Contents About the Author Contact 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 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Epilogue Acknowledgments Gorgeous Gyno Excerpt Also by Karen Deen That Day Copyright © 2021 by Karen Deen All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in either, electronic, paper hard copy, photocopying, recorded or any other form of reproduction without the written permission of the author. No part of this book either in part or whole may be reproduced into or stored in a retrieval system or distributed without the written permission of the author. This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locations or persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademark status and owners of products referred to in this fiction which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners. Published by Karen Deen Edited by Contagious Edits Formatted by Kellie Clarke Cover Design by Opium House Creatives Cover Model Andrew Biernat Photographer Wander Aguiar About the Author Karen Deen has been a lover of romance novels and happily-ever- after stories for as long as she can remember. Reaching a point in her life where she wanted to explore her own dreams, Karen decided now was the time to finally write some of her own stories. For years, all of her characters have been forming story lines in her head, just waiting for the right time to bust free. In 2016, Karen put pen to paper for the first time, with Zach and Emily being the first characters fighting to have their story written. From that first word, she hasn’t been able to stop. Publishing Love’s Wall (her first novel in the Time to Love Series) in 2017 has ignited her passion to continue writing and bring more of her characters to life. Karen is married to her loving husband and high school sweetheart. Together, they live the crazy life of parents to three children. She is balancing her life between a career as an accountant by day and writer of romance novels by night. Living in the beautiful coastal town of Kiama, Australia, Karen loves to enjoy time with her family and friends in her beautiful surroundings. Contact For all the news on upcoming books, visit Karen at: www.karendeen.com.au Facebook: Karen Deen Author Instagram: karendeen_author To Mum For the strength you give me to follow my dreams, And for showing me the kind of person, I want to be. That Day Karen Deen Chapter One ASHA “This damn dog is going to be the death of me!” I scream into the wind that’s blowing in my face, whipping the stray parts of my blonde hair across my eyes and into my mouth while I’m yelling. If I run any faster, I know my heart is going to stop, put her hands on her hips and throw a tantrum, because of course that’s what hearts do in the real world. Me and exercise are not best friends. Actually, to be honest, we have never been friends. If this body were designed to run, then I wouldn’t have these short legs that make me have to take two steps compared to the average woman’s one. Seriously, I see all those posts on social media of the hot-looking chicks with long legs, the perfect tits, not even breaking a sweat as they pound the treadmill in the gym. The perfect bubble butt in the short little gym shorts, no panty lines, so they are probably wearing a G-string just because they can and still feel comfortable running. Sometimes I wish I could do the honest post of how the uncoordinated women in the world exercise. I picture myself on a treadmill, my little legs trying to keep up with the speed, before the machine spits me off the end with my arms flapping around like a windmill. Then in the weights room, the red cheeks and sweat pouring off me, just from trying to lift the smallest weight they have. I just wasn’t built to be a fit pocket rocket. Instead, I’m the little quiet wallflower who just wants to blend into the wall behind me. It wasn’t always that way, but life has a way of changing things. “Coco! Stop!” I swear this dog is deaf whenever I’m calling her. But she has the best fucking hearing when it’s time to feed her. The moment I open the cupboard where her food is kept, she is circling my legs and I can’t even move. I swear there wasn’t much thought process that went into this when I picked a dog. I mean, who gets a dog that’s almost as big as the person who owns her? “That’s it, you stupid mutt! You’re on your own. I don’t care if you get lost. Go find some other human to put up with your shit!” I hunch forward, hands on my knees and gasping, trying to get air into my lungs. I watch Coco running along the beach chasing the same seagull that she spotted the moment we stepped onto the sand this morning. Our morning walks on the beach would be so much better if there were no birds. I mean, can’t the gulls wait for me to take my walk and then come out for their morning fly-by on the way to find their breakfast for the day? I don’t sleep much, so as the sun starts to rise, I find that the most peaceful time of the day to walk. Clear out my night thoughts and try to let the new day flow into my body. It gets my creativity started. Routine has become my savior from my haunting memories. Coco’s barking snaps me out of my thoughts. Looking up, I see her stopped and focusing out into the
