by Kimi Flores
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Special thanks:
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
THE END
About the Author
Additional Romance novels by Kimi Flores
Romantic Suspense titles by K.A. Hunter
Text copyright ©2017 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Melanie Shawn. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Hope Falls remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Melanie Shawn, or their affiliates or licensors.
For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds
Unexpected Promises
By Kimi Flores
My plan was simple.
Retreat to Hope Falls for the summer, seclude myself in one of the many picturesque mountain homes and study for the test that had kept me from advancing my career.
No distractions. No interruptions.
I should’ve known fate would have its own agenda.
All it took was a few sarcastic comments from my temporary roommate and one coy peek over her shoulder to make me feel again.
And now all my carefully laid out plans had been shot to hell.
Acknowledgements
I’d like to first thank Melanie and Shawna for giving me the privilege of contributing to their Hope Falls kindle world. I’m a fan of this series and beyond honored to be part of it.
Special thanks:
To Tbird London at It’s Your Story Content Editing for your patience and taking so much time to work with me, pointing out the holes in my stories and sparking ideas whenever I get stuck. I couldn’t do this without you.
To Megan Hand for catching my backward sentences, incorrect tense, grammatical errors and reminding me to always keep my characters’ voices realistic.
To Jessica Berthelot for continuing to proofread my books even though you’ve moved on to another profession.
To Wildcat Dezigns, thank you for creating such a beautiful cover.
To Mayra Statham for challenging me through sprinting and for your encouragement to keep writing.
To Jessica Ryba and Barbara Ann Lack for your input. I really appreciate you taking the time to read Unexpected Promises then sharing your thoughts with me.
Last but definitely not least, thank you to my family who often get stuck with cold meals, no clean clothes, and a messy house in order for me to write and publish my stories.
My husband and sons are my happily ever after.
Chapter One
Blaine
“I should’ve known you’d be out here.” A cheerful feminine voice pulled me out of my mind-numbing trance.
I lifted my head from the same paragraph I’d been staring at for the last half-hour. My thoughts had wandered so many times today, I probably hadn’t retained a single word I’d read.
Squinting, I tried to focus on Shelby as she stared at me from the back door. There was still plenty of light outside to see her bright smile and the optimism in her blue eyes. That was, until she got a good look at my sullen face.
The whole reason I’d taken this time away from work and my life in Santa Barbara was to study for the Medical Licensing Exam. After dealing with so much crap over the last several years, I was ready to move forward and determined to not let anything distract me.
But the six-month anniversary of my sister’s death had kicked my ass and was temporarily derailing those plans. I’m not sure what had been worse, the dread knowing it was coming or being consumed by guilt once it arrived.
Although she suddenly looked unsure, that didn’t stop Shelby from stepping off the porch and onto the grass, making her way toward me. “I know it’s early, but I left some dinner for you on top of the stove.” She attempted to stick her wayward chestnut strands into her ponytail holder, almost as a diversion. I hated that I was making her uncomfortable and needed to snap out of it.
Twisting in the chair, I stretched my back and felt it pop a few times, relieving some of the tension. It was just enough of a distraction for me to take a deep breath and refocus.
“Thanks for dinner, Shelby, but you don’t have to keep feeding me.” She’d made sure I’d been taken care of ever since I’d arrived last week. I smiled, hoping to convince her that I was doing just fine.
“It’s part of my job, plus I really don’t mind.” She shrugged as if it was no big deal.
Shelby and her husband, Levi, owned Mountain Meadow, the only bed and breakfast in town. When I’d first planned my trip to Hope Falls, I was scheduled to stay with them. After a booking mix up, I was offered a room at a neighbor’s house while she was out of town. I was skeptical until I called the homeowner, Andie, and she assured me it wasn't a problem. Apparently, it was common for the B&B guests to stay in her home.
“I know you’re busy.” I flashed her another smile, praying she bought my sincerity. She’d gone out of her way to help me and the last thing I wanted was to make her feel unappreciated. “I can fend for myself. As a matter of fact, I’ve gone to Sue Ann’s Cafe a few times and she has some really good home-cooked food.”
Shelby placed her hand on the curve of her hip. “You’ve known me an entire week now, Blaine. Do you think I’m going to let you eat every meal at Sue Ann’s? Don’t get me wrong, she makes the best pot pies I’ve ever had, but I think you get caught up in enough of the small-town gossip when you come to the bar.”
My eyes opened wide and I faked a grimace to lighten the mood. “You do have a point there.”
Not only did she and her husband own the Bed & Breakfast, but they also operated the only bar in town, J.T.’s Roadhouse. The few times I’d ventured there, I’d heard plenty of gossip about people I hadn’t even met. I’d also overheard several bar patrons whispering things like, ‘what’s she going to say when she sees him?’ and ‘I sure wouldn’t mind coming home to that’ while glancing over at me.
It didn’t take a genius to realize they were talking about the woman who owned the house I was staying in, and the fact that I’d be here once she got home.
Great, just what I need.
Little did they know, after striking out in the romance department enough times all on my own, I had no interest in small town matchmaking. Plus, after losing my sister earlier this year, I was laser focused on my career. Accepting that it was okay to put the spotlight on me and my needs for once didn't leave any time for a relationship.
A crisp breeze rustled the pages of the thick examination review guide on my lap, maybe attempting to convince me to try again with my studying. Just like in my beach hometown, I knew the temperature would be dropping as soon as the sun set.
Shelby pointed to the side gate, then quickly rubbed her hands up and down her arms as though she was suddenly chilly. “I’m gonna head back to make sure everything is set for the dinner rush.” Lacing her fingers in front of her, she asked cautiously, “Will we be seeing you at J.T.’s tonight?”
I groaned inwardly. The last thing I needed right now was to be surrounded by nosey people.
With a big yawn, I stretched my arms above my head. “Naw. I’m gonna hang out here for the night. Maybe catch something on TV, stay away from the gossip, y’know.” I gave
her a wink so she wouldn’t worry about me.
“Okay, well if you change your mind. We’ll be there.” She hesitated for a moment. “Oh, and I think I’ve already told you, but Andie is supposed to be home tomorrow. She tends to stick to herself so if you need anything, let me know.” Shelby gave a warm smile.
I definitely didn’t mind if the homeowner kept to herself.
“Okay, will do,” I assured her as she turned and walked through the gate. The sound of her flip flops gave off a steady carefree rhythm while she made her way down the driveway toward the street.
I plopped the thick book down on a metal and blue stone side table and took an appreciative glance around the backyard that had quickly become my favorite place to hang out.
After seeing the rustic cabin style of the B&B, I never imagined I’d find a place like this in the middle of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The eclectic style was something I’d expect to see in Santa Barbara since several coffee shops and some of the trendier restaurants were going with the same artsy vibe.
Before this morning, I’d been at ease sitting back here this past week. I hadn’t thought today would hit me so hard and reminded myself that although I’d screwed up plenty, I’d done all I could for my sister.
Even though I was still working through my feelings, I’d spent so much time struggling with guilt and anger. My gut twisted whenever I thought about the constant excuses I’d made for her, picking up every mess she’d made and worse yet, protecting her from all the fucking consequences she should’ve faced. I enabled my sister to live in complete chaos when I should’ve kicked her ass out of my house and pushed her to get her act together.
Damnit. I had to stop jumping back into that pit of self-loathing.
Thank God my youngest brother and his wife had stepped in to take care of my nephew, freeing me to have this fresh start. I wasn’t ready to be permanently responsible for another person.
With a heaviness in my heart, I got up, grabbed all my crap and headed inside. Opening the back door, I flicked on the white lights that were strung along the tree branches out back. It had taken me a few days to find the switch, but I’d gotten in the habit of turning them on every night. I was always mesmerized by the intricate design and focus to detail.
Whoever had installed them certainly knew how to create the perfect retreat, which was exactly what this yard had become to me.
On top of the stove, I found a plate with mashed potatoes, green beans and pot roast, just as Shelby had promised. I may have complained about her constantly bringing me food, but truth be told, I loved the home cooked meals she’d been delivering each day. If it hadn’t been for her, I probably would’ve been surviving on pizza and junk food this past week, just like my college days.
Since this Andie I kept hearing so much about was going to be back tomorrow, I figured I’d eat my dinner while taking another spin in the huge massage chair that was tucked in the corner of the living room, then make good use of my last night alone here.
Chapter Two
Andie
With an exasperated groan, I peeled my sore body out of my itty-bitty car and walked toward the end of the driveway to make sure I’d pulled my trailer in far enough. With each step, every joint radiated pain as my body adjusted to being mobile once more.
The space between my small vintage camper and the garage was larger than I usually liked, but after driving for the last three hours, nothing was going to get me back in that damn matchbox on wheels tonight.
Frowning, I wondered what the hell I’d been thinking when I’d bought that toy car. Sure, it was adorable and powerful enough to haul my trailer, but the space inside was so freaking cramped.
Oh, who am I kidding, I’m just being grumpy. I love my Mini Cooper.
Peeking through the camper’s window, I decided that the crap that needed to be unloaded could wait until tomorrow. I was achy, dead tired, and my bed was calling out to me. I tried not to complain about my pain because the severity most of the time was far less than what a lot of others in my same shoes had to deal with. That didn’t mean some days didn’t suck more than others, though.
I’d originally planned on leaving my cousin’s house in Sausalito tomorrow morning after a long run, but once she told me the party we were preparing for today was in her jackass boyfriend’s honor, I had to get out of there. Ever the peacemaker, she’d been trying to get me to accept him from day one, but with his cheating and stealing from her over the years, I didn’t want to have anything to do with him.
There wasn’t a chance in hell she was going to get me to stay, and I didn’t need to be around to hear their after-party in her room.
No thank you.
But damn, what I wouldn’t have given to see his face when he bit into the special cupcake I’d helped her make for him this morning.
Delirious with exhaustion, my shoulders shook when I laughed out loud imagining what his expression would be when he took a bite and that gnarly Vegemite flavor first hit his tongue. Australians might like that stuff on their buttered toast, but I’d compare it more to a pungent, salty kick in the face.
I hoped that fucker realized right away that it was me. Maybe it was reckless to have snuck that tart, sticky glob of yeast extract into the cupcake before frosting it, and I’m sure my cousin will chew my ass out later, but I’ve always believed in weighing the pros and cons in every situation and that little trick was well worth it.
Squeezing into my car, I grabbed my purse, beat up suitcase and my cat’s carrier. I couldn’t stop snickering as I peeked through the tiny metal bars and into the plastic carrier. “I bet you’re glad to be home too, Fritzy.”
My grey and white tabby cat stared back with one golden eye, while the other wandered to the side as usual. I don’t know what the poor little guy had been through before he’d found my front door several months ago, but his lazy eye, crooked tail and practically toothless meow had stolen my heart the minute I’d laid eyes on him.
“Let’s go inside, little man.” I pushed the door closed with my behind.
The wobbly wheels on my travel bag squeaked in protest as I rolled my luggage down the driveway alongside the wooden fence, reminding me it had seen better days. When I stepped through the gate into the backyard, I was thrown by the lights sparkling in the trees. Comforting memories from when I was a little girl hit me and warmth filled my chest.
Although those visions from so long ago were tied to when my mother had welcomed me home with the lights she’d strung in our front tree, this was a very nice surprise.
It was a little weird coming home, knowing a stranger had been staying in my private space while I’d been gone. I’d only helped host Shelby and Levi’s guests when I’d been home myself, but the guy staying here seemed nice enough. He’d called a few times this week to ask how to operate different things. At first, I’d struggled to put a face with the deep rumble of his voice. His sound suggested that he was very masculine, but his friendly tone gave off a down-to-earth sense that was impossible to ignore.
Thinking about Blaine, I realized I’d completely forgotten to call him and say I was coming home early. Oh well. From what Shelby had said, he was a pretty low-key guy, always hunched over a book in the backyard.
Of course, she’d been sure to mention that the few times he’d gone out to J.T.’s bar, he’d drawn a lot of attention from the women in town. Apparently, he’d also turned down every girl she’d seen hit on him right before she’d stressed how gorgeous he was. She’d even gone as far as sending me the link to his profile on the medical facility's website, where he worked.
I had to give it to her, Blaine Zuckerman was one gorgeous nurse practitioner. His shaggy, dirty blonde hair looked a lot less professional than the clean cut, older doctors who worked at the same practice. I didn’t know if it was his hairstyle or the fact that he lived near the beach, but his deep blue eyes reminded me of the ocean.
It didn’t matter. I was not interested in being set up with a guy strolli
ng through town, on his way out to bigger and better things.
Shelby had been hanging around too many of the nosey nellies if she thought I would be willing to participate in their matchmaking. Being single didn’t mean I was unhappy, a concept most married people in town just couldn’t grasp, men included.
Letting the exhaustion slip out on a sigh, I took a final peek at the lights and decided to leave them on for the night since I’d be able to see them through my bedroom window. It was a simple thing, but knowing I wasn’t going to be alone tonight was kind of comforting in an odd sort of way.
The lamps in the living room gave off enough light as I stepped in through the back door. I left my suitcase by the laundry room door and placed the cat carrier on top of the washer. The familiar scents of laundry detergent and fabric softener filled the small room, making me wonder if Blaine had recently washed his clothes. Unfortunately, it also reminded me that I had a week's worth of laundry ahead of me tomorrow.
When I freed Fritz from his mini confines, he wiggled in my arms until I put him down on the floor. Like most cats, he was independent, though. I giggled when he stuck close to my heels as we climbed the stairs.
Noticing the closed door down the hall, I concluded that my guest was either out for the night or holed up in his room. Either was fine by me since I was seconds away from keeling over. Turning to the left, I headed straight for my own room and closed the door behind my kitty. There was enough light to spot my ultimate destination—my fluffy queen-sized bed.
My entire body sagged when I sat on the edge to take my shoes off, and Fritz jumped up to join me, sniffing every spot before he took a step. I wiggled my shorts and bra off, replaced my top with the ratty t-shirt that had been balled up next to me, yanked the comforter down and crawled under the covers. The back of my head and the area between my shoulders were so tender tonight, all I wanted was sleep.