Sisters in Bloom (Love in Bloom: Snow Sisters #2), Contemporary Romance Read Online Free PDF Page A

back down from a challenge.
    “Everything. She’s got fifty passes, mentions in the preevent ceremonies, mentions in the after-parties, and all the regular stuff—a booth, top billing on the print media. I don’t know what else to give her.”
    Chaz ran his hand through his hair. He had an idea of what she wanted, and it wasn’t something he was inclined to give. “I’ll go see her. I’m going to LA next week anyway for the meeting with the technical team. What’s another few hours?”
    “Chaz.”
    He heard the warning in her voice. “Look, are there other sponsors we can tap into?”
    “Not really. I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel.”
    “Then I can deal with it, Max.”
    “It’s been getting worse each year. You need to tell her that you’re not going to fall back into the sack with her, and let her sponsorship go. And, by the way, while you ponder your very tenuous situation, remember Kaylie? That sweet, beautiful woman you’re engaged to? You know, the pregnant one? How will she feel about you traipsing off to woo Lea into submission, especially after your history?”
    Her words cut Chaz to the core. Lea was a strong woman, with manipulation skills that rivaled the most noteworthy criminals, not to mention those Carmichael legs that weakened even the strongest of men. After he’d ended their brief affair, she’d pleaded with him to come back to her with sexy emails and cell phone photos that even Chaz felt dirty looking at. He needed a shower just thinking of them. When her first attempt didn’t work, she’d spent the next few weeks lashing out with venom so spiteful he knew he’d dodged a bullet.
    He hadn’t been looking for a relationship then—and Lea was a man-eating snake of the most dangerous kind, one he had no intention of wrestling with for the rest of his life. And then he’d met Kaylie, and he knew the moment he’d met her that she was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She was everything Lea was not. Kaylie was sexy in an adorable, wholesome way. She was smart, and kind, and the last thing she wanted was to control him. Kaylie had her own life—and she’d been quite the player when they’d met. Chaz could tell, even then, that Kaylie’s issues with commitment stemmed from her father’s leaving. It became clear early on how perfect he and Kaylie were for each other. His own father had pulled the same shit, and while Chaz had initially handled things very much like Kaylie had, he’d confronted his father early on and learned about his world of living with his cold-hearted mother. The very mother whom Chaz had been protecting. And now that his father had passed, he was glad he’d made amends.
    Kaylie was like a hard-boiled egg. She was tough on the outside, rolling away before she could fall off the table and crack, exposing her vulnerable heart. He wanted nothing more than to love her, and help her peel away that rough layer, so that he could nurture the sensitive, caring woman he had still only caught glimpses of.
    He was secure in his relationship with Kaylie. All he had to do was convince Lea to back off, while somehow keeping her sponsorship.
     “Make the arrangements. I’ll go.” Chaz hung up the phone and wondered what the hell he’d gotten himself into.

    Chapter Four
    After lunch with Kaylie and her mother, Danica stopped by AcroSki to see Blake. The store was busy, and she found Alyssa Brown restocking the shelves of sunscreen. Alyssa had been a lifesaver for Blake after his friend and business partner, Dave, had died in a skiing accident. She’d worked for them part time for two years and, after the accident, she’d increased her hours to full time, taking over much of the administrative work that Dave had taken care of.
    Alyssa called to her as she lined up bottles on the shelf. “Hey, Danica. Blake’s in the office.” Alyssa set two bottles down and then said, “Michelle just stopped by. She’s in the back looking at