Southern Delight (Southern Desires Series Book 3) Read online

  Southern Delight

  Southern Desires Series

  Book Three

  by Jeannette Winters

  Author Contact

  website:

  JeannetteWinters.com

  email:

  [email protected]

  Facebook:

  Author Jeannette Winters

  Twitter:

  JWintersAuthor

  Newsletter Signup:

  www.jeannettewinters.com/newsletter

  Also follow me on:

  BookBub:

  bookbub.com/authors/jeannette-winters

  Goodreads

  goodreads.com/author/show/13514560.Jeannette_Winters

  Don Farrell believes in working hard and playing even harder. The only thing he took seriously was business. Finding out there was a target on his back only made him more determined to succeed.

  Bailey Tasca had been confident and outgoing. Her tomorrows had been filled with dreams of someday making it big as a comedian, but her laughter stopped the day the doctor told her the results: cancer. Now she struggles to redefine herself.

  When Don and Bailey meet up again at a friend’s wedding, the one thing neither wanted was to find the chemistry they’d shared in the past now even more explosive.

  Don realizes it doesn’t matter what he achieves if Bailey is not by his side to share it. Can he reach Bailey behind her high walls of insecurities and doubts? Bailey must let go of her newly acquired inhibitions and open herself up, both emotionally and physically, if she ever wants her happily ever after. Can their love heal even the deepest wounds?

  Copyright

  Kindle Edition

  An original work of Jeannette Winters, 2016.

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, events, business establishments or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design by Gin’s Book Designs (ginsbookdesigns.com)

  Stock Photo Attribution: Depositphotos.com / kwest (Ben Goode); BigStockPhotos.com / Wavebreak Media Ltd

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to Don who shared with me what it takes to make a friendship last forty years. Here’s to another forty!

  Also to Sissie King who inspired me to write Bailey’s story. Thank you for laughing and crying with me as you shared what it means to you to be a breast cancer survivor.

  Karen Lawson, Janet Hitchcock, E.L. King and Marion Arche, my editors you are all amazing!

  To my readers who continue to inspire me with endless messages and kind words. Always make time for romance.

  Hate to say goodbye to your favorite characters? The perfect solution is a Synchronized Series! One world. Three authors. Character cross-over. Triple the amount of books. Binge reading at its best.

  Each author’s books are full stories you can enjoy individually! But putting them all together weaves an even more pleasurable reading experience.

  Hate to say goodbye to your favorite characters? The perfect solution is a Synchronized Series! One world. Three authors. Character cross-over. Triple the amount of books. Binge reading at it’s best.

  Each author’s books are full stories you can enjoy individually! But putting them all together weaves an even more pleasurable reading experience.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  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

  Other Books By Jeannette Winters

  Chapter One

  “Hannah, I know what this means to you. It’ll be your wedding day, and it will be perfect. But I’m not maid of honor material. You should ask your cousin Sissie, or maybe Mark’s sister, Casey.” Look at me. You don’t want me. Trust me. Choose anybody but me. You’ll be lucky if I show up, never mind stand next to you. I know you love me, but you have no idea how I feel.

  “Bailey Tasca, you’re the only person I want as my maid of honor. Or did you forget the promises we made back in college?”

  No, I haven’t, but that was before. Everything’s changed since cancer. A year ago, I would’ve jumped into your arms, hugging and screaming, “Yes, I’d be honored.” Now look at me. I’ve lost my hair and my— It was still too painful to think about losing her right breast. She knew she should be thankful it wasn’t both. That time hadn’t come yet. Right now she felt as though they’d removed so much more than just her breast. She felt her spirit had been taken from her as well. If she admitted that to anyone, she’d get the well-deserved lecture on how lucky she was that they’d caught it when they had. She’d never dispute that. However she’d spent too many hours researching the difference between being in remission and cured. And right now no one could promise her this was over for good.

  “I haven’t forgotten. Things are . . . different now.”

  “Some things, yes. But not the things that matter the most, like our friendship.” Hannah’s voice was filled with sincerity.

  Bailey couldn’t ask for a better friend than Hannah Entwistle. They were more like family than friends. Which was important as neither of them had any immediate family of their own. Of course, that is about to change for you, Hannah. Soon you’re going to be Mrs. Mark Collins and start your own family. This is all good. Wonderful. But I shouldn’t be here living with you guys. I know I’m cramping your style even though you’re too darn sweet to tell me. Heck, you two should be chasing each other around this house naked instead of taking care of me. Damn, this is why I should go back to Providence. That and so many more reasons.

  As long as she stayed with them in Savannah, Hannah would watch over her like a mother hen. She’d been doing that since the surgery six months ago. There was no telling Hannah differently. It was in her nature to care for others, but no one should have to give up their own happiness for her. Bailey was certain that being in Hannah’s wedding party would take the focus off Hannah and put it right onto herself. That wasn’t something Bailey wanted. Not for one second. She’s too important to me to hurt her that way. So now I have to hurt her in a different way. Will she ever understand how sorry I am?

  Bailey fought back her tears. There was so much she wished for. Living her life cancer-free would be at the top of the list, but for Hannah to have the life she deserved was equally important.

  She remembered the moment Hannah told her she was engaged to Mark. Staying with them after surgery, she’d seen firsthand how Mark treated Hannah like his queen. It was so sweet to watch someone tough as nails treat her friend so delicately. They were perfect for each other, and no one deserved that treatment more than Hannah. Yet no matter how happy Mark made her, Hannah refused to set a date or talk about the wedding. Each time Bailey tried to bring it up, Hannah changed the subject.

  With Mark back home from his latest deployment, the subject was on the table, and it was Bailey wanting t
o avoid it this time. That’s why it wasn’t easy for her to say no. She could see the hurt in Hannah’s eyes when she hadn’t jumped at the chance to be in her wedding party. How was she going to explain to her why she was saying no? Unless you’ve lived it, no matter how badly you try, you can’t understand it. But I love her for trying.

  Bailey knew Hannah had been waiting for the treatments and the additional testing to be over. As soon as the doctors determined her cancer hadn’t spread, and it appeared the cancer was gone, Hannah stopped watching her so closely. The doctor said Bailey could slowly start getting back to a normal life. Nothing sounded better to her. She would still have to watch for infections because of her weakened immune system, but the worst was behind her. But will it ever really be behind me? I feel the same as the day the doctor gave me the dreaded news. When will this feeling leave me? Or is it here to stay as a constant reminder just like the scars? And will the internal scars always be as ugly as the external ones? Because right now, I’m not sure either will ever fade, never mind totally go away.

  That was why she needed to decline Hannah’s beautiful offer. It should be as simple as saying thank you, but no, I can’t right now. Those words would never slide by Hannah. For all the loving and kindness that woman can show, she’s also a pushy and persuasive person, and right now I don’t have the energy to argue about it.

  What she needed was an ally. Someone who could see both sides impartially. I can call Sissie. Maybe if I tell her what has been going on for the last few months, she’ll be able to intercede on my behalf. Who am I kidding? She’ll tell the entire town, and that’s the last thing I want or need: their pity.

  The only other person in the room was Hannah’s fiancé, Mark. I don’t have to wonder whose side he’d be on. He’d take on the whole world for Hannah.

  She wanted to ask Mark who he’d picked for his best man, but that was only going to open up an entirely new level of questions. She knew if he hadn’t chosen his best friend, Don Farrell, to be in the wedding party, he’d attend anyway. She didn’t want to face him. Couldn’t face him. Their night of passion in Texas still haunted her dreams.

  It has been six months since I’ve seen him, and I still can’t stop thinking of how exquisite it had felt to be in his arms. How am I going to see him again knowing it will never be the same again?

  It would be so much easier if he’d never called or texted her after that amazing night. But he’d left several messages she’d chosen not to answer. There was nothing for her to say. Or at least, not anything she wanted to say. Hey, thanks, great time in Honeywell, but I forgot to tell you I had cancer, and I’m no longer the woman you enjoyed. I’ll never be that woman . . .

  After two months of trying, his communication ceased. It was bittersweet. She even held on to a few of his voicemail messages, and every once in a while she’d play them when she was alone in bed. Just the sound of his voice could bring a smile to her face and a tear to her eye at the same time. Damn, I wish . . . no, wishing is for fools. And it won’t change a thing. Stay in control. Face the facts, Bailey, Don is someone from your past who won’t be in your future.

  Thinking of Don was like a knife twisting in her heart. They’d only had a little more than a week together, but in that time he’d made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world; he’d made her laugh and somehow forget what she was about to go through. If he’d known what I was facing, that week wouldn’t exist. I’ll take the pain of loneliness now, because I wouldn’t have wanted to miss our short time together for anything.

  There were more excuses running through her mind but none that wouldn’t break Hannah’s heart. Hannah sat patiently waiting for an answer.

  Bailey knew Hannah was doing everything she could to make things okay, but at the end of the day, when Bailey went to her room alone, removed the wig, and undressed, she felt like a creature of some kind: no color in her face, her bones protruding from being sick and unable to eat. Not to mention the scar from under her armpit all the way to her breastbone and her bald head . . . everything felt like a horrible dream. One she couldn’t wake from.

  No matter how much this meant to Hannah, she couldn’t see Don like this. She could only picture the look of pity or disgust in his eyes. Neither was something she wanted from him. She preferred to remember that brief time with him as something magical. She wanted him to remember her the way she was before. Beautiful.

  “Hannah—”

  Hannah got off the couch where she’d been sitting with Mark and came to sit on the arm of the chair near Bailey. “Don’t you dare say no. If you want us to delay the wedding, we can.” She turned back to Mark who seemed stunned by the statement. But no surprise to Bailey, all he did was shrug.

  Gee, thanks, Mark. A little help here would’ve been nice.

  Hannah turned back to Bailey. “See, Mark agrees. We can wait as long as needed if it means that you’ll say yes.”

  Really? You’d put off your wedding to the man of your dreams just because I’m so insecure about my looks? I appreciate it, but you must be nuts. This is your wedding for goodness’ sake, not a dinner date. No matter how much I’m going to hate this, there is no way I can let you do that.

  Even though her stomach was in knots, she forced a smile, looked her best friend right in the eyes, and lied. “No way. You are keeping this wedding date, and I’m going to be the best maid of honor anyone’s ever had. Besides, I think I’m looking forward to this almost as much as you are, Hannah. I was just worried three weeks wasn’t going to be enough time to pull it all off.”

  Hannah was so thrilled to have received the yes that she never noticed Bailey squeezing her eyes shut tightly as they hugged. It wasn’t as much from the bear hug as it was from knowing she was going to see Don before her hair grew back and before she had her reconstructive surgery.

  This isn’t about me right now. This is about one of us getting our happily ever after. I’ll just have to live vicariously through you, Hannah, so you better have one hell of a wedding!

  “Three weeks or three days. It doesn’t matter, Bailey, because when you and I put our minds together, we can pull anything off. Just think of the stuff we pulled off in college.”

  Bailey laughed. “And the stuff that almost got us kicked out.”

  Mark raised a brow. “Hmm. Sounds like someone’s been keeping secrets from me. How much will it cost, Bailey, for you to spill them?”

  “You wouldn’t,” Hannah warned.

  Bailey laughed. “Sorry, Mark. We girls stick together. Besides, most stories include us both.” And me as the instigator. Those were good times. How I wish we could relive them. But those days are in the past. They belong to the BC-Bailey Tasca. Before Cancer. Everything has been dissected, including my memories . . . right along with Don Farrell.

  Don Farrell was still trying to get used to talking in code with Mark. The days of just calling a friend to talk bullshit ended the day everything went down in Savannah. He knew Mark’s job entailed taking a risk most people wouldn’t, but he’d learned firsthand that day, that the threat was much closer than most realized, himself included. He wouldn’t make that mistake twice.

  He still lived his life on the wild side, but hadn’t stopped looking over his shoulder. Mark and his team were taking care of things as he put it, but Don’s gut said it was far from over. Not resting till all those bastards are caught and behind bars or six feet under.

  Even now his blood boiled thinking of what those scumbags did to Hannah. He knew they were evil damn it, but he never imagined them hurting someone he knew in such a way. I would’ve put a bullet in their head myself if I’d known. And God help anyone who ever hurt Bailey like that. Death would be too good for them. But I’m sure I don’t have to tell Mark that.

  Don looked at his watch again. It was unusual for Mark to be late, but nothing had been normal for months now. He was tempted to text him, to check his status, but whatever was keeping him would also prevent him from responding.

  “S
ir, do you want another drink?” the bartender asked for the third time.

  He’d only had one beer to keep a clear head for whatever Mark was about to dump on him. It’s got to be big for him to come to Buffalo just to talk. I wish I knew where the hell he was.

  Don got up, pulled a twenty from his wallet, and put in on the bar. He had things to attend to himself. He had no doubt Mark would find him no matter. It’s what he does best. Track and locate.

  Before he got to his car, an all-too familiar, old beat-up green Jeep pulled up. He didn’t need to look at the driver. Don opened the door and climbed in.

  “Can’t believe this old thing made it from Savannah to New York.”

  Mark patted the dash. “Bessy here is more reliable than you give her credit for.”

  Don didn’t understand Mark sometimes. He could drive anything he wanted, yet he’d kept the first car he’d ever bought. Don bought a new one each year. Hell, I even tried giving him my Fiat Spider, but he said it wasn’t his style.

  He shook his head and used the hand crank to roll down the window as they pulled away from the bar. “Sure you don’t want to take mine?”

  Mark shook his head. “Don’t know if your vehicle has been compromised.”

  Don shot Mark a questioning look. Nothing about him said it was a joke. Damn it. “That bad?”

  He nodded. “Every time I think we’re getting close to finding them, something or someone blocks us. My team is good at what we do, and right now, I don’t trust anyone but them.”

  “Mark, how high is this going?”

  “We know the link between JT Talroy at FEMA and these guys, but JT was only a pawn. From what I have confirmed, a senator and an official at the Pentagon are involved.”

  “You going to make your move and arrest those bastards?”

  “All we have right now is a money trail. It’s a good start, but it doesn’t tell us why they’re being paid off. If we move now, it won’t shut them down, and we might lose the only opportunity to get the ringleader.”