Cooking Up Romance

by Lynne Marshall

  “Lacy Winters.” Lacy half expected to be touching herself when she took the hand and shook. Instead, she found a hand much softer than hers. Now solidly connected, ruling out all possibility of a hallucination, they studied each other closely. Lacy’s amazement reflected perfectly in Eva’s cornflower-blue eyes.

  Unreal. Yet there she was. So this is how I look to other people.

  “I’m adopted,” Eva said, causing Lacy’s heart to flutter uncontrollably. “And my birthday is...”

  “November fourth?” Lacy finished the sentence. “I’ve just found out I’m adopted, too.”

  Spontaneous tears spilled between them. Lacy couldn’t take another second of being apart from someone she’d been longing for her entire life. She grabbed the person born on the same day as her, who was adopted, like her, though not quite ready to call her sister, and hugged for dear life.

  “You’re thirty-one?” Lacy asked, just to make certain this wasn’t all a hoax. Eva nodded, her ear moving up and down Lacy’s cheek. This was happening.

  It wasn’t like hugging herself, but more like an extension of herself, the sensation comforting and soothing and somehow familiar. Unreal. The word esoteric came out of the blue and planted itself in her head. Had she learned that in Psych 101, too?

  Eva smelled like gardenia and orange blossom and Lacy inhaled deeply. “Black Orpheum?” she asked, about a product she could never afford but loved to sample every chance in department stores.

  Eva nodded again, the same motion, with her ear on Lacy’s cheek. “My favorite.”

  Lacy pulled back so she could see her double, flabbergasted. “You’re like a rich version of me.”

  Eva laughed lightly and Lacy joined her.

  “Oh, my gosh, we even laugh alike!” Eva said. The perfectly coiffed and put-together woman seemed awestruck.

  “I’ve got news for you guys—you’re both hand talkers, too,” Zack said from the sidelines, holding the little fella and looking natural as ever.

  “We are?” they said in unison, the inflection on the end exactly the same.

  They laughed again. Lacy fought the urge to say jinx and offer her pinkie, and soon more tears filled her eyes, the good kind. As the tears rolled out in an emotional mess, for the best and most fantastical reason in the world, Lacy shook her head and studied Eva.

  There couldn’t be another explanation. At long last, she’d found her twin sister. Well, actually, Eva had been the one to find her. With the help of Zack, she’d found someone who could never be taken away from her again.

  * * *

  It was hard to settle down that night, and Lacy was grateful she’d let Zack talk her into spending the night with him. He didn’t have to try hard at all! They had nothing to hide since Emma had already found them out that morning. On his bed, she rolled into his invitingly strong arm and stretched hers across his chest. Nothing short of a perfect fit.

  “This was one incredible day,” she said with a sigh.

  “I prefer to think of it as an amazing twenty-four hours,” Zack said, kissing her temple.

  Lacy was utterly drained from the lollapalooza of a day and unable to follow his meaning, her world having nearly stopped at one o’clock this afternoon, when Eva had appeared. She raised her head, questions in her gaze.

  Zack lifted his free left arm and checked his watch. “Yeah, see, it’s ten o’clock. Last night you knocked on my door right about now.” He gave a sexy, knowing partial smile, loaded with double and triple entendres.

  “Oh, yeah.” How could she forget? Well, for one thing, she’d spent two hours that afternoon talking with a sister she’d never known she’d had, just to name one good reason. They would’ve talked all night if it hadn’t been for Noah needing to get back to his routine. “My heart nearly popped out of my chest, it was beating so hard when I came over last night.”

  “And I’m so glad you did.”

  She put her head on his chest, a smile hidden beneath her wild mane. Mindlessly he ran fingers through her hair and they settled into perfect peace. Long overdue. This was good. So good.

  “Of course, Emma drilled me this morning on the drive to school, and I told her I loved you.”

  Her head bobbed up. “Have you told me that?”

  Now his smile was for real, not some mischievous hint like the moment before. “Officially? Hmm, not in so many words, but...” He went up on his elbow. “Didn’t I sing it to you that Saturday night at the bar? And I’m pretty sure I showed you how I felt last night.”

  “Yeah, and I could say the same thing about showing not telling.” She wouldn’t let go of his gaze, which turned into a staring contest. A sexy, smoldering staring contest.

  He put his free hand on her cheek and she snuggled against it. “I love you, Lacy.”

  She sighed, feeling for the first time in her life that everything was falling perfectly into place. Her eyes blinked closed, savoring the sound and the special moment, until he flicked his finger on her cheek and her eyes flung open. “Ouch! What was that for?”

  “I just said I loved you.”

  “And?”

  “A man likes to hear those words, too.”

  She pushed herself forward, close enough to be within striking range of his mouth. Then she kissed him. Long, slow, tender, and filled with every bit of the love in her heart. When she’d finished, her dream-filled eyes captured his warm green gaze. “I love you,” she whispered. “More than you could ever know.”

  Silent but loaded messages about what was going to happen next arced between them. Zack pulled Lacy on top of his body. “Never thought I’d feel this way again.”

  “Me, either.”

  “I’m so glad you drove that big pink thing on my property that day.”

  “I knew it would be life changing.” Even predicted it on her social media page.

  “Understatement of the century.”

  They laughed lightly together, as they often did, Lacy enjoying the feel of Zack’s bouncing diaphragm beneath her belly. She breathed in long and slow, savoring another moment she wanted to keep tucked in her heart for a lifetime.

  “So, I asked Emma if it would be okay,” Zack said.

  “If what would be okay?”

  “If I asked you to marry me.”

  Lacy popped up in a cobra pose. “What?”

  “Oh, yeah, we’re a package deal, Emma and I, and if she didn’t want you as a stepmother... Sorry babe, but you wouldn’t be here right now.” He did his best to sound like a cold, heartless guy, and fell far, far short.

  “That’s harsh.” It was easy to play along when it came to good guy Zack Gardner.

  “But true. I would’ve been hanging out at the karaoke bar, looking for the next catch, if Emma didn’t approve.” There was that devilish smile again.

  Lacy cuffed him. He pretended to flinch.

  “You know I love her, too,” Lacy admitted easily, her heart seeming to expand by the moment.

  “And she loves you. That’s apparent. And she’s told me about sixteen times already.”

  Lacy chuckled softly before focusing on something he’d said earlier. “So, we’ve gotten a little off topic. Can you run that first part by me again?”

  He pretended not to catch her drift. “You mean the part about being a family?”

  “Uh, just before that.”

  He lifted his chin as though a lightbulb had just gone off above his head. “Ooh! That part.” His arms went tight around her middle, and he rolled until they faced each other side by side on the mattress. He waited patiently for Lacy’s eyes to drift toward his. His were serious and filled with sincerity. “Will you marry me?”

  Even though only moments before she’d had a preview of what was on his mind, hearing the words, she became overcome with emotions, as if that hadn’t already happened big-time today, and was unable
to answer.

  “It doesn’t have to be right away,” he continued. “I know you just found your sister and a whole new world has suddenly opened up, but, sometime in the near future, I intend for us to get married.”

  Tiny pins and needles started behind her lids, quickly followed by blurring and moisture, oh, so much moisture. She grinned through her tears, shaking her head. Could the day be more monumental? She’d finally broken free from her irrational fear of the caring-and-losing connection. Because today she’d found... She’d found her sister! And Zack. Finally. Her heart was open to love and to love fully, and it felt amazing.

  “I’d love to marry you, Zack. I can’t wait to be your wife and part of a family again.”

  “Then I want to put a rock on your finger by next weekend.”

  All the day’s wonderful feelings converged, and suddenly Lacy was filled with energy. And those were pretty much the last words spoken between Zack and Lacy for a long, long time. Not counting moans, panting, short sexy instructions and naughty little outbursts. Then sometime after midnight, tight in each other’s arms, they shared another joint declaration of “I love you.” Putting the monumental day to rest on a perfect note.

  Later, after a couple hours of sleep, in the wee morning, Lacy woke to use the bathroom. As she did, she wondered if Eva had someone like Zack? Already goofily grinning with her eyes closed while using the toilet, she smiled wider, guessing this was how it would be from now on—always wondering how her sister, her twin, was, if she was okay or what she was doing at any given moment. Even now, on the night she’d been proposed to by the best man on earth, Eva was in her thoughts. Because Lacy wanted to and couldn’t wait to share the great news with her.

  On the chance Eva might be awake, Lacy texted her. I just got engaged!

  Lacy was headed back to bed when her phone lit up. I approve! So happy for you. Talk tomorrow.

  Lacy grinned as she got back in bed. Yes, they’d talk tomorrow and tomorrow and the day after that and...

  One week later...

  “Have you ever felt like a part of you was missing?” Lacy asked, at the end of her and Eva’s daily after-dinner phone conversation.

  “Every single day,” Eva was quick to reply.

  It was wonderful having someone who knew exactly how she felt. “Oh, you know what I keep forgetting to ask you? What’s your middle name?” There was so much they needed to find out about each other yet.

  “Taylor.”

  What? Hadn’t Lacy had enough jolts for the week? For an entire life? Her twin sister had the same middle name as her! How weird was that? “That’s my middle name, too.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  “I know, but what isn’t crazy about us?”

  Eva had gone quiet, and just before Lacy was going to jump in, Eva said, “Just one more thing we’ll have to get to the bottom of.”

  “Agreed. Add it to the list,” Lacy said, determined to find out what their adoption story was.

  It was a whole week later, and the astounding moment of meeting Eva had yet to wear off. As though that wasn’t enough, being newly in love with Zack, getting engaged, and having him beside her every step of the way through this crazy adventure was shocking in a completely different way. A meant-to-be and forever way, which got better and sweeter every moment she and Zack spent together. She studied the addition to her left hand, a beautiful engagement ring, and her heart overflowed with love all over again. She shared everything with Zack and, where some men might become jealous by the time she invested in her twin, he was thrilled she’d found a long-lost sister.

  Lacy and Eva had been communicating nonstop since meeting at the food truck. If they couldn’t meet in person, they would text or call. Eva even “liked” Lacy’s social media page and commented there when Lacy posted a picture of the two of them. Their story had caused a huge buzz with thousands of likes.

  They’d made so many plans, as though trying to catch up for lost times, but realizing they could never make up for thirty-one years still broke their hearts. Along with stored-up anger. They didn’t have to explain the feelings to each other because they knew exactly how it felt.

  They’d been separated at birth and adopted into different families, raised completely opposite. Eva was rich, Lacy just trying to get by. Yet they’d recognized their sisterhood as easily as the way they looked.

  They’d been created from a single cell, carried the same DNA, and had shared a womb and an amniotic sac for nine months. On some genetic level, to this day they remembered that. Remembered each other. Together from the start. And there was no separating them now.

  * * *

  We’ve got some exciting changes coming

  in our February 2020 Special Edition books!

  Our covers have been redesigned, and the emotional contemporary romances from your favorite authors will be longer in length.

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  Date of a Lifetime,

  available from Harlequin Special Edition

  in April 2020!

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  Reluctant Hometown Hero

  by Heatherly Bell

  Chapter One

  Zoey Castillo glanced at her cell phone and hoped she wasn’t being rude to her date. It was the third text in thirty minutes she’d received from her best friend, Jill Davis, during dinner. The first two had been reasonable inquiries on the exact measurements of water, coconut oil and protein to add to the freeze-dried, organic, carbohydrate-free food she gave her pets. But then the third message:

  Jill: Settle a bet for Sam and me. Which is faster? A horse or a mountain lion? I say a horse.

  Zoey: Hello? I’m on a date. Emergencies only!

  Jill: Sorry. Tell Julian we say hello and not to worry about being late to work tomorrow morning. ;) ;)

  Zoey glanced across the restaurant table at Julian, who worked as a guide at Jill’s company, Wildfire Ridge Outdoor Adventures. Good-looking in a dark and lanky muscular way, two weeks ago he’d asked her out on a date. Zoey was excited about the first date she’d had in... Oh my god, could she count that high? Julian had offered to hold her hand and tandem zipline on friends-and-family day because she’d been nervous about doing it alone. Sweet and handsome all in one delectable manly package. It was hard to find a hot-looking guy she felt safe with. Zoey didn’t understand why there seemed to be no spark and sizzle between them.

  Nothing. Zilch.

  “I’m so sorry,” Zoey said. “Jill is my sitter tonight and she keeps texting me about every little thing.”

  “Understandable.” Julian leaned back. “How many?”

  “Three,” Zoey said, then realized she hadn’t counted Boo, the Great Dane she was still trying to find a home for. Just one of her many foster fails. Zoey had wound up adopting nearly all her fosters, but Boo needed more room than she had. She’d tried hard, unsuccessfully, not to get too attached. “Actually, four to be exact.”

  Julian went brows up. “Four? Seriously? But you’re so young.”

 
“Well, it’s my business, too. I am trying to adopt one of them out. Boo.”

  “Adopt one out? Boo?”

  Their waitress brought their plates and set them down. Steak and potatoes for Julian, stir-fried vegetables and rice for Zoey.

  “I know. It’s a funny name. But he’s a big boy so I gave him a small name.”

  “That’s unusual and...very brave of you.” A thin line of sweat broke out on Julian’s forehead. “My mother was a single mom, so I know what it’s like.”

  “What? Oh, no, they’re not my children!” Zoey laughed at the mistake. “They’re my pets.”

  She whipped her cell phone out and showed Julian photos of Boo, the size of a small pony, sitting majestically next to Corky, her potbellied pig and his best friend. Indie, her Chihuahua mix, and Bella, her boxer, sat nearby giving them side-eyes.

  Julian coughed. “You get a sitter for your pets?”

  “Not always.” She sat straighter in her seat, feeling a bit attacked. “But sometimes Indie and Bella gang up on Boo when I’m not around. Indie nips his ankles. For a big dog, he’s a baby and extremely sensitive.”

  “Uh-huh. You said he’s a foster?”

  “I adopted him.” Zoey bit her bottom lip to keep from crying. “The owners gave him up to the shelter. I think they should have been arrested, but there’s no law against giving up on your dogs.”

  Julian studied her sympathetically and reached across to pat her hand. But by now she could see the resignation reflected in his dark eyes. He’d just written her off into that category of single women who were single for a good reason. No problem. She’d already crossed him off her list of Men I Might Ask to Tio and Tia’s Fortieth Anniversary Party. Sure, it was a small list, but it existed. Somewhere in this world there was a fellow animal lover who would accept her menagerie of pets and her raging dedication to them. They were a package deal.

  After dinner, Julian said he had to be up early for work, and said good-night at her front door. Thankfully, he didn’t try for a kiss but gave her a kind and warm hug. Very brotherly of him.