Be My Valentine

  Be My Valentine

  R. J. Groves

  www.romance.com.au

  Be My Valentine

  R. J. Groves

  A seamstress. A naval officer. An impossible decision.

  Harley Smith has always been unlucky in love, and this year is no different. Even if she can’t get her best friend’s brother out of her head. It’s been almost a year, and with Valentine’s Day approaching and no date in sight, perhaps it’s time to stop holding out hope on her dreams. Maybe she should make her own happily ever after…

  Joey Gray is a sailor through and through. He’s been hurt before, and his job has become the only thing he can truly count on. But then he met his sister’s best friend—the woman who has filled his dreams for months on end, regardless of how much he has tried to forget her. Now his career isn’t as fulfilling as it once was, and he knows who’s responsible. He needs to see her again. And what better day to tell her how he feels than on her birthday—Valentine’s Day?

  But is one week enough time to figure out what they have?

  About R. J. Groves

  Australian author R. J. Groves has been passionate about writing since she could put pen to paper and can usually be found jotting plots and stories down on anything she can get her hands on. Describing herself as a mum, wife, author, and coffee lover, her other passions include music, cooking, books, adventures, and searching for plot bunnies in even the most mundane activities.

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/rjgauthor

  Twitter: www.twitter.com/rjg_author

  Instagram: www.instagram.com/r.j.groves_author

  Mailing list: http://eepurl.com/dArMXf

  Website: www.rjgrovesauthor.com

  Acknowledgements

  To my Tribe, the writing friends I’ve made along the way who are always there to motivate and encourage. To my Escape family for all the behind-the-scenes work you do in getting each story out there. You’re all amazing! To my readers for your kind words and for taking the time to read my books and follow my journey—thank you! To my incredible family, my biggest supporters and soundboards. I couldn’t do any of this without you.

  To Mike.

  Contents

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Bestselling Titles by Escape Publishing …

  Chapter 1

  ‘You’re leaving us, Gray?’

  Joey glanced over at his best friend, Ryan Burgin, as he held his push-up in the high position to catch his breath. ‘What gives you that impression?’

  Ryan pressed out a few more push-ups before rolling onto his back for some crunches. ‘Rumour has it you’ve already had your second lot of leave approved in how many months?’

  Joey flipped onto his back and joined his friend with crunches of his own. ‘Not seeing your point, Burgin.’

  Ryan pulled himself to a sitting position, hooking his arms around his knees. ‘Ten years in the navy and you’ve rarely taken personal leave. Twice in a year is gonna raise some eyebrows.’

  ‘Don’t see how it’s anyone’s business.’

  ‘Word spreads easily when you’re living with confinements. Who died?’

  Joey could feel the tightening of his muscles as he moved. Though still early in the day, the heat of the summer sun bore down on him, intensifying the warmth spreading through his body from the workout. He loved working on the sea, on the HMAS Mallee, floating around with nothing but blue water and marine life around him and the crew. He was born to be a sailor and he wouldn’t trade it for the world, even if some things were less than ideal. Like the inability to truly escape the harshness of the sun and the occasional lack of reception preventing him from being able to reach the people on land he cared about. Or one person, in particular.

  It felt like an age since he’d seen Harley. Oh, the way her hazel eyes lit up at his corny jokes and stories. The way her laughter tore through his whole body, making him feel like his mission was to keep that smile on her face for as long as he lived. And he’d found that he could be himself around her.

  For the first time in his life as a sailor, he hadn’t wanted to get back on the ship.

  Sure, nothing had happened, per se. He’d met her when she was crying on his sister’s couch after a bad breakup for Pete’s sake. And contrary to popular belief, he wasn’t the kind of guy to jump a vulnerable woman. Nor was he the kind of guy to just sleep with any willing woman. But where were the stories in that? His fellow seamen thrived on his stories and he was certain no one really cared about the validity of them.

  Stories were what kept the ship going—what kept every cog of this well-oiled machine running smoothly. Ryan was the only person who knew the bulk of his stories were full of it, but he’d also never turned down an opportunity to hear one. Joey fell back against the deck of the ship, covering his face with his hands to block out the sun.

  ‘No one died,’ he said, realising he hadn’t answered Ryan’s question. ‘Just got leave built up, so I may as well use some.’

  ‘Anything to do with that girl you left behind?’

  ‘So what if it is?’

  Ryan shook his head, his expression amused, then moved to prop himself up on his toes and elbows in a plank while Joey followed suit. ‘You sure nothing happened last time you were on leave?’

  Joey held the plank, feeling the burn until his whole body felt like it was beginning to shake. ‘Harley’s a friend.’

  Ryan snorted. ‘Friend, my ass. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how often you check your phone.’

  ‘You stalking me, Burgin?’ Joey teased.

  ‘Hard not to notice when you never used to carry it around and now it’s a fifth appendage.’

  Joey laughed. Ryan had a point. He’d never been attached to his phone. What was the point when the chances of getting reception out here were so slim? But since he’d come back from visiting his sister, Andie, in Perth, he couldn’t help but hope that he just might stumble across a bar or two of reception and have a message come in from the lovely brunette he couldn’t get out of his head. For a while, he’d managed to message Harley each day, made the occasional call too. But lately? Nada.

  ‘You know how it is, mate,’ Ryan continued, suddenly growing serious. ‘Guy finds a girl, falls in love and shit, then she decides she’s not cut out to be a sailor’s wife.’

  Joey sucked in a shaky breath of air, glancing sideways at Ryan. He knew Ryan was speaking from experience and he felt for him—he did. But Harley was different. He couldn’t tell how, but he just … knew. There was something about her that he just couldn’t push aside. Something he wanted—needed—to explore.

  ‘Harley’s a friend.’ But I’m hoping to change that. Joey pushed himself up to his feet and Ryan did the same, puffing. ‘C’mon. Race ya.’

  ***

  ‘Set a date, yet?’ Harley asked, walking beside her auburn-haired best friend.

  Andie scoffed. ‘We’d need a ring first.’

  ‘Do you think Tay’s far off it?’

  Harley folded her arms across her chest, the evening breeze cool despite the hot days of late. She had to admit, she was a little jealous of her friend. She’d somehow managed to find a stand-up guy following her broken engagement. Andie and Tay were perfect for each other. It was only a matter of time before he popped the question. Her thoughts drifted to her own love life—or lack thereof. For a while she’d been messag
ing back and forth with the handsome dark-haired man who’d made her smile again after she’d broken things off with Angelo. Harley made a mental note to never get involved with a neighbour again. Or anyone in her building of units, for that matter.

  Joey had brought a smile to her face when she’d thought it was impossible. He’d made her laugh when her heart had been breaking. He’d shown her that good guys actually do exist. He’d made her hope again.

  And he also happened to be Andie’s younger brother and spent a lot of time on the sea. At least Andie and Tay both lived in Perth. She’d barely heard from Joey the last few months. She sighed, bringing her focus back to her friend just in time to catch the end of what Andie was saying.

  ‘I think I’d be ready for it.’

  ‘Ready for what?’

  Andie shot a look towards her, her brows pulled together. ‘To say yes. If Tay proposed.’

  ‘Babe, you were born ready,’ Harley said, trying to pull herself from her pity party and get in the right mood for the evening.

  ‘What about you? Heard from Joey?’ Andie asked, stretching an arm high to wave to the woman ahead, the rich blonde hair unmistakeable. Libby—Tay’s sister—waved back excitedly and started towards them.

  ‘Um, no,’ Harley muttered, picking up the pace to catch up with Libby. ‘I don’t think that’s—no.’

  Andie frowned at her, but they caught up with Libby before she could say anything more. Harley let out a breath, relieved she wouldn’t have to go into detail before a girls’ night out. Especially since this was supposed to be about her. Libby shrieked as she pulled her and Andie into a group hug and pulled back with a little dance.

  ‘Ready to party, gorgeous humans?’ Libby said. She looked more like an excited child than a grown woman about to have a few drinks with her friends.

  Andie laughed. ‘Well, married life certainly hasn’t slowed you down, has it, Lib?’

  ‘Does Connor really know what he’s got himself into?’ Harley teased, glad to have Libby’s energy around. It was hard to be down in the dumps with Libby in tow. It was only after her and Connor’s wedding that Harley really became friends with Libby—thanks to Andie.

  Libby giggled, putting her smaller form between Harley and Andie and looping her arms through theirs. ‘If he hasn’t worked it out by now, I’m not sure he ever will. But we’re not here to talk about me.’ Libby swayed her hips so she bumped into Harley. ‘We’re here for you! Even if we’re celebrating a day early. Seriously, having a birthday on Valentine’s Day? Oh, the romance.’

  Before she could stop herself, Harley made a sound that was somewhere between a choked laugh and a snort. Romance, indeed. That was the last thing on her mind right now. Especially since there really wasn’t a man in sight to cater to such romance.

  Her stomach twisted as she thought of Joey again. She didn’t understand. She’d thought they had something. She’d even gone so far as to practically admit to Andie that things were serious. Well, at least she’d thought they had been. Joey had only been gone a month when she’d said that, and they’d been messaging and talking to each other on the phone a lot of that time. She’d blushed every time she saw his name pop up on the screen. Her heart had pounded in her chest and her stomach had filled with butterflies when she’d heard his voice, his laugh, trailing through the phone. She’d thought he must have felt the same way—why else would he have wanted to talk to her so much?

  Clearly, she was wrong. Because after that first month, the calls gradually became less frequent, the messages more sparse, and the doubts settled in. Had she fallen for the wrong guy again? Had she read the signs all wrong and thought there was something there that wasn’t? To put it simply, she’d felt like she’d been friend-zoned. And possibly not even that. Hell, he’d probably forgotten all about her by now.

  ‘But really,’ Libby continued. Harley blinked back to the present, realising that Libby hadn’t stopped talking that whole time. ‘We could have celebrated tomorrow. Just because it’s Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean we can’t party on Harley’s birthday, right?’

  Libby and Andie both turned their focus on her. Harley swallowed. ‘Oh, no, we couldn’t. Come on, this is your first Valentine’s as a married woman, and Andie’s first Valentine’s with Tay. I wouldn’t want to take that away from you guys. Besides, the night before is perfectly fine. Neither the food nor the drinks will have that surcharge added to it.’

  But if Harley was being honest with herself, it wasn’t the fact it was Andie and Libby’s first Valentine’s with their other halves that made her not want to celebrate on her birthday. She just simply never did Valentine’s. For starters, she’d never been with a guy at that time of the year—somehow, her relationships had all ended before the season, or started well after it. She was the kind of girl who guys lost interest in quickly. She knew her looks were pretty average and she probably could lose a few kilos. Or ten. And to be honest, she probably wasn’t even that exciting. But she didn’t care. She was more than happy to curl up with a blanket on the couch and read the night away.

  Or, at least, she used to be. Until Joey. Since she’d met Joey, the couch didn’t seem to have quite the same appeal as it used to. But that had to stop. He clearly wasn’t interested in her.

  Story of her life.

  Sure, she’d always dreamed of her own happily ever after—who didn’t? But she was also realistic. And the reality of the matter was that she always fell for the wrong guys—hard and fast—and she always ended up hurt. Maybe she was destined to be alone. She should just keep on being happy for her friends and focus on helping all the lucky brides who come into her work to find their perfect wedding gown.

  And it was with that thought in mind that she went into the classy bar with the girls and allowed herself to have a few drinks too many. By the end of the night, she felt free and relaxed. She was strong and independent and didn’t need a guy to make her happy. She was Harley Smith, and she could take on the world with all twenty-nine years of experience she had.

  Screw any guy who wanted to mess with her feelings!

  Screw Joey!

  Chapter 2

  Harley groaned as she slowly came to her senses, her extremely vivid dream still niggling at her mind. Screw Joey, indeed. She rolled over and regretted it instantly, her stomach churning and her head spinning. And there was a loud, irritating noise piercing her brain. She squinted through heavy eyelids and patted around on her bed until she found the source of the noise and answered it with a grunt.

  ‘Happy birthday!’ The excited voice on the other end of the line only made her head throb more.

  ‘Libby, how are you still functioning?’ she mumbled into the phone.

  Libby giggled. ‘Oh, honey, for starters, you had at least twice as much to drink as I did. And I’ve already had breakfast, done my morning yoga and had my green tea.’

  Harley groaned again, the thought of twisting her body into any position except her current one making her stomach lurch more. And green tea? Ugh. Just the mention of food had her stomach churning.

  ‘I hate you.’

  Libby laughed again and Harley might have said more had her body not threatened to bring up her insides if she dared open her mouth again. ‘Love you, too, Harley. Now, have a shower and find yourself some coffee. You’ll feel better for it.’

  Harley hung up the phone, finally forcing her eyes open enough to look down her body. She’d somehow ended up with a blanket on, but she was still wearing the same clothes from the night before. With another grunt, she rolled over and went back to sleep.

  ***

  It was close to noon when Harley finally managed to tear herself away from her bed. Her shower was welcoming, the hot water washing away the remnants of the night before and soothing her head. She’d caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror while drying off and found herself staring at her reflection longer than she normally would.

  Was she any different now that she was a year older? At twenty-eight, she’d
thought she had the world at her feet—that time was on her side. There had still been plenty of time to find herself a man to settle down with, to take her time getting to know him, maybe go on a few holidays. Have kids.

  Twenty-nine suddenly seemed so much older. She could practically hear the clock ticking, could see her lifelong dreams beginning to fade to an impossibility. Was it time for her to change? If she was being honest with herself, her lifestyle wasn’t really conducive to meeting people. She did work in a bridal shop, after all. She spent her days dealing with brides and grooms and their bridal parties. Hardly a place to meet decent, eligible men. Although, it’s exactly the place Andie had met Tay.

  She felt that little pang of jealousy again and pushed it aside. She shouldn’t compare herself to Andie. Andie had striking auburn hair, looks that could kill, and a personality to match. Harley was … well … plain.

  She stared at her hazel eyes, a mixture between brown, green, and a hint of gold—like they couldn’t decide which single colour they wanted to be. Her face was rounded—baby-faced, as her sister, Erin, always said—with a splattering of freckles she’d never grown out of across her nose and cheeks. She’d tried different styles with her plain brown hair, but the reality of it was she couldn’t stand spending hours every morning trying to beat it into submission.

  She let out a sigh and got dressed, then headed to the kitchen to chase down that coffee. She stared at the light on the kettle switch as she waited for the water to boil, her fingers tapping on the bench beside her.

  Was it really so bad? The thought of not finding someone, not falling in love and having that special someone love you back? Sure, it’d be like a kick to the gut considering she lived and breathed catering for happily ever afters, but her life wasn’t something to be sad about. She had friends. She had hobbies. She was independent. She helped brides find that perfect gown for their perfect day, and seeing their faces when they realised they were wearing The One—it was priceless. Her chest tightened as the thought that she might never be that bride wearing The One crossed her mind. She blinked back the threatening tears and scanned her little home around her.