Every Night Without You: Caine & Addison, Book Two of Two (Unfinished Love series, 2)
Page 25
“Actually,” Gabe sounded perplexed. “According to this, they’re headed straight for you, Caine.”
What? He turned around to check out the window.
Oh, crap.
“You all lo-jacked Kylie and her date?”
“Abort, abort!” hollered Gabe.
Dead silence echoed back over the com lines not a second later.
Traitors.
He offered Addison a big, placating grin. But no apologies.
“Caine, what in the world were you thinking? We’re setting up for a kid’s first birthday party on the property. Did you really think Kylie was going to run off with some guy in the middle of it?”
“Of course not.” He frowned. “I trust her completely. It’s her date I don’t trust.”
“Yes, because straight-A students with perfect manners who treat your sister-in-law with nothing but respect are classic public enemy number one suspects.” Addison plopped the two rogue tracking devices onto his dashboard.
“In all fairness, if you and Kylie had told us about the kid before we had to see them holding hands at her graduation party last week, we wouldn’t have had to go full surveillance.”
“Funny, I didn’t see you giving Tanner any grief when you met his new girlfriend at the graduation ceremony the day before that.”
“That’s because Alec already did a background check on her,” he argued, not wanting her to think they had any double standards. Not really.
Addison rolled her eyes. “Don’t get me started on that one. He’s so much worse now that he’s working with Spencer Securities full time.”
“I know,” agreed Caine approvingly. “He’s fitting in great.”
Her lips twitched. “You guys are all nuts. We’ll talk about this more later. Evie just woke up from her nap.”
Caine shot out of the car. “Why didn’t you say so earlier. Where is she?”
Delighted tinkling giggles greeted him from the stroller.
“There’s my beautiful girl. Are you all ready for your party?” He blew raspberries on her tummy until she was laughing hysterically. Best sound in the world.
“Honestly, Caine. What are you going to do when Evie grows up and starts dating?”
He balked and immediately shoved the thought out of his mind. “Luckily, I won’t have to worry about that for another twenty-four years.”
Addison burst out laughing.
What on earth was so funny?
She brushed a still-chuckling kiss against his lips. “Party’s about to start. What’s this big birthday present you wanted Evie to open in private?”
“You’re going to have to help her unwrap it.” He handed her a small box with a big pink bow and picked Evie up so she could see what was inside as well.
Addison stared at the contents in the box for an emotional few seconds before gently pulling out the two pregnancy tests he’d placed in there—one with the name ‘Gina’ and the other with the name ‘Sue’ written in the windows where the two pink lines would normally display. “Really?” She turned her hopeful eyes up to meet his. “Does this mean we’re finally fully approved to adopt them?”
“Yep.” He smiled dotingly at his beautiful wife. “Evie’s officially going to have two new big sisters before the end of the summer.” Gina and Sue—two incredible little fourth graders they’d been fostering for nearly a year now—had stolen the hearts of the entire Spencer clan almost from day one. Adopting them both had been the only acceptable next step. “Just heard this morning while you were getting everything ready for the party. I wanted to tell you before—”
Right on cue, their entire family descended on them in a loud, rowdy mass, all offering their excited congrats on the big news.
“Let me guess?” Addison turned to Drew. “You hacked the adoption system?”
He shook his head firmly. “Nope, wasn’t me.”
Addison shot her gaze over to Gabe and Max, who were now playing peekaboo with Evie on the grass. “Don’t look at us,” said Max. “We found out from Alec.”
All eyes flew over to Alec.
“I’m completely innocent,” he insisted. “Totally just the messenger.”
“Then how’d you find out? When did you find out?” Now Caine was curious as well.
“I’m not revealing my sources.”
“Sources, as in plural?” Addison gave a smiling headshake and turned to the two pairs of angelic eyes actively avoiding hers. “Gina, Sue…have you been playing with your uncles’ surveillance equipment again?”
“No,” they sang out in unison.
Gabe rolled over on the grass and reached into the undercarriage of Evie’s stroller, grinning as he pulled out the baby monitor that had been neatly tucked out of sight. “Nicely done, ladies.”
“We weren’t snooping on you guys. Promise,” maintained Sue.
Gina nodded emphatically with an innocent shrug. “We always keep an extra baby monitor on Evie. So we can get to her really quick if she cries.”
As everyone awww’d over that, Caine proudly wrapped an arm around each of his amazing daughters-to-be. “Welcome to the family, girls.”
THE END
~ Up Next ~
Drew & Skylar
BEFORE THAT PROMISE
(Book 1 of 2)
-- Available Now --
*** Turn the Page for an Excerpt ***
BEFORE THAT PROMISE
(Unfinished Love Series: Drew & Skylar, Book 1 of 2)
-- Available Now --
For Drew Lawson, there isn't anyone else as undeniably off-limits as the addictively sweet, mind-wreckingly beautiful Skylar Sullivan. Hell, she's the very definition of the girl-next-door do-gooder. And while he is officially classified as a white hat hacker by the suit-wearing folks who keep track of that sort of thing, no one would ever say that hat of his is exactly pristine.
So when Skylar's arrival at his doorstep--on the roughest night of the year for him every year--leads to a downright memorable hotel mishap, an impromptu winter road trip, and the discovery of a secret that could change how she sees him forever, Drew is convinced the universe is on some kind of convoluted mission to thaw his cold, jaded heart.
...Because, lordy, they've certainly sent in a ringer to get the job done right.
AUTHOR NOTE: Before That Promise is a quick & emotional, short & sweet crossover novella starring two of my favorite secondary characters -- Skylar Sullivan from my Can't Resist series, all grown up, and Drew Lawson from my Cactus Creek series, as swoonworthy as ever (no worries, you don't have to have read either of those series). There's a HFN (happily-for-now) end, with the second book in this duet (Every Promise Unspoken) picking up a few years down the line for this utterly meant to be couple.
~ EXCERPT ~
His arms became full-body shackles around her when the thought of her being hurt slammed into him.
Skylar released a surprised mini-yelp, and then quickly tried to reassure him, “Drew, I’m fine. Nothing happened to me.”
Where once he’d thought the neverending possessiveness he felt about her was his most primal fate, Drew now discovered his protectiveness over her far eclipsed it. “Don’t ever do anything so recklessly romantic like that again. Not for me or anyone. I’d never forgive myself if anything had happened to you. And I sure as hell would’ve made certain no living soul would ever be able to forgive the man who harmed you.”
Eyes glued to his, her breathing faltered at whatever she saw in its depths. “Wh-what happened to your due north?”
Drew slid his hands up to cup both sides of her face. “I’m looking at it. Don’t ever doubt that where my moral compass is concerned, you’re my due north. More than I realized. More and more every day, it seems.”
Strange how this was the first time he was admitting out loud that he often pictured Skylar in his future, and yet it didn’t sound at all foreign coming out of his mouth.
Her gaze fell to his lips as he uttered that declaration and it took every last bit of res
traint in his body to keep himself from kissing her.
Because he knew that once he did, he’d never be able to let her go again.
-- Available Now --
Haven’t read Book One of
Caine & Addison’s story yet?
Before That Night
(Unfinished Love Series: Caine & Addison, Book 1 of 2)
Available Now
Before that night, Addison Milan had been just a college dropout secretly raising her two young siblings in a beat-up minivan she’d bought with her first semester’s tuition refund—the only money her addict mother hadn’t taken off with when she’d abandoned them nearly two years ago.
Before that night, Caine Spencer had been just a rough, gruff cop sent to check out the phoned-in claims of suspected child neglect involving the same woman he’d met the month prior when she’d first served him the city’s worst diner coffee...which he’d been drinking daily ever since.
Before that night, Addison would never have thought the man she’d been fighting hard not to fall for—her only friend in her new shadow of a life—would be in a position to rip her family apart.
Before that night, Caine would never have believed any woman could make him fall head over heels, let alone make him feel so damn compelled to look the other way when it came to his job.
Then that one perfect night changed everything.
Before That Night (Book 1 of 2) chronicles the events that take place seven years prior to Every Night Without You (Book 2 of 2), Caine & Addison’s story of love, sacrifice, and the lengths one will run—and chase—when their past threatens their future.
Note: Each of the four couples in the Unfinished Love series have two books (duets) that take place years apart.
The UNFINISHED LOVE Series
Four brothers. Each fighting for their second first chance at love.
Years be damned.
(Caine & Addison)
Book 1: BEFORE THAT NIGHT | Book 2: EVERY NIGHT WITHOUT YOU
(Drew & Skylar)
Book 3: BEFORE THAT PROMISE | Book 4: EVERY PROMISE UNSPOKEN
(Gabe & Hannah)
Book 5: BEFORE THAT KISS | Book 6: EVERY KISS GOODBYE
(Max & Kennedy)
Book 7: BEFORE THAT CHANCE | Book 8: EVERY CHANCE WE LOST
ALSO BY VIOLET DUKE
The CAN’T RESIST Series
The acclaimed New York Times bestselling series, an emotional, heartfelt Top 10 Bestseller both in the U.S. and internationally.
Resisting the Bad Boy *
Falling for the Good Guy *
Choosing the Right man *
Finding the Right Girl
*Serial trilogy, also available in the NICE GIRL box set
The CACTUS CREEK Series
The laugh and cry USA Today bestselling small town series with strong heroines, romantic heroes, a quirky supporting cast, and inter-series cameos galore.
Love, Chocolate, and Beer
Love, Diamonds, and Spades
Love, Tussles, and Takedowns
Love, Exes, and Ohs
Love, Sidelines, and Endzones
The FOURTH DOWN Series
The fun and sexy USA Today bestselling sports romance series starring three sweet and incorrigibly alpha heroes, from Random House Books.
Jackson’s Trust
Bennett’s Chance
Donovan’s Heart
The UNFINISHED LOVE Series
Four brothers, each fighting for their second first chance at love. Years be damned.
Before that Night (Caine & Addison, Bk 1)
Every Night Without You (Caine & Addison, Bk 2)
Before that Promise (Drew & Skylar, Bk 1)
Every Promise Unspoken (Drew & Skylar, Bk 2)
Before that Kiss (Gabe & Hannah, Bk 1)
Every Kiss Goodbye (Gabe & Hannah, Bk 2)
Before that Chance (Max & Kennedy, Bk 1)
Every Chance We Lost (Max & Kennedy, Bk 2)
The JUNIPER HILLS Series
An emotional new series from Montlake Romance
All There Is (Coming June 2017)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
www.violetduke.com
New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Violet Duke is a former English Ed professor ecstatic to now be on the other side of the page writing emotion-rich stories with fun, everyday characters and sweet, sexy match-ups. Since her acclaimed debut series in 2013, over a million readers have put Violet's “laugh & cry” contemporary romances on the USA Today bestseller list sixteen times, the NYT bestseller list three times, and the Top 10 charts across the major eretailers both in the U.S. and internationally.
When she doesn't have her nose in a book, Violet enjoys the live-out-loud-in-your-PJs sorta lifestyle she loves writing about, which involves lots of: 1) excuses to use her power tools, 2) doing stuff without checking the directions, and 3) impossible-to-be-duplicated 'special edition' dishes that laugh in the face of recipes. Born and raised in Hawai'i, Violet continues to live the no-shoes island way with her kids (daughter Violet & son Duke) and husband (aka their ringleader...and her most devoted fan).
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