Simply Irresistible Read online

  Simply Irresistible

  Sweetbriar Cove: Book 16

  Melody Grace

  Melody Grace Books

  Contents

  Also by Melody Grace

  Introduction

  Simply Irresistible

  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

  Epilogue

  Also by Melody Grace

  About the Author

  Also By Melody Grace:

  The Sweetbriar Cove Series:

  1. Meant to Be

  2. All for You

  3. The Only One

  4. I’m Yours

  5. Holiday Kisses (A Christmas Story)

  6. No Ordinary Love

  7. Wildest Dreams

  8. This Kiss

  9. Always Be Mine

  10. Two Hearts (Kinsella Family #1)

  11. The Story of Us

  12. Back to You

  13. One More Night

  14. Time After Time

  15. Forever Summer (Beachcomber Inn #1)

  16. Simply Irresistible

  17. From This Moment

  * * *

  The Beachwood Bay Series:

  1.Untouched

  2.Unbroken

  3.Untamed Hearts

  4.Unafraid

  5.Unwrapped

  6.Unconditional

  7.Unrequited

  8.Uninhibited

  9.Unstoppable

  10.Unexpectedly Yours

  11.Unwritten

  12.Unmasked

  13.Unforgettable

  * * *

  The Oak Harbor Duet:

  1.Heartbreaker

  2.Reckless Hearts

  * * *

  With Every Heartbeat

  * * *

  The Promise

  Thank you for reading!

  ‘Simply Irresistible’ is a slice of summer-time in Sweetbriar Cove. Jules Rivera pledges to have a romance-free summer, but meeting hunky local vineyard owner, Reeve, might just change her mind…

  * * *

  I hope you enjoy Jules and Reeve’s love story, and enjoy this slice of summer, wherever you are.

  xo Melody

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  Welcome to Sweetbriar Cove: the small town where happily-ever-after is guaranteed.

  * * *

  SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE

  Jules Rivera loves a challenge. She’s saved failing businesses, and transformed scruffy guys into handsome bachelors — who turn around and leave her in the dust. Some thanks. She vows not to make the same mistakes again… until she stumbles over a gorgeous, run-down vineyard in Sweetbriar Cove. Jules knows the place could be something special. And as for the surly, rugged owner? All her instincts tell her, he’s something pretty special too…

  Reeve Hastings has no intention of being anyone’s project. He’s trying to save his family legacy, and he doesn’t need help from anyone, especially not the brunette spitfire who knows nothing about wine. But Jules is annoyingly determined — and full of surprisingly good ideas — and soon, she’s making her mark on the vineyard. And driving Reeve crazy, in all the best, most tantalizing ways…

  Jules knows she should keep businesses and pleasure far apart, but Reeve’s smile is more intoxicating than any bottle of Merlot. And as for his kisses… Simply irresistible. Their passion is undeniable, but with the future of the vineyard on the line, can this summer fling put down roots? Or will past heartache spoil their chance of happy-ever-after?Find out in the new charming, feel-good trip to Sweetbriar Cove - featuring all your favorite characters!

  The Sweetbriar Cove Series:

  1. Meant to Be

  2. All for You

  3. The Only One

  4. I’m Yours

  5. Holiday Kisses (A Christmas Story)

  6. No Ordinary Love

  7. Wildest Dreams

  8. This Kiss

  9. Always Be Mine

  10. Two Hearts (Kinsella Family #1)

  11. The Story of Us

  12. Back to You

  13. One More Night

  14. Time After Time

  15. Forever Summer (Beachcomber Inn #1)

  16. Simply Irresistible

  17. From This Moment

  1

  Jules Rivera didn’t believe in destiny.

  Fate, providence, the stars aligning. They made for nice stories, sure, but that was all they were, fictions designed to make sense of the true chaos of the world. But Jules didn’t want a secret roadmap: She embraced the chaos. She bought the chaos a double round and wound up on a midnight adventure, having a great time. Usually. But today, she couldn’t help wishing there was some grand cosmic plan to comfort her, a method to the madness. Because she was officially having the worst day of her life. Somehow she’d managed to lose her apartment, her job, and her boyfriend…

  And the day wasn’t even over yet.

  “Come on!” she cried in frustration, leaning on the horn. The rain beat down on her car windshield as she sat there, stuck in the middle of the highway on her way up to Cape Cod with all her worldly possessions crammed in the backseat. Her best friend Evie was hosting a party to celebrate the grand opening of her B&B, but Jules had been caught in traffic for an hour now, inching along at a snail’s pace. She was in desperate need of a stiff drink and a bathroom break.

  And not necessarily in that order.

  She peered up ahead, scanning the narrow highway for a gas station or cafe, but there was no sign of relief, just woods and open fields all the way down to the windswept shore. She was seriously considering pulling off the side of the road and ducking behind a hedge for privacy when, finally, traffic started to move. “Thank you!” she cheered, yanking her old Ford into gear and hitting the gas. “Running water, here I come!”

  But she’d spoken too soon. Jules had barely made it around the bend when the car lurched like she’d driven over a rock, and then a few seconds later, her tire pressure light went on. “No, no… ,” she wailed as she felt the air go out of her front tire.

  She managed to pull over onto a sandy patch of grass and stepped out into the rain to check the damage. Sure enough, her front tire was deflating fast, a twisted piece of metal lodged in the rubber. Jules took in the sight of a literal bump in the road and felt her resolve wobble.

  Just how much more bad luck could she take?

  It’s OK, she told herself, trying to keep it together. You can handle this. You can handle anything. She just had to make it to Sweetbriar Cove, and then she could collapse in a pathetic mess of ice cream and self-pity. But since there was no Prince Charming about to come to her rescue, she would just have to rescue herself.

  Jules wiped the rain from her face and went to get the spare tire. She’d done it a dozen times over the years, but when she hauled up the flooring and checked the wheel well, there was one thing missing: her toolkit. Which, she realized with a sinking heart, she’d last seen a month ago, when her now-ex-boyfriend had begged to borrow it and sworn he’d put it right back when he was done.

  Jules sank back against the car and despaired. This was what she got for sleeping with t
he boss.

  Not that Rory had been her boss in the beginning. They’d met through friends at a dinner party last year, and Jules had found him endearingly dorky. He was a mapmaker, of all things, and he had talked passionately about the dying art of cartography and how impossible it was to make a living when everyone just looked up directions on their phone. Once they started dating, Jules’s had suggested a dozen ways his work could get more attention. She’d set up social media accounts for him and sent out press releases until he’d finally suggested that she come onto the payroll, since she was doing more for his business than his other official employees. Six months later, his business was booming, he was featured in every cool magazine around, and he had clients lining up for his bespoke maps. Thanks to Jules’s hard work and talent, he’d become a massive success.

  And in exchange, he’d gone ahead and dumped her.

  Clearly, she needed to work on her negotiation skills.

  Jules looked around. She had no reception on her cellphone, but there was a driveway just up ahead leading to some kind of a farm set back up the hill, so she pulled her jacket over her head and began jogging through the rain, cursing Rory’s name with every mud-splattered step. By the time she reached the top of the hill, she was soaked through, but when she caught sight of the faded old sign out front her spirits rose again.

  Hastings Family Vineyard & Winery.

  A vineyard? It was almost enough to make her believe in destiny.

  She looked around. Off to the side were the charred remains of a barn-type structure, but the main building was a big, lodge-style house. She headed inside, already anticipating her celebratory glass of wine, but when she stepped through the doors, she found the place was deserted. Not just empty, but eerily, horror-movie empty. The lights were off, despite the rainstorm, and there was a faded, dusty feeling lingering in the main lobby.

  “Hello?” she called out, but there was no reply. “Anyone here?”

  Silence.

  Well, if nobody was around, they wouldn’t mind if she ducked into the restrooms. Jules spied a sign on the door down the hall and practically sprinted over. Relief. In more ways than one. She washed her hands under the ice-cold faucet and reemerged feeling like a new woman.

  A new woman who could really use a glass of wine.

  She followed the hallway into a wood-paneled tasting room. Faded old armchairs were set out by the fire, and a weathered, pockmarked bar was set up along one wall, with bottles of wine gathering dust on the shelf. The rain beat down outside, and Jules figured she wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while, so she ducked behind the bar and searched for a good cabernet. She found a bottle with a price tag that didn’t make her wince and popped the cork, pouring herself a generous glass.

  “What are you doing?”

  Jules whirled around with a yelp. “You scared me!” she exclaimed, taking in the stranger.

  The tall, handsome stranger.

  Hello.

  Jules caught her breath. Her pulse was still racing, and it had nothing to do with the surprise—and everything to do with the man currently glaring at her from across the bar. He had tawny hair and blue eyes, with a week’s worth of beard on his strong jaw. Even with a scowl on his face, he looked scruffy and delicious—and in jeans and a flannel shirt, he was the exact opposite of her ex and his neatly pressed button-downs.

  The button-downs that, Jules hated to admit, she’d wound up pressing for him.

  “You’re not supposed to be back there,” the man said, folding his arms. Which just showed off his tanned forearms, dusted lightly with blond hair. Jules tried not to stare. She’d always been a sucker for a good forearm.

  “Do you work here?” she asked, cursing the fact she probably looked like a drowned rat. She frantically smoothed down her dripping hair and beamed at him. “Great! I’ll take this bottle.”

  “We’re closed,” he replied shortly.

  “Oh. What time do you open?” she asked hopefully. “Because if it’s soon, then maybe… ”

  “We’re closed,” he repeated.

  “Well, since I’ve already poured… ” Jules flashed what she hoped was a winning smile and raised her glass. “Want one?”

  The man picked up the bottle and checked the label. He snorted. “No thanks.”

  Jules took a sip—and winced. The wine had a metallic tang, like it had already turned. “Good call,” she said, but she took another gulp, all the same. “I didn’t mean to come barging in,” she continued. “But I got a flat tire, just down the hill, and I was hoping for some help.”

  The man looked at her, clearly exasperated. “You want me to change your tire?”

  Jules narrowed her eyes at his condescending tone. “I can change it myself just fine. I need to borrow a jack, that’s all.”

  “I’m kind of busy right now,” the man said with a sigh, even though she could have heard a pin drop. “Maybe try walking into town.”

  He turned to go, and for some reason, this was the final straw for Jules. All the frustration, disappointment, and rejection she’d tried so hard to hold back suddenly burst to the surface. Why was she always the one left to try and clean up the mess alone?

  What was it about her that made her so damn disposable?

  “Are you serious?” she demanded, fury flooding hot in her veins. “Because look around: I’m the only customer you have. And I’m not even asking the world here, just one small act of kindness to make up for the crap-ton of terrible things that have happened today. But no, apparently, that’s asking too much. Because you would rather have me hike another five miles in the pouring rain than take that stick out of your ass and actually be a decent human being!”

  The man stared at her like she was a crazy, ranting idiot. Which, to be fair, she was.

  Jules’s temper melted away as quickly as it had come. Way to make a fool of yourself, she cursed. It wasn’t his fault she was in this mess. No, that was all on her and her legendary bad taste in guys.

  “Look, I’m sorry,” she sighed, resigning herself to that wet, muddy hike. “Like I said, it’s been a bad day.”

  “Then the last thing you need is that lousy excuse for a cabernet,” the man replied. Jules watched in surprise as he moved to join her behind the bar, rummaging around in the back of a shelf for a few moments before pulling out a bottle of something amber-colored. “Forty-year scotch ought to do the trick.”

  He poured two glasses and slid one over to her before lifting his own. “To spectacularly bad days,” he said—and gulped it down in one.

  Jules blinked, thrown by his sudden change of tune. She took a sip—and then another. “Wow, you’re right, that is better than the wine,” she said as the liquid rolled down the back of her throat, warming her from the inside out.

  “The twenty ten is a mess,” he said in response, nodding to her abandoned bottle of wine. “And the twenty eleven. And pretty much any vintage from the last ten years.”

  “So you do work here,” Jules said, intrigued. “Although, some friendly advice: Your sales pitch could use some work.”

  He gave a wry chuckle. “I guess it could.”

  “I’m Jules, by the way.” She stuck out her hand.

  The man paused a moment before taking it. “Reeve.”

  “Nice to meet you, Reeve,” she said, enjoying the warmth of his hand and the blue of his eyes now that they were up close. “So why are you having such a bad day?”

  He refilled his glass. “Long story,” he said, with a rueful smile. And even though his lips barely lifted at the edges, it was enough to transform his face and make Jules forget about the cold water dripping down the back of her shirt.

  Wow.

  “Try me,” Jules said, moving to sit on one of the barstools. “Because I bet you a million dollars, it can’t be worse than mine.”

  “A million bucks, huh?” Reeve asked, looking amused. “If you’ve got that kind of cash to throw around, there’s a bottle of eighty-nine Haut-Brion in the cellar with your nam
e on it.”

  Jules laughed. “Afraid not. Because as of this morning, I’m out of a job. And a boyfriend. And since his name was on the lease, I’m out of an apartment, too.”

  “Ouch.” Reeve refilled her glass. “That’s careless of you.”

  “Of me—” Jules spluttered, before she saw he was kidding. “Ha ha, very funny,” she said, taking another gulp of scotch. “But I suppose it was. I knew something was off when he went on this latest business trip. We usually go together, make a vacation of it, but this time, he was just… squirrelly.”

  “Squirrelly?” Reeve repeated.

  “You know, just a tiny bit evasive, but not enough to really be a big deal. So I would look paranoid if I asked about it.” Jules sighed. Reading that man’s mixed signals had become an art form. “Anyway, I had a feeling something was up, and sure enough, I look online, and Becky has checked in at the same hotel, and oh yes, Becky’s tagging him in all the fun drinks photos, and then they posted identical sunset pictures just minutes apart. Didn’t you used to have to hire a private investigator to figure out if your partner was cheating?” she asked, bitter. “Now, it’s all right there in their Facebook feeds.”

  Of course, there was something horribly poetic about it: She was the social media maven, after all. Rory hadn’t known his livestream from his likes before she came along. She’d set up his profiles, built his following… and then had to sit there, clicking through the evidence of his betrayal.