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Still stinging from her recent divorce, Emily Buzzly heads to majestic Hawaii to soothe her wounds. But once she arrives on Oahu, Emily discovers that a man she assumes is a beach bum is in fact her personal tour guide, hired by her sister. With his long hair and tattoos, Boston Rondibett is everything Emily detests—despite his sun-kissed surfer body. And with her straight-laced, executive persona, Emily is everything Boston rebels against. But both have a lot to learn about making snap judgments…As it turns out, Boston’s real job, the one he truly cares about, is running his soup kitchen and homeless shelter. Embarrassed by her assumptions, rather than lazy beach days, Emily soon finds herself feeding the hungry, and even involved in the search for an AWOL soldier. And to Boston’s surprise, she’s loving every minute of it—and he’s loving seeing her loosen her chignon and be the admirable, beautiful woman she is. As each works through the challenges of the past, these two very different people just might find their hearts are on the very same page…
His blue eyes turned pleading. He gripped her hands and shuffled. “I mean, I’d try. I’m going to try. I told you, Em. I’m ticking off boxes, not swinging blind. Still, it’s hard to imagine how I could make someone like you happy.”
Right. Because, as Jordan so kindly pointed out, her lofty expectations would be the end of them. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Boston, it’s not a matter of being good enough. It’s a matter of practicality.”
His gaze went hard. It was like watching ice form. “Practicality? I shouldn’t be surprised it comes down to mechanics with you.”
Every last item Jordan had pointed out ran through Emily’s mind with a sudden clarity. “This isn’t a fairy tale. A little feeling isn’t the answer to every small concern. Our differences are real. They matter. And Jordan’s right, I don’t have the empathy it takes to forgive the kind of mistakes you might make. And you helping her. It seems like a bad recipe. The kind that might get someone hurt.”
Someone like me.
The proverbial door slammed against her. His face shuttered, impossible to read. “So, it’s a trust thing?” Nonchalant as royalty, Boston backed away from her. “Eh, I don’t blame you. You’ve got reason enough.”
Maybe he meant the money. Maybe he meant Jordan. Didn’t matter. The answer depended on the question, and the real question was how could it possibly end between them? Boston sulky and resentful in an Armani suit. Emily burning with mortification when asked what her significant other did for a living. One or both of them stranded in a place they didn’t want to be.
Only desperation, Emily’s old and dear companion, could compel her into yet another relationship with no promise of a future. That, she kept to herself.
A Florida native, Roxanne Smith has called everywhere from Houston to Cheyenne home. Currently residing in Asheville, NC, she's an avid reader of every genre, a cat lover, pit bull advocate, and semi-geek. She loves video games, Doctor Who, and her dashing husband. Her two kids are the light of her life.Website: http://www.roxannesmith.net
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thissmithrox
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roxannesmith.author
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