Sugar Springs

by Kim Law

  “But they’re identical.”

  Cody pressed a kiss against Lee Ann’s ear. “You knew.”

  His hot breath reminded her of last night. She had eventually gotten the opportunity to experience his wicked suggestion, and after everyone had gone to sleep they’d crept outside to make love in the woods.

  She shivered and felt his lips smile against her neck. And though she didn’t like the thought of leaving his strong chest and nuzzling lips, a good hostess would see her guest in. As she entered the foyer, the first thing she noticed was Joanie’s stare at Nick. She glanced at Lee Ann, lifted an eyebrow, then refocused on Nick. Yep, Joanie somehow knew this wasn’t Cody. It was probably the smell of warm chocolate drifting off him.

  When Nick mentioned that he had to get back to his cookies, Lee Ann watched Joanie check out his backside as he went.

  Lee Ann leaned in to her friend and whispered, “I feel like I should be upset.”

  Joanie shot her a quick confused look before straining her neck around the corner to get another peek. “Why?”

  “It’s like you’re ogling Cody.”

  Joanie snorted. “Not even close.”

  Lee Ann shook her head. As they walked back through the rooms she took the time to check out the man, now sliding hot cookies on the cooling trays, and had to admit she couldn’t find one glaring physical difference between the two men, yet there just seemed to be many things. And clearly whatever he had had attracted Joanie. Holly flashed through Lee Ann’s mind. “You know, it was...”

  “Him with Holly?” Even though Joanie’s gaze was still fixed on Nick, her mind was right there with Lee Ann’s.

  “Yeah.”

  “I know.” Joanie lowered her voice even more. “But that’s okay. I’m just doing a little window-shopping.”

  Nick chose that moment to glance across the room, and narrowed his eyes at the women watching him. “Are you two talking about me?”

  Heat filled Joanie’s face.

  He focused on Lee Ann’s pink-faced friend and laughed out loud. “I guess so.” He tossed the spatula to the counter and dug out his best smile as he sauntered across the room. “Tell me, ladies, what exactly are you two talking about?”

  Lee Ann scrutinized her friend’s blazing cheeks, intending on rescuing her, but when Joanie turned a teasing glance in Nick’s direction, Lee Ann laughed out loud and decided to leave it to fate. Maybe she wouldn’t be the only one to discover the excitement of twenty-degree, pitch-black, deep-woods sex. “Joanie can fill you in.”

  Lee Ann returned to the other room and stopped to take in the sight before her. The girls sat on the couch, each with an arm around Boss, while using their free hands to play with their favorite gifts. Reba flipped through her presents, pulling out the different earrings Lee Ann had picked up at a craft store earlier in the week, and Cody stood by the tree wearing the most content expression she had ever seen.

  Finally, after almost fourteen years, her world had been righted and she got to have the life she desired. It wasn’t what she’d dreamed of all those years ago, but it was exactly what she wanted now.

  She moved across the room and stood by her fiancé. He shot her a wicked grin before lifting a chunk of mistletoe above them. She smiled. This was the man she’d loved her entire life, and nothing could be more perfect. She stretched to meet him halfway, and planted a kiss firmly on his lips.

  The End

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Sugar Springs (the town) is a fictional place that I hold special in my heart due to the small town I grew up in, the wonderful people from there that I hold dear—and there are many—and all the lovely “main street” towns I’ve passed through and admired over the years. From these experiences, I’ve incorporated many elements into this book and into this town, and I can’t help but smile every time I think about living right smack in the middle of Sugar Springs.

  My love for the small-town life that I hope I’ve shown in this book comes from all the people in my past and present, and I thank every one of you. Especially my best friend since the third grade, Tonda. There are some special bonds in this book, and I couldn’t help but think of you and me over the years as I wrote them. I hope you realize how much you mean to me and that though we don’t always see nearly as much of each other as we’d like, I always hold you dear to my heart.

  Also to my mother. There’s a lot of you in everything I write, even if it doesn’t always shine through. You’re as much a part of Sugar Springs as I am, and I thank you for showing me so much love over the years that I know how to put it down on paper.

  And now for Sugar Springs (the book).

  Some of the best things in my life have come from finishing this book. I found the perfect friend and brainstorming partner when a relative newbie to my local writing chapter offered to beta read it for me. Thank you, Lara. I’m so glad you raised your hand when I sent out the plea (and have been there to read and reread every time since that I’ve asked!).

  But mostly, I found a group of friends that I’m fortunate to not have to know what life would be like without them. This book was a finalist in the 2009 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest, and though it went on to win the award in its category, the best part about the final was the group of amazing ladies that formed from that year’s list of finalists. The Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood is the best place I can imagine to belong, with some of the strongest and most giving women I know, and I thank each and every one of you for all the years of support, encouragement, and steady hand-holding any time I’ve needed it. I cannot wait to see how terrific we are in the years to come!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo by Amelia Moore, 2012

  Kim Law wrote her first story, “The Gigantic Talking Raisin,” in elementary school. Although it was never published, it was enough to whet her appetite for a career in writing. First, however, she would try her hand at a few other passions: baton twirling, softball, and music, to name a few. Voted Bookworm and Most Likely to Succeed in high school, she went on to earn a college degree in mathematics. Law spent years working as a computer programmer and raising her son, and she now devotes her time and energy to writing romance novels (none of which feature talking raisins). She is a past winner of the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award and currently serves as president for her local RWA chapter. A native of Kentucky, she lives with her husband in Middle Tennessee.