There had been something so freeing about sharing with someone she’d never see again. Because in a town the size of this one, everyone knew everyone else’s business. And to them, Shannon Baker was merely the “shyest” member of the ginormous Baker clan, the daughter of the local pizza parlor owners, the younger sister of twins Tyler and Quinn.
The one always in her sister’s vibrant and terrifying shadow.
But Marshall No Name from Who Knew Where—he only saw what she’d shown him. Whether he recognized it or not, he’d given her a gift. The ability, for a brief moment in time, to be more than she could be otherwise.
“It was my pleasure.” He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it. Frowned. “Maybe I’ll see you around?”
He wasn’t going to ask for her number then. But what did she expect? She may have momentarily felt like Cinderella at the ball, but he was obviously someone else’s Prince Charming.
Besides, she didn’t have time for romance anyway. Her attention needed to stay focused on Noah’s adoption. And, more immediately, on the Baker family reunion, since she was kind of in charge of the whole thing since her cousin Ashley had handed it over to her last month.
Shannon forced a smile. “Maybe.”
“Would it be weird to ask for a hug?” And there was the adorably charming grin he’d flashed at her more than once today—the one that toasted her insides. “I mean, you did kind of tell me your life story.”
Biting her lip, she studied him. “And yet I know almost nothing about you.”
His features darkened for a moment, before it disappeared with a shrug. “Not much to tell. Although I will say . . . I felt more myself today than I have in a really long time. So thank you, Shannon.”
Then he stepped forward and, after pausing to give her time to escape if she wanted to—she didn’t—enveloped her in a hug. Now she could tell that his cologne smelled like cinnamon and some sort of flowers. Geraniums, maybe? Whatever it was, the combination was heady, as was the all-too-brief sensation of being in his arms.
Even if her proverbial midnight had finally arrived, this was what dreams were made of.
As Marshall stepped back, Shannon snagged Noah’s hand in hers, whispered good-bye, tucked this perfect day away in her heart, and put on her game face.
Because dinner with her family—including Quinn—was just hours away.
And that was enough to spoil almost any fairytale.
Books by Lindsay Harrel
Walker Beach Romance Series
All At Once (prequel novella)
All of You, Always
All Because of You
All I’ve Waited For
All You Need Is Love
Port Willis Series
The Secrets of Paper and Ink
Like a Winter Snow
Like a Christmas Dream
Standalones
The Joy of Falling
The Heart Between Us
One More Song to Sing
About the Author
Lindsay Harrel is a lifelong book nerd who lives in Arizona with her young family and two golden retrievers in serious need of training. When she’s not writing or chasing after her children, Lindsay enjoys making a fool of herself at Zumba, curling up with anything by Jane Austen, and savoring sour candy one piece at a time. Visit her at www.lindsayharrel.com.
Walker Beach Romance Series
Book 3: All I’ve Waited For
Published by Blue Aster Press
Copyright © 2021 by Lindsay Harrel
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form except small excerpts used in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover: Hillary Manton Lodge Design
Editing: Barbara Curtis
