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    Mischief & Magnolias
    Mischief & Magnolias
    Mischief & Magnolias
    Ebook95 pages1 hour

    Mischief & Magnolias

    By Kristina Cook

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    When Ryder Marsden and Jemma Cafferty return to Magnolia Branch for Christmas break following their first semester at their respective universities in New York City (Columbia and NYU), their secret relationship is revealed—they’re literally caught under the mistletoe, kissing. Unexpectedly, their parents—who’ve spent their entire lives pushing them together—are somehow less than thrilled, especially when they realize the depth of their deception.

    Tensions mount as the Marsden and Cafferty families struggle to come to terms with Jemma’s and Ryder’s feelings for each other, especially as they prepare to send them back to New York City together. At the same time, Jemma and Ryder must face their own problems that have arisen as a result of attending different schools—there are jealousies to be sorted out and hurt feelings to mend if their relationship is going to stand the test of time.

    Will their love last, or are they star-crossed lovers, after all?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKristina Cook
    Release dateFeb 13, 2017
    ISBN9781370486373
    Mischief & Magnolias
    Author

    Kristina Cook

    Kristina Cook is the author of more than a dozen books for adults and teens, ranging from historical and NASCAR romance to paranormal and contemporary young adult fiction (also writing as Kristi Astor and Kristi Cook). Since the publication of her first novel in 2004, her books (with Kensington/Zebra Books, Harlequin Books, and Simon & Schuster) have hit national bestseller lists, landed on bookseller association lists, and won awards, including the National Reader's Choice Award.When she’s not writing a book or reading a book, she’s probably online somewhere, talking about a book. Kristina lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters, but in the summer months escapes with them to sunny Miami, where she lounges on the beach and teaches creative writing classes at Miami-Dade College.

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      Book preview

      Mischief & Magnolias - Kristina Cook

      1

      Y ou come here and give me a hug! Laura Grace calls out the second we step into Magnolia Landing’s marble-tiled foyer. Both of y’all, she adds, hurrying over to wrap one arm around me, the other around Ryder. She squeezes us both, nearly knocking our heads together. Finally, she releases us and takes a step back, beaming broadly.

      I hear my mom squeal and turn to find her barreling toward us, arms open wide. A second group hug ensues, all four of us this time. I can’t believe they’re really here, my mom says, her voice thick. Our babies are back!

      Only for a few weeks, Ryder says.

      His mom whacks him on the head. Shush, now! Just let me enjoy this.

      Ryder looks at me and grins, his eyes dancing and cheeks dimpling, forcing me to avert my gaze and bite my lip to keep from grinning back at him. After all, we’re supposed to be testy with each other—we’ve just been forced to endure a two-hour plane ride plus an hour car ride together, and we’re supposed to despise each other. At least, that’s what our parents think.

      Of course, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

      Where’s your dad? Laura Grace glances behind Ryder, looking at the door. His father picked us up at the airport in Memphis and drove us home, a fairly uncomfortable drive where Ryder sat up front with his dad and I’d sat alone in the back seat staring at the back of his head, neither of us saying much as the familiar scenery went by in a blur.

      He’s waiting out in the car to take Miss Shelby and Jem home, Ryder answers.

      Laura Grace nods, then glances up at her son with a frown. How’s your shoulder, honey?

      I look over to find him rubbing it, something he does a lot without even realizing he’s doing it.

      Just a little achy, he says with a shrug. During Columbia’s opening football game of the season, Ryder had taken a hard hit and suffered a partial tear to the rotator cuff on his throwing arm’s shoulder—a season-ending injury. It was horrible—Ryder’s parents had come to the game and I was sitting with them, all excited to see him start but trying to play it cool. He went down in the third quarter, and it was immediately clear that he was badly hurt. Like, really badly. The whole stadium had grown quiet while the trainer tended to him on the field, and he was clearly in pain as they’d helped him to the bench several minutes later.

      Laura Grace stayed in New York for a week after, accompanying him to multiple doctor’s appointments and taking him for a second opinion, then a third. I was freaking out the whole time, wishing I could be there with him, supporting him. Instead, I had to act mildly interested—only as interested as a long-time family friend would be, not a girlfriend. Even now, I don’t know much about his treatment or recovery because he doesn’t like to talk about it—something that drives me nuts. We’re a couple, and couples talk about important stuff. That’s part of the deal. Only somehow, Ryder missed the memo.

      Laura Grace shakes her head. You should have let me upgrade you two to first class. I told you you’d be all cramped in coach.

      Ryder rolls his eyes. We were fine in coach, Ma.

      Yeah, the middle seat was empty—we had the whole row to ourselves, I add.

      Oh, good—a buffer zone between you two, my mom says with a wink.

      I glance down at my feet, shuffling them uncomfortably as I remember the way we’d cuddled shamelessly the entire flight home. How long are we going to have to lie to them? Probably forever, I decide. Definitely better than the alternative.

      Well, we should probably get you two home, Laura Grace says. I know Brad and Nan are anxious to see Jemma.

      I nod, because I’m anxious to see them, too—along with my two best friends, Lucy and Morgan. Who am I kidding? I’m looking forward to seeing them all—Mason and Ben and even my douchebag cousin, Tanner. I’ve been away from Magnolia Branch for way too long.

      Don’t get me wrong—I love New York. NYU is awesome and I’ve made so many new friends there. I got lucky in the roommate department—Allie is smart and super sweet, and we get along perfectly, right down to our tastes in music and movies and TV shows. Still, she’ll never replace Lucy and Morgan, who’ve been my best friends since Pre-K. There’s something to be said for shared history, and we’ve got that in spades.

      My mom gives Ryder one more hug, and then ushers me toward the door, Laura Grace following behind. We’ll see y’all tomorrow for Sunday dinner, she says. Lou is making your favorite, Jemma—filet with mushroom gravy.

      My stomach grumbles at the very thought. I can’t wait. Lou’s filet is to die for, and I’ve been subsisting for far too long on a combination of dining hall food, Chipotle, and Starbucks.

      See you tomorrow, Ryder grunts in my direction, and I throw him a half wave on my way out.

      Actually, I’ll see him in a few hours when we both sneak out of our houses and meet down by the creek. We’d planned it out on the flight home—some secret shenanigans to look forward to, right beneath our parents’ noses. Terrible, I know, but we’ve barely seen each other the past few weeks, what with finals and end-of-semester papers and projects and all.

      Plus, there’s something romantic and exciting about the clandestine nature of it here at home. We’ve grown accustomed to the whole being-a-couple-in-public thing. Time to spice things up with a little bit of sneaking around. My cheeks grow warm just thinking about it.

      You look a little flushed, honey, my mom says, pressing a hand to my forehead. I hope you’re not coming down with something. She shakes her head. All those New York germs.

      The germs aren’t any different there, I say, rolling my eyes. Anyway, I’m fine. Just tired. I’m probably going to go to bed early tonight.

      You girls ready to go? Mr. Marsden calls out from the driveway, where he’s leaning against his sleek, white Mercedes.

      Five minutes later, we pull up in front of my house where my sister Nan is sitting on the front porch, Beau and Sadie on either side of her, their tails wagging enthusiastically.

      Hey, it’s Jemma-Jemma-Bo-Bemma! Nan calls out, running down to greet me. The dogs follow suit, whining as they circle me, whacking me with their tails.

      Nan-Nan-Bo-Ban! I lean into her hug. Ugh, I missed you. How’s your head?

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