One night with consequences…
A week in Bali was accountant Zoe Summers's dream
vacation. But when the tropical island paradise is hit by an earthquake, she's
trapped -- alongside Mitch Bailey, sports star and blast from her past! High on
the thrill of survival, they seek comfort in each other's arms…
It was only supposed to be one night, but Zoe soon
discovers an unexpected souvenir -- she's pregnant! Now Zoe and Mitch will have
to ask themselves…can one night lead to parenthood and a lifetime of love?
A sweet and heartwarming reunion story. Zoe is on vacation in Bali when she is caught in an earthquake. The last person she expects to see there is her old high school crush Mitch Bailey. Zoe is surprised that Mitch remembers her, especially now that he's a famous soccer star. But Mitch had never forgotten the girl that helped get him through his English poetry class, and often regretted the teenage jerkiness that ended their friendship. This is his chance to finally apologize and try to make things right.
The attraction between Mitch and Zoe is strong from the moment they see each other again, but both try to resist it. Zoe has the outlook that Mitch is way out of her league, thanks to his fame and good looks. There's no way he'd be interested in anything long term, and she wants marriage with a man she loves and who loves her. Mitch is focused on his career. He's just coming off a bad injury and needs to concentrate on playing, not be distracted by a woman. When an aftershock hits, Zoe suddenly realizes that she'd never forgive herself if she passed up this chance to fulfill a dream. With the understanding that this is a "one and done", they take their night together and part ways in the morning.
Two months later, Zoe is back at work when she gets a surprise visit from Mitch. She hadn't expected to see him again, and she isn't sure if she's happy or not. She hasn't been able to forget that night, but nothing has really changed. Mitch can't either, and when the chance comes to visit Sydney again he can't pass up the chance to see her again. That meeting is a bit awkward until they find a way to relax with each other again. I loved seeing how they had the maturity to talk out the reasons for their discomfort and find a way to be easy again.
I was a bit frustrated with Mitch at this point because he's trying to find a way to continue with Zoe without making any changes to his life. He expects her to come to Madrid to see him, but isn't willing to find a way to go see her. He's basically looking for a way to continue to have sex with her without making any commitments. I had a lot of respect for Zoe at this point, because she has the courage to stick up for her own convictions, even though it hurts to deny him.
It's at this point that Zoe discovers her pregnancy and is torn over what to do. She hasn't forgotten about Mitch's determination to remain entanglement free. She doesn't want to tell him and have him think that she is trying to trap him, or get money from him. She also can't imagine keeping him in the dark and denying him the chance to be a father to their baby. When she waffles about telling him and sends him away, Mitch suspects there's something she's not telling him. He doesn't get far before turning back to confront her.
I loved his protectiveness when he comes back to find her sick, and how he takes charge to care for her. He has a few moments of jerkiness when she finally tells him, but he recovers pretty quickly. Some of the things he says definitely play into Zoe's fears, and she's afraid to risk her own heart if he doesn't feel the same. Mitch has his own fears to face before he can accept that he can have it all if he can only find the courage to grab hold of it. The epilogue was fantastic and gave a great view of what you can do when you have the support of the one you love.
