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  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Synopsis

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Other Books by Jaime Clevenger

  Acknowledgement

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  Bella Books

  Synopsis

  When a little rest and relaxation turns into something more…

  Julia Maguire can’t wait to spend two weeks in Hawaii with her best friends. She’s been dreaming about this trip for years and all she wants is to lay on a sandy beach with an icy cocktail in her hand. But those vacation goals change the moment she meets Reed Baxter.

  Reed is a busy doctor with family demands. She’s in Hawaii to let go, not find love, and she’s not interested in any commitment. Adding a little heat to the vacation seems like a good idea as long as there aren’t expectations for anything more.

  Copyright © 2018 by Jaime Clevenger

  Bella Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 10543

  Tallahassee, FL 32302

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  First Bella Books Edition 2018

  eBook released 2018

  Editor: Medora MacDougall

  Cover Designer: Judith Fellows

  ISBN: 978-1-59493-615-9

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Other Books by Jaime Clevenger

  Bella Books

  Call Shotgun

  A Fugitive’s Kiss

  Moonstone

  Party Favors

  Sign on the Line

  Sweet, Sweet Wine

  The Unknown Mile

  Waiting for a Love Song

  Whiskey and Oak Leaves

  Spinsters Ink

  All Bets Off

  Acknowledgement

  Thank you to my first-pass readers, Rachael and Carla, for your honest comments and encouragement. Thank you, Laina Villeneuve and Jane Chen, for your feedback and insight. Thank you to my editor, Medora, for making this presentable (since there was no chance you could clean me up). And most of all, thank you to Corina, for so many reasons.

  About the Author

  Jaime Clevenger lives in Colorado with her family. She spends most days working as a veterinarian, but also enjoys swimming, teaching karate, playing with her kids, and snuggling the foster kittens and puppies that often fill her home. She loves to hear a good story and hopes that if you ever meet her, you’ll tell her your favorite. Feel free to embellish the details.

  Chapter One

  Calm, cool, collected. Julia Maguire repeated the mantra as she gripped the armrests of her window seat. The giggling kid in the row behind her had started up on another round of kicks. If she was trying out for a team, she was well on her way to making captain, but a soccer star wasn’t what Julia needed at the moment. The turbulence had her stomach in knots and her boss’s voice was on a loop in her head—“You’re going to Hawaii now?”

  “You okay?” Mo asked.

  “Of course. I’m on my way to Hawaii.” Calm and cool.

  Mo peeked between the seats at the row behind them and then looked back at Julia. “Kate and I have a bet going. She’s giving you five minutes before you lose it and make that preschooler cry. I told her you love kids.”

  “Why’d you tell her that?”

  “Everyone loves kids.”

  Another kick thrust her seat forward and Julia shook her head. It wasn’t that she didn’t like kids. In fact, well-behaved children were cute in small doses. This kid, however, was not one of those.

  “Why do people take kids to Hawaii anyway? Aren’t they supposed to go to Disneyland?”

  “My parents took me and my brother to Maui when we were little…I loved it.” Mo paused, craning her head to sneak another look at the row behind them. “I know you’ve already made your mind up on this, but you should really take a look behind you. The kid’s adorable. You’d have a hard time being mad at her if you saw her. And as for her mom—”

  “I’m about to lose my breakfast. If I turn around, it will only be to glue those soccer cleats to the floor,” Julia said.

  “Suit yourself. But don’t say I didn’t warn you about this one.”

  Julia rubbed her stomach, wishing she had a Tums to pop in her mouth. The last thing she was interested in was checking out a mom with an annoying kid. She tried to focus again on the mantra.

  Calm, cool, collected…

  The conversation with Val interrupted. Conversations with her boss were one of the reasons she’d started seeing a shrink. Between the looming meetings with the Okinadi group and their rollout of the software upgrades for Pacific Powerlink, she had no business going to Hawaii for two weeks. Val was right. But this was the first real vacation she’d taken in five years. And she’d promised Kate and Mo that she wouldn’t renege on the plans they’d made in college—one vacation with all three of them together before anyone got married.

  Kate leaned forward in her aisle seat. “Jules, have you tried meditating? It can really help with nausea. Close your eyes and imagine a sunny beach lined with palm trees.”

  “I’ll start us off,” Mo volunteered. She took one deep breath, exhaling with a hum, then turned to Julia and whispered, “It’s possible we’ll need Kate’s Xanax to get this right.”

  “I’m wearing earplugs, but I can still hear you,” Kate said. “And I left the Xanax at home so watch out.”

  Julia decided meditation was worth a shot. As Kate and Mo argued, she closed her eyes and inhaled. Her seat jerked forward again and the palm trees were instantly replaced with an image of a grinning kid and a soccer ball. She cursed under her breath.

  Mo eyed her. “I don’t think you’re supposed to swear when you meditate.”

  “I’m so done with this punk.”

  “Should I get the glue ready?” Mo chuckled.

  “One more kick…”

  When the next kick landed
, Julia slammed her tray table closed and unbuckled her seat belt. Before Mo could stop her, she’d stood up, nearly smashing into the overhead compartment, and spun around to lean over her seat and stare down a tiny gremlin in an abundance of pink frills. The kid was frozen, mid-kick. Her rainbow-striped sneakers flashed like mini disco lights.

  Julia opened her mouth, one millisecond away from a scathing lecture about personal space and respect, when she spotted the woman in the seat next to the kid. Short dark brown hair, sharp jawline, lanky athletic build…and unmistakably butch. The trendy designer glasses made her look more smart than sexy, but it was a close call. Dusk-blue eyes caught Julia’s gaze. Well, damn.

  Julia realized her mouth was hanging open. She closed it quickly and turned to the kid. As long as she didn’t look back at the mom, she could pretend that her cheeks weren’t burning up.

  “Sweetie, my stomach’s upset with this bumpy plane ride. Do you think you can stop kicking my chair? It would really help.”

  “Mom told me, but I forgot. Sorry.” The little girl glanced at the butch woman and then back at Julia. She kicked the side of the plane and pointed at the flashing lights along the front of her sneaker. “My shoes light up.”

  “I can see that.” Clearly having light-up shoes exonerated her. “I bet those are fun to watch when you run around in the dark.”

  “That’s why Mom got them for me. I’m scared of the dark.”

  Julia couldn’t help but look over at the mom then. She was convinced the universe was playing a cruel joke. The most attractive butch she’d seen in ages had not one but two kids. A matching burst of pink was sound asleep in her lap. The two girls looked to be about the same age, but the kicker had curly dark brown hair while the napping one had blond braids.

  “I fell asleep for a bit. I hope she hasn’t been kicking for long.” The mom turned to her daughter and started in on how she’d have to take away the shoes if she couldn’t be responsible for her feet.

  Julia doubted a stern talk about foot responsibility would slow this kid down. She would have ripped the shoes off. Problem solved. She quickly scanned the nearby seats. No one else was obviously with this group and the mom wasn’t wearing a ring.

  “But I can’t see in the dark without my shoes,” the kid was saying. Her eyes had started to water. Crocodile tears.

  “It’s not dark in here, Bryn.” The mom sighed. “Look, you can keep the shoes on as long as you don’t kick her seat.”

  The plane lurched through a patch of clouds and Julia grabbed her chair’s headrest. She swallowed, tasting bile.

  “Are you going to throw up?” Bryn’s eyes widened.

  “I don’t think so.” Although she wasn’t one for dramatic ploys, she finally had the kid’s attention and knew she should play it up. “But this turbulence on top of all that seat kicking…”

  Turning to her mom, Bryn said, “I know what she needs.” She whispered something and the butch woman shook her head, but Bryn leaned forward to search her seatback pocket anyway. When she popped up again, she was holding a white paper vomit bag. “You can take mine in case you can’t find yours in time.”

  Before Julia could stop her, Bryn had pressed the vomit bag into her hands. Julia stared at the bag, feeling the butch woman’s eyes on her. She was officially sunk. No one could pull off looking sexy with a vomit bag. The most she could do now was make sure the kicking stopped.

  “There’s one problem.” Julia tugged open the vomit bag. She already regretted her next sentence. “I ate a big breakfast and this isn’t going to hold it all.”

  Bryn glanced from Julia to her mom, her panic obvious. “What should we do?”

  “Well, we don’t want her to overfill that bag. I think you better stop kicking.” The mom looked up at Julia and winked.

  Julia dared a smile and the look she got in return made her heart leap to attention. Maybe she wasn’t sunk…Before she had time to process the buzz of feelings in her chest, Bryn covered her face with her hands and started making loud “ew” sounds. The mom tried to quiet Bryn as the sleeping kid in her lap stirred and Julia felt a pang of guilt. Ten minutes ago she’d cursed this stranger for not controlling her kid’s feet. It was obvious now that she had her hands full.

  Suddenly Bryn said, “I know what you need—a candy cane!”

  “Oh no, I don’t need any candy,” Julia said.

  “But Mom says peppermint helps when your tummy hurts,” Bryn insisted, already pulling out a plastic bag full of mini candy canes and jelly beans that had been hidden under a sweatshirt. “She knows all about stuff like that because she’s a doctor. Basically she knows everything.”

  “Basically.” The mom grinned. “I primed her on that line.”

  Julia fought back the thought that this was her karmic retribution for always complaining about lesbians with kids. This woman was perfect. For someone.

  “Bryn, how many jelly beans have you eaten? That bag was a lot fuller when I packed it.”

  “I only ate the ones that rolled on the ground.”

  “The bag just opened up and fell on the ground? Or you pulled it out of that zipped pocket?”

  “This one’s not even broken!” Bryn said, ignoring her mom’s questions. “And it’s still wrapped. That’s lucky.” She held it up to Julia like a peace offering.

  “As fair warning, those were in the kids’ Christmas stockings,” the woman said.

  “But they still taste good.” Bryn inched the candy cane higher in the air.

  Julia knew she wasn’t going to win if she tried fighting this. At least Christmas was only two months ago. She reached for the candy. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome!” Bryn’s dimpled smile was triumphant. She looked over at her mom and squeezed her shoulders up to her ears. Cute enough to get away with murder. And as for her mom…

  Julia stopped her thoughts right there. She wasn’t interested in a mom. Even a sexy, smart, butch mom with amazing eyes and a sense of humor. Without chancing another look at the woman, she settled back in her seat, candy cane and vomit bag in hand.

  Mo snickered and Julia waved the vomit bag. “Don’t even start.”

  “What?” Mo pressed her lips together. “I was only going to say that you sure straightened that one out. Bet that kid never kicks anyone’s seat again.”

  “And I’m sure her mom is happy for the parenting help. I hear it’s hard to keep those preschoolers in line,” Kate added, her grin unmistakable despite the magazine she was hiding behind.

  Julia unwrapped the candy cane and licked the tip. She knew she shouldn’t care what the butch mom thought about her, but she did.

  “So…” Mo drew out the word. “She’s your type, right?”

  “I’m not interested.” If she said that aloud ten times maybe she’d believe it.

  “I’m not buying it,” Mo said. “You’re still blushing.”

  Of course she was interested. But even if the woman wasn’t a mom, it wouldn’t work between them.

  When Julia didn’t answer, Mo pressed on. “Okay, fine. Let’s pretend you’re not interested. Is it because she’s a mom? Do moms have a certain look that you don’t like?”

  “You and I both know most moms don’t look like her.”

  “Meaning most moms aren’t butch,” Mo clarified. “Although that’s a very limited perspective and more gender normative than I would have expected from you.” She chuckled at Julia’s eye-roll. “Just tell me she’s your type so I can say I called it.”

  “At least you made an impression, Jules,” Kate said unhelpfully. “I saw her when we were waiting to board and wondered if you were going to say anything. I thought maybe the kids turned you off.”

  “Trust me, I would have said something if I’d noticed her.”

  “She’s wearing sandals with socks. How could you not notice that?” Kate continued, “Plus she’s tall and nerdy. Mo’s right—exactly your type.”

  “She’s a lot nerdy,” Mo agreed. “But she’s got the
shy handsome thing going that Julia always likes.”

  “Did you see her legs, Jules? Great calves.” Kate raised her eyebrows as if this would be the selling point. “I bet she’s a mountain biker.”

  “I couldn’t see her calves. She’s sitting down. And, Kate, take out your earplugs. Half the plane doesn’t need to hear our conversation.” Julia silently hoped that at least one person on the plane was too distracted with her kids to have overheard anything.

  “Hear what?” Mo turned halfway around in her seat so her voice would certainly carry to the back of the plane as she loudly continued, “That you like a woman who wears socks with her sandals?”

  “Mo!”

  Mo continued, “Or is it that you’d like to rip them off? I bet she looks good naked. What do you think?”

  “I think this is the last vacation I’m going on with you.” Julia wanted to melt into her seat.

  “But you like her, right?”

  “She can’t answer you, Mo. She’s too busy fantasizing about pulling off those mom socks.” Kate cracked a smile, pleased with herself. “Who knew sitting in economy could be so much fun. Going back to first class will be boring after this.”

  “Welcome to our world, Kate.” Mo turned to Julia, “The thing is, I can totally imagine you dating a soccer mom.”

  “You’d go to the games and be on the sidelines with a wagon full of juice boxes, yelling for the kids to kick the ball harder,” Kate added.

  “I’m getting you guys back for this.”

  “But what if she’s the one, Jules? Maybe this is fate.” Kate continued, “I could pass her a little note with your number. Or you could go to the bathroom and then when you’re coming back, I’ll get up to get something from the overhead and you’ll have to stop and chat.”

  “Great. The straight girl’s giving me tips for picking up women.”

  “You’re right—why trust the straight girl’s advice? You should listen to me instead.” Mo chuckled at Kate’s glare. “First step, hand her your number yourself. You don’t need a friend to do that. Second step, bend down and take off her socks.”