I scan the inside of the establishment and Jude’s right there at the bar, elbows on the counter with his shoulders hunched over his drink. I know what’s going through his mind. He thinks I’m choosing Shawn over him. How he can even think that I don’t know? I’m angry that he’d ever think I would choose Shawn, especially after the time we’ve had together. He should know where my heart belongs. I’d given it to him completely.
Taking a deep breath, I march up to him and sit in the seat next to him. “What do you want?” he says, his words slurring together.
I stare right at him, but he has yet to look at me. He brings the glass up to his lips and pauses when I speak. “You,” I tell him.
He looks over at me, eyes narrowed skeptically. “Why?”
The man drives me crazy. I move closer to him and smile. “Because I love you. I always have.”
His shoulders straighten. “Why do you want to be with me when Shawn can give you everything you want?”
He reaches for his drink, but I push it away. “You make me happy, Jude. There isn’t a person in this world who knows me better than you.”
“Exactly,” he scoffs, “and you still chose him. I can’t go through that again. You have no idea how bad you broke my fucking heart.”
I take his face in my hands. “And you have no idea how much I regret that. I don’t want Shawn, Jude. The only person I’ll ever want for the rest of my life is you.”
His eyes darken with need and he pulls me onto his lap. The bartender tries to hide his smile and fails. Jude grabs my chin and kisses me, his tongue claiming mine. It’s a good thing we’re the only two people in the bar. He breaks the kiss first and leans his forehead to mine. “You’re the only person I’ve ever wanted. I think I’ve loved you ever since we were five, the first time we met.”
I smile. “I remember. We were in the cafeteria and my mom forgot to pack me my fruit. You ended up giving me your apple.”
Jude tucks the hair behind my ear. “You looked so pitiful without your fruit. It was the best decision I ever made.” He slides his hand up and down my thigh, his smile lazy.
“How about we get out of here? Although I have to say I don’t have much time. A certain professor sent out an assignment that’s completely and utterly ridiculous. It’ll take me all night to do it.”
Jude stands and puts his arm around my shoulders. “Ah, don’t worry about what that fucktard assigned you. He’s not going to grade it anyway.” He’s still slurring his words and it sounds funny on him.
“Come on, let’s get go. I have a feeling I’ll be sitting at your house while you sleep this off.”
He twirls me around. “Not me. I’m ready for an all nighter.”
I snort. “We’ll see about that.”
* * *
Two weeks have passed and so much has changed. I got out of my apartment lease and moved in with Jude until I can find a house. Something tells me that Jude doesn’t want me to move out. If I’m being honest with myself, I kind of like living with him. Shawn accepted his loss, and luckily, has not bothered me since the day Jude broke his nose. Jude and I still laugh about it. He loves it when I tell him it turned me on to see him angry like that.
Jude and I have visited all of our favorite hangout spots and even ate at our favorite restaurant, Macado’s. I got my usual club sandwich so I could dip it in ranch. Then, afterwards, we split the brownie sundae. It feels like no time has passed since I left. I never knew this kind of happiness existed. We spent four days and just drove all around the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping and hiking at various trails. Being with Jude makes me feel alive again.
“Do you want a glass of wine?” Jude calls out from inside.
I continue to rock in the double rocking chair on the back porch. “Sounds great,” I yell back.
It’s a late summer night and with the sun gone, it feels amazing. Cool and calm. I can’t see the mountains in the distance through the darkness, but I know they’re there. All I can see are lights from the houses on the mountainsides and the stars in the sky. As kids, we used to stare at them all the time and see who could find the most falling stars.
Jude walks out with my wine and a beer for him. He hands me my glass and I take a sip. “How may falling stars are we up to now? I think I was at fifty-three and you were at forty-seven? Is that right?”
He sits beside me and we both rock together. “I kept counting after you left,” he says solemnly.
A gasp escapes my lips. It just so happens that I did too. Every time I watched the stars, it reminded me of him. “What’s your number now?”
He focuses on the stars and smiles. “A hundred and nine.”
Mouth gaping, I stare at him in utter shock. How is that possible? When he meets my gaze, his brows furrow. “What’s wrong?”
I hold a hand over my heart. “That’s my number too. I never stopped counting either.”
His lips pull back slyly. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t forget me.”
I shake my head. “Never. Being here has been absolute heaven. I never thought I could be this happy.”
“Same.” He pats my leg. “Even if I didn’t get stuck with your class, I have a feeling we would’ve run into each other one way or another.”
“I would hope so. It all worked out perfectly.”
“Speaking of class,” he says, taking a swig of his beer, “Guess what phone call I just got.”
Brows furrowed, I stare at him curiously. “What was it about?”
He shrugs. “Looks like I’m not your professor anymore. They got someone else to fill the position.”
I snort. “It’s probably because of that ludicrous assignment you sent out. You probably had a gazillion complaints. Those kids hate you right now.”
He bursts out laughing. “Yeah, maybe so. The good thing is that I don’t have to worry about us.” Leaning in close, he whispers in my ear. “Either way, I was going to pass you no matter what. Just don’t be flirting with your new professor.”
“I don’t know,” I tease. “If he’s hot, I might not be able to contain myself.”
“You better not.”
He winks at me and I snuggle into his side. “At least we got our desk sex in before you got switched.”
Jude chuckles. “I could’ve gotten into so much damn trouble over that.”
“Oh, but it was fun.” Last week, after class was over, I shut the classroom door and locked it. I made sure to wear a skirt with no underwear so it’d be easy for us to have our fun. It was sexy and exhilarating. I laid down on the desk and spread my legs wide, showing him there was nothing underneath. The look on his face was priceless. We had our fun and walked out of the classroom like nothing was amiss.
Jude’s pants start to bulge, and he repositions himself. “That it was. You might have to start visiting me in my office.”
I nod. “That can be arranged.” We both laugh and I stare out at the stars. “Thank you for letting me stay here. It’s a lot better than the apartment. I just wish I knew what kind of house I wanted.”
Jude rubs a hand down my arm. “You could always stay here… permanently.”
My heart races. “What do you mean?” I’ve been waiting for him to bring up the subject. I just didn’t want to be the one to do it since it’s his house I’ve been living in.
He takes a deep breath and kneels down in front of me. “I mean that you could stay, and we can see what happens. There was a time when we both wanted the same things in life. Now that I have you, I don’t want to waste any time.”
“Waste any time with what?” I ask, murmuring the words. I want to hear him say it.
He holds my hand in his. “I don’t have much, but I can offer you this.” He kisses my hand. “I love you and I will always love you. I may not have a fancy house or a fancy car, but I will do everything I can to make you happy.”
“You already do.”
“Does that mean you’ll stay? That, when you’re ready you might consider taking the next step
with me?”
It’s my turn to grin slyly. “What next step?”
He narrows his eyes at me. “You love making this difficult, don’t you?” I waggle my brows and he chuckles. “Okay, fine. One day I want you to be my wife and have those three kids you’ve always wanted.”
I slide my hand away from his and cup his face. “I would love nothing more than that. Whenever you’re ready, I will be too.”
He leans up and kisses me. “You shouldn’t have said that. I’m ready now.”
So am I.
THE END
You’ve tasted some Food, ate some watermelon at the Fair, now it’s time for the annual Regatta!
More Books from Heidi & L.P.
SOCIETY X
Dark Room
Viewing Room
Play Room
Also by Heidi McLaughlin
THE BEAUMONT SERIES
Forever My Girl – Beaumont Series #1
My Everything – Beaumont Series #1.5
My Unexpected Forever – Beaumont Series #2
Finding My Forever – Beaumont Series #3
Finding My Way – Beaumont Series #4
12 Days of Forever – Beaumont Series #4.5
My Kind of Forever – Beaumont Series #5
Forever Our Boys - Beaumont Series #5.5
The Beaumont Boxed Set - #1
THE BEAUMONT SERIES: NEXT GENERATION
Holding Onto Forever
My Unexpected Love
Chasing My Forever
Peyton & Noah
Fighting For Our Forever
CAPE HARBOR SERIES
After All
Until Then
THE ARCHER BROTHERS
Here with Me
Choose Me
Save Me
LOST IN YOU SERIES
Lost in You
Lost in Us
THE BOYS OF SUMMER
Third Base
Home Run
Grand Slam
Hawk
THE REALITY DUET
Blind Reality
Twisted Reality
SOCIETY X
Dark Room
Viewing Room
Play Room
THE CLUTCH SERIES
Roman
STANDALONE NOVELS
Stripped Bare
Blow
Sexcation
HOLIDAY NOVELS
Santa’s Secret
It’s a Wonderful Holiday
Also by L.P. Dover
SECOND CHANCES SERIES
Love’s Second Chance
Trusting You
What He Wants
(Trusting You Prequel)
Meant for Me
Fighting for Love
Intercepting Love
Catching Summer
Defending Hayden
Last Chance
Intended for Bristol
ARMED & DANGEROUS SERIES
No Limit
Roped In
High-Sided
CIRCLE OF JUSTICE SERIES
Trigger
Target
Aim
In the Crossfire
ARMED & DANGEROUS/CIRCLE OF JUSTICE CROSSOVER SERIES
Dangerous Game
Dangerous Betrayals
Book 3 - TBD
Book 4 – TBD
GLOVES OFF SERIES
A Fighter’s Desire
Part One
A Fighter’s Desire
Part Two
Tyler’s Undoing
Ryley’s Revenge
Winter Kiss: Ryley and Ash
Paxton’s Promise
Camden’s Redemption
Kyle’s Return
SOCIETY X SERIES W/HEIDI MCLAUGHLIN
Dark Room
Viewing Room
Play Room
FOREVER FAE SERIES
Forever Fae
Betrayals of Spring
Summer of Frost
Reign of Ice
ROYAL SHIFTERS SERIES
Turn of the Moon
Resisting the Moon
Rise of the Moon – Coming Soon
BREAKAWAY SERIES
Hard Stick
Blocked
Playmaker
Off the Ice
STANDALONE NOVELS
Easy Revenge
Love, Lies & Deception
Going for the Hole
Anonymous
Love, Again
Fairytale Confessions
THE DATING SERIES W/HEIDI MCLAUGHLIN
A Date forMidnight
A Date with an Admirer
A Date for Good Luck
A Date for the Hunt
A Date for the Derby
A Date to Play Fore
A Date with a Foodie
A Date for the Fair
A Date for the Regatta
A Date for the Masquerade
A Date with a Turkey
A Date with an Elf
CHRISTMAS NOVELS
It Must’ve Been the Mistletoe
Snowflake Lane Inn
Wrapped Up with You – December 2020
MOONLIGHT AND ALEENA SERIES
W/ANNA-GRACE DOVER
Moonlight and Aleena: A Tale of Two Friends
About Heidi McLaughlin
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018.
Don’t miss more books by Heidi McLaughlin! Sign up for her newsletter, or join the fun in her fan group!
Connect with Heidi!
www.heidimclaughlin.com
About L.P. Dover
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Everything's sweeter in the South has always been her mantra and she lives by it, whether it's with her writing or in her everyday life. Maybe that's why she's seriously addicted to chocolate.
Dover has written countless novels in several different genres, including a children's book with her daughter. Her favorite to write is romantic suspense, but she's also found a passion in romantic comedy. She loves to make people laugh which is why you'll never see her without a smile on her face.
You can find L.P. Dover at www.lpdover.com.
Praise for A Date for Midnight
5 SEXY AND SWEET STARS!! This was a quick sexy and sweet story. Natalie and Brennan story has all the feel for a perfect book. These two authors know how to suck us readers in. I am so excited for this series.
—Rhonda Ziglar, Goodreads
This was a great romantic novella that you can read pretty fast. So sweet and romantic!
—MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog
McLaughlin and Dover give sex appeal a heart.
—Isha Coleman
This was such a fun, quick read!
—Midnight Reads
The writing draws you in and I could easily see more books for this couple. I love the writing style and I look forward to reading more from this series.
—Krista Ricchi
Praise for A Date with an Admirer
In less than 100 pages, theses 2 authors have made me laugh, blush and fall in love with their characters.
—Yoneidis Martín Martínez
Sophie and Tanner will take you on a whirlwind romance filled with friendship, sweetness, intense chemistry and finding someone you never thought you needed!
—Michelle McMullen
Fan
tastic! Short, cute, and full of laughs. I love how Tanner and Soph are together.
—Jennifer Millaway
This was such a cute novella!
—Jessica, Goodreads
A Date with an Admirer had me laughing from beginning to end.
—Nadia, Goodreads
Praise for A Date for Good Luck
A Date for Good Luck is the next book in this wonderful dating series by the dynamic duo of Dover & McLaughlin. They have once again hit it out of the RomCom park with Hope and Kellan.
—Michele McMullen
An adorable St. Paddy’s Day romantic novella of overbearing parents, lots of green beer and falling for someone you least suspect.
—MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog
What started as a sham ends up becoming a beautiful love story. One of the things I like the most about these series is that in less than 100 pages, these 2 authors are able to develop a beautiful and fun story.
—Yoneidis Martin Martinez
5 of 5 STARS! McLaughlin and Dover are a match made in romance heaven. Humor and heart collide to make beautiful music together.