by Cranford, B.
He had the evidence waiting for him, after all. What he really couldn’t believe, he thought as he was distracted by movement in his peripheral vision, was what he was seeing through one of the windows in the clinic’s long hallway—
Noel holding onto his sister, one arm around her waist, the other cupping her head, his cheek resting at her temple.
* * *
“I can’t believe you’re leaving me again.” Kassi pouted from across the kitchen table, only for it to transform into an immediate smile. “I’m so happy for you, cuz.”
Rose reached a hand across the wooden top to grab ahold of Kassi’s. “I’m going to miss you. You were my favorite non-Liam roommate over the last few years.”
Kassi rolled her eyes. “I was also your only non-Liam roommate—and you abandoned me for him, what, two minutes after you got back?”
“To be fair, me leaving gave you the chance to offer my old room to Eli when he needed it, so it worked out well, didn’t it?” The naughty look Kassi aimed her way made Rose blush, so instead of continuing down that conversational path, she instead said, “Thank you again for letting us stay here for our last week.”
Liam had sold his house and the settlement had been a week earlier than their planned departure—on purpose. They’d used the final week to tie up loose strings and get Wilbur ready for his first ever trip in an aeroplane. He’d be in quarantine in Melbourne for nearly two weeks when they got home, but Rose didn’t care.
This time, when she left America, she was leaving with the two men she couldn’t live without.
“Eh, it’s all good. It was nice having Wilbur back in the house, greeting me in the morning with his signature hello.”
Picturing the way Wilby would run into Kassi’s room, leap on the bed—which was only possible because her box spring was quite low to the ground—and lick her until she woke up, Rose laughed. “You’ll have to find someone else to lick you good morning now.”
Kassi’s eyes darted away, and Rose was about to fumble through another subject change when the kitchen door opened and Liam walked in. Saved by the vet, she thought, wondering if someone had written a romance with that title yet.
She’d have to look into it. She’d self-published her own book and though it still had very few reviews, those it did have were glowing. It had taken her a lot longer than she expected to work up the courage to press publish, plus between working with her aunt and uncle, helping Liam out with his financials at Pupp’s and getting the book ready for publication, it had only been out for a little more than three months.
Her next book, she’d decided, would be more of a romance—something about a girl falling in love with a boy, after he fell at her feet, thanks to a wayward protest sign.
“Hey, Kas.” Liam smiled over at her cousin, then leaned down for a kiss. “Hey, Babe.” She returned the kiss, marveling that he still called her Babe—after Babe Ruth—even though more than two years had passed since that day at the animal rights march. She’d made her triumphant return to the march both years she’d been living with Liam, and he made a point to carry her sign for her.
Just in case she thought about hitting someone else.
“I wouldn’t want anyone replacing me, Babe.”
As if he could be replaced.
Wilbur’s paws scrabbled on the kitchen floor as he skidded in from some other part of the house to greet Liam, who was his best friend. Rose, on the other hand, was his mummy—the one he came to for cuddles and naps and food, while Liam was the one he ran to for walks and playtime.
“All done?” Rose asked Liam, noticing the small box from Pupp’s that he’d set on the table when he’d crouched down to catch an overexcited Wilbur.
“Yeah, and you’ll never guess what I saw when I was leaving.” He rubbed one of the dog’s floppy ears and leveled a cheeky smile at Rose. “Noel and Sasha, hugging it out.”
She cocked her head. “Hugging it out how?”
“Babe, if you don’t know what hugging looks like, then . . .”
Giving him a look that conveyed she didn’t think he was very funny, even though she actually did, she said, “You know what I mean though. Was it, like, a loving hug? A friendly hug? A groping hug?”
“I sure as shit hope it wasn’t a groping hug.” Liam pretend-shuddered, then shrugged. “I don’t know what kind of hug it was. It was a hug hug. It looked . . . friendly? He had his hands like . . .” Trailing off, he pulled her close and she let him. Not just because she wanted more info on the hug, but because she loved being in his arms. “Like this.”
She thought about the positioning of Liam’s hands on her body and what she knew of Noel and Sasha. But before she could pass judgment, Kassi beat her to it—
“They’re totally going to bone. Hate sex. It’s always good.”
“Ugh, no. I don’t need to know that.” Liam shook his head, frowning over at Kassi. “Don’t say that.”
“What? It’s true. They’ve been circling each other for months. Like, since his first day at the clinic.” Kassi was matter-of-fact about it, and Rose didn’t disagree. Because it had been clear from day one that there was something about Sasha and Noel that was . . . combustible. And combative.
“After Tucker,” Liam started, “Sasha’s sworn off men. She said she’s not looking for someone.”
Rose thought about that, about Wilbur cowering under the chair on the porch, and how finding him had led her back to the man she’d first seen bent over and clutching his head.
She hadn’t been looking for someone, either, but still she’d found Wilbur.
And by finding Wilbur, she’d found something—someone—else.
Him.
Liam.
The love of her life.
Author’s Note
First things first—there is a mix of Australian and American English in this book. It’s intentional, because Rose is an Aussie and sometimes her thoughts and words are going to slip back to what’s natural. Aeroplane and (forgive me) arsehole are two examples of this, and I promise, I did check to make sure they worked for their placement in She Found Him.
Secondly, this book was written with lots of love—and more than a lot of swearing—as a gift for my mum’s birthday. You see, I’ve always tried to select release dates that have some significance other than just me releasing a book, then stressing about it. Because if the day is special in another way . . . well, it’s a reminder that the world is bigger than just me. It helps keep me centered. Kind of.
Anyway, Mum jokingly asked me one day if I’d release a book on her birthday and I very seriously said yes. What better way to get out of leaving my house to actually BUY something? After several discussions about what kind of book she’d like, we settled on the bare bones of She Found Him, and I was provided with a list of all the animals my kind, caring mum has rescued and loved over the years. The goal: to write about a vegan and a vet who meet-cute at an animal rights march, and work in the names of the aforementioned animals.
I’m not going to lie. It was a challenge—not the names thing, that was surprisingly easy—but what kept me going was knowing that it was for Mum. And that it was also saving me a load of $$ in shipping a present to Australia. Kidding. Working on this story through the toughest time of the year for me (Christmas) and to a deadline that even Mum didn’t know about (to be able to surprise her with a paperback, in person, on her birthday) nearly got the best of me. But I’m happy to say, I made it.
And even happier to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MUMAMUSHKA.
Acknowledgments
Charles, Annabelle, and Dominic, I love you, even if sometimes I’m grumpy and you do the exact opposite of what I’ve asked. It’s a good thing you’re all so cute. And that I am, too.
Dad, sorry I didn’t write a book for your birthday. Or leave the house to get you a present and then pay exorbitant shipping costs to send it. But you’re welcome for this acknowledgement.
Lauren and Evan, top this birthday present. Bet you can’t!
>
Nana & Pa, I love you!
Linda, thank you for always being available to help with my hellions—sorry, I mean KIDS.
My incredible—and I do mean INCREDIBLE—beta team, who are honest even when it hurts us all, thank you for understanding that sometimes, I need to be slapped in the face (metaphorically) and then be given cookies (literally) to make my books better. Jodi, Karen, Shelly, Julia and Ella—I love you all.
The Tom to my Steven, I don’t know what I’d do without you. Thanks for the proofread (and everything else, which would take another entire novel to list).
Becca, thank you for being you. And for your wisdom. And the snuggles. And the three bottles of wine you left in my fridge. (And you’re welcome for Nalini Singh.)
Missy, the editor to end all editors, I would be lost without you. And also putting single quotes where they don’t belong. I swear, I DO try. It’s just that sometimes I fail.
Macey and Jess, come see me again soon. Please. It doesn’t even need to be a surprise this time, though that would be lovely. B+M rules, BTW.
Linda and the team at Foreward PR, thank you for making this release so, so much less stressful. You seriously rock!
To my wonderful, wonderful author friends, thank you for the advice and support, the laughs and the giveaways, and for including me when you’re all, like, WAY better than me.
I’m sure I’ve forgotten people, but that’s what happens when Becca leaves three bottles of wine in my fridge, so please, send your complaints to her. Sorry, and thank you!
About the Author
B. Cranford is a proud Australian living in the USA, a lover of books, breadsticks and bed, and the mother of two children who are far too similar to their father for her liking. A lifelong reader, she dove into the romance genre on the recommendation of her best friend and hasn’t looked back since. After three years as a blogger, she decided it was high time she finally finished one of the 12,002 books she’d started writing, and the end result was her debut novel, The Brightest Star.
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Also by B. Cranford:
THE BRIGHTEST STAR (BRIGHT & CRAZY #1)
All bets are off when love is on the line . . .
Find out how Brighton and Sebastian fell (back) in love when you read The Brightest Star.
A LITTLE BIT CRAZY (BRIGHT & CRAZY #2)
She thinks they’re enemies, he knows they’re something more . . .
See Jade try—and fail—to fight her attraction to the World’s Biggest Jackass, Declan, in A Little Bit Crazy.
A CRAZY CHRISTMAS (BRIGHT & CRAZY #3)
If they can make it through the holidays, they can make it through anything . . .
The holidays are shaping up to be the craziest yet. Catch up with Brighton & Sebastian, and Jade & Declan in A Crazy Christmas.
ABOUT TIME (THE AVENUE #1)
It’s all about timing . . .
Ashton Andrews doesn’t need a man to fulfill her dream of becoming a mother.
But that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten about the one who just walked into her bar . . . and back into her life.
BECAUSE FOREVER (THE AVENUE #2)
Everyone should have a chance at forever . . .
Odette Peterson isn’t interested in the apologies of her best friend.
But she is interested in finding her forever . . . she just wasn’t expecting it to be right in front of her.
FOR TODAY (THE AVENUE #3)
First comes love, then comes marriage . . .
And after that? It doesn’t matter, as long as Aaron Andrews & Simon Foster are together.
* * *
MILE HIGH
Curious to know more about Rose’s brother, Lucas? Head over to Book+Main to read Mile High, my exclusive, standalone short story with a guaranteed HEA.
They say time flies when you’re having fun, but what about when you’re falling in love?
Bianca Evers is recovering from the end of her marriage to her college sweetheart when she’s seated next to the sexiest man she’s ever seen.
Lucas Hawke is flying home to Australia, still dreaming of something more with the right person when he encounters a beautiful woman with sad eyes.
And now they only have fifteen hours to figure out if their connection is worth upgrading—or just a layover in life . . .