Nicole Laurent

Turning an old friend into a new lover should be easy.  Especially when that old friend is tall, dark, and sinful ex-Army Ranger, Graham Young.  But nothing ever comes easy for Lauren Mitchell.  When Lauren decides to take Graham as her lover, she sets off a chain of events that will reveal things hidden by the two men in her life she thought she could trust most.  

 

Being a single mother at the age of thirty-six was never on Lauren’s things-to-do list.  In addition to her struggle to stay squarely on the path of the mommy track, she fights the good fight with her simmering libido, and avoids fights at all costs with her ex-husband, Aiden Warner. Then Aiden and Lauren’s closest friend returns to their hometown. His reintroduction into their lives tests loyalties and unearths the long-buried secrets of both men, leaving Lauren wondering if anything in her life has been real. And just when Graham proves he is so much more than a summer lover, life throws Lauren a medical crisis with her child, an angry and still possessive ex-husband and a handful of twenty-year-old unsent love letters.

 

 

Excerpt from Chapter 1

 

“So what do you think about him?” Sarah asked, nodding her blonde head toward the end of the bar.

 

Lauren craned her neck to get a better view. Oh dear God, she had to be kidding. “Which one?  The one with the mullet, or the metrosexual guy who’s been giving me smoldering looks for the last half hour?”

 

“Sweet baby Jesus, not mullet man. The metro guy.  He’s kind of hot.  But then again, he might end up requiring more closet space than you.”  Squinting her eyes, she said, “He looks familiar.”

 

Lauren sighed, “Quit looking at him before he gets the wrong idea. That’s Jason Saxby, and he’s a patient of Dr. Farber’s.  I know his dental history.  I refuse to date a man who can’t be bothered to brush his teeth.”

 

“I’m sure it’s not that bad.  You could teach him to floss.”  Sarah paused thoughtfully as she stirred her drink.  “I read in the paper that he just made partner.”

 

“Which just proves my point.  He can actually afford to pay someone to brush his teeth.”  Lauren shuddered. “And don’t get me started on his breath. I have to stand upwind of him when he talks to me.”

 

The waitress stopped at their table and dropped off an order of wings and a huge stack of napkins.  Both women dug in and by mutual understanding did not speak for a good five minutes.

 

Lauren wiped her fingers with a napkin and said, “So Connor had no problem babysitting Joel tonight?”

 

“Pffft.  Please.  And why do we even call it babysitting?  He doesn’t call it babysitting when I’m home with Joel all day.  I’m just being a mom”

 

“At least you don’t have to do Friday night child swaps at the soccer field,” Lauren muttered. “That has to be the highlight of my week.” She was whining.  And she knew it.  But her life was really whine-worthy, considering.

 

Wadding up her napkin, Sarah looked sheepishly at her friend and said, “Sorry.”

 

Lauren waved the apology away. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad.  I just didn’t think I’d be a divorcée at thirty-six and sitting in a bar on a Friday night.  I thought I was done. This whole scene was never on my radar, and quite frankly, my options depress me.”

 

“Lauren.”

 

“No.  I mean, I’m not interested in jumping into this … this game, and I’m not looking for husband number two.” A nanny, personal assistant and an oversized check from Publishers Clearinghouse might be in order…

 

Sarah frowned. “What about companionship?”

 

“I have Cole.”

 

“Who will grow up, get married and have his own family.  You need something more.”

 

“I’ll get a cat.” And turn into a cat lady.  Fabulous.

 

Sarah looked like she was about to say something else when the band came on stage and began an extremely off-key sound check, making both women wince.

 

Sliding off of her stool, Lauren slung her bag over her shoulder and turned to Sarah. “I’m going to go freshen up.  If the waitress comes by again, order me another drink?”

 

Lauren washed her hands, dried them and began touching up her lipstick.  She paused with the tube just inches from her mouth and studied the woman in the mirror.  She saw an attractive, maybe sexy thirty something woman who looked tired.  She was tired.  Not so much physically. She worked four days a week as a dental office manager and when the day was done, it was done.  It was the working, the raising of a child and juggling the balls she used to have at least partial assistance with that seemed to suck the life out of her.  On top of that, she was tired of always second guessing her decision to divorce Aiden.  It had been a no-brainer, hadn’t it?

 

Leaning toward the mirror, she applied lipstick to a mouth that hadn’t been kissed in passion for nearly two years.  That thought made her frown.  She dropped her lipstick back into her bag and fingered her chocolate curls until they looked properly tousled.  Then she stood straight, turned to the side and sucked in her stomach.  Not bad … if she could hold her breath all night.

 

With a sigh, she hooked her bag over her shoulder and stalked out of the bathroom and into the dark hall.  Just as she stepped out the door, she collided with a rather large obstacle. Big hands squeezed her upper arms stopping her in her tracks.

 

“My fault!” she gasped as she attempted to step around the man.

 

“Lauren?”

 

That voice.  Deep, smooth as whiskey … and tugging at things low in her body. She knew that voice. Lifting her head, she ran her gaze up a broad chest to a muscular, tan neck and then she reached his eyes.  Oh, God.  That voice belonged to a man who shouldn’t make her think of sweaty bodies and damp sheets. Jesus.

 

“Graham!” She launched herself at him to hide her blush, wrapping her arms around his neck.  His body enveloped hers easily, allowing her to feel his warmth, his incredible strength, his affection.  His face was buried in her curls and she heard him take a long, deep breath in.  Loosening her hold, she inched back in order to look up at him.

 

He was, if possible, more handsome than she remembered.  Towering over her at at a little over six feet, he had a warm, naturally dark complexion.  His black hair was on the short side, but long enough that she could see the beginnings of the natural wave she remembered.  His eyes were a deep, rich brown and they almost always had a sultry, hooded look.  His face was chiseled and angular, square at the jaw and sported a perpetual five o’clock shadow.  Small, almost imperceptible lines fanned from the outer corners of his eyes.

                       

Lauren smiled up into his face and asked, “What are you doing home?”

 

He slowly pulled back from her embrace, stuffed his hands into the pockets of his faded jeans and cocked his head to the side.  She knew this was an expression of extreme confusion for Graham.  “I’ve been home a month, girl. I’m at my dad’s old place. Aiden didn’t tell you?”

 

Her smile froze and slid away. “No.  He didn’t mention it.”

 

The perplexed look on Graham’s face remained.  He took a step back towards the entrance of the short hall and scanned the entire bar.  “Are you guys at a table?”

 

“Who?”

 

His eyebrows drew together. “You and Aiden.”

 

“Why would I be here with Aiden?”

 

He stepped closer, his eyes scrutinizing her.  “Because he’s your husband?”

 

Lauren let out a mirthless laugh. “Graham.  We’re divorced.”

 

Graham stood there and looked at her as if she were speaking in tongues. But he said nothing, just waited patiently for her to elaborate. She knew she was too old to fall for this old trick, but jeez, was it possible that being in the military had refined this skill?  The piercing look he was giving her now made her feel like she was sitting in the principal’s office.  And the police were coming in for questioning.

 

She cleared her throat and looked down at her feet, then peeked back up at him. “Um … yeah.  How do you not know this?”

 

Graham studied her for a few moments with eyes that seemed to ask far more than his mouth would ever say.  At length, he said, “Look, can we sit down somewhere and catch up?”

 

“I’m here with a friend.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Tucking a curl behind her ear and mentally cursing the nervous gesture, she said, “I mean, come over and let me introduce you to Sarah.  Unless you have other plans.”

 

His mouth tipped into that private smile he always reserved for her. “I just stopped by for a beer and to watch the game.  I didn’t realize there would be a band playing.  Where’s your table?”

 

Lauren led Graham to where Sarah waited via the obstacle course of chairs, tables and people.  Sarah saw them approach and her eyes widened a bit when she got a good look at Graham.  Shifting her gaze to Lauren, her eyes seemed to scream, Score!

 

Graham pulled out Lauren’s chair but remained standing.  “Sarah,” Lauren began, “this is one of my oldest friends from forever, Graham Young.  Graham, this is my best friend and neighbor, Sarah Lee.” 

 

Shaking Sarah’s hand, Graham smirked. “The Sara Lee?  As in, ‘Nobody does it like Sara Lee’?”

 

Laughing, Sarah withdrew her hand and said, “Yes, but actually it’s ‘Nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.’  And I’ve never heard that before.”

 

“Sorry,” Graham chuckled, “I couldn’t stop myself.”

 

After Graham took the seat in between them, Lauren said, “So you said you’ve been home a month.  Why didn’t you call?”

 

Graham’s questioning gaze held hers. “I did. Like three weeks ago.  I left a message on Aiden’s cell.  I didn’t hear back so I figured you guys were busy.”

 

“Too busy for you?  That’s ridiculous!”

 

He shrugged, as if to say, what can you do?

 

“Aiden didn’t call you back?”

 

“Not yet.  I mentioned on the message that I would be in town for a few months at least so maybe he figures he has time to get back to me.  We haven’t been in touch much the last few years with me being constantly deployed and all but-”

 

“So you’re on leave for a while?”

 

“I’m done.  I’m out.”

 

Just then, the server swung by and plopped a mug of beer in front of Graham.  The conversation stalled and Lauren looked over at Sarah.  Lauren knew that Sarah had a million questions but Lauren herself had a million and one different questions and some of them would need to be directed to her ex-husband.  She watched Graham as he dragged his beer this way and that, seemingly at a loss for things to say.

 

“So Graham, what branch of the military were you in?” Sarah asked.

 

“Army, ma’am, twenty years.”

 

Sarah tittered and said, “Don’t call me ma’am, it makes me feel old.”

 

He winked and said, “Not my intention, just a respect thing.  We are in the South, after all.”

 

Sarah dimpled at him and Lauren nearly rolled her eyes. Sarah said, “What did you do in the Army, if you don’t mind me asking?”

 

He took a swig of his beer and swallowed.  “Special Forces.”

 

It looked to Lauren like Sarah was barely suppressing a mock orgasm.  Sarah shot Lauren a look that asked, ‘Why the hell don’t you jump on him now?’

 

“So you’re moving to Wakefield?” Sarah prodded.

 

Swiveling in his chair to face Sarah, he said, “I’m not sure.  My dad died a few years ago and left me his old house on Lake Arrow.  I’m trying to decide if I should fix it up and sell it or fix it up and keep it.”

 

As Sarah and Graham talked, Lauren studied the man who had been her friend for the last twenty years.  Graham’s best friend was her ex-husband, Aiden. Both boys were on the football team but that was where their similarities ended. The men were nearly opposites.  Aiden was blonde and Graham was dark.  Aiden wore his personality, his charm and his looks like an aura, shining so brightly; it almost hurt to look at him.  Graham was rough-hewn, more aggressively male, but attractive all the same. He would never be considered classically handsome but most women agreed he was the quintessential man.

 

Lauren tried to follow the thread of conversation but she couldn’t focus on anything but her own shock.  How could Aiden keep Graham in the dark about their divorce?  Why? And why hadn’t he bothered to return Graham’s call?

 

She had filed for divorce not long after Graham had come home for his father’s funeral.  Aiden was his closest friend.  Guys told each other stuff like that, didn’t they?  Graham had been her friend too, but Lauren had assumed that Aiden had won custody of him in the divorce.  She hadn’t heard from him in two years but she could never decide if it was because he was on some secret black ops mission or if he had washed his hands of her for divorcing Aiden.

 

Sarah kept the conversation going for a while but it soon became obvious that Lauren was lost in her own thoughts.  The band had started playing and Lauren felt the beginnings of a headache.  The deep pounding bass coming from the speakers near their table only seemed to amplify it.

 

She meant to glance covertly at Graham, but the way his knowing eyes locked on hers let her know he had been watching her.  She looked back at Sarah and said, “My head’s killing me.  Would you be mad if we called it a night?”

 

Raising her hand to catch the waitress’s attention, Sarah said, “Not at all, hon. I’ll take care of the bill and you call the taxi service.”

 

Under the table, Graham nudged Lauren’s knee with his. “I’m taking you home.”  His tone brooked no argument.

 

***** 

 

Graham parked his Ford F150 in Lauren’s driveway and both Lauren and Graham stayed outside to watch Sarah get securely into her house.  “Nice set-up you got here.  Girlfriend lives three doors down?”

 

“How do you think we met, Graham?  We were neighbors first and then our boys became friends.  Can you see Aiden agreeing to buy a house just so I could be close to my friend?”

 

Dead silence.  They had been leaning against the side of his truck and Lauren turned her head to look at him. He was somewhere in his own head, eyes squinting off into the middle distance.

 

Finally, he straightened from the truck and turned to Lauren.  “I don’t know what to think.  I can’t really wrap my head around this.”

 

Lauren cleared her throat and straightened too.  “Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?”

 

Nodding silently, Graham followed her into the house.  They made their way through the dark front room and then into the kitchen where only a small lantern style light glowed over the sink.  He leaned against the counter as she made herself busy filling the carafe with water, measuring out coffee grounds and taking out mugs.  Though the chores were simple ones, she felt as if she were forging her way through a bog.

 

The coffee maker hissed and gurgled and the sounds seemed somehow amplified to Lauren in the otherwise silent kitchen.  She turned and leaned against the opposite counter facing Graham.  “So let me get this straight.  Aiden never told you we were divorced?”

 

Arms and ankles crossed, Graham looked at the floor and shook his head.

 

“He didn’t tell you we were separated?  Not getting along?  Nothing?”

 

He looked up at her then. “Nothing.”

 

“How is that possible?  I thought you guys corresponded.”

 

“We did.”

 

“And?”

 

He shrugged.  “He never said a word.”

 

“Don’t you think that’s odd?”

 

He heaved a sigh.  “Lauren, like I said, I don’t know what to think.  Our letters never got that personal, you know what I mean?”

 

Laughing wryly, she said, “No.  I mean, I don’t know what kind of letters guys write to each other.  But surely you see that it’s odd that Aiden would fail to mention that we divorced … nearly two years ago!”

 

He smirked at her and said, “Well it sounds like you’re a little pissed.”

 

“Hell, yes, I’m pissed!  I’m a lot of things, but pissed is winning right now. Why aren’t you?”

 

“I’m working on it.”

 

Lauren shoved her fingers through her hair and turned to pour the coffee. “Who has to work at being pissed?  You either are or you aren’t. I’m not seeing any gray areas here.”

 

He shuffled up behind her and reached to take the mug she offered as she turned. “Twenty years of military training.  It doesn’t pay to react from emotion.”

 

She blew over the rim of her mug.  “So you don’t get mad?”

 

“Sure I do.”

 

“When?  Like a year later?”

 

After he sipped at his coffee he said, “When I’ve had time to process things.” 

Lauren cocked an eyebrow at his statement.  “Good luck with that.  It’s been two years and I’m still processing things.”