The past year had been eventful, to say the least. Jacob’s move to Paris and new job hadn’t left a lot of time for a new relationship, and Paul’s work life was busy on a quiet day, but somehow they’d managed, and it had been amazing. Jacob’s lease would expire next week, and they’d decided it was the perfect opportunity to move in together. Jacob’s mother had wailed piteously at the news, declaring that now her baby boy would never come home, and Paul had promised that they’d make a nice long visit to Australia next year. They’d decided to combine the visit with some sightseeing, and Paul was looking forward to meeting his future in-laws and seeing more of the land down under.
In the meantime, though, they would enjoy their morning walk, stop somewhere for breakfast, explore the Christmas markets, and meet some friends for a drink before they caught the evening train out to his parents’. They’d deliberately decided to go later so that his nephews would already be in bed when they arrived and they could be part of the Christmas morning surprises. Most of Jacob’s things had already been moved, but they would come back to Paris in time to get the last of them and give the apartment a clean before handing the keys back to the landlord—and then they’d be officially living together.
Paul couldn’t wait.
They were already practically living together—he couldn’t remember the last time they’d slept apart—but this would be different. There would be no easy escape. If they fought—and they would, they were both opinionated people who liked their own way—they would have to work out their issues, impose on friends, or go to a hotel.
Jacob tugged on his hand. “What’s got you so serious?”
“Just thinking how much has changed this past year—and how much I love my life with you in it,” Paul said honestly, smiling.
Jacob stretched up on tiptoe and kissed him. “Me too. I’m so glad I came to see the Christmas markets. And I’m so glad I got up on that cold, dark morning, even though I wanted to sleep in. If I hadn’t gone for a walk and nearly had my pocket picked, I never would have met you.” He grinned. “Plus, if I’d had my pocket picked and had to wait at the embassy all day for a replacement passport, I might have changed my mind about moving to France.”
“And you never would have gotten the chance to improve your accent,” Paul teased, because it had taken months for him to stop internally cringing when his beloved spoke.
“It all worked out for the best,” Jacob agreed, and holding hands, they wandered amongst the twinkling Christmas lights.
Meet Paul for the first time and watch Lucien and Simon fall in love in Offside Rules
Sometimes love takes balls.
Newly retired championship footballer Simon Wood is taking on his next challenge. His plan for a charity to provide funding for underprivileged children to pursue football as a career has passed its first hurdle: he has backers and an executive consultant. Now it’s time to get the ball rolling.
Lucien Morel, heir to the multibillion-euro Morel Corporation, is shocked—and thrilled—to learn his father has volunteered him as consultant to a fledgling football charity. Better yet, the brains behind it all is heartthrob Simon Wood, his teenage idol and crush.
Although Simon and Lucien get off on the wrong foot, it’s not long before they’re getting along like a house on fire—sparks included. But with the charity under public scrutiny, can their romance thrive?
“Big hearts, big pockets and big love is what you get with this story.”
– Paging Through the Days
“The complications of their relationship were honestly handled and fun to experience.”
– Joyfully Jay Reviews
Also by Louisa Masters
M/M
Met His Match
Charming Him
Offside Rules
Joy Universe
I’ve Got This
Novellas
Fake It ’Til You Make It
Out of the Office
M/F
An Irish Flirtation (Emerald Isle Enchantment)
An Irish Attraction (Emerald Isle Enchantment)
Trials & Tribulations of Online Dating
Writing as Olivia Ventura
Miss Fix-It
Catch a Shooting Star
About the Author
LOUISA MASTERS STARTED reading romance much earlier than her mother thought she should. While other teenagers were sneaking out of the house, Louisa was sneaking romance novels in and working out how to read them without being discovered. She’s spent most of her life feeling sorry for people who don’t read, convinced that books are the solution to every problem. As an adult, she feeds her addiction in every spare second, only occasionally tearing herself away to do things like answer the phone and pay bills. She spent years trying to build a “sensible” career, working in bookstores, recruitment, resource management, administration, and as a travel agent, before finally conceding defeat and devoting herself to the world of romance novels.
Louisa has a long list of places first discovered in books that she wants to visit, and every so often she overcomes her loathing of jet lag and takes a trip that charges her imagination. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she whines about the weather for most of the year while secretly admitting she’ll probably never move.
Connect with Louisa
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Twitter: @AuthorLouisaM
Instagram: @AuthorLouisaM
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A Christmas Chance Page 4
