Free Welcoming the Bad Boy: A Hero's Welcome Novel by Annie Rains Page A

that was for the best.
    “Everyone ready?” she asked, looking around at the expectant faces. Seeing several nods, she read the first line. She always suffered over the first line of one of her books. It was meant to draw the readers in and invite them to stay.
    Val started to read. “Anything monumental that had ever happened in Alice’s life had happened in a torrential downpour. Alice held up her umbrella and bravely got out of her car, expecting the worst, but hoping for the best.”
    Val glanced up quickly to see if the ladies were still interested. Surprisingly, all of the book club’s women were still watching her. None of them were tossing cheese sticks or raisins at her head.
    Good. This is good.
    Val continued reading. An hour later, she stopped and placed a bookmark to hold their place. “We’ll read some more next time, ladies. Right now I’ve got food to start cooking.”
    “Cook?” Alma frowned. “I always hated cooking.”
    “Me, too,” Val said, nodding. She looked at Helen, who’d been listening to every word she’d said for the last hour. “What about you, Helen? Did you ever like to cook?”
    Helen’s brow sank over her hazel eyes. She was younger than the rest of the women. Too young to be suffering from something like Alzheimer’s. Most people her age were still working, or easing into retirement and looking forward to enjoying their golden years with their children and grandchildren.
    “I don’t know,” Helen said, looking very confused. “I like chocolate.”
    It wasn’t an appropriate answer and Val wondered if Helen even remembered the question. “I like chocolate, too.”
    The other women concurred.
    “You should bring more of that next time instead of those healthy things you brought today,” Alma said. “We get enough foods like that from the cafeteria.”
    “Right. I’ll think about it.” Val stood and pulled her bag over her shoulder. Most of the women could walk or wheel themselves back to their rooms. Helen, however, sat very still, just like she had every time since she’d started coming to the group. One of the nurses had suggested that the activity would be good for her. Helen enjoyed listening to people talk, but she wasn’t great at socializing anymore.
    Val walked up behind her wheelchair and started pushing her, knowing she couldn’t remember how to get back to her room on her own. Helen was perfectly capable of walking, but she preferred sitting in a wheelchair. It eased her anxiety over not knowing what to do or where to go. The padded arms hugged her body and offered her a security that her memory was robbing her of these days.
    When they got to room 311, Val pushed her chair inside. “Here we are, Helen.”
    Helen looked up, her eyes sparkling with moisture. Val wasn’t sure if it was because she was sad or maybe just tired. “You’re welcome,” Helen said.
    Val assumed she meant to say “thank you.” “You, too.”
    Val started to walk away, but Helen reached for her arm.
    “Can I keep that?” Helen asked, pointing to the book in Val’s hand.
    “You want to keep the book?”
    Helen nodded, smiling at the cover.
    Val handed it over. “Sure. You can keep it safe until we read it again in book club. Don’t let any of the other women get ahold of it and read ahead, though. We all read together.”
    Helen nodded, but Val wasn’t sure she’d received the message. It was okay.
    With a smile and a wave, Val headed out of the room and ran straight into a taller, stronger, darker person, walking alongside a dog. Trooper wagged his tail at the sight of her. Griffin’s expression was unreadable. He looked from Helen to Val, then his gaze fell to the book in Helen’s hand.
    “What’s that?” he asked, pointing at his mother’s lap.
    “Book club pick,” Val said, growing nervous at just the thought of someone she knew seeing her beside the book. As if anyone would somehow figure out that she was the one who’d written it. Her back cover