The Forever Factor Read online

  The Forever Factor

  Synopsis

  Is it truly better to have loved and lost? Bethany Cahill says nope. Eleven years ago, her fellow cheerleader Reid Thatcher held her heart in her hand...and crushed it like a bug. Since then, Bethany avoids risk, reward, and anything romantic on TV. Just, no. But when grown-up Reid’s shopping cart bumps into hers, Bethany is catapulted into the past and staring into Reid’s eyes, which are still annoyingly stunning. Forgiveness doesn’t come easy, and Bethany isn’t about to let Reid in. Not after all she took.

  Reid never fully understood why Bethany withheld forgiveness all those years ago, but no kiss since has ever been as satisfying as Bethany’s lips on hers. The happenstance run-in was a stroke of luck and ignites Reid’s plan to get to the bottom of Bethany’s silence, a mystery she can’t let drop. But she hadn’t planned on the reckoning in store when she learns the truth.

  When Bethany and Reid confront their past, they give new meaning to letting go, forgiveness, and a future worth fighting for.

  Reviewers Love Melissa Brayden

  “Melissa Brayden has become one of the most popular novelists of the genre, writing hit after hit of funny, relatable, and very sexy stories for women who love women.”—Afterellen.com

  The Last Lavender Sister

  “It’s also a slow burn, with some gorgeous writing. I’ve had to take some breaks while reading to delight in a turn of phrase here and there, and that’s the best feeling.”—Jude in the Stars

  “I have loved many of Melissa Brayden’s characters over the years, but I think Aster Lavender may be my favorite of all of them.”—Sapphic Book Review

  “The Last Lavender Sister is not only a romance but also a family saga and a journey of transformation for both characters.”—LezReview Books

  Exclusive

  “Melissa Brayden’s books have always been a source of comfort, like seeing a friend you’ve lost touch with but can pick right up where you left off. They have always made my heart happy, and this one does the same.”—Sapphic Book Review

  Marry Me

  “A bride-to-be falls for her wedding planner in this smoking hot, emotionally mature romance from Brayden…Brayden is remarkably generous to her characters, allowing them space for self-exploration and growth.”—Publishers Weekly

  To the Moon and Back

  “To the Moon and Back is all about Brayden’s love of theatre, onstage and backstage, and she does a delightful job of sharing that love…Brayden set the scene so well I knew what was coming, not because it’s unimaginative but because she made it obvious it was the only way things could go. She leads the reader exactly where she wants to take them, with brilliant writing as usual. Also, not everyone can make office supplies sound sexy.”—Jude in the Stars

  “Melissa Brayden does what she does best, she delivers amazing characters, witty banter, all while being fun and relatable.”—Romantic Reader Blog

  Back to September

  “You can’t go wrong with a Melissa Brayden romance. Seriously, you can’t. Buy all of her books. Brayden sure has a way of creating an emotional type of compatibility between her leads, making you root for them against all odds. Great settings, cute interactions, and realistic dialogue.”—Bookvark

  What a Tangled Web

  “[T]he happiest ending to the most amazing trilogy. Melissa Brayden pulled all of the elements together, wrapped them up in a bow, and presented the reader with Happily Ever After to the max!”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  Beautiful Dreamer

  “I love this book. I want to kiss it on its face…I’m going to stick Beautiful Dreamer on my to-reread-when-everything-sucks pile, because it’s sure to make me happy again and again.”—Smart Bitches Trashy Books

  “Beautiful Dreamer is a sweet and sexy romance, with the bonus of interesting secondary characters and a cute small-town setting.”—Amanda Chapman, Librarian (Davisville Free Library, RI)

  Two to Tangle

  “Melissa Brayden does it again with a sweet and sexy romance that leaves you feeling content and full of happiness. As always, the book is full of smiles, fabulous dialogue, and characters you wish were your best friends.”—The Romantic Reader

  “I loved it. I wasn’t sure Brayden could beat Joey and Becca and their story, but when I started to see reviews mentioning that this was even better, I had high hopes and Brayden definitely lived up to them.”—LGBTQreader.com

  Entangled

  “Ms. Brayden has a definite winner with this first book of the new series, and I can’t wait to read the next one. If you love a great enemies-to-lovers, feel-good romance, then this is the book for you.”—Rainbow Reflections

  “Entangled is a simmering slow burn romance, but I also fully believe it would be appealing for lovers of women’s fiction. The friendships between Joey, Maddie, and Gabriella are well developed and engaging as well as incredibly entertaining…All that topped off with a deeply fulfilling happily ever after that gives all the happy sighs long after you flip the final page.”—Lily Michaels: Sassy Characters, Sizzling Romance, Sweet Endings

  Love Like This

  “Brayden upped her game. The characters are remarkably distinct from one another. The secondary characters are rich and wonderfully integrated into the story. The dialogue is crisp and witty.”—Frivolous Reviews

  Sparks Like Ours

  “Brayden sets up a flirtatious tit-for-tat that’s honest, relatable, and passionate. The women’s fears are real, but the loving support from the supporting cast helps them find their way to a happy future. This enjoyable romance is sure to interest readers in the other stories from Seven Shores.”—Publishers Weekly

  Hearts Like Hers

  “Once again Melissa Brayden stands at the top. She unequivocally is the queen of romance.”—Front Porch Romance

  Eyes Like Those

  “Brayden’s story of blossoming love behind the Hollywood scenes provides the right amount of warmth, camaraderie, and drama.”—RT Book Reviews

  Strawberry Summer

  “This small-town second-chance romance is full of tenderness and heart. The 10 Best Romance Books of 2017.”—Vulture

  “Strawberry Summer is a tribute to first love and soulmates and growing into the person you’re meant to be. I feel like I say this each time I read a new Melissa Brayden offering, but I loved this book so much that I cannot wait to see what she delivers next.”—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

  First Position

  “Brayden aptly develops the growing relationship between Ana and Natalie, making the emotional payoff that much sweeter. This ably plotted, moving offering will earn its place deep in readers’ hearts.”—Publishers Weekly

  The Forever Factor

  Brought to you by

  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  By the Author

  Romances

  Waiting in the Wings

  Heart Block

  How Sweet It Is

  First Position

  Strawberry Summer

  Beautiful Dreamer

  Back to September

  To the Moon and Back

  Marry Me

  Exclusive

  The Last Lavender Sister

  The Forever Factor

  Soho Loft Romances:

  Kiss the Girl

  Just Three Words

  Ready or Not

  Seven Shores Romances:

  Eyes Like Those

  Hearts Like Hers

  Sparks Like Ours

  Love Like This

  Tangle Valley Romances:

  Entangled

  Two to Tangle

  What a Tangled Web

  The Forever Factor

  © 2022 By Melissa Brayden. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-63679-358-0

  This Electronic Original Is Published By

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: November 2022

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

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Ruth Sternglantz

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design by Inkspiral Design

  eBook Design by Toni Whitaker

  Acknowledgments

  I think it’s safe to say that everyone remembers their first love. And their first heartbreak. Oftentimes, they’re one and the same. Those fresh bursts of emotions, the new discoveries about love and lust, when it feels like nothing else matters but that other person? Yeah, those things can leave quite the impression. Exploring Bethany and Reid’s second chance at love took me on a nostalgic roller coaster through my own formative years, and getting to craft their story was a true pleasure. I hope you enjoy their
twists and turns.

  The thank-you list is long! It includes my editor, Ruth Sternglantz, for friendship, guidance, and insight. Radclyffe, Sandy Lowe, and all of the Bold Strokes associates for making the road to publication a smooth one. Cindy Cresap, Toni Whitaker, and Stacia Seaman for their attention to detail and expertise. Inkspiral Design for the wonderful cover that includes a sweet nod to the past. A big shout-out to the proofreaders, who tirelessly search out my mistakes. To my friends and colleagues in the business who know what writing life is like and certainly make mine lots of fun. To Alan for letting me steal an hour here or there to make sure the story winds up on the page. To my small people for the encouraging hugs and smiles. And to each and every reader for choosing to spend time with my characters. I hope you think it was time well spent. Here’s to many more kissing scenes, heart-wrenching interactions, and if all goes well, a happily ever after.

  For all those who were lost and found.

  Prologue

  There were days that didn’t seem important until they were. When one breath was so startlingly different than the last that a person didn’t know what hit them. One drastic second, and the universe decided that it was time for life to shift onto its head with an ear-shattering thud.

  That’s exactly what happened to Bethany Cahill on what seemed like a very mundane Thursday afternoon at the clinic just outside of LA. After a lunch that consisted of dictation, a few phone calls, a sliced apple with peanut butter, and a Red Bull—okay, two—she was back to seeing patients at the family medical practice she’d opened four years ago with two of her med school classmates, Thea and Veronica. Bethany was the quieter friend in the trio, but happy to share her space with the two people she’d grown most comfortable with over the last few years. Ride or die. That was them. They’d seen each other through the daunting trials of med school and emerged still alive and linked at the arms. It didn’t get much thicker than that.

  “I’m going to head out early,” she told Thea, who was vivacious and fun. The life of their party. Beth exhaled, breathing out the day. “My last appointment canceled ten minutes ago, and I have nary a morsel of food in my refrigerator.”

  Thea dropped a chart onto her desk as she listened, brown eyes accusatory. “This is unfair. I have two more patients to see and want to go with you. I haven’t been to a grocery store since 2003. Or was it four?” She gave her long dark braids an adjustment. They were tied in back, her work ponytail in effect. Bethany rarely encountered it outside of days they saw patients, but Thea knew how to work it from a fashion standpoint. No one accessorized scrubs like she did. She landed on dead sexy when paired with full makeup and heels, scholarly when she popped on her forest-green glasses. Kudos to Thea for the duality. She had it down.

  “You’re exaggerating as always. Need anything?” Bethany asked. “I can grab you some frozen french toast.” It was an allusion to their late-night study sessions and the snack they’d toss into the toaster at two a.m. for a comforting sugar surge when the knowledge wouldn’t fit into their brains anymore. Savior food. “You can gnaw on it between patients like a savory little security blanket. You’ll be so cute.”

  “Sold. And I’m not kidding when I say yes. Grab me a box and bring it tomorrow.”

  “You’re getting six.”

  A voice from the next office over shouted at them. Veronica Tam. “I hear you talking about french toast, and now it’s all I can think about. Damn you both. Feed me, too.” Their fearless type A. Veronica was the ambition, the visionary, the one who often needed reining in when her ideas overtook the capabilities of their small LA-adjacent medical practice. They had to talk her down when she decided they should most definitely add a barista to their lobby. “Our patient load would double, and my caffeine level would hum pleasantly close to never have to sleep again. Picture it.” She did happen to have the most awesome, luscious jet-black hair in the stratosphere and knew it, swishing it often to make her point. In school, The Brunette Three were a force of academia.

  “Come with me,” Bethany called to Veronica. “You know I’m not good with the masses. You’ll boss them around. I’ll stand there with my arms quietly grabbing for snacks.”

  “No-go. I’m meeting with the electrician at five,” she called back. “The break room overheads continue to blink. The problem plagues me in the middle of the night. I see those lights in my dreams, taunting me.”

  “She refuses my theory that it’s extraterrestrial code,” Thea said, far too seriously. “Let’s play my favorite: Broken or Sprained? Over here. Now.” She turned on the light behind the view box on the wall. Bethany studied the film of a woman’s right hand, squinting and inclining her head because it was a difficult read. That was until she caught the faint line of a sneaky fracture on the fifth metacarpal. “I win. Right there. A hairline.”

  “Eagle Eye Cahill,” Thea said, switching off the light. “When in doubt, you’re my guy.”

  “My reward? A stroll through the frozen food section. I’m out.”

  “We’ll miss you,” Veronica shouted. “And won’t for a second talk smack about you.”

  “Or your weird shoes from last week,” Thea added.

  Bethany frowned. Fashion was hard when you had very little free time. “They were comfortable. I’m sorry you don’t care for fake fur on footwear.”

  “Does someone that you know of?” Thea asked, sliding a thin errant braid behind her ear.

  “No comment.” Bethany blew a kiss to Veronica as she passed her open office door and hit the much needed California sunshine. Ah, the world of the living. She didn’t spend enough time in it, and popping on her shades now, in the midst of the warm April afternoon, had her vowing to change that. Embrace her human capabilities to explore the city and connect with other members of the species. Because quite honestly, it felt nice. At thirty years old, she’d spent far too much time with her nose in a textbook or a patient chart. She needed a tan. A mistress. Even a chaste pedicure would do. Something. Her life was egregiously regimented even for her logical brain. A grocery store in the late afternoon was honestly a shift she should embrace more regularly. She parked her gray Range Rover, feeling proud of herself. A shopper out in the daytime. The workaholic version of herself shelved for the day.

  “I’ll take this one,” she told the older woman who seemed to be in charge of cart disbursal.

  “Have a good day,” the woman said.

  Bethany paused. She probably said it to everyone, but today it resonated. “Thank you.” She pushed her extra-large cart into the store and surveyed the multitude of food varieties that lined the shelves. Glorious. Speaking of eating, she’d call her dad later and make sure he was taking his cholesterol medicine. His girlfriend who lived with him was an amazing cook, but that didn’t bode well for his lab numbers. Oh, strawberry Pop-Tarts. “Don’t mind if I do,” she murmured.

  “Are you a nurse?” a little boy asked, spotting her scrubs. His big brown eyes blinked up at her.

  “I’m a doctor,” she told him, hoping gender stereotypes eventually worked their way out of the medical field altogether. One child at a time.

  “His aunt is a nurse,” his mother was quick to explain.

  “Not a problem at all. We love nurses. They don’t get enough credit.”

  “Do you like those?” the boy asked.

  She eyed the strawberry frosted Pop-Tarts box in her hand. “My favorite. I sometimes eat two. Do you?” He nodded, eyes wide. “Have a good day,” she told them both and watched as the mom reluctantly grabbed a box. That kid owed her one.

  “Bye,” he shouted, smiling gleefully like he’d won a prize at the fair. She sent him a mental high five.

  Enjoying her time, she wheeled her cart around the corner to the next aisle, fairly certain that’s where she would find that granola cereal she liked, when she nearly careened into a cart coming the other way. “Whoa. My fault. Sorry about that.”

  “No. Mine. I was on the wrong…” The words died the second the cart-pusher’s gaze landed on Bethany’s face.