Ashes of Autumn (Mina's Adventures Book 4) by Maria Grazia Swan

Ashes of Autumn (Mina's Adventures Book 4) by Maria Grazia Swan
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On the eve of the final sale of her mother’s business, Italian import Mina Calvi faces a crossroads. The road she dreams of foretells a life of rosy bliss in a quaint Laguna Canyon cottage, sipping cappuccino with her lover, Diego. When a chance detour brings her face to face with the love of her life caught in the wrong place, with the wrong crowd, that road to paradise takes a turn onto a rocky trail dotted by death, betrayal and loneliness. Mina’s friends, old and newly found, rally to keep her safe while she navigates through intense drama and self doubt to finally find redemption.

Ashes of Autumn is possibly the most poignant sequence of Mina and Diego’s intensely obsessive love story.

Excerpt:

He rested his hand on the bar top, next to Mina’s. She willed herself not to move, not to react. Prayed he couldn’t hear the thunder in her chest, the wailing in her soul.

“Funny to meet you here.” He leaned closer to her.

“Totally unexpected,” touch my hand, tell me how you missed me.

The bartender said something to Diego, waited then moved on.

“Hey, you two know each other?” the surprise in Kalinda’s voice genuine.

“Know each other?” Mina tilted her head, searched his unreadable eyes. “Hard to say.”

“Really?” He kept his eyes on her. Probably regained his sense of balance after the shock of finding her there. He put his hand on the back of her stool and spun it so that she faced him. The edge of his sleeve brushing against her bare shoulder. She knew Kalinda followed their every move, but Mina didn’t care. The electricity between them could scorch the earth and the air they breathed.

A phone chimed and Mina sighed. The spell now broken.

“Damn,” Kalinda fished her mobile phone from her beaded bag. Then turned her back to them, “Yeah, of course. And it can’t wait… yeah. Fine.” She put her phone away and looked at Diego. “Duty call.” Her expression different, her fingers tighten on her purse.

He shook his head, “Take the car. I’ll get a ride.”

“You’re sure?” They exchanged glances.

“I’m sure.” His hand still on Mina’s stool as if making sure she couldn’t get away.

“Okay then, I’ll see you later?” Those glances between them. Kalinda slid off the stool walked up to Diego, she was a whole head taller than he was, she bent and kissed his cheek, right next to his mouth, he didn’t react.