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Best Of My Love
Susan Mallery
An irresistible new love story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool’s Gold series, set in a town Library Journal calls “so appealing, readers will want to start scoping out real estate”To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes on the hunt for a friend—a male friend—to convince her stubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool’s Gold will the petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her?Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the "adventure" in Mitchell Adventure Tours…and into the beds of his many willing female tourists. Until he realizes he’s inadvertently become that guy—the one-night Casanova—and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe Shelby's boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect.As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool's Gold rumor mill. If no one will believe they're just friends, maybe they should give the gossips something to really talk about!
An irresistible new love story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool’s Gold series, set in a town Library Journal calls “so appealing, readers will want to start scoping out real estate.”
To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes on the hunt for a friend—a male friend—to convince her stubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool’s Gold will the petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her?
Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the “adventure” in Mitchell Adventure Tours...and into the beds of his many willing female tourists. Until he realizes he’s inadvertently become that guy—the one-night Casanova—and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe Shelby’s boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect.
As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool’s Gold rumor mill. If no one will believe they’re just friends, maybe they should give the gossips something to really talk about!
Praise for Susan Mallery and her New York Times bestselling Fool’s Gold series (#ulink_1578494e-de3e-5216-8bc1-39cde234c08d)
“Susan Mallery is one of my favorites.”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber
“Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.”
—Booklist
“Touching, insightful, and funny, this lively romance addresses some serious relationship issues as it delivers another satisfying, page-turning winner.”
—Library Journal on Kiss Me
“Heartwarming... Deft characterization and an absorbing story line will keep readers coming back.”
—Publishers Weekly on When We Met
“Ms. Mallery masterfully weaves new characters into the fabric of Fool’s Gold, but always catches us up on the lives of its very unique residents. Fool’s Gold has a certain rhythm that makes it a warm, homey place with a little bit of magic.”
—Fresh Fiction on Thrill Me
“Mallery delivers another engaging romance in magical Fool’s Gold.”
—Kirkus Reviews on Just One Kiss
“The wildly popular and prolific Mallery can always be counted on to tell an engaging story of modern romance.”
—Booklist
“Mallery infuses her story with eccentricity, gentle humor, and small-town shenanigans.”
—Publishers Weekly on Summer Days
Best of My Love
Susan Mallery
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
This book is dedicated to Sarah S. You are adorable and charming and I hope you love Aidan and Shelby’s story as much as I do. This one’s for you...
* * *
Being the “mom” of an adorable, spoiled little dog, I know the joy that pets can bring to our lives. Animal welfare is a cause I have long supported. For me that means giving to Seattle Humane. At their 2015 Tuxes and Tails fund-raiser, I offered “Your pet in a romance novel” as a prize.
In this book you will meet a bichon frise named Charlie. He has a sparkling personality and couldn’t be cuter. Every time he appeared in the book, I had the biggest smile. What a sweetie! I loved everything about him—from his trying to drive to his insistence that meals be on time.
One of the things that makes writing special is interacting in different ways with people. Some I talk to for research. Some are readers who want to talk characters and story lines, and some are fabulous pet parents. Charlie’s real-life family adore him and he brings hours of pleasure to them.
My thanks to Charlie’s family, to Charlie himself and to the wonderful people at Seattle Humane (SeattleHumane.org (http://www.SeattleHumane.org)). Because every pet deserves a loving family.
Contents
Cover (#ua529198e-cf31-5d40-b9d4-cf9c30e5fd07)
Back Cover Text (#u322228b3-dbbc-5a03-8c4e-5261282020e1)
Praise (#u13e0f810-ca4f-5b4e-8b7a-b10937a82ce6)
Title Page (#uc977a0da-6ace-532e-aa71-259d4d58b88a)
Dedication (#ufb4e0f7d-17c0-5ccf-8bdb-01a260382a67)
CHAPTER ONE (#u85329d21-080c-55ed-bf8b-fbade59939f0)
CHAPTER TWO (#uaf12bc31-1791-5459-9153-f722f8f77418)
CHAPTER THREE (#u2910761e-d1f0-570f-827f-814c70103a9c)
CHAPTER FOUR (#u1e5eb7d7-a557-5856-aac9-c18a843bcc84)
CHAPTER FIVE (#uaf267c80-a669-5524-8053-a5a5384c1eff)
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)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_9b86faa1-2244-5cf6-80a9-d5333edaf79b)
“ABOUT LAST NIGHT...”
The words were softly spoken. Almost a question. Still, they were enough to make Aidan Mitchell consider pounding his head against the table. Or the wall. He was pretty sure the table was closer. Not that he was going to pick either because he honestly didn’t need any more head pain. Not with the raging hangover he’d more than earned.
“I have nothing,” he admitted, squinting into the, what seemed to him, overly bright light of Brew-haha, the local coffee place. Because when a man felt as bad as he did, coffee was the only solution. “No excuse, no explanation.”
He wanted to say more. That it hadn’t been his fault. Only it had been.
Aidan wanted to point out that he was usually a decent guy. He loved his mom, paid his taxes and ran a successful business, yet somewhere along the way, he’d become a total jerk. But why state the obvious?
The woman standing next to his table pointed to the empty seat across from his. “May I?”
He nodded, then wished he hadn’t when more pain exploded across his eyes. He reminded himself it was a small price to pay for what had happened.
He pushed aside the steady thudding in his temple and did his best to focus on his new tablemate. Shelby Gilmore was petite and blue-eyed. Delicate, he thought. Pretty enough to get a breathing man’s attention. But not for him, because he had it all figured out. No local women. Tourists were easier. And look where that had gotten him.
Her gaze was steady as she sipped her coffee. She seemed to be trying to figure something out. If it was about him, he should save her the trouble.
“Yes,” he said, aware his voice was gravelly. No doubt yet another manifestation of the alcohol probably still processing through his system. “I’m an ass. I’m sure there’s going to be a memo about it in the paper.”
Her mouth curved up. “The paper’s already out and I didn’t see anything. Of course, I generally avoid the whole ‘ass’ section. It can be depressing.”
“Humor at my expense. Go ahead. I deserve it.”
Her hair fell past her shoulders. It was straight and kind of a gold-blond color. Long bangs covered her eyebrows. He knew she had to be in her late twenties, but she looked younger.
“I like that you’re taking responsibility for what happened,” she said. “A lot of guys wouldn’t.”
“Most guys wouldn’t have gotten in trouble in the first place.” He leaned back in his chair and held in a groan. “I had it all figured out. That’s what kills me. I had a plan.”
“The road to hell?”
Despite how he felt, he managed a grin. “Yeah. That was me. The guy with good intentions.” He stopped himself a half second before he shook his head again. “Avoid entanglements. It was working for me, too.”
She held her coffee mug in both hands. “So it’s true. You dated tourists.” The corner of her mouth twitched. “I use the word dated out of general politeness. Also, it’s New Year’s Day, which is kind of a holiday.”
“Respect. I like that.” He sighed heavily. “Yes, I was the dog that picked up tourists. They were friendly and willing. Not to mention, only in town for a short time. No one’s definition of dating.”
“I can see the general outline of a plan here. You assumed that by keeping it simple and short-term, you wouldn’t have to deal with anything messy. Like a relationship. Why is that?”
He squinted against the bright light. “No offense, but do I know you?”
She laughed. “You mean beyond saying hello?” One slim shoulder rose, then lowered. “Not really. I admit that this is a very random conversation, but I’d still like you to answer the question.”
His brain was working at about two-thirds speed this morning. He felt like hell, both physically and emotionally. He was the biggest jackass around and he just wanted to crawl into a hole until he figured out how he was going to fix the problem. Which would come after he figured out what had gone wrong.
But all of that didn’t explain why Shelby Gilmore was grilling him. Maybe one of her New Year’s resolutions was to right wrongs. Sort of a seeker of justice for those whose hearts he’d accidentally broken.
He searched his memory for what he knew about her. She’d been in town maybe a couple of years. She worked in the bakery. Or possibly owned it—he couldn’t remember, exactly. He’d seen her around. He was sure she was perfectly nice, not to mention Kipling Gilmore’s sister. Kipling ran the local search-and-rescue department. Aidan knew him from that, and because it was Fool’s Gold—a town where everyone knew everyone else’s business. Oh, yeah. He and Kipling were part owners of a local bar. Which explained why he was having this conversation in the first place. Or did it? He looked at her.
“What was the question?” he asked.
The smile returned. “Why tourists? You’re a good-looking guy with a successful business. Why aren’t you married?”
“I don’t want to get stuck,” he blurted before he could stop himself. “Is this a job interview?”
“No. I don’t mean to be intrusive.”
“But you’re going to keep asking questions?”
“Something like that. Stuck how?”
He finished his coffee. Before he could think about standing up to get another, Patience, the owner of Brew-haha, and about forty-seven months pregnant, waddled over with a pot.
“You look awful,” she said cheerfully. “Still hungover?”
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s not like you. I can’t remember the last time you got drunk.”
Aidan didn’t bother responding. There was no point. He and Patience had known each other their whole lives. One of the advantages—and disadvantages—of living in Fool’s Gold. There weren’t a lot of secrets. Which meant everyone from here to the Nicholson Ranch would soon know exactly what had happened last night.
Shelby frowned at her friend. “Why are you working? You’re due any second.”
“I know.” Patience rested her left hand on her incredibly large belly. “I’m so ready for him to be born. I thought maybe standing on my feet for a few hours would hurry things along. I’m not sleeping, so why make someone else get up early on New Year’s Day?”
