Be My Other Valentine

By Jennifer Skully

From NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Skully, a very special Valentine’s story...
moved to a new house with no way to contact the baker who follows his wife's wishes.

In their quest to fulfill a dying woman's last request, can Grace and Brian find their own Valentine?

Five years ago, Grace was given a sacred duty by a woman dying of cancer: Every Valentine's Day, Grace must deliver a special cake to a girl named Valentine, addressed from the girl's mother in heaven. But this year, Grace's van gives up the ghost before she delivers her cargo.

His daughter Valentine is all Brian has left of his wife, but he's forgotten the cake Valentine receives every year, and they've
“Be My Other Valentine” is a contemporary romance of approximately 10,000 words. Also published in the 2013 anthology “Love, Valentine Style.”

The book contains the following bonus material:

Excerpt from “She’s Gotta Be Mine.”

PRAISE FOR JENNIFER SKULLY NOVELS

“Here's something you need to know about Jennifer Skully/Jasmine Haynes. She can really write - no matter which genre she chooses.” The Book Sage

“Skully's novel is a triumph. It's fabulously funny, with top-notch dialogue, terrific pacing and witty compelling characters.” Romantic Times

Huntress
“Jennifer Skully combines humor, mystery, hot sex, fascinating characters, and annoying relatives into one winning book.” Romance Reviews Today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Skully
• Release date: Jan 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781626030442

Jennifer Skully

Award-winning author Jennifer Skully is back! The author of KOD Daphne winner SHE'S GOTTA BE MINE (formerly Sex and the Serial Killer) brings you poignant tales of loss and renewal. Her books are peopled with hilarious characters that will make you laugh and make you cry. And be sure to read her classy, erotic romances written as Jasmine Haynes, Rita Finalist for SOMEBODY’S LOVER, plus two-time Holt Medallion and National Readers Choice Award winner. In 2013, she starts a sexy new series for Berkley Heat, beginning with THE NAUGHTY CORNER coming Oct 2013 and TEACH ME A LESSON in April 2014. And there will be more in the sensual West Coast series! Of course, she’s also the author of the award-winning Max Starr psychic mystery series. Visit her websites at jasminehaynes.com, jenniferskully.com, jbskully.com, and her blog at jasminehaynes.blogspot.com

Book preview

Be My Other Valentine

Jennifer Skully

Copyright 2014 Jasmine Haynes

Cover Design by Rae Monet Inc.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This is copyrighted material. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

Summary

Five years ago, Grace was given a sacred duty by a woman dying of cancer: Every Valentine's Day, Grace must deliver a special cake to a girl named Valentine, addressed from the girl's mother in heaven. But this year, Grace's van gives up the ghost before she delivers her cargo.

His daughter Valentine is all Brian has left of his wife, but he's forgotten the cake Valentine receives every year, and they've moved to a new house with no way to contact the baker who follows his wife's wishes.

In their quest to fulfill a dying woman's last request, can Grace and Brian find their own Valentine?

Acknowledgement

Special thanks to my friend Pamela Fryer for all her help and encouragement.

Chapter One

But how will Mommy know where to leave my present?

On the way to drop her off at school, Brian Pierce glanced at Valentine in the rearview mirror. His five-year-old daughter was seated in the child’s booster seat on the opposite side of the car so that he could see her. Her cherubic face, so like Marilyn’s, was adultly earnest.

And damn, he’d forgotten all about the present, though God only knew how. Tomorrow was Valentine’s Day, the single most important day of the year. It was her birthday, for which she’d been named. That had been Marilyn’s idea. At the time she’d chosen it, Marilyn hadn’t realized the painful reminder it would be. Neither of them had. If he could go back, change the day, the name, change everything… But he couldn’t.

For Valentine, it was her birthday, the best day of the year, all hearts and presents and adoration.

Yet he’d forgotten the damn present. Maybe he’d wanted to, because it was both a blessing and a curse. Maybe he’d been hoping Valentine would forget. They’d moved over the summer, to a bigger house in a San Francisco Peninsula neighborhood with a highly regarded school district, and she’d made all new friends. But for course, she’d never forget her birthday, just as he’d never forget it was the day Marilyn had died.

Mommy’s an angel, sweetheart, he said to the mirror’s reflection. She can see everything from heaven, and she knows where we live now. Yeah, Marilyn knew, but the mystery benefactor who delivered Valentine’s birthday cake in Marilyn’s name most likely didn’t.

Are you sure, Daddy? Valentine was not a whiny child, but her voice was slightly plaintive. The special birthday cake was her only connection to her mother. It kept Marilyn alive for her, and it kept the pain of Marilyn’s death alive for him, forever reminding him of those hours spent pacing the hospital halls, waiting to hear, the fear that he could lose either of them, both of them.

But those were things he needed to stop thinking about.

Of course I’m sure. This was about Valentine. About her special day. But Brian wasn’t sure at all. The gift was anonymous, magically appearing on the doorstep first thing in the morning on Valentine’s Day every year. He’d actually been up for a very early flight one year, but the cake had been there even at four-thirty. The plain pink bakery box displayed no name and contained nothing but a specialty cake. Animals, girlie