His Ever After (Love, Emerson Book 3)
Page 1
Contents
Title
His Ever After
Copyright
Dedication
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
About the author
Artfully Yours
Technically Mine
HIS EVER AFTER
by
Isabel North
HIS EVER AFTER
(Love, Emerson #3)
Jenny Finley is finally back on her feet, two years after her ex-husband left her as a single mom with a ruined credit score and no home.
She has a steady job, a fantastic daughter, and exciting plans to start her dream business as a landscape designer. Everything's going great until the night her not-so-secret crush, Derek Tate, six feet plus of sweetness and oh-so-much sin, shows her he could rock her world…or bring it crashing down.
Derek is patient and persistent, and he makes it clear there's no going back. Can Jenny resist his wicked smile...does she even want to?
Stuck between a hot mechanic and a hard place, should she take what Derek's offering, or shut him down for good?
His Ever After is a standalone friends-to-lovers romantic comedy in the Love, Emerson series.
Copyright © Isabel North 2017
First edition
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, organizations, business and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
DEDICATION
To my sister
CHAPTER ONE
Six months earlier
“A toast!”
“Lila!” Jenny reached over and tugged Lila’s arm. “Sit your ass down.”
“Today,” Lila continued, “is a great day!”
Jenny glanced around. Yep. People were looking. Clenching her teeth in a big fake smile, she tugged again. “Sit.”
Lila pried Jenny’s fingers away and raised her glass high.
Groaning, Jenny dropped her head in her hands. “Please sit.”
Lila did not sit. “Today, my dearest friend, you have achieved.”
“Yes. I have. Thank you so much. Now I’m begging you. Please sit. No one cares about my achievement. You’re disturbing the peace.”
Behind the bar, Kurt snorted as he wiped down the gleaming wood. “Peace?” he said. “We get peace in here on a Friday night, my business is in trouble. Disturb away, Lila.”
“Must you encourage her?” Jenny asked Kurt.
He shrugged and gave her a wink before ambling off to serve a customer at the other end of the bar.
Lila sat down with a thump. “I care,” she said.
“Huh?”
“You said no one cares about your achievement. I care.”
It was true. Lila Baxter had cared since their first day of elementary school, when Megan Rivas had pushed Jenny into the dirt, stolen her lunch, and refused to give it back until Lila had sat on Megan and started pulling her hair out. Strand by single strand.
Jenny and Lila had ended up in the principal’s office in the very first hour of kindergarten, setting a school record and earning a reputation for troublemaking they’d more than lived up to as they blazed through the education system.
Lila had continued to care, even when she went away to college in Seattle while Jenny stayed in their small town of Emerson and made the big, huge, enormous stupid mistake of marrying Dean Hansen.
She’d cared when Jenny’s father had died, and when Jenny had her daughter Kate, and then she’d cared enough to kick Dean in the junk when Jenny couldn’t risk losing her custody case. Or risk an assault charge.
“Fuck the cops,” Lila had said, before letting Dean have it with a Louboutin to the groin.
Hard to believe Jenny’s bestie was an award-winning realtor and a successful member of Emerson’s business community.
“I know you care, Lila. Means a lot.”
“Can I finish my toast now?”
“Please.”
“Give me a boost up onto the bar first.”
Jenny sighed. “Really?”
“Nah. I know how you hate to be the center of attention. I can keep it classy. Low-key. Raise your glass.”
Jenny did.
“Empty? We can’t toast with empty glasses.” Lila pounded on the bar. “Kurt! We need refills!”
“He’s busy, Lila.”
Lila ignored her. “Kurt!”
“In a minute!” he yelled, serving the boisterous group of guys who’d bellied up to the far end of the bar.
“Forget it,” Lila yelled back. “I’ll help myself.”
Kurt pointed at her. “You get behind my bar again, we’re gonna have a problem.”
“I won’t break anything this time.”
“Sit your ass down.”
Lila sat.
Jenny licked the last traces of salt from the rim of her glass. “Why does it work when he says it?”
“Because it entertains me when a man tries to tell me what to do. Of course, every now and then I actually have to do it and make them think they’re getting somewhere, or they stop. This is one of those times.” She leaned forward then backward on the high stool, trying to catch Kurt’s eye. “Seriously, how long does it take to serve beer? It’s not a cocktail. He doesn’t have to make it first.”
As soon as Kurt had brought them fresh margaritas, Lila held up her glass. With a smile, Jenny held up her own.
“My dearest friend,” Lila began, “congratulations on your fine achievement.” She paused as they clinked. “You now have a very fancy piece of paper that says you’re really good at digging dirt. I am so proud of you.”
“Jerk. It’s not just digging dirt.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right. Moving it around, too. And sticking plants in it.”
Today Jenny had received her certificate in landscaping and horticultural design from the tiny local community college, and yeah. Hell yeah, it was a fine achievement.
It had taken her two years of part-time study which she’d somehow managed to fit in around being a single mother and working at the garden center, but she’d done it.
She was now one step closer to fulfilling her dream of having her own landscaping business. That dream might still be a million light years away, but as of today, it was a million light years minus one step.
Since Jenny was a twenty-eight-year-old single mother/divorcee/orphan, she knew how important it was to celebrate each and every good thing that came along.
Which w
as why she was here tonight with Lila, to cut loose in a way she rarely did. Kate was having a sleepover with Jenny’s sister, Elle. If Jenny wanted to, she could stay at the bar until it closed, order herself a giant pizza, eat the whole pie, then fall asleep face down in the empty box.
She yawned. Probably she wouldn’t do any of that, though. It was—she checked her watch. Wow. Nine p.m.—and she was exhausted.
“Oh, no,” Lila said. “Don’t even think it.”
What? That a bubble bath followed by bed sounded more fun than staying at the bar until last call? The pizza part of the plan, she’d keep.
“When did we last have a girls’ night out?” Lila said.
“We come here all the time.”
“To eat in the restaurant. Or for one drink before you have to go pay the babysitter. God bless Elle for moving back to Emerson. There’s nothing like taking advantage of family for providing free childcare.”
Jenny narrowed her eyes. “Except I didn’t take advantage of Elle. You did, when you set this up without telling me.”
“You’re welcome.”
Because Jenny wouldn’t have asked, and Lila knew it.
Even though Elle was happy to look after Kate whenever she needed it, Jenny pretty much figured she’d used up all her take-advantage-of-family currency back when she was a kid herself.
Their mom had run off into the great unknown when Jenny was six, their dad’s response had been to run off and hide in a bottle, and twelve-year-old Elle had shouldered the responsibility of keeping the Finley household together.
“When was it?” Lila kicked the rung of Jenny’s bar stool. “When did we last have a proper night out?”
“I don’t know.” Jenny rolled the stem of her glass between finger and thumb. “Was I even in my twenties?”
“Come on. Let’s work it out. There must be a time in the last eight years that we—” Lila cut off abruptly, and scratched her head. “Never mind.”
Jenny stared at her, then remembered. “Right. My divorce party.” She laughed. “This beats the hell out of last time, then.” She held out her glass and Lila clinked.
“Girls. Enough with the clinking,” Kurt said. “Once is acceptable. Lame, but acceptable. Twice is sad. I’ve lost count how many times you’ve done it tonight. Enough. You’re lowering the tone of my fine establishment.”
“Girls?” Lila sat up straight.
“Fine establishment?” Jenny sat up straighter.
Kurt’s eyes twinkled. He was in his mid-thirties, a shade over average height with a way-past-average powerful build, and Lila had made it her life’s goal to get into his pants.
Not being a coy woman, she had come out and stated it to his face on their first meeting. Kurt had laughed and managed, thus far at least, to resist her determined charms.
He set another round of margaritas down in front of them.
“Ooh,” Lila said. “I do like a man who can anticipate my needs. Good boy.”
“I didn’t anticipate.” Kurt crossed his arms over his chest and pointed a single finger at the other end of the bar. “They’re courtesy of your latest admirers.”
As one, Jenny and Lila leaned to get a good look at the guys who’d sent them drinks.
Jenny slumped.
At the boys who’d sent them drinks.
They were probably only a handful of years younger than her, but she felt a century or two older. At least. Make that a geological era. They were wearing button-down shirts, khakis, and bright, carefree smiles. To Jenny, they looked like they’d hatched yesterday.
“Hmm,” Lila said.
“No hmm,” Jenny said. “This is supposed to be a child-free evening.”
Kurt let out a booming laugh. “Gonna go tell them that.”
“I’ll do it.” Lila slid off her stool and sashayed over to the men, who watched her approach with hopeful faces.
“She is extremely direct, isn’t she?” Kurt laid his forearms along the bar and leaned into them, head angled to watch Lila go.
To watch Lila’s ass go, Jenny noted with a smile. “She’ll let them down gently. She’s direct, but she’s never cruel.”
Kurt’s eyes came to her. “You Lila’s wingman? Talking her up to me?”
Jenny shook her head. “I absolutely think you should stay away from her.”
“And why is that? Going to keep me for yourself?”
Jenny snorted her drink with surprise. “No,” she said indignantly, alcohol stinging her nasal passages.
“You sure about that?”
“Yes. One: you’re not my type.”
“I’m a hot bartender who happens to own the place. Honey, I am the type of every woman here. And, if they’re honest with themselves, half the men. Make that three-quarters.”
“Not me.”
“Let’s check again at closing time, shall we?”
“No. Because, two: I see the way you look at Lila.”
Kurt’s expression didn’t change, but Jenny noticed a subtle tension in his broad shoulders.
“And three: I see the way Lila looks at you. She’s got dibs. Sisters before misters. You could offer yourself up to me naked on a platter and I’d still say no.”
“Why is Kurt naked on a platter?” Lila slid back onto her stool. She held up a hand, palm out. “Never mind. I don’t care about the why. Just, yes please.”
Kurt reached out, gave a lock of Lila’s hair a playful tug, then walked off to serve another customer.
“He touched me,” Lila breathed with rapture.
Jenny sipped her drink. “You ever think about playing hard to get?”
“Nope. You ever think about playing at all? If you want Kurt, I’ll step aside for you.”
Jenny gazed at her, horrified. “I don’t want Kurt!”
“In God’s name, why not?”
“I don’t want anyone.”
Jenny was off men.
Forever.
“I think you’re crazy,” Lila said.
“I think I’m smart.” Look what had happened last time she trusted a man. All her worldly goods were repossessed, she was tossed out of the marital home, and her credit score ruined.
“I think you’re taking it all too seriously. Kurt would be fun. And also, in case it has evaded your notice, he is gorgeous.”
Jenny glanced over at Kurt. Lila was right. Kurt was, indeed, easy on the eyes.
That didn’t mean much to Jenny.
Her ex-husband, Dean, was easy on the eyes.
Elle’s metal sculptor boyfriend, Alex, was startlingly good-looking, if you went for towering, brooding artists.
Jenny’s best male friend, Gabe Sterling, billionaire and all-round pain in her ass, was his own rough-edged brand of fine.
Sometimes Jenny felt as if she was surrounded by beautiful men. It made for a pleasant view, but otherwise, they were wasted on her. She had more important things to be worrying about. Top of that list was being a great mother.
“No to Kurt,” Jenny said firmly.
Lila sagged on her stool with exaggerated relief. “I thought you were going to go for it.”
“I’ve told you a hundred times, Lila. There is no guy on Earth who can tempt me enough to take a chance on him.”
“That so?” Lila crossed her legs. One foot bounced slowly, like a cat twitching its tail. “Have you forgotten about the existence of Ryan Reynolds?”
“He’s married.”
“In fantasyland, no one is married.”
“Then sure, fantasyland Ryan Reynolds can tempt me. He is very welcome to tempt me as much as he likes. But my original statement holds. There is no guy on Earth who can tempt me.”
“What about Gabe?”
The wild-affair-with-Gabriel-Sterling boat had sailed soon after they’d met a few months ago. Jenny had hacked through the ropes and shoved that boat out to sea with a jaunty salute. An overwhelming, charismatic man like Gabe was dangerous. He could make a woman feel like the most important thing in the world, right up unt
il he got bored. And a man like Gabe got bored easily. “Gabe’s a friend.”
“Friend with benefits?”
“More like an annoying brother.”
“Stepbrother?” Lila lifted and lowered her brows.
“Ew.”
“I get the feeling he’d go for it if you would. And if you need some hints on how to seduce a guy, you know I’m here for you.”
“Because you’re so good at it.”
“I am extremely good at it.”
Jenny looked meaningfully over at Kurt, who was flirting with a brunette in a business suit at the other end of the bar.
“He will be my greatest conquest,” Lila said. “I’m playing a long game. You wait. I will have him wrapped around my finger any day now. I will have him, and I will have his beautiful babies.”
You had to admire Lila’s confidence.
“No to Gabe, no to Kurt.” Lila tapped her chin. “If only I could think of another hot single guy hanging around in Emerson.”
Don’t say it, Jenny thought. Don’t say his name.
Lila pursed her lips as she scanned the room behind them. “What about Derek Tate?”
Damn it. “Is he here? He isn’t here. Is he?” Don’t look.
Lila sipped her margarita and shook her head.
Jenny relaxed. “Don’t do that to me.”
“You deserve it.”
She wished she did deserve Derek. She’d do almost anything to deserve Derek. But even if she, angry bitter divorcee that she was, did deserve a man with his good humor and his smiling warmth, she couldn’t have him.
She’d made a vow to never let her guard down, and to focus on what was important: Kate, her daughter, and providing her daughter with the stable home environment and happy childhood that Jenny had never had.
She’d made a mess of it thus far, what with picking Dean the compulsive gambler as Kate’s father, who had sold their home out from under them to pay his debts, then ran off to Atlantic City, or Vegas, or wherever it was compulsive gamblers ran off to after they’d destroyed their family.
Sex with Derek, a man who lit her up with just a smile and teased her to distraction every time she allowed him to get close, was a temptation she could not, would not, afford.