Prescription For Love: Hughes of Hollowell, #2

By Seressia Glass

Flirting at an intersection is nothing new for doctor Alex AJ Galindo. When the flirtatious beauty in the convertible ends up at his destination, he can't believe his luck—good and bad—when he discovers she's the sister of his best friend's bride. He knows she should be off-limits but he's the best man and she's the maid of honor and they have to work together until the wedding day while fighting a growing attraction.

 

Jasamine Hughes can't deny the sizzling chemistry she has with Alex. While trying to live down the impulsive nature her family thinks she has, she sees nothing wrong with having a mutual fling with the sexy doctor. That is, until mutual desire deepens into something more.

 

When tragedy strikes her family, will Alex and Jasmine sacrifice their budding relationship, or will they realize that love is just what the doctor ordered?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Seressia Creates, LLC
• Release date: Jul 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9780997182668

Seressia Glass

Seressia Glass has always been a voracious reader, cutting her teeth on comics, cereal boxes, and anything else at hand. Writing her own stories soon followed. After winning the national "Living the Dream" essay contest for the inaugural Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday celebration in her hometown of Atlanta, Seressia realized her ability to move people with her words. Today, her fiction features diverse people realizing the universal dreams of love and acceptance. Stories have appeared recently in Vegas Bites: A Werewolf Romance Anthology edited by by bestselling author L. A. Banks and its sequels Vegas Bites and Vegas Bits Back. She's also published four romance novels, once of which, Through the Fire, was chosen for Black Expressions Book Club. Shadowblade is her fantasy debut. When not writing, Seressia is an instructional designer for an international home improvement company who loves to belly dance and watch anime.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Jasmine shoved aside a stack of paper and her tablet, searching for her ringing smartphone. She could almost hear her father’s voice chiding her for not wearing her earpiece, but that space was reserved for a pencil or a stylus most days. As long as the caller wasn’t her father asking for a status update on the Berman project, she’d be okay.

She finally found the device then turned it over to see Maya’s smiling face beaming up at her. Thrilled, she quickly answered it. Sis! What’s going on? Did Nick find you? Did y’all kiss and make up? Am I still maid of honor?

Hey, Jas. Maya’s laughter echoed through the phone. Things are...glorious. Nick found me and yes, we made up. We got back home earlier today. The wedding is back on and you’re still maid of honor. I suppose I have you to thank for that?

Actually, it was a family affair. Jas sat on the edge of her desk. "Brandt called the family together and Nick did a big mea culpa to the whole clan over the weekend. I figured if he could grovel that well to us, you’d be a pushover."

He did? Maya’s voice warbled. He didn’t tell me that.

Don’t be mad at him. It really seemed like he was trying to make things right for everyone, especially you and Taylor. And of course, I was rooting for you guys to get back together even though I still think he’s an ass for keeping things from you like that.

I’m not mad. Not anymore. Right now, I’m just overwhelmed by all the feels. Maya paused. Do you think you can come over tonight?

Jasmine looked at her cluttered desk. The disarray served as a visual reminder of the number of projects she had to manage for their father's construction business. Uhm...

I know it's last minute, but there's stuff I need to talk to you about, and I can't do it over the phone.

That strange warble crept into Maya's tone again. Hey, are you sure everything's all right? Your voice sounds weird.

Everything's fine, it's better than I imagined. Maya released a laugh that sounded high and unnatural. I’m still feeling the effects of a stomach virus thing I caught while I was in California, but Nick tells me that I’m on the back end of it and that I’m not contagious. There’s just—there’s something I really need to talk to you about, and it can’t wait.

A frisson of doubt wafted through Jasmine. Are you sure it’s me you need? If this is about marriage stuff, maybe you should talk to Trina or Nadine instead. I can call Mom—

No! A definite hysterical edge slashed through Maya's voice. No, I'm not ready to talk to Mom yet. I haven't even told anyone else that we’re back home. Even Taylor doesn’t know me and her daddy are home. Please, Jas. Can you come over, say around six-thirty?

Jasmine gave the only answer she could. You need me there, I’ll be there.

Thank you. Maya’s relief rang clearly through the phone. I appreciate it. I’d also appreciate it if you keep this to yourself. Can you make it out of the office without seeing Dad or Brandt?

That’s no problem. Both of them are out on a job site right now. With their father no doubt trying to convince Brandt yet again to take over the company. She straightened. I gotta say, you are seriously freaking me out right now. Hiding from Dad and Brandt? Not talking to Mom? You know she's got that scary ability to know we're doing something sneaky before we even do it. She’ll probably call as soon as I point my car in your direction.

Maya sighed. I know. I'll talk to Mom tomorrow, I promise. Today, I need my maid of honor.

You got her. Let me finish up here, then I’ll be over after I stop by the house.

After ending the call, Jasmine wrapped up the most pressing tasks, slated a few things to work on later at home, then set reminders for job site visits the following morning. After shoving her phone, tablet and a few papers into her messenger bag she left the office, close enough to her usual quitting time that Hansen, Hughes Contracting's office administrator, didn't try to stop her with last minute questions.

She quickly drove the company truck to her remodel-in-process bungalow not far from Hollowell's arts district to shower off the dust of two construction site visits. She loved the little suburb of Atlanta with its lush streets lined with azaleas and dogwoods, the artsy small-town vibe nestled inside a big city. More than that, she loved being on her own far enough from the family compound to avoid random drive-bys yet close enough for regular visits with her mother.  

She sighed with old frustration as she stripped and started the shower. Even though she saw her father and older brother Brandt regularly at the office, her mother still wanted to see for herself that her youngest daughter was healthy and happy and managing the pressures of working in the family business. Wanted to make sure that Jasmine hadn’t reverted to old habits that had nearly broken her.

It had been three years since she’d lost Jordan. Three years since she’d rebelliously married her high school boyfriend, watched him join the military to support her. Three years since she’d received notice that he’d been killed by a roadside bomb in a place she couldn’t pronounce. Yes, her life had imploded but she’d come through the tragedy. She’d finished college, bought her house and added more responsibilities at Hughes Contracting. She was stronger, more stable, more capable. Yet everyone in the family still thought of her as that impulsive and shattered young widow still reeling from the consequences of her impulsive actions.

At least Maya believed in her, she thought as she toweled dry. As the middle girl, software engineer Maya was more even keeled than vet specialist Trina. It was an honor to be chosen as maid of honor. Jasmine wondered if her sister realized just how much it meant to be given that level of responsibility, especially given the fact that everyone else thought Jasmine was flighty even though she'd been working with their father on job sites since she’d gotten her work permit at fifteen. She could get emotional with the best of them, but she'd been building stuff since she was a kid and had the familial analytical brain that took to construction engineering with ease. That Maya chose her to be maid of honor meant everything. She’d do her best to have Maya’s back.

She hurriedly pulled on a bright floral maxi dress, slipped a headband onto her unruly hair then headed out to her pride and joy, a cherry red Alpha Romeo Spider. It was a beautiful