Zoe North

By Joanne Rawson

Zoe North walked down the aisle, aware that all eyes were on her. She knew she should be savouring this moment, yet all she could focus on was the man at the altar, the man that, in a few minutes from now, would be promising to spend the rest of his life with her.
As the vicar starts the wedding ceremony, Zoe recalls her turbulent, two-year relationship with Dale Kennedy, literally, falling head over heels but not in love, when they first meet.
A night dancing at a salsa club leads to more than she bargained for. An ultimatum that could change Zoe’s life forever and a honeymoon she will never forget.
A witty, spicy, story of love, friendship and never expecting the inevitable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melange Books, LLC
• Release date: Sep 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9781612359748

Joanne Rawson

Joanne Rawson was born and brought up in Derbyshire England. After leaving college in 1984, she headed off to be an au pair in the Loire Valley, France for one year.Returning back, to England, Joanne worked work for Derbyshire Education Authority in special education, and then for Derbyshire Social services working with adults with learning and physical difficulties.In 2005, Joanne and her husband decided to give up their hectic lifestyle, after ten years of managing branded restaurants around London's M25, now spending her time in England, Goa, and Malaysia, writing romantic novels and short stories.

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Zoe North

by Joanne Rawson

Published by

Melange Books, LLC

White Bear Lake, MN 55110

www.melange-books.com

Zoe North, Copyright 2014 Joanne Rawson

ISBN: 978-1-61235-974-8

Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States of America.

Cover Design by Lynsee Lauritsen

Table of Contents

Zoe North

About the Author

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ZOE NORTH

by Joanne Rawson

Zoe North walked down the aisle, aware that all eyes were on her. She knew she should be savouring this moment, yet all she could focus on was the man at the altar, the man that, in a few minutes from now, would be promising to spend the rest of his life with her.

As the vicar starts the wedding ceremony, Zoe recalls her turbulent, two-year relationship with Dale Kennedy, literally, falling head over heels but not in love, when they first meet.

A night dancing at a salsa club leads to more than she bargained for. An ultimatum that could change Zoe’s life forever and a honeymoon she will never forget.

A witty, spicy, story of love, friendship and never expecting the inevitable.

To the staff at Big Fish, Palolem, South Goa, where I had the inspiration to write this book.

http://wilsons.50megs.com/about.htm

Zoe North

The church organist hit the first chord to the bridle march, whereupon the congregation instantly reared from their pews and turned around trying to catch their first glimpse of the leading person for todays’ show. That would be me by the way, Zoe North, and giving the finest performance of my life.

Walking down the aisle, aware that all eyes were on me, I knew I should be savouring this moment; the smiling faces of approval of my couture gown; tears of joy from my mother, who thought that this day would never arrive; laughing at my friends, acting like teenagers as they pulled silly faces and gave me the thumbs up sign, as if it were my first date. Yet all I could focus on was the man at the altar the man that, in a few minutes from now, would be promising to spend the rest of his life with me.

I turned to pass my bouquet to my matron of honour. Is this really happening? Am I really getting married today, or is it all just a dream? God knows I have dreamt of this moment for what seems like a zillion years.

The vicar smiled at me and then addressed the congregation. God is love, and those who live in love live in God.

This is it; this is usually the moment I wake up. Feeling a hand clasp mine, I turned just to be sure, he was real. Sure enough, standing next to me, smiling nervously was the man who had asked me to marry him.

Oblivious to the organist striking up the hymn, Love divine, all I could think about was how it all started two years ago.

* * * *

Typical of me, I was running late, again! I seem to have spent my whole life rushing to get somewhere. Rushing to school, rushing to work, rushing to get home to get ready for a date I was already late for. My mum always says, That girl will meet herself coming back one day.

Laughing to myself that this could never happen, I would probably be too late to meet myself. I bolted out of the front door of my flat like a tornado, and suddenly found myself falling head first onto the corridor floor. My reflexes were too slow to stop myself from falling and hitting my temple on something sharp. Naturally, my body seemed to follow a few minutes later, only to wince in pain as something jabbed under my ribs, knocking the air from my lungs. I lay dazed for a moment and my heart pounded like a big brass drum in my ears, from my soaring blood pressure. Breathless, I managed to utter to myself, What on earth just happened?

I was just about to ask you the same question, came a male voice. It was deep and masculine yet held a distinct tone of anger.

With my backside stuck up in the air, and my head resting on the cold tiled floor, I figured this was not a flattering position for anyone to find me. However, I was very grateful that at least someone had seen my predicament, and was offering some assistance, as I managed to mumble a feeble, Thanks, I’m fine ... I think.

Do you intend to keep lying on my state of the art music system, or do I physically have to remove you myself? You clumsy, great lump.

If I had been vertical, and brave enough, I would have loved to introduce his cheek to the palm of my hand. Clumsy, I can deal with, it is yet another of my flaws. If there is something to trip over, fall over or slip down then you can be sure I will be the one to do it. However, great lump! I am the correct height for my weight, what was it with men, obsessed with wanting all women skinny? I had not been this offended since my one and only blind date. Par for the course I had arrived late, making my way through the busy bar wondering how the hell we would find each other, when through the crowd and a haze of cigarette smoke like a contestant from Stars in Your Eyes, he emerged. And tonight, Mathew, my date will be a tall, dark, handsome Greek god.

Zoe North? he said

Yes,