Trouble Looming (The Tapestry Series Book 2)
***Blurb***
Cole Becker helped his father raise his younger siblings after their mother died.
He helped his father take care of his aging parents until they passed away.
Now it’s time for Cole to have the life he deserves.
When he meets Sara, all of his dreams seem to finally be within reach…until things begin to fall apart. Their perfect romance soon becomes complicated, scary, even life-threatening. Will happiness ever be theirs? Will Cole and Sara get their ‘someday’ together? Continue Tapestry, the Becker’s family saga in Trouble Looming, sequel to Crewel Work.
*Excerpt***
He lifted the pitcher of green beer and mugs off the bar, held them over his head and began the trek back to his buddies at their table. Avoiding the tables along the wall this time, he crossed the middle of the room. All was fine until a guy had stepped on a girl’s foot, and she jumped back and into Cole’s path. The entire pitcher of green beer emptied over the petite blonde standing at Cole’s left hip, soaking her.
She stood in shock partly because the beer was cold and partly because her wet blouse was now transparent. She felt like everyone in the bar was looking at her. All she could think at that moment was how glad she was that she had put on one of her good bras to go out that night.
From his vantage point, Cole looked down into the valley that was her cleavage. Rising gently from the pink lace bra that she wore he saw the swell of her generous breasts. Cole dropped the empty pitcher and mugs and immediately removed his T-shirt. He ignored the hoots and hollers from the crowd at the woman’s revealing top and his striptease-like move, and covered the petite blonde with his shirt. Her friends quickly ushered her into the restroom. He watched the trio go into the women’s room. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. It all happened too fast and like that she was gone, swept away. Jeff came over to where Cole still stood to check out what was going on with his friend.
“You okay?”
“Yes. No. Yes. I’m going to my car to get an extra shirt. Don’t let her leave.”
“Who?”
“The gorgeous blonde,” Cole yelled over his shoulder to Jeff as he ran out of the pub.
Cole had an extra golf shirt with his clubs in the trunk of his car. So he went out to the parking lot, retrieved the golf shirt and put it on. Eventually he began laughing to himself over the situation, but he did feel bad for the woman he had soaked, imagining her embarrassment at suddenly having so much of her body revealed in the crowded bar. She took his breath away. The small woman was quite beautiful. Cole was recalling the sight of her deep blue eyes, creamy skin and soft pink lips when his thoughts were disturbed by noise a few cars away in the parking lot. It was her, putting her wet shirt in her car. Cole immediately thought Jeff hadn’t done as he’d asked him to. Luckily, Cole ran into her outside before she got away. The sight of this woman wearing his T-shirt sent Cole’s thoughts racing.
I am so sorry,” Cole said as he walked over to her.
“It was accident. Don’t worry about it.” She held her hand out to Cole and introduced herself. “Sara Thompkins.” Looking him up and down, she couldn’t believe he was so incredibly drop dead gorgeous. She didn’t know men this good looking really did exist.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Cole said, and he meant it. He grasped the small hand that she offered. “Cole Becker.” He looked into her eyes and felt he could see right into her soul. What he saw appeared to be a glow within her. He’d never experienced anything like that before and, frankly, it scared him. Her smile bore evidence of the warmth that filled her heart. Cole decided that he, from here on out, would make certain that no one ever extinguished her inner light. Her heart would never have the opportunity to grow cold.
“You’re not leaving, are you, Sara?”
She hesitated before answering. “I was considering calling it a night.” Gold flecks in his brown eyes shimmered in the reflection of the parking lot lights, mesmerizing her. “Please don’t leave. Come back inside. Please, Sara. I’ll buy you a beer. I’ll even let you carry it.”
She giggled. “Seriously, thank you for the use of your shirt and your quick reaction. I had no idea how transparent that blouse became when it got wet!” Sara blushed and averted her gaze from Cole. She was a little embarrassed but also had found his eyes so mesmerizing it was hard for her to hold their gaze for any length of time.
Cole smiled. She was captivating. “I’m sorry that my technique in covering you with it was less than gentlemanly. I know that I grabbed a breast at one point. It was purely accidental, I assure you.” It might have been an accident that time, but he wouldn’t have minded being given the opportunity to go there again.
Sara bit her bottom lip to keep a laugh from escaping. She felt her cheeks warm and knew they were likely red. He probably was telling the truth, though she thought she wouldn’t mind getting to know this man well enough that he’d decide to stake claim of her whole chest. No, no, her whole body.
“Oops.” Cole tried to look as innocent as possible. “Let’s go back in.”
Cole’s puppy dog eyes and pleading helped her make up her mind to stay.
He was glad she didn’t object when he placed his hand on the small of her back and began to guide her back to the pub’s entrance. Not only that she hadn’t had a hissy fit, this woman was going back into the pub, not letting the incident ruin her evening. Cole really liked this woman already.
Sara and her entourage mingled with Cole and his friends on and off throughout the night.
“Man, Jeff gets one woman to dance with him and now he’s got all the confidence in the world. He’s danced with both of Sara’s friends several times now.” Bob’s jealousy was evident. “Maybe, but still Dan’s the Man, Bob.” Cole nodded in the direction of where Dan stood kissing Sara’s friend, Denise. Cole laughed at how defeated Bob looked. “Aw, come on. You haven’t exactly been sitting around alone all evening. I’m not buying your ‘oh, woe is me’ act.”
Bob left Sara and Cole sitting at the table and headed toward the bar. They could hear him spouting foolish pick- up lines along the way. Sara and Cole turned to each other and laughed.
“Oh, Bob’s a flirt. He’ll have a girl on his arm in mere moments,” Cole said.
“I’m going to check in with Denise, see if she thinks she’ll need a ride home. Then I think I’m going to call it evening.”
“I’ll wait by the door to walk you to your car.”
Sara returned without Denise, who’d decided she would get a ride home from Dan. After saying goodnight to the rest of her friends, Cole walked Sara to her car.
“Well, Cole, how may I return your shirt?” Sara looked down at Cole’s T-shirt that she was wearing. It was several sizes too big for her.
“I’ll be back in Greenville on Thursday. Care to meet me at the bistro downtown for dinner? You could return it to me then.”
“Sure. How about seven o’clock?” Sara suggested.
“Perfect.” He leaned in and kissed Sara ever so lightly on her lips. “Good night, Sara Thompkins,” Cole whispered
Email: nataliealder396@gmail.com
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***Bio***
I write stories about romance. They center on learning about the characters backgrounds, personalities and life circumstances that mold them into who they are and how they love.
I am a sassy 40-something year old. I live in a quiet farming town in New England with my husband of fifteen years and our three rescued cats.
After college I facilitated improvement in the physical abilities of children and the elderly then took the opportunity to enjoy my creative side. I love to sew, knit, write...sing and
drink martinis (not necessarily at the same time:)
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