Jilted

by Tess Thompson

  Jilted: Nico and Sophie

  Cliffside Bay, Book 9

  Tess Thompson

  Contents

  Jilted: Nico and Sophie

  Introduction

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  About the Author

  Also by Tess Thompson

  Jilted: Nico and Sophie

  Cliffside Bay Series

  Book 9

  * * *

  Tess Thompson

  Copyright 2019 by Tess Thompson, 4kids5cats Editions

  For my aunt and uncle Deb and Les Cross,

  who’ve supported me through lean times and always believed in my talent.

  Introduction

  Dearest Reader,

  Thank you for continuing the Cliffside Bay journey with me. If you’ve gotten to book 9 in the series, I imagine you’ve followed the Dogs and Wolves all the way from book 1. That you’re here means the world to me…truly. I’ve had so much fun writing this series. I love each of my couples equally, as I do my children. However, I’ve been pretty excited to write Sophie’s love story since she first came on the scene in Deleted: Jackson and Maggie. Many readers have written asking, when would I write Sophie’s story? My answer was always the same. I need her to grow up a little before I find her forever man. Well, that answer led me to her story. She falls for Nico pretty much the first time she ever sets eyes upon him. Sadly, like me, Nico thinks she’s way too young to fall in love and get married. In this case, our “old soul” Sophie will have her way with both of us. Read on to find out how.

  For those of you who pay close attention to the timeline of the Cliffside Bay Series, this book actually opens before Scarred: Trey and Autumn because, well, kissing. I didn’t want you to miss out on Sophie and Nico’s first kiss, which actually happens before the opening of Scarred. Then, we’ll delve back into “real” time in Chapter Four. Did you follow that? If not, no worries. Just jump right in and enjoy.

  Please keep in touch. I love to hear from you. Drop me a note at tess@tthompsonwrites.com. Find me at https://tesswrites.com/ to follow my newsletter or social media.

  Much love,

  Tess

  Prologue

  Sophie

  * * *

  Eight-year-old Sophie Woods was sick with a fever. All night she thrashed about, in and out of sleep. She hallucinated. A vision came to her of a man. He stood in a field of sunflowers. His eyes were the color of a blue winter sky and his mouth turned upward, as if prepared to break into a smile at any moment. Next to him, a small black-and-white dog wagged her tail.

  A voice spoke to her. “This is the man you will marry. Your one true love. Wait for him.”

  When the fever broke, she opened her eyes. Her mother sat beside the bed holding her hand.

  “The fever’s gone,” Mom said. “You’re going to be fine.”

  “I had a weird dream,” Sophie said. “About the man I’ll marry.”

  Rhona Woods didn’t flinch. She believed fully in magic and miracles and that which could be seen by the heart if not the head. She smiled. “Excellent. I can’t wait to meet him.”

  “He’ll have a black-and-white dog with bangs that cover her eyes.”

  “You love dogs,” Mom said.

  “I think he likes flowers.”

  “You love flowers.”

  She closed her eyes, wishing she could see him again.

  1

  Nico

  * * *

  Nico Bentley had always loved sunshine. Everything vital to his simple life came from the flawless sphere of hot plasma. The fiery star made the oceans blue and the mountains green. Plants and flowers grew under the warmth of its great energy. People grew strong and healthy from its rays.

  But then the sun had come to him in human form. A temptress had branded him with her light as bright as a thousand suns.

  Her name was Sophie Grace Woods, and she was his sun. His shining star. His greatest temptation.

  Like the real sun, he could not turn away from her warmth.

  That morning, she’d called and said she wanted a dog for her bar. “A mascot for The Oar. A friend to keep me company at night. Will you come with me to the shelter? They have a batch of puppies.”

  Who could say no to time in the sunshine? Not him. Even when he knew she would burn him in the end. He said yes, as he always did.

  The dog and cat shelter in Cliffside Bay was located behind the post office in a small building that resembled a surf shack. He cringed at the weeds and dead plants in front. “I should offer my services,” Nico said as he turned off the car.

  “I don’t think the shelter can afford a landscape architect.”

  “Pro bono,” he said.

  “I’m sure Bernie would love it,” Sophie said. “That might get us an in with her. She’s very strict about who she lets go home with dogs.”

  “Bernie?”

  “The shelter lady. You know, the Dog Whisperer.” Sophie said this in a tone that implied he should know this Bernie. “She comes into the bar every Tuesday night for a light beer and tacos.”

  “That doesn’t really narrow it down.” Half the town went to The Oar for Taco Tuesday.

  “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Just leave this to me. If I have to throw in extra tacos, I’ll do it.”

  “Are you sure about this? A dog is a big commitment.”

  “I’m all about commitment.” Sophie tossed massive amounts of blond hair behind her shoulders. Her aquamarine eyes snapped in that stubborn, sure way they did when she wanted something, and nobody was going to stop her. Least of all him.

  “But it seems like this came from out of the blue,” he said. Sophie was impulsive, driven completely by instinct and intuition. She plunged headlong into anything that interested her. He loved her for it, but worried too. Living like that could get her into trouble. And trouble was the last thing he wanted for her.

  When he’d first met her, she’d invited him upstairs to her apartment. While sharing dark chocolate and a Washington cabernet, she’d told him the story of her remarkable life. As an infant, she’d been left on the stairs of a “ in San Francisco, then adopted by Micky and Rhona Woods. Her identity had not been known to her or her adoptive parents until her half siblings, Zane Shaw and Maggie Keene, had come looking for her. It was then that she discovered the truth about her birth parents. Hugh Shaw and Mae Keene had had an affair, producing Sophie.

  Beautiful, sweet Sophie. Untouchable Sophie.

  A connection he didn’t at all understand seemed to pull them toward each other. His job was to resist that magnetic propulsion. He was worn out from the energy it took to do so. Stay away from her. That’s what he vowed to do, but then, like today, he found himself right by her side.

  And then, yesterday, he’d discovered they had even more in common. Don’t think about that now. He would decide some other day what to do about the latest shocking curve in the screwed-up highway that was his life.

  “I’ve never heard you talk about a dog before,” he said.

  “I’ve been thinking about a dog since I was eight years old,” she said.

  “You didn’t have one when you were a kid?” he asked.

  “Sure. We had go
bs of dogs. My mom never met a breathing creature she didn’t love.” She unfastened her seat belt. “How come you don’t have a dog? You’re such a dog person.”

  “I can barely take care of myself,” he said.

  “That’s not true. You take care of Mrs. Coventry.”

  “I try to take care of her, but she fights me hard. Yesterday I caught her pouring the granola and yogurt I’d made her for breakfast into the trash.” Granola that cost more per pound than even the fancy espresso beans she insisted that they use.

  “You hover over her too much. Just because she gave you a sweet deal on the bungalow doesn’t mean you owe her more than taking care of her yard.”

  “She needs me to hover. Dr. Waller told her she needed to gain some weight. She’s almost seventy and has terrible nutrition.”

  “You should get a dog,” Sophie said. “I can picture you with a dog. Someone else to look after.”

  “Not today.” Or any day. He was too busy with work. Plus, looking after Mrs. Coventry was more than enough. “Wolf Enterprises is still getting off the ground. I don’t have time.”

  “People always have time for love.”

  The world according to Sophie.

  “Let’s go take a look at the puppies,” he said. “A puppy for you and only you.”

  “Great.” She flashed her dazzling smile. God, that smile. His stomach went nuts every single time she smiled.

  He ached to kiss her, to take her home and into his bed. But no. He was way too old for her. She was so innocent. So young. Only twenty-two and yet untouched. He was thirty-four. A dirty old man. He hated himself for the lascivious thoughts that tortured him whenever he was with her. He knew, too, that all it would take for her to offer herself to him would be a hint of encouragement. She liked him. Or rather, she thought she liked him. She would change her mind at some point, as Addie had. He wouldn’t go through that again. Plus, it would be wrong. She deserved someone her own age. A man who was in the same season of life. Not a bitter old man like him.

  She opened the door and hopped from the car. He dragged his eyes from her curvaceous rear end to join her.

  As they entered, Bernie, a.k.a. the Dog Whisperer, greeted them from behind a desk stacked with papers, a box of dog treats, several leashes, an empty coffee cup etched with the words Dog Mom, and an ancient computer. The air smelled of dog food and antiseptic.

  “Let me guess. You’re here about the puppies.” Bernie was in her sixties with springy white curls and pockmarked skin. Small eyes scrutinized them. From the way they narrowed, she seemed to find them lacking. He suspected she liked dogs a lot better than humans.

  “Yes, do you still have them?” Sophie bounced on the balls of her feet. “I called earlier.”

  “We have one left. The runt,” Bernie said. “Sweetest one of the litter—but people are put off by her scrawniness. She was sick when they first arrived. Some bastard left them on the side of the road.”

  How could anyone do that?

  “Is she well now?” Sophie asked.

  “Yep. She needed some TLC, that’s all,” Bernie said.

  “Is she black and white?” Sophie asked.

  Black and white? What did that matter?

  “She is. How did you know?” Bernie asked.

  “Oh, I didn’t. I was curious, that’s all.” A flash of guilt crossed Sophie’s face.

  That was weird. But that was Sophie. She was a different kind of girl.

  Bernie took them into the back. A series of empty cages lined both walls. “We’re plumb out of dogs. I had two older ones early in the week, but they were adopted. Jen is the only one we have left.”

  She took them to a small cage at the end of the row. A skinny black-and-white puppy sat in the far corner shivering.

  “This here is Jen,” Bernie said.

  Jen was a black-and-white checkerboard. She had black floppy ears and a fluffy white chest and paws. Her face was black on one side and white on the other. Small button eyes were almost hidden behind a wall of bangs.

  “She’s adorable,” he said. Crushingly adorable. How could anyone walk away from this puppy?

  “Is she cold?” Sophie asked.

  “Scared,” Bernie said. “She’s afraid of people. Another reason she’s still here.”

  Nico’s heart hurt. He knew fear. As a kid, he’d been afraid of everything, especially other people. If he could have, he would have hidden in a corner, too. Growing up with his parents, fear was not tolerated. Bentleys attacked life. They took what they wanted with no apologies. The rest of his family did, anyway. He simply suffered in silence and developed an ulcer at age ten.

  “She won’t do for the bar, then,” Sophie said. “I need a dog that loves all people.”

  “Jen needs her forever person,” Bernie said. “Someone who will love her just as she is. She needs a quiet home with a person with a steady temperament. An especially kind and gentle owner who will treat her like a best friend.”

  He was steady. He was kind and gentle. His best friend was Trey, but he had room in his heart for another. In fact, there was nothing but room in his empty heart. Maybe he would be perfect for her. Could she distract him from his obsession with Sophie?

  He took another good look at her. Jen stared back at him, still shaking. His eyes welled. He couldn’t stand the thought of her being alone for one more minute. All her siblings had left her. The cage must feel so lonely without them. He was alone, too. “I’d like to pet her, if I may?” Nico asked.

  Bernie eyed him for a long moment. Nico put his hands in the pockets of his cargo shorts and crossed his fingers, a habit he’d developed as a kid as a way to cope with intense criticism from his parents. When his fingers were crossed, he was impenetrable. Nothing could hurt him, especially not words.

  Could Bernie see all his flaws and imperfections? Would she deem him unfit for dog parenting? His mother had always said he was too irresponsible for a pet. His father had said anyone as meek as Nico could never be alpha dog enough to train a puppy. Maybe Bernie would see the same thing?

  He glanced at Sophie. She met his gaze with glassy eyes. She didn’t have to say anything for him to know that they shared the same feelings for Jen. One of them had to take her home. Most likely it was going to be him.

  “Go ahead,” Bernie said finally. “But she might not come to you.” She opened the door to the cage. “She’s never voluntarily come to anyone.”

  Nico lowered to the floor and sat cross-legged. “Come here, girl.” He patted his leg.

  Jen cocked her head to the side but didn’t move. She wanted to, though. He felt sure of it.

  She was so small. He must seem like a giant. Maybe if he got down on her level, she would be less afraid. He lay on his stomach and placed his head near the door. “Do you want to come say hello?”

  Jen inched toward him. Her bushy tail wagged once, then again.

  “That’s a good girl,” Nico said. “I won’t hurt you.”

  Suddenly, she seemed to change her mind and went all in, bounding over to him in two leaps. Then she kissed his cheek.

  He laughed and wiped his face with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. “Kind of bold for the first date.”

  Jen wagged her tail for real this time.

  He moved into a seated position and waited. To feel comfortable, she needed to come to him. He couldn’t just grab her and pull her into his lap.

  With one cute hop, she landed on his lap. He gathered her in his arms. She was about the same size as his two hands put together. He snuggled her against his chest. She shook for another second or two but then seemed to accept that this was the right place to be and went limp. “What do you think, Jen? You want to come home with me?” She looked up at him with her button eyes and sighed. Her stumpy tail wagged harder. His heart turned over. He was in love.

  “It’s all right now,” he whispered to her. “You don’t need to be afraid ever again. I’ll be with you.”

  Sophie knelt next to them and scratche
d under Jen’s chin. “Can I be your pal, too?” Sophie asked.

  Jen wagged her tail even more furiously.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Sophie said. “Now let’s get you guys home.”

  And that was how Nico Bentley walked out of the Cliffside Bay Shelter with a puppy named Jen.

  Nico held a letter in his hand. The address was unfamiliar. The sender was not. Addison Schneider. His ex-fiancée. He hadn’t heard from her since the day she told him she was in love with her best girlfriend. Although he knew what it said already, he opened it to read one more time.

  Dear Nico,

  I hope you’re doing well. I know I agreed to stay out of your life and not contact you. However, I have something important to tell you. It’s about your parents. When I suggested you take a DNA test to learn if my suspicions about them were true, you thought the idea absurd. While I understand that, my cop instincts disagreed. Without your knowledge, I sent in DNA samples from you and both of your parents to be genetically tested. I can never let a mystery go unsolved. The detective in me simply couldn’t let it go. I’m sorry.

  The results went to our old address and were only recently forwarded to me. I’ve enclosed them, but the upshot is pretty simple. Your father is not your father. Your mother is only a twenty-five percent match, which means she’s either your aunt or your grandmother. In this case, it has to be your aunt. Your mother’s sister who committed suicide at fourteen is your biological mother. There is no doubt in my mind.