Dreaming of a Honeydew Melon Sorbet Fling

By Sofia Aves

Lucas Walker loves life at Trinity Beach. He's lived in the small, tropical beach town and worked atr Sundae Dreaming long enough to be considered a fixture and for the locals to accept him as one of their own. Now, he's found the woman of his dreams. Everything is perfect except Kari, the girl he's fallen for over the summer, is leaving. He's not giving up on her yet and is determined to make sure she remembers him.

Kari Neilsen's summer vacation is coming to an end. She made firm friendships, but none stronger than with Lucas. The young wanderer tugs at her heart with his honest outlook on life. His dark gaze makes her palms sweat and her heart race. She wishes she could spend her last sunsets in Trinity Beach in his arms, but time is running out...

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Jul 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781509243365

Sofia Aves

Sofia Aves is a USA TODAY Bestselling author who writes fast-paced police romances, suspenseful mysteries, steamy cowboys with a Montana backdrop and the occasional cheeky god. She loves reading Indie authors and hides her collection of college romance books beneath an ever-growing TBR pile. Sofia is a mum of three crazies and an overly large fur baby who thinks she’s a teacup puppy. She loves orchids but can’t always keep them alive. Sofia lives near Brisbane, Australia Join Sofia’s newsletter & get a free Blue Blooded Brothers short story: https://BookHip.com/CNMQFX Follow Sofia on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sofia-aves?follw=true

Book preview

Kari eyed me. You came down here to deliver a snack?

I came down here to see you.

The memory of her driving in on the Sea Doo would keep me going for at least a week.

Sure did! I called. My hip bumped against something—the door frame—in my hasty exit out of the boat house. Can’t you tell I needed the exercise? I gestured to my string bean lean frame.

My joke fell flat. I would have blamed the language barrier, though Kari spoke English fine.

Whatever you need to tell yourself, she said, a bemused look widening her eyes.

I backed up. Yup. It was the only way I could keep up the friend-zone pretense.

Will I see you later? she yelled from where she still stood, watching me.

Maybe, I yelled back.

I ran into at least one more door frame in my retreat and jogged all the way back to Sundae Dreaming.

Dreaming of a Honeydew Melon Sorbet Fling

by

Sofia Aves

One Scoop or Two

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Dreaming of a Honeydew Melon Sorbet Fling

COPYRIGHT © 2022 by Sofia Aves

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Diana Carlile

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Edition, 2022

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-4336-5

One Scoop or Two

Published in the United States of America

Chapter One

Lucas

Chocolate sprinkles completed the snack pack of churros I’d made up. I tilted my head, wishing I’d drizzled the salted caramel fudge sauce across the top, but it was a little late now.

Looks damn good to me, Lucas, Ben Brickman murmured, adding the final cherry to his creation. He passed it to the customer on the other side of the counter with a wide smile. He was the owner of Sundae Dreaming and my boss in Trinity Beach while I got my ass together. Doing a delivery run?

For Kari and Sammie. I wanted to make sure they got a break as the season ramps up. I gave into the urge to add extras and grabbed a disposable ramekin cup to fill with both chocolate and the salted fudge sauce so the girls could choose what they wanted. I’d already added sliced strawberries but… Does it need a banana?

Will the lid close if you do? Come on, man. The girls will love it. And I’m sure Kari will thank you.

I ignored his little jibe. They work so hard.

They do. Ben nodded. And so do we. Get down the promenade and back before I’m left short when our rush begins. Ah. And for whatever that is. He leaned forward over the counter, his brow creased in a what the expression.

I followed his gaze to a large puddle that transformed into a small river and flowed across the street. Tracing it back to its source, I noted the burst water main. Ben tapped away at his phone.

Gotcha. I closed my hand-crafted treat and was halfway out the door before I remembered. Oh. There might be a package turning up later. Ben waved me on without looking up from his prep. I bit the inside of my cheek. There’s a cage out the back all set up.

Ben’s head shot up so fast my neck cricked. I was out the door before he could call me back, but before the door closed, he mused, Why do I need a cage in an ice cream shop?

****

A handful of minutes later I stood outside the Jet Ski rental shop, trying not to dent the box my fingers were determined on squeezing like it was a pressurized container. Living in far north Queensland, Australia, had plenty of perks.

One was the tropical weather, which meant the tourism town worked year-round. The second was the wildlife.

Jeweled strings hung over the doorway over the entrance to Sammie’s shop, clinking in the light summer breeze. It might be early for a sugary snack by some standards, but when the sun rose already full of blistering heat at four in the morning, there was no incentive to loiter in bed.

I grinned, pushing my way through the faceted strands, their surface cool against the backs of my hands. The office sported bright sprays of native ginger draped over the bookcases lining one wall. Red and pink hibiscus blooms adorned the