Faking Second Chances: Dirty South

By Kat Addams

Falling at the feet of your former flame is a romcom-worthy reunion.

 

But Jules Turner isn't laughing.

 

Swapping sweet tea for herbal, she leaves behind small-town Mississippi and trades her Southern roots for a yoga mat and sunny California.

 

But no amount of love and light can shield her namaste from her meddlesome mother's scheming and matchmaking.

 

Some things never change …

 

Like Todd Miller. He's just as ruggedly handsome—and handsy—as he was in high school.

 

When he learns that his teenage crush is finally back in town, he plans to pick up right where they left off on prom night.

 

His big move?

 

Convincing her to be his fake wife for their class reunion to fool their old high school bullies in the ultimate prank.

 

But they quickly learn they're really only fooling themselves.

 

What happens when they can't keep their hands off of each other and their fake romance turns into something real?

 

Previously published under the title Hotty Toddy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kat Addams
• Release date: Feb 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201026219

Book preview

Chapter One

Jules

I had only been in town thirty minutes before she sprang it on me. My mother, Marilyn Turner, the most terrible matchmaker on this side of the Mississippi, was at it again. When my mom had suddenly needed my help and offered to pay my plane ticket back to my hometown of Oxford, Mississippi, I should’ve known she was up to her scheming ways.

So, do you remember that nice boy who took you to prom? Todd? she asked.

Todd Miller? Yeah … what about him? I side-eyed my mom as she hurriedly helped me unload my luggage.

He’ll be here in a few minutes.

Wait, what? Why? What’s going on?

Well, he’s helping me with the same project you’re helping me with. Did you know he’s an architect now?

No, I didn’t. That was a lie. I’d totally known because I’d Googled him about a year or so ago in an act of boredom. Okay, that was a lie, too. I’d Googled him because curiosity had gotten the best of me. I wondered how all of my old flames were faring in life.

Did Dave get fat? Did Brian go bald? Did Todd get married?

Well, he’s an architect and an amazing one at that. He moved back here not long ago after finishing some sort of program in Texas. He’s the one building the sunroom off the master bedroom. Somewhere I can drink my coffee, look out at my gardens, and contemplate why my daughter doesn’t come see me as often as she should.

Ugh. I groaned. Guilt trip aside, I wish you’d told me sooner. I just got off a plane and probably look like a hot mess!

Yes, you do! That’s why you’re going to hightail it up the stairs and get yourself ready. Hurry up now! She gently pushed me through the door and handed me my luggage.

My heartbeat pounded in my chest. Hotty Toddy. It had been ten years since I saw his face. That gorgeous, rugged, sculpted, smile-inducing face of his. The face that I’d kissed good-bye long before we both parted ways for college on opposite sides of the country.

Oh, and, Jules? my mom called from the bottom of the stairs, her eyes twinkling. He’s single.

Great.

I hauled my luggage into my room and opened the blinds that overlooked the front yard and our long, winding driveway. I would be able to see him arriving long before he would be able to see me. The dust clouds that swirled around our gravel driveway always signaled that company was coming.

I checked over myself in the mirror as I pulled at my face in an upward motion. Did I age overnight or what? Is that a gray hair already? No way! Just an ultra-ultra-blonde hair. That’s surely what it is!

I puckered my lips, applied an innocent girl-next-door lipstick, swiped another coat of mascara on my lashes, and sniffed my armpits. Surprisingly, I didn’t smell too bad, considering I’d recently hopped off of a four-hour flight. But I wasn’t taking any chances with my first impression. Not with Hotty Toddy. I searched my bags for my deodorant and perfume, quickly marinating myself in a classic, clean cotton scent.

The sound of tires on gravel sent my heart racing as I peeked out the window and into the black truck parked below. He really had gotten here fast. I barely had time to think, let alone prep myself for a meeting with Todd Miller, the mysterious, nerdy guy with the smoldering eyes and heart-fluttering smiles. I held my breath as I waited for him to open the car door. I wanted to get a quick glimpse of him so that I knew who I would be dealing with.

In his photo that I’d found posted online, he had looked as if he hadn’t aged a bit. But that could have been an old photograph. Like most men nearing their thirties, Todd had to at least have a receding hairline by now, or maybe he had one of those dad bods.

Sheesh. Dad bod?

I wondered if he’d had any kids. I squinted my eyes as his car door opened and the man who I guessed would forever be a Hotty Toddy stepped out.

Wow, wow, wee-waa, I thought as I pulled off my old and worn travel outfit and slipped into a summer dress. How do men age like a fine wine?

I wished I could have genetics that smoothed the transition from barely legal bombshell to deteriorated fossil. Instead, my genetics had me investing early on in sunscreen and face creams. Organic and cruelty-free, of course.

Jules! Can you come down a second? We’ve got a guest! my mother hollered in her singsong voice.

Oh no. Not the singsong voice. She’s going to make this awkward, isn’t she?

I took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked down the stairs.

It was sweet memories of prom all over again. Me walking slowly and as sultry as I could down the stairs. Him waiting at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at me, mesmerized. Everything happening around us in slow motion.

Until my feet, apparently, decided to speed things up. One quick misstep, and down I tumbled. It would have been great if he had caught me as I fell straight into his arms, but that wasn’t at all what happened. Because … me and my bad luck.

I fell down the stairs like a drunkard on ice skates, heading toward last call at the bar. Bang! Crash! Plop! And I was pretty sure I’d farted on the way down, too. The awkward silence from the two unhelpful people who’d stood and watched my grand entrance sobered me up enough to know that I had landed with my dress up over my head. I quickly placed it back down around my knees, but the damage had been done. It was granny-panty day.

The look of horror on my mom’s face had me contemplating an alias and the quickest way out of there because I, Jules Turner, existed no more. I died that day and was never seen again. If I could have hung my floppy, old panties out in a waving white flag of surrender, I would have. There wasn’t any coming back from the tragedy I’d just suffered.

Fuck this. I’m out.

Are-are you okay? Todd rushed to my side and helped me up out of my spread-eagle stance.

He was nervously biting his lip. I could tell he was holding back a fit of laughter. My mom, on the other hand, wasn’t holding anything back.

Typical.

Jules, Jules, Jules! Sweet child of mine. Whatever am I going to do with you? she said through snorts of laughter. Her hands clutched her sides as she bent over and let out a guffaw.

Careful there, Mom … might mess up your Depends, I thought.

Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks. Just heading out to go drive myself off the face of the earth. Excuse me, I said as I stomped right past the both of them and onto the porch, unsure of where I was going. Anywhere but here.

Wait! Todd followed me outside. "I knew you liked