by Piper Rayne
“I’m right?” He raises a brow. “Cut the crap Leo, what are you playing at?”
“No bull, no games, just me being honest. You think I’m not worthy of Ivy, and perhaps you’re right. But,” I stress the word but. “I feel honored to be with her and I feel honored to have a chance to love her. That’s what makes me different, I know how lucky I am to be with her. And I’m willing to pledge to you and your family I won’t hurt her.”
Jackson was right. Only I would know what to say to truly get Cory to listen. I can see he’s listening to me now.
In fact, they all are.
“I want you on board, and to be a part of my life, our lives. But if you can’t be then as much as it pains me to lose you, and it will, I will accept your decision. Because I’m never going to leave Ivy. I want to marry her, and spend the rest of my life loving, caring and being with her. All I’m asking is for a chance. Can you do that Cory? Because our lives, all of our lives will be so much happier if we had your blessing.”
He’s kept his gaze trained on me the whole time. Never blinking, not even once.
When he nods my whole body sighs with relief. Then he reaches out and hugs me before slapping my back.
“You have my blessing to marry Ivy. I don’t think I could ask for anyone better than you.”
When we pull apart I meet the proud eyes of his parents then the loving eyes of my girl.
As she skips into my arms I feel complete. I feel like I can finally love her the way I want and make her mine forever.
Epilogue
Ivy
One year later…
* * *
It’s our wedding day, and I’m wearing a simple strapless dress, with a fitted bodice, while the skirt is made of soft material which flows to the floor. With my hair swept up in a do, and a simple tiara, I’m feeling very princess like.
The ceremony and reception are at the same place, and I totally love where we chose. The loft space is perfect with exposed brick work, timber ceilings and the large skylight which bathes the space in an abundance of natural light!
“Have I told you how beautiful you look?” Leo, my husband, comes up to me, pressing a soft kiss to my neck.
“You may have,” I smile back at him.
“You look exquisite in that dress,” he says, his greedy gaze taking in the way it hugs my figure. “I can’t wait to remove it from you later tonight and kiss every glorious inch of you.
My breasts grow heavy against the tight bodice, and I long for his hands to cup and massage them. We’ve been together for over a year, and I never tire of him, in and out of bed. Our sex life is still incredible. But we’ve become a couple, a real couple. Leo has scaled back his work so we have more time together, especially on the weekends. There are times when he has to work long hours but where he can, we spend the weekends together, going on long drives, checking out different neighborhoods in Chicago, and of course making love. I just can’t get enough of him.
I’m also going to be scaling back my career for a while. I’m newly pregnant, and we’re beside ourselves with excitement.
I went off the contraceptive pill, anticipating we had plenty of time to get pregnant, but the first time we got lucky.
I’m feeling fabulous, and am so happy I could burst.
“Time to cut the cake, and then I get to hold you in my arms, and dance with you,” he says.
“I’m glad we took lessons, I really didn’t want to make a fool of myself in front of everyone,” I confess.
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I love you, will always love, and plan on loving you for the rest of my life.” He pauses. “And our child too,” he whispers in my ear.
I can feel my smile stretched across my lips. “Thank you for the most incredible wedding day, it’s all so beautiful.”
“I should be thanking you. You’re incredible and I’m so glad you’re my wife.”
I stand on tip toes and press my lips against his. “I love you Mr. Haller.”
“I love you more Mrs. Haller.”
About the Author
Faith Summers is the Dark Contemporary Romance pen name of USA Today Bestselling Author, Khardine Gray.
Warning!! Expect wild romance stories of the scorching hot variety and deliciously dark romance with the kind of alpha male bad boys best reserved for your fantasies.
Dive in and enjoy her naughty page-turners.
Contact Faith at
[email protected]
About the Author
Joanne Dannon has been living in the world of romance for as long as she can remember. From doodling hearts on her school notebooks to regularly reading romances, Joanne’s world has always been filled with the excitement of love stories. So it was just a natural for Joanne to begin writing the genre she’s always loved.
Joanne Dannon is a happily married mother of two heroes-in-training who loves spending time with friends and family. She can be found on Facebook and her website www.joannedannon.com chatting about reading, writing, cooking, vintage-inspired dresses and all things romantic. She loves to hear from readers.
* * *
Sign up to her newsletter and to say thanks, Joanne will send you a free copy of Bidding on Love.
Roll with It
By Mandy Melanson
Mandy Melanson
Roll with It
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
* * *
Taryn is a newly-single mother of three who faces the whirlwind lifestyle change of being happily married to a prominent member of their community to living on her sister’s sofa and trying to figure out where their next meal is going to come from.
* * *
James is a single father who manages the local hotspot restaurant. He’s tired of giving his heart away only to have it come back to him. He’s given up on happily ever after and has decided to focus solely on doing his job and being a good father to his pre-teen daughter.
* * *
When Taryn’s sister decides to help and applies her for a management job at a local restaurant, Taryn has to learn how to survive the heat while fighting to find her place in the kitchen all while falling for her new boss. Can Taryn stand the heat, or is it time to get out of the kitchen?
Roll with It © 2021 Mandy Melanson
* * *
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
1
Taryn
Taryn Woodward, we regret to inform you that you were not selected to move forward in the interview process. Good luck in your search.
Great. My stack of bills has turned into a leaning tower of past-due and cut-off notices at this point. It seems to grow with every rejection that hits my inbox. I huff and throw myself against the wooden back of my chair, which causes a few of my dark brown tendrils to flutter and tickle my nose. Achoo! I grab my hair and wrestle it back into a top knot piled gloriously on top of my head. Oh well. At least the application for state insurance finally came in the mail. The nice-but-seriously-overworked lady from Family Services had told me that it would be here two weeks ago. I scribble my information on the application as I scroll through page-after-page of want-ads. Income? None. Health insurance? None. The le
ast Ed could have done would have been to let the kids stay on his insurance plan, but of course that was a big nope. I sigh and cringe at myself for wishing he had done anything for us. I don’t need his help, and my kids sure as hell don’t need it either. It’s better this way. The fewer ties to Ed we’re forced to keep—the better. I rest my head against my sister’s pale blue wall and fight the tears stinging the corners of my eyes. I really want to be optimistic about the new life I’m building here. I’m back in my hometown and have all three of my children with me; but life is still throwing one punch and then another. Maybe it would have been easier to stay. No. Eff. That. Very. Much.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes—water surrounds me. I can’t swim. I always meant to learn how, but never did. Where are my kids? My chest tightens and a rising tide crashes over me. I feel every bit of my fear and anxiety washing over the top of me as I bob up and down in the dark murky water. A burning sensation takes over my lungs as I finally succumb to the waves. I can’t breathe. I remember what Ally taught me back in college. I slowly let out the breath I’ve been holding. It’s just enough to relax my body and allows me to feel the air escaping from my lungs. I watch myself pop out of the water to take that first deep, satisfying breath. My hand crosses over my chest. I’m still breathing. I’m alive.
“You okay?” a familiar voice calls out and brings me back to reality where I apparently still have my papers and laptop strewn across my sister’s dining room table. Well, this is embarrassing. Ally is standing in front of the massive stack of papers with her head cocked to the side. She slides her rose gold sunglasses back to keep her dark auburn curls out of her face and raises an eyebrow at me.
“I was just trying some of those visualizations you taught me back in college.” I roll my eyes and wave my hand over the papers stacked on the corner of the desk. “Getting a little stressed here.”
“It’s okay, Sis.” Ally plops three orange and white boxes on the table. “Dinner is served.”
I grab the boxes and cringe at the grease stains already left on the application form. “Oh well, at least Family Services will be able to tell that I’m feeding them.” Silver linings are always there if I just look hard enough.
“Don’t worry.” Ally nudges me on the shoulder. “You and your kids are going to be just fine.” She cups her hands around her mouth and yells loud enough that she might be heard over the video game they are playing upstairs. “Pizza’s here.”
Screams and giggles come from the second floor as my three tiny rebels run out of the spare bedroom and down the stairs. It’s always a race to see who can get the first plate—and by default—the best slice of pizza.
Ally lifts an orange lid and steam wafts from the box. “Aiden, you always make it to the front of the line,” she snickers.
"That one!" Aiden’s dark brown eyes widen as he points to the biggest slice.
I slide the extra cheesy slice onto Aiden’s paper plate. “You didn’t trip your sister this time, right?” I ask as I tuck a napkin under the plate and hand it to him.
“No!” His cheeks turn red. “I mean—”
Yep. He did.
“Mom!” Peyton yells from the staircase.
And there it is.
“He did it again.” She stomps up beside him.
“No tripping your sister!” I used my best Mom-tone, but for some reason my little rebels are never all that convinced. "No more video games tonight."
Aiden grabs his plate and stalks into my sister’s meticulously furnished and decorated living room, grumbling the whole way. “Thanks a lot, Peyton,” he says through gritted teeth.
I shake my head and give him a ‘you know better’ smile.
“But, mom.” He stomps his foot, but the slight grin peeking from the corners of his mouth betrays him. “I’m the oldest and she always beats me.”
He is the oldest by one-year-and-two-months, and he never lets Peyton forget it either.
“No ‘buts’.” I rustle his hair. “I love you. Go eat.” I gestured toward the coffee table where Ally has her beautiful ivory pillows scattered on the floor for the kids to sit on. “Al, are you sure you’re okay with us eating in here? You do realize that pizza sauce stains, right?”
“My house isn’t really set up for a family of five.” Ally shrugs. “I’m sorry.”
Oh well. I guess we’ll just have to be really careful. “I’m just grateful you took us in. I know we’re a bit of a handful.” I stifle a giggle as I look at the makeshift dining area. “Who doesn't love dinner at the coffee table?” I grab another unlucky, beautiful white pillow and toss it on the floor between Peyton and Aiden. I plop down on top of it and scooch up to the makeshift dining table. “I’ll do my best to not leave pizza sauce behind.” I giggle and take the biggest bite of pizza that I possibly can.
“Whatever.” Ally throws her hands up and laughs as she props herself up against the couch. “They’ll wash—or dry clean. I don’t really know. Don’t worry about it. Just let yourself feel at home and don’t worry about the kids. You guys mean more than any stupid pillows.”
“Thanks, Al. It’s pretty refreshing really.” That wasn’t a lie. Ed had been a good person; I still believe that—but living by his rules had become more difficult toward the end of our marriage. He needed structure and perfect order, and that has never been my jam. No matter how hard I tried to fit into his world, perfection and order will never be my reality. That usually ended up with us in a huge fight and me apologizing for… for just being me. Being a mom is about embracing chaos and learning to love spontaneity. I love our controlled chaos more than anything, but Ed never could accept it. Moving back home to Broken Arrow had been a difficult decision, I couldn’t help but worry about the ‘what-ifs,’ but sitting here watching my kids laughing and teasing each other while enjoying their pizza, my heart feels full for the first time in years. They needed this change as much as I did. It was the right decision even if it was the most difficult leap of faith I’ve ever made. “I really need to find a job quickly, Al.” Especially if I’m going to have any chance at retaining the best custody attorney in the state. Ed promised not to come for them, but his words never meant that much. I can’t take that chance.
Ally wraps her arm around my shoulders and gives them a slight squeeze. “You’re welcome for as long as you want to be here.”
“Thanks, Sis.” I chuckle and keep my eyes focused on an imaginary spot on the floor. “It might be longer than I expected. I got another rejection back from those job applications I sent out.” I can feel myself making that stupid duck face thing that I do when I’m embarrassed.
“Oh, no.” Ally’s face distorted in a frown. We’ve always been a little awkward. “We’ll figure something out.”
“I’m not sure that’s as comforting as you think it is,” I laugh, for real this time. Maybe Ally is right, though. Everything doesn’t have to make sense for it to work out in the end.
Aiden and Peyton stack their plates on the counter and scramble back up the stairs with Lee zigzagging between their legs.
“I win,” Lee giggles from the top of the stairs.
“The perks of being a toddler, you don’t have to play by the same rules.” Ally laughs as Lee celebrates with a victory dance.
“He’s going to keep them on their toes. That’s for sure.” I slide my freshly washed pale blue dish into the prongs of the dishrack. “Ally. I feel like a freeloader.”
“You’re not a freeloader.” she rolls her eyes and shoves the crumpled empty pizza boxes into a lavender scented trash bag.
“I am!” I try to swallow the lump forming in her throat and choke on my own spit. I’m so damn awkward. “I don’t need much but being able to pay my sister back for everything she’s done for us would be a nice place to start.”
“You don’t owe me anything and you know that.” Ally shakes out the fresh liner and tucks it inside the trash bin. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
“How’d you know that’
s what I was thinking?”
“I’ve known you your whole life. I’m not going to let you do that. Fresh start, remember?”
“I know. And it’s not that. I just—” I wipe my nose on my sleeve. I haven’t told anyone about my life with Ed, other than the pieces he approved of course. Everything had to go through him first. It was exhausting. “I just wish I hadn’t let myself get so wrapped up in his life that I forgot how to live my own. It’s terrifying, Al.”
“Hindsight, you know?” She holds her hand up. “Pause. Breathe.” She hands me a cold soda from the refrigerator and a tissue. “How’s your list of references looking? Do you think his parents are giving you a good report?”
“Ha!” I shake my head in disbelief at my sister. “Like I would put them on my reference list in the first place.” Shit. She doesn’t know why I left and why I won’t use his parents as references. Ed’s parents own every major medical supply facility in the tri-state area. Oddly enough, that’s exactly what my experience for the last ten years shows but it’s all completely unusable since I can’t even mention their name in an interview if I have any hope of starting over.
“Oh.” Ally cringes. I can tell by the way she’s studying me right now that she knows I’m hiding something, but thankfully she does the good sister thing and lets it go. I’m sure she thinks I’ll just tell her when I’m ready, but I’m not sure I can ever tell her the truth. I hate this feeling.
