Miss Oops!: Strangers to Lovers by Jo Anne Barnes

Author:Jo Anne Barnes [Barnes, Jo Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-11T00:00:00+00:00

The sun filtered through the curtains as Mariana entered her living room, still basking in the afterglow of the previous night and the tender way Tyler had awakened her from the awful dream and held her close to him until she fell asleep again. As she took a step forward, her eyes were drawn to a sight that made her heart skip a beat. A cascade of colors exuded an enchanting aroma that filled the air. The bouquet seemed to mirror the emotions whirling around in her head. They had to be from Tyler. But when did he put them in her house? She thought he’d left. Did he call a florist and have them delivered while he was still at her place? No one had ever given her flowers before, and she was touched. She’d press a blossom or two in a book to keep forever before they died.

Beside the flowers lay a small envelope. Unfolding the note with care, she read the words that danced across the page.

“Dear Mariana,

Hope the flowers bring as much joy to your day as being with you yesterday brought to mine. Wishing you a future that’s as radiant as your smile. You deserve a bright future. Let’s keep pretending. Tyler”

Mariana’s eyes shimmered as the weight of Tyler’s words skimmed over her. They were pretending to be in love! What did that mean exactly? That she could expect more surprises from him? That she could call him if she chose to? Unable to deny the gentle smile playing on her lips, she lifted the bouquet and inhaled its sweet fragrance. She carried his note upstairs to her jewelry box where she would keep it to show their child. She was finding that she liked this pretending to be in love thing. With a stab of self-pity, she wished they weren’t pretending, wished that they were really in love. No, get that out of your head. The man is dying!

Mariana’s heart sank even deeper as she recalled Tyler breaking the news of his upcoming business trip. It shouldn’t have bothered her, but it did. Their night together was awkward at first, but it was heavenly. The best day of her life, if she was honest with herself. It was stupid of her to offer proof that she didn’t have a sexual disease to a man who was dying, and she wasn’t usually guilty of saying stupid things. Being nervous was her excuse, and she was sticking to it.

She would miss him so much she’d ache, which wasn’t what she wanted at all. How disastrous to fall in love with a man who didn’t have long on this earth! He’d explained that he planned to take a leave of absence from work to devote more time to his father, and she hoped that included spending more time with her. She took comfort in knowing he would return in time for their next intimate encounter when her fertility window would be open. What if it took a few months before she became pregnant? I can live with that.

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