Finding My Girl / Loving Talia (Love Like Ours Companion Booklet) (Sugar Lake Book 4) Read online

  “Fine!” Piper relented. Talia pictured her waiflike, and toughest, sister’s arms crossed, eyes narrowed, and that construction-booted foot of hers tapping anxiously. “If you want to grow up to be a spinster English literature professor with five cats and a furry pus—”

  “Piper!” their mother hollered. “Language, please! Sheesh, you girls go about things the hard way sometimes. How do you feel today, Talia?”

  “Annoyed and hungry. Not that I could eat with this stench in my car.” She turned in to the parking lot and trolled for a parking spot. “It’s like someone dumped perfume in here.”

  A long stretch of silence followed her comment.

  “Oh shit. Mom?” Piper said with a warning tone.

  Talia spotted a car pulling out and whipped into the next row.

  “Mom . . . ?” The amusement in Willow’s voice did not go unnoticed. “Please tell me you didn’t.”

  Talia’s ears perked up, but some jackass took her parking space, and she sped to the next aisle. She gulped her coffee, trying to finish before she had to start her class.

  “What? It was just a little love potion,” their mother said.

  Talia spit out her coffee, drenching her shirt. She tried to shove her cup into the holder, ignoring her sister’s questions—“What happened? What was that? Talia?”

  “Damn it, Mom! Enough with your love potions!” she snapped as she shot a glance at the passenger seat and stretched to snag a tissue from her purse. Her gaze flicked up just as a man darted out in front of the car. Talia slammed on her brakes and screamed.

  Shit, shit, shit! She threw her car into park, meeting the angry eyes of the long-haired, scruffy-looking guy she’d almost killed. Two of the largest hands she’d ever seen were pressed flat on the hood. Phone call forgotten, she hurried out of her car, shivering against the frigid winter air.

  “Are you okay? I’m so sorry!”

  He turned so slowly, she was sure she’d actually hit him. She did a quick visual inspection. Her gaze caught on frayed holes in the tight denim stretched over his thick thighs. She lingered a moment too long there, but wow, they were nice-looking. She forced herself to look lower. No blood. No broken knees. Thank God.

  “Way to keep your eyes on the road,” he said in a low, gravelly voice that sounded irritated.

  “Sorry!” she snapped, her teeth chattering from the cold. She lifted her gaze to meet piercing blue eyes—so shockingly vibrant her breath caught in her throat, making her even more nervous and agitated. “What were you thinking, running out in front of my car like that?” Holy crap! She hadn’t meant to say that! Now he’d think she was an awful driver and a bitch.

  He arched a brow so lazily, it grated on her last nerve. His hair was tousled, like he’d rolled out of bed, shoved his feet into boots, and thrown on a parka. Probably in his eighth year of college, without a single degree. Floating through life without any direction or ambition.

  “Well, you’re still standing. That’s good.” She tried to calm her racing heart. But he was staring at her with the most serious—and tired?—expression, like he was either waiting for her to say more or was exhausted from a night of partying and couldn’t put together a sentence. What did he want her to do, get down on her knees and apologize? She breathed deeply, forcing a softer tone. “I’m really sorry. I’m usually a much more careful driver. Did I hurt you?”

  “No.” He ran his large hand over what had to be at least a week’s worth of scruff. “You’re shaking. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I almost killed you. How do you think I am?” Darn it! “I’m sorry. I’m just shaken up. But I’m glad you’re okay.”

  He hiked a thumb over his shoulder, and the sun caught on a gold ring on his pinkie. “I’ve got a class to get to.” His lips quirked up and he said, “Eyes on the road next time.”

  She climbed into her car and cranked the heat, watching him in the distance. Her purse and phone had slid to the floor, and she remembered the call she’d been on when she’d almost killed the guy. She pulled carefully into a parking spot and cut the engine. She retrieved her phone and saw at least a dozen missed calls from her sisters and mother. If she hadn’t been so worked up and distracted this wouldn’t have happened. She pressed her hand to her chest, breathing deeply in an effort to calm down. Her clothes were wet, and she was shaking, but as she gazed out the windshield, it was those deep-set blue eyes she saw.

  “Good Lord,” she said. “I almost killed him, all because my family is on a manhunt.” She picked up the phone and called Willow.

  “Oh my God, are you okay?” Willow asked breathlessly. “We were about to call the police.”

  “I’m fine, but everyone’s crazy scheming stops now.”

  “Are we still on for Friday night?” Derek asked as he pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the time. He had to be at work in an hour, which gave him just enough time to pick up his father’s meds and grab something to eat.

  “Absolutely. My place, around eight. Bring something Mediterranean.” India pulled her sunglasses from the top of her mass of corkscrew curls as they left class. “Need me to hold your hand across the parking lot so you don’t get hit?”

  “Very funny. What I need is for people to watch where they’re going.” Although he’d been so wiped out this morning, he was practically sleepwalking. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and said, “I thought you had a study group today.”

  Her brown eyes widened. “Oh shit! I gotta boogie.” She kissed his cheek. “Thanks!”

  He shook his head, smiling. It struck him that forgetfulness could be funny or heartbreaking, as it was with his father, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s. His momentary smile faded fast.

  As he made his way toward the exit, he passed an open door, and a woman’s voice sent a streak of awareness through him. He stopped walking, took a few steps backward, and peered into the room. Sure enough, the Parking Lot Plower stood at the front of the class, looking hot as fuck in her body-hugging white blouse, which was speckled with whatever she’d spilled on it this morning, and a beige skirt. She was tall and slim, with full breasts and legs that went on forever. Her hair was like chocolate silk, hanging loose over her shoulders, framing high cheekbones, a slim, perky nose, and serious eyes. She looked completely in control, confident with an air of refinement that reminded him of classic actresses, the very opposite of how rattled she’d appeared that morning. He’d wondered if she was really okay. And hadn’t stopped thinking about her since.

  He stepped into the doorway to hear her more clearly, wondering how many guys in the class were actually paying attention and not filling their mental spank banks with images for later. She was either oblivious to the sensual vibes she naturally emitted, or excellent at ignoring that vixenish side of herself as she held her chin up high and stood ramrod straight. The epitome of a professional.

  “Over the past twenty years,” she said as she paced, “changing geopolitical and socioeconomic conditions have shifted society’s constructs of American manhood.”

  Holy shit. What was she lecturing about?

  Her gaze swept over the crowd—over him—to the other side of the room, then quickly darted back to him.

  Hello, beautiful. Remember me? The man you almost killed?

  Her eyes widened, and she stumbled for words. He slipped off his parka and settled into a seat, no longer hungry. At least not for food.

  To continue reading, please buy LOVE LIKE OURS.

  More Books By Melissa Foster

  Love in Bloom Romance Collection

  LOVE IN BLOOM SERIES order (FREE Ebook)

  Love in Bloom Series Guide (Detailed Ebook)

  Love in Bloom Series Guide (Black & White Print Book)

  Love in Bloom books may be read as stand alones. For more enjoyment, read them in series order. Characters from each series carry forward to the next.

  SNOW SISTERS

  Sisters in Love

  Sisters in Bloom

&nbs
p; Sisters in White

  THE BRADENS (Weston, CO)

  Lovers at Heart, Reimagined

  Destined for Love

  Friendship on Fire

  Sea of Love

  Bursting with Love

  Hearts at Play

  THE BRADENS (Trusty, CO)

  Taken by Love

  Fated for Love

  Romancing My Love

  Flirting with Love

  Dreaming of Love

  Crashing into Love

  THE BRADENS (Peaceful Harbor, MD)

  Healed by Love

  Surrender My Love

  River of Love

  Crushing on Love

  Whisper of Love

  Thrill of Love

  THE BRADENS & MONTGOMERYS (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls)

  Embracing Her Heart

  Anything for Love

  Trails of Love

  Wild, Crazy Hearts

  Making You Mine

  BRADEN WORLD NOVELLAS

  Daring Her Love

  Promise My Love

  Our New Love

  Story of Love

  Love at Last

  THE REMINGTONS

  Game of Love

  Stroke of Love

  Flames of Love

  Slope of Love

  Read, Write, Love

  Touched by Love

  SEASIDE SUMMERS

  Seaside Dreams

  Seaside Hearts

  Seaside Sunsets

  Seaside Secrets

  Seaside Nights

  Seaside Embrace

  Seaside Lovers

  Seaside Whispers

  BAYSIDE SUMMERS

  Bayside Desires

  Bayside Passions

  Bayside Heat

  Bayside Escape

  Bayside Romance

  THE RYDERS

  Seized by Love

  Claimed by Love

  Chased by Love

  Rescued by Love

  Swept Into Love

  SUGAR LAKE

  The Real Thing

  Only for You

  Love Like Ours

  Finding My Girl

  SEXY STAND-ALONE ROMANCE NOVELS

  Tru Blue (Set in Peaceful Harbor)

  Truly, Madly, Whiskey

  Driving Whiskey Wild

  Wicked Whiskey Love

  Mad About Moon

  Taming My Whiskey

  BILLIONAIRES AFTER DARK

  WILD BOYS

  Logan

  Heath

  Jackson

  Cooper

  BAD BOYS

  Mick

  Dylan

  Carson

  Brett

  HARBORSIDE NIGHTS

  Includes characters from the Love in Bloom series

  Catching Cassidy

  Discovering Delilah

  Tempting Tristan

  Standalone Books by Melissa

  Chasing Amanda (mystery/suspense)

  Come Back to Me (mystery/suspense)

  Have No Shame (historical fiction/romance)

  Love, Lies & Mystery (3-book bundle)

  Megan’s Way (literary fiction)

  Traces of Kara (psychological thriller)

  Where Petals Fall (suspense)

  ~Meet Melissa~

  www.MelissaFoster.com

  Melissa Foster is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. Melissa has painted and donated several murals to the Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC.

  Visit Melissa on her website or chat with her on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event. Melissa’s books are available through most online retailers in paperback, digital, and audio formats.