Table for Two Read online

  Table of Contents

  Synopsis

  Praise for the work of Kate Gavin

  Other Bella Books by Kate Gavin

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Epilogue

  Bella Books

  Synopsis

  Trying to take a few brief moments away from a stressful situation, Reagan Murphy snags the last table at a bustling downtown lunch spot. When another woman walks into the crowded restaurant seeking a table, Reagan offers to share hers.

  Jillian Jacobs just wanted a quick bite before she’d have to focus on a new and unreasonable deadline. Irritated by her empty stomach and by the prospect of waiting, Jillian resentfully accepts a seat at a stranger’s table.

  Their shared lunch is filled with hostility, snide comments, and shades of derision from Jill and Reagan finds herself relieved at the end of the encounter.

  But then the two are thrown back together when Jill becomes a catering client of Reagan’s. Soon navigating a professional relationship becomes complicated as their attraction begins to smolder. Will it get in the way and cause even bigger problems? Or will this be the start of something they’ve both been looking for all along?

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  Praise for the work of Kate Gavin

  Full of Promise

  This was a sweet young adult romance. This is a solid debut for Gavin with a very readable story. One of the mains is a lesbian where the other main is coming to terms with her bisexuality. This is a classic coming of age, coming out story, but with much more good feels than bad. I enjoyed the pace and feel of this book. Gavin’s writing felt easy and smooth and didn’t really have any of that choppiness that you sometimes find with new authors. If you are looking for a YA book that is a feel good romance, this would be a perfect pick.

  -LezReview Books

  Full of Promise was a very sweet young adult romance novel about discovering one’s sexuality and the emotional turmoil involved…This was a very well written captivating read. I believe young adults will definitely embrace Cam’s journey and hopefully realize that there are others like themselves who are also finding their way to their own true self.

  Highly recommended!

  -R. Swier, NetGalley

  I have to say… I’m not normally a huge fan or reader of YA/NA novels, but this one really worked for me! Even better yet, it seems to be a debut novel for Gavin, so my hat’s off to her!

  This one was a very sweet YA read where our MCs Cam and Riley are both high school seniors. They meet when Riley moves to town and joins the soccer team that Cam and her best friend Claire are already a part of. Cam’s struggling with home life, taking on extra responsibility of caring for her younger brothers while her mom works more hours after a divorce. Riley is new to town, and she’s already an out lesbian, but she’s struggling to make friends and be accepted. When Cam befriends Riley, she begins to question her feelings for the new girl and realizes that she might not be as straight as she thought she was.

  The relationship between Riley and her mom was beautiful, everyone deserves a mom like this, especially questioning LGBT teens. It was refreshing to see this POV. Best friend Claire’s reaction was a bit over the top, but provided a bit of needed angst to the novel.

  All in all, I enjoyed this one and was never tempted to skim ahead, which is my norm in a YA novel. It’s a well written, low angst read, and I appreciated that Gavin didn’t make the younger characters quite so… young. They were intelligent and had level heads instead of being over the top dramatic.

  I really enjoyed this one, and think that many others will also. Recommended! I’m looking forward to Gavin’s next novel! Solid 4 stars.

  -Bethany K., NetGalley

  We meet Cam at her summer job in the library, rolling her cart past the cute girl she’s been sneaking peeks at and who she’s been exchanging small smiles with. The hitch is that Cam has a boyfriend and is straight. Later, she meets this new girl, Riley, at school and gradually forms a friendship that has an underlying tension of something more, eventually building into an actual romance.

  Full of Promise is a sweet story, smooth reading with all the heart tugs you’d expect from two young women falling in love. But rather than being a straight to gay tale, it was more about Cam recognizing and giving light to another part of herself. There were some emotional bumps but nothing harsh like other coming out books. Good, solid YA story.

  -Jules P., NetGalley

  Other Bella Books by Kate Gavin

  Full of Promise

  About the Author

  Kate Gavin is a native Midwesterner, currently living in Ohio. When not staring at a computer screen for her day job or this writing gig, she spends her time retrieving items from her thieving dog, playing video games, and bingeing TV shows with her wife.

  Copyright © 2021 by Kate Gavin

  Bella Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 10543

  Tallahassee, FL 32302

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  First Bella Books Edition 2021

  Editor: Ann Roberts

  Cover Designer: Kayla Mancuso

  ISBN: 978-1-64247-187-8

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Acknowledgments

  First, I need to thank all of the folks at Bella, especially Jessica and Linda, for all of your support. You have given me the opportunity to tell the stories that float around in my head and I am forever grateful.

  Ann – you have made the editing process even easier this time and I thank you for your patience and kind words.

  Tagan – you have been the biggest cheerleader for this story and I can’t thank you enough for that. You are truly one of a kind, my friend.

  Em – I am thankful every day for your friendship and your guidance in all things writing. You challenged me with this one and it’s a better book because of it. Thank you.

  Dad Jobs – you are the best writing group a girl could ask for and I’m so thankful I get to be a part of it.

  Andy – I still remember the morning I woke up next to you and told you about a dream I had where two women were forced to share the last table in a restaurant. We immediately began plotting and you told me to write it. So here it is. I could never have done any of this without your love and support. I am so lucky I can now call you my wife. I love you.

  Chapter One

  Soft lips trailed down Reagan Murphy’s neck, and she tilted her head to give the other woman better access. Teeth scraped along her collarbone and the woman’s hair fell forward and covered her face. She moved down Reagan’s body, inch by agonizing inch. Reagan squirmed, desperate for her to pick up the pace and reach her obvious destination.

  Her nails scratched underneath the waistband of Reagan’s boxers, teasing her for a moment before sliding the boxers off and tossing them to the floor. Goose bumps erupted on Reagan’s exposed skin. The woman’s warm breath met the wetness of Reagan’s center as she pushed her legs apart.

  “Oh, f—”

  A crash jerked her awake. Clutching her hand to her chest, she looked around for the sound that had pulled her from her dream. Her gaze landed on her father as he pushed the button on the remote to raise his bed, reaching out to clean up the glass of water he’d knocked over.

  Reagan stood and rushed over to help. “Let me get that, Pops.” She grabbed a hand towel from the hall bathroom and wiped up the water.

  “Fuck. Give it to me,” he said as held out his hand. “I’ll do it.”

  “It’s okay. I’ve got it.”

  “Reagan.”

  “A
ll done. Nothing to worry about.”

  His drugs for pain management often made him clumsy, and accidents like these became more frequent with each passing day. Every incident reminded her that good days with him were numbered.

  “Shit, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to do that.” His cheeks reddened and he avoided her gaze.

  “It’s fine. No worries.” While he had wanted to live his last days at home, he’d struggled with accepting help from his only child. He had practically thrown a fit when she’d handed over most of her responsibilities at work to Gwen, her best friend and business partner, in order to move home and help her mom with his care.

  Once she wiped up the last of the water, she tossed the towel on the bathroom counter, refilled his glass, and sat on the side of the bed, holding his hand. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Meh. Better than the night before.”

  “That’s good.”

  He raised one eyebrow and asked, “What about you? I’ve been up for a few minutes and it looked like you were having a nightmare. You were squirming around and making little noises.”

  Heat rushed to her cheeks. “Oh, um, it was nothing. Just a dream.”

  He chuckled. “By the look on your face, I’m guessing those little noises were from something a little more pleasurable than a nightmare.”

  “Dad, please stop talking.” She covered her face with her hands.

  “Never gonna happen.” He squeezed her knee and she looked up. “So, tell me. When is the last time you went on a date?” he asked as he narrowed his eyes at her.

  “Recently.”

  “How recent?”

  “Um.”

  “Please don’t tell me it was with that horrible Diane.”

  “I plead the fifth.”

  “Come on, sweetie. You two broke up, what, nine months ago?”

  “Something like that,” she mumbled, knowing it’d been over a year.

  His face softened, and he looked into her eyes for a beat. “I’m worried about you, Reagan. I just want to see you happy. You need to live your life and not get bogged down with…” He lifted his arms, gesturing to all the medical equipment surrounding them in the spare bedroom, “…this.”

  The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer six months prior had come as a shock to the family, and while Reagan and her mom had fallen into worry, her dad had reacted the same as he had to any unexpected news in his life: with calm acceptance. He was her hero, and she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could—what little he had left anyway.

  “I know. I will when—” She stopped and stared at him with wide eyes and the prick of tears forming.

  “When I’m gone?”

  “I’m so sorry, Dad. That’s not…I mean…”

  He reached for her hand and squeezed. “You shouldn’t wait til I’m gone, kiddo. You gotta live your life every day. Look at me. I’m proof that we don’t always get as much time as we want.”

  “Dad, I…I…” She looked down at her hands in his as words vanished and tears ran down her cheeks. She’d miss his perfect combination of strength and softness when he held her. She could still remember how it felt when he scooped her up into his arms when she had fallen off her skateboard at six years old. He had brought her inside to her mom so she could look at the scrapes covering her hands and knees. He stood next to her, cradling her head against his chest as she sat on the counter while her mom cleaned the wounds. His whispers of reassurance kept her calm and made her feel safe.

  “It’s okay. I know.” He bumped her chin with his fingers and raised her head. “Hey. Why do you think I wanted to be here with my two favorite women instead of some damn hospital? You and your mom are the best things that ever happened to me. Even when she nags me about leaving socks everywhere.”

  “I heard that!” her mom yelled as she walked down the hallway.

  They chuckled and rolled their eyes.

  “God. The ears on that woman,” he whispered. “Honey, I want the same for you. I want you to enjoy your life, love your work, and find a woman you look forward to waking up next to each morning. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she replied as she wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks.

  “Knock, knock.”

  She turned to see one of her father’s nurses, Angela, standing in the doorway. Aside from the help Reagan and her mom provided, he also accepted a little help from two home nurses. Angela and Betty checked in a couple days a week, giving Reagan and her mom much-needed breaks.

  “Time to get you moving a bit and then get you cleaned up, Conor,” Angela said cheerily.

  “Oh, yay. Drill sergeant number two is here,” he said under his breath as he sat up a little straighter in bed.

  Angela came into the room and dropped her bag of supplies on Reagan’s chair. “Excuse me. Why am I number two? What does Betty have that I don’t?”

  “For one thing, age,” he said. “She’s probably thirty years older than you. And with age comes intimidation factor. She can look at me with those narrowed eyes and I’ll do whatever she says. No offense. This whole ‘hands on your hips and head cocked to the side’ routine needs a little work.”

  Reagan swatted at his arm. “You’re such a dork, Dad.” She scooted off the bed and kissed his cheek. “Love you. I’ll see you later.”

  “Love you too, kiddo.”

  As Reagan passed Angela, she squeezed her arm and whispered, “Good luck.” Angela snorted in reply.

  After a quick shower, Reagan found her mother packing up food to freeze. With the unpredictability of their current situation, her mom had taken to freezing meals they could easily pop in the oven. Reagan suspected it gave her mom a sense of control to have several months’ worth of homemade dinners ready to go.

  “Morning, Mom.”

  “Morning,” her mom said with a smile. “Fell asleep in there again, didn’t you?”

  Reagan shrugged. “Guess so.”

  “You don’t have to do that. He’ll be fine on his own. We each have a monitor to listen at night. You should sleep in your own bed.”

  “Sure, Mom. You know you’d be in there if I wasn’t. You can’t say any different.”

  “Well.”

  “Uh-huh. Pot, kettle,” she said, pointing to herself then her mom.

  Her mom chuckled. “Okay. You got me there. Do you have any plans for the day?”

  “Probably check in at the office for a few minutes. What about you?”

  “After I finish cleaning up, I’m going to take a walk and then come back for a nice long bath and a nap.”

  “I can clean up. You shouldn’t have to do that.”

  “It’s okay. I’m almost done.” Her mom took a deep breath before setting down the towel in her hand and leaning on her elbows on the counter as she looked at Reagan. “I heard what your father told you. He’s right, honey. Your life shouldn’t stop because of everything that’s going on.”

  “But what if something happens when I’m not here? I need to be here for him. The doctor said he didn’t know the timetable. I couldn’t live with myself if I wasn’t here when, well, when it happens.”

  “You are, and he knows that. Something could happen at any moment, and we can’t sit around holding our breath until it does. It’ll just wear us down, and we won’t be any good to him if that happens. Angela will be here until four. Take your time today. Go grab a bite to eat or take a walk. You deserve it.”

  Reagan slid off the stool and gave her mom a hug. “I might just do that.”

  Reagan unlocked the door to her apartment. She scrunched her nose at the staleness in the air. Sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains, highlighting floating flecks of dust. Since she had moved back with her parents, she’d intended to stop by her apartment once a week, but after doing the math in her head, she realized she hadn’t been here for almost a month. She missed this place dearly, and everything that used to come with it—independence, freedom from the now constant fear of losing her dad. But when she thought about it like that, she felt selfish, a mixture of emotions she tried to never let herself fully feel because if she did, she knew they had the power to overwhelm her.