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Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. EPILOGUE
  55. THANK YOU!
  56. MORE FROM VICTORIA WALTERS
  57. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  58. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  59. ALSO BY VICTORIA WALTERS
  60. Boldwood Ever After
  61. About Boldwood Books

I was definitely in trouble.

20

A stream of sunlight poured through a crack in the curtains pooling on the bed. The sheets were bundled up around me after my restless night. I turned over with a groan to look at the time. It was eight o’clock. I had no idea when I had finally drifted off to sleep but it had definitely not been until the early hours. I had replayed my day with Jake over and over again in my mind, spending a lot of time reliving our kiss against my hotel room door. It felt somewhat like a dream and I hadn’t wanted to wake up from it.

But now I had to.

With a sigh, I sat up and stretched, letting out a loud yawn. I touched my hair. It was tangled from my tossing and turning, and I hadn’t bothered to remove my make-up so there was mascara imprinted on my pillow.

On the bedside table, my phone lit up with a message. I saw Jake’s name flash up on my screen and my heart quickened instantly. I took a breath and read it.

Morning, Freya. Would you like to have breakfast together?

I exhaled. No immediate calling our kiss a mistake. I was relieved about that. No declarations about it being the best kiss ever again, but maybe he was unsure how I would feel when I woke up. And my mind was all over the place. Still processing the fact that Jake Richards had kissed me. How good it had felt. How I wanted more.

I realised I hadn’t responded to his text. I was nervous to see him but I wanted to see him too. And it wasn’t like I could hide in this hotel room. We were still at the conference together. It was better to see him sooner rather than later before I could overthink too much about the situation.

Sounds good. When shall we meet?

He replied quickly.

Can you be ready in 45 minutes? Meet you outside our rooms…

I jumped out of bed and sent a message back as I hurried into the bathroom to get ready.

See you then!

Diving into the shower, I made myself look as good as I could in the forty-five minutes I had. Remembering what he had said about liking my outfits, I pulled on my favourite dress – it was short and white with tiny sunflowers on it – along with my favourite boots. I left my hair loose, did quick, basic make-up and was spritzing myself with my floral perfume when there was a knock on the door. I took a final look in the full-length mirror. I still looked a bit tired from lack of sleep but much more like myself again.