My Kind of Love

  My Kind of Love

  Jill Sanders

  Contents

  Summary

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Also by Jill Sanders

  About the Author

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Text copyright © 2018 Jill Sanders

  Printed in the United States of America

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Grayton Press

  ISBN-13: 978-1-942896-98-2

  Paperback: 978-1-721179-89-3

  Created with Vellum

  Summary

  Head back to Pride Oregon to find out what some of your favorite Jill Sanders’ characters are up to.

  * * *

  Carrie was brokenhearted when Joshua left town after a messy breakup. Two years have passed, and she’s done waiting around for him. Finally moving on, she has her eyes on a newcomer to Pride. But just when things are starting to heat up, Josh strolls back into town, no longer a boy, but the man of all her fantasies. She knows she must play it cool or risk losing her heart again.

  Josh left Pride to try and find himself, but after two years of searching the world and himself, he returns back home a little wiser and with a new mission. Seeing Carrie again is a shock to his system but watching her hang on the arm of another man is an even bigger shock. Now his only goal in life is earning the trust of the woman he’s always loved and trying to win her back, at any cost.

  Prologue

  Almost two years ago…

  * * *

  “What do you mean you don’t know?” Carrie almost screamed the question. She took a few deep breaths and tried to settle her heart and her mind.

  “I mean, I don’t know.” Josh’s voice was muffled as several announcements played loudly over a speaker wherever he was. “I guess I’ll be back when I am.”

  She took one last deep breath. “So, it’s over then?” The line was silent, and she felt tears building behind her eyes as anger and hurt flooded her. “You could have said goodbye in person.” She waited, but the line stayed silent. Instead of waiting for Josh, the person she’d thought she’d spend the rest of her life with, to say anything else, she hung up. The silence was worse than anything he could have said.

  She felt like throwing her phone across the room, but she set it down gently and headed out the front door of her parents’ house. She marched quickly towards the worn path that led away from her childhood home in the hills above Pride, Oregon. She headed towards the cliffs that overlooked the ocean and the small town, needing solace in the view, knowing that the people that filled the quiet town would be there for her when she needed them most.

  She was almost twenty-one years old and her boyfriend of the past five years had just hopped on a plane heading to god knows where, for god only knows what reason, without telling her anything.

  It was a week before she and Josh were set to move in together. The small apartment above the local grocery store was already rented under both of their names.

  What was she supposed to do now? She sat down on her favorite rock next to the steep decline towards the beach. As she looked out over the beauty surrounding her home, she felt slightly defeated. If she wasn’t good enough for Josh, then she wasn’t good enough for any man. Why would he do this to her?

  It wasn’t as if she had a long history of dating. She actually sucked at it. Josh had been her first real boyfriend. She’d only gone on a few dates before him.

  At five-nine, she had towered over most boys in school until high school. Then some of the boys, like Joshua Williams, had finally outgrown her.

  Josh had played all the sports Carrie wished she could play, if she hadn’t been born accident prone. The first day of soccer, she’d landed on her foot wrong and broken two toes. Her first day of volleyball, she’d broken her pinky finger. Then there had been her first day in gymnastics… she cringed, remembering the pain.

  Maybe that’s what had drawn her to boys like Joshua. He was good at everything. Not to mention he’d been sexy in his school sports uniforms.

  Shortly after turning sixteen, she’d caught his eyes at one of the ball games. She’d known who he was since grade school but doubted he knew who she was until bumping into her after the game. Her friend Sara Jordan had helped her with her makeup and outfit before the game, which is why she’d had the confidence to flirt with him.

  It was the first time she’d worn mascara and she was pretty sure she was going to go blind from the black tar substance her friend had caked on her eye lashes.

  Still, catching Joshua’s eye had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. She went from awkward tall girl to the girl dating the most popular boy in school. She became a hit overnight and remained so even after Josh graduated a year before her.

  She’d planned her entire future around becoming Mrs. Carrie Williams. Now what was she going to do with her life?

  Chapter 1

  Today…

  Carrie held up her chin as she walked towards the hot newcomer sitting in her section. She’d heard the guy’s name was Mason, but someone else had called him Reece. She was determined to find out more about him today. After all, it was the fourth day in a row that he’d sat in her section during lunch.

  Working at the Golden Oar did have its perks. Like getting first dibs on new guys in town.

  “Hi.” She smiled down at the black-haired man sitting in the booth along the back wall of the freshly renovated family restaurant. It was Thursday evening, which meant that she wasn’t as busy as she’d be tomorrow night. She could afford to chat with him a little before rushing off to another table.

  “Hi, I’ll have…” he started, but Carrie had already planned out what she was going to say.

  “You’re new in town, right?” She tilted her head and threw out her hip, a move her friend Sara had taught her. She thought about tossing her long red hair over her shoulder, but then remembered it was up in a bun and stopped before someone thought she was having a seizure.

  “Yeah, I just rented a house outside of town.” The guy smiled up at her and she felt her heart kick, not from the look, but the excitement of actually flirting with a stranger for the first time.

  “Cool,” she sighed. “What’s your name?”

  The guy leaned slightly on the back of the booth, his eyes running up and down her.

  She knew full well that she looked good, even in the black skirt and her new uniform top. The buttons were down slightly, showing off the white camisole underneath, along with a hint of the ample cleavage she’d gotten from her mother.

  Normally, her silky red hair hung over her shoulders, but today she’d pulled the mess up in a loose bun at the nape of her neck. Riley, her friend and coworker, and the daughter of her boss, Iian, said it made her look older and more mature. She was still tall, but with the curves that had finally shown up shortly after her twentieth birthday, she felt like a woman instead of the tall, s
kinny girl she used to be.

  “Mason Reece,” he answered quickly. “You?” He narrowed his eyes. “Carrie?” The question hung in the air as he looked at her name tag.

  “Carrie Brogan.” She smiled back at him.

  “So, what sort of things do you do around town for fun?” he asked smoothly.

  She was thankful he was taking over the conversation. She hadn’t actually thought she’d get this far.

  “Oh…” She shrugged and instantly hated herself for the insecure move. “There’s lots to do if you have the right partner.” She was shocked at the words that had escaped her own lips. It took her a heartbeat to realize what she’d just said. By then, she was pretty sure her face was as red as her hair.

  Mason chuckled, then tapped the spot next to him. “How about taking a break so we can plan some… fun?”

  She sighed heavily, seeing her escape. God, why was she already wanting to escape?

  “Can’t, dinner rush is just about to start.” She glanced around the almost-empty restaurant.

  “Maybe later,” he suggested. “Here.” He pulled her pen out from the notepad she held in front of her like a shield. “My number.” He wrote his number on a napkin. “Text me.” He handed it to her. “For now, I’ll have the meatloaf and a Coke.”

  “Sure thing.” She retreated quickly. When she stepped into the kitchen, she leaned against the door and took several deep breaths.

  “Well?” Riley had been standing just inside the back doors, watching her through the window.

  “Mason Reece,” she answered.

  “Good name,” Riley said, peeking out of the doors again. “Did he ask you out on a date?”

  “Yes, no.” She frowned. Was what he’d done considered asking her out for a date? She quickly decided it wasn’t. “No.” She shook her head. “But he did give me his number.” She looked down at the napkin she’d squashed to her chest.

  “Wow.” Riley sighed heavily. The shorter blonde woman’s eyes were huge as she looked out the window again. “Who’s that with him?” Riley frowned. “Is that—” A gasp escaped Riley and Carrie glanced out the window quickly.

  It was like one of those come-to-Jesus moments, seeing the man slide into the booth across from Mason. The moment her eyes landed on the sandy blonde’s face, she knew exactly why Mason Reece or any other man in the world hadn’t caught her interest. They weren’t Joshua Williams.

  “Are you okay?” Riley took her shoulders and nudged her to sit down in a chair.

  “Sure,” she said, only realizing then that she was breathing sporadically. Using the pressure point on the back of her hand, she closed her eyes and counted to ten. When she still didn’t feel settled, she counted to twenty, then thirty. By forty, she felt somewhat back under control.

  “Feel better?” Riley asked, her eyes searching Carrie’s.

  “Yes.” She smiled, and then all the anger that had built up in the past two years surfaced. Without thinking about it, she walked through the swinging kitchen doors.

  “Fancy running into you here.” She laced her voice with contempt.

  Josh’s blue eyes jerked up to hers, then quickly ran over her body. She watched as his chin dropped slightly before he recovered.

  Good, she thought. Let him suffer a little.

  “Care…” Just the sound of his old nickname for her had her blood boiling.

  “Have you decided what you want?” she asked, cutting him off.

  He moved to stand up, but she stopped him. “No, don’t get up. I wouldn’t want to put you out.” She turned to Mason and gave him her biggest smile.

  “Your meatloaf will be out shortly.” She realized too late that she’d forgotten his soda and stormed away without another word. When she made it to the soda machine, Riley was already there.

  “Hey.” Her friend took her shoulders. “Are you okay?” she asked again.

  “Yes,” she said between clenched teeth. “That ass comes back the day I decide to finally get out there again.” She lowered her voice. “The very day.” She slammed an empty plastic glass down and started to fill it with ice as she talked. “He leaves town, calls me from the airport as he’s leaving. He doesn’t even have the nerve to tell me face to face,” she growled out as she waited for the Coke to fill. She moved over to the computer screen and punched in Mason’s order for the meatloaf.

  She took his soda, took a deep breath, and smiled over at Riley. “If he thinks I’m going to drop at his feet and fall for him again, he’s got another thing coming.”

  “Good girl,” she thought she heard Riley say as she made her way across the room again.

  Instead of giving Josh her attention, she set the soda down in front of Mason and leaned against his side of the booth.

  “So, I was thinking about your offer. I get off work around ten. How about you pick me up then?” She watched the surprised look cross Mason’s eyes, but she had to hand it to the guy, he recovered quickly.

  “I’ll be here.” He smiled up at her.

  “Great.” She turned her head and let her smile fall slightly. “Have you decided what you want?” She pulled out her notepad and waited.

  * * *

  Hell, he’d fucked up again, Josh cursed silently. He’d cursed more times since Carrie had stopped by the booth than he had in the past year.

  He should have known better than to set this meeting somewhere in town. He should have asked the guy to meet him in Edgeview. Better yet, he should have met the guy at his new building, a few blocks away.

  Still, it had been bound to get around town that he was back. He’d just hoped to let Carrie know personally.

  It seemed his entire life was one big fuckup. He berated himself silently for cursing again. Okay, new leaf, he reminded himself.

  “So.” Mason Reece caught his attention again. “You and the waitress?” The question hung in the air.

  “Old news.” He instantly wished he could take it back when he noticed the spark of interest in Mason’s eyes. “Talk to me about why you want to join the team?” He changed the subject quickly.

  Mason seemed to take the hint and straightened.

  “Like I said over the phone, it’s something I’ve thought about for the past few years. I’m totally dedicated to online security…” The man droned on with what Josh thought was a planned speech. For the next half an hour, he tried to focus on the guy he was interviewing instead of the woman he’d been infatuated with for most of his life.

  “I know I can be an asset to you. I’ve got the skills and I have some really cutting-edge ideas that could take your business to the next level.”

  “What business?” Carrie asked as she refilled Mason’s drink. Her eyes were on him, waiting.

  Before he had a chance to answer, Mason jumped in.

  “Personal and business online security. You know; internet banking. Any data you need secured, you name it, he’ll lock it up tight.” Mason’s eyes were lit, much like Josh’s had been once. It was the reason he’d gone into the field. That and other more personal reasons.

  Carrie’s eyes narrowed towards him, and suddenly he knew he had to hire the guy. If for no other reason than to keep an eye on Mason and Carrie. Plus, anyone with that much excitement for another man’s business would, no doubt, take the company far. Besides, the guy’s background check had been squeaky clean.

  “So, you’re planning on sticking around this time?” Carrie’s eyes bore into him, causing him to meet hers and lock on them.

  “Yes.” He kept his answer short. He doubted he could say anything more, anyway. He’d never had a difficult time talking to her before, but things had changed. She’d changed. His first scan of her had proven that. She was still tall, slender, beautiful, but now she had curves she hadn’t had the last time he’d seen her, touched her, been with her.

  Hell, he wasn’t even the same person he’d been when he’d left town… and her.

  “Good for you.” She turned quickly and walked away. He watched the way her h
ips swayed and was mesmerized.

  “Are you sure, man?” Mason sipped his drink. “It really seems like there’s still something there.”

  Josh shook his head. “Water under the bridge.” He stood up and held out his hand. “I’ll see you first thing tomorrow morning.”

  Mason stood up. “I’m hired?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded. “I can’t wait to see where you can take us.” He shook the man’s hand.

  “Great, thanks.” Mason shook his hand.

  “Finish your meal.” He nodded to the half-empty plate. The man had been so busy talking to him, he’d barely eaten a bite. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Thanks again,” Mason said as Josh started to walk out of the building.

  In the parking lot, he held in a groan when he noticed Robert Brogan leaning against his car.

  “Hey.” He sighed heavily. “I wondered how long it would take you to show up.” He glanced back at the restaurant and wondered if Carrie had called her dad or if the local sheriff had just come on his own accord after someone else in town mentioned they’d seen him at the Oar.

  “I thought I saw you driving by earlier.” The man slowly removed his sunglasses, a cop move that would intimidate many. If Carrie’s father meant to frighten him, too bad. Robert Brogan had spent years building up his reputation around town. Everyone knew the man wouldn’t hurt a fly, unless he was protecting someone. Josh glanced back at the building and inwardly cringed. Maybe Robert thought he was protecting his daughter from him.

  “Yeah.” He leaned against the car next to the man. Josh had spent most of his life being afraid of one man, and it wasn’t the sheriff. “I’m back, starting my own business. I’m moving my headquarters here.” He crossed his arms over his chest, a move that relaxed him. “Internal Security. I bought the old florist shop.”