Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters Collection (Eight Fun, Romantic Novels by Eight Bestselling Authors)

by Violet Duke

  “Okay.” Adrianne took a deep breath. “I need to finally hear this story.”

  Phoebe seemed glad to comply. “He was in love with her for years. Everyone knew it.”

  “Uh huh.” She wanted to hear this story. Honest, she did.

  “And then there was that night when he gave her a ride home.”

  Adrianne swallowed her mouthful of tea, feeling like it was battery acid going down. She couldn’t bring herself to even grunt in response.

  Phoebe went on, happily.

  “According to some, she invited him over, did a strip tease and they had hot sex. Others say once they got to that point, he couldn’t perform. Others say he turned her down. No matter what happened in that house, we all know what happened at school the next day.”

  Adrianne was glad she had her cup. She needed something to throw up in.

  “We were standing around in the commons before school and he approached her. He had this huge grin on his face. He… Lord, I almost can’t think about it without shuddering,” Phoebe said.

  “He what?” Adrianne prodded. For some reason, she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the rest, but she was very sure she needed to.

  “He kissed her cheek.”

  The tea/battery acid churned in her stomach. “What did she do?”

  “She turned to him, asked him what the hell he thought he was doing.”

  “Oh, God.” Adrianne put her head down on her hand.

  “He didn’t back down at first. He narrowed his eyes and said, ‘I’m kissing you. A PG version of what I did to you last night.’ He looked her straight in the eye, in front of everyone and said that. I couldn’t believe it. No one could.”

  Adrianne lifted her head.

  “But then it got worse.”

  Adrianne’s heart squeezed.

  “Mason said, ‘You were sure glad I pulled over and picked you up last night.’ And Hailey’s boyfriend, Mark, said, ‘How glad?’ and before Mason could say anything, Hailey laughed and said, ‘Don’t worry. A normal guy would have made a move but this is Mason. No worries, right?’ and Mark laughed and said, ‘Good point. You’d need test tubes instead of tits to get him excited’.”

  Adrianne had the urge to kick Hailey’s ass on a weekly basis as it was, but this was enough for her to want to hunt her boss down and do much more damage than that. Permanent damage. That would show in photos.

  Maybe she wasn’t as accepting as Mason thought.

  Well, she was. Except for Hailey. No. She was accepting of Hailey too. Maybe especially of Hailey. Dammit.

  Adrianne closed her eyes. “That bitch.”

  And one thing was now for sure—she and Hailey were definitely not friends.

  MASON COULD WALK the sidewalks of Sapphire Falls blindfolded. Or evidently with his thoughts fully occupied by the memory of Adrianne in the shower. He hadn’t noticed one detail around him since leaving Adrianne’s house…

  Caramel sauce dripped from her index finger onto the tip of his erection and then slid slowly down the length. Adrianne was on her knees in front of him and her gaze followed the caramel’s path. Mason fought to stay still. He wanted to grab her, lift her against the shower wall and thrust.

  “This is gonna get messy,” she promised him as she unscrewed the lid of the jar. They hadn’t turned the shower spray on yet. It was going to be a little while.

  When the sticky trail reached the base of his shaft, she leaned in with her tongue. He groaned and tangled his fingers in her hair. But he kept still otherwise.

  “Sweet stuff is my specialty. Just stand there. No moving,” she instructed, dipping her finger into the caramel.

  “Sweet stuff is your specialty all right,” he quipped as the warm sauce touched his skin. From there he was pretty much speechless.

  When she reached his tip, she swirled her tongue around, gathering all the sugar. Then she scooped more from the jar and painted a stripe down the center of his shaft. She followed it down slowly with her tongue, then back up, sucking when she reached the top.

  Soon sticky caramel was spread all over both of them—and that was when he stopped following the rule of not moving…

  His thoughts and forward motion both came to an abrupt stop as he ran smack into someone rounding the corner.

  His phone went flying, her phone went flying—as did a couple of expletives.

  “Dammit, watch what you’re…Mason!”

  His eyes widened as he realized he’d almost knocked Hailey Conner on her ass. “Hailey. Sorry.” He retrieved both phones and handed hers over.

  “Hi.” She seemed to immediately forget that he’d nearly knocked out her front teeth with his chest. “I’m glad I ran into you.” She gave him an adorable smile that he knew she’d perfected years ago.

  “Are you?” he asked, eyeing the front of the café over her shoulder. He was meeting the guys to go golfing. He was only a few feet away.

  “Yes. I have to ask you something and I wanted to do it in person but privately.”

  Oh, boy. “I’m meeting the guys right now—”

  “I know.” She waved her hand as if the guys were unimportant. “I saw Drew. He said you were on your way.”

  “So I really should go—”

  “This will only take a minute.” She reached out and touched his arm. “But you have to promise to be honest.”

  Mason shrugged. “Sure.” He had no reason not to be totally up front with Hailey.

  “Are you saying no to the donation to Sapphire Hills because you’re still mad at me from high school?”

  Okay, he hadn’t been expecting that. He thought about her question though, and he realized it was fair. “You know,” he said. “It would make sense if I was, wouldn’t it?”

  Her eyes widened a bit. “I suppose.”

  “I mean, you really did a number on me back then. Public humiliation. Calling me out on my biggest vulnerability. Rubbing in the fact that I didn’t fit in.”

  Hailey had the grace to look a little sheepish.

  “And that wasn’t even the worst part. I stopped and gave you a ride. I gave you someone to lean on. I was there when no one else was.”

  Hailey’s eyes had narrowed slightly by now and she crossed her arms.

  This was fun.

  “And then there was what happened at your house. You started that whole thing. Then you lied about it. You made me look like a fool. Looking back, that was really—”

  “Okay,” she cut in. “I screwed up. I was a jerk. I’m sorry.”

  Mason gave a short nod. “Okay.”

  “Okay? As in, I’m forgiven?”

  He looked at her closely. “Do you want to be forgiven?” It had never really occurred to him that she might feel bad about what had happened. But it could be true. Everyone grew up and matured. That certainly could have happened to Hailey.

  “Yes, I want to be forgiven,” she said.

  “Because I might give you money then?”

  She sighed. “No. I’m sorry for what I did with or without your money. But I wouldn’t be upset—or too proud to take it—if it did make you more inclined to write the check.”

  He chuckled, appreciating her candor. “I’m not donating to the project because I don’t think it’s a good investment, Hailey. Not because of high school,” he said honestly, as promised.

  “Okay. But I’m not giving up.”

  “Okay.” He could keep saying no.

  She stood looking at him for another long moment. “Do you know why I told everyone that nothing happened at my house?” she asked.

&nb
sp; “Because you were kind of a bitch and didn’t want anyone to know the truth?” he asked.

  She grimaced slightly at the kind of a bitch but didn’t deny it or defend herself. “It was because I was trying to protect you.”

  “Protect me?” Yeah, having everyone know that he’d kissed Hailey Conner would have been so bad for him.

  “Mark would have beaten the crap out of you. You have to realize that.”

  Mark, her boyfriend, had been starting defensive lineman for the Sapphire Falls football team. “You think so?”

  “I know so.”

  It was likely completely true. “And that’s why you denied the whole thing?”

  “Yes. I know that’s probably hard to believe.”

  It was.

  “But I didn’t want him to freak out on you. You didn’t do anything wrong. You were helping me out and I…went a little too far in thanking you.”

  He gave her a half grin. “Yeah, well, I was never upset about that part.”

  She returned his smile. “So we can be friends?”

  “Why not?” A lot stranger things had happened since he’d returned to Sapphire Falls.

  “Great.”

  This time the adorable smile seemed a lot less practiced. And as she walked away, Mason reflected on the fact that not getting what you wanted could lead to getting exactly what you needed.

  CHAPTER NINE

  “I’LL GET IT,” Phoebe offered, surrendering her wooden spoon to Adrianne. “Keep going there.”

  Adrianne attempted to stir both pots at once. She had five dozen of the eight dozen truffles done and the toffee well on its way, but she definitely needed Phoebe’s hands. In fact, she could have used four more. But when Mason had called to say the guys had invited him to golf again, he’d been so happy that Adrianne had refrained from asking for his help. Or inventing any emergencies for anyone. Barely. She had, however, answered all his questions about the Sapphire Falls football team.

  She heard Phoebe open the door and ask, “Can I help you?”

  “You’re not Adrianne Scott.”

  Adrianne didn’t recognize the voice and she leaned around the corner to look down the hallway to the foyer.

  “How do you know?” Phoebe asked, propping a hand on her hip. She sounded amused.

  “Because Mason isn’t into redheads.”

  Mason? A woman who knew what he was into? Adrianne forgot the candy—but did turn the burners off—and headed for the door.

  “Yeah, well Mason doesn’t know what he’s missing,” Phoebe informed the woman.

  “Is this Adrianne Scott’s house?” the woman asked, seemingly annoyed.

  “Yes,” Adrianne answered as she came up next to Phoebe. The woman standing on her front porch asking about Mason was gorgeous. “Can I help you?”

  “You’re Adrianne.” It wasn’t a question. “Definitely Mason’s type,” she added, glancing at Phoebe.

  “Yes, I’m Adrianne. And you must be Lauren.” Adrianne leaned against the doorframe, not inviting Mason’s best friend in but not shutting her out.

  Lauren’s eyes narrowed. “He’s talked about me?”

  “Of course. You’re his best friend.”

  That seemed to take her back a little. “Yes, I am. That’s why I need to talk to you.” She held up the cardboard carrier with four cups. “I brought coffee.”

  “I like her already,” Phoebe said. She pushed Adrianne out of the way, took the coffee and ushered Lauren into the house.

  “Mason isn’t here.” Adrianne shut the door, admired Lauren’s Gucci platform sandals and followed them to the kitchen. “He won’t be back for a while.”

  “I know. That’s why I’m here to talk to you now.”

  Ah, she had something to say that she didn’t want Mason to hear. This could be interesting.

  Phoebe passed out coffee cups, keeping two for herself, and went to the fridge for creamer.

  “You’re concerned,” Adrianne said. That much was obvious.

  “Very,” Lauren replied

  “That he’s having the best time, and the best sex, of his life?”

  Lauren leaned her hip against the counter. “Yes.”

  “Because he wants to stay here and keep doing it?”

  “Yes.” Lauren said it with feeling.

  Yeah, she’d figured. It was crazy to Adrianne that Mason had decided to uproot his life and move to Sapphire Falls after only three days. She could only imagine what it would sound like to someone who hadn’t been there to see how things had evolved.

  “Listen, Adrianne, here’s the thing. I’ve known Mason very well, for a very long time. I think it’s natural I have some concerns when he leaves for a weekend high school reunion and then suddenly calls to tell me that he’s turning his whole life, our work, everything upside down to move to the town he hasn’t had a single desire to see in over a decade.”

  Exactly.

  “I do understand,” Adrianne said. “But if you—”

  “I think it’s great that he’s having a good time,” Lauren broke in. “I’m thrilled, in fact. You’re a nice perk of this little weekend getaway. He hasn’t been this happy in a long time.”

  Warmth spread through Adrianne’s stomach with those words. But then she frowned. She was a perk of a little weekend getaway?

  “But,” Lauren continued, “he’s…overreacting. You have to agree.”

  Adrianne started to respond—with what she wasn’t sure—then she realized Lauren was talking to Phoebe.

  Phoebe paused in the midst of stirring hazelnut creamer into her coffee cup. “Why are you looking at me?”

  “You’re her friend, aren’t you?” Lauren asked, gesturing toward Adrianne.

  “Yes. Which means I’m happy that she’s happy,” Phoebe said. “I think it’s wonderful that she found a great guy.”

  “It’s been three days,” Lauren said. “Come on. He’s letting his apartment in Chicago go to move to a town of less than a thousand people, giving up his career, pissing the vice president of the United States off—again—all because he’s finally feeling popular.”

  “The vice president?” Phoebe asked, her eyes wide.

  Adrianne sighed. That was what Phoebe was focusing on?

  “I—” she started.

  “I understand how he’s feeling,” Lauren went on. “I was like him in school. An outcast, a misfit, a nerd. Then I moved to a new school my junior year of high school and I took the chance to start over. I realized that if I could look and act like everyone else, it wouldn’t matter if I thought like everyone else. And it worked. For two years, I was kind of normal and I loved it. I went a little crazy. I smoked. I drank. I dated. A lot. I did all the things I thought normal kids did.”

  “That’s all very nice for you,” Phoebe said, one eyebrow up. She leaned her elbows on the center island. “But Mason isn’t a teenager, or a kid for that matter. He’s a grown man with more than enough brains. He can make his own decisions. I don’t think he needs a babysitter.”

  “Mason wants normal. Or he thinks he does,” Lauren insisted. “And he’s never really had that. Especially here. But until he came back, he had accepted that being…abnormal was a good thing.” She shrugged. “He’s found a place where he fits in perfectly. The scientific and agricultural communities look up to him, people seek him out, he’s been praised and rewarded over and over. For not being normal.”

  Adrianne scowled at her. “He’s normal.
There’s nothing wrong with him.”

  Lauren studied her. “Of course there’s nothing wrong with him. But he’s not like other men. He’s better. And until you came along, he believed that.”

  Adrianne mouth dropped open. “Hey.”

  “She hasn’t done anything but think he’s awesome,” Phoebe protested. “She’s spent a ton of time with him, she admires him, she hasn’t done anything but—”

  “Chill, Red,” Lauren said. “I’m not saying she’s a bad person. She’s just bad for Mason.”

  “Hey,” Adrianne said again. “Mason is very happy here with me. So happy he wants to stay if you remember.”

  Dammit, who did this woman think she was? But right on the heels of that thought came the answer—she was Mason’s best friend and partner. She knew him. Had known him a hell of a lot longer than Adrianne had.

  “That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea,” Lauren returned. “To Mason, normal people farm and have barbecues and have girlfriends. So that’s what he wants.” She focused on something over Adrianne’s shoulder for a moment and sighed. “Normal people do not work for days straight in a lab, forgetting to eat, not even knowing what day it is sometimes, blowing off dates to work on a bunch of seeds.”

  “Seeds?” Phoebe asked.

  That seemed to shake Lauren out of whatever thoughts she had going. She sat up straighter and frowned at Adrianne. “Do you have any chocolate?”

  Adrianne looked closer. Lauren seemed truly upset. She took three of the finished truffles from the counter top by the stove and laid them on a napkin in front of Lauren. She immediately picked one up, bit into it and moaned. Then she took a deep breath and focused on Adrianne again.

  “Normal people don’t put their own lives on hold for months at a time to go to a painfully poor country that’s been devastated by a natural disaster, political unrest and disease. But Mason’s doing that. So I, for one, am glad he’s not normal. As is the US Government, Outreach America and most of the population of Haiti.”