The Rebound Pact Read Free

might move on, but he’d never forget her.

Chapter Two
     
     
    Ju ly 6 th , six years later…
     
    F or the record, today was absolutely, positively the worst day in Gabrielle’s life.
    She shoved the last box into her Prius and slammed the door, leaning her hands against the window for a minute to steady herself. The glass was cool, soothing against her palms.
    Deep breaths. Take it slow.
    Except that breaths weren’t working. What she needed was a tall glass of wine—preferably a bottle.
    Breaking hard before turning out of the complex, s he glanced at the Georgetown condo building where she’d lived for the past year. Where she thought she’d continue living, with the man of her dreams—who turned out to be a total dick.
    Everything went to holy hell the night of July 4 th .
    With a long sigh, she put her foot to the gas and left. Better to leave now, to start over. Although the idea of starting over at the age of twenty-seven wasn’t exactly the future she’d envisioned.
    First things first, she needed that wine.
    She drove up north on the beltway, toward the suburbs of Maryland and her father’s house. He’d agreed she could stay with him—insisted on it—until she found a place of her own. And good thing she no longer had a job or else it would be one hell of a commute.
    As she neared the exit, a sign caught her eye with a picture of purple grapes inside a wine glass, below it said: Belle Ami Vineyards.
    “Perfect,” she muttered.
    A stop at the vineyard to purchase a couple bottles of wine and then she’d head to her Dad’s place. She wasn’t ready for the conversation he’d want to have regarding Len. She stared at her empty ring finger on the steering wheel, tears already stinging her eyes. Her finger still showed the lines of where her ring had been.
    Gabrielle followed the signs for the vineyard, pulling into a nearly empty parking lot, her tires crunching over the gravel. There were only three other cars parked.
    Damn. She hoped they hadn’t closed already. She’d forgotten how everything in the town of Mount Airy kept farmer’s hours. She climbed out of the car and walked toward the entrance. The door opened easily when she pulled, but she didn’t see anyone. She walked up to the bar and picked up the tasting menu.
    G abrielle loved wine. Had even volunteered at many a wine tasting event, pouring glasses, talking shop to wine enthusiasts, and even turning some non-winos into vino connoisseurs.
    The Bell e Ami merlot looked right up her alley with a tangy bouquet of pomegranate and cocoa. She turned in a circle, her fingernails tapping against the “green” pressed bamboo counter.
    “Can I help you?” a smooth, sensual, very male voice said from behind.
    Oh. My. God.
    Gabrielle turned around slowly, unable to breathe. She came face to face with Holden Bellamy. His face itself was perfection in the flesh. Chiseled. A wide square jaw, cheek bones she’d kill for, kissable lips and a nose that spoke of good genes. Dark brown, nearly black hair cut short enough to be in style, but still rugged, a few strands falling over his forehead. Her entire body stilled as she gazed at him, wide-eyed.
    He was just as alluring, if not more so than he’d been before.
    A jolt of longing wracked her. Her belly fluttered. Goosebumps rose along her arms making her skin tingle. Memories came flooding back of their one night together. Her body hadn’t forgotten, even with the passing of time, and neither had her mind. But with those memories and the pull of her attraction came regret. For what she’d thrown away. For the hurt she’d caused him. For not telling him the truth.
    He wore a tight black t-shirt with the wine ry’s logo on his right pec. His jeans looked to be designer and if he turned around… She gulped, gazing at his flawless physique and then back up into his crystal blue eyes that seemed to delve right into the center of her soul. A light bulb sparked inside her mind. Bellamy … Was it