“Just because I can doesn’t mean I want to. I mean, what about sexually transmitted diseases?”
“You can spell condom: I know because I taught you.”
“When I was twelve.”
“It’s always better to be prepared.” Her mother rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Jen, I just want you to have some fun.”
“I am having fun.”
Her mother gave her a cutting look. “Do not lie to me.”
“Okay, maybe I’m not having that much fun. I just like to believe that I’m having fun. And I’m knitting up a storm. The avocado is my biggest project yet.”
Her mother heaved a sigh. “Lying to yourself isn’t any better than lying to me.”
“But it’s not that simple, Mom,” Jen said, feeling dragged into a conversation she wasn’t sure she wanted to have. “It’s hard to meet people, to meet men.”
“No, it’s easy to meet men. Your problem is that you’re trying to meet your so-called one and only, and you want to recognize him on sight.” Her mother came to her side again, and put a hand on her shoulder. “You can’t always tell a book by its cover, Jen, that’s all I’m saying. Just to mix our metaphors here, you need to get into the pool, if you’re going to prove that you can swim.”
“What if I don’t feel like doing any laps right now?”
“Then when will you?”
“Someday.”
“Prove it,” her mother said, challenge bright in her eyes. “Bring a date to Thanksgiving dinner.”
“Mom! I can’t just order up a date, like you order a salad.”
“You don’t have to marry him, Jen. Just bring a date, a man who is reasonably presentable, to Thanksgiving dinner at your grandmother’s. That’s all.”
“No, that’s not all. I know you better than that.”
Her mother contrived to look innocent and failed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Bring a date or else what?”
Natalie grinned. “Or else I’ll start fixing you up myself.” Jen knew her horror at that prospect showed because her mother tapped the side of her mug with a fingertip. “There’s a very nice, if somewhat hirsute, young man working at the Birkenstock store, for example. I understand he writes poetry…”
“Nooooooooooo!” Jen shouted and flung herself out of the kitchen, only half-joking. She heard her mother laughing, but knew that this was a threat her mother would act upon. Jen made an escape to work as soon as was humanly possible, though her mother still got in one last shot.
“Remember that boy at the natural food store? He’s always asking after you…”
Oh no. Not the bass-player-whole-grain-aficionado who never cleaned his fingernails and wanted to walk to around the world to protest the living conditions…somewhere. No, no, no. Anyone had to be better than that. Anyone had to think more clearly than that.
Jen had to be able to find a date somewhere. She’d ask her older sister for help, just like she always did.
Cin would know what to do.
* * *
All Or Nothing
Now available in a new edition.
About the Author
Deborah Cooke sold her first book in 1992, a medieval romance called The Romance of the Rose published under her pseudonym Claire Delacroix. Since then, she has published over fifty novels in a wide variety of sub-genres, including historical romance, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, fantasy romance, time-travel romance, women’s fiction, paranormal young adult and fantasy with romantic elements. She has published under the names Claire Delacroix, Claire Cross and Deborah Cooke. The Beauty, part of her successful Bride Quest series of historical romances, was her first title to land on the New York Times List of Bestselling Books. Her books routinely appear on other bestseller lists and have won numerous awards. In 2009, she was the writer-in-residence at the Toronto Public Library, the first time the library has hosted a residency focused on the romance genre. In 2012, she was honored to receive the Romance Writers of America’s Mentor of the Year Award.
Currently, she writes contemporary romance and paranormal romance under the name Deborah Cooke. She also writes medieval romances as Claire Delacroix. Deborah lives in Canada with her husband and family, as well as far too many unfinished knitting projects.
To be sure you don’t miss a new release, follow Deborah’s blog or subscribe to her newsletter!
Deborah’s Website and Blog
Deborah’s Newsletter
Books by Deborah Cooke
Paranormal Romances
- The Dragonfire Series -
Kiss of Fire
Kiss of Fury
Kiss of Fate
Harmonia’s Kiss
Winter Kiss
Whisper Kiss
Darkfire Kiss
Flashfire
Ember’s Kiss
Kiss of Danger
Kiss of Darkness
Kiss of Destiny
The Dragon Legion Collection
(including Kiss of Danger, Kiss of Darkness and Kiss of Destiny)
Serpent’s Kiss
Firestorm Forever
- The Dragons of Incendium -
Wyvern’s Mate
Nero’s Dream
Wyvern’s Prince
Arista’s Legacy (2016)
Wyvern’s Warrior (2016)
Urban Fantasy Romance
- The Prometheus Project -
Fallen
Guardian
Rebel
Abyss
Paranormal Young Adult
- The Dragon Diaries -
Flying Blind
Winging It
Blazing the Trail
Contemporary Romance
- The Coxwells -
Third Time Lucky
Double Trouble
One More Time
All or Nothing
- Flatiron Five -
Simply Irresistible (2016)
* * *
Books by Claire Delacroix
Time Travel Romances
Once Upon a Kiss
The Last Highlander
The Moonstone
Love Potion #9
- Harlequin Historicals -
The Romance of the Rose
Honeyed Lies
Unicorn Bride
The Sorceress
Roarke’s Folly
Pearl Beyond Price
The Magician’s Quest
Unicorn Vengeance
My Lady’s Champion
Enchanted
My Lady’s Desire
- The Bride Quest I -
The Princess
The Damsel
The Heiress
- The Bride Quest II -
The Countess
The Beauty
The Temptress
- The Rogues of Ravensmuir -
The Rogue
The Scoundrel
The Warrior
- The Jewels of Kinfairlie -
The Beauty Bride
The Rose Red Bride
The Snow White Bride
The Ballad of Rosamunde
- The True Love Brides -
The Renegade’s Heart
The Highlander’s Curse
The Frost Maiden’s Kiss
The Warrior’s Prize
- The Champions of Saint Euphemia -
The Crusader’s Bride
The Crusader’s Heart
The Crusader’s Kiss
The Crusader’s Vow (2017)
The Crusader’s Handfast (2016)
Short Stories and Novellas
An Elegy for Melusine
Beguiled
Audio Editions
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