Bringing Back Emily

By Joanne Hill

A woman whose life has just been turned upside down yet again, a man who is trying to atone for a past he can’t forget... and the journey that brings these two so-not-ready-for-romance people together.
After her ex-rugby star husband dumped her while she was pregnant, Emily Randell is moving on with her baby daughter, Bella. She’s planning to return to her career as a doctor, now that life is calming back down. That is, until she learns that the one, foolish night she spent with her ‘ex’ has left her pregnant. All she wanted to do was make sure she was well and truly over Brad Randell, but what a mistake that was! Now, her life is in turmoil yet again.
A wounded loner, Patrick Coulter is a man with secrets. Living with a burden from which he believes he can never escape, he has a contract to write his life story, and he hopes it will atone for what he has done. He rents a house to focus on the book, which happens to be next door to quirky Sage Lockwood. He can cope with Sage, but he doesn’t count on meeting the woman who is about to change his life – and change him forever. Sage's friend, Emily.
As Emily and Patrick draw closer together and try to move through their own struggles, their feelings for each other grow. But can there ever be a future for two people with such uncertain futures? Can love overcome their very real struggles? Bringing Back Emily is a sweet and heartwarming romance filled with emotion and humour, the third book in the City of Sails series. Winner of the Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Koru Award for Best Short Romance.
Read more in the City of Sails series:
Book One: Falling for Jack, with Jack Fletcher and Robyn Taylor
Book Two: All About Sage, with Ethan McGraw and Sage Lockwood.
Book Three: Bringing Back Emily with Emily Randell and Patrick Coulter.
Book Four: The Daniel Deal with Mel Green and Daniel Christie.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joanne Hill
• Release date: Feb 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005993177

Joanne Hill

Joanne writes contemporary romance novels, often with a rom-com twist. She researched category romance from a Readers Advisory perspective for her masters degree, and has presented a paper on the research at the Library Association conference. She lives in New Zealand. For more information, visit www.joannehill.com.

Book preview

BRINGING BACK

EMILY

By Joanne Hill

A City of Sails Romance

Copyright: 2020 Joanne Hill

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the author, except for review purposes. This is a work of fiction and a product of the author’s imagination. Liberties may have been taken with some details.

CONTENTS

Prologue

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

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Epilogue

Note from the author

PROLOGUE

Emily Randell’s eyes were closed as she stood in her bathroom. Her baby daughter, Bella, was sleeping in the bedroom across the hall, and there was no one else here. No one else within half a kilometre, unless you counted the cattle grazing in the paddock next door.

Emily counted from one to ten, then opened her eyes.

The line on the tube looked blue.

She closed her eyes, counted to ten again and opened them.

Her heart slammed in her chest.

It was blue.

Clearly, undeniably blue.

She pressed her lips together, and nodded.

Of course it was blue.

She looked away from the tube, and up at the ceiling. It was whiter than it had ever been because she’d spent the last week putting off this moment, and had thrown herself into cleaning, something she avoided most of the time.

She let out a weary sigh, the kind that if someone had been with her, they’d have turned to her and asked, Are you alright, Em? Are you doing okay?

Well, actually, no. She was not okay. Her life, a life she had only just managed to get back on track, had disintegrated yet again, so, no. She was not ‘alright.’

But she would be. It was all going to be okay.

She let the tube fall into the sink with a clatter and as she gripped the edge of the basin, she shuddered as the reality of what was happening hit her like boulders from the sky.

She stared at her reflection. There was a zit on her chin. She focused on it. She could squeeze it until it hurt, and for that second she’d have a different kind of pain to the one she had right now. But the distraction would only be seconds long, and it wasn’t worth looking rubbish as well as feeling it. Not that anyone was around to notice.

Un-be-freaking-lievable, Emily. She let her voice rise. Your life is falling apart again, and you are unbelievable.

A bit of an exaggeration. Her life wasn’t going to ‘fall apart’ again. She’d survived her marriage dissolving in spectacular fashion, and she’d weathered the public’s obsession with it. She’d prevailed. So, no. Her life was not going to fall apart like that again.

All she knew was that she was pregnant, and that she was going to have this baby. A life had begun growing inside her for the past two months, without her even being aware of it, and her body had nurtured that life. She was going to have this baby.

Besides. It wasn’t the baby’s fault it had an idiot for a mother and a jerk for a father.

She took the tube out of the basin and dropped it in the waste bin. She soaped her hands, washed them under warm water and dried them before she took a look at her reflection again in the mirror.

You idiot. How did you allow this happen? How the hell did you let yourself get knocked up like this?

She knew painfully well how she’d done it, and, damn it, she was too old for zits. She squeezed it brutally, and washed and dried her hands again.

She took one final, scathing look at her reflection and, with her chin tingling and her life in disarray yet again, she went to check on her daughter.

CHAPTER ONE

A week later, Emily perched on a stool in the kitchen of the architecturally-designed, award-winning Fletcher house in the sea-side Auckland suburb of Takapuna. In the family room next door, Robyn Taylor-Fletcher ordered her children to clean up their mess. Her daughter, Ruby, retorted that if Bella didn’t have to, then why did she?

Emily was about to go through and clean up Bella’s share, when Robyn delivered a lecture on responsibility and helping others. Emily stayed put.

Besides, she felt like she hadn’t slept in days and she was exhausted.

She looked up as Mrs Parker, Robyn and Jack’s housekeeper, set a plate of white chocolate brownies on the counter, and commented, You don’t look yourself.

Emily’s stomach heaved a little, but she selected a brownie and took a bite.

She wasn’t going to throw up. She’d done that this morning, and she was good to go for the rest of the day.

She chewed, swallowed, and felt marginally better.

In the week since she’d taken the test, she had adjusted to the idea of her new life.

Well, maybe not adjusted. More like continually tried to accept it.

I’m okay, she said finally.

A disbelieving sound came from Mrs Parker’s throat as she poured Earl Grey tea from a pot into a cup.

I am, Emily insisted. It wasn’t lying. Well, not really.

Mrs Parker rolled her eyes. She set the cup in front of Emily and then poured one for herself.

Do you know, she asked, how long I’ve been working for Mr Fletcher?

You know I do. Emily’s ex-husband, Brad, had been Jack Fletcher’s best friend for years. They never saw each other now.

Then you also know, Mrs Parker went on, that I’ve known you for almost as long as I’ve been working for Mr Fletcher.

Emily stretched her mouth into a wary smile. What are you getting at, Mrs Parker?

Mrs Parker scrutinized her, her eyes calling her a liar, before she gestured in the direction of Emily’s midriff. So what’s going on there?

Emily froze.

Aha. Mrs Parker re-positioned the clip holding her dyed mahogany hair in place, then pulled up a seat. Thought as much.

Do not panic. Emily took another bite of brownie. Don’t give anything away. It is not possible Faye-Anne Parker knows you are pregnant. She can’t. There isn’t even a baby bump. You barely know. Of course, Mrs P. was going to find out one day, but one day wasn’t scheduled for today. Or tomorrow. Or even this week.

Emily said, I’m sorry, Mrs P, you’ve lost me.

Mrs Parker snorted. You might as well not even bother trying to pull the wool over my eyes, Emily Randell. When are you going to announce it? She added milk to her cup. Does Mr Fletcher know?

Emily froze again, then took another bite of the brownie. Does Jack know what? She was damned if she was going to admit to anything that didn’t need admitting to at this minute. Maybe Mrs P. thought she had a stomach ache or something. Which she had this morning. Morning sickness was a kind of—ailment.

Mrs Parker pulled her tablet towards her and scrolled through the screen. When’s it due?

When’s what, Emily began, then stopped. There was no point.

She looked over at the family room but there was no sign of Robyn.

She turned back. Look, Mrs P., no one knows.

Obviously.

I’m going to tell them, of course.

Of course. Mrs Parker pulled the plate of brownies closer and took her time selecting one.

It’s just... Emily fiddled with her watch, glanced out the window, then back at Mrs Parker. It’s just... She didn’t know what it was. She tried again. It’s just...

Naturally. Mrs Parker cleared her throat a long moment. So, who’s the father?

That was the kicker. If it had been some random one night stand–Emily almost gagged thinking the word–it would have actually been okay. But it hadn’t been a one night stand. It hadn’t been a sperm donor. It had been–

Randell? Mrs Parker hissed the name in disbelief. For the love of all that is sane on this planet, are you telling me it’s him?

Emily nodded as World War Three broke out in the family room. Ruby and her twin brother, James, were shouting.

Emily looked up into Mrs Parker’s paralysed face.

It took a lot to shock Faye-Anne Parker, but she managed to recover enough to grind out, Are you and he on?

What? No. Emily’s voice was a decibel off a shout. No, she repeated calmly. We are not ‘on’. That was over when he left for Charlotte.

Mrs Parker’s gaze slipped to Emily’s waist. You don’t say.

I do say. This thing with Brad, it was a one-off. It was one night. One foolish night.

Mrs Parker folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. And neither of you thought to use contraception? You had sex with the man, when he’s been unzipping himself all over town, and you did not even think to use a condom? She lowered her voice. And you, a doctor?

Heat rushed up Emily’s face, settled smartly, and burnt.

I know. She buried her face in her hands. I know, I know, I know. I can’t believe I was so stupid, but we were both a bit tipsy, and it was almost like old times, and I figured I’d see if I was even a little bit still attracted to him.

Mrs Parker made a choking sound. I’ve heard it all now. Never thought I’d say that after McGraw took up with Sage, but I’ve seen everything there is to see, now.

Quietly, Emily had to agree, at least as regards Ethan McGraw and Sage Lockwood. Brad Randell, Jack Fletcher, and Ethan McGraw had been the best of friends, three incredibly attractive, successful men. Jack had married Robyn; Ethan had fallen in love with Robyn’s neighbour, Sage. Sage and Ethan were the most unlikely couple in the history of romantic unions, yet it seemed to work.

Robyn had Jack.

Sage had Ethan.

Emily took a sip of tea as a thought struck her. I’ve got no one.

Look who I’ve got, Robyn sang, as she walked through with Bella on her hip.

Emily stood up to get Bella. I’ve got you. And soon, your little brother or sister.

Another baby.

Panic began to trickle through her, and for a moment, she couldn’t move. Another baby.

You stay put, Mrs Parker ordered, I’ll take the girl. She walked around the counter to Robyn, and jabbed her thumb in Emily’s direction. "She’s got something to talk to you about."

Robyn handed over Bella. Really? What is it?

It’s nothing, Emily said. I mean, I haven’t got anything to tell you that can’t wait. Even as she said it, Emily wondered if she was losing her mind.

"She has got something to tell you, and she will do it now because this is one thing that isn’t waiting. Mrs Parker jiggled Bella. And if she doesn’t tell you, then I will."

Are you betraying a confidence? Emily accused.

I’m not betraying anything. I’m just easing you into what it is you need to do, since there’s a giant chicken sign hanging over your head, and it’s clucking. She jerked her head towards the family room, and said to Robyn, What are all those kids doing in there now?

All those kids? Jeez, Mrs Parker, there are only three. Robyn pulled up a stool. And they’re watching a movie. I came out to get them a snack. Those brownies look good.

I’ll take care of that. Mrs Parker deftly grabbed the plate of brownies with her free hand. There’s tea in the pot but it could do with a refresh. If you want me, you know where to find me.

The second she was gone, Robyn sank onto the stool with a weary sigh. Tell me what’s going on but make it short. My brain’s about to dissolve into mush after all that fighting.

Emily bit down on her bottom lip. In the short time she’d known Robyn, they’d become good friends. Robyn had been raising Ruby and James alone, until she’d gotten together with Jack. Surely raising twins as a single parent was harder. Or maybe having two children close together, like Bella and the baby were going to be, was just as difficult.

Something began to shatter inside her, something like the fragments of optimism she’d been clutching on to. Mrs Parker was right. She needed some courage. She’d spent the past week with this secret, had spent nights agonizing over how she was going to cope. She’d spent even longer tormenting herself over how she was going to tell Robyn and Sage, and even more anguish over how on earth she was going to break this to Jack and Ethan.

Not to mention telling Brad that he was going to be a father again, even though he was as responsible as she was.

This was so humiliating.

Robyn poured herself some tea, took a sip and sighed. A luxurious moment of peace. For now.

Emily closed her eyes a second but she wasn’t going to know the luxury of peace for a while.

Robyn pulled a chunk off Emily’s brownie. What’s this thing Mrs Parker was going on about?

Emily lifted her chin. Courageous and bold, she thought. She had to be courageous and bold. No cowardly chicken sign lurking here anymore.

It’s like this, she said. She faced Robyn. I’m pregnant.

Robyn chewed a moment, then went still. She swallowed and set the rest of the brownie back on the plate. After a moment, she said, I must be losing my hearing. She cleared her throat. You’re what?

I’m pregnant. I’m having another baby.

Robyn’s jaw dropped. That’s crazy talk. You are not pregnant.

I am. I’m pregnant. Emily gave a careless shrug and felt marginally better that she’d said the words. Apparently several times. I’ve taken the test and I am definitely having another baby. She coughed away the nervous constriction in her throat as she went for the jugular. And Brad’s the father.

Robyn froze, and Emily scoffed down the rest of her brownie.

Robyn opened her mouth, managed a stammering sound, and then just stared at Emily.

I better tell Sage next. Emily took a sip of her tea. It was so much better she’d told Robyn. A burden shared. So much better.

I don’t understand, Robyn said faintly. I have no idea what you just said. I don’t understand. It makes no sense.

I won’t tell Sage today. One shock a day was enough to inflict on the world. Maybe we could do it tomorrow.

Robyn nodded, but then went still. We? Her face had gone white. You want me with you? When you tell Sage?

It’ll give you time to prepare.

Prepare? Robyn spluttered.

Of course. The plan began to take shape. It seemed crazy to have to make a plan to tell her best friends this, but then, there was nothing sane about being pregnant by your former husband. Especially after everything he’d done.

She fixed Robyn with a determined stare and said, Because there is no way, no way on this earth, I’m doing it on my own.

***

The following morning, Emily stepped into Sage Lockwood’s kitchen with Robyn. Sage was brewing green tea and setting out hummus and pita bread.

What’s with all this? Robyn sniffed in appreciation and took a seat at the table.

Emily pressed her hand over her stomach.

Sage said, This is stress eating. She waved out the window toward the house opposite. They had a clear view of the two-bedroomed cottage that Robyn had rented before Ethan had bought it from the landlord and renovated it.

My old home, Robyn sighed as she pulled the food closer. Emily pulled out a chair and sat down, too, but had no desire to eat. Instead she nibbled on her finger nails. It had been a nervous habit that had plagued her throughout high school and had apparently, just this minute, resurfaced.

On the journey over from Takapuna, she and Robyn had rehearsed exactly what she was going to say to Sage to ensure the least possible drama. They’d got stuck in a traffic jam on the harbour bridge, which had given them an extra ten minutes to get it right.

Now, Emily couldn’t remember a thing. Robyn had been a breeze to tell; Sage was more like a hurricane.

Robyn said, Jack mentioned Ethan had found someone to rent the place.

Oh, he sure did. Sage raised her fist at the house.

Hey, that’s my old home you’re disrespecting, Robyn protested. True, the paint was peeling, the lino had worn out and the heating bill was astronomical in winter but it helped me get over my marriage break-up. It was my sanctuary. She arched her eyebrows at Emily. Emily glared at her, then fished in her bag for her phone. Robyn was right, though. Sanctuary was important, whatever state it was in, and Emily had her own sanctuary in the country. Although it hadn’t been a fresh start like Robyn had with the twins,