PROLOGUE
Three years ago . . .
Arabella snuckout of the hotel.
Her father was already asleep. He’d worn himself out with all his blustering and anger and taken himself off to bed about half an hour after they’d arrived in Haven.
Coming to Haven to track down Cole was a stupid idea. Cole didn’t want to marry her. He’d made that very clear. But her father thought he’d just needed a break.
From her.
Because everything was always her fault. She was never good enough. Never pretty enough or smart enough or obedient enough.
Never perfect.
Although Lord knew she tried.
Her father blamed the ‘temporary’ break-up on her. He’d told her that she must have annoyed Cole and forced him into needing a break.
But she knew that wasn’t it.
When Cole broke things off with her, she’d acted like she didn’t care, but the truth was that she’d been devastated.
Not because she loved him, but because Cole had been her ticket to getting away from her father.
It might sound insane, but if you met her father you’d get it.
Abusive. Mean. A nasty rattlesnake waiting to strike.
She shuddered and pushed all of those thoughts out of her mind. What she needed was a distraction.
It was nearly nine and growing cooler outside. She wished she’d thought to grab a sweater on her way out.
Oh well.
No way was she going to return to the hotel and risk waking her father.
She needed some time to herself and this town was so darn pretty. She walked toward a place called Dirty Delights. Hmm. Interesting name. It looked like a bar.
Did she dare?
Arabella Bridges in a bar in a small town in the middle of nowhere . . . her father would have an absolute fit.
All the more reason to go in, really.
Where had this rebelliousness come from?
She didn’t know. But she liked it.
As she stepped inside, she suddenly grew apprehensive. What was she supposed to do? Where did she sit? What if someone tried to talk to her?
Who are you kidding? You shouldn’t be here.
Idiot.
“Hello there, darlin’. You got a name or can I call you mine?” a teasing voice asked.
She glanced up at a smiling man. A very attractive man. Shoot. What did she do? He was talking to her!
