Book 5: It Happened One Night
The Summer Kisses Series
A chance meeting…
Four years ago, Nora and Chad were strangers. Each fleeing family drama, they met on a remote beach in the Hamptons, shared a drink, their frustrations, and their dreams.
A silent goodbye…
Without exchanging contact information, Nora slipped away, convinced that Chad wouldn’t see her the same in the light of day. Meanwhile, Chad can’t forget Nora. He’s been searching for her ever since.
And a grandmother who can’t mind her own business…
Just when Chad is about to give up the search and devote himself solely to the family diamond business, his matchmaking, bucket-list loving grandmother hires him a health coach – Nora. Now they both have a second chance to turn one night into something that can last forever.
If you enjoy secret identity movies like Sweet Home Alabama or Serendipity, you’ll enjoy this full-length, sweet romantic comedy with an HEA and no cliffhangers.
Excerpt:
The door to 12C stood open.
A petite, elderly woman in a purple tracksuit and yellow sneakers waved. “You must be Nora. I’m Dotty, the one who called.” Dotty had short gray hair that had partially escaped her attempts to make two little pigtails behind her ears. She handed Nora a check. “And good, you brought food. Maybe the boy will eat. I’m so worried.”
“Help has arrived,” Nora said in a too-chipper voice. And then she didn’t dare speak because of the opulence of the room behind Dotty.
The apartment looked as if it had been lifted from the pages of a magazine as an example of modern minimalism. The exterior wall was made of glass and extended two stories upward. The floors were dark hardwood, laid in a herringbone pattern. The seating was modern, tan, chrome, and leather. There were paintings hung on the walls, one of which looked like a Van Gogh Starry Night. An original? A large television hung over the black marble slab fireplace. To the left of the living room was an open kitchen with slick white cabinets and black marble countertops. The place lacked warmth. It didn’t have as much as a fuzzy throw or a soft pillow.
Nothing about the apartment felt like Dotty, who led her toward the kitchen. It certainly didn’t look like the home of a young boy. It felt like an austere home, one designed to impress. This was the home of a man who had no patience or time for imperfections, sub-standard, or celebrities who milked the press.
Nora’s breath suddenly burned in her lungs as if she’d eaten pasta for breakfast and run all the way over here.
The words, “Don’t tell them about mom,” echoed in Nora’s head like a bad voice-over in one of her mother’s horror films.
“How do we get this party started, Nora?” Dotty took a seat at the massive kitchen island. “Not just for me, but for my boy.”
“Nutrition is a key to my program.” Nora set her purchases on the counter and began unpacking bags. “So, I’d like to take inventory of your pantry and refrigerator. And then we’ll begin to purge and replace.”
“Have at it.” Dotty waved a hand. And then she swung around in her bar stool and called out, “Whiskers, where are you?”
“Whiskers.” Nora smiled. That sounded like the name of a friendly cat. It followed that whoever Mr. Summer was, he couldn’t be all bad if he owned a cat. Nora opened a cupboard door to what she assumed was the pantry.
The shelves were bare. Likewise, the refrigerator had nothing of consequence in it besides a bag of exotic coffee beans.
Nora frowned. Where were the staples little boys devoured? Cookies? Potato chips? Ice cream? Soda? “Does your grandson live here?”
“Yes. I’m just visiting.” Dotty called out again, “Whiskers!”
“I’m confused.” Nora gave a little laugh, placing two glass bowls she’d brought on the counter and filling them with steel-cut oatmeal. “Who lives here?”
“I do.” A tall, handsome man emerged from a doorway at the back of the kitchen. He had classic, if somewhat hollow, features – a strong chin, defined cheekbones, bright blue eyes – and nearly-black hair that was pushed away from his face. He had an air of sophistication and privilege that ran counter to his blue T-shirt, blue jeans, and bare feet.
Bare feet shouldn’t be sexy, but they struck Nora as such, reminding her of beaches and sunsets.
“Whiskers, this is Nora.” Dotty smiled as if all was right in the world. “She’s going to help us get healthier.”
“Whiskers?” Nora choked out.
“That’s me,” the man said in a weary voice. “I’m Chadwick Summer and for some reason when I was a boy, Grandma Dotty started calling me Whiskers.”
“You had many playdates with your cousin Kitty at my house.” Dotty sniffed as if her rationale should make sense to anyone and everyone. “Chadwick became Wick and evolved to Whiskers. Kitty and Whiskers.”
“Most people call me Chad.” He set an empty coffee cup in the sink and extended his hand to shake.
There was something about the timbre of his voice and the way he moved that awakened a memory inside of Nora.
Oh, no.
It’s him.
The Story Behind the Story
I love stories with some serendipity - that is, fate brings a hero and heroine together. And sometimes it takes more than one “chance” meeting. That’s the basis of this story. Nora and Chad met years ago but didn’t exchange contact information. Although Nora is embarrassed about it, Chad has been looking for her all this time.
If you haven’t read a Grandma Dotty romcom… I love Dotty! She speaks her mind. She has a bucket list. And she understands that she can be a bit scattered. But she’s embraced it (unlike many in her family). This book introduces some of her grandsons into the mix, which I’m very excited about. They work in the diamond industry, which I find romantic and fascinating.
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