Title Page

Copyright © 2022 Heather M. Orgeron

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Cover design by: Y’all. That Graphic.

Photographer: David Wagner

Model Jason John

Formatting: Champagne Book Design

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Epilogue

Preview of Pour Judgment

Prologue

Chapter One

Novels by Heather M. Orgeron

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Dedication

For Gabby.

The love you and your daddy shared touched me deeply.

To witness him walking you down that aisle was an honor—

and a moment I will never forget.

Thank you for allowing me to pay tribute to your story with this book.

And for Sammi, for whom the heroine was named.

Thank you for your unwavering love and support. But most of all,

thank you for being the most amazing friend a girl could ask for.

I love you!

Prologue

(Five years ago)

“Sammi?” I whisper-shout into the dark night as I approach our secret hideaway, a little alcove hidden in the rocks beneath her parents’ fishing dock.

The wind is really whipping tonight, making the trek down a challenge.

Her sullen voice sounds as my feet slip and slide on the wet rocks near the shallow opening. “I’m here.”

“Why’d you run away from my party, Jailbait?” I bend at the waist, resting my hands on my knees to catch my breath from the jog over.

Her ocean blue eyes roll up and she sniffs, rubbing the end of her sleeve beneath her dripping nose. A humorless chuckle pushes through her pouty lips, and she shrugs.

“Tired of pretending.”