Title: Pining For You

Series: Blueball Band of Brothers, Book 5

Author: Marika Ray

Genre: Small Town Romantic Comedy

Release Date: May 9, 2024

I’ve been in love with my best friend since the day I met her freshman year of high school. She was a halo of sunshine on a rainy day, pulling me out of the shadows and making me feel like life was one big roller-coaster ride of excitement. Until the day we graduated and she left on the back of a Harley with some guy who didn’t deserve her, middle fingers in the air.

Twelve years later, she’s back in Blueball, as if she hadn’t broken my heart and never looked back. This time, she’s headed straight for the courthouse to marry some guy who looks like he’s afraid of the world just so she can inherit some money. He’s clearly all wrong for her too.

I decide fate has given me a second chance to tell her how much she hurt me. I bribe the guy to leave and stand in as her groom at the altar.

If I thought a marriage of convenience would be the way to pin down Rainey Shaw and teach her a lesson, I’m as dumb as the teenager who let her stomp all over his heart.

Because Rainey is back, and I’m half in love with her already.

“He’s gone.”

Rainey simply blinked up at me, her thick lashes fluttering. “Excuse me?”

“Danny,” I said helpfully. “He’s gone.”

Her hands came to her hips. “What do you mean, he’s gone?”

Time to come clean and face the firing squad. “I know you said he was perfect for you, but the man didn’t even pretend to protest when I offered him money to leave Blueball.”

Rainey’s mouth opened but no words came out. Her eyes had gone stormy and that red splotch on her neck didn’t bode well for my longevity.

“You. Did. What?” she snapped.

I leaned in, wanting her to understand what a terrible choice he was. “I offered him money, Rain. And he took it. What kind of douchebag—”

Her hand came out of nowhere and struck my cheek. My molars shook with the force of the slap. Shit. I shook my head a bit to see if that would clear the fire ants marching across half my face. Rainey didn’t wait for me to explain further, she just turned on her heels and made a run for it. She was surprisingly fast for the tall footwear she sported.

“Rainey!” I called after her.

This time, she didn’t look back or even bother to flip me off. The bride was just gone.

Marika Ray is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and sweet RomComs, spending her time behind a computer crafting stories, walking any beach she can find, and making healthy food for her kids and husband whether they like it or not. Prior to writing novels, Marika held various jobs in the finance industry, with private start-up companies, and then in health & fitness. Cats may have nine lives, but Marika believes everyone should have nine careers to keep things spicy. All her books come with a money-back guarantee that you’ll smile at least once with every book.

More information can be found at www.marikaray.com

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