The Third Best Thing
(Fulton U, #3)

by Maya Hughes

 

A Contemporary Romance – Releasing 30 January 2020

 

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Blurb

Dear Letter Girl, I need to see you. When can we meet?

Her response never came. My secret pen pal with a dirty mind has ghosted me. I’ve roped Jules, my sweet as pie next door neighbor, to help me track her down.

There’s only one problem—I’m falling for her. The tortoise shell glasses, out of this world curves and delicious treats are making the search for The Letter Girl even harder.

My notes were supposed to be a one time thing. A little too much wine and naughty thoughts on a winter’s night. I never thought Berk would write back. I wanted to tell him it was me, but the fear of rejection kept my lips sealed.

Now he’s enlisted my help to track down The Letter Girl and our search has him hot on my, ahem, her trail.

She’s the girl next door.

He’s my secret pen pal.

Truth is on a collision course with their hearts and it’s only a matter of time before one of them gets wrecked…

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Excerpt

Doing a few ‘you’ve got this’ mantras in my head, I took off my glasses and set them down on the counter. I hefted the dress off the hanger. The silky champagne underlay was covered by long strands of shiny material that added about ten pounds to the thing. I slipped the dress on. It was long sleeved, at least, only slightly pinching. It seemed Mom didn’t want me to totally embarrass her.

But the front. The neckline plunged way down, showing off the girls like I should be on stage in Vegas. With my arms raised over my head and fingers grazing the top of the back, I spun in circles for at least eight minutes trying to snag the zipper to pull it up. Turning toward the mirror, I stared at my reflection. Finally, using a bit of ingenuity and the shower stall handle, I contorted myself and grabbed the zipper, tugging it up.

Holy hell. My girls, the ones I usually kept well under wraps, were singing to the heavens. So much cleavage. The lacy fringe on the cups of my bra peeked out from the neckline. I looked like I should’ve been staked out on a stool at the fanciest hotel in Philly trying to drum up business from unsuspecting businessmen.

Shoving my glasses back onto my face, I stared at myself, every bit of me, in excruciating detail. The glasses weren’t time period appropriate, but Laura would have to deal. 

Berk knocked on the door. “Do you need some help?”

“No,” I shouted way too loud. They’d probably heard me out by the stables. Collecting my clothes, I clutched them against my chest. My fingers shook as I undid the latch to the bathroom. He was going to laugh at how ridiculous I looked. I could picture it now, Berk rolling on the floor with tears of laughter in his eyes. 

The door opened and I stepped back into the room with my clothes cradled in my arms.
I looked up at him and my eyes widened. Had they taken his measurements before we got here? His outfit looked fantastic.

He struggled with the buttons of the white vest. The material of his dress shirt bunched as he pushed at the buttons. The pants hugged his trim hips and stellar ass.

“I can get into my uniform in six minute flat. These buttons are bullshit.”

Pinning my clothes to my chest with my chin, I knocked his hands away and slid them through the navy silk-lined arm holes. “So hard,” I teased.

“It’s not my fault.” He pulled the bottom of his vest down, straightening it.

I spun away, keeping my clothes tight against my chest, aware of how close he’d come to getting an eyeful of me, not that I’d have a choice unless I walked around with my clothes against my chest for the rest of the night. 

“I’m going to make us a drink. Top shelf booze doesn’t deserve to be all alone at times like these.” He cradled the bottles, swaying them back and forth like a doting parent slash total lunatic. Bottles and glasses clinked together. 

I crouched to pick up one of my dropped socks. Gathering everything, I turned to dump it onto the bed. Maybe things would be okay. He wasn’t freaking out and I wasn’t freaking out, so far so good. I could wear this outside of the room.

“Might as well start now.” I turned to him and our gazes collided. 

He coughed into the glass he had up to his mouth. Wheezing and spraying his drink all over the place, his eyes got anime character wide before he barked out a, “Holy shit.”

 

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Fulton U

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About the Author

Maya Hughes, that’s me!, can often be found sneaking in another chapter while hiding in the bathroom from her kids! 🙂 I’m a romance writer who loves taking inspiration from everyday life, namely my husband and biggest fan. Inspiration also strikes when I hear a song, meet someone new or daydream while at soccer practice.

I love writing stories that capture the possibilities of the paths less travelled and enjoy experiencing life through my characters’ eyes.

I’m the mom of three little ones, the wife to an amazing husband and also work full time. Some of my favorite things are cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, white wine, laughing until I can’t breathe, traveling with my family and Jeff Goldblum. 

 

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