Lover of cake, Dragonflies and France. Hater of calories, maths and snakes. I was born in Hertfordshire but had a nomadic childhood, moving often with my family, and for a time I did actually think my name was ‘The New Girl’. However, having lived in West Sussex all my adult life, it does feel like home and I do now know what my name is! In my previous life, aka before children, I worked in various secretarial/PA roles before admitting defeat at juggling a career with four tiddly-peeps, and left the world of paid employment to rediscover my love of writing.

To my family, with all my love, for all your love.

Chapter One

It was her hair that caught his attention first: short cropped and blonde. White blonde. It was her neat little figure second, and it was the car coming up the road as she stepped backwards off the sidewalk that he noticed last.

Tex Garcia felt like he was moving in slow motion as he lunged towards her, grabbing her arm and hauling her out of the car’s path. She slammed into his chest, and in a reflex gesture he engulfed her in his arms as the car sped by, missing her by inches.

‘Whoa! You got some sort of death wish?’ He looked down at her. Staring back up at him were two startled and confused mossy-green eyes. ‘You just nearly got yourself run over.’

She looked up the road at the offending vehicle as it disappeared out of sight. ‘Th … thank you,’ she stammered. ‘I didn’t see it.’

‘You don’t say.’ He crooked a smile.

‘Well, I think the danger is over now, so maybe you could…’ She regarded his arms still firmly around her. ‘Perhaps release me?’

‘What? Oh, sorry.’ Tex dropped his hands and took a step back. Then, as a precautionary measure, put a hand on her arm and drew her away from the edge of the sidewalk and into the forecourt of the church building. He looked up at his new business premises, wondering what had distracted her. She had been gazing up at the building, poised with a camera in her hand.

She followed his gaze. ‘It’s

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United States of Love

Contents

Sue Fortin

Chapter One