Sweet Peach

Contents Copyright Page Description Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Epilogue Thank You for Reading About the Author Stay Connected Other Books Sweet Peach Copyright © 2023 by Lorrain Allen Published by Lorrain Allen All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. Thank you for respecting the work of this author. This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. The author acknowledges all song titles, song lyrics, film titles, film characters, trademarked statuses, and brands mentioned in this book are the property of, and belong to, their respective owners. The publication/use of these trademarks are not authorized/associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. Lorrain Allen is in no way affiliated with any of the brands, songs, musicians, or artists mentioned in this book. Edited by: Maggie Kern Ms. K Edits Proofread by: Virginia Tesi Carey and Michaella Dieter Formatted by: Stacey Blake Champagne Book Design Cover design by: Victoria Schaefer EVE Graphic Design LLC Beau, Emmett, and Shepard Wilder are dipped in sin. Sexy, tall, and burly—the epitome of masculine beauty. No woman with a pulse can resist their alluring steel-blue eyes and wicked smiles, including me. The gorgeous men are a hot commodity in our small Alaskan town. They’ve each played a starring role in my naughtiest fantasies. The roughneck brothers and cousin live next door. I take great pleasure in shamefully spying on them from the safety of my house. Too bad, they never pay attention to their lonely new neighbor… or so I thought. I pound a fist into my pillow, sighing in frustration. I’m wide awake and it’s nearly two in the morning. The midnight sun casts an ethereal glow into my bedroom, but that’s not what’s keeping me from falling asleep. It’s the lack of adventure and sex in my life. Now that school is out for the summer, my dismal plight is more apparent. Being a kindergarten teacher is a rewarding career. I love each student as if they were my own flesh and blood. From August to May, my focus is solely on their academic development. That’s what got me through my breakup last fall. Calvin completely blindsided me, ending our seven-year relationship. The asshole broke my heart right before the holidays. I thought he was my happily ever after. I even relocated across the country for him. He couldn’t find work in his field, so when he was offered an environmental scientist position in Alaska, we packed up everything and made the move in less than two weeks. That was three years ago. I should be planning our wedding, researching honeymoon destinations, and discussing the best time to start a family. What hurts the most is that he didn’t give me a valid explanation, simply stating the relationship wasn’t working for him anymore. I’m thirty-four years old. Jumping back into the dating pool at my age seems daunting. I hear the water has pee in it, too. I may be unassuming and plain, but my other traits outweigh these minor shortcomings, like my impeccable character and stellar personality. I’m not just blowing hot air. I’ve been told this on countless occasions. And plain doesn’t equal butt-ugly. I’m no beauty queen by any stretch of the imagination, but my silky-smooth, dark mahogany complexion and bountiful, accentuated curves turn more than a few heads—despite being average-looking in the face. Fuck him. No point in dwelling on the past. I fell in love with the Great Land and decided to stay after the breakup. There’s nothing for me back in Pennsylvania, anyway. My mother is too busy catering to her new husband, and I never knew my sperm donor. However, I wanted a change after the split and began searching for another teaching job. Several offers were on the table within three weeks. Eventually, I accepted the teaching position in Ridgemont, a small town located an hour and a half north of my old home. On the last day of school, I hopped in my car and put my old life in my rearview. It was a hard, but necessary, goodbye. I’ve been a resident for two months and one week and have no regrets. At first, I was worried small-town life wouldn’t suit me, being a city girl since birth, but I fit right in. I spend the long summer days running errands, exploring, or sitting on my porch sipping ice-cold lemonade. The quaint community boasts spectacular scenery, and everyone is friendly. I haven’t met a disagreeable person yet. By the time school starts, I’ll be settled in and well-acquainted with my new surroundings. I roll onto my side and pluck the remote control off the nightstand. Might as well find a movie to watch. Lulu, my orange tabby cat, lets out a long, disgruntled meow at having her beauty rest interrupted. “Hey,” I admonish the spoiled feline. “Your furry butt isn’t supposed to be sleeping on my bed in the first place. We’ve had this conversation several times before. Do you want me to put your bed downstairs again? Because I’ll do it.” It’s an empty threat. I tried locking her out once, and she spent the entire night meowing at my bedroom door. “Sass me one more time,” I say in an authoritative tone. “I double dare you.” Lulu blinks her copper-colored eyes at me. “Don’t give me that