Prologue

Ms. McBride,

Thank you for your inquiry regarding Will Montgomery and the rest of the team appearing at your hospital. Our organization receives thousands of similar requests each year, and unfortunately, Mr. Montgomery is unable to fulfill every request. He is not available at this time.

Regards,

Susan Jones

Public Relations, Seattle Football Organization

Nice.

This makes the fifth rejection from the elusive Will Montgomery in the past two years. My kids will be disappointed again.

I clear the email from my phone screen and throw it in my handbag, climb out of my car and head into Red Mill Burgers, my favorite place to indulge in a big, juicy burger and fries.

I stand in the back of the line and contemplate the latest in a long line of rejection letters from the professional football team. I am a nurse at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and my teenagers would love nothing more than to meet their sports heroes. I thought celebrities got off on photo ops like this. All I’m asking for is a couple of hours; they don’t have to spend the night for Pete’s sake.

I glance to my right, and sitting right in the middle of the tiny restaurant is none other than my college buddy, Jules, and her brother, Will Motherfucking Montgomery.

Sonofabitch!

I love Jules. She and Natalie and I were good friends in college, so I will absolutely go say hi. I just wish I didn’t have to speak to her arrogant ass of a brother in the process.

I place my order and saunter over to my friend.

“Jules?” I ask, my hand on her shoulder.

“Meg!” She immediately jumps up and pulls me into a warm hug. “Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you in years! How are you?”

I glance nervously at Will. “I’m doing very well, thanks. It’s great to see you.” She looks great, as always, but her eyes look a little sad. I wonder what’s going on…

“Will, this is Megan McBride, a friend of mine from college. Meg, this is my brother, Will.”

Will stands, his tall frame towering over me, and offers me his hand. Crap, I have to touch him? Digging deep, I find the manners instilled in me and shake his hand politely. “I know who you are.”

He just nods and takes his seat again.

“What have you been up to?” she asks me.

“I’m a charge nurse at Seattle Children’s Hospital in the cancer unit.” I grin at her, keenly aware of Will’s eyes on me, running up and down my body, over my loose-fitting white blouse, belted over black leggings and my red cowboy boots. He makes me nervous.

“That’s awesome! Good for you, girl. Are you still singing?” she asks with a smile.

“Uh, no.” I shake my head and gaze down at the table. “Not since college.”

“You sing?” Will asks, his eyebrows raised.

“She has a fantastic voice,” Jules replies proudly. She always was so sweet and supportive.

“Thanks, but you know how it is,” I respond with a shrug. “Life takes over and things get busy.” And best friends leave you behind to start a band of their own.

Will and Jules exchange a look, and suddenly she hits me with, “Are you married?”

I let out a loud laugh. Not hardly. “Hell, no.”

“Can I get your number?” Will asks bluntly. Arrogant ass. I’ll bet women fall all over him everywhere he goes.

I narrow my eyes, unable to hide my contempt for this man. “Hell, no.”

Will’s jaw drops and he smirks, then shakes his head. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t think I stuttered,” I respond, then lay my hand on Jules’ shoulder and force a smile for my friend. “It was great to see you. Take care, girl.”

“You too, Meg.”

As I turn and walk away I hear Will murmur, “What the hell was that all about?”

Jerk.

I collect my brown-bagged burger and fries and head back out of the restaurant to go home and enjoy my only night off this week. I pray I don’t get called into work.

Chapter One

“To Nate and Jules,” Luke Williams raises his champagne flute in the air and keeps one arm around his beautiful wife, Natalie. Everyone follows suit, toasting the happy couple. “May your love continue to grow. We wish you nothing but all the happiness in the world.”

“To Nate and Jules!” The guests echo and sip their drinks in celebration. Nate McKenna, tall and dark and not just a little intense, folds his stunning blonde fiancé into his arms and kisses her senseless in front of all of us, amid whistles and applause and Will Montgomery, Jules’ brother, yelling out, “Get a room!”

I sip my sweet pink champagne and glance around the extravagant Olympic room of the Edgewater Hotel. For the hundredth time, I ask myself what I’m doing here. I was shocked to receive the invitation to Jules Montgomery’s engagement party. Jules and Natalie and I all hung out quite a bit in college, and it was great to reconnect with them a few months ago, but I certainly wasn’t expecting an invitation to come mingle with their family and close friends.

I’m in a room with Luke Williams for fuck sake. The movie star.

The room is decorated in Tiffany blue and white with simple white flower bouquets on the tables, white table linens and Tiffany blue napkins and touches here and there. It’s incredibly classy.

It’s completely Jules.

It’s a late summer evening, and not quite dark out yet, so we have an amazing view of the Puget Sound, the sky just beginning to change to pink and orange, reflecting on the water. The glass doors are open so guests can come in and out at their leisure, enjoy the veranda and the late summer view, or come inside and dance.

“Meg, I’m so happy you could come.” Natalie taps my shoulder and pulls me into a big hug. “I’ve missed you, girl.”

“Me too,” I respond, holding her close and then pulling back to admire the lovely woman before me. “You look fantastic. Marriage and motherhood agree with you, my friend.”

And it’s true. Natalie’s green eyes shine with happiness and contentment, her dark chestnut hair is pulled back away from her face in waves, and she is wearing a fantastic black sleeveless gown.

“Thank you. I love that dress. Your style hasn’t changed a bit,” she responds with a grin. I look down at my pale silver strapless dress with handkerchief hemline and strappy silver sandals.

“Not much of anything has changed,” I respond with a shrug.

“Except your hair, as usual,” Natalie laughs, pointing at my auburn hair streaked with chunky blonde highlights, and I chuckle with her.