скачать книгу бесплатно
Meant To Be Yours
Susan Mallery
The perfect feel-good read’Sarah Morgan on You Say It First ‘Susan Mallery is one of my favourites. ’#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber Renee can plan the perfect wedding,but does love always go to plan? Wedding coordinator Renee Grothen isn’t meant for marriage. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, plan. But she never could have planned on gorgeous, talented thriller writer Jasper Dembenski proposing—a fling, that is. Fun without a future. And the attraction between them is too strong for Renee to resist. Now she can have her no-wedding cake…and eat it, too. After years in the military, Jasper is convinced he’s too damaged for relationships. So a flirtation—and more—with fiery, determined Renee is way too good to pass up…until his flame becomes his muse. Renee is an expert at averting every crisis. But is she finally ready to leap into the one thing that can never be controlled: love? • • • Readers love Meant to be Yours! Check this out if you like happy endings, rescue dogs and cats, and small town friends with benefits to more. Susan Mallery has done another amazing job of a great plot, wonderful characters – that I care about so much and a cherishing, romantic happily ever after for Jasper and Rene. This is my perfect kind of reading. Littered with romance. With a push and pull will they won’t they get their happily every afters. With fantastic characters. A wonderful warming and sunshine happy storyline, lots of weddings and a flattering or romance. Fabulous. – Netgalley Reviewer
In Happily Inc, love means never having to say “I do”...
Wedding coordinator Renee Grothen isn’t meant for marriage. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, plan. But she never could have planned on gorgeous, talented thriller writer Jasper Dembenski proposing—a fling, that is. Fun without a future. And the attraction between them is too strong for Renee to resist. Now she can have her no-wedding cake...and eat it, too.
After years in the military, Jasper is convinced he’s too damaged for relationships. So a flirtation—and more—with fiery, determined Renee is way too good to pass up...until his flame becomes his muse.
Renee is an expert at averting every crisis. But is she finally ready to leap into the one thing that can never be controlled: love?
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humour, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny and always uplifting, Susan’s books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA TODAY bestseller list, thanks to her ever-growing legions of fans.
Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats and a tattletale toy poodle. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they’re an integral component to a happy life.
Also available from Susan Mallery
And Mills & Boon
The Summer of Sunshine & Margot
You Say it First
Second Chance Girl
Why Not Tonight
Not Quite Over You
Coming Soon
Sisters By Choice
The Friendship List
For a complete list of titles available from Susan Mallery,
please visit www.SusanMallery.com (http://www.SusanMallery.com)
Meant to Be Yours
Susan Mallery
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-09901-1
MEANT TO BE YOURS
© 2019 Susan Mallery, Inc.
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Note to Readers (#u5bb222f3-68c1-54a6-a203-9a1f0ff96ef7)
This ebook contains the following accessibility features which, if supported by your device, can be accessed via your ereader/accessibility settings:
Change of font size and line height
Change of background and font colours
Change of font
Change justification
Text to speech
FALL IN LOVE WITH #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR SUSAN MALLERY
‘The perfect feel-good read’ Sarah Morgan on You Say It First
‘Susan Mallery is one of my favourites.’
#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber
[You Say it First] “has the author’s signature blend of humor,
poignancy, and small-town charm.”
—Booklist
“The romance is sweet and hot, the writing is quick and easy…
A great choice for a weekend read.”
—Kirkus Reviews on You Say it First
“A heartfelt and genuine friends-to-lovers story fraught with emotional trauma that makes the happily-ever-after satisfyingly sweet… Sharp, well-drawn characters and a naughty beagle add depth to the story.”
—Publishers Weekly on Second Chance Girl
“You can always count on Mallery to deliver warmhearted and quirky stories featuring emotionally dented individuals doing their best to survive and hopefully thrive.… A truly unforgettable read! Mallery is one of a kind!”
—RT Book Reviews, Top Pick! On Second Chance Girl
Contents
Cover (#u768c71b9-0080-552d-afde-f43723363a87)
Back Cover Text (#u05f839d7-de12-5d74-b502-c38f211644a2)
About the Author (#u4354865e-9c2a-5c62-bca8-8f9036c2b19c)
Booklist (#uc471f941-2080-585d-b194-6e5f7abd3a4c)
Title Page (#u1db4d9b8-cac0-5e7b-bbfb-768717445628)
Copyright (#uae25f8d8-64ea-5a3c-8f79-67a50c39ae01)
Note to Readers
Praise (#u8a3d56a3-2b7e-5552-8173-d576b1084405)
CHAPTER ONE (#u6ddc933f-5a5e-558b-9b2c-3e782f88fb8d)
CHAPTER TWO (#ub22d26e1-6354-5823-86bb-dc971319c220)
CHAPTER THREE (#u347d8ccf-15c0-5b5c-8348-8467c2a27d7f)
CHAPTER FOUR (#uba77fe07-6a45-543e-9600-fabf1c30c7b1)
CHAPTER FIVE (#u3a6d6bd6-f9a2-5c03-a29c-fc31da7e2674)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#u5bb222f3-68c1-54a6-a203-9a1f0ff96ef7)
JASPER DEMBENSKI COULD accept an idiosyncratic GPS, the blown tire and the five hailstorms he’d driven through yesterday. It was the lack of coffee that was going to do him in.
He shook the empty coffee can, as if the action would magically produce results. Not shockingly, no coffee appeared. He was going to have to head to the grocery store, which was easier said than done, given that he was driving a thirty-six-foot RV. Or maybe there was coffee up at the main office. If he could grab some there, he could put off having to shop until later in the day.
Jasper was on the last leg of a three-month book tour for his latest suspense novel. Rather than trying to convince him to deal with dozens of flights, rental cars and hotels on the multicity tour, his publisher had enticed him with the idea of traveling via RV. Jasper didn’t mind driving long distances, he enjoyed the solitude and time to think, and the RV parks were actually pretty decent.
He was about eleven hundred miles from home. Once he joined up with Interstate 10, it was a straight shot back to Happily Inc. All he needed was a large cup of coffee. He would find a Walmart or Target close to the interstate and get enough food to see him through the next two days.
He walked out into the warm September morning and started for the main office. Along the way, he nodded at people who waved or called out greetings. RV parks were friendly places. As he wasn’t one for unnecessary chats, he’d learned to keep moving while offering a brief wave. Otherwise, he might get trapped in a lengthy and tedious conversation about the viability of a certain back road or a discussion about the best kind of bait for catfish.
“You git, you hear me? Go on out of here or I’ll get my shotgun.”
The angry words came from his left. Jasper instinctively went on alert, his body tensing as he spun in that direction. Using the RV he’d just passed for cover, he backtracked so he could come around from behind and see what was happening.
“You heard me,” the man yelled. “Get out of here.”
Jasper stayed close to the RV as he circled around and then stepped into view, prepared to get between some jerk and whoever he was threatening. Only the short, round, old man wasn’t taking on his kid or his woman, instead he was raising his hand to a dog. An old dog with ribs showing through dirty fur. A dog who flinched and backed away.
“Problem?” Jasper asked, using his tell me your story before I kick your ass voice, the one he’d perfected during his time with the military police.
The old man glared at him, as if wanting to take him on, then seemed to think better of it. “It’s nothing. Just that dog who’s been hanging out here for a few weeks. Somebody dumped him. If you don’t want a dog, just shoot him. That’s what I say.”
The kindness of strangers, Jasper thought grimly. Or lack thereof. He knew there were more good people than bad, but every now and then he was forced to question his faith in humanity.
The dog—some kind of Lab-shepherd mix—looked at him with sad, knowing eyes, as if he didn’t really expect better of life. He stayed out of reach and, despite the heat, shivered a little. He was obviously starving and might be sick. Who would just dump a dog at an RV park?
