Just What I Need (The Bradfords) (14 page)
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Authors: Erin Nicholas
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Just a Kiss:
Dang, who are the four big guys in the corner?
Eve thought as she approached the table of newcomers with four glasses of water.
She didn’t recognize the two she could see, though both seemed to be studying her with interest. They were really good-looking. And obviously new. Good-looking guys didn’t go nameless long in Grover.
“Hi, I’m Eve. Welcome to Sherry’s.” She set water down in front of the two guys facing the door first, then turned toward the other two. She got one glass down before she looked at them. The other glass was only halfway to the table when the fourth guy slid out and stretched to his feet. As her eyes followed him up, the water glass in her fingers wobbled, water splashing on the tabletop.
“Whoa, there.” Someone grabbed the glass from her hand before it did more damage.
She didn’t care as she looked up at Kevin Campbell.
The
Kevin Campbell.
Her
Kevin Campbell.
“Hi, Eve.”
She remembered his voice perfectly. She’d imagined it, dreamed it even, so many times that she wasn’t sure it was real for a moment.
But then he smiled.
That smile. The smile that had made her heart pound from the church choir loft, the smile that had made her say yes to that first secret meeting—which had led to so many more—the smile that had made her say yes to that first kiss, that first taste of liquor, that first time skinny dipping. The smile that had made her say yes to marrying him.
There had been a lot of yeses in their past.
Her mind spun as she thought of them all and she couldn’t find one that she regretted.
She’d expected that being up close and personal with him again would make her feel flustered or even sad thinking of all the things they’d missed, the ways she’d messed things up.
And she did feel jittery and hot and excited, but not tongue-tied or awkward. She definitely wasn’t sad.
Kevin was here. Right in front of her. Smiling that smile.
“Wow,” she said softly.
“Ditto,” he said with the half grin still in place.
“I didn’t expect that to be quite so strong.”
His pupils seemed to dilate as he watched her. “You didn’t expect what to be so strong?”
“The impulse to kiss you.”
His pupils dilated for sure then. It felt like he leaned closer. “You have the urge to kiss me? Now? Just like that?”
She lifted a shoulder. She should probably be embarrassed by that. Or her pride should dictate that she not admit it. Or perhaps her pride should make it so it wasn’t true. He’d walked away. Less than thirty-six hours after professing in front of God and witnesses that he would love, honor and protect her until death parted them, to be exact.
But it was true.
“It doesn’t feel sudden,” she said.
“We’re seeing each other again after fourteen years apart. That seems sudden.” His voice was soft and a little hoarse.
“It doesn’t feel sudden because it never stopped being true.” She gave him a smile. “But I didn’t expect it to be so strong.”
“
Damn
,” came a muttered response from one of his friends.
She didn’t bother looking at which. But Kevin did. It pulled his attention from her to them and broke the spell.
Damn indeed.
“I, um, need to talk to you,” he said.
She sighed. Damn again. When they’d first broken up she would have done anything to get him to talk to her. She would have called, camped out on his porch, dressed slutty and shown up at his work place, begged… Anything.
But he’d served her with annulment papers and left town. She knew he’d gone to Lincoln, but wasn’t sure how to find him. She hadn’t gotten to know his parents well enough to ask them. His friends weren’t talking. He’d just been gone.
And now he was back and wanting to talk to her. Terrific.
It had to be something big. Something like being Drew Dawson’s father.
Nothing she wanted to hear.
“Can we pretend that you simply came in for coffee and breakfast?” she asked. “I’ll take your order and fill your cup, like nothing’s weird or awkward, okay?” But she would still have to sell the restaurant and move to Siberia so she didn’t have to watch Kevin raise his son with another woman.
One corner of his mouth curled up, but he shook his head. “I need to tell you something.”
“You really don’t.” It was one thing for him to be with another woman, even have a kid, but for it to be in her own backyard—that wasn’t fair. But if he didn’t say it, she could try to ignore it, try to fake it, tell herself that everything was normal and fine.
“I really do,” he said firmly. “It’s important.”
“Nothing’s been this important in fourteen years,” she said, trying to sound flippant. “I’m sure you’ll realize that this is the same—”
“We’re still married.”
She stared at him.
Oh, that.
He knew. Okay. No wonder he wanted to talk.
Which meant he was getting married. That was the only reason the annulment—or lack thereof—could have come up. In Nebraska, they wouldn’t give a marriage license to someone who already had one. In most states probably.
Eve tried to ignore the fact that her heart was trying to turn inside out at the idea of him marrying someone else.
Talking was exactly what she’d been going for when she’d refused to sign the annulment. She’d wanted him to come to her and ask her why. She’d wanted a chance to change his mind. She’d wanted him to have to face her before he gave his heart and life to someone else. Someone who would never love him the way she did, someone who had no right to the man
she
was supposed to be with.
“Did you hear me?” he asked.
Eve swallowed hard and nodded.
“The annulment was never official,” he clarified.
“Yeah. I, um… I really thought this would come up before now.” She realized too late how that sounded.
Kevin’s eyebrows drew together. “You knew?”
Did she confess? Did she lie? Did she fake a heart attack?
“Yeah, I knew. Know.”
“How long have you known?” he demanded.
She hadn’t signed because she didn’t want the annulment and she’d hoped he’d find out and come to her about it. Well, she was getting her wish. “All along.”
Just What I Need
Erin Nicholas
Expect the unexpected…especially when a Bradford is expecting.
A
Bradford
Novella
As family and friends gather to see Dooley and Morgan get married, anticipation is high—but no one saw this much excitement coming. A wedding that doubles as a baby shower, a limo that doubles as an ambulance, a hospital room that doubles as a honeymoon suite… Sure, why not? It’s a
Bradford
wedding, after all.
Dani’s in labor, Sam’s in a daze, Ben’s taking charge, Sara’s crying, Jessica’s got a secret, Dooley’s missing his honeymoon—in other words, things are crazy. As usual. But through it all they’ve got each other. As always.
Warning: An epilogue to the Bradford series (seriously, this is an
epilogue
, so keep that in mind) featuring all the couples, a wedding, a baby—or two—and donuts. Because you have to have donuts.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B
Cincinnati OH 45249
Just What I Need
Copyright © 2013 by Erin Nicholas
ISBN: 978-1-61921-661-7
Edited by Lindsey Faber
Cover by Angela Waters
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
electronic publication: February 2013
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