Heather & Mike: Echoes of the Heart, #1

By Jean C. Joachim

Mike Sullivan's dating Amy, the perfect woman. Everyone says she is, even his best friend, Bill. She urges him to move in with her, and he agrees. To Mike, living together means getting engaged. He's picked out the ring and is ready to pop the question, isn't he?

If Amy is the one, why can't Mike forget Heather? He'd spent a magical ten days with her on Fire Island, ten days that changed his life. Then he'd screwed it up. As quickly as she entered his world, Heather disappeared, blocking his calls, and leaving him bereft.

That was five years ago. Finally ready to accept the fact that he'll never see Heather again, Mike's poised to take the big step -- until a magazine article turns his universe upside down.   

• Language: English
• Publisher: Moonlight Books
• Release date: May 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9781945360985

Jean C. Joachim

¬¬¬ Jean Joachim is a best-selling romance fiction author, with books hitting the Amazon Top 100 list since 2012. She writes mostly contemporary romance, which includes sports romance and romantic suspense. Dangerous Love Lost & Found, First Place winner in the 2015 Oklahoma Romance Writers of America, International Digital Award contest. The Renovated Heart won Best Novel of the Year from Love Romances Café. Lovers & Liars was a RomCon finalist in 2013. And The Marriage List tied for third place as Best Contemporary Romance from the Gulf Coast RWA. To Love or Not to Love tied for second place in the 2014 New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America Reader’s Choice contest. She was chosen Author of the Year in 2012 by the New York City chapter of RWA. Married and the mother of two sons, Jean lives in New York City. Early in the morning, you’ll find her at her computer, writing, with a cup of tea, her rescued pug, Homer, by her side and a secret stash of black licorice. Jean has 30+ books, novellas and short stories published. Find them here: http://www.jeanjoachimbooks.com. Sign up for her newsletter, on her website, and be eligible for her private paperback sales. here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Joachim-Author/221092234568929?sk=app_100265896690345

Book preview

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A Moonlight Books Novella

Sensual Romance

Heather & Mike

The One That Got Away

Echoes of the Heart series

Copyright © 2018 Jean C. Joachim

COVER DESIGN BY DAWNÉ Dominique

Edited by Sherri Good

Proofread by Renee Waring

All cover art and logo copyright © 2017 by Moonlight Books

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER

Moonlight Books

Dedication

For Johnny

Dear Reader,

Thank you for taking a chance on my second chance romance series. When I looked at the stories forming in my heart, so many were second chance romances, I figured why not have a series?

The characters in these stories are not connected, don’t necessarily know each other. They are drawn together by the fact that they have a second chance at true love with someone from their past.

When I asked my friends if they have one love they left behind, each nodded and smiled. I guess many of us moved on from men we truly cared about in days gone by. Some days, when life gets tough, we may wonder, what if?

These are those what if stories. I hope you enjoy them and will read them all. I write them as they come to me, so I have no set number in mind for the series. I’ll bring out second chance romance novellas in this series as close together as possible. 

Thank you for taking this journey with me.

Best wishes,

Jean Joachim

Heather & Mike

The One That Got Away

(Echoes of the Heart, #1)

Jean C. Joachim

Chapter One

New York City, Upper East Side of Manhattan

Thrusting his hand into his pocket, Mike Sullivan made sure the little box from the jewelers was there. Of course, Amy might prefer to pick out her own ring, but she’d been hinting around about marriage for so long he guessed any ring would be welcomed.

On his way to the hair salon to pick up his girl, his phone dinged. It was a text saying they had been backed up and she was behind schedule. Already halfway there, he kept going.

His stomach became queasy. Was proposing to Amy a good idea? Good, old reliable Amy. Bill, his buddy, had made a case for her. He’d pointed out how dependable she was, how down-to-earth, rock solid, predictable. She’d never surprise him with something unpleasant, like screwing around. Mike gave a short laugh. Nope, Amy would never cheat on him because he doubted anyone would ask.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t a beauty, though she put out a lot of effort and came damn close. The woman had no sexual heat, but she was dependable as hell. He knew, when he got home from work, dinner would be on the table fifteen minutes later—every single night. As he waited for a red light to change, Bill’s words echoed in his head.

"What do you expect? Marriage is about give and take. You want someone who’s gonna be there