bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado, and Harmony Harbor series. Her books have been praised for their “likable characters, clever dialogue, and juicy plots” (RT Book Reviews). When she isn’t writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their three wonderful children and son-in-law, and two adorable grandbabies, in Ottawa, Canada.
You can learn more at:
AuthorDebbieMason.com
Twitter @AuthorDebMason
Facebook.com/DebbieMasonBooks/
PRAISE FOR DEBBIE MASON’S HARMONY HARBOR SERIES
Driftwood Cove
“Mason rolls out the excitement in the fifth book in the Harmony Harbor series.”
—RTBookReviews.com
“I love second-chance romances and Debbie Mason has written another good one in her Harmony Harbor series with some pretty significant obstacles between our hero and heroine and their happy ending. Mason has a talent for creating depth in her characters that brings out a multitude of emotions in this reader.”
—TheRomanceDish.com
Sugarplum Way
“4 Stars! Harlequin Junkie Recommends! An amazing addition to this sweet and sassy series.”
—HarlequinJunkie.com
“I really enjoyed this story…It had a lot of elements that put together made for a Christmas where dreams really do come true.”
—RomancingTheBook.com
Primrose Lane
“4 Stars! This is a book worth savoring as it has all the elements of a fantastic read.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Wow, do these books bring the feels. Deep emotion, heart-tugging romance, and a touch of suspense make them hard to put down, while the humor sprinkled throughout keeps the emotional intensity balanced with comic relief.”
—TheRomanceDish.com
Starlight Bridge
“4 Stars! Mason gives Ava and Griffin a second chance at love. There’s a mystery surrounding the sale of the estate…that adds a special appeal to the book.”
—RT Book Reviews
“I loved this book. Debbie Mason writes romance like none other.”
—FreshFiction.com
Mistletoe Cottage
“Top Pick! 4½ Stars! Mason has a knockout with the first book in her Harmony Harbor series.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Mistletoe Cottage is anything but typical. It’s a fast-paced story with colorful characters, lots of banter, and even more twists and turns.”
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Also by Debbie Mason
The Harmony Harbor series
Mistletoe Cottage
“Christmas with an Angel” (short story)
Starlight Bridge
Primrose Lane
Sugarplum Way
Driftwood Cove
The Christmas, Colorado series
The Trouble with Christmas
Christmas in July
It Happened at Christmas
Wedding Bells in Christmas
Snowbound at Christmas
Kiss Me at Christmas
Happy Ever After in Christmas
“Marry Me at Christmas” (short story)
“Miracle at Christmas” (short story)
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