Love Uncovered Read online

  Love Uncovered

  Diane Holiday

  LOVE UNCOVERED

  By

  Diane Holiday

  Copyright © 2018 Diane Holiday

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  Edited by Mary Cain.

  Cover Design by Tina Moss.

  All stock photos licensed appropriately.

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  Published in the United States by City Owl Press.

  www.cityowlpress.com

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  For information on subsidiary rights, please contact the publisher at [email protected]

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior consent and permission of the publisher.

  For my husband Steve,

  Because his unconditional love and support inspires and humbles me.

  Thank you.

  Praise for Diane Holiday

  FIRST PLACE in 2015 Pages of the Heart Contest.

  Golden Heart® Award Finalist 2016 for romantic suspense.

  2016 Molly First Place in Romantic Suspense

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  “Love Uncovered blends the tension of a high-stakes corruption case with the charm of a well-realized small-town setting to create a fun, fast-paced story.”

  - Publisher’s Weekly

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  “A fast-moving, exciting novel. The main characters are the perfect combination of charming and complex. This contemporary romance delivers electrifying heat between characters with a sprinkle of humor.”

  - InD’tale, Tina Donovan

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  “Diane Holiday's debut, Love in Hiding, kept me hooked from the first page to the last.”

  - USA Today Bestselling Author of Historical Romance, Renee Ann Miller

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  “A strong heroine, sexy hero and downright scream-worthy villains—a page-turner with spunky dialogue and suspense that kept me up way past my bedtime because I just couldn't put it down.”

  - Contemporary Romance Author and Golden Heart® Award Finalist, Christina Hovland

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  “Love in Hiding combines the laid-back atmosphere of country life with the suspense angle of a crazed stalker beautifully. Great characterization, perfect pacing and witty dialogue top off this exceptional read.”

  - Contemporary Romance Author, Jessie Gussman

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  “Solid storytelling featuring a classic hero and a daring heroine.”

  - New Adult Author and Golden Heart® Award Winner, C.R. Grissom

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  “A man scarred by guilt, a feisty woman, and a villain who is totally evil make Diane Holiday’s Love Uncovered a fast-paced read that sizzles with both romance and suspense.”

  - USA Today Bestselling Author of Historical Romance, Renee Ann Miller

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  “Diane Holiday’s well-crafted romantic suspense stories keep readers turning the pages, ready for the next twist! I always look forward to her books.”

  - Contemporary Romance Author and Golden Heart® Award Finalist, Christina Hovland

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  “Holiday writes romantic suspense with just the right balance of heart and heart-pounding action.”

  - USA Today Bestselling Author, Dylann Crush

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  “Love on the Line is an excellent story in the vein of time-honored romance--suspense, love, and characters who keep you turning the pages.”

  - Contemporary Romance Author and Golden Heart® Award Finalist, Christina Hovland

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  “Two people looking for the opposite things in life find out they might be a perfect match. But danger lurks when they fall under the spotlight of a madman. Love on the Line is a suspenseful read.”

  - USA Today Bestselling Author of Historical Romance, Renee Ann Miller

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  “Love on the Line delivers a romantic suspense with strong characters you’ll remember long after you read the last page.”

  - New Adult Author and Golden Heart® Award Winner, C.R. Grissom

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  “Well-plotted, beautifully written and completely engrossing, Love on the Line is absolutely the best romantic suspense I've read this year.”

  - Top-Ranking Author, Jessie Gussman

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  “Both intense and hot, Love on the Line keeps readers flipping the pages! Sexy romance and thrilling suspense--there's nothing else one could ask for!”

  -Young Adult Romance Author, Miguella Twosias

  Love Beyond Danger Series

  By Diane Holiday

  Love in Hiding

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  Love Uncovered

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  Love on the Line

  Contents

  Want More City Owl Press Books?

  Keep Reading Love Beyond Danger Series!

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek of Love on the Line

  Keep Reading Love Beyond Danger Series!

  Want More City Owl Press Books?

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  About the Publisher

  Additional Titles

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  Click here to sign up for the City Owl Press newsletter and be the first to find out about special offers, including FREE book days, contents, giveaways, cover reveals, and more!

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  Sign up now and become a City Owl Reader today! And join our City Owl Reader-Author group here for even more deals and a whole lot of community and fun!

  Don’t miss book three of the Love Beyond Danger series with LOVE ON THE LINE and discover more from Diane Holiday at www.dianeholiday.com

  Anne Cooper lives her life by the book and always has a plan. At thirty-two, if she wants to have her dream family, she needs to find a man who checks off the boxes on her ideal husband list. The hot football star who makes her heart stutter doesn’t match a single one. She’s not looking for a player. But spending time with Mr. Wrong feels so right.

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  Wyatt Pearson knows all about hard work—on the field. In the dating world, his celebrity football status has paved his way. He’s blindsided when he meets Anne. She’s smart, down-to-earth, and would rather grade papers than watch the Superbowl. For a c
hance with her, he has to up his game and take a risk. Stepping into all new territory, he approaches her from the heart.

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  As Anne and Wyatt fumble through their feelings, someone else is watching from the sidelines, plotting to win her affections. He’s determined to have her, and if he can’t…no one will.

  BUY NOW!

  Chapter 1

  Maddie Cooper opened her laptop and typed so fast she misspelled her password. No surprise, with shaking fingers and only two hours of sleep under her belt.

  At last, pictures from yesterday’s excavation filled the screen. She leaned closer, her gaze riveted on the images, and zoomed in on the one that took her breath away.

  The clay-baked animal she’d uncovered stared back at her. The piece, small enough to fit in the hand of a child, had been sculpted to resemble a wolf. Maybe a father had made it for his son or daughter. Good chance the toy belonged with the Iroquois collection.

  She clicked another photo, a close-up of the wolf boxed on the shelf. After double-checking the catalog number to her records, she eased back in the chair. Good. No mistakes, despite the long day and the late hours.

  The safekeeping and accurate documentation of each piece in the climate-controlled storage room fell to her as the project manager. Every time she entered the cool, dark building, her pulse quickened. Her team had almost filled the facility with clay pots, arrowheads, tools, and weapons over the last year. So much history to share. Wait until the Seneca Nation tribal leaders saw the figure. They’d be ecstatic.

  This rare find would be part of a special exhibit in the proposed museum that could put the small town of Tuckerton, New York, on the map. Sure, she missed traveling on digs, but she’d trade that in a second for the wealth of history her team had uncovered. Each piece gave a glimpse into the past culture of the Native Americans. Now the tribal leaders, working with the museum, would have the opportunity to share that culture and educate people.

  She stood and stretched. In one month, the grant money would run out, and they’d have to be done. Too bad she wouldn’t be around to help set up the exhibits. She’d check in to make sure the tribal leaders were happy with the displays and return to visit the finished museum next year.

  All of this had been a big boost to her career. At twenty-nine, she’d earned the respect of the archaeological community, but making sure the history was preserved mattered more.

  Early May meant cool weather in the Finger Lakes region, so she grabbed a jacket. She’d given her team the morning off after the long, late night, but she had responsibilities and deadlines to meet. Her tired body screamed for caffeine.

  She drove into town, her body still amped from the thrill of the find, and parked her car in a slushy, gray puddle in front of the Corner Café. Mist accumulated on the windshield and drops merged, sliding down like tears. But it would take more than dreary weather to squelch her spirits.

  One step out of the car and her keys plopped into a puddle. With a curse, she bent to retrieve them. Before she could, a man’s hand reached down and plucked them out.

  “Here you go.”

  She froze. That voice. Deep, but as smooth as honey.

  It had haunted her dreams for two years. It couldn’t be him. His fingers brushed hers as he handed over the keys, sending shivers through her body that had nothing to do with the temperature. She raised her head to stare into the unforgettable sea-green eyes of Scott Evans. Her bruised heart slammed against her rib cage. Where had he been for the last two years?

  He’d left for an undercover DEA job and promised to call.

  Only he never had.

  He blinked as if shocked to see her and then rubbed his forehead. His dark hair fell over the tips of his fingers.

  Her gaze traveled down his fit body. Well-defined chest muscles outlined the crisp, white button-down shirt and tie. A black leather belt cinched his narrow waist. The gun he always carried hung in a holster on his hip. Muscular thighs stretched the fabric of his dark suit pants. She’d once sat on those strong legs, cradled in his lap, while he’d stroked her hair and watched the sunset over Central Park. They’d made sweet love that night, their first time together.

  He straightened. “How are you, Maddie?”

  Polite. It took guts to do polite after she’d bared her soul to him, something she’d never done with another man, and he’d left her with a hollow heart. Two years had passed without a word from him. Not a call. Not a text. Not a letter. She shoved her keys into her jacket pocket. “Shouldn’t you be in Mexico catching bad guys? What are you doing here?”

  He grimaced. “You haven’t changed. Right to the point.”

  “Excuse me. I’m in a hurry.” She tried to step around him, but he blocked her way.

  “I owe you an explanation.”

  “Two years ago, you owed me an explanation. A year ago, an apology. Now, you owe me nothing.” This time she managed a step around him before he placed a hand on her arm.

  “Wait.”

  “What, Scott? What can you possibly say? I thought the time we spent together meant something. Clearly, you didn’t. It’s fine. I know when I’ve been kicked to the curb.”

  “It wasn’t like that.”

  The lines of his face hardened, and pain flashed deep in his eyes.

  He glanced at the ground and then back to her. “It’s…complicated.”

  She fisted her hands to stop herself from reaching out and touching him. Even pissed, she still had the urge to smooth away the sad creases. If she didn’t leave now, he’d suck her back in for another round of hurt and disappointment. “I’m sure. Well, I gotta go.”

  She dropped her gaze to his hand, still on her arm. Warmth radiated from his touch right through her coat. Damn his effect on her.

  “I didn’t realize you were here.” His mouth drew into a thin line. “And now I need to ask a favor.”

  He had to be kidding. She’d given him everything, and it hadn’t been enough. Painful memories threatened to swallow her whole. She shook her head and focused back on him. “I really can’t help you. I have to go.”

  “I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important.”

  His grave expression made her pause. Despite their history, she couldn’t turn her back on him. “What?”

  “Please don’t talk to anyone about my former job with the DEA.”

  “What do you mean? You don’t work for them anymore?”

  “No. I’ve been in the States for a while.” He let go of her arm.

  And there it was. The stinging slap to the face. Her hope that he hadn’t called because he’d been off the grid in Mexico disappeared like a stone dropped into a lake. Her chest ached. “You’ve been here?”

  He waved a hand at the coffee shop. “Not here.”

  She wouldn’t have this conversation. Didn’t need the details. He’d been in the country. “Sorry. I’m out of time.”

  With tears stinging her eyes, she pushed past him and headed to the shop. She swung open the metal-framed door and hurried inside, shutting out the cold morning fog. The comforting aroma of cinnamon buns and hazelnut coffee filled the air, but her erratic pulse refused to calm. She took a deep breath and set her priorities.

  Get coffee. Go to the storage building. Forget Scott.

  Yeah, right. That hadn’t worked when he wasn’t around.

  She glanced about the room. The five small tables were empty, but Tom, dressed in his police uniform, stood by the register. Ugh. They’d been friends long enough that he’d know something was up, and she’d rather chew glass than discuss Scott. If only she could fall for someone nice and reliable like Tom. Tall, athletic, with sandy hair and brown eyes. Women revved their engines and sped past him on purpose so he would stop them. Except for Maddie. He reminded her of a big, strong teddy bear. Not her type. Nope. She’d left her type standing outside on the sidewalk.

  Tom, who always had a smile for everyone, wore a grim expression.

  Nikki came out from the kitchen, wearin
g her pink-and-white waitress outfit. She held a finger up to Tom. “Your breakfast sandwich will be ready in a sec. You want your usual, Maddie?”

  Maddie did a doubletake before nodding. Nikki sported yet another hair color, this one blond with bright magenta streaks. She changed her looks more often than a chameleon. Then again, so did most nineteen-year-olds.