Fixer-Upper (Spinning Hills Romance 3) by Inés Saint
Authors: Inés Saint
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Romantic Comedy, Dreams, best friends, small town, Bachelor, Surrender, Mistaken Identity, Community, Ohio, quirky, little sister, Forever Love, Single Woman, Captivated, Challenges, Family Tradition, Spinning Hills, Town History, Amador Brothers, Hammer & Nails, Renovating Houses, Line Streets, Old-Fashion Town, Settling Down, Houseful Of Love, Fixer-Upper, Masquerade Parties, Mystery Woman, Sexy Charmer
Ads: Link
her mom’s winding, rewinding, and fast-forwarding explanation, but it was something about Johnny seeing Melinda, falling instantly in love, gallantly asking Abuela Rosa and Marty for permission to ask her out, and then saying he was wrong about her in front of a huge crowd of people, including her friends and frenemies, after only talking to her for two minutes.
Melinda was in a fragile place. It was the last thing she’d needed.
Johnny looked away and for one revealing moment, he looked like a lost little boy. But he quickly regained his confident demeanor and fixed her with a steady, serious gaze. “That’s not what I meant. We need to talk about what happened with Ana Maria first.”
Marissa didn’t want to talk about that. Not now. Maybe not ever. “We don’t have time to get into that. Let’s start with the immediate past.” She sincerely hoped he had a good explanation. Working closely with someone who had humiliated her little sister would be difficult. “What made you so sure you were into Melinda that you would involve so many people, only to blow her off in front of those very same people after talking to her for only a couple of minutes? It doesn’t make sense.” She looked at him as she spoke, but the intense, searching way he was watching her made her stomach feel funny.
He spoke in a slow, measured way as if every single word mattered. “I met a woman at a masquerade party last year and I was convinced it was Melinda. I told Marty and Rosa I wanted to ask her out—to see if we were as compatible as I’d thought we were that night—but the whole thing took on a life of its own and got way out of hand. I realized it was a mistake, and I know Melinda realized it, too, but she was acting strange, and Marty blew up.”
Stunned at the mention of the masquerade party, Marissa’s eyes flickered to the floor as she tried to push her own memories of that night aside. Revisiting those moments always left her feeling confused and uncomfortable. She focused her mind on what Johnny was saying. She remembered Melinda had gone off with a stranger that night and Marissa had caught them making out, heavily, after she’d gotten off the elevator. Had Johnny been that stranger? She glared up at him. “No wonder Melinda was hurt. Nobody wants to think they’re good enough to be groped, but not good enough to talk to!”
“ Groped? ” Johnny repeated, glowering at her.
“Yes. Groped. I saw you. You’re the troll I caught her making out with on that dark stairwell—”
“Wrong.” Johnny took a step toward her. His voice and demeanor were calm, but the angry flash in his hazel eyes silenced her. “I’m the prince you made out with in the elevator.” He turned and left, leaving her unable to move, think, or breathe.
Her heart slowed to a thump . She took a breath. And then another. Her eyes flitted about, trying to find something to cling to. The serene green-gray walls, the stenciled tree, snowflakes, and leaves, the huge map and clock. She’d painted, stenciled, and hung everything herself in just one day. It was to be a haven for her students.
The minute hand on the large rusted metal clock she’d thought so enchanting now served as a warning. She had only a few minutes to get it together. But her thoughts and feelings were too scattered to easily gather, and too powerful to brush aside.
That night in the elevator had been special to her. A moment to feel impossibly and illogically as one with someone else. She’d never told anyone about it. It had been her Vegas. One night to let go of the tight rein she had on her life, to do something out of character, before she committed to a relationship with Brian. Something that would remain where it happened.
And now Vegas was right here in her school.
A girl shuffled in, headphones on, eyes on the floor. Marissa forced a smile and introduced herself. The girl tried to answer, but it became obvious she knew little to no English. But her sweet and
Melinda was in a fragile place. It was the last thing she’d needed.
Johnny looked away and for one revealing moment, he looked like a lost little boy. But he quickly regained his confident demeanor and fixed her with a steady, serious gaze. “That’s not what I meant. We need to talk about what happened with Ana Maria first.”
Marissa didn’t want to talk about that. Not now. Maybe not ever. “We don’t have time to get into that. Let’s start with the immediate past.” She sincerely hoped he had a good explanation. Working closely with someone who had humiliated her little sister would be difficult. “What made you so sure you were into Melinda that you would involve so many people, only to blow her off in front of those very same people after talking to her for only a couple of minutes? It doesn’t make sense.” She looked at him as she spoke, but the intense, searching way he was watching her made her stomach feel funny.
He spoke in a slow, measured way as if every single word mattered. “I met a woman at a masquerade party last year and I was convinced it was Melinda. I told Marty and Rosa I wanted to ask her out—to see if we were as compatible as I’d thought we were that night—but the whole thing took on a life of its own and got way out of hand. I realized it was a mistake, and I know Melinda realized it, too, but she was acting strange, and Marty blew up.”
Stunned at the mention of the masquerade party, Marissa’s eyes flickered to the floor as she tried to push her own memories of that night aside. Revisiting those moments always left her feeling confused and uncomfortable. She focused her mind on what Johnny was saying. She remembered Melinda had gone off with a stranger that night and Marissa had caught them making out, heavily, after she’d gotten off the elevator. Had Johnny been that stranger? She glared up at him. “No wonder Melinda was hurt. Nobody wants to think they’re good enough to be groped, but not good enough to talk to!”
“ Groped? ” Johnny repeated, glowering at her.
“Yes. Groped. I saw you. You’re the troll I caught her making out with on that dark stairwell—”
“Wrong.” Johnny took a step toward her. His voice and demeanor were calm, but the angry flash in his hazel eyes silenced her. “I’m the prince you made out with in the elevator.” He turned and left, leaving her unable to move, think, or breathe.
Her heart slowed to a thump . She took a breath. And then another. Her eyes flitted about, trying to find something to cling to. The serene green-gray walls, the stenciled tree, snowflakes, and leaves, the huge map and clock. She’d painted, stenciled, and hung everything herself in just one day. It was to be a haven for her students.
The minute hand on the large rusted metal clock she’d thought so enchanting now served as a warning. She had only a few minutes to get it together. But her thoughts and feelings were too scattered to easily gather, and too powerful to brush aside.
That night in the elevator had been special to her. A moment to feel impossibly and illogically as one with someone else. She’d never told anyone about it. It had been her Vegas. One night to let go of the tight rein she had on her life, to do something out of character, before she committed to a relationship with Brian. Something that would remain where it happened.
And now Vegas was right here in her school.
A girl shuffled in, headphones on, eyes on the floor. Marissa forced a smile and introduced herself. The girl tried to answer, but it became obvious she knew little to no English. But her sweet and
Similar Books
