Credits

Editors: Jerry L. Wheeler and Ruth Sternglantz

Production Design: Stacia Seaman

Cover Design By Jeanine Henning

eBook Design By Toni Whitaker

By the Author

Fortunate Sum

Life in Death

Fake It till You Make It

Time Will Tell

Love at Last Call

Pretending in Paradise

Top of Her Game

What the Heart Remembers Most

Against All Odds

(with Kris Bryant and Maggie Cummings)

The Boss of Her: Office Romance Novellas

(with Julie Cannon and Aurora Rey)

Acknowledgments

This book…

If you were one of the few I leaned on during the process of developing and writing this book, I am forever grateful. From concept to final product, this was a long and bumpy road. But I am proud of the story that came from such a challenge, and I think the journey is fitting for this book. Life is unexpected and beautiful and hard sometimes, but love is what keeps us going. Love is what makes this world a beautiful place. Love is the reason why.

I’m thankful for my supportive family at Bold Strokes Books, from Radclyffe to Sandy, my editor, Jerry, and everyone else who helps me along the way. You’re all seen and appreciated more than I can say on this page.

I love my homeslices: Maggie, Kris, Erin, Aurora, and every single sprint participant who cheered me on when I needed it most. Heather, your support has held me up more than you know, and I appreciate how you were on board even when I wanted to kill every character…especially that one…the eulogy would’ve been so good.

To Heather,

My heart’s favorite memory

Chapter One

2 hours, 9 minutes, 52 seconds

Jax hated being a light sleeper. Anything could wake her up, from a loud cricket to the incessant buzzing of a phone. She turned over and burrowed into the warm body beside her. Soft naked skin was the kind of wake-up call she wouldn’t get mad about. The buzzing started again, and Jax flopped on her back with a huff. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and looked at the screen with one eye open. An unknown number. She checked the time and knew no good phone calls came after eleven at night. Her heart hammered in her throat.

“Hello?”

“Is this Jacqueline Levine?”

“Jax…yes, this is she. Who is this?” Jax sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes.

“I’m Dr. Hudgens from South Shore Community Medical Center.”

Jax’s mind kicked into overdrive, trying to fill in every blank before the doctor even continued. Her panic made it hard for her to concentrate on his next words.

“You’re listed as the emergency contact for Gretchen Mills. She was in an accident earlier this evening—”

She stood and started getting dressed. “What kind of accident?”

“It appears she fell down some icy steps and suffered a severe head injury.”

“Where is she? Is she…” Jax couldn’t finish the sentence.

“She’s being airlifted to the trauma center at Jersey Shore Medical. They’re the best equipped for this kind of head injury. They should land in thirteen minutes.”