A DATE FOR THE WEDDING
A LAFAYETTE FALLS ROMANCE~BOOK 3
After a hit-and-run accident ends her career as a principal dancer, Myra Harwood seeks a fresh start in Lafayette Falls. Opening a dance studio is all-consuming for her and she’s determined to rebuild her life, leaving no room for distractions—or romance. But when she learns her scheming ex has been invited to her best friend’s wedding, she knows she can’t go alone. Myra needs a date for the wedding—with no strings attached.
Enter Travis Shelby, the charming firefighter with a reputation. Almost five years after the death of his fiancée, he’s hoping to find love again, only to be branded a heartbreaker. But when Travis meets Myra, he knows he’s finally found a second chance at love, but can he prove he’s a man worth loving?
As summer heats up, so does their undeniable chemistry. But old wounds and unresolved fears threaten to tear them apart. How can Myra trust her own judgment when it comes to a man, especially Travis? Can they overcome the lingering issues in their past, or will their date for the wedding be their last?
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EXCERPT (the first meet)
The kitchen fire was at a small eatery specializing in Chinese takeout. The police were already present on Franklin Street and had set up barricades. Freddy, the wheelman of Travis’s crew, stopped their rig in front of Chen’s.
Travis sent Rodrigo and Jack to turn off the utilities to the building. Once that was done, he put on his respirator and followed Lucas and Freddy inside, where the smoke in the kitchen formed a heavy cloud. Lucas and Freddy blasted the flames above the industrial stove with an extinguisher. At the same time, Travis and Jack checked the upstairs storage rooms and the front of the building.
Travis returned outside and talked to the lieutenant of the engine crew, who arrived in a pumper truck.
Travis removed his helmet and stashed it in the truck cab. He waited by the rig for Lucas to radio him the all-clear on the inside. People gathered beyond the police barricade. Most of the faces were familiar since he’d grown up in Lafayette Falls. Many of them were from the small businesses that populated the downtown area.
Then he noticed her.
His gaze locked on her and her alone.
She stood near the barricade, chatting with Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Langley, who ran the meat market a few blocks down. The petite young woman who caught his eye was otherworldly compared to the ordinary crowd.
The afternoon sunlight bathed her pale blonde hair. She wore what resembled a tank top bathing suit, crafted from pearl-colored silk and adorned with delicate beads that shimmered with every movement.
The iridescent fabric clung to her toned abdomen, accentuated by a sheer, gossamer pink skirt fastened at her waist. Her shimmering tights mirrored the luster of her top, and she wore pink slippers with ribbons around her ankles. She looked ethereal, like something from a distant, enchanted world.
As far as he was concerned, her petite, toned body was a vision of hotness.
She glanced his way, and he held her gaze for a moment before she averted her gaze. He wet his lips and swore silently. He liked so much about her. She was beautiful and feminine and sensual. Everything he found desirable in a woman. She was the total package, as far as he was concerned, and he knew there’d be more than a spark between them.
There would be hearts on fire if she were as attracted to him as he was to her.
Lucas radioed Travis. “I don’t think we’re gonna need any lines in here. Looks like when one of the cooks tried to put out the grease fire, the drywall lit up.”
“Copy that,” Travis spoke into his microphone. “I’ll have the guys from the engine relieve you and do the overhaul.”
He pulled off his bulky turnout coat. That left him dressed in a white polo shirt with his firehouse emblem on his chest and protective pants covering his navy uniform slacks. Glancing toward the barricade, he saw his dream girl standing in the crowd surrounding Mrs. Chen.
Making his way to the barricade to have a conversation with Mrs. Chen, he found himself captivated by the girl who made his heart race. What if she was wearing a wedding band? What if she wasn’t receptive to him? What if big guys weren’t her type? He was a big guy. Six three and 190 pounds, all muscle.
“Mrs. Chen,” he greeted the owner of the business. “I have some good news for you. The fire is out, and the damage appears limited to the kitchen area.”
“That’s a good thing. Thank you.” Mrs. Chen sniffled, and Mrs. Langley from the meat market offered her words of comfort.
A quick glance to the right revealed the fairytale girl talking to a young boy and girl. He checked out her hands. No rings. He grinned. Maybe it was his lucky day.
“Can I go inside?” Mrs. Chen asked.
“Not yet,” Travis told her. “But soon.” He told her that the next step after extinguishing the fire was to check for any remaining flame ups. “The crew inside will tear out the wallboard around the burned area to check for potential hazards and do another building check. We can’t release it until we’re sure there are no issues.”
The fairytale girl turned to speak to Mrs. Chen. Travis straightened as he studied her delicate features, committing every detail to memory.
“If you need anything, I’m just across the street,” she said to Mrs. Chen in a soft voice.
Mrs. Chen nodded. “Thank you, Myra.”
Myra. Travis’s heart pounded as his fairytale girl now had a name. Her lips were painted a dark pink, and she wore a sparkly pink heart stuck to her right cheek. He held her gaze for a moment and managed to speak, “I’m Travis Shelby. With the fire department.”
“Myra Harwood,” she said in a voice so soft he almost didn’t hear her. “Instructor at the dance studio.” She gave him a nod, and then she turned to the boy and girl waiting for her. She herded them toward a building across the street. The two kids went in first. She waited on the sidewalk for a moment.
She glanced over her shoulder at him and then disappeared through the glass door.
Travis pulled himself together and studied the renovated old building. Gold stars fell along the sides of the front window, where fancy script letters spelled out Infinity School of Dance. Then he realized that was where he'd picked up his niece, Charlotte, from dance class.
“Uncle Travis, I love dance class. Someday, I want to be like Miss Myra. I think she’s the best dancer ever, and she says I’m a good dancer, too.”
Travis turned to see Lucas shaking his head. “Don’t tell me you’re hitting on bystanders now. Damn,” Lucas said, and a laugh escaped his lips. “That’s some sad shit.”
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