Melting into You
Page 26
“It’s most definitely coming.”
He rolled off her and scooted them under the covers. “Maybe I’ll surprise you sometime.”
She yawned. “You’ve already been the biggest, bestest surprise of my life, Alec.”
He huffed, hugged her closer, and savored the weight of her slight body against his. Lilliana had systematically shredded the bonds of betrayal and shame to his past. If he hadn’t gone through those trials, he would never have been worthy of her.
Instead of turning backward, his mind cast forward, imagining his future—their future. He fell asleep to the music of her deep breaths, the creaking of the house, and a yowling cat. He was home.
Epilogue
The tension in the stadium was palpable. The Falcons were two minutes from winning their first state title. Lilliana sat on the fifty-yard line with Jessica and Darcy. The three of them gave high-fives, hugged, or clutched each other’s hands, depending on what the situation on the field required. Alec’s parents were a few rows up, cheering the Falcons and their son on. Lilliana had exchanged hugs with both of them and issued an invitation for Sunday dinner. His mother had accepted with a hopeful joy lighting her eyes.
Hunter had played his best game of the year against the toughest team he’d ever faced. His passes had been crisp, his leadership on the field outstanding. Maybe it had something to do with Lilliana’s relative judge coming through and getting Will into a wilderness rehabilitation program instead of jail. He had a chance to break the cycle.
Alec announced before the game that Hunter had a firm scholarship offer to play at Auburn. It would get him out of Falcon and into a great program. Other schools were sure to offer campus visits after seeing his performance at tonight’s game.
With a minute to go and the Falcons using their last time-out, Jessica said, “I’m pregnant.”
Lilliana had a feeling her face was a mirror image of the shock Darcy wore.
In a panicked, jittery voice, she continued. “The timing is crazy. I was scoping locations for a new restaurant in Huntsville. I’m not sure how I’m going to handle a baby on top of everything else.”
“Have you told Logan?” Lilliana asked.
“Of course. He’s ecstatic, and so am I. I mean, when I went off the Pill, I knew this was a distinct possibility especially as much as we— Well, the odds are in our favor, I’ll leave it at that. But now that it’s reality . . . I’m scared.”
Lilliana put her arm around Jessica’s shoulders. “You’ll figure everything out. It’s okay to put off the restaurant in Huntsville for a while. You’re going to be an amazing mother.”
Jessica’s chin wobbled. “It’s not like I had the best role model, and neither did Logan. Our parents left us both pretty screwed up.”
Lilliana and Darcy’s gazes clashed over Jessica’s lap. Darcy piped up. “Logan is solid. You know that. He’s going to be an awesome father, and you’re not going to repeat the mistakes your parents made with you, right? Plus, this baby is going to have the best aunts in the world. Right, Lilliana?”
“You know it. My schedule is superflexible, and I can babysit anytime you get in a pinch.”
Jessica shifted. “Until you get the B&B open.”
Lilliana took a deep breath and on the exhale said, “The B&B idea is dead. Alec is moving in, and we’re going to fix it up together. I’m going to put my energy into a portrait collection for exhibition.”
Now it was Darcy and Jessica’s turn to look at her agape. Jessica asked, “Are you two getting married?”
“No, not yet.” She looked to the field where Alec clapped and yelled. “Eventually, we will though.”
Jessica hugged her tight. “I’m so happy for you.”
Lilliana and Jessica turned toward Darcy who looked startled by the sudden attention. “Don’t look at me like that. I have no news. I’m not pregnant.” She paused. “But, Robbie wants to try over the summer. He thinks a spring baby would work out best. I swear, everything revolves around football.”
The buzzer sounded and the crowd around them erupted. Darcy yelled, “Oh my God, we won! We won!”
Lilliana gave both women a hug and screamed at the top of her lungs along with everyone else. The crowd surged forward, and Lilliana let it sweep her along like a riptide. The fans were storming the field. Through the melee, she made her way toward the last place she’d seen Alec.
She stood on tiptoes and cursed how short she was. A strong arm circled her waist from behind making her squeak. Alec’s sexy whisper relaxed her into his body. “Can I get a kiss for winning state?”
“I’m pretty sure I just saw you on the sidelines clapping. Did you throw a touchdown?”
“No, but I’m hoping I’ll score tonight.”
“That would be a good bet.” She turned in his arms and brushed her lips over his. The sweet taste of Coke mingled with the smell of turf. Someone jostled them, and they broke apart, laughing.
The players were in the center of the field, helmets in the air chanting “State Champs.” Darcy and Dalt stood ten yards away, their heads close, his hand on the small of her back. Logan had Jessica in a bear hug, swinging her around in a circle, her feet off the ground, her laughter drifting over the crowd noise.
Somehow, improbably, Lilliana had found happiness where she’d least expected it. In Falcon, surrounded by old friends and new, and with a boy who’d trampled her heart but turned into a man who cherished it.
A lump of tears worked their way up her throat, and she buried her face in Alec’s neck. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Hey, what’s wrong?” He tried to pull back, but she resisted, holding him as close as she could.
“Nothing’s wrong. Everything is absolutely perfect.”
Want to know what happens after Jeremy moves to Cottonbloom, Louisiana? Find out in CHRISTMAS IN THE COP CAR!
Jeremy Whitehurst has tried to leave his bad-boy behavior and tarnished image behind in Alabama for a fresh start in Cottonbloom, Louisiana. Unfortunately, trouble has dogged him across state lines. Stepping up and protecting a young woman from her abusive boyfriend earned him a beat-down and got him fired. Although the thanks in the girl’s dark eyes made it all worth it, he recognizes she’s just a different kind of trouble. A trouble he’s not sure he can stay away from.
One rebellious summer dented Kayla Redmond’s carefree innocence. Now her focus is on completing her associate’s degree for bookkeeping, and no one is going to derail her plans. Unfortunately, her job at Fournette Brothers Designs puts her in the path of the one man who has seen her at her worst, yet his blue eyes don’t judge her. He sees beyond the brokenness inside of her and rouses her wild side once more. But, that’s what got her in trouble in the first place.
Christmas is coming and Kayla’s ready to forgive herself and take a chance. But the holiday has only ever brought heartache to Jeremy. No Christmas miracle kept his mother clean or out of jail. Will one reckless night and some time spent in the back of a cop car be the best present Jeremy’s ever been given?
Also by Laura Trentham
Contemporary Romance
Sweet Home Alabama Novels
Slow and Steady Rush, Book 1
Caught Up in the Touch, Book 2
Melting Into You, Book 3
Highland, Georgia Novels
A Highlander Walks Into a Bar, Book 1
A Highlander in a Pickup, Book 2
A Highlander is Coming to Town, Book 3
Heart of a Hero Novels
The Military Wife
An Everyday Hero
Cottonbloom Novels
Kiss Me That Way, Book 1
Then He Kissed Me, Book 2
Till I Kissed You, Book 3
Christmas in the Cop Car, Novella 3.5
Light Up the Night, Novella 3.75
Leave the Night On, Book 4
When the Stars Come Out, Book 5
Set the Night on Fire, Book 6
Historical Romance
&nbs
p; Spies and Lovers
An Indecent Invitation Book 1 (FREE)
A Brazen Bargain, Book 2
A Reckless Redemption, Book 3
A Sinful Surrender, Book 4
A Wicked Wedding, Book 5
A Daring Deception, Book 6 (Coming Soon)
I love to hear from readers! Come find me:
Laura@LauraTrentham.com
www.LauraTrentham.com
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NOTE: This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
MELTING INTO YOU
Copyright © 2020 by Laura Trentham
Cover by Erin Dameron-Hill
eISBN: 978-1-946306-18-0
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Created with Vellum
About the Author
I’m so excited to share the SWEET HOME ALABAMA series with you! While Falcon, Alabama is fictional, I was inspired by my own hometown in Tennessee. This was my first small town series and I loved revisiting all my characters and the town as I updated them for rerelease. I hope you enjoyed your visit and who knows…There may be more Falcon coming in the future!
I was born and raised in a small town in Northwest Tennessee. Although, I loved English and reading in high school, I was convinced an English degree equated to starvation! So, I chose the next most logical major - Chemical Engineering- and worked in a hard hat and steel toed boots for several years. Now I live in South Carolina with my husband and two children. In between school and homework and soccer practices, I love to get lost in another world, whether it's Regency England or small town Alabama.
SLOW AND STEADY RUSH and CAUGHT UP IN THE TOUCH both received TOP PICKS from RT Book Reviews and a STARRED review from Library Journal. KISS ME THAT WAY, Cottonbloom Book 1, won the Stiletto Contest for Best Long Contemporary and finaled in the National Readers Choice Award. THEN HE KISSED ME, Cottonbloom Book 2, was named an Amazon Best Romance of 2016 and was a finalist for the National Excellence for Romance Fiction. TILL I KISSED YOU, Cottonbloom Book 3, is a finalist in the Maggie contest. LEAVE THE NIGHT ON, the latest Cottonbloom book, was named an iBooks Best Book of the Month and a Recommended Read from NPR. AN INDECENT INVITATION and A BRAZEN BARGAIN were both finalist for the 2014 Golden Heart® Award.