A Moment in Time Read online

  Falling in love with the enemy has never felt so good for two women on opposite sides of a family feud.

  Claire Fontenot jilted her high school boyfriend, Kurt Savoy, at the altar, igniting a storm between the two families that culminated in fiercely competing hot sauce businesses. When she reluctantly returns home to a small town in Louisiana to run her aunt’s antique clock shop, she doesn’t exactly receive the warmest of welcomes.

  Ivy Savoy is Kurt’s younger sister and grew up learning never to trust a Fontenot. When Ivy spots a treasured lost clock from her childhood in the window of the antique shop, she can’t resist going inside.

  Claire and Ivy, who have every reason to hate each other, can’t seem to stop feeling exactly the opposite. Falling in love is out of the question if they can’t convince their families—and each other—to let go of the past.

  Praise for Lisa Moreau

  Lovebirds

  “Lisa Moreau writes the most appealing characters, with a gentleness and understanding that I’ve yet to find in another author. Her stories are so romantic, but when things get hot she knows just what buttons to press…It was sweet and sexy but also very empowering. I really enjoyed this story, as I have everything I’ve read by this author. I can highly recommended Lovebirds.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  “Lovebirds by Lisa Moreau is a totally adorable romance that I had a hard time putting down…This is a very gentle, lovely story. It was super easy to sink into and made for perfect escapism at the end of a couple of long work days. Lisa Moreau’s getting stronger from book to book, so I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.”—Lesbian Review

  “This is a light, funny and entertaining read based on an original idea with the beautiful setting of Ojai valley in California. As she did in The Butterfly Whisperer, Ms. Moreau describes nature skillfully. The dialogues are funny and witty, the main characters are lovable and their chemistry is spot-on.”—LezReview Books

  “Lovebirds by Lisa Moreau is a delightfully fun, syrupy sweet opposites-attract romance…an endearing story that had me captured to the very last page. I loved the spark between the two mains and the dialogue between them was witty and fun. This is a good romance with a little something extra to set it apart.”—The Romantic Reader

  The Butterfly Whisperer

  “This was a beautifully written novel by Lisa Moreau that tells the story of unrequited childhood love…When Jordan and Sophie finally got round to expressing their love, you could feel the tension and the genuine love.”—Les Rêveur

  “The Butterfly Whisperer is a lovely heart-warming story of two women who come back into each other’s lives after ten years and find that the feelings they once had have not changed…The town of Monarch was wonderful and I loved the characters inhabiting it…There was a warmth and a feeling of community, and I wanted Jordan to see that these things were more important than her Hollywood lifestyle.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  “[A] fast and easy read, very lighthearted…The sex was written with taste and beauty, definitely romantic.”—Artistic Bent

  “The Butterfly Whisperer by Lisa Moreau is a lovely romance with a bunch of my favourite themes all in one book. It has friends becoming lovers, an ice queen gets thawed, and it’s a second chance love story. It even has the right amount of delicious angst to keep the pages turning…I had a great time reading it and I’m looking forward to seeing what Lisa Moreau has in store for us next.”—The Lesbian Review

  Picture Perfect

  “This is a witty, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable light-hearted romance. It’s extremely well written and edited, a wonderful and well developed cast of characters, excellent dialogue, extremely funny at times and with a warmth and humor throughout. It’s my first from this author but definitely won’t be my last, I thoroughly enjoyed it.”—Lesbian Reading Room

  “Picture Perfect has a light, breezy feel to it, making it an excellent beach read. It’s sweet, sexy, and a lot of fun with characters I enjoyed and a romance that gave me a happy sigh!”—The Lesbian Review

  “Picture Perfect is a charming romance between two equally yummy main characters. I loved the setting and the wonderful descriptions of Catalina. The family dynamic was compelling and I liked how Olive became a part of it. I was enthralled by this story.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  “This novel makes me think summer read, lying on the beach, with book in one hand and mai tai in the other. Another great novel by Lisa Moreau. Her novels just keep getting better and it leaves me desperate for what comes next. 5 Stars.”—Les Rêveur

  Love on the Red Rocks

  “This was a lovely read, immersive and beautiful. Thoroughly recommended!”—Inked Rainbow Reads

  “When I read this book I had no idea it was a debut novel because it was written so well. The story had me hooked from chapter one.”—Les Rêveur

  “Love on the Red Rocks by Lisa Moreau is a very nice book for the author’s first novel. It was engaging and entertained me as a standard romance novel kind of way. The best thing about this book, it is full of likable, fun characters.”—The Romantic Reader Blog

  A Moment in Time

  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.

  A Moment in Time

  © 2019 By Lisa Moreau. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-420-5

  This Trade Paperback Original Is Published By

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: November 2019

  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: Shelley Thrasher

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design by Carla Cotton

  By the Author

  Love on the Red Rocks

  The Butterfly Whisperer

  Picture Perfect

  Lovebirds

  A Moment in Time

  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to claim that I’m a Southern California girl. After all, I’ve lived here over twenty years, maintain a year-round tan, and know all the shortcuts to avoid the dreaded 405 freeway. Even with all that, though, the blood that runs through my veins is purebred Acadiana. I was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, and raised in a household steeped in Cajun culture. Last year I attended a large family reunion and hadn’t been back to bayou country in over two decades. While filling a plate with scrumptious desserts, one of my aunts asked why Louisiana had never been the setting in any of my books. I paused, wondering the same thing. Being amongst family again reminded me how warm, loving, fun, and crazy my many relatives are. Taking a bite of Southern pecan pie, I knew without a doubt that the next book I wrote would take place in Louisiana. I may live in California, but my heart and soul will always be Cajun.

  Sincerest thank you to…

  Shelley Thrasher, you’ve put many hours of hard work into making my manuscript better. I’m in awe of your expert editing skills. I look forward to working with you again.

  Sandy Lowe, it ticks me off that you’re always right, especially when you push back on my book proposal. I say that with total affection because in the end you help me create a stronger storyline and push me to be a better writer. You’re awesome and I appreciate all your hard work.

  Radclyffe, thank you for creating a publishing company filled with supportive, amazing authors, and most of all for allowing me to continue to reach a large audience with my stories.

  Carla Cotton, your artistic talent amazes me. You don’t even bat an eye when I call and request crazy, last-minute projects. I’m so glad you said yes to hand-painting this book cover. It’s beautiful and you captured the story perfectly.

  Judi, you’ve filled my life with more love than I ever thought possible. Without you my world would feel terribly empty. I love you forever.

  For Carla Cotton

  I’m so glad we choose to be sisters in this life.

  Chapter One

  Ivy Savoy gritted her teeth and sneered when she passed the Blazing Chili Pepper, as she did every morning when walking to work. Briefly, she glanced toward the store and caught Blaze Fontenot’s eye. He was struggling to move a life-size bottle of hot sauce in the window display. It was just like him to think bigger was better. She had to admit, though, it was certainly eye-catching. They’d have to come up with something even more impressive.

  Blaze glared at Ivy and mouthed something she couldn’t quite make out, which was probably for the best. She stopped when he darted toward the front door and opened it. What now? He was forever giving her silly warnings about something or another.

  He stuck out his head and yelled, “Tell your daddy to stop sweepin’ his trash in front of my store.”

  “What?” Ivy asked but knew exactly what he’d said. She just didn’t have a good comeback, considering she’d seen her father do exactly that.

  “I don’t want his leaves and twigs trippin’ my
customers.”

  “Those are the town’s leaves and twigs, Mr. Fontenot. Not ours. The wind probably blew them there.”

  “You tell Savoy I’m watching him.” Blaze pointed a long, bony finger and flashed angry eyes.

  Ivy shook her head, amazed that she’d ever thought that pain in the ass was a nice man. In fact, she even used to call him Uncle Blaze, but that was long before everything hit the fan. Ivy breezed past the Beignet Bakery and opened the door to Savoy’s Spicy Sauce. Zigzagging down the aisle, she passed hundreds of bottles of her family’s original-recipe hot sauce and placed her bag on the counter.

  “Mornin’, Pop.” Ivy smiled at her father, who was fiddling with the cash register. “You should see what Blaze is putting up in his window.”

  Hubert stilled and his eyes widened, which always happened when that particular man’s name was mentioned. “What now?”

  “A hot-sauce bottle even taller than he is.” Which was saying a lot. Put Blaze and Hubert together, and they looked like Laurel and Hardy. Blaze was tall and lanky whereas Hubert was short and beefy.

  “Probably compensating for something he’s lacking. If you know what I mean.” Hubert huffed.

  Ivy knew, but it wasn’t something she wanted to think about. She briefly considered telling her father about Blaze’s warning but decided against it, since it’d do nothing but put him in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

  “Nothin’ can beat our display.” Hubert puffed out his chest.

  He was referring to the gigantic, bright-red chili-pepper trophy that took up the entire front window. St. Augustine, a small Louisiana town on the banks of Bayou Teche, was known as the hot-sauce capital of the state. Every year, they had a Hotter ’n Hell Festival, where the winner of the hot-sauce competition took possession of the trophy for a year. Even though others entered, it always came down to Hubert vs. Blaze. Last year, Hubert had nabbed the trophy from Blaze, which had probably made him happier than the day his own children were born.

  “Speaking of the contest, I was working on a T-shirt idea.” Ivy reached into her bag and pulled out a sketch. She’d stayed awake half the night trying to think of something unique.

  “This darn thing.” Hubert hit his palm against the cash register. “It’s jammed again.” He opened the cover, squeezed his meaty fingers inside, and pulled out a torn piece of paper.

  “So, like I was saying, what do you think about this?” Ivy slid the drawing toward her father.

  Without even glancing at it, he said, “I’ll come up with something. Stick to what you’re good at.”

  Ivy let her shoulders slump. Mathematics, analytics, and anything technical. That’s what she was good at, according to her parents, anyway. Long ago, they’d labeled Ivy as the plain, brainy one and her twin sister, Violet, as the pretty, creative one. Who could live up to that?

  “Hey, Billow Pad.”

  Ivy flinched when her brother, Kurt, tugged a curl on the back of her head. Ivy must have taken after some great-great-grand-someone-or-another, since she didn’t favor anyone in her family, even her twin sister. She had a mop of unruly, curly black hair, a pale complexion, and blue eyes, whereas everyone else had straight hair, dark-brown eyes, and always looked like they’d just stepped out of a tanning booth. Ever since Ivy could remember, Kurt had teased her about her hair, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. He was an awesome big brother and her best friend.

  Kurt dipped a spoon into a jar of red sauce and practically shoved it into Ivy’s mouth. “Try this. Pop doesn’t think it’s spicy enough.”

  Scorching heat immediately filled Ivy’s nostrils and radiated upward into the center of her head, so much so she was sure her eyebrows were on fire. Frantically, she fanned her lips and grabbed a water bottle, which, thankfully, was within arm’s reach. She chugged down the entire thing and blinked rapidly, her eyesight blurry with tears.

  “Seeee,” Kurt said to his father. “I told you it was hot enough.”

  Hubert nodded resolutely. “The recipe ain’t right till smoke is coming outta da ears.”

  Ivy coughed into the crook of her arm and cleared her throat several times. “Jesus, Kurt. You could have warned me first.” She sniffed and coughed some more.

  “What?” Kurt looked genuinely mystified.

  “Don’t jab something in my mouth without asking.”

  “Oh.” Kurt lowered his head and looked hurt, which made Ivy feel terrible. He’d probably been expecting praise for his newest concoction. It was hard to believe he was eleven years older than Ivy. Sometimes it seemed as though Kurt were the baby of the family.

  “Hey,” Ivy said, placing her hand on Kurt’s forearm. “It’s good. Really. What are you going to call it?”

  Kurt lifted his chin and perked up. “I was thinking butt buster.” Ivy wrinkled her nose. “Ass kickin’?”

  Hubert made some tsk-tsk sounds. “Get away from the derriere, son. Maybe,” he rubbed his chin, “flaming fire ants. We could put a big, red ant on the label.”

  Kurt and Ivy grinned. Their dad was the best when it came to anything to do with hot sauce. A hundred times better than Blaze, that’s for sure.

  They all looked toward the front door when a man entered and approached the counter.

  “Well, if it ain’t ole Savoy himself.” The man smiled widely.

  Hubert stared for several long seconds before his face lit up and he inhaled sharply. “Tank!”

  Tank? Ivy and Kurt exchanged curious glances.

  Hubert flew from behind the counter and wrapped his arms around the man, at least as much as he could, considering Tank was the size of a SmartCar.

  “You haven’t changed a bit. Except maybe for a few inches here.” Tank poked Hubert’s belly.

  “You’re one to talk.” Hubert poked him back. “You still doing construction in…where was it? El Paso?”

  “Yep. Still out that way. I’m in town for the festival next weekend.”

  “You’re in for a good ole time. Hey, you remember my young’uns? Kurt and Ivy.”

  “Why, I haven’t seen Kurt since he was yea-high.” Tank lowered a hand to his knees. “And I don’t believe we’ve ever met.” He tipped his sweat-stained baseball cap to Ivy.

  “Nice to meet you, Mr.…Tank,” Ivy said.

  Tank scratched his head and looked at Hubert. “Didn’t you have another youngst—”

  “Me and Tank went to high school together,” Hubert said, and patted his friend’s shoulder.

  Nice save, Pop.

  “Tank was the best center guard the St. Augustine football team has ever had.”

  “Hey, whatever happened to what’s-his-name?” Tank asked, clearly excited. “You two were best friends.” He stared at the ceiling a few seconds and then blurted, “Blaze! Blaze Fontenot.”

  Ivy groaned. You’re asking all the wrong questions, mister.

  “Put a football in Blaze’s hands and he was off in a flash. Man, was he fast. Hey, isn’t he in the hot-sauce business, too?”

  As expected, Hubert was bright red and his nostrils flared. Poor Tank. His big, innocent face was about to get squashed.

  “Is something wrong?” Tank asked, finally catching onto the fact that Hubert was fuming.

  Kurt shuffled his feet, eyes darting from his father to Tank. “The Fontenots’ store is two doors down, but Dad and Blaze aren’t friends anymore.”

  Ivy’s heart melted at the hurt look on Kurt’s face. That horrid day fifteen years ago had been terrible for everyone, but no one more than her big brother.