by Mimi Grace
His hands ached to touch her. “You’re going to be amazing.”
They stood there for a moment, listening to the traffic and ambulance sirens around them. Maybe this was the chance he was supposed to take. Forget grand gestures and possible rejection. He had to make his feelings known even if they weren’t clearly mapped out in his head.
“We didn’t finish our conversation back at the bakery.”
“I need to tell you something.”
They said simultaneously.
Her eyebrows came together as she pushed her glasses up her face. “What?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, he said, “When we made our agreement, parking spots were all I wanted. But somewhere along the way, maybe between a carnival ride and an engagement party, that changed.”
Retta’s mouth fell open on a small gasp.
His heart raced, but he stepped closer. “I’ve been terrified to see what that change means, but I don’t want to pull my punches anymore. And I know you have feelings for Christopher but—”
She shook her head so furiously that he stopped talking.
Before he could interpret her response differently, she grabbed his face and said, “I don’t have feelings for Chris.”
Duncan could now feel his heartbeat in his throat as he let her words register. “No?”
She shook her head again and opened her mouth to say something, but he descended on her lips before she had the chance to. The tension in his body was replaced with the heat of their kiss and the gentleness of her hands that still held his face. She tasted of sugar and ginger, and he poured every ounce of longing from the past weeks into his caresses. He broke their kiss to look into her eyes.
“What does this mean?” she whispered.
He gently brushed some hair from her face and said, “It means I want to do this relationship thing with you. For real this time. I love you too fucking much to not give us a shot.”
Retta closed her eyes as a smile grew on her face. “I’ve been wanting to tell you the same thing all day.”
Tightening his hands where they held her waist, he asked, “What? What did you want to tell me?” He needed to hear her say it.
“That I love you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “And I want to do this relationship thing with you too.”
He let out a long breath as lightheadedness swept through him. After he regained some semblance of control, he leaned his forehead against hers and said, “Good. I wasn’t a big fan of my girl being in love with someone else.”
“Your girl? It’s day one,” she said, laughing lightly.
“Nah, day one started the moment you thought I was your date at that coffee shop.”
“You’re right,” she said, detaching from him and moving toward his truck. “And as my official, very real boyfriend you should know I’ll need one to two of your hoodies, your Netflix login information, and a ride until I get my car back. Oh, and food.”
Duncan grinned as he watched her saunter away. He’d give her that and whatever was humanly possible.
Grabbing her hand, he spun her back to him. “Deal. And you’re in luck, I happen to have a really good scone recipe at home.”
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The End
What’s Next?
Gwen & Anthony’s story. Their book will be the first in a brand new series.
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Thank you!
Thank you so much for reading Make a Scene. I hope you enjoyed getting to know Retta and Duncan. If you did, feel free to recommend it to your romance-loving family and friends. Again, thank you! Your support means the world.
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Mimi <3
ALSO BY MIMI GRACE
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Along for the Ride
This road to love may have a few speed bumps…
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Former hot mess Jolene Baxter is committed to doing better. It’s why she offered to help her sister and brother-in-law move across the country. However, her goodwill is tested when last minute changes—mainly her father ditching her for an all-expenses paid vacation—forces her to make the journey with a man who is the human version of a pebble in her shoe.
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Jason Akana operates on lists and bitter coffee, but none of those things will help him on a sixteen-hour trip with the most infuriating woman. Maybe they can get along and forget their heated confrontation five years ago at his best friend’s wedding…when pigs fly.
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But the addition of vehicle problems, an unplanned pit stop in a small town, and chemistry that inconveniently tags along, shifts their perspectives. And once the dust settles after their trip, a tentative friendship emerges.
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Will these two stubborn people successfully navigate the unexpected feelings that follow close behind? Or will they hit a roadblock before reaching happily ever after?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mimi Grace credits romance novels for turning her into a bookworm at twelve years old. It didn’t matter if those stories included carriages or cowboys, she could be found past her bedtime getting lost in a couple’s journey to happily-ever-after.
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Today, she writes fun, sexy books that she calls confetti and spice for your bookshelf.
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Besides romance novels, she loves generous servings of mint chocolate chip ice cream, long-running reality competition shows, and when she correctly spells “necessary”.