A Stranger's Embrace

By Imogene Nix

​Cupid is at it again with a little more divine intervention, but can love survive the danger ahead?

Jane has been living a lie, with her daughter Frannie. They’ve been on the run from her abusive husband for years eking out their existence while Jane’s hidden herself with disfiguring makeup and unflattering clothes.

Davis Formosa, world famous science fiction author has been intrigued by the quiet and unassuming waitress at the diner he has taken to frequenting, unaware that she is his soulmate. But things change when the quiet woman is unmasked.

But Cupid in the guise of Jake has his work cut out helping these two to find their happy ending, especially in the face of increasing danger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Imogene Nix
• Release date: Jun 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9780648484110

Imogene Nix

Imogene is published in a range of romance genres including Paranormal, Science Fiction and Contemporary. She is mainly published in the UK and USA due to the nature of her tales.In 2011, Imogene Nix (the pen name not Imogene herself) was born. Imogene sat down and worked tirelessly for 3 months culminating in the books Starline, which became the first in a trilogy titled, "Warriors of the Elector."Imogene has successfully been contracted for twenty-five titles. She has also completed several others. In 2017 Imogene decided to self publish most of her further works - a plan which is in train.Imogene is a member of a range of professional organisations world wide, and believes in the mantra of mentoring and paying it forward.​She loves to drink coffee, wine & eat chocolate and is parenting 2 spoiled dogs and a ferocious cat along with her husband and 2 human daughters.

Book preview

Chapter One

Jane disliked the necessity of working in the small diner across the road from Veha Industries, but it paid the bills and kept her under the radar. It also ensured that no one looking would find her easily. Especially him. She wasn’t superstitious, but even the thought of him still had her glancing around carefully, hoping he wouldn’t magically turn up outside the door to haul her away.

People came in and out, ordering their drinks and food. They rarely paid real attention to the woman serving them—the one who hid who and what she really was. She read the body language of the patrons and adjusted her behavior accordingly. She did it with every ounce of her hard-won knowledge and experience of human nature.

Jane wiped her hand on the towel and pushed aside the limp strand of hair that had escaped the scrappy bun. She was already longing for the brief break she could expect to take within the next hour, once her fellow waitress arrived. Mary had rung in late, as the doctor’s appointment for her three-year-old’s injections had taken significantly longer than planned.

Coffee—flat white, for table ten. Les pushed the tray into her hands. Jane moved quickly, dodging and weaving as people filed out of the eatery, drifting off to work. She made her way toward the table in the corner. At nine a.m. she could reasonably expect things to begin slowing down, something the ache of her feet reminded her of. The man sitting there smiled at her as she carefully placed the cup on the scratched Formica in front of him.

Thanks. The man had been coming in for weeks, always picking the same booth, while he did whatever he did on his small tablet device. She’d been drawn to him from the first. It wasn’t his rugged good looks or the leather clothing he wore like a glove over his muscular body. She doubted it was the piercing green eyes or the mobile mouth. Jane also refused to believe it could be the chiseled jaw and defined cheeks. No, it was the air of serenity he radiated. Here sat a man comfortable in himself and his chosen profession.

That very first day as she delivered his coffee—flat white, no sugar—she’d caught sight of his work, the lines of red and blue writing meaningless to her, but he’d quickly turned it over, hiding it from sight. She’d scurried away, feeling an embarrassed, blush burning her cheeks at being caught looking at his work.

Today he held nothing in his hands except his coffee. She surveyed his blunt fingers for a moment, before turning away with a faint wistful sigh.

He put out his hand, stopping her, and she sucked in her breath at the zing of awareness that speared her. I wanted to... He blushed as she turned. I wanted to thank you for looking after me these last few weeks.

Jane smiled, knowing that answering him would reveal part of the reason she remained in hiding. But he looked at her, as if expecting an answer, and the knowledge that he waited bothered her. It filled her with a vague sense of dissatisfaction. That’s okay. She rasped the words, the sound one that she’d practiced for a long time to perfect. It usually kept the men away.

He narrowed his eyes and his face, beautifully formed as it was, hardened. Jane backed away, unable to help herself. That kind of searching look in the past had always resulted in a painful reaction, and she gulped for air.

Jane? Next order waiting! Les called out from behind the counter. Without a word, Jane turned, thankful for Les’ gruff intervention, even if it had been accidental.

Les had taken her in the day she’d arrived on the doorstop, little more than a bedraggled rat dragging her barely-teen daughter behind her. He’d never asked why or how and she remained thankful for that small mercy. There was no way I could even begin to explain how my situation came about. Not easily and certainly not without risk to Frannie. Or me.

Instead of judging them both for the bruises on their skin and the wild look in their eyes, he’d seen something that she hadn’t. That, deep down, she was a fighter. A survivor. He’d offered her a job waiting tables and the small apartment above where she and Frannie lived. It wasn’t the comfortable existence they’d enjoyed before, but it was safe. And, more importantly, anonymous.

The bacon and egg burger with black coffee was a regular order and she knew where it was going before Les even opened his mouth. Yeah, table five. Got it. He smiled.

Everything okay? He searched her face and Jane felt the uncomfortable sensation of awareness. He knew just how flustered she was after that short encounter with the man on table ten.

Yeah, I’m fine. He’s just being friendly.

For a moment Les looked closely then he shrugged. You know what you’re doing. Turning on a squeaking foot, Jane made her way over to the table with the food and

drink. She remembered his name was Jake and the small squat man with the bald head smiled at her. Something about his eyes reminded her of the pictures she had seen in the art gallery in the past—the distance in his eyes hinted at some deeper knowledge of the world and she nearly chuckled at her own sense of whimsy.

Thank you, Jane. He smiled and she frowned. He may have been working at Veha in the past, but these days he seemed more interested in spending his time in the Wait-A-While Diner. But it wasn’t her problem to muse over, she reminded herself as she moved back to her spot behind the counter, pad in hand ready to take another order.

Jake watched as the woman, Jane, hurried about her business, efficient and personable yet careful to always remain in the background. The diner was emptying out and he was thankful as he pondered how to give her a push in the right direction. It was something he’d been wondering about for weeks.

He lifted the cup to his mouth, taking a sip of the scalding drink. The diner wasn’t a piece of modern art. It was old and down at heel, yet it remained busy in spite of its unassuming decor. The linoleum on the floor was scarred and worn, the tables faded from a mixture of too much light and constant cleaning. Even the seats had lost their springiness from years of constant use. But it was friendly, welcoming and, more importantly, cheap. That alone drew lots of patrons from the nearby buildings.

He sighed, taking a bite of the egg on his fork. He’d been watching the byplay between Jane and Davis for the last couple of weeks. Davis was an author of some renown. He just looked like a particularly well-groomed biker, with his leathers and helmet. Jane, even though she hid who and what she was, was the wife of Carstairs Church. Church owned the biggest motor dealership chain in Australia and was a well-known egotistical over-achiever.

He was also an abusive husband. One who had gone too far the night he’d lifted his hand to his daughter Francesca.

He knew Carstairs Church was looking for his wife and daughter, angry and bitter still because they had continued to elude him for five long years.

For months Jake had been tossing