Over Hard (Santa Lena Sizzles Book 2)

by Jessa York

  He lay back with a loud sigh. “I’m glad you came. I need to thank you for saving my life.” Aaand there we had it. He remembered me being there.

  “No need for thanks. I didn’t do anything that you or anyone else wouldn’t have done.”

  What sounded like a strangled goat trying to laugh came out, and he winced something awful, clutching his ribs with one arm. Ugh. Poor handsome devil. “You did a hell of a lot,” he said before settling back down again. “More than any normal person would have or could have done. We both know that, Riley. If that’s even your real name. Is that your real name?” he asked an impossible question.

  “Why wouldn’t it be? How hard exactly did you hit your head?” I smiled, hoping to instill some doubt. He wasn’t biting, though.

  “Not that hard. I passed out before you left, but I was more than conscious for the first part of the show.” A few moments later, he let out a resigned sigh and said, “I don’t know if I want the woman I love hanging around with,” he raised his chin, “whoever you are.”

  My chest tightened with fear, and my stomach knotted. He wanted to take the only best friend I’d ever had away from me. Slowly, my fists clenched and then opened. Hands up in front of me in surrender, I said, “That’s probably a wise decision. But you know I’d never do anything to hurt Harper. She’s my best friend.” My eyes welled up. I had stated my case. “It would kill me not to have her around.” I took a deep inhale to calm myself. “But I get where you’re coming from. In your shoes, I’d likely say the same thing. What you don’t know is that I also keep tabs on her. Always have.”

  He looked me up and down, assessing. “That’s the thing. It’d kill Harper, too, not having you there. She doesn’t have that many people around her who genuinely give a shit about her like you do. You’re family to her. If I cut you out of her life, she loses. Big. But if your shit somehow finds her, then I lose. Big.”

  “Do you really think I’d allow anything at all to happen to that woman? I’m careful. None of my shit finds Harper. Ever. I’m the one who watches out for her in ways you can’t.”

  His eyes bore into mine like he wanted to verify if every word I said was true. “I’m not going to say anything to her, but if I get so much as a feeling that she’s in danger, I’ll change my mind pretty fucking fast. You hear me?”

  Waves of relief rippled through my body. I let out a harsh breath and gave him a mock salute. “Loud and clear. None of my shit finds the woman you love. Gotcha. Thanks, Jack. Hope you feel better soon.”

  I glided through the door and got about halfway down the stairwell before my legs gave out. I collapsed against the cold brick wall, holding my head in my hands, sobbing. I couldn’t remember the last time I allowed myself to cry. Years. It had been years.

  Tears flowed for the friend I’d almost lost, for the lies I’d told and all the reasons I had to tell them.

  Maybe one day I’d have a normal life. A bungalow, white picket fence, the works. Hysterical laughter bubbled up and out of my mouth before I could stop it. Get ahold of yourself, Sharp. That will never be you.

  Epilogue

  Harper

  “Oh, there he is,” I squealed softly as Jack and I entered the hospital room. “Mr. Noah Scott Allen. Oh my gosh, look how sweet he is.” I stalked toward Pete and gave him a big hug. “Congrats, Daddy.” Then I turned to my baby sister Charlie who was holding her baby. Wow, she looked horrible, like a large truck ran over her and dragged her for hours. However, she was smiling like a nutcase. I guess it was all worth it? “Congratulations, Mommy,” I said and kissed the top of her head, hoping not to add insult to injury. There wasn’t really a place on her that looked safe to touch. “He’s gorgeous. Can I hold him?” I asked, admiring the bundled, squirming, tiny human.

  She nodded and placed him delicately in my arms, and the world as I knew it ceased to exist. I sat down in the chair beside the bed and started taking inventory of fingers and toes—you just never know—and this teeny perfect being rolled his head and yawned at me, his mouth forming a circle. That was the sweetest thing ever. In the background, I heard Charlie going on and on. Something about how her black eyes were caused from pushing for four straight hours, all Pete did was hold their coats, and that Roza was right about the garden shovels, but I registered nothing. I leaned down and kissed his sweet face and, oh my God, he smelled good. An intoxicating smell of baby powder, soap and...hope. My brain never wanted to stop kissing him and smelling him and holding him. I decided to just sit here forever.

  Noah squirmed one more time, then settled with a loud sigh. I looked up at Jack and noticed he somehow managed to converse and act like a normal human being. His eyes found mine, but he had the oddest expression on his face. “I want one,” I whispered to him in the most serious voice I’d ever used.

  He bent down so we were face-to-face. “We’ll see what we can do about that.” Then he kissed my cheek.

  Later that evening, we settled down to read on our couch. Jack threw out the old one after he got home from the hospital and had a new brown leather one delivered. He gave me a choice, but shopping online was hard and boring. It cost a bundle, and I told Jack I’d pay for half. He just squinted his eyes at me and asked if we could talk about payment after his ribs healed. What could I say? The man played the wounded card, so I allowed him to win that round.

  Baby Noah was still on my mind. “Wasn’t he just the sweetest thing?” I said for the hundredth time since we got home. Yes, home. Jack moved in with me right after “the incident” and sold his penthouse in a heartbeat. I thought he was crazy to do it, but whatever.

  “Did you mean what you said, Harper? At the hospital?” he asked, his voice cracking as he sat behind me, his legs spread for me to lie back.

  “Did I mean what?” I asked as I searched my mind for what he was talking about. There was nothing I looked forward to more. I loved feeling his body supporting me. Holding me.

  “About wanting one. Wanting a baby,” he whispered, squeezing me between his legs.

  “Oh that.”

  “Yeah, that. Well?”

  “I would never say something like that if I didn’t mean it, Jack.” I turned my head around and glanced at his face. He took the opportunity and kissed me. “Holding Noah…the entire world kind of just…I don’t know…stopped. Like nothing else mattered, except staring at him and holding him. Oh, and smelling him. Why do babies smell so good?” I questioned but didn’t wait for an answer. “Can you hand me my book, please?” I asked as I snuggled in and got ready for the best part of my day. Well, one of the best parts.

  “There’s an order to these things, you know, honey.” Jack’s voice took on a more authoritative, bossy tone. His fingers gently moved the hair from the side of my neck and he kissed me there. Heat ran down my spine, and I tilted my head further and gave him more room.

  “An order to reading books?” Hmm, I didn’t think he noticed I was reading a series. Of course, I read in order. Only psychopaths didn’t. What if you missed some important, essential element?

  “An order for having a baby.”

  “Oh, okay,” I replied, having no idea what he was going on about. I just wanted to read my book and cuddle with my man.

  He finally passed me my book, but there was a blue Tiffany & Company box on top of it. Joy bubbled inside of me. It couldn’t be. Could it? My shaking fingers picked up the trademarked square and undid the white satin bow. I plucked the black velvet box out, and excitement coursed through me. Inside was the biggest diamond I’d ever seen—square, with smaller square diamonds all around it, and, oh my God, there were more diamonds on the band. This sucker sparkled.

  “Harper Jade Halle, I’ve loved you since the day we met. I love the life we share now, and I want to grow that life. With you. Forever. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  Jack proposed? My mind raced, and my heart fluttered as he took the ring out and slid it onto my finger. Perfect fit. I stared at the dazzling rock and moved my
finger and hand around and caught the light.

  “Harper.”

  “Yeah?” I continued, looking at my ring. My ring! Oh my God. My ring.

  “I asked you a question.”

  “Oh, right.” I swivelled around on my knees and cleared my throat. “Jackson Connor McCallister, nothing would make me happier than becoming your wife.” I pulled his face to mine and kissed the huge smile right off his face. His arms surrounded me and yanked my body forcefully into his.

  A thought popped into my head, and I pulled away, frowning. “Do you only want to marry me because I finally agreed to have kids? What if I never wanted to have babies? Would you have asked?” Panic seized me, and old doubts boiled up to the surface.

  He gripped my chin with his thumb and forefinger and gave me the sexiest look I’d ever seen. “I was going to wait until your birthday, but I figured I really shouldn’t knock you up without a ring on your finger.” Holy cow, I was pretty sure my ovaries just exploded. “But even if you never want to have kids, you’re mine. This is it. You and me and Ava.”

  Not completely convinced, I challenged him, “This is enough for you? You’d be fine with our life just how it is?”

  “I’m so far from fine, it isn’t even funny.”

  The End

  Acknowledgments

  Auden Dar, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. I’m forever grateful you came into my life. Your wisdom is valuable, but your friendship is priceless.

  Tempi Lark, you’re always there for me, kid—good times and bad. Only a call away to keep me sane.

  Michelle Clay, thank you for all your help spreading the word about this duet. I can never repay you for your efforts.

  Carla Kay VanZandt, the advice you gave me on this duet enabled me to shape, mold and think outside the box. Your brilliance is unparalleled, my dear.

  To everyone who read Over Easy, thank you for being so kind and generous. I never dreamed people would actually read my words, let alone enjoy them.

  Beta readers Leslie Wiggins Spraggs, Alexis Krobatsch, Jennifer Valade-Zabel. Your insights and awareness helped me so much. Thank you for your time and patience.

  Thank you to my father, for modeling the values of a crazy work ethic. I wish you guys were here to see my efforts pay off. You’d get a kick out of it.

  Thank you to my mother for buying me every book I ever wanted as a kid. It opened worlds to me. “Look ma, no hands!”

  A huge thank you to Hedy, for telling me your stories about the Old Country, the war you survived and just generally being you. I hope I captured a tiny bit of your big, beautiful personality in Roza.

  Last but not least, thank you to my husband. Thank you for your understanding, encouragement and unfailing love on this odd journey. You were more on board than I was when I first said, “I think I’m going to write a book.” Your support means everything.

  And to all of you whom I’ve forgotten at the moment. You know how I am—I’ll wake up in a panic at 3am, realizing that I missed you. It doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate you, it only means I’m stupid and thoughtless. Once I remember, I’ll add you in. Don’t fret.

  About the Author

  Jessa lives in a very nondescript, unassuming town filled with the best kind of people. Most days, she can be found in the stands of various soccer fields, cheering on her Youngest, or discussing books with her Oldest (who is an English Honors student).

  At night, if she’s not up burning the midnight oil, Jessa enjoys snuggling up to her real-life-chef hubby and watching his latest cheesy romance movie pick. He always chooses the best ones (after he cooks supper, of course).

  Visit her BLOG or drop in and say “hi” on any of the social media links below.