Coming Home

By Sage Nolan

Lily returns home with her current millionaire boyfriend only to be conflicted about her feelings for her new love and family. What will Lily choose?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blackberry Publishing Group
• Release date: May 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393140870

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Sage Nolan

Coming Home

First published by Blackberry Publishing 2019

Copyright © 2019 by Sage Nolan

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Sage Nolan has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

First edition

ISBN: 978-0-578-52045-2

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Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

About the Author

1

CHAPTER ONE

Love made you see someone clearly. Lily Simmons would never be classically beautiful. With her pale, heavily freckled skin, and slightly crooked nose, her face seemed like a series of features tacked on with little thought to their result. Her eyes were her most attractive feature. They were round and bright and the most brilliant shade of blue Gareth had seen. They seemed out of place on her plain face, mismatching the rest of her features, but he couldn’t imagine them on anyone else, or them having the same effect on his heart rate. When she looked at him it melted his heart.

Lily grew up in a warm loving home, but her uncles Trent, Desmond, and Callum were awkward when it came to affection. They were either exuberant or it was absent entirely. She got a pat on the head for acing her science pop quiz. She received a quick hug that came with two hard slaps on her back when she was awarded the most valuable player in high school. Her father Nelson, when he finally retired, was no better. He wasn’t a terrible father, he was good, actually, but he wasn’t demonstrative either. The man just grunted, then nodded, shot her a quick, crooked smile, squeezing her on the shoulder after she told him about getting accepted into the University of Calton.

Her two relationships pre-Gareth were far from affectionate. One of them wasn’t even a relationship. Her first boyfriend, Derek, who was on the male volleyball team at her college, he was frustrated with having to wait when she was ready for sex that he dumped her. Angry, hurt, and frustrated, Lily agreed to go out with her psychology professor’s TA, a guy whose name she couldn’t even remember. She had slept with him after he took her out to dinner. It wasn’t good at all, It was rushed and it hurt. As soon as it was over, Lily left his apartment and changed professors. She ignored his calls and messages until they stopped.

Then she and Derek hooked up again after she started grad school. Although it was better this time, Lily still found the experience lacking, and she knew that she was partly to blame. She wasn’t comfortable with being naked. She knew all too well that her breasts were too small and her thighs too large. She wasn’t a fan of a lot of touching either, she just couldn’t relax. Just as she was thinking of dumping Derek, he beat her to it and told her she was frigid. That had hurt, a lot. She forgot all about her study date with her friend Jeffrey Lee, who came to her apartment and had found her teary face buried in a pillow, hiccupping loudly in between sips of cold water. He moved too fast and she had to put on shoes before she could go after him. By then it was too late.

It was chaos at their favorite bar and hang out because Jeffery, upon sighting Derek from the window, went to him and without a word sent his ham-sized fist straight to his nose.

She was finally alright. She and Gareth’s relationship had been slow at first, but she preferred it. After almost a year, here she was, bringing him home.

They hefted their bags off the carousel. Both of them were using trolleys, so it was easier to just pull rather than lug them around. They exited the arrivals area and Lily led him towards the line of cabs waiting for passengers. She began to hail a cab when a loud booming voice swept through the air calling her name.

Lily turned and shrieked. Uncle Trent!

Gareth watched as Lily dropped her bags on the ground and ran toward a large man with dark hair and heavy shoulders. He was wearing a hibiscus print shirt, ripped jeans, and sandals. Lily threw her arms around him and Gareth saw he had the same eyes that she had; blue, bright, and twinkling. Gareth grabbed the discarded bags and walked to the embracing pair.

My little Lilypad! Trent Simmons said, squeezing her to his chest. He nodded at Gareth. Is this him?

Gareth, Lily grabbed his hand and tugged him to her side with little effort. Meet my uncle, Trent Simmons. Uncle Trent, this is my Gareth. Gareth Hastings.

Gareth felt proud when Lily referred to him as My Gareth. As she should. He extended his hand toward the man. Pleased to meet you, sir. I am indeed hers.

Sir, hmm, Trent said, shaking his hand. Gareth was tall at six-foot-two and had large hands. He was taller than Lily who was 5-foot-8, and he had a wide, broad frame. His hand easily swallowed Gareth’s and he shook it so exuberantly he feared his arm would get torn off its socket. He found himself relieved when Trent finally dropped his hand.

Gareth, you call me Uncle Trent, like little Lilypad here, Trent said, grabbing her by the waist again, Or Trent. No sirs. He grinned. Except for my brother. You can call him sir. Welcome.

Don’t scare him, Uncle Trent, Lily said. What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were going to pick us up.

Thought I’d surprise you. Little Lilypad here hates surprises. So, all the more reason to surprise her, Trent told Gareth.

And stop calling me Little Lilypad. I’m a grown woman. I see! So when are you two going to tie the knot and give me some little great nieces and nephews?

Gareth’s grin was wide while Lily blushed. Uncle Trent!

What? You’ve never brought a boy home until this one. That tells me things are serious. Then he narrowed his eyes at Gareth. You’ll do right by little Lilypad here, kid, and not leave her alone with a child to take care of.

Lily flushed and secretly wished for the ground to swallow her. Taking pity on her, but unable to stop the laughter bubbling out of him, he said, Never. But I’m sorry to tell you, Uncle Trent, she’s not carrying my child. Yet.

Gareth! Don’t you pile on, come on! Lily complained.

Ah, so you’re that Hastings, eh? Well, when you put a baby in her, make sure she’s got a ring on her finger first. And a ceremony. Otherwise, it won’t be proper.

"Alright, that is enough. Uncle Trent, Gareth is my boyfriend. We’re serious but we’re not… we’re not there yet. And it’s embarrassing. You’re pressuring him! And me! Gareth, for the love of God, just quit stoking the fire. You’re almost as bad as him! She added, glaring at her uncle.

Sorry, they both mumbled.

Well, off we go then. Let’s get you to Glades and meet the rest of us. You’ll love it here, kid. Surfing. The best seafood. Biggest lobsters and sweetest prawns. Most beautiful waters, Trent told Gareth, clapping him on the back. The two men went off, talking.

Lily rolled her eyes. Looks like I’m in charge of the bags, then. So she trailed after them, pulling the trolleys behind her.

2

CHAPTER TWO

Uncle Trent’s Jeep was a junk heap, dusted heavily with sand and looked like it should be put out of its misery. Lily took the passenger seat, climbing over the door with her long, sleek, legs glistening in the sun. Gareth got in the back, with the bags. He was just about to