Six months later…
Elsie stood at the bow of the boat, the breeze picking up the vintage silk of her gown as she watched the sun melt into the river, turning the sky a swirl of pink and yellow. Behind her, the wedding reception, which was small and perfect and consisted of just family, was in full swing but she wanted to take a breath to appreciate this beautiful moment.
Twenty minutes ago, she’d become Elsie Dodd-Easton and her heart couldn’t be fuller. Last week the magazine had released its new issue with her music room making the cover, and Rhett’s album was complete—and amazing.
After several missteps, Elsie had finally stepped right into the perfect life and the perfect man. And he’d embraced her fully for exactly who she was.
Rhett walked up behind her and slid his arm around her as he leaned in and kissed her neck, before resting his chin on her shoulder. “Are you thinking of jumping? I wouldn’t blame you. My family is a lot to take in all at once.”
His family had been nothing but amazing. Even before today they’d welcomed her into their pack as one of their own. His brothers became her brothers, their partners her best friends, and his mother and her new husband, Eddie, her second parents. Then there was the relationship with her own family, which was becoming stronger every day.
“I love your family.” She looked over her shoulder to meet his gaze, which was as blue as the water. “And I love you.”
“Good thing because it’s too late to back out. You already sealed the deal with a kiss.”
She turned in his arms. “Maybe we should seal it again.” And they did until they were both breathing heavy.
“Do you think anyone would notice if we disappeared below deck?” he asked against her lips.
Her knees wobbled at the thought. “I bet we could sneak away for a few minutes.”
He leaned back, a testy look on his face that made her laugh. “A few minutes? Red, I need at least an hour to show off my best moves.”
She snuggled closer. “I’ve seen your best moves and they take more than an hour.”
His hands slid to her butt, his lips to her earlobe, where he gave a soft nip. “I like where you’re going with this.”
“Well, you’d better move fast because our moms are headed this way.”
He waggled a brow. “There’s still time to jump.”
She looked into the eyes of the man she loved and said, “I’d go anywhere with you, Rhett Easton.”
Because she knew that when she fell, he’d always be there to pick her up. And she him.
ContinueSummer Affair
Turn the page to check out Abi and Owen’s Clay’s story,Single Girl in the City, a sexy, feel-good opposites attract, grumpy boss romantic comedy!
Chapter One
Happy Things:
Snickers bar
King-sized Snickers bar
Abilene Woods had barely secured her Good Samaritan hat and already she was having a crisis of faith.
It wasn’t that Abi didn’t know how to perform a random act of kindness. She was terrified that she’d do it wrong. After everything that had happened, after the two terrible tragedies she was partially responsible for, screwing this up wasn’t an option. Which was why she’d been searching for signs ever since moving from Alabama back to Portland.
She wasn’t sure what she’d imagined they’d look like. So when no shooting star lit the way and no kaleidoscope of monarch butterflies took flight, Abi did what any good former kindergarten teacher would do: she flipped the universe the big one, then crafted aneed a good deed? sign-up sheet and posted it on the bulletin board at the tea shop where she worked.
Miracle of miracles, when she arrived at Sip Me that morning, she’d found not one, not two, but three posted wishes waiting to be granted—and not a one began withFor a good time call…
So today, Abi was going to make a few lives a little easier. Not bad for her first day in the saddle.
Spring had finally arrived with a light drizzle and a gentle breeze, which carried the scent of dogwood blossom from the surrounding trees. Abi’s first stop was at Food Hub and Grub, where she loaded her cart with all the wish-making essentials. She cruised the chip aisle, rescuing a bag of Cheetos, and rounded a display of pecans, which readwarm roasted nuts,before turning down the self-care aisle where she found the last item on her list.
