Another One (Lighter Ones Book 2) Read online

  Contents

  Another One

  Author’s Note

  Another One

  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

  What to do now

  Books by New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig

  Stay Connected with Aleatha

  Aleatha Romig

  Leatha, the lighter side of Aleatha

  ALEATHA ROMIG

  New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Infidelity and Consequences series and Plus One

  COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE INFORMATION

  ANOTHER ONE

  Copyright © 2018 Romig Works, LLC

  Published by Romig Works, LLC

  2018 Edition

  ISBN: 978-1-947189-17-1

  Cover Photography: Regina Wamba / ReginaWamba.com

  Cover art: Letitia Hasser at RBA Designs / Romantic Book Affairs

  Editing: Lisa Aurello

  Formatting: Romig Works, LLC

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage and retrieval system, without the written permission from the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book is available in electronic from most online retailers

  2018 Edition License

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the appropriate retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Created with Vellum

  Dedication

  ANOTHER ONE is truly a joint venture with my wonderful, patient daughter.

  Many writer’s roadblocks arose during the creation of Trevor and Shana’s story. Sometimes it’s difficult to get going in the world of make believe when real life is busy and full. I have no doubt that it was my many conversations with my daughter that steered this story back on track time and time again.

  I couldn’t be happier with the final result of A SECRET ONE and ANOTHER ONE.

  I fell head over heels in love with this pretend couple. I’m so grateful to the readers who encouraged me to pursue Shana and Trevor’s story, and mostly, I’m thankful to my daughter who during her own wedding preparations willingly added her advice. As a woman about Shana’s age, her insight was beyond helpful and often comedic.

  Maybe one day she will decide to follow her mother into the world of writing. Until then, I’m happy to have her at my side and as my constant support. May she, through life’s ups and downs and friends and foes, have her HEA!

  Thank you, Cass Romig. I love you and appreciate all you do, always.

  ~Mom

  A SECRET ONE is a novella released prior to ANOTHER ONE.

  It is the short story explaining the first meeting of Shana Price and Trevor Willis.

  While it is not mandatory to read A SECRET ONE prior to ANOTHER ONE, I didn’t want you, my reader, to miss this “free” ebook. Feel free to download today!

  A SECRET ONE

  Whether you read a Secret One or not, enjoy Another One.

  ~ Aleatha

  Get ready to laugh out loud, swoon, and fall in love with this new, fun, and sexy stand-alone novel from New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig. Demonstrating her versatility in writing, Aleatha revisits her lighter side that you loved in PLUS ONE.

  A complete stand-alone, ANOTHER ONE is the next big summer hit.

  *Shana*

  Trevor Willis is sexy, sweet, and oh so fun. He’s also my best friend’s brother-in-law. That should mean he’s off-limits or that I should be off-limits to him.

  Someone probably should have told us that before my best friend married his brother, before the morning of the wedding when we woke in each other’s arms, before I woke with gaping holes in my memory.

  They didn’t.

  We did.

  The hilarious truth behind our crazy, secret adventure secured this handsome, off-limits man in my heart. But alas, life goes on. After our one secret night, we went back to our lives—our hardworking, solitary lives.

  And then it happened.

  My phone began to buzz. Each night with thousands of miles between us, we laughed, talked, and shared. And then the phone stopped ringing.

  Before it did, I knew one thing...

  Our secret one had bloomed and blossomed, and now that our circumstances have changed, I want another one!

  *Trevor*

  Shana Price is that one woman. You know, the one who suddenly makes the world more than a place to work, but also a place to live. Usually shy and awkward, in her presence I want to be more—I am more. I don’t even have to try.

  She’s my one. I knew it the moment I first met her. What followed simply confirmed it.

  The problem is the little hassle of the thousands of miles between us.

  I tried to make it work, but each phone call made it harder. (Yes, that is a pun.) I couldn’t take it anymore—and she became the one who got away.

  Now, everything has changed.

  Shana is back in the United States—all I have to do is make her see that her job isn’t the only reason to stay.

  That shouldn’t be a problem, right?

  From a secret one to another one!: Try Aleatha’s lighter side for a guaranteed smile—the perfect getaway.

  Have you been Aleatha’d?

  Aleatha's "Lighter Ones" are all stand-alone lighter romances guaranteed to make you smile, possibly shed a tear, and definitely enjoy the ride! They may be read in any order.

  Prologue -

  Shana

  “Can you believe I’m really married?” Kimbra asks, leaning as close to me as she can with her long white wedding dress filling the space between us.

  “I’m so happy for you!” And I am. It seems like not that long ago we were roommates making our way through the big city of New York, the two of us against the world.

  “If it can happen to me, I know your time is coming.”

  I don’t want to burst her romantic bubble, especially on her wedding day, but if my time is in the next decade, the way my love life is going, I’ll need some divine intervention. First, I’m not dating anyone, which is usually a prerequisite for marriage. And second, I’m now daydreaming about the man across the dance floor talking with his date.

  Don’t jump to conclusions. There’s a lot more to that story.

  My
current obsession—or attraction—is new, exciting, and absolutely crazy. It began last night with an innocent drink near a fire pit, a few wrong decisions that included shots of Fireball, and continued into this morning, waking in the bed of said man.

  No, I’m not into three-ways, and no, his date isn’t real.

  It isn’t like she’s a blow-up doll either, but she’s a pretend date. She’s even engaged to his other friend. The reasons behind his charade are not complicated. My best friend’s new husband is Trevor’s brother, Duncan. Before meeting my best friend, Duncan’s history with women was, well, legendary. For that reason of sibling rivalry, Trevor said he couldn’t attend Duncan and Kimbra’s wedding solo.

  Anyway, that’s the story he told me and the one I want to believe.

  “Let’s concentrate on your big day,” I say. “And your big night!”

  Kimbra laughs. “I may be wearing white, but…” She looks out to find her new husband across the room. “I’m pretty sure that when it comes to tonight, I know all about what’s coming.”

  “It’d better be you!” I say just before we both start laughing, sounding more like teenagers than adults. When we both settle, I admit to my best friend. “I may be a little jealous.”

  “Well, you can’t have Duncan.”

  “I don’t want Duncan. I just would like to…”

  “I know,” she says excitedly, reaching beneath the long table and lifting a gift bag. “You can have the gift from Grandma Helen.”

  I giggle into my own glass of bubbly. In the bag she’s holding is a brand-new vibrator, color-coordinated to match Kimbra’s wedding. “I don’t know if that’s sweet or gross or both. I’m sure it would be the most action I’ve seen in ages. But still, I’ll pass.”

  As my best friend keeps talking, my mind goes back to this morning, waking in Trevor’s bed, his broad chest and wide shoulders beside me and the warmth of his body against mine. Yes, we’d slept together. No, we didn’t do more. It’s a long story, but the most important part is that we both agreed not to tell Kimbra or Duncan what happened. We agreed to keep it our one secret night.

  My lip disappears behind my teeth as I imagine Trevor shirtless, his morning beard covering his chin, and his hair all messed from sleeping.

  “If you change your mind,” Kimbra says with a grin, obviously misconstruing my concentration.

  I lift my hand to wave her train of thought away. It may be hard to believe that the vibrator in question came from Kimbra’s grandmother. But it did. Yes, you read that right. She’s somewhere between seventy and one hundred years old, and as Kimbra says, her filter is broken and the warranty is expired. That means that you never know exactly what will come out of her mouth.

  A few minutes ago, her grandma came parading to the head table and handed Kimbra and her husband Duncan a gift. I’ve heard stories of her doing the same to other family members. It seems that sometimes the gifts aren’t wrapped. Thankfully, Kimbra’s was in a gift bag. Even so, her grandma wanted the new couple to open it on the spot. The way Kimbra’s cheeks filled with pink, I didn’t have to ask what was inside.

  It was then that Grandma Helen promised Duncan an entire package of batteries for the honeymoon. Their conversation makes me smile. “Besides, I don’t think your new husband would approve. He sounded pretty excited about the entire package of batteries.”

  Kimbra shakes her head. “It’s not like you don’t have one.”

  “A husband?”

  “No, silly. We were roommates for years.” Her brows waggle. “As my grandma would say, you weren’t brushing your teeth at midnight.”

  “How do you know? I happen to believe in diligent oral hygiene.” When Kimbra looks at me with that all-knowing grin, I go on, “Keep your gift. You’re right. I have it covered.” Yes, I have my own battery-operated boyfriend, but taking another glance into the crowd and seeing Trevor talking to his date, for the first time in a long time, I wish for the real live kind of boyfriend.

  A few hours later back at the hotel, I’ve officially declared defeat, losing the fight I was having with myself. I guess that also means I won. Maybe I should declare victory. No matter the conclusion, my internal debate is still raging.

  Don’t do it.

  Then again, I’m almost there.

  At a little after midnight, instead of heading toward my own suite, I’m sneaking down the carpeted hotel hallway on my way to his suite.

  I’m not sure if that makes me curious, attracted, or pathetic.

  I don’t want to overanalyze. All I know is that I’m attracted and yes, curious. (The jury is still out on pathetic.)

  The way I see it, this is not 1960. A woman can initiate a conversation—especially with the man she woke beside—as well as a man.

  Why should I wait for him to make a move?

  Although my little pep talk is doing little to calm my erratically beating heart, I don’t allow myself to stop moving toward my destination. Closer and closer with each step, I make my way to the suite of the man I can’t get out of my head—the man whose deep voice and kisses woke me this morning. As I pass each door and the numbers grow closer to his, I’m contemplating my motive for this late-night walk.

  Why am I really doing this?

  It doesn’t matter that I’m still wearing a long mint dress and crystal-studded high heels from the wedding or that my hair is plastered in place by a full can of hair spray guaranteed to open a hole in the ozone—or at least cause me to be most certainly flammable. I don’t even care that my makeup is so thick that I could possibly get a gig at the local gentlemen’s club.

  All I can think about are the stunning green eyes that seemed omnipresent during Kimbra’s wedding. Or how at the reception, each time I’d turn, our gazes would meet, and my pulse would race.

  I wanted to go to him, to talk, to dance...but as the maid of honor, my role was beside my best friend. As the brother of the groom, his place was with his family.

  Now, our designated roles are complete.

  My best friend and her husband are off somewhere, and I don’t even want to give them or her grandma’s gift more thought.

  So what do I want to find when I reach Trevor’s room?

  I don’t know.

  That isn’t true.

  I know.

  I want to find Trevor Willis alone. I want to confirm that Cynthia, his date at the wedding, is as he said, a friend—a friend with a fiancé of her own, a friend whose fiancé is also Trevor’s friend, a friend who helped him by being his pretend date and nothing more.

  I want to confirm what my heart thinks it knows, to verify that the handsome, sexy, and honorable man I met last night is sincere and honest. I want to know that just because his last name is Willis doesn’t mean he has kept par with his brother’s reputation—per the rumors associated with Duncan before he began dating my best friend.

  It wasn’t so much that they began dating as they began pretending.

  With each step closer to Trevor’s suite, I hope that maybe, just maybe, tonight at the wedding of my best friend to his brother, we did the opposite of pretending to be together.

  If there’s a chance for anything more to materialize between Trevor and me, then maybe one day we can say it all began when we pretended not to be interested in one another at a wedding.

  The idea makes my insides flutter as anticipation builds. I want that. I want this wedding weekend to be the beginning of a relationship with a future.

  A relationship.

  My mind tells me that a future is impossible. After all, I live in London and he’s working in Washington State.

  That scenario doesn’t sound like the best setup for any kind of future, but after what happened last night, I want to try.

  My heart wants what it wants.

  Mind be damned.

  As I turn the corner toward Trevor’s room, he steps into the hallway, his suit from earlier replaced by chic casual attire. I’m stilled by the sight of him in nicely fitted jeans and a soft
T-shirt. The cotton pulls tightly around his bulging biceps and wide shoulders while hanging looser at his waist. I bite my lip as I watch him. Closing the door, Trevor turns my way.

  The other doors lining the hallway disappear as our gazes meet. Just like during the wedding, my pulse kicks up as my heart thumps loudly in my ears.

  “Shana?”

  Nearly a year later

  Shana

  “There are so many boobs—everywhere,” Chantilly says with a shake of her head.

  She’s right.

  We’re in the middle of chaos—which if you don’t know is filled with tall, beautiful women with high heels and perfect breasts—better known as the fashion show dressing room. Tomorrow all the models will have their makeup done and hair styled. Today they’re simply here to make the last adjustments to the lingerie and final prep on the Saks Fifth Avenue semi-annual lingerie fashion show.

  You may not think of lingerie as complicated.

  I mean, it’s something we wear under our clothes or to sleep.

  Not here.

  Not tomorrow with these models’ bodies highlighting the latest in Saks intimate apparel. Not with my promotion on the line.