The Pre-season: Montgomery University, #3

By Kathryn Renard

Nineteen-year-old Josie Savage can't wait for college to start and along with it, her new life away from her football star father. A father-daughter trip to Hawaii that is more obligation than fun until she until she starts a vacation romance with a sexy Navy SEAL. It's a romance that defies logic in its intensity and passion. College is waiting, but can she turn her back on a chance for love in paradise? Find out in Sidelined, the prequel to the well-reviewed novel The Backup.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patchwork Press
• Release date: Apr 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533737892

Kathryn Renard

Kathryn Renard is an award-winning journalist who has always enjoyed romance novels. She felt there was a need for romances that reflected the angst and excitement of real life college years. With this in mind, she adopted a pen name and started writing. Her modern heroines and swoon-worthy heroes have flaws, but they also have a lot of passion. They may kiss the wrong guy, or sleep with the wrong girl, but her couples are worth rooting for. In her real life, Kathryn works for a well-known national news organization and lives in Washington, DC with her husband, twin daughters, and two dog

Book preview

Chapter One

Aloha!

Aloha, Josie said, smiling. She dipped her head to receive a lei from the hotel greeter. She raised the flowers to her nose. They were real. She breathed in their sweet heavy scent.

Now this is the kind of reception I like, her dad said. I was expecting this at the airport.

Daddy, I'm pretty sure after 9/11 they don't just let people wander up and give you a lei.

Her dad winked at the girl who was now giving him a flower necklace. He was well over six feet and had to crouch for her to reach his neck. He stood and squeezed the girl's arm.

Just once Josie wished someone would slap him or something when he got handsy. No one ever did. The reaction from the lei-girl was pretty typical. She blushed, and looked like she had achieved some life goal.

Joey! Joey Savage!

A man and a kid stood several feet away in the hotel lobby. The kid was wearing a Condor's jersey with Josie's dad's number on it.

Hey, good to see you, man Joey said. He sounded as if he were greeting a good friend.

Josie knew he'd never seen this guy before in his life.

Here, here, my kid's a huge fan, the man was saying. The guy had a pen and was thrusting it at Joey.

Josie got the feeling that the guy was probably the 'huge fan', not his son. The boy l was about five or six years old. He blinked up at Joey in awe.

Can you sign my cap? The man snatched it off his head and held it out to Joey.

It was dirty, stained and faded. Josie made a face. There was no way in hell her dad would touch it.

You know man, I only sign stuff for kids. How about I sign his shirt? Joey crouched down next to the boy.

Gosh, your husband's the greatest, the man gushed.

He's. Not. My. Husband. Josie muttered.

Oh, sorry. Boyfriend? the man tried again.

Josie rolled her eyes and stepped away.

Nah, she's my kid, Joey said laughing. She's younger than she looks.

Yes, because you'd never date someone my age, right dad?

Joey glanced at her with narrowed eyes.

The man chuckled. Well, you have your hands full with this one. You better hope she's not wearing a two piece while she's here. You'll have to beat the boys back with a stick.

Josie flushed and looked away. Perv.

Joey turned to the guy.

What did you say to my kid? She's barely legal.

Daddy, let's go, she said.

Implying that you found Josie sexy was high on Joey's list of disrespectful behavior. Right up there with asking if he wasn't too old to still play football.

No disrespect, the man said. At least this guy knew thin ice when he saw it.

Good, Joey said. He stared the guy down before he looked at Josie. Let's go check in, kid.

A muscular employee in the fanciest aloha shirt Josie had ever seen appeared at her father's side. The shirt was beautiful, made from muted mauve and brown linen, the same colors as the hotel's decor.

On behalf of the Maui Ocean Grand, I'd like to welcome you Mr. Savage, the man said, I'm Junior M'alaka, the hotel's General Manager.

The general manager glanced at Josie.

We've put you in the royal suite.

He glanced at Josie again.

Will you be requiring additional accommodations, Mr. Savage?

Josie felt sorry for the guy. He was trying to ask 'who the heck is this?' with as much grace as he could manage.

Yeah, I brought my kid. Father-daughter time.

Oh, of course. Mr. M'alaka looked relieved that he didn't have a potential internet scandal on his hands. Your agent didn't let us know. There is a spare bedroom in the royal suite, but we can also arrange for a smaller suite, if that would be better.

Josie smiled. Thank god. A different suite would be better, Josie said, trying not to sound too eager. My dad's recovering from appendicitis, he needs his rest.

Mr. M'alaka gave her a friendly wink.

I have a daughter about your age, I know how you girls are about privacy.

Josie looked at her dad. If anyone was going to need privacy it was him. This wasn't the first time Josie had heard this daddy-daughter line. She gave it a day or two before her dad left her to her own devices. The number of women in the lobby had tripled since their arrival. It was as if some silent alarm had alerted them to his presence.

Mr. M'alaka gestured for Josie and her dad to walk ahead of him. All charges are being taken care of by the magazine, of course Mr. Savage. I'll show you up to your room. Ms. Savage, your room isn't ready yet, naturally.

They walked through the lobby to glances and outright stares. Josie dropped back a few feet and started reading her texts. She knew from experience that the fans that had whipped out their cell phones didn't want her in their photos of Joey Savage.

It was better just to be inconspicuous.

Josie walked into a wall and bounced off.

She felt someone grab her. She looked up. The wall had hands. And arms. And sparkling light grey eyes.

Oh, she exclaimed.

Oh, is right. The voice was male with a slight drawl.

Josie tried to check out the guy talking without staring. He had an amazing body. The board shorts and a simple white tank top did a good job of showing it off. His muscles were large and well defined. Very well defined.

I wasn't watching where I was going, Josie said.

That's okay. I was watching you, darlin'. The guy looked down at her and smiled.

Josie couldn't think of a response. She lowered her eyes, and then gazed at him through her lashes.

Do you do that on purpose? he asked, his voice quieter now.

What? Run into you? No, I'm really sorry. Josie felt breathless.

With a body like his, this guy must have girls throwing themselves at him all the time. And he thought she had literally thrown herself at him. She looked down for a second, before raising her eyes to look into his face. He wasn't bad looking she decided. A nice jaw, great eyes...but his hair was way too short.

No, Darlin'. Do you flash your eyes like that to hypnotize your prey? Or is it an accident?

Kid, come on, she heard her dad call to her. He didn't bother to turn around.

I have to go, Josie stepped away and started toward her father.

I'll find out the answer to that question, Josie Savage, she heard.

Josie turned, startled.

She didn't have time to ask how he knew her name. She had to catch up to her father.

Chapter Two

You hungry, kid? Why don't you order some room service or something?

I'm good, Josie said. She stuck out her hands to catch the football her dad tossed to her. She threw it back in a perfect