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When You're Back _1.jpg

ALSO BY ABBI GLINES

In publication order by series

The Rosemary Beach series

Fallen Too Far

Never Too Far

Forever Too Far

Twisted Perfection

Simple Perfection

Take a Chance

Rush Too Far

One More Chance

You Were Mine

Kiro’s Emily (novella)

When I’m Gone

The Sea Breeze series

Breathe

Because of Low

While It Lasts

Just for Now

Sometimes It Lasts

Misbehaving

Bad for You

Hold on Tight

The Vincent Boys series

The Vincent Boys

The Vincent Brothers

The Existence series

Existence

Predestined

Ceaseless

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First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd

A CBS COMPANY

First published in the USA in 2015 by Atria Paperbacks,

an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Copyright © 2015 by Abbi Glines

This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.

No reproduction without permission.

All rights reserved.

The right of Abbi Glines to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

Simon & Schuster UK Ltd

1st Floor

222 Gray’s Inn Road

London WC1X 8HB

Simon & Schuster Australia, Sydney

Simon & Schuster India, New Delhi

A CIP catalogue copy for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-1-4711-2236-1

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-4711-2237-8

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY

www.simonandschuster.co.uk

www.simonandschuster.com.au

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Simon & Schuster UK Ltd are committed to sourcing paper that is made from wood grown in sustainable forests and supports the Forest Stewardship Council, the leading international forest certification organisation. Our books displaying the FSC logo are printed on FSC certified paper

To Abbi’s Army, the world’s best street team. I never imagined I’d have a group like this one, supporting my books and being there to lift me up when things get tough. I love you all, and I’m so thankful for each and every one of you.

Contents

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Captain

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Mase

Reese

Epilogue

Reese

It had been twenty-two days, five hours, and thirty minutes since I’d said good-bye to Mase at O’Hare Airport. Once he was sure I was safe at my father’s house in Chicago with my newfound family, he returned to Texas to his family’s ranch, which just couldn’t run without him.

Going back with him had been so tempting. I was ready to start my life with Mase, and I was anxious to make his home our home. But first, I needed to do this.

A little more than a month ago, a polished, well-groomed Italian man had shown on my doorstep in Rosemary Beach, where I had worked as a maid for some of the town’s wealthiest families. Not too long after I’d met Mase, the father I had never known—and hadn’t even been sure was alive—had walked back into my life, wanting to be a part of it.

Mase had been right there with me, holding my hand through it all. Benedetto had stayed with us in Rosemary Beach for a week, and then we’d all flown to Chicago together.

I soon found out that not only did I have a father, but I also had a brother. He was two years younger than I and a total riot; Raul made me laugh constantly. I also had a grandmother, or nonna, as she preferred to be called. She loved to sit and talk with me for hours. She told me stories about my father when he was younger and showed me pictures from Raul’s childhood. She also told me how she’d pleaded with Benedetto to find me. He had his reasons for not coming after me. That was all he ever told anyone. I wanted to hate him for not coming for me when I was younger, but I couldn’t. My life had led me to Mase.

The time I’d spent with them had been wonderful, but I had missed Mase. Talking to him every night wasn’t enough. I needed him. I needed him more than I needed a father, brother, and nonna. Mase was my family. The first person who had ever truly been there for me after a lifetime of abuse from my mother and stepfather.

Now, finally, I was home—or in the place that had been about to become my home before my father had shown up. Mase and I were planning to move in together, but that hadn’t fully happened yet.

I hadn’t let Mase know I was coming back early. I wanted to surprise him.

The cab driver pulled up outside of Mase’s parents’ house on their sprawling ranch. A quick look at the dark house told me no one was home. Good. My surprise was just for Mase. I quickly paid the driver, pulled my one piece of luggage out of the trunk, and hurried toward the stables. Mase’s truck was parked outside beside another truck I didn’t recognize.