Forget Me Not

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Dear Reader

Dear reader,

Happy Summer, my dear friends! I am so excited to welcome you back to Magnolia Bay for another love story—and I’m especially excited to introduce you to Josh Loveless and Mallory Reynolds.

Now I know you remember those Loveless boys (they are unforgettable, after all) and I’m thrilled to give Josh Loveless his own story—as well as bring back Josh’s lovable scoundrel of a cousin, Knox, to stir up trouble.

But more about him later! This story really belongs to Josh and his high school sweetheart, Mallory, whose homecoming is not exactly the grand event she’d imagined when she left Magnolia Bay—and Josh—at twenty-three to become a bestselling author in New York City. Five years later, she’s come back to the Bay to hide out from a media firestorm—but it’s going to take more than a few bay breezes to blow away her troubles.

When Josh learns his ex-girlfriend has been writing the uber-popular and scandalously-sexy series, The Scarlet Diaries, under a pen name, he can’t believe it—and when friends and family start teasing him mercilessly for his uncanny similarities to Scarlet’s bad-boy, rock-climbing billionaire boyfriend, Josh would sooner hide under a rock than climb one. Too bad he’s up to his neck in drama re-opening his outdoor adventure store, not to mention helping his recently-jilted brother back on his feet...

The timing couldn’t be worse—but when he and Mallory are reunited, the attraction couldn’t be stronger. Can this love story finally get its happy ending?

For me, summer is a season of second-chances, and no romance deserves a second chance more than Josh and Mallory’s.

So, my friends, fix yourself a glass or mug of something sweet, and treat yourself to some feisty, flirty, summer fun with FORGET ME NOT!

Dedication

To Meghan Farrell and Lindsey Stover, for all they do for the Tule community to inspire us and steer us straight. You lovelies are the very loveliest, and I can’t thank you enough!

And, as always, to Jane Porter, for making this amazing party happen in the first place. It’s a joy and an honor to dance in your company!

Prologue

Magnolia Bay, SC

Five years earlier

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Her back to the bay breeze, Mallory Reynolds looked down to find that she’d been crunching the piece of paper in her hand so hard it was pleated like a child’s handmade fan.

She loosened her clenched fingers and tried to smooth out the creases. She’d opened and refolded the letter from the admissions department so many times in the last three days, it was a wonder it hadn’t frayed at the seams from all her handling. Even now, the urge to reread it was strong. She could have as easily recited it to Josh from memory, but she wanted him to hold the letter himself, to feel the excitement of its news just as she had. She put it back in her purse and busied her hands with her blond hair instead, corralling her shoulder-length waves into a ponytail. If only she could have lassoed her rankled nerves as easily.

The pier was quiet, the few businesses that ran the length of it not yet opened. She loved coming here early in the morning, sharing the pier with the seagulls and the wind off the water. Soon the summer season would start in earnest and there’d be no time of day when downtown wasn’t packed with visitors. But for now, the Bay still belonged to her and her neighbors, people she’d grown up with, people she’d miss like crazy—but they’d be here when she came back. There was comfort in that fact—and she needed it. Her stomach felt like one giant fist, squeezed harder and harder the longer she waited for Josh to arrive.

When she spotted him walking toward her, flashing that melting smile while the wind played with his wavy brown hair, desire rushed down her limbs like gooseflesh.

God, he was gorgeous.

Why did he have to be so gorgeous still?

Wasn’t passion supposed to fade after six years with someone? Weren’t those butterflies supposed to stop fluttering?

Hers never had for him—and that simple fact was only making the lump of dread in her throat rise up harder and faster.

When he waved, she had to bite her lip to keep from welling up. Already all she wanted to do was run into his arms and stay there—how was she going to stay strong enough to tell him her news when he was actually beside her?

He’ll decide to come with me to New York. He just has to.

Hey. He arrived and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. When he leaned back, his dark eyes searched hers. You’re shivering. Are you okay?

She nodded, feeling idiotic. Who shivered in seventy-two degree weather?

Someone who was terrified they were about to lose the best thing that had ever happened to them, that’s who.

I’m fine, she insisted.

But when she met his eyes again, she saw doubt in those beautiful brown pools.

Josh, I have some news.

He grinned. That’s a coincidence—so do I.

You go ahead, she said.

No way—ladies first.

He pointed them to a bench a few feet down the pier and sat down beside her, pushing playfully against her shoulder. So spill it.

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. I got in.

His teasing smile thinned. In what?

The writing program at NYU. I got accepted. Look. She fumbled to pull the letter from her purse, her hands shaking as she held it out.

He unfolded the page and read it slowly.

She watched his profile, waiting for a spark of pride or joy to loosen his furrowed brow, but the more he read, the more his forehead knotted.

He handed it back to her. You said you weren’t going to apply.

I wasn’t. But then I had this terrible feeling that if I didn’t, I’d always regret not trying.

His gaze shifted back to the letter. This is dated eight days ago.

So?

So you’ve known about this for a while?

Just a few days. Days they’d spent kayaking and swimming and sharing bowls of She Crab soup at the Shack. Perfect, blissful days.

So why didn’t you say something then? he demanded.

Because I needed some time to think about it.

As soon as his eyes met hers, Mallory knew he read the truth in them.

She hadn’t needed time. From the minute she’d slid her application into the mail slot two months ago, she’d known she wanted to get into the writing program at New York University.

She also knew that Josh had made it clear he didn’t want to live in a city—especially not one of the biggest in the world.

He handed her back the letter and stood. She watched him walk to the edge of the pier and look out.

Regret stung the inside of her cheeks.

She rose to join him. The breeze picked up, blowing right through her.

Josh, say something.

What do you want me to say, Mal? I told you I don’t want to leave the Bay.

Yeah, but that was before I got in. She could hear the hope rise in her voice. I guess I figured if I did, you’d... She stopped, seeing the flash of frustration in his eyes.

You figured I’d change my mind, right?

She nodded ruefully. It’s just a two-year program, Josh. And there’re plenty of people wanting to rock climb and kayak in New York City.

Mal, I can’t afford to open my store here in little Magnolia Bay—how the hell can I afford to open it in New York City?

His store—the outdoor adventure business he’d been dreaming about for years now. He’d tossed around ideas, scribbled down budgets and floor plans on napkins and notepaper, but always stopped short of taking the next step.

You could ask your dad to help, she suggested carefully.

"You know how I feel about this, Mal. I want to open the store on my own terms. His money means his terms."

She bit her lip, tears of discouragement prickling her eyes. I promise we’ll come back when I’m done.

I’m not sure that’s a promise you can keep.

What does that mean?

It means I think we need to be real about this. His voice was rough, like someone brushing her spine with sandpaper. Why wouldn’t he look at her? Didn’t he know this was killing her?

"I am being real, she said. I’m saying we can do this—you and me."

"This isn’t about you and me, Mal. This is about you. About what you want."

She threw up her hands. And I’m not supposed to want anything?

That’s not what I’m saying—of course you need to want things for yourself. And I want what’s best for you, you know that too.

What if being with you is what’s best for me?

Then stay here. Stay home. This is our home, Mal.

The tears were so close now, Mallory could feel them inching up her throat, nearly choking her every time she swallowed. Why can’t I have both?

Because you can’t. It doesn’t work that way.

Says who?

Mal... He turned back to the water just as she felt the first tears spill down. She wanted him to pull her close, to hold her and tell her everything was going to work out. But he just shoved his hands into his pockets and took another step away from her.

You’d let me go? She could hear the quiver in her voice. Just like that?

Mal, I’m not your father and you’re not some teenager, okay? I don’t get to tell you what to do—that’s not me.

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. No, you’d just rather use your pride as an excuse to avoid taking a chance.

She watched the sting of her words strain his features. Is that what you think I’m doing?

Josh, you’ve been talking about this store for years—

"Because it takes years to save up enough money."

But this is our life, Josh—our one chance to make it what we want.

"I want our life here, he said. You’re the one who doesn’t know what she wants."

Because you’re telling me I have to choose between you or this program!

He raked a hand through his dark hair. "I don’t want to lose you, Mal. I can’t make that any clearer. But I can’t fight to keep you here when I know you’ll spend the rest of your life with me wondering what if—or worse, resenting me for being the reason you never found out."

She blinked at him through her tears. So that’s it? If I go to New York, we can’t be together?

Long distance relationships don’t work.

Ours did!

Josh sighed. That was different, Mal. That was college. We were an hour away—we could see each other every weekend if we wanted to.

And they had—sometimes spending the entire forty-eight hours wound around each other in bed, managing to fit on the other’s single mattress, only leaving the dorm room to sneak food out of the cafeteria, living on coffee and Ramen noodles.

If they’d weathered those years apart, surely they could manage a few more?

But this distance would be different—and despite her every urge to deny it, Mallory knew he was right.

She licked a tear off her lip. "Can’t we at least try?"

What would be the point, Mal? We obviously want different things.

But we’ve wanted different things before and we’ve still managed to stay together.

He smiled sadly. I’m not talking about you wanting pizza for dinner and me wanting Mexican, Mal. This is big stuff. Life stuff.

Life stuff.

Her chills returned, stronger now. She held herself and looked out at the bay. The water looked so dark to her suddenly, deep and angry and cold.

Then I should go, she said softly, and only when she’d turned and he hadn’t reached out to stop her did Mallory realize she hadn’t specified whether she meant she should go from this spot, or go to New York.

Halfway down the pier, crying so hard she could barely see her way to her car parked on the street, Mallory decided it didn’t matter.

Both answers meant goodbye.

When her sedan had sputtered out of sight, Josh reached into his pocket, tugged out the black velvet box and stared down at it, numb.

This wasn’t how he’d planned it when he’d driven in to Charleston that morning to get the ring, not at all how he’d imagined it when he’d picked out the setting on his own—despite his cousin, Knox, insisting he couldn’t be trusted to pick out socks, let alone an engagement ring.

He’d been so excited to get here and ask