Chapters (48)
- Cover
- Praise
- About the Author
- Also by Tricia Stringer
- Title Page
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgements
- Excerpt
- One
He was a head and shoulders taller than her so when he lifted his face to look at her he was still looking down. She knew she was gaping but she couldn’t help herself. His thick dark hair was gelled back from his forehead in a luxurious up-swirl as if he’d just stepped out of a salon, and his eyes stared back at her through a set of large blue aviator glasses. He flapped the shirt again then bent to retrieve the all-but-empty cup just as she bent down too, and her cap fell off.
“I’m so sorry,” she said again as she shoved the cap firmly back on her head. “I should buy you a new shirt.” She grimaced. “If there was anywhere in town I could get one from, we don’t run to…” She could tell the shirt was expensive. The only men’s clothing available in town was country workwear. “…fancy menswear here,” she finished lamely.
“I’ll go home and change.”
“Let me at least buy you a replacement coffee.” Laura wasn’t keen to let him go just yet. Not without finding out his name. “My name’s Laura…”
“I’m running late. Please don’t worry.” He looked flustered now, as if he’d been the one to tip coffee down the front of her.
“Another day then?”
“Sure. I have to go.” He spun away.
“Do you at least have a name?”
“Sorry…it’s Paul, Paul Brown.”
“Nice to meet you, Paul, and I’m sorry about the coffee.” Laura waggled a finger at his stained shirt.
An alarm sounded from his pocket. He tugged out his phone and stabbed at the screen. “Sorry,” he said again. “I have to go.” He spun on his heel and hurried away.
Laura watched as he climbed into a new-looking RAV4. She wondered where he worked. To her knowledge he wasn’t a local and dressed like that…perhaps the bank, an accountant or something to do with the hospital. Maybe he was only in town for the day. She felt a pang of disappointment. She’d been quick enough to notice there was no wedding band on the hand that had clutched the cup. New local talent was hard to find. Her lucky sister had snared one of the few recent arrivals.
The RAV4 sped off down the street and Laura’s face lit up in a slow grin as she recalled his brief words. He’d said he was going home to get changed. With any luck that meant he lived in town. She needed to find out more about Mr Paul Brown.
