Adeline knows Noah Devereaux's secret.
After a chance encounter one snowy night, Adeline decides to save a stranger, Noah, after witnessing his fight with even stranger men. When they meet again years later, she realizes he's not the golden boy eve...
First chapter dedicated to the lovely greciajs! I hope you like this new story I'm working on as much as you love My Replacement Husband. <3
IT WAS ALMOST MIDNIGHT WHEN I LEFT THE HOUSE.
The closest convenience store was at least a ten-minute walk from home, but there wasn't really a choice for me to wait out the snow storm. Bennett was running a fever, Andrew hadn't come home yet—he was probably still out with his friends—if his lack of response to my calls meant anything, and my sister was missing or oblivious to everything as usual.
Unfortunately, that left me the responsible one of the household.
I clutched my pepper spray tightly in one hand and my phone ready to dial 911 in the other. While I was lucky enough to live in a relatively safe neighborhood, I still was a girl taking a walk in the middle of the night for the next few blocks.
"People aren't outside because no one is crazy enough to go out late when it's hailing," I mumbled sorely to myself. My legs were beginning to feel numb halfway through the walk, but it was an eerily peaceful walk in a way. Perfect for late-night self-reflections about life or those cringy moments in high school.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I spotted the soft glow of the 24/7 shop still open. I would use the cash mom left behind to buy some Tylenol, vitamin C tablets, and honey-lemon lozenges.
"Welcome!" a familiar cheerful voice greeted me when I entered the store. I waved a half-frostbitten hand at Luca who usually ran the late shifts. He was two years older than me in college, a friend of my rotten brother's, and now my longtime crush.
"Why are you out so late?" he asked, furrowing his bushy brows.
I scraped off the snow from my boots on the welcome mat. "Bennett isn't feeling well. I wanted to grab some medicine for him and some vitamin C for myself."
Luca helped me grab the items I needed swiftly. "We can't have our team manager getting sick this season. We really need you, Addie."
Luca and my brother were on the varsity swim team I helped manage at our university. Swimming had always been a passion of mine until I hurt my shoulder a few years ago, after that, I stuck to more of the coaching and administrative aspects.
I blushed, hoping the Luca would think the redness of my cheeks were from being out in the cold for so long. "I don't do that much. You guys are the ones out there practicing for hours."
"Are you kidding me?" Luca asked incredulously as he bagged my purchases. "You're right there with us: timing us, reminding us to keep proper form, and even making breakfast for us. All while taking classes and caring for your little nephew."
Luca's eyes met mine briefly before I looked away nervously. They were a rich hazel with flecks of gold that were sometimes covered by his dark, side-swept locks that looked silky smooth. I had dreams about running my fingers through his hair.
