An Inopportune Love Excerpt
An Inopportune Love Excerpt – Their First Meeting
This chapter of my life is over.
As I slip into the back of the taxi at London’s Gatwick Airport, my phone rings. I look at the screen and see the bright smile from my cousin, Jada McLean.
“Hey.”
“Maya, how are you doing? I know today must be difficult and I wanted to check on you before you left.”
Today is a difficult day. It’s the day I was supposed to leave London where I lived with my husband to return home to the island of Saint Lucia.
Ten months ago, we were happy…or so I thought. I left the house to go for a run with my pair of papillons, Coco and Chanel, and when I returned home, our life and my marriage, as I knew it was over.
Done.
Kaput.
Since then, I’ve been trying to close things down here while being haunted by the events of that day. I was hoping to make it home in time for Christmas, but…
“Hey. I won’t be going anywhere. My big plan to surprise Daddy backfired. First, I called him to let him know that I was on my way home when he told me he was gallivanting in Puerto Rico with his new girlfriend and he would soon be boarding a cruise ship. Plus, when I went to check-in at the airport, they told me the flight was canceled.”
“Oh gosh, no. I’m sorry. So, where are you now?”
“I’m going back to our condo with my luggage and the dogs. Luckily, the new owners aren’t due to move in and take up residence until January 1. So much for my big surprise.”
“So, you’re spending Christmas alone?”
“It looks that way. Most probably, I’ll be traveling.”
“Maya, can you hold a sec, please?”
“Sure.”
I run my fingers through Coco’s fur as he lies quietly in his travel bag; Chanel is fast asleep in hers.
“Maya?” Jada returns.
“Hey.”
“Look, we’re all in Switzerland at my sister-in-law’s house for the holidays. You remember Megan and Daemon, don’t you?”
“Of course. We met at Val and Cassie’s funeral in Miami.”
“Sweetie, instead of traveling back to an empty condo, or back home where no one you love is around, why don’t you come and spend the holidays with us?”
“I don’t know…I don’t want to intrude.”
“You wouldn’t be intruding. Both Daemon and Megan welcome you. Mommy is here, Bobby and Sicora are here, plus tons of our close friends and family. You told me you wanted to and you were going to do everything in your power to get past this. Please, don’t isolate yourself at a time like this.”
Tears sting my eyes as I listen to her words.
“You should be around family,” Jada continues. “Please. I thought you were going to be with Uncle Josh for Christmas, that’s why I didn’t suggest this before, but he has plans of his own. You shouldn’t be alone. Please, come, spend some time with us.”
“Where would I stay? I have Coco and Chanel with me—you know having pets can add an extra layer of difficulty with hotels and travel plans, plus, it’s Christmas.”
“You don’t worry about that. Look, tell that taxi to turn around and take you back to the airport. I’ll send you everything you need. Just give me ten minutes.”
“You’re sure?”
“Actually, tell him to take you to Heathrow instead. There’s a flight leaving at 4:35 p.m. If I can get you on it, you’ll be here in time for dinner. How many pieces of luggage do you have?”
My shoulders grow tense when I think of all that I’m hauling with me. “Jada, this is going to be too much trouble.”
“How many?” she replies sternly.
“Six suitcases and two carry-on travel bags for the dogs in addition to my purse. For my flight back home, I had just purchased an extra seat so that they could sit with me on the plane.”
“Consider it done. Text or email me all the travel info I’ll need to know for the dogs.”
“Okay. I have passports for both of them.”
“By the time you arrive at Heathrow, it will be just in time to board your flight and get here. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Minutes after I end the call, my phone rings. However, this time, I don’t recognize the number. I answer, just in case it has to do with my last-minute travels.
“Maya speaking.”
“You have something belonging to me and I want it back.”
“Who is this and what are you talking about?”
“Nice one. You and I both know what we’re talking about. I suggest you return it tonight or there will be some major problems.”
“You have the wrong person and the wrong number. Do me a favor and lose it and don’t ever call this number again.”
I end the call…
It’s almost 7 p.m. when I return to the Ros’s house after some last-minute Christmas shopping.
I head into the apartment over their garage to shower and change before I join them at the main house for dinner.
As I open the door downstairs to the foyer and go upstairs to the living room, I hear a dog barking. When I step into the living room, two small dogs, I think, papillons come barreling down the hall. One barks and as I put my shopping bags down on the sofa, the other leaps into my arms and begins licking my face.
At the same time, a woman steps out of the bathroom at the end of the hall. When her eyes meet mine, she screams and her towel drops to the floor.
Heat coils around my neck at the sight of her voluptuous, naked body. My mouth drops open and for a moment; I’m struck frozen by her beauty.
“Stop staring!” She covers her rounded breasts and her center with her hands and arms while trying to hurriedly crouch down to the floor.
Her words snap me out of my untimely trance and I immediately turn around. My throat turns dry. Clearing it, I ask, “Who are you, and why are you in my apartment?”
“What do you mean your apartment? Megan and Daemon invited me here. I’m Maya. They said they spoke to you and you knew I was coming.”
Shit!
I set the dog down on the floor. “Is it safe for me to turn around now?”
“Yes,” she barks.
I turn to see her completely flushed, smooth, cinnamon skin, against the bright white towel. Her brown eyes are barely able to meet mine.
“Well, when we spoke and Megan said your name, I thought I heard her say, Micah, not Maya. I was…”
“…expecting a man?” She finishes my statement. “Still, it’s no reason for you to gape and leer that way. For God’s sake, be a bloody gentleman.”
“I apologize. I was completely caught off guard. I wasn’t prepared to see a woman in my space.”
“What? You have a problem with the opposite sex?”
“Don’t let my ponytail fool you. I explained to you what happened and I apologized. You could try just a smidgen to be a little more understanding about it.”
“Not when you ogle that way.”
“Oh, don’t flatter yourself. You’re not my type.”
“What? Civilized?”
“What a joke. I love women of all types. When it comes to the opposite sex, I do not discriminate. What I can’t stand are those who are bitchy, uncompromising, and uncouth.”
She gasps at my response and looks down. For a split second, I regret my choice of words. Then…
“You know what? You’re a personified jerk. The epitome of the word cad and a pompous ass. Do me a favor Mr. Neanderthal.”
I smile inwardly at her rude mouth.
She continues, “Stay in your room and I’ll stay in mine. We should probably stay far apart from each other. If you’d excuse me, I need to get dressed.”
At the sound of her words, some excitement runs through my body and though I’ve never had one, I realize I’m attracted to feisty…
As she grips the towel in her hand and turns around, for the first time, I notice her shimmering diamond wedding and engagement rings.
Where is her husband?
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An Inopportune Love – Book #9 in Rebecca Rohman’s Love On The Pacific Shores Series
