Chapters (68)
- Copyright Page
- Table of Contents
- Chapter One
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Seventeen
- Chapter Seventeen
- Chapter Eighteen
- Chapter Eighteen
- Chapter Nineteen
- Chapter Nineteen
- Chapter Twenty
- Chapter Twenty
- Chapter Twenty-One
- Chapter Twenty-One
- Chapter Twenty-Two
- Chapter Twenty-Two
- Chapter Twenty-Three
- Chapter Twenty-Three
- Chapter Twenty-Four
- Chapter Twenty-Four
- Chapter Twenty-Five
- Chapter Twenty-Five
- Chapter Twenty-Six
- Chapter Twenty-Six
- Chapter Twenty-Seven
- Chapter Twenty-Seven
- Chapter Twenty-Eight
- Chapter Twenty-Eight
- Chapter Twenty-Nine
- Chapter Twenty-Nine
- Chapter Thirty
- Chapter Thirty
- Chapter Thirty-One
- Chapter Thirty-One
- Chapter Thirty-Two
- Chapter Thirty-Two
- Epilogue
- Epilogue
“Thanks for stepping in earlier when that guy cornered me. Wouldn’t have pegged you for a white knight.”
“Why not?”
“Just didn’t get that vibe.” The honest answer was because he was giving off tall, handsome, and dangerous vibes, but I couldn’t own up to that. He watched me as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.
Chapter Nine
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Chapter Nine
Carter
I was battling with myself constantly between wanting to talk to this woman, find out more about her, and kiss the hell out of her. She sipped from her glass, making a little sound of pleasure at the back of her throat. I was too consumed by Val to drink. When she raised her gaze and noticed I’d been watching her, she licked her lips, looking away. A whiff of her perfume reached me with the movement of her head.
“Tell me about your perfume. Smells insanely good.”
She lit up. “Freesia and lavender. One of Mom’s favorite combinations. She gave me the bug for fragrances. We used to make soaps and perfumes when I was little.”
This wasn’t anywhere on her company’s website or in the PR articles I’d come across when I’d looked her up online. She was trusting me with something intimate. There was a wistful expression in her eyes.
“She must be very proud of you.”
“I think she would be. They.... We lost my parents more than fifteen years ago.” Her voice wobbled for a second, and I squeezed her hand.
I did some mental calculations. Suddenly, I realized why she was so good at giving me advice regarding April. I’d been inexplicably drawn to Val since we’d shared that first coffee, and I wondered if this was part of why. I felt connected to her in a way that took me completely by surprise.
“And you raised your siblings?”
“Yes. Together with my twin brother, Landon.”
“You’ve got four other siblings, right?” I remembered reading that somewhere.
“Correct. And it wasn’t easy, but they all grew up into responsible, successful adults. Jace plays soccer for the LA Lords. Will used to be a detective but now runs a foundation with his fiancée. Hailey works at a PR agency. Lori is a wedding planner. I’m so proud of all of them.”
“You have every reason to be.”
“Thanks.”