A Faux Fauxmance

By Serenity Snow

When Adra’s ex insists on Adra coming to her engagement party, Adra tries to refuse. But the hot shop owner Mori Baker offers to escort her—as Adra’s lover, to turn the tables on the vindictive ex. To make it look good, Mori convinces Adra that pretending to be a couple would make their claim to be lovers more believable.
Adra doesn’t want to play games, but Mori soon has people talking and Adra’s heart beating fast and her breath catching as she falls fast for the mysterious Mori.
Mori has had her eye on Adra for months, but she didn’t want to do anything to make life uncomfortable for Adra. However, now that the chance has presented itself, Mori’s all too willing to reach out and grab what she wants, even if that means pulling out all the stops to win Adra’s heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evernight Publishing
• Release date: Jan 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9780369501158

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Published by EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2020 Serenity Snow

ISBN: 978-0-3695-0115-8

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Karyn White

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A FAUX FAUXMANCE

Cozy Bend Romance, 3

Serenity Snow

Copyright © 2020

Chapter One

I’m sorry, Adra. I have to go, Katherine Hough said as she glanced up from her phone. That was Alice.

What’s going on with her? Adra asked. Is her mother hurt?

No. Lisa’s still in rehab, Kate told her. Alice thinks it might take this time. Lisa seems to be making an effort in group to get her head straight.

That would be good for Alice, she murmured. Lisa had been embarrassing Alice for years with her falling down in public drunk antics.

Kate nodded. Yep, she said, doubt in her eyes. Alice is having an issue with one of her students, and she wants me to come over, Kate said.

I thought you weren’t going to take over as Chair of the Department until August.

Kate had recently been promoted to chair of the English department at the University of Louisiana, the local college where she and Alice taught. The school had been founded almost thirty years ago but was fast becoming a popular choice for locals.

The English department was really good, and Adra thought that was due to Kate’s hard work.

Not officially, she said. But I’m catching some of the work, unfortunately for me, and that means I’m spending more time away from my ladylove these days.

That’s why they pay you the medium bucks, right? Adra teased.

Ha. Kate grabbed her purse. Later, gator.

Uh-huh, she said with a laugh. Adra tapped her fingers on the table for a moment before glancing at her watch. She may as well head on home.

The fact she lived alone now that her sister had gone off to college in Baton Rouge and the place was quiet—not even really home—was no reason to dawdle here, despite how lonely she was.

Keena had been Adra’s entire world after their parents left them. She’d been just seventeen, and Keena had been still young. Getting a job, becoming an emancipated minor, and mom to a little girl had forced her into a very adult role.

Adra had known little else but being a mom and minimum wage worker. She’d had a few friends who still came by. Alice and Kate hadn’t been among them. They’d only become friends in the last few years.

Hey, Adra. The cheerful tone had her slowly turning to look up.

Ciara stood there, wearing a grin, with an expensive weave job and expensive dress with a name-brand bag dangling from her arm. She was lovely as ever with her bright brown eyes and perfectly made up face and manicured hands.

The ring sparkled on her finger, confirming for Adra something she’d already heard. Ciara was engaged.

Hi.

It’s been a while, Ciara said. How’s it going? Ciara took the chair Kate had vacated.

Things are fine. What’s new with you?

I’m engaged, she squealed. But you probably already know that. I wanted to invite you to the engagement party.

More like rub it in.

Oh. Thanks, but—

You have to come, Ciara insisted. We’re having the party at my uncle’s in Clover.

Wonderful.

Ciara’s uncle had been a partner in a big law firm until he opened his own in Clover. Now, he was still famous because he took cases mostly out of town for the big-money-white-collar criminals.

He’d thrown some money Ciara’s family’s way, and Ciara had suddenly become too good for her.

I—

You can bring a date, she said, a mocking look in her eyes.

Ciara was just screwing with Adra, and she knew it. She wanted to make her feel like shit because she was alone while Ciara had someone.

I’m busy.

Nonsense, Ciara exclaimed. I want you to meet Tucker. He’s so hot and sexy. He’s a lawyer like my uncle.

Honey, I’m sorry I’m late. The warm voice was followed by a hand on her back and warmth at her side. The soft hint of perfume drifted over her, and Adra turned to look up in time for soft lips to land on hers.

The heat engulfed her, making her pulse race and her head spin. Every nerve ending in her body fired to life as if from a long, dormant sleep.

Mariah Baker’s lips lingered on hers as her fingers came up to caress Adra’s cheek, and their eyes met. Mariah’s blue ones were the color of the