Hurricanes in Paradise by Denise Hildreth (best ereader under 100 .TXT) 📗

was going to kill me, and then I realized my life could be snatched away at any moment. That I had to choose to live. And so after Jason was put away, I came home and immediately began raising the funds for this place. With the medication they have now, I could live for years with HIV. But I know, at the end of the day, I won’t leave this earth a day before I’m supposed to, regardless of how I die. So I decided to live. And I thought while I was doing it, it might be nice to help others do it too.”

Riley enveloped Tamyra in her arms. “You are an amazing young woman, Tamyra Larsen. And I am so extremely proud of you.” She finally released her. “Now let’s go celebrate a ribbon cutting.”

“Let’s.”

“Tamyra! Yoo-hoo, Tamyra, honey!” A voice came up from behind them. A woman pulled Tamyra to her and shook her as she spoke. “Oh, baby doll, I am so proud of you. Who would ever think that one of my girls would create something as wonderful as this.”

Tamyra all but gasped for air upon her release. “Riley, I’d like you to meet Mrs. Victoria Phillips. She is the head of the chamber of commerce and—”

“—and former Miss Georgia United States of America.” Victoria stuck her hand out in front of Riley, the ruffles from the edge of her cream suit jacket fluttering in front of her.

Riley leaned back slightly from the rapid approach. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Phillips.”

“Oh, wonderful to meet you, darling. I just love this young woman here. And I’m so proud of her. Do you know that we—”

Tamyra stopped her. “Miss Victoria, they’re about to do the ribbon cutting. We probably need to head out to the front.”

“Of course, honey. Yes, let’s get out there and cut that ribbon and get this house open and anorexics some food!” Her voice reverberated through the house.

“Um, this is for domestic violence.”

She shook her blonde hair, almost as white as her cream suit. “Oh, right . . . right. Domestic violence. Yes, let’s get those women some defense training.” She looped her arm through Tamyra’s and they walked toward the front of the house. “You know I had a defense training class one time and . . .”

Riley sneaked away as soon as the coast was clear.

Riley, Winnie, and Laine stood out on the lawn surrounded by cameras from all over. The Jason Weathers trial had made headline news across the nation. Tamyra had become a household name, and now she was taking full advantage of it to change the lives of women just like her.

Riley leaned over and wrapped an arm around Laine. “How’s your heart?”

“Still broken.”

“But I can tell you’re healing.”

“I am. Beautifully.”

Winnie put an arm around Riley.

“You’re glowing, Winnie.”

“I’m in love with a wonderful man.”

“Me too.” Riley winked at her.

“Your wedding was beautiful,” Laine said.

Riley had to agree. “It was, wasn’t it?”

“Christian wrote me a note.”

Riley turned back to Laine. “He did? What did he say?”

She chuckled softly. “He thanked me for driving you so crazy that week because it drove you to him.”

Riley laughed. “He did not.”

Laine shook her head. “No, he told me that he knew now how much Mitchell had loved me. And he was so sorry for what I had gone through. But he believed one day I’d find someone to love me that way again.”

“Now that sounds like Christian,” Winnie said.

“Did you write him back?” Riley asked.

“Yes, and I told him I had already found Someone who loved me that way. I found Him before Mitchell and I ever reconciled.”

Riley pulled Winnie and Laine closer to her. The three stood there, arms wrapped around each other, and watched as the Victoria Phillips declared it Tamyra Larsen Day and presented her with a key to the city.

“Is that the mayor?” Winnie asked.

Riley shook her head. “No, Tamyra said she was the head of the chamber of commerce.”

“I thought mayors gave out keys to the city,” Laine said.

“I’d say this city probably doesn’t need a mayor as long as she’s around.”

Tamyra cut the pink ribbon. Applause erupted, balloons lifted, and a whole new season began.

* * *

“Can we just slip in here for one second?” Riley asked.

Christian held Gabby’s hand as Riley pointed at the bookstore. They both looked at Riley with that you-want-to-go-in-a-bookstore? look.

“Laine said it was coming out this week.”

“How about Gabby and I go grab something from the café while you see if you can find her book.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Gabby announced.

“Sounds good to me,” Riley said, giving Christian a wink. He patted her softly on the butt as he and Gabby made a beeline for the café.

Riley walked through the front of the store and down a row of wooden bookcases of new releases. She stopped in front of the second shelf, and a smile spread across her face. Her right eyebrow rose as a soft chuckle floated from her gut. She picked up the book. The four pairs of feet and a storm-strewn beach displayed on the cover, along with the title It Happened in Paradise, made Laine’s comment make perfect sense.

“I changed all the names to protect the innocent.”

Laine Fulton had never been innocent. But they had all been changed.

A Note from the Author

The idea for this book came when a friend offered me a getaway weekend to the Atlantis resort at Paradise Island. Sitting one night at a table with three single women, I knew I was living what could be an incredible story. While I was there, I was walking through my own personal hurricane. I remember sitting on a beautiful cushioned chaise longue, staring at the ocean, wondering how people survive brutal storms. Forgetting that I was, in fact, surviving my own. It is that story of survival that I have written.

Hurricanes are different from tornadoes. There is an element of preparedness you can have for them, yet you can never be truly prepared for the force of impact. What you can