by Laura Ann
Brody smirked at her from the small separation she had created. “I knew you still loved me.”
“You knew I—” She started to yell, but Brody leaned back in and effectively cut her off.
When he pulled back, the smirk was gone. “I’m sorry about the way things happened between us. Truth is, I was hiding. Hiding from my life, my family, the media ... everything. For once in my life, I wasn’t Brody Gruffman millionaire. I was just Janitor Gruff, a homeless man nobody paid attention to.” He leaned his forehead into hers. “Until you.”
Tia felt her anger drain completely as he spoke, but she couldn’t stop herself from correcting his words. “As I recall, you were the one who shoved your way into my life.”
Brody smiled and his stormy eyes lit up. “I believe you asked for the first favor. I just negotiated a better deal.”
Tia couldn’t stop the smile that split her face and she closed her eyes, laughing lightly at his words.
“Can you still see me, Tia? Can you see past the fancy clothes, and the new hair-do to the man beneath? If you can look past my family name and money you’ll see the man who loves your cooking. The man who adores your feisty personality and your independence. The man who wants to have you in his life always.”
Tia gasped softly and held her breath as he spoke.
“Can you see the man who loves you?”
Tia felt her eyes fill with tears as she stared deeply into Brody’s eyes. Her brown orbs darted back and forth between his grey ones as she looked for any signs of deceit or teasing, but it wasn’t there. His lips and brows were pinched and his eyes looked worried; vulnerable.
The tiny spark of hope, burst into a roaring fire and Tia had no means or desire to fight it. Grabbing his head between her hands, she pulled him back down and gave her answer in the best way possible.
PROLOGUE
Brody bounced on his toes as he waited for Tia to arrive. His nerves were stretched taut and he felt like he might explode, whether from, excitement or nervousness, he couldn’t tell.
“Chill, Brodes. It’s gonna be fine. She’ll love it. Just chill,” he tried to reassure himself, but his nerves weren’t listening.
Finally, Tia’s car pulled in next to his and she opened her door. “What are we doing here?” She asked as she walked to stand by him. “This place looks deserted.”
Brody grinned “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said before leaning down for a quick kiss.
“Mmmm ... “ Tia hummed. “Happy Valentine’s Day to you too.” She smiled at him before frowning at the glass door beside them. “I thought we were going out to dinner.” She peeked in the dirty window. “Is this one of those ‘black-out dinner’ places or something?”
Brody laughed and felt some of his nerves ease. “Nope. We are going to dinner, but I wanted us to stop here first. Here,” he opened the door, “come in and check it out.”
Tia pursed her lips, but walked inside, eyeing the space. There was very little in it, other than dirt and dust. A long counter stood near the back wall with a doorway going through the wall to a space beyond. Another opening in the right wall seemed to lead to a hallway. “What is this?” Tia finally broke the silence.
Brody came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her now wavy hair. “It’s yours.”
Her head snapped towards him. “What do you mean it’s mine?”
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” He said again.
Tia looked around again. “Do you mean ... “ Her words trailed off as emotion coated her words.
“Yep!” Brody stepped away from her, grabbed her hand and pulled her around the room. “This is your bakery! Can’t you just see it?” He pointed toward the counter. “We’ll put a glass panel in there and all those little kids can press their noses to it.” He grinned at her.
Tia laughed and wiped tears as she followed him.
“And all those wonderful smells will be coming from the kitchen area back there.” He pointed to the door on the far wall. “Of course, the kitchen will be state of the art and have every little thing your heart desires in it.” He walked her toward the hallway. “And down here are three rooms. Perfect for your office and two bathrooms.” He faced her and grabbed her other hand so he was holding both. “Do you like it?”
“I love it, but I can’t accept it, Brody.” She sniffled.
Brody stopped bouncing around. “Why not?”
“Because it’s way too much. I’ll never be able to pay you back! Don’t you see? You can’t just give your girlfriend a bakery!”
Brody laughed before pulling her in and wrapping his arms around her. “Forget about how big it is for a second. Do you want the space?”
“Yes,” Tia said in a pitiful voice.
“Great. Now, rather than just giving it to you, I’m willing to work something out. We can swap favors.” Brody waggled his eyebrows at her.
Tia giggled. “You and your favors. What favor would be big enough to get all this?” She looked around then back at Brody.
“How about the favor of spending the rest of your life with me?” Brody let go of her with one arm to pull a black, velvet ring box from his pocket.
Tia froze, her eyes wide and her mouth open, before promptly bursting into tears. Throwing her arms around Brody’s neck she sobbed, soaking the collar of his polo.
Brody patted her back lightly; unsure how to handle the emotionally distraught woman in his arms. “Um ... Tia?”
She pulled her head up and looked at him with a tear-stained face. “What?”
“Is it okay to ask for an answer?”
Tia closed her eyes and laughed while shaking her head.
“Is that a no?” Panic laced Brody’s voice.
“NO!” Tia yelled.
“No?”
“Yes! No! I mean ... shoot, this got weird.” She took a deep breath and framed Brody’s anxious face with her hands. “Yes, I am thrilled to take this bakery off your hands.” She gave him a light kiss; grinning when he tried to follow her for more. “And yes, I will happily spend the rest of my life with you.” This time when she leaned in, she didn’t pull away.
Whether minutes passed or hours before they left for a Valentine’s dinner, Tia couldn’t tell. But as they walked out of her bakery hand in hand, Tia had never been more grateful for lost earrings and small favors.
THE END
Author Note
I just want to say thank you for reading my book! I am an avid romance reader and was excited to finally create my own. Keep an eye out for new releases as the other teachers at Middleton Prep get their Happy Ever Afters!
WORD OF MOUTH IS THE lifeblood of indie authors. If you have a few moments, please leave me a review and share this book with your friends.
Middleton Prep Series Order
Prequel: A Home for the Ugly Duckling (A FREE gift for my email subscribers) Sign up (HERE)
Book #1: The Librarian and Her Beast (HERE)
Book #3: Waking Ms. Briar (HERE)
Book #4: A Date for the Goose Girl (HERE)
Book #5: Running from the Wolf (HERE)
Book #7: Zellie’s Story Coming Nov. 2018
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Of “A Home for the Ugly Duckling”
A prequel to the Middleton Prep series.
A HOME FOR THE UGLY DUCKLING
Before Edna Merryweather was the slightly odd, but lovable matchmaker of Middleton Prep, she was simply Edna Ducking, or, as her school classmates dubbed her, ‘The Ugly Duckling’; everyone’s favorite subject of ridicule and rejection.
So how does someone go from being the school outcast to being the school love expert? It all star
ts with quirky twin sisters and a handsome, green-eyed boy who are willing to see Edna for herself, rather than the label she has carried for so many years.
Read on for a sample of Middleton Prep #1
“The Librarian and Her Beast”
CHAPTER 1
Piper normally found teacher orientation horribly boring. Principal Grimm would introduce all the new faculty and then go over the same rules every year before dismissing the teachers to mingle and prepare their classrooms. This year, however, everything was different. Time stood still when the new high school math teacher/football coach, Nash Wilde, had been introduced. Tall, dark, and handsome barely covered what this man was.
She found she couldn’t breathe. Squirming, shuffling, and a droning voice existed in her periphery, but her world was stuck. He looked to be well over six feet. His shoulders showed he actually played the sport he had come to coach. His dark hair was longer on top, but short on the sides and it looked like he hadn’t shaved in about three days. Piper found she had the strangest desire to rub her fingertips over the stubble.
Ouch! Her concentration was broken when her best friend elbowed her in the ribs.
“Stop staring and wipe that drool off your chin,” Lucy teased. “People are gonna start to notice if you don’t get ahold of yourself.”
“Sorry,” Piper mumbled. Shaking her head, she tried to bring her attention back to what Principal Grimm was saying, but her eyes kept wandering back to where Nash had retaken his seat.
“I can’t say that I blame you,” Lucy whispered. “He is one nice specimen of the male species. A bit gruff looking for my tastes, but still, looking never hurt anybody. Better be careful though. Miranda Long Legs seems to have her eye on him as well.”
“What?” Piper snapped to full attention and honed in on the beautiful redhead. She grimaced when she saw Miranda eyeing the coach like a panther sizing up its prey. If Miranda was after him, she didn’t stand a chance. Miranda was 5’ 10” of runway model elegance. Her flaming red hair was always perfectly coiffed and her large, pouty lips perfectly glossed. Men didn’t resist her. They were simply lucky if they survived her.
Folding her arms across her far less impressive chest, Piper slouched, feeling defeated. Her petite frame was no match for the voluptuous woman. The biggest thing about Piper was her head of long, coffee colored hair. Thick and luxurious, she couldn’t bear to cut it, believing it to be her best feature. Her large hazel eyes were always hidden behind glasses that were constantly slipping down her small, straight nose. A nose that was usually buried in a book. And although Piper glossed her lips with her favorite candy cane lip gloss, she never seemed to be able to attain the same pouty attractiveness as Miss Model.
Ugh. Miss Hoity Toity is gonna be all over him like a homeless man on a bologna sandwich. She sighed, giving up before the fight had even begun and forced her head back to the principal, who continued to wax poetic about school policies.
CHAPTER 2
Since Piper was the school librarian, she had the unique opportunity to meet all the teachers in their small, private school. Middleton Prep was a K-12 academy with a pricey tuition. She loved her work. Helping kids on their literary adventures was exciting and fulfilling. Today, however, her body shook with nerves. All school textbooks were kept in her back rooms and she often delivered them to each teacher before school started.
Okay Piper, you can do this. He’s just a man. A really, really, really handsome man, but still. Just. A. Man.
Taking a deep breath, she thrust her shoulders back and chin high. With one hand on her library cart, she knocked on the classroom door and pushed it open. Peeking her head in, she glanced around.
“Hello? Mr. Wilde?”
Double checking that she had the right room, she peeked her head back in.
A deep, rumbling grunt sounded from behind the door.
Confused, she shifted around so she could see him. Putting on a nervous smile, she said, “Hi! I’m Piper, the librarian. I’m just delivering your textbooks for the semester.”
Ooh. He’s even better up close! A girl could get lost in those eyes.
He cleared his throat and Piper realized she was staring. Blinking rapidly, she pulled herself together and worked on maneuvering the cart into the room. As luck would have it, one of the wheels got caught in the doorway. Her cheeks burned with humiliation as she tried to adjust the cart while holding the door open with her foot, but her small stature made it difficult for her to lift the wheel.
She registered a loud sigh of exasperation behind her, moments before she felt a heated presence at her back. She jumped and bit back a squeal when his arms came around her and shifted the cart before retreating.
“Small.”
Her eyes widened in shock at his comment. “Excuse me?” Her hackles were raised now. She didn’t put up with jerks, no matter how handsome they were. “I’m plenty big enough for my job, thank you very much.”
He huffed and walked away. Stopping at a side table, he swept his arm over it, an obvious indication of where she should put the books.
Shoving her glasses back up her nose, she tugged on the cart and pulled it across the room. Taking a couple books at a time, she started to pile them neatly on the table.
Another grunt sounded from the tall man, this one sounded impatient. Seriously? How many ways can you communicate in grunt?
When he moved toward the cart, Piper stuck out her arm. “No!” She practically shouted. Taking a deep breath, she plastered on a fake smile. “I’m sure you have more important things to do. I’ll just get these stacked according to grade level and be on my way.”
Rolling his eyes, he ignored her command. Reaching down, he gathered half the books in one load, dumped them on the table, and then proceeded to pick up the other half. After dropping them down, he stalked across the room and held open the door, staring Piper down.
“Hmph.” Great. His grunting is rubbing off on me. She pushed the cart in front of her and worked her way to the doorway. As she walked out, her arm brushed against him, sending an electrical current down to her fingertips and up to her shoulder. Angry that her body responded to someone so horrible, she didn’t bother to say goodbye as she stomped down the hallway.
He’s like some caveman, beast thing! He and Miranda deserve each other.
It didn’t occur to her until she was back at the library that she hadn’t heard his door close until she was halfway down the hall.
Piper’s stomach gave a loud rumble, startling her from her work. Glancing at the clock, she realized she was late for her usual lunch hour. Grabbing her insulated lunch box, she walked briskly down the hall to the teacher’s lounge. During orientation week, some teachers ate in their classrooms, but many would come to socialize with the rest of the staff.
Piper grinned when she opened the door and spotted an empty seat next to Lucy. Her best friend was sitting with several other teachers.
“Hey Pipe! How goes the library today?” Lucy smiled as Piper sat down. “Been delivering books and getting organized?” She took a bite of her salad and began crunching.
“Ugh. Don’t get me started.” Piper rolled her eyes.
“What do you mean? Did you spill a cart or something?”
“If only. Let’s just say I got over my crush really quick,” Piper lied. Despite the fact that Nash was a jerk, she still found herself thinking of him, which ticked her off.
“Really? Did you discover he was married?” Lucy whispered, leaning in close.
“Nope. But when he actually opens his mouth, his good looks disappear. Dude is a jerk.” She took a vicious bite of her turkey sandwich.
“What did he do?”
Looking around, Piper noticed that Miranda was eyeing her and Lucy. Turning her body so she could keep their conversation from outside ears, she relayed the events from the morning.
“It’s not funny!” Piper folded her arms indignantly.
“I’m sorry. But I can just see him towering over you an
d you getting all huffy about it.” Lucy wiped tears from her eyes, trying halfheartedly to get herself under control.
Suddenly the door burst open and the man they were talking about walked into the room.
“Great,” Piper muttered.
Lucy continued giggling, only stopping when Piper elbowed her in the ribs.
Nash’s long strides took him across the room to an empty chair at an isolated corner table. Rather than moving it to join a group, he sat and opened the bag in his hand.
Keeping her face towards Lucy, Piper couldn’t help but sneak a couple of glances in his direction. Even now, she could feel a draw towards him. It’s like an animal magnetism. All raw strength and power. Giving herself a mental shake, she brought her eyes back to Lucy, who was grinning smugly.
“Got over him real quick, did you?”
Choosing to ignore her insinuation, Piper put her nose in the air and went back to eating her sandwich.
“So, Rory. I should have your science books to you this afternoon.” Piper commented to a mid-size blonde, also sharing their table.
“Great. I’ll make sure I have a space for them.” She smiled, then dropped her voice and leaned forward. “We certainly had a fantastic surprise this week at the meeting, didn’t we?”
“What do you mean?” Piper asked.
Rory’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you notice the large influx of particularly good looking male hires? Weren’t you there when Principal Grimm announced them all?”
Piper thought back. She remembered a couple of new names being called out, but once she had spotted Nash, everyone else had disappeared. She couldn’t think of any other faces or names. She shrugged her shoulders in response to Rory’s question and took another bite of sandwich.