Aurora Rose Reynolds – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Aurora Rose Reynolds – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.wownovels.com Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:16:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.wownovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Aurora Rose Reynolds – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.wownovels.com 32 32 Until Nalia (Until Her #15) Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/until-nalia-until-her-15-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:16:03 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/until-nalia-until-her-15-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Series: Until Her Series by Aurora Rose Reynolds
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Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)

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Nalia never expected to move back to her hometown, especially not with her ten-year-old sister in tow. But when her biological mother is sent to prison, she finds herself stepping into the role of parent. Overwhelmed with her new reality, she turns to the one place she has always felt safe. Home with her family.

What she doesn’t expect when she moves home is him.

After getting divorced, Logan Rafe is not interested in another relationship. His world revolves around his two kids and the auto shop he built from the ground up.

But then he meets Nalia Mayson. Beautiful, brave, and completely uninterested.

Using everything at his disposal, including their kids’ friendship, as an excuse to get closer, Logan slowly breaks down her walls. And before long, what began as an unlikely friendship becomes something deeper, something only he saw coming.

But healing takes time, and Nalia will need to accept herself and her past before she can fully let herself fall in love. And the two of them, well, the two of them will need to navigate having children, a school bully, and a complex family situation if they are going to find their happily ever after

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

One

NALIA

I attempt to open my eyes when the alarm on my phone starts to beep on the mattress next to me, but they are so heavy with exhaustion, I can’t seem to pry them open. Reaching one hand out from under the blanket, I search for my phone and begin tapping the screen until the obnoxious noise is cut off.

I have never been a morning person, growing up I drove my parents crazy waiting until the last possible minute to get up for school, and as an adult not much has changed. Only now I have to be personally responsible for making sure that I actually do get up. There is no one around to threaten me with a bucket of ice water or to come into my room a few dozen times annoying me until I’m out of bed.

When my second alarm starts to buzz, I groan and search for my phone again, then repeat that process of turning it off.

“Are you ever going to get up, Namalama?” Peeking one eye open, I look at the bedroom door and find my baby sister standing in the doorway holding a bowl of cereal in one hand and the spoon in the other. At almost ten years old, she has mastered the art of adulthood. I swear, some days she is more mature and self-sufficient than I am, and I know for certain that she is more mature than other kids her age.

Then again, she had a life where she had to do things on her own. My birth mom wasn’t, or isn’t, the type of person to put anyone else above her own wants and needs. Hence why she lost custody of my twin brother, Sage, and me when we were little. She wanted to go out and party, and decided that at two years old, we could just stay on our own for days. That’s how we ended up in foster care and later adopted by our parents, Nico and Sophie. It’s also why, when I was old enough to look into my birth mom and found that she had other kids, I got in contact with her and moved back to Colorado. I didn’t want what happened to my brother and me to happen again. And I guess part of me wanted to get to know her. But over the years, I’ve realized I wasn’t missing out on much with her not being in my life. I do have a good relationship with her other two kids, who are older now and both in the military, stationed overseas.

“I’m already up, Zuri, you’re just imagining me in bed,” I mumble, and she rolls her eyes.

“That’s good since I have school this morning.”

Shit.

I’m sure she thinks I forgot.

“The doors don’t open until eight twenty-eight, kid. We still have a long time before we have to leave. We won’t be late.” I toss back my comforter and sit up, placing my feet on the fuzzy carpet next to the bed, smiling at her. “You look cute.” In a pair of jean shorts and a pink and white striped shirt with frilly socks and her favorite black and white Vans on her feet, she looks like a preppy skater girl.

“Thanks.”

“Do you want me to put space buns in your hair?”

“Yeah.” She smiles.

“Alright, go get your hair stuff, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” I get up and stumble to the bathroom, flipping on the light, almost blinding myself.

After brushing my teeth, I wash my face, apply moisturizer, and tie my hair into a ponytail before I shut off the light. I wander back into my bedroom, straighten my cream duvet, and fix my pillows, adding the decorative ones that I tossed on the floor last night before I got into bed.

I get dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt and walk down the hall, the smell of freshly brewed coffee getting stronger the closer I get to the kitchen.

Stepping around the corner, I find Zuri at the island with her grey and white rat, Pippin, perched on her shoulder. I was less than happy when my parents surprised her with the animal at the beginning of summer, but much to my dismay she fell in love instantly, and I knew that there was no turning down the gift.

“I made you coffee.”

“Thanks, kid.” I pour myself a cup and walk to the fridge, taking out the creamer. It’s almost empty, actually. The fridge is almost empty. I need to get to the grocery store today at some point. I mentally add that task to the ever-growing list in my head.

Some days, I feel like no matter how much I do, there is still stuff left undone. It wasn’t an issue when I was only responsible for myself, but now, I have Zuri to look after, so I can’t just put off unwanted tasks. If I don’t go to the store, she doesn’t have food to eat; if I don’t do laundry, she doesn’t have clean clothes. Sometimes the reality of having someone else depending on me can be a little too much, but I’m adjusting. We’re adjusting. And I think that we’ve done okay for ourselves so far. It doesn’t hurt that now that we have moved back to my hometown, closer to my parents and family I have a whole village of people who are willing to step in anytime I ask. Or even when I don’t ask, and they see me floundering.

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Duty and Desire Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds, Kristen Ashley, Kylie Scott, Rebecca Zanetti http://www.wownovels.com/duty-and-desire-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds-kristen-ashley-kylie-scott-rebecca-zanetti Sat, 16 Aug 2025 22:26:54 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/duty-and-desire-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds-kristen-ashley-kylie-scott-rebecca-zanetti Genre: Alpha Male Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds, Kristen Ashley, Kylie Scott, Rebecca Zanetti Advertisement

Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 185811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 929(@200wpm)___ 743(@250wpm)___ 619(@300wpm)

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Honor, protection, and undeniable chemistry. Duty and Desire brings you heroes in uniform—bodyguards, soldiers, and law enforcers—who will do whatever it takes to protect the ones they love. Filled with action, danger, and steamy romance, these stories prove that sometimes the greatest battles are fought with the heart.

Keeping You by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Quiet Man by Kristen Ashley
Closer by Kylie Scott
and
Vengeance by Rebecca Zanetti

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

TOILET PAPER AND BEER

Bridgett

Sitting in my car outside a random gas station I pulled into to fill my tank, I stare at the message I just received on my phone and feel my throat tighten—not with sadness but frustration. Two months ago today, I moved out of the house my soon-to-be ex-husband Conner and I shared. And since then, he’s made it his mission to make my life hell.

Every day, it’s a text or a phone call asking me to come back to him. And when I refuse, he lashes out. Why he even wants me back is anyone’s guess. He doesn’t love me. I mean, how could he when he’s constantly sleeping with other women and has since we got married? Plus, he wants a child, and I absolutely do not.

Not with him.

I might have done some not-so-nice and really stupid things in the past, but I would never bring a helpless baby into an unstable environment. Which is the whole reason he told me he wanted a divorce to begin with. He found out that I was still taking my birth control after expressing his desire for us to have a baby. Like the decision was solely up to him.

I admit I had second thoughts the first couple of weeks after leaving him because I was really fricking scared, and my mom was adamant that I was doing the wrong thing. But now, I have zero regrets.

Actually, that’s a lie. I have a whole bunch of regrets, but none of them have anything to do with moving out of the house he and I shared or contacting a divorce attorney after he didn’t. Because he only used the topic of divorce as a way to try to manipulate me into giving him what he wanted.

With no choice but to text him back, I drag in a breath, then quickly type a reply, letting him know exactly what my lawyer told me just a few days ago. He cannot, in fact, take my car from me—regardless that it’s in his name—so long as I pay the lease payment every month and keep the insurance up to date. Which I have.

After I send the message, I place my cell in the cupholder, then reach over and dig my wallet out of my bag on the passenger seat. With my credit card in hand, I shove my door open and place one high-heeled shoe on the ground, then the other, before hefting my butt out of the seat. Shoving my Visa into the machine a second later, I wait for it to clear. As the tank fills, I carefully watch the dollar amount since I can’t put more than fifty dollars in if I plan on eating this week.

Over the last sixty days, I’ve learned a lot about not only who I am and who I want to be but also about money and the value of a dollar. Before I moved out of the house I shared with Conner, I never thought about how much gas was or food. Or that an afternoon at the spa costs what some people—me included now—make in a month working full time. I cringe even thinking about that.

If I had been smart, I could have been working while married instead of traveling, shopping, and pretending to be happy—when I was not—and saving every single dollar I made. Had I done that, I wouldn’t be in the situation I am now. I would’ve had a nest egg and would have been able to leave Conner without worry after the second time he cheated. The first time, I took him at his word that it was a mistake and would never happen again.

All that said, I now know I will never—not ever—be dependent on another man in my life.

When the pump hits forty-nine dollars, I grab the handle and squeeze the grip lightly until the amount lands right on the fifty-dollar mark. As I’m replacing the nozzle in its holder on the pump, someone shouting catches my attention. I turn in the direction of the building, feeling my stomach bottom out as two men run toward me, both dressed in dark clothing with masks covering their faces. As one lifts a gun in my direction, a balding older gentleman who must be the attendant on duty yells from inside the gas station that he’s calling the police.

“Where are your fucking keys?” the man closest to me barks while the one running with him opens the driver’s side door to my car and gets behind the wheel.

“Got the keys!” the guy inside shouts, and my Benz’s engine turns over while the man with the gun shoves me out of the way so he can open the passenger door, causing me to wobble on my heels. Then, in a blink, they speed off. I stare at the taillights of my car, sure that what just happened didn’t.

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Before You Go Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/before-you-go-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:30:00 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/before-you-go-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Advertisement

Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87913 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)

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Dayton Calloway and I wouldn’t have gotten together if it weren’t for two pink lines.

After getting divorced, Francisca Dawson is attempting to find out who she is and how she wants her life to look. One thing she knows is that there isn’t room for a man in that equation. But then she meets Dayton Calloway. A man who is charming, funny, and unbelievably gorgeous. Unable to deny their connection, she gets lost in the moment and gives into his dirty mouth and skilled hands.

Actions have consequences.

Dayton knew that he never wanted to get married or have children. His upbringing before he entered foster care showed him that. So he took all precautions to make sure that wasn’t a possibility.
But like they say nothing is ever one hundred percent.
Now, he’s picturing life as a father and coming to terms with the possibility of having everything he never knew he wanted with a woman who is not only taking up space in his life, but that empty space in his chest.

Before you go, do you take a chance and risk it all, or do you just let go and possibly miss out on the most beautiful love you’ve ever known?
That’s what Dayton and Francisca will have to figure out.
Love is only as messy as you make it.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

Francisca

I sign my name in pink paint on the bottom left corner of my canvas, then set my paintbrush down and step back from my easel, wiping my hands on my paint-covered apron. Each layer of paint on the canvas is like a snapshot of the last six weeks of my life. I can tell what kind of mood I was in each time I picked up my brush to work, pinpointing when I was happy, sad or even bored just by the heaviness of the paint strokes.

Forcing myself to look past the details that will likely go unnoticed by everyone else, I take in the painting as a whole. With raised flower petals in muted pastel colors, along with butterflies and different types of bugs hidden in the greenery as a tiny treat for anyone stopping to take a longer look, it’s beautiful. I just hope that the woman who commissioned the four-foot by six-foot painting for her granddaughter loves it as much as I do.

“What do you think?” I look down at PJ, who is lying at my feet, and he lifts his head off his paws while his tail begins to wag. “I thought you’d say that.” I laugh, squatting down to rub his spotted pink belly when he rolls onto his back.

I jump when the buzzer for my studio sounds. I look over at the clock on the wall and let out a nearly silent curse. Like what often happens when I’m working, I lost track of time. The only good thing about today is that I can’t actually be late, since the meeting I scheduled is happening right here.

Quickly taking off my apron, I toss it toward my rolling chair, then lead PJ to his kennel, and he instantly goes inside to lie down. With him tucked away, I walk across the concrete floor and pull the heavy wooden door inward.

“Hey.” I smile at Phillip, who looks—as he often does—like he’s in a bad mood.

“Francisca.” He dips his chin. “May I come in?”

“Of course.” I step back, giving him room, then close the door behind him. I’ve known Phillip, my family’s attorney, my whole life, and he’s always been very… well, I guess the only way to describe him is “formal.” The only time I ever see him let his nonexistent hair down is at my parents' annual Christmas party. One evening a year, he drinks too much eggnog and becomes a whole different person, one who has an actual personality.

“This is where you work?”

“This is it.” I wave my hand out to encompass the entirety of the space as he scans the room.

He’s never been to my studio before; not many people have. The old storage warehouse was built in the late 1800s and was part of a manufacturing company’s property. After they went out of business, it sat empty until an investor swooped in and decided to refurbish it for residential use.

The unit I’m renting is one of the largest, at a little over two thousand square feet, and has an open floor plan that was advertised as a studio apartment with a bathroom and kitchen. Personally, I would not have rented it if I had planned on living here since there is no actual bedroom. The windows at the top of the tall ceilings that let in tons of glorious natural light during the day, unfortunately, let in the same amount of light at night from the streetlamps lining the block. But the location and lighting were perfect when I thought I would only be using the space for work. Then, a few months ago, I ended up moving in here, and getting a good night’s sleep since then has been a rarity. Nevertheless, I’m making the best of it for the time being.

“Have you been staying here?” he asks with his brows knitted tightly when he sees my bed, which is half-hidden behind the stack of moving boxes I haven’t bothered unpacking.

“I have been, yes, but once the condo sells or Matthew buys me out of my half of it, I’ll move.”

“We didn’t add that into the papers you had me draw up.”

“He and I have a verbal agreement.”

“Francisca—”

“It’s fine, Phillip,” I cut him off, and he gives me a disapproving look but doesn’t say more about it. Instead, he tucks his hands into the pockets of his slacks and wanders across the room toward the painting I just finished.

“Is this your current project?”

“I actually just finished that one right before you arrived.”

“It’s beautiful. You’re very talented.”

“Thank you,” I say quietly, as the compliment seems to wrap itself around my windpipe.

When I started painting, my parents and husband thought I was wasting my time. They were sure that no one would buy pretty floral paintings. Then I sold my first piece, and my second. Soon after that, I was getting offers for commissioned pieces that cost thousands of dollars and I was able to quit my job to start painting full time. Most days, I feel like I’m living a dream because I am. Painting is something I’ve always loved doing. I just had no idea I would be able to turn it into a lucrative business.

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Until Bax (Until Her #14) Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/until-bax-until-her-14-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Thu, 19 Dec 2024 11:51:20 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/until-bax-until-her-14-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Insta-Love, Suspense Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Series: Until Her Series by Aurora Rose Reynolds
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Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >105

Bax Mayson thought he had escaped the family curse—until he saw Olivia Gannon again. It’s been eight years since he last laid eyes on his best friend’s little sister, and now, fate has thrown her back into his life. As if their undeniable connection isn’t complicated enough, a mysterious threat looms, determined to tear Olivia away from him.

For Olivia, moving back home wasn’t supposed to change everything—until it did.
Running into Bax was the last thing she expected, but that one encounter sets off a whirlwind of events she couldn’t have imagined. Now, with family tensions rising, exes resurfacing, and a hidden enemy out for revenge, Olivia must figure out who—or what—they’re fighting. Because one thing is certain: she and Bax have something worth fighting for.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

Bax

Shoving open the door to Blue’s Bar and Grill, I step inside, bypassing the podium where a small crowd is waiting to be seated for dinner. I nod at the people I know as I head for the bar, where my brother Talon is sitting with a beer in front of him. His eyes are glued to the game playing on the TV behind the counter.

His focus turns to me when I pull out the stool next to his and ask, “Did you just get here?”

“About ten minutes ago.” He glances behind me. “Where’s Liam?”

“He’s on his way. He got caught up with the delivery guys that were dropping off the roofing supplies for that house on Hickson.”

“They late again?”

“You already know the answer to that question,” I mutter, and he presses his lips together.

“That’s the third time, right?”

“Yep, which is why we need to have a serious conversation about finding a new supplier.”

“We signed a contract with them, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, but I believe it’s up at the end of this year. We can confirm with Liam when he gets here.” I make eye contact with the bartender and motion to the beer Talon’s drinking, letting her know I’ll have the same and getting her smile in return.

“Did Maxim reach out to you?”

“No, what’s up?”

“He wants to meet up to talk about some work he’s wanting to have done at that house he and April bought to flip in West Nashville.”

“Do we have time to take on that job?”

“I’m not sure.” He shakes his head. “I’m going to meet with him on Monday and do a walk-through of the house to see how extensive the job would be. I just don’t know if we have the time to commit to that project with everything else we have going on.” He drags his eyes from mine to look at the TV when clapping erupts around us, and I do the same, catching the tail-end of the team that just scored a touchdown celebrating before it cuts to a commercial.

“You put any money on this game?”

“I bet Liam twenty dollars they’d win.” He shakes his head, lifting his beer. “This season was supposed to be their comeback.”

“You say that same shit every year.”

He turns to glare at me. “They’re your team too.”

“Yeah, but I’m not under some false impression that they’ll come back better than ever.” I laugh at the look he gives me, then change the subject. “Where’s Mia tonight?” He’s always with his wife and kids when he’s not working, and it’s rare that he asks to go out for a beer anymore.

“With her sister and all the kids, setting up for tomorrow.”

“What’s happening tomorrow?” I pick up my beer that the bartender slides in front of me.

“Pumpkin carving, and if you tell me you forgot and made other plans, Mia will have your balls.”

Shit.

“I didn’t forget.”

“Right.” He pulls out his phone when it starts to ring. “It’s Mia. I’m gonna go talk to her outside, be back.” He slides off his stool and walks toward the door.

I take a swig from my beer, then turn to look over my shoulder when a tinkle of laughter hits my ears. I wouldn’t say I know everyone who lives in the town I grew up in, but there aren’t many I don’t, and I definitely have never seen the woman sitting at a high-top table with my next-door neighbor Kourtney. The laughter comes again, and I watch her with her head thrown back and a smile on her face. Sensing me looking, she takes her eyes off Kourtney, and her face softens in a way that says we do, in fact, know each other as our eyes connect.

Dragging her gaze off mine, she says something to Kourtney, who looks back at me, lifting her hand in a small wave while her friend slides off the tall stool she’s sitting on. As she starts walking my way, I try to figure out how the fuck I know her.

I don’t. I would remember her long-as-fuck dark hair that my fingers could get lost in and the flare of her hips, which are accentuated by her jeans and the sweater she’s wearing. Her face has likely played a role in a million men’s fantasies. She’s not just pretty; she’s gorgeous, with delicate, feminine features, big brown eyes, and full lips that look unbelievably soft.

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King of Nothing Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/king-of-nothing-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Sat, 31 Aug 2024 08:14:03 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/king-of-nothing-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Contemporary, Erotic Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Advertisement

Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >88

I met him when my ship was sinking, and I clung to him through the storm. Little did I know he needed me as much as I needed him.
The first time I saw Roman Dante King, he stuck out like an odd puzzle piece that got mixed up in the wrong box. It wasn’t his blue eyes in the dim light of the bar, the tattoos that covered his arms and hands, or even his arrogant personality. It was something else—something I couldn’t see—that told me he didn’t belong in our small beach town on the Oregon coast.
Elora Mazie Barlow reminded me of a hummingbird zipping from one flower to another, never stopping, never allowing anyone more than a glimpse before she was gone. Never letting anyone in… until me. Then she gave me her smiles that were more valuable than anything I ever owned and wrapped me in her peace without asking for anything in return.
Her tragic story sounded achingly familiar to my own.
Our connection is knotted up in loss. The journey we’re on together will eventually come to an end. But will we be able to untangle the mess of strings that have tied us together?
Will we even want to?

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

PROLOGUE

43.0760° N, 107.2903° W

Elora

With the weight of my mom’s shoulder pressed into mine, I flip through a travel magazine that’s so tattered that some of the images have started to disintegrate off the worn pages.

“I’ve always wanted to go to New Orleans,” Mom says wistfully when I turn the page to a photo of St. Louis Cathedral lit up at night.

“Really?” I ask, studying the pictures on the other page, photos of cobblestone roads, people drinking at cute bars, and couples walking hand in hand on sunlit streets.

“Why do you sound so surprised?”

“You’ve never talked about it.”

“I’ve never had the money or the time to take a trip like that.” She laughs while my insides shrivel up. We’ve never had money—or at least not enough—so that’s never been a big deal to me. But time is something I always assumed we’d have plenty of.

“Millie Hart.”

Hearing Mom’s name, I get up and grab my purse along with hers, then take her hand as we walk across the waiting room toward Tiffany. The pretty redhead has worn an ever-present reassuring smile every time we’ve seen her. “How are you today, ladies?”

“Good, and you?” Mom asks as we walk down the cold hallway toward Dr. Howards’ office.

“All right. Jackson’s summer break started yesterday, so you’ll have to ask me that question again in a couple of weeks when he’s been home every single day.” She laughs, and Mom and I join in. Her son is a little older than the kids I teach at the preschool where I work, so I imagine having one of those little rascals around all summer when they’ve been at school all year would be a lot. Especially since he’s a boy. I mean, don’t get me wrong; girls can be a handful. But boys have an energy inside them that seems unlimited most days.

“Are you guys doing anything fun this summer?” I ask as Mom removes her shoes and steps onto the scale Tiffany stops in front of.

“I have to work, so he’ll be at camp for a few hours each day. Then, at the end of the summer, we’re taking a Disney cruise for a week, so that should be fun.” She jots down Mom’s weight.

“I’ve heard those are fun,” I say as Mom leans her weight into me and slips her shoes back on.

“Me too.” She pushes open the door across the hall and smiles at us. “Dr. Howards should be just a couple of minutes. Do you want any water while you wait?”

I look at Mom, and she shakes her head.

“I think we’re okay, thanks,” I tell Tiffany, and she nods before she backs out, closing the door.

As Mom gets settled in the seat next to me in front of the huge desk taking up most of his office, I look at all the plaques and framed newspaper clippings on the walls around the room. Each one showcases Dr. Howards’s accomplishments in the field of cancer.

“Millie, Elora.” Dr. Howards steps into the room, seeming so much older than the first time I met him eight years ago. “How are you feeling today, Millie?” His gaze becomes laser-focused on Mom as he takes a seat behind his desk.

“Great.” Her hand finds mine on the arm of my chair.

He nods, then steeples his fingers under his chin. “I got your labs from the blood work you did today. I wish I had better news, but your numbers don’t look good,” he says, and Mom’s cold fingers squeeze mine.

“Okay.”

“So what is the next step?” I ask him.

“Honey,” Mom whispers, and I look over at her. “I’m done.”

“What?”

“I’m done. I’m not trying any more treatments.”

“You still have options.” I turn to Dr. Howards. “She still has options, right?”

Her fingers around mine squeeze tight once again. “I don’t want to spend the last… however long I have left… in bed, because I’m so exhausted and can’t get up. I want to live.”

“You just said you’re done,” I bite out, getting angry.

“I’m done with chemo, radiation, and getting poked and prodded like some kind of science experiment, honey.”

“Tell her that she has to keep trying.” I look at Dr. Howards, pleading with my eyes. “Tell her we can do other things and have other options.”

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” Mom repeats, and when I meet her gaze, the mask she’s worn for years has slipped. The pain I see in her eyes is so overwhelming my chest constricts while my knees turn to Jell-O. If I weren’t sitting, I know I would fall over.

“But what about me?” The question is whispered.

“You’ll be okay.”

Will I? She’s been my whole life, my entire life, and now I’m just supposed to start figuring out how I’ll survive without her? I can’t do that. She’s my best friend.

“Mom.”

“We still have time.”

“But how long?” Tears clog my throat, and she looks at Dr. Howards.

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Brodie (Until Her #10) Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/brodie-until-her-10-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Wed, 07 Aug 2024 09:50:52 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/brodie-until-her-10-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Novella, Sports, Virgin Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Series: Until Her Series by Aurora Rose Reynolds
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Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)

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More bookworm than Barbie, Reese Shepard is completely caught off guard when the most beautiful man she has ever seen in her life steps in and pretends to be her boyfriend when some creep won’t leave her alone.

She assumes that it’s the last time that she’ll see the chivalrous stranger, but soon he is everywhere she is. And before she knows what’s happening, the two of them are spending all their free time together bonding over their love of the ocean, scary movies, and homemade cookies.

Reese knows that a guy like Brodie Pierce could have any woman he wants and that becomes even more apparent when she finds out that he’s a pro hockey player that’s worth millions of dollars. So to save herself from the potential heartbreak she places him firmly in the friend zone.

If only he’d stay there.

The infuriating man starts pushing for more, lots more, and the worst part is she wants to give it all to him including her heart.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

One Thousand and One Dark Nights

Once upon a time, in the future…

I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

library at my father’s home and collected thousands

of volumes of fantastic tales.

I learned all about ancient races and bygone

times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

people through the millennium. And the more I read

the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

become part of them.

I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

would not be telling you this tale now.

But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

with bravery.

One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

(Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

and I had read that by the time he met Scheherazade,

the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

women.

Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

never occurred before and that still to this day, I

cannot explain.

Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

protect herself and stay alive.

Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

you now.

Prologue

Reese

I don’t know exactly what wakes me up, but when my cell on the nightstand beeps, I reach over and pick up my glasses, putting them on before grabbing my phone and bringing it close to my face so I can read the screen. Frowning at the notification informing me that Kirk finished a workout, I realize that I picked up his phone attached to his watch, which keeps track of his steps and how many calories he’s burned in a day. I glance behind me and find him gone. The two of us were up late studying for a test last night, so he stayed over rather than drive back to his apartment near our campus. It’s something he does on occasion when Richard and my mom are out of town like they are now.

Richard, my mom’s fiancé, travels a lot for work and likes Mom to go with him, leaving me alone in the house for days at a time—unless Richard’s daughter, Melissa, decides to stay here rather than on campus with her sorority. Which rarely happens.

I look at the time in the corner of the phone. It’s a little after two in the morning—an odd time to work out—but Kirk has been stressed about the test he has coming up. Maybe he needed to burn off some energy.

Sitting up, I toss back the covers and get out of bed to check on him. After I drag a hoodie over my sleep tank and shove my feet into my slippers, I leave my bedroom on the second floor, Kirk’s phone in hand. The house is dark and quiet, and, if I’m honest…a little creepy, which is why I often ask Kirk to stay over. I hate being here alone.

Hearing a bump as I start down the stairs, a sense of unease slithers through my insides.

I’m about to turn, head up the stairs, and go back to my room, but I freeze in the stairway when I hear a door open and then a familiar giggle. My heart pounding, I peek around the corner and watch Melissa, wrapped in the robe I got her for Christmas, kiss Kirk in a way I never have.

Pressing my hand against my stomach, I slowly back up one step and freeze again when the stair creeks under my weight.

“What was that?” I hear Melissa whisper, my heart pounding in panic.

I turn to rush up the stairs, but my slippers slide on the shiny wood, causing me to fall as I fumble for the railing. My glasses slide off my face as I skid down the steps, my footwear doing nothing to keep me on my feet. I land on my ass.

“Reese?” Melissa says in disbelief. I squint, unable to really see her.

“Shit, Reese, are you okay?” Kirk gasps, rushing up the steps to my side.

“I’m fine.” I shake him off when he grabs my arm to help me up.

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Before This Ends Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/before-this-ends-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Mon, 25 Mar 2024 04:51:13 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/before-this-ends-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Erotic Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Advertisement

Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >94

Miles Thatcher and I would not have gotten together if my life had gone according to plan.
Recently single with her whole life up in the air, Emma Abate knows that getting into any kind of relationship, is a bad idea. Especially when the man she finds herself drawn to is Miles Thatcher, a single father, and a man that seems determined to break down every barricade she places between them.
Could this be real?
Miles doesn’t do complicated. But it’s difficult to remember all the reasons why Emma is supposed to be off limits when she begins to fill a void in his and his daughters' life, a void that he never realized was there, until her.
Before this ends will Miles and Emma realize they have something worth fighting for? Or will his job as a detective, the murder of two young women, and Emma’s past get the best of them before they ever get the chance?
Life is never simple, and neither is love.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

emma

With both my hands filled with grocery bags, I curse under my breath as I attempt to lift the heavy weight high enough to reach the button for the elevator. I probably should’ve left some of the bags behind, but since that would mean making another trip to my car and back, there is no way I was going to do that. Once I hit the button, I quickly step onto the elevator with my hand still up when the doors open and hit the button for the third floor, sighing in relief as my arm lowers, taking some of the weight off my wrist.

When the doors open again, I step off and walk down the carpeted hall to our door and kick the bottom with my foot, hoping Eli will hear and come help. A useless endeavor, since he didn’t even hear his phone when I called him earlier as I was pulling into the parking garage, hoping he would come meet me and help lug our groceries upstairs. With no response, I set all the bags down on the floor, dig out my key, and unlock the door. When I push it open, Dolly—Eli’s teacup poodle—runs out to greet me with happy little yips of excitement.

“Hi, baby.” I scoop her up and hold her against my chest as I carry her inside. Scanning the living room, I don’t see Eli, but I can hear him in the bedroom, talking loudly, so I know without a doubt he’s on his X-Box. He’s also most likely wearing his headphones, hence why he didn’t hear his phone ringing or me pounding on the door.

Tucking away my annoyance, I place Dolly in her pen so she can’t get out of the apartment, because chasing her down the halls is never fun, then go back to the door and gather the bags. It doesn’t take me long to get everything inside, but the task of putting everything away is a different story. Eli is particular about where things go, so I can’t just shove crap into the cupboards. Instead, I have to open boxes of crackers or bags of chips and put them in their see-through containers and line up the cans so you can see the labels.

While I’m putting his beer away in the fridge, I hear the door to the bedroom open and look over the top of the island to watch him appear, wearing a pair of sweats and a T-shirt—the same thing he had on this morning before I left for work.

“I didn’t know you were home.” He walks into the kitchen to join me, taking one of the beers from the door of the fridge I’m still holding open. Him not greeting me with a kiss isn’t a surprise; he’s never been overly affectionate, and I’ve never minded, since he’s shown he cares in other ways.

“I tried to call you to ask you to come help me bring up the groceries.” I shut the door after putting the last beer inside.

“Sorry, I didn’t hear my phone.” He leans back against the counter across from me and unscrews the lid with a flick of his wrist. “Is there anything left in your car?”

“No, I got it all.” I lean back against the counter behind me and cross my arms over my chest. “Were you able to get to the post office for me?”

“Shit.” His eyes lock on mine and fill with remorse. “I totally spaced it. I’m sorry, Emma.”

“It’s fine. I’ll go tomorrow before work.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” I don’t bother pointing out there’s nothing he can do about it anyway. It’s already after six, so the post office is closed, meaning I can’t get the package he was supposed to pick up.

“What are we doing for dinner?” He reaches up toward my face and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear before he lets his hand fall away.

“We’re supposed to have dinner with Mica and Lynn tonight, remember?”

“Oh, right,” he mutters, and I press my lips together.

“You forgot the dinner with your friends that you planned?”

“No, I remembered.”

“Sure, you did.” I roll my eyes, and he smiles.

“Where are we meeting them again?”

“Seriously?” I laugh, and he chuckles. “We’re meeting them down the block at that new Mexican restaurant that opened last week—” I glance at the clock on the wall. “in thirty minutes, so you have just enough time to change.”

“Are you saying my outfit isn’t going to cut it?”

“I didn’t say it. You did.” I smile, and he laughs, taking his beer with him as he walks toward the bedroom.

I follow and take Dolly out of her pen before going to our room and placing her on the bed. I go to the closet to change out of the top I wore to work today, since it smells like the hair salon, which isn’t bad but also isn't great, and put on a sweater, leaving on my heels and jeans.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >94

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Until Hanna (Until Her #9) Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/until-hanna-until-her-9-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Sat, 25 Nov 2023 22:12:48 +0000 https://www.booksnovels.com/until-hanna-until-her-9-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Suspense Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Series: Until Her Series by Aurora Rose Reynolds
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Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >86

Hanna has always dreamt of the day when she’d find the perfect man and start a family of her own. But one horrible dating experience after an another, has her second guessing her ability to trust her own judgment when it comes to men. After her last failed relationship with a man who had a whole other life that she knew nothing about, she makes a promise to herself:
No dating and no serious relationships for a year.
But a vacation fling isn’t dating is it?
Walker St. James has always lived his life one adventure at a time, and settling down hasn’t been something he’s ever considered until her. Hanna Mayson. A woman he knows he could easily fall in love with. But while he’s trying to figure out how to make things between them work she informs him that all she wants is a vacation hook up.
Giving her what she wants is easy but if he gets his way they will be anything but temporary.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER 1

hanna

“London Air would like to give you a warm welcome to Paris, where the local time is 2:00 p.m. We hope you enjoyed your flight with us today,” I say over the intercom as soon as the plane touches down. “Please stay seated while we are taxiing, and make sure to keep your seatbelts fastened until the signs are switched off. We will be arriving at Terminal Two, and for any customers with checked luggage, you can pick it up at Carousel Five. If you’re continuing on to Ibiza with us, please stay in your seat. As always, thank you for flying with London Airlines, especially our deluxe cardholders. Your loyalty is hugely appreciated.” I hang up the mic while people talking on their phones and the sound of more than a few seatbelts unclicking fills the cabin as we slowly taxi toward the gate.

When the plane comes to a stop, I get up and tuck my seat away, then walk to the small kitchen to put my Kindle in my purse. I take my position, waiting with a smile on my face as everyone gets up and begin to gather their things. No matter how big the plane is or how many passengers there are, it’s always the same — a mad dash to see who can get ready first. Something I will forever find comical, because everyone will have to wait until the people in the rows in front of them exit.

“All set?” Douglas asks, stepping out of the cockpit.

“All set.” I smile up at him. I love Douglas, and not just because he sounds and looks like he could be part of the cast of one of my favorite shows, Game of Thrones, with his Scottish brogue, bulky frame, striking red hair, and fair, freckled complexion. But because he and his wife and kids have become like family to me.

I turn my attention to the door when I hear the latch click open and smile at Matty, one of the ground agents, when he opens and shoves it aside.

“Hi, Matty.”

“Uh… hey, Hanna.” He looks like he’s going to say something more, but he glances over at Douglas and snaps his mouth shut.

“Are things ready for me to start letting people off?”

“Yes.” He clears his throat. “Ready when you are.”

“Awesome.” I give him a reassuring smile, because he looks a little nervous. Then again, if you don’t know Douglas like I do, he can seem intimidating.

“Yeah, awesome,” he agrees before turning around and walking off.

“When that lad finally works up the courage to ask you out one day, I’m going to buy him a pint.”

“He doesn’t want to ask me out. You just scare the bejesus out of him.”

“Whatever you say, lass,” Douglas mutters, and I roll my eyes at him, then turn my attention to the passengers waiting anxiously to my left.

“Have a great day, guys.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, the people closest to me begin to hurry off the aircraft, while Douglas — unlike some pilots I work with — stands tucked into the doorway of the cockpit so he can say goodbye to everyone as they deplane.

As the final passengers getting off are coming up the aisle, Joslyn — who is working with me today — follows them up to the front, looking exhausted.

“Are you all right?” I ask her after the last person exits through the door.

“I’m going to hop off and get a coffee. I stayed up last night studying, and I didn’t realize how tired I was until we landed. Do either of you want something?” She looks between Douglas and me.

“Give me a second, and I’ll go with you,” Douglas says before turning back to the cockpit, where I’m sure he’s asking his copilot, George, if he wants anything.

“How much longer until you get your pilot’s license?” I glance over at her as I reach for my purse to get her some money.

“About five months.” She runs her fingers through her long, dark hair.

“That’s exciting.”

“It’s terrifying.” She gives me a tired smile. “Friday will be my last shift working with you.”

“No!” I pout. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me already.”

“I know, but I need to get in as much flight time as I can, and I just can’t physically do both jobs anymore.”

“That’s understandable,” I say as Douglas comes out of the cockpit.

“Ready?” he asks her.

“Yeah.” She takes the money I pass her, and I don’t even bother telling her what I want, because she already knows. I always order the same thing—a large coffee with oat milk and vanilla syrup.

When they leave, I pop my head into the cockpit to check on George, then I do a walkthrough to pick up any garbage that was left behind, stopping to chat with the few passengers left in their seats.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >86

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Before We Fall Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/before-we-fall-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Sun, 09 Jul 2023 00:33:33 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/before-we-fall-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Suspense Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Advertisement

Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >91

Tucker Beckett and I likely never would have met if our spouses weren’t having an affair.

Newly divorced with a young son to raise Tucker Beckett is the last man Miranda Owens should be itching to figure out, to make smile, and hear laugh. Still there is something about the detective with haunted blue eyes and a dirty mouth that draws her in from the moment they meet.

If only life were so simple.

As Tucker and Miranda begin to navigate their new relationship, Tucker is tasked with solving the murder of a young woman, while their ex’s begin to play games in an attempt to split the two of them up.

Before they fall, these two will need to figure out if the only thing tying them together is the circumstances that brought them together in the first place or if it’s something more.

Love isn’t complicated but sometimes life is.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

CHAPTER ONE

miranda

I’m going to be sick.

Holding my balled-up hand against my stomach, I read the text that just popped up on Bowie’s computer again and try to convince myself that I’m misunderstanding what I’m looking at.

It doesn’t work. No matter how many times I reread the message, it still says the same thing.

What time do you think you’ll be here? Tucker is working late, so we don’t need to worry about him.

The simple question seems innocent enough, but the photo attached to the message of a beautiful woman with dark hair who’s wearing a red lace nightie proves I haven’t made the wrong assumption.

“Mommy!” Kingston shouts, making me jump, and I slam the laptop closed and watch my beautiful boy with his dark hair and brown eyes—both traits from his father—hop-skip from the living room and into the kitchen. “Can we go outside now?”

“Yeah.” I slid off the stool I pulled out so I could look up a recipe for dinner tonight, not having a clue that doing so would change everything. “Let Mommy get on her shoes.”

“Okay,” he sings, following behind me to the front door.

“How about we walk down to the park?” I suggest, putting on his coat first. It takes me a few tries to get it zipped, because my hands are shaking so badly.

“Yes.” His tiny arms shoot into the air, and I can’t help the smile that curves my lips.

“All right, let’s go.” I open the door after I’ve got my shoes on, and he bounces out ahead of me, then waits for me to lock up before he reaches for my hand.

Holding onto him tightly, I move on autopilot down the sidewalk, past house after house, all of them similar to the one Bowie moved us into just weeks after we found out we were pregnant with Kingston. Our boy was a surprise gift from our honeymoon in Jamaica and a complete shock to me, because I had been on birth control at the time and was not planning on being a mom.

Or not at that moment in my life anyway.

At that time, I was working at a hair salon as a stylist with a goal of opening my own shop within the next couple of years, but getting pregnant changed that. For the first five months, I was so sick that I could hardly get out of bed, and for the last four, I was put on bed rest, because my doctors were concerned I would miscarry.

Bowie was great about everything and had no problem stepping up and taking care of us when I could no longer work. And after we had Kingston, we just decided I would stay home until he started preschool. And with Bowie’s job as a police officer, he was able to take an extra shift here or there, so we never struggled.

Now, I wonder if it was too much, if the responsibility and stress of him being the sole provider for our family changed the way he felt about me, about us.

With my throat tight, I shove that thought away. I might not work outside the house, but being a stay-at-home mom is a twenty-four-hour, seven-day-a-week gig. I do not get time off. Heck, I can’t even remember the last time I went to the bathroom on my own, let alone left the house by myself. And when Bowie does have a day off, I always make sure he never has to worry about Kingston or anything around the house.

Just last weekend, he went out of town with friends to go fishing.

Or maybe he didn’t. Maybe he spent the weekend banging another woman while I was home with our son.

Did I miss the signs? How long has it been going on?

Things between us have been… well, if I’m honest, not great. But that happens, right? The ups and downs in relationships, the times where you feel completely disconnected from your spouse. I know I’ve been feeling like that for a long time—longer than I’d even like to admit. I just convinced myself that things would get better when Kingston got a little older and he didn’t need me so much.

“Mommy, can I go on the slide?” Kingston asks, dragging me from my thoughts, and I look around, realizing we’ve already made it the five blocks to the park.

“Yeah, just be careful on the way down.”

“I know,” he groans like he’s had sixteen years of me annoying him with my overprotectiveness and not just three.

I watch him run across the mulch that covers the ground to the jungle gym with a slide attached, then I take a seat on the bench. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I tap the screen and see a message from Bowie letting me know he’s going to be late tonight and not to wait up for him.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >91

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For Never Read Online Aurora Rose Reynolds http://www.wownovels.com/for-never-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:04:16 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/for-never-read-online-aurora-rose-reynolds Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Contemporary, Erotic Authors: Aurora Rose Reynolds Advertisement

Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66233 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >70

From bestselling author Aurora Rose Reynolds comes a brand new romantic comedy about a girl who understands how short life is, and a man who quickly learns there are things way more important than money.

I had no idea that taking a temp job for the summer would send my life into a tailspin, but that’s exactly what happened when I started working for Jace Ellis.
One day I was his secretary and the next I was sitting on his private plane, wearing an obnoxiously large engagement ring, after he asked me if I would pretend to be his fiancé for one week.
I can admit that greed got the best of me. But the money he offered in exchange for my lie would help not only me, but my mom out tremendously.
I just had no idea what I was actually getting myself into.
I didn’t think about the fact that we would be sharing a bed, that we would have to pretend to like each other, and I sure didn’t know that I would be surrounded by his entire family at their annual family reunion.
But if the guy want’s a fiancé, I’m going to be the best one he’ll ever have.
I just hope I can remember that this isn’t forever; it’s for never.

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Prologue

You know those little white lies you tell, because they’re harmless? Like “I wish I could go out tonight, but I’ve already got plans,” but you know those plans only involve you, the couch, and a movie? Or when a loved one cooks all day, and when it’s time to eat, what they made is actually terrible, but you’d never say that, so instead you lie and tell them it’s delicious?

Well, the little white lie I told is no longer harmless.

Or maybe it never was to begin with.

I mean, pretending to be engaged to someone is kind of a big deal, but in my defense, I believed my fake engagement would only last one short week and that when the week was over, I would go back to life as I knew it.

I had no idea the lie I told would spiral out of control and take on a life of its own. I for sure never expected to fall stupidly in love with Jace Ellis.

But fall I did, and now I have to figure out if he fell right along with me.

Chapter 1

Plastic Waste

“Did you send Aunt Lucy your flight details?” I ask my mom from where I’m lying next to her open suitcase. I listen to the sound of hangers clinking together coming from the closet on the opposite side of the room.

“Yes, Mom,” she calls like a teenager, and I can actually hear her rolling her eyes at me.

“And you gave her the list of medications you’ll need to get while you’re there, so she could confirm the pharmacy has them in stock?” I meet her gaze as she comes out with her arms full of stuff and she tosses it all onto the mound of clothes already piled high next to me.

“I did. Now stop being such a worry wart.” Seeing her with a smile on her face and color in her cheeks almost makes me believe that the last year and a half has been nothing but a bad dream. But the pretty floral headwrap covering the silver hair that’s now growing from her head is all the reminder I need to know it wasn’t.

In a single year, she’s completed two surgeries, then underwent chemo and radiation to make sure the breast cancer she was diagnosed with was gone. She’s one of the lucky ones who was able to ring the bell at the end of her last treatment one week ago. But that knot that started in the pit of my stomach when she was diagnosed is still there, and I’m not sure it will ever be gone.

“I’m going to be fine.”

Her statement snaps me out of my thoughts, and I focus on her. When I see her own worry, but for me, etched into her pretty features, I plaster a smile on my face. “I know.” And I do. I really do know she will be okay, but I still don’t love the idea that she will be so far from me. “Tell me again why you have to go for so long? I mean, what are you even going to do with Aunt Lucy for six weeks?”

“We’ll figure that out, and you, my beautiful girl, will act like the twenty-seven-year-old single woman you are and go out with friends… or find a man… to spend time with.”

I snort. I can’t help it. I don’t have much of a social life anymore, since all my friends stopped inviting me out when Mom was going through treatment after treatment and my answer to their invites was always no.

And spend time with a man? No, thank you very much. Been there, done that, and I don’t want seconds.

“Don’t act like that. You could at least try to date again.” She sighs.

“Mom, I’ve seen the fish in the sea, and they are all contaminated by whatever toxins are floating around in the water with them. It’s probably all the plastic waste out there.”

“There are nice guys around, Penny. You just have to find them.”

“And where do you suggest I find one of these nice guys, Mom?” I raise my brows. “On a dating app, where the guys are looking for a hook-up? Or the bar, where the men are drunk… and also just looking to hook up?”

“Don’t be a smartass. You could meet someone at a store.”

“A store?”

“Yes, it happens all the time.”

“Then I should just get a summer job at the grocery store. That way I’m around when Mr. Hallmark Movie needs a gallon of milk.” I laugh when she throws one of her frilly pillows at me.

“I’m just saying, you can find something to do while I’m gone that doesn’t involve sitting on the couch in your pajamas, watching documentaries about world wars and ancient history like some seventy-year-old man.”

“History is important.”

“Right.” She smiles, then her face goes soft, but her tone becomes serious. “Please do something fun, okay? Even just one thing. That way you can tell me all about it, all right?”

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