Authors: JoAnne Kenrick
The call for boarding echoed overhead.
“Finally. Back home we go.” The old man helped the woman to standing, and they shuffled toward the gate. Zoe grabbed her carry-on and followed behind. She scanned the people forming a line. They were all couples except for the twenty-something man. He typed at lightning speed on his phone.
He joined her side. “I’m in seat H22. You?”
“Erm, I don’t know.” She scanned her ticket. “J22.”
“Ah, we’ll be next to each other. Good.” He winked. “I’m sure we’ll find a way to pass the nine-hour flight.”
He was attractive. A little too young for her, but attractive.
But he wasn’t Dylan.
Zoe trundled through the jet bridge, her gaze set forward and her will focused on getting home.
The task proved more difficult than she had hoped.
Her heart ached, and moisture beaded over her forehead. She trembled.
I’m doing the right thing. I am.
The air thickened around her, and her head pounded with regret. Something was wrong. People shuffled past her, knocking her against the wall. She dropped her carry-on and slid down the wall.
She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t leave a man she cared so much about, a man who completed her. Is this what love felt like?
“Ma’am, are you okay?” The old gentleman tapped her on the shoulder. “You look mighty pale.”
“We should tell a hostess,” his adoring wife added.
I love him. I truly, madly, crazily love Dylan
.
“Ma’am, I’m leaving my wife with you while I go get help.”
“No, no, I’m not doing the right thing,” she yowled.
“Ma’am?”
“I have to go.” Zoe grabbed her bag and fought to weave through the oncoming crowd piling toward the plane. “Let me out.”
She glanced back only once. The dear old man had wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulder, and he mouthed to her, “Good luck.”
Yeah, she’d need that.
It tore her heart to think of how much she’d hurt Dylan. She could only hope he’d forgive her.
She’d checked her baggage, so all she had was her carry-on and her purse. She kept a firm grasp on them as she raced out of the airport and flagged down a cab.
With care to remember her pronunciation, she pleaded, “
Dolgellau
, please?”
“No, no, no.” The scruffy young cabby moaned. “That’s too far for me, love. Find yourself another taxi.”
“I’ll tip big.”
“Don’t care. Gotta get home in an hour or me wife will have my guts for garters.”
“I tip really generously.” She threw a hundred pound note at him. “Now will you drive me?”
“Sorry, love. I wish I could help.” He handed her the note back. “Look for Don. He loves the longer journeys. Large fella with red specs, can’t miss him.” He pointed toward the back of the lined up cabs. “He’s back there.”
“Thanks.”
Sure enough, he was hard to miss.
“Don?”
“Aye.”
“Can you get me to
Dolgellau
?” She showed him two hundreds. “Please, I’m desperate.”
“Where’s that then, duck?”
“Wales. North Wales.”
His eyes lit. “Aye. Jump in. The fee’ll be around hundred quid, but I’ll take that very generous tip you offered and we’ll call it an even two hundred if you like.”
“Sure, whatever.” She clambered into the backseat. “Pronto, I’m in a hurry.”
“Of course, duck.” He set his GPS and set off. Of course, she knew she’d have to direct him once they got into the village.
The whole ride she thought of how Dylan would react. She nearly drove herself insane running through the possible scenarios.
She called Rachel and arranged to extend her visa and to move her meeting with the editor to a video chat.
Her nerves spiraled out of her control. It’d been roughly seven or so hours since she’d last seen Dylan. Since she’d made it clear she didn’t want a long term relationship with him. He probably thought her high in the sky and not looking back by now.
Her heart skipped a beat and she twiddled her fingers. She fidgeted, shifting positions in the backseat of the cab, impatient for the ride to be over.
They arrived at the village, and she directed the driver turn for turn until they reached Rose Farm.
He pulled up the dirt road and parked outside the main entrance to Rose Farm. She paid her fare and tipped very generously as promised.
“Thanks.” He took the notes, his smile wide.
She raced up the driveway toward the warm sight of the old house where Dylan lived. Dusk warned the night sky would soon be here.
Betty placed a box into her blue Allegro then spun on her heels. “Zoe? You came back?”
“
Ia
. Where is he?”
Betty dropped her box and flung her arms around her. “I’m so happy you proved me wrong and you came back for him.”
The woman squeezed far too tight, the affection taking Zoe by surprise.
“Betty, erm, you’re squashing me.”
“Glad to see you, I am.”
Zoe glanced at the car, and at the several boxes loaded into it. “Are you moving in with Thomas?”
“
Ia
. Dylan gave me no choice.”
“Really? How so?”
“You didn’t know? He’s decided to put the farm on the market.”
Betty pulled back from the embrace and pointed her finger at her. “It’s your fault. You leaving pissed him off.”
“Betty, I’m sure he wouldn’t see you out on the street. Besides, it sounds like it turned out for the best. You’re moving in with Thomas.” Zoe clasped the woman’s hands in hers. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Hey, why are you still stood chatting with me? Go find Dylan.” Betty dragged a hand across her watery eyes. “He’ll be pleased to see you, he will.”
“Where is he?”
“Dunno, love. Haven’t seen him about for a while. And Rhiannon’s off at her friend’s house.”
She dialed his number. No answer.
Darn it.
She dialed him again.
Still no answer.
A bark diverted her attention toward the back of the house.
“Sammy?”
The dog popped into sight from the side garage. He barked again and dipped his front legs as if to beckon her his way.
Of course. The barn. If he wanted to be alone to think, that’s where he’d be.
Sammy leading the way, she trekked up to the building where she and Dylan had taken shelter from the rain and made love.
She creaked open the door. Sammy whooshed by and nearly knocked her on her ass.
Dylan sat on the hay, a mug of something steaming hot in one hand and a book in the other. The book was the right way up, and he seemed engrossed in the story.
“Ha. Not your books. Indeed. It’s okay that you read, you know.”
He glanced up. “Zoe? Oh….” He folded the book closed. “I just needed a distraction. Thought I’d give this reading lark a try. So far, so good.” Widening his gaze, he wiped a tear from his cheek and shot to standing. “Shouldn’t you be on your way to Atlanta?”
“I’m so sorry.” A lump caught in her throat and she struggled for words. “You, you, you’ve been crying? I hurt you.”
“Yes, you hurt me. No, I’m not crying.” He stuck out his chest and smiled, but his watery eyes spoke the truth and stabbed at her heart. “What happened?”
“I came back because I left something behind. Something very important.”
“I could’ve mailed it. We do have a post office in the village, you know.”
“Dyl, you asked me a question. One I struggled to answer before. Well, I’m ready to answer you now.” She gasped for breath, but couldn’t wait to tell him and she spat out, “Dylan. I. Love. You.”
He released his grasp on the book, letting it tumble to the ground.
“Dylan, what can I do to show I love you? I’ll do anything for you. Heck, I’ll marry you right here and now if it means you understand that I’m no one without you. I’m lost. Incomplete. When I think about a life without you in it.” She brought her hand to her heart and let out a heavy sigh. “I just can’t bare it, Dyl. I need you. I love you.”
He placed his cup at his feet and straightened.
She gulped. “I didn’t think I was brave enough to love anyone, Dyl. But you, you are worth any pain and any heartache.” Rain pelted down, and she let out a nervous chuckle. “Looks like I got here before the rain.”
“
Ia
. Perfect timing,” he rasped, and inched toward her. “
Ia
.” His last words brushed her mouth as he kissed her.
She melted into his hold and reveled in knowing, truly knowing she was in love. Truly. Madly. Deeply.
“Are you really going to sell the farm like Betty said?”
“
Na
. Been sat here thinking on this. Rose Farm is where I belong despite hating my parents for pushing me into it. I couldn’t do anything else now. It’s who I am.”
“You’ll have to show the ropes to clueless here. Maybe I could be your farmhand?”
“
Ia
. By early morning light a farmhand, by day an author, and by night my lover. Think you can handle that?”
Warmth cradled her. “I can handle anything with you by my side.”
And she believed that. Plain and simple, Dylan completed her.
“And your book? Weren’t you meant to meet with a publisher on Monday? You can’t put that on hold for me.”
“I called Rachel. She arranged a video meeting instead, and after that, we’ll figure it out.”
“Good. Because I want you to do whatever makes you happy.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Zoe, I love you.”
How about that. Her chart had been right all along, and she had been destined to fall in love with a Leo.
She melted into his arms, knowing she’d found a love truly worth holding on to. Her world would be a better, warmer place now Dylan was in it…and Betty and Rhiannon.
Sammy barked then gripped her shirt with his teeth and pulled.
And of course Sammy.
One year and one week later.
Zoe signed for the very heavy parcel at the main entrance to Rose Farm.
“They’ve arrived. I can’t believe it. They’ve finally arrived,” she hollered.
Dylan raced to her side and scooped up the parcel like it weighed nothing more than a few pounds. But that box had twenty hardback books in it so she knew it wasn’t light.
Her hero.
He set the package on the kitchen table and scored a knife through the tape closure.
“So exciting. I can’t believe my wife is a published author. When can I retire?”
She snorted. “Silly, Dyl. We’ve already spent the advance on turning Rose Farm into an inn.”
“Ia, but you’ll be swimming in royalties soon.”
“Which will pay for Rhiannon’s college fees. If there’s any left, I’ll treat you to cake and tea in the village,” she teased. “Besides, owning an inn should feel like retirement after running a farm.”
“True.” He pulled out a book. Her book. “
Before the Rain
. Cool title. Is this Prince Charming character in your story handsome?” he grinned wickedly.
“He’s all right. I’ve seen better.” Zoe shrugged, straining to keep from smiling.
“Hey!” He slammed the book down and yanked her into his arms. “Just because we’re married now doesn’t mean you can be mean to me.”
“Then don’t ask me dumb questions. Of course he’s hot. I based the main character off of you because you’re my hero.” Zoe faked a swoon and kissed her husband.
“I saw the postman. Does that mean what I think it means? Are they here? Lemme see. Lemme see. I wanna see them, I do.” Betty skidded into the kitchen, a bottle of laundry soap in hand.
“Yes, they’re here.” Zoe grabbed the book off the table, her book, and handed it to the woman she now saw as her mother-in-law. A kind, sweet mother-in-law who made an awesome inn chef and who knitted the cutest sweaters. She was almost sad Betty wasn’t living at Rose Farm anymore, but grateful she worked there seven ‘til four to cook meals for guests and help launder bedding and the like.
“You should put some in our common room for guests to read. I bet they’d get a thrill out of knowing they were staying at the inn where
the
Zoe Chantilly lives.”
“Hardly. But that’s a good idea.” She pilled herself up with five books and carried them to the cozy guest area. Stacking them on a coffee table, she sighed. They were her books. Her very pretty, very real books.
Dyl rounded the corner, a bottle of champagne in hand. “Betty’s getting the glasses.”
“Dyl?”
“What, Zoe?”
She shimmed to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “
Dwi’n caru ti
,” she rasped in Welsh.
“
Dwi’n caru ti
,
carid
.” He beamed, and whispered against her mouth, “Always and forever.”
A Thank You from Fated Desires
Thank you so much for reading
Before the Rain
! We’re so happy you’re enjoying the Tempting Signs series! We do hope if you liked this, that you would please leave a review from where you purchased this or on another platform. Not only does a review spread the word to other readers, they let us know if you’d like to see more stories like this from us.
Before the Rain
is a special novella in the Tempting Signs series. The series is written by twelve authors for each sign of the zodiac.
Under the Lights
had the Leo sign in mind and dove right into the ideals of what happens when someone with that sign falls in love. Make sure you find all twelve stories throughout the year! Some are interconnected so you will see cameos from characters you love.
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.
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Make sure you read the complete Tempting Signs Series from Fated Desires
Each title will be released in 2015 and 2016 during the time of their Zodiac Sign
Aries:
Lust Actually
By Heather Long
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