Dedication

For everyone who has been patient with me this year.

BEFORE YOU DIVE IN

I hope you enjoy Cosima and Tristan as much as I did bringing them to life.

Please note that this novella contains on page sex.

Happy reading!

1. Cosima

Chapter 1

Cosima

“I’ll be okay,” Cosima said with a small sigh before she corrected herself. “I am okay. Don’t worry about me, and don’t even dare think about canceling your cruise.”

“Simmy.”

Her mother’s tone was filled with enough pity and dogged determination that Cosima couldn’t help but shake her head even though Dorothy Stratton couldn’t see her through the phone.

“Ma.”

Cosima tried to keep her voice steady and patient, knowing that any hint of emotion would only add to her mother’s belief that she was not okay.

She stirred a dollop of honey into her morning oatmeal before she continued, “You and daddy planned this cruise months ago. There is absolutely no need for you to change your plans because you want to baby me. I’m not going to allow you to throw away something you’ve been looking forward to when I’m fine. Breakups happen every day. I’m old enough to pull on my big girl panties and keep it pushing.”

There was silence on the line, and for a brief moment, Cosima believed her mother had listened to reason. She should’ve known better. Cosima couldn’t think of a scenario where reason stood a chance against a mother’s fear that her child was in crisis. It definitely wasn’t this one.

“Breakups may happen every day, but let’s not pretend this is an average breakup. You and Damian were together for seven years, and the breakup happened right before Christmas.”

Cosima licked the back of her spoon and tossed it into her farmhouse-style kitchen sink, trying to think of the best way to appease her mother. She wanted to remind her that breakups were known for being inconvenient and that Thanksgiving was hardly right before Christmas. However, voicing those thoughts would probably add more fuel to her mother’s fire to argue, and Cosima was not in the mood. She wanted to bring her oatmeal to the tawny L-shaped couch pushed against the longest wall of her living room so she could wrap up in the burgundy blanket she kept thrown over the back and enjoy her breakfast while she caught up with the TV show she’d recently become obsessed with.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll find ways to amuse myself during what you think is a very trying time for me. There’s nothing that a Christmas sale at Sephora won’t solve.”