Falling Sweetly (Starling Falls #2) Read online

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  For permission requests, write to the author, addressed “Request: Copyright Approval” at [email protected]

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  The author is in no way affiliated with any brands, songs or musicians or artists mentioned in this book.

  Cover image by Bezikus (Andriy Bezuglov) from www.stockfresh.com

  Edited by Dawn Yacovetta

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  DEDICATION

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgements

  About Author

  To My Incredible Friends/Squad/Unofficial Idris Elba Appreciation Society Members,

  Always stay your wonderfully unique, awesome, funny selves.

  Seriously. I need more material for future books.

  To My Beautiful and Weird Cousins,

  I look forward to growing old with all of you in our Spinster Compound.

  “You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

  ― Dr. Seuss

  PROLOGUE

  Annika

  2 months ago…

  I sighed deeply as I curled up on the couch, holding the envelope I had put off opening for over two months. On the front was my name, written in Aunt Trudy’s barely legible scrawl.

  I pulled the letter out and opened it reluctantly.

  Dear Chatty One,

  If you’ve got this letter, it’s safe to say I’m six feet under by now. I’m not sad about this, hopefully I’ll finally be at peace and reunited with the one I love.

  I’m sure you and Malinda will be sharing the letters I’ve written both of you with each other, so I’ll keep my story here brief, I’m sure she’ll blab it all to you sooner or later.

  When I fell in love I was too scared to express my feelings in public, afraid of being shunned for being different. I hurt the person I loved the most in the world by doing this. You know that Mary-Anne and I ran the bakery together, but what I never told you is the story of how I fell in love with her. Even though I’m not proud about how I handled our relationship, falling in love was the best thing that ever happened to me.

  Falling in love with someone was scary, it was unfamiliar but when I finally accepted love, I felt whole and happy. Why do you deny yourself love, Niki? Do you think yourself undeserving of it? If so, how very wrong you are. You are one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met, Niki. On the inside and the outside.

  You’re denying yourself one of the most wonderful feelings in the world and denying the chance for someone out there the joy that your sweetness and warmth could bring into their lives. You need to start acknowledging your worth; you have so much to offer.

  Start putting yourself first, child. You worry too much about everyone else and neglect yourself. You matter too, never forget that. Focus on finding your happiness. I don’t know what happened to turn you into this apprehensive, anxious little mouse but I can see that there is a fire hidden inside you; don’t be afraid to unleash it.

  The house is yours, Niki. Mary-Anne and I made many happy memories in that house, it’s your turn now.

  Be brave, be bold, take chances, put yourself out there and stay your sweet, loving self.

  Take care of Shadow, Freddy, your sister and yourself sweet girl,

  Love,

  Trudy

  PS. Don’t run my bakery into the ground. I’ll be watching.

  I looked up from the letter and stared up at the ceiling, as Shadow, Aunt Trudy’s beautiful black cat, jumped up on the couch next to me before he curled into a ball on my lap. I wiped away the lone tear that had fallen down my cheek as I stroked his soft fur.

  “Okay then, Aunt Trudy. Message received.”

  CHAPTER 1

  Annika

  How is he still talking? He hasn’t stopped for the last twenty minutes.

  Does he remember he’s still on a date? Does he realise I’ve not actually spoken for the entire conversation?

  He has lettuce stuck in his teeth.

  Should I tell him?

  There’s not even any lettuce on his plate… How long has that lettuce been stuck there?

  Oh, damn. He just asked a question… Focus!

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get what you just said. Could you repeat the question?” I asked taking a sip of water, in an attempt to regroup and see if it was possible to salvage this disaster of a date.

  “I said,” He paused to let out a burp that near enough shook the table, “I’m not usually into bigger women, but you looked hot enough that I said ‘why the hell not.’ Your rack is great by the way, are they real?” he added with a self-satisfied smirk, as his eyes hovered over the small amount of cleavage exposed by the neckline of my dress.

  And I’m out. Emergency escape phone call it is.

  “Would you excuse me for a moment, I have to visit the restroom,” I said with a fake smile, nearly tripping in my hurry to leave the table.

  I brought up my sister’s number and dialled it as I walked to the bathroom. Maliya answered on the third ring with a laugh. “Caleb! Stop it! Someone is going to see. Niki? What’s up?”

  “Liya, are you having sex in public again? You remember Sherriff Turner said that if he catches you guys again, he will have to arrest you this time.”

  “Well, I’m trying to avoid jail time, but I think my boyfriend is a bit of an exhibitionist,” Liya said and I heard her trying to slap Caleb’s hands away.

  “Fiancé! Get it right, baby!” Caleb called out in the background.

  Liya huffed at him, “Whatever. You know I hate that word. It sounds so phoney.”

  I cut her off before an argument could begin between them and I would be stranded in my nightmare date all night.

  “Hey! Sister in need here! Call me in five minutes and say Shadow is ill or something.”

  “Wow. Hasn’t it only been like fifteen minutes? That has to be some new kind of record. Where is he on the scale from Mildly Creepy to Serial Killer?” Liya asked, as I heard loud kisses echoing in the distance.

  “I would say he rates about a Complete and Utter Sleazeball on the scale,” I said with a sigh.

  “Eeep. Okay, sweet sister. Help is
on the way,” Liya said, and just before she hung up I heard Caleb tell her how beautiful she would look naked in the moonlight.

  I didn’t think the moon was actually visible in the sky tonight, but I had to applaud his tactics.

  My sister and her fiancé Caleb hadn’t always had the most straightforward relationship, due in large part to Liya’s issues. But looking at them now, my heart melted at how sweet they were together.

  Though, I refrained from sharing this opinion with my sister as it usually resulted in something being thrown at me.

  Liya hadn’t had the easiest of lives and neither had Caleb, if any two people deserved a chance at happiness it was them.

  Seeing my sister having the courage to work through her own issues persuaded me to do the same, hence the reason I was currently on Disastrous Date No. 3.

  I paused to stare at my reflection in the mirror. Oval face, button nose, creamy light brown skin, wide almond shaped light brown eyes, and black hair cut in a long bob.

  I resisted the urge to check under my side fringe and make sure that there was no sign on my forehead that said, “Now available for dates! Only freaky losers need apply.”

  It has to be me. I’m like a beacon in the dark for all creepy weirdos, drawing them to me from far and wide.

  I sighed again when I realised that hiding in the bathroom would be too pathetic, even for me, and geared myself up for returning to Weirdo No. 3.

  He smiled sleazily as he saw me wind my way through the tables back to where we were seated by the window. I gave him a small, very fake smile as I sat back opposite him.

  “This place is pretty fancy, I don’t often do fancy for first dates. You seem kinda worth it though.” He rubbed the thinning spot at the back of his head. “I’m thinking after we split the bill, we should head back to mine for dessert?” he said waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  Good God, no. Hurry up, Liya. Call my damn phone.

  I stared at him blankly and shook my head. “Uhm. No, I don’t think so. I’ve got to be at work early tomorrow.”

  I picked up my fork and pushed around the limp lettuce leaves on my plate.

  I’m sure I had more grilled chicken than this on my salad…

  Oh my God. Weirdo No. 3 stole chicken from my plate while I was gone.

  He frowned at my refusal and was about to respond, when my phone rang.

  Thank the heavens.

  “Sorry, it’s my sister. I need to get this,” I said in an over-exaggeratedly apologetic tone as I tapped the flashing green button on the screen of the phone. “Hello?”

  “So, I’m thinking you make the worst decisions when it comes to choosing your dates. It may be time for an intervention,” Liya’s amused voice said.

  I let out a small gasp, “What’s wrong with Shadow?”

  “No. Seriously. First, it was the wannabe drug dealer with the face tattoos, and then it was the taxidermist with all the stuffed, dead animals in his house, who looked like he wouldn’t have minded adding a stuffed, dead Niki to his collection,” Liya said bluntly.

  I let out an even bigger gasp, “Oh no, poor baby. I can’t believe he’s been sick for that long. I hope he doesn’t throw up all over you. I’m going to come home now and take him to the vet.”

  Liya chuckled, “That’s some Oscar worthy acting. Be careful when you drive home, make sure that winner you’re on a date with doesn’t follow you. See you soon, little bug.”

  I hung up and glanced over at the man whose name I couldn’t remember. “I’m so sorry… Todd?”

  “Tad,” he said, looking put out.

  “Right. Tad. Sorry. I have to go. My cat is ill. Thanks for an… interesting dinner,” I said as I threw down some money to cover my meal.

  He frowned at me again. “We should finish up this date properly sometime. Let me get your address.”

  “Oh. No. That’s okay. Thanks anyway,” I blurted as I turned so quickly, I almost knocked over a waiter carrying a large tray of food.

  “Sorry,” I said breathlessly to the annoyed waiter, before power-walking over to the coat check and thrusting my ticket at the attendant.

  The pretty brunette smiled widely. “Did you have a pleasant meal here at Cannata’s?” she asked, as she handed me my coat.

  Not really. The chicken was dry, the miserly portion of salad didn’t have enough dressing on it and what little dressing it did have, wasn’t seasoned at all. The tomatoes were unripe and I’m pretty sure they forgot to put the avocado and cucumber on my plate, unless my chicken thief of a date ate that too.

  “Sure,” I lied, as I pulled on my coat hurriedly, “Everything was great.”

  “Perfect,” the attendant said as her grinned widened further, “We hope to see you here again!”

  Don’t hold your breath, lady. That won’t be happening anytime soon.

  “Sure. Bye.” I rushed out the door, looking back to see my date eyeing up a waitress, as he finished the rest of my salad. I snorted in amusement.

  At least he’s not wasteful.

  I found my keys and hurried over to the new small green car I’d bought a couple of months ago eager to get home. At times it was hard to believe how much my life had changed in the last year.

  If someone had told me a year and a half ago that I would be running my own bakery and living in a different country, I would have told that person that drugs are very, very bad, and that they should probably stop taking whatever they were on before it permanently altered their mental state.

  My sister and I were born in London to two loving, parents who were both brilliant doctors.

  Our lives were pretty much idyllic, until our mother passed away in a car crash and we lost our father a week later from a stroke.

  I had been fourteen at the time, and my sister, Maliya, had been eighteen. She dropped out of college, got a job and applied for custody of me.

  As a child, I had always had a close relationship with my sister, a fact that had never changed over the years.

  So when I had made the slightly impetuous decision to quit my job and move country to run our estranged grandaunt’s bakery, she had decided to come with me.

  Our grandaunt, Aunt Trudy, was a bad-tempered, coarse, cranky, straight-talking old lady and I had loved her dearly. It had been four months since she had passed away but I still missed her every day.

  Prior to moving to Starling Falls, I had only met her once ten years ago when she had come to England for our parent’s funerals, and we had kept in touch a couple of times a year through brief phone calls.

  Early last year she had broken a hip and after managing the bakery for over fifty years she had made the heart-breaking decision to sell it, as she simply couldn’t manage running the business anymore.

  During one of our phone calls, I could tell from her tone of voice how upset she was at having to sell her pride and joy.

  Baking had always been a passion of mine. After finishing secondary school, I had enrolled in Pastry School, and managed to get a highly sought after job in a stylish, trendy bakery in Chelsea, working under the tutelage of an amazing pastry chef named Paulette St. Pierre.

  It had been a job I had loved, but the unchanging role had grown stale (no baking pun intended) over the years, and I found my passion for baking had begun to waver.

  My offer to run the bakery had been instantaneous; it had slipped out of my mouth before I had even thought about it. Liya had thought I’d gone mad when I told her, but it was one of the best decisions I’d ever made.

  Thus, two lonely girls from London had wound up in the small, quirky little town of Starling Falls. It was a gorgeous town, surrounded by dense, lush woodlands and a small mountain range. The town had actually been named after one of the beautiful waterfalls found in the mountains.

  In coming to Starling Falls I had rediscovered my love of baking and my sister had found the love of her life.

  Liya had been even more reluctant than I had been with letting people in, so the fact that she was no
w in a relationship was beyond surprising.

  Liya and Caleb had met in a rather unusual way on the day the bakery reopened. Their journey was not a straightforward one by any means. My sister had some emotional hang-ups about getting close to people.

  However, after Aunt Trudy’s funeral, Liya had been given a letter, written by our grandaunt, which had finally made her see sense.

  Apparently, life-changing letters were Aunt Trudy’s forte.

  Four months later and Liya and Caleb had moved in together, were blissfully engaged, and I couldn’t have been happier for them, but seeing them so in love had made me realise that I wanted that for myself too.

  Aunt Trudy’s letter had hit the nail on the head. I had always been a shy child, but had become even more introverted with age, especially after my parent’s death. Due to this shyness, the few dates I had been on while living in London had never led anywhere.

  I would withdraw into myself as soon as I met someone. Because of this, no one apart from Liya had ever really known the real me.

  Liya used to tell me that I had issues with self-esteem. I said I just had issues, full stop.

  After reading Aunt Trudy’s letter, I knew I needed to make a change if I wanted to find love. So I had signed up to an online dating website, though with each man I met, it seemed like an increasingly horrible idea.

  I was still cautiously optimistic that the perfect guy was out there. However, after the last couple of dates, I was beginning to think crazy cat and fish lady was the only future I had left in store.

  CHAPTER 2

  Jacob

  “I swear those contests are rigged,” my sous-chef and right-hand woman, Tisha Perez complained furiously as she carefully rolled her chefs knives away.