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  With a Twist

  Synopsis

  Amelia Martini’s favorite things are traveling, animals, and peanut butter. When she left her job to explore the world with her wife, she didn’t expect Tammy’s plans to include leaving her. Now, Amelia is starting over again and facing middle age alone. It’s a struggle, but she doesn’t want to be bitter forever.

  Thirty-something Kirby Dupree loves life. Not always easy when you’ve lost as much as she has and carry as much sadness as she does. But she made a promise to always look for beauty, so she does her best…even when she has to squint to see it.

  When Kirby’s job as an interior painter brings her into Amelia’s life, they don’t exactly hit it off. Amelia finds Kirby irritatingly cheerful, and Kirby thinks Amelia’s far too serious. Forced to work together, they start to see beyond their first impressions and prove opposites really do attract. But are they brave enough to go after the love they really want?

  Praise for Georgia Beers

  The Secret Poet

  “[O]ne of the author’s best works and one of the best romances I’ve read recently…I was so invested in [Morgan and Zoe] I read the book in one sitting.”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library (UK)

  Hopeless Romantic

  “Thank you, Georgia Beers, for this unabashed paean to the pleasure of escaping into romantic comedies…If you want to have a big smile plastered on your face as you read a romance novel, do not hesitate to pick up this one!”—The Rainbow Bookworm

  Flavor of the Month

  “Beers whips up a sweet lesbian romance…brimming with mouthwatering descriptions of foodie indulgences…Both women are well-intentioned and endearing, and it’s easy to root for their inevitable reconciliation. But once the couple rediscover their natural ease with one another, Beers throws a challenging emotional hurdle in their path, forcing them to fight through tragedy to earn their happy ending.”—Publishers Weekly

  “The heartbreak, beauty, and wondrous joy of love are on full display in Flavor of the Month. This second chance romance is exceptional. Georgia Beers has outdone herself with this one.”—The Lesbian Book Blog

  One Walk in Winter

  “A sweet story to pair with the holidays. There are plenty of ‘moment’s in this book that make the heart soar. Just what I like in a romance. Situations where sparks fly, hearts fill, and tears fall. This book shined with cute fairy trails and swoon-worthy Christmas gifts…REALLY nice and cozy if read in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Covered in blankets. By a fire.”—Bookvark

  Fear of Falling

  “Enough tension and drama for us to wonder if this can work out—and enough heat to keep the pages turning. I will definitely recommend this to others—Georgia Beers continues to go from strength to strength.”—Evan Blood, Bookseller (Angus & Robertson, Australia)

  “In Fear of Falling Georgia Beers doesn’t take the obvious, easy way…romantic, feel-good and beautifully told.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  “I was completely invested from the very first chapter, loving the premise and the way the story was written with such vulnerability from both characters’ points of view. It was truly beautiful, engaging, and just a lovely story to read.”—LesBIreviewed

  The Do-Over

  “You can count on Beers to give you a quality well-paced book each and every time.”—The Romantic Reader Blog

  “The Do-Over is a shining example of the brilliance of Georgia Beers as a contemporary romance author.”—Rainbow Reflections

  “[T]he two leads are genuine and likable, their chemistry is palpable…The romance builds up slowly and naturally, and the angst level is just right. The supporting characters are equally well developed. Don’t miss this one!”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library (UK)

  The Shape of You

  “I know I always say this about Georgia Beers’s books, but there is no one that writes first kisses like her. They are hot, steamy and all too much!”—Les Rêveur

  The Shape of You “catches you right in the feels and does not let go. It is a must for every person out there who has struggled with self-esteem, questioned their judgment, and settled for a less than perfect but safe lover. If you’ve ever been convinced you have to trade passion for emotional safety, this book is for you.”—Writing While Distracted

  Calendar Girl

  “Calendar Girl by Georgia Beers is a well-written sweet workplace romance. It has all the elements of a good contemporary romance…It even has an ice queen for a major character.”—Rainbow Reflections

  “A sweet, sweet romcom of a story…Calendar Girl is a nice read, which you may find yourself returning to when you want a hot-chocolate-and-warm-comfort-hug in your life.”—Best Lesbian Erotica

  Blend

  “You know a book is good, first, when you don’t want to put it down. Second, you know it’s damn good when you’re reading it and thinking, I’m totally going to read this one again. Great read and absolutely a 5-star romance.”—The Romantic Reader Blog

  “This is a lovely romantic story with relatable characters that have depth and chemistry. A charming easy story that kept me reading until the end. Very enjoyable.”—Kat Adams, Bookseller, QBD (Australia)

  “Blend has that classic Georgia Beers feel to it, while giving us another unique setting to enjoy. The pacing is excellent and the chemistry between Piper and Lindsay is palpable.”—The Lesbian Review

  Right Here, Right Now

  “The angst was written well, but not overpoweringly so, just enough for you to have the heart-sinking moment of ‘will they make it,’ and then you realize they have to because they are made for each other.”—Les Reveur

  “[A] successful and entertaining queer romance novel. The main characters are appealing, and the situations they deal with are realistic and well-managed. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good queer romance novel, and particularly one grounded in real world situations.”—Books at the End of the Alphabet

  “[A]n engaging odd-couple romance. Beers creates a romance of gentle humor that allows no-nonsense Lacey to relax and easygoing Alicia to find a trusting heart.”—RT Book Reviews

  Lambda Literary Award Winner Fresh Tracks

  “Georgia Beers pens romances with sparks.”—Just About Write

  “[T]he focus switches each chapter to a different character, allowing for a measured pace and deep, sincere exploration of each protagonist’s thoughts. Beers gives a welcome expansion to the romance genre with her clear, sympathetic writing.”—Curve magazine

  Lambda Literary Award Finalist Finding Home

  “Georgia Beers has proven in her popular novels such as Too Close to Touch and Fresh Tracks that she has a special way of building romance with suspense that puts the reader on the edge of their seat. Finding Home, though more character driven than suspense, will equally keep the reader engaged at each page turn with its sweet romance.”—Lambda Literary Review

  Mine

  “From the eye-catching cover, appropriately named title, to the last word, Georgia Beers’s Mine is captivating, thought-provoking, and satisfying. Like a deep red, smooth-tasting, and expensive merlot, Mine goes down easy even though Beers explores tough topics.”—Story Circle Book Reviews

  “Beers does a fine job of capturing the essence of grief in an authentic way. Mine is touching, life-affirming, and sweet.”—Lesbian News Book Review

  Too Close to Touch

  “This is such a well-written book. The pacing is perfect, the romance is great, the character work strong, and damn, but is the sex writing ever fantastic.”—The Lesbian Review

  “In her third nove
l, Georgia Beers delivers an immensely satisfying story. Beers knows how to generate sexual tension so taut it could be cut with a knife…Beers weaves a tale of yearning, love, lust, and conflict resolution. She has constructed a believable plot, with strong characters in a charming setting.”—Just About Write

  With a Twist

  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

  Turning the Page

  Thy Neighbor’s Wife

  Too Close to Touch

  Fresh Tracks

  Mine

  Finding Home

  Starting from Scratch

  96 Hours

  Slices of Life

  Snow Globe

  Olive Oil & White Bread

  Zero Visibility

  A Little Bit of Spice

  What Matters Most

  Right Here, Right Now

  Blend

  The Shape of You

  Calendar Girl

  The Do-Over

  Fear of Falling

  One Walk in Winter

  Flavor of the Month

  Hopeless Romantic

  16 Steps to Forever

  The Secret Poet

  The Puppy Love Romances

  Rescued Heart

  Run to You

  Dare to Stay

  The Swizzle Stick Romances

  Shaken or Stirred

  On the Rocks

  With a Twist

  With A Twist

  © 2022 By Georgia Beers. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-988-0

  This Electronic Original Is Published By

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: April 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 Ann McMan

  eBook Design by Toni Whitaker

  Acknowledgments

  Let me start by saying that I will miss this group of characters. I enjoyed writing this series in ways I can’t explain, and Julia, Vanessa, and Amelia feel like my own family. I’m sad to leave them behind, but so, so happy I got to share them with you. I hope they mean as much to you as they do to me. Thanks for coming along on their journey.

  Thank you to the usual suspects: Bold Strokes Books and everybody there. Rad and Sandy for keeping things running smoothly. Ruth Sternglantz for making me look like I know how to write a book. My friends—specifically Melissa, Carsen, Rachel, Kris, Ann, Nicole—for checking on me daily. As the only one of us who has been home alone this whole time, your contact meant much more than you know. I love you all so much and consider myself super lucky to have you all in my life.

  Thank you to some new folks, who made living in these crazy times just that much more bearable: the creators of Zoom for making it possible to see each other’s faces, even when we couldn’t fly around the country and actually hug the ones we love. The conference runners, who pivoted with (what looked like) ease and held virtual gatherings rather than canceling things altogether. To Instacart and Door Dash and Amazon and anybody else who risked their health to deliver things to my door so I didn’t have to go out into what has become kind of a scary world. To moviemakers who streamed their new releases so those of us who were hesitant to go back to the theater wouldn’t miss out. To every single health care worker in this country and around the globe, THANK YOU for all you’ve done, all you’ve sacrificed, and all you’ve put up with. You are all heroes to me.

  And to all the writers and the readers: thank you for all of it. To the writers for continuing to write stories and keep us entertained, even though you were stuck in the house, some of you with every single member of your family and no breaks. And to the readers for continuing to support us in what we do. We writers would be nothing without our readers, and now—especially now—thank you just doesn’t seem like enough. I send my love and gratitude to each and every one of you.

  Chapter One

  Seriously, was there anything better than dogs?

  The answer to that, of course, was no. Amelia Martini was a hundred percent sure of that. People sucked. Well, many of them. Actually, okay, most of them. Not dogs. Dogs didn’t lie. They didn’t cheat. They didn’t care if you were moody. Or if you put on a few pounds. They didn’t alter your entire perception of what your future was going to be.

  She gave her head a shake as she waited for Duke to do his business on an unsuspecting maple tree. He was a German shepherd owned by a single guy named Gerard. Gerard was a contractor and usually took Duke to job sites with him, but his current one was in a high-rise downtown. Too dangerous for Duke to be wandering around. So Amelia would be stopping by once a day around lunchtime for the next couple of weeks to spend an hour or two with Duke, walking him, playing in the yard with him. As the owner / operator of Dogz Rule, it was literally her job to do so. And she loved it.

  Her super-tiny business, which employed exactly…her, was slowly getting off the ground. Her handful of clients were great at word-of-mouth, and she was picking up a new one or two every couple weeks.

  She made a clicking sound with her tongue to coax Duke away from whatever he was smelling so intently. He was a good dog with a gorgeous coat and a nose that wouldn’t quit. She was always a bit hesitant to take on dogs that were large—the reason she did a prebooking interview—because she wasn’t all that big, and she wasn’t twenty-five, and getting dragged around the neighborhood did not sound like a fun time. But Duke was the epitome of gentle giant, and she adored him.

  Early summer had come to Northwood on a lovely May breeze, and as June began, the sun shone down on the quiet street. Birds sang their songs from the treetops, and lawns were green and lush. Everything was gorgeous. It was Amelia’s favorite season. She felt like she could relax in the summer. No gearing up for the cold of winter. No brown leaves or mud of the fall. No surprise spring snowstorms. Summer was predictable and warm, and she could feel her shoulders relax once the calendar hit Memorial Day.

  This summer was a little different, though, because summer meant less clothing, and in her current state, Amelia wanted to wear more. Cover as much of herself as possible, especially her middle.

  She sighed heavily just as her phone pinged from the back pocket of her jeans. Rounding the corner on their way back to Duke’s house, she peeked at it. Her cousin Vanessa.

  Bar Back tonight? Kids driving me insane. Plus, wedding planning. You in?

  Amelia smiled, even as she felt a tiny prick of sadness. Her cousins Vanessa and Julia were her best friends in life. Forever and always. They had her back. They had her front. They were her rocks and her mirrors and everything else a woman needed to exist in this world. Julia had proposed to her now-fiancée, Savannah, last Christmas Eve, and they were planning a fall wedding. Amelia had never understood how a person could be so happy and so sad at the same time, but planning a wedding for the cousin she adored while simultaneously trying to make peace with her own divorce had her feeling exactly like that. So very happy. So very sad.

  Yep, she typed back as Duke tugged her up the driveway to his house. Because she
would be there. She’d always be there. She’d do what she always did: tuck her own crap away and put on a happy face. Julia and Savannah deserved nothing less.

  As she was typing, another text popped up. One from Tammy, her ex. She groaned, making Duke’s ears perk up.

  Need to talk about house, was all it said.

  “Well, you can just wait, can’t you?” she said out loud at the phone, then slid it back into her pocket and opened the door to Duke’s house.

  Once inside, Duke went directly to the back door and stood there expectantly. When Amelia made eye contact with him, he looked out the door, then back at her, and she couldn’t help but laugh at how clearly he was telling her what he wanted.

  “Okay, fine. Just a short game of Kong toss.”

  As if he totally understood her, his tail began to wag, and he bowed at the door, then stood up. His excitement was plain.

  “I mean it. Short.”

  Outside they went.

  * * *

  Martini’s, the bar Amelia’s cousin Julia owned, was pretty busy for a Tuesday night. Summer softball leagues had begun, and Julia had sponsored three of them—one men’s, one co-ed, one women’s. Amelia was proud of the way she’d finally learned that, as a business owner, you had to spend money to make money. Not an easy lesson, especially when there wasn’t a ton of extra to spend.

  The Bar Back was just that, the back of the bar. When Julia had remodeled, she’d had the back room made into a combination office, practice bar, lounge area where she could work while still chatting with her cousins. And now, her fiancée as well. It was where they met to talk, laugh, and hash out life’s problems—and sample new drinks because her cousins were Julia’s guinea pigs.

  Amelia sat on the couch with her ankles crossed on the coffee table, petting Delilah’s big, square head, which was perched on Amelia’s thigh. Delilah was Vanessa’s rescue dog, but Auntie Amelia was one of her favorite people, so whenever Vanessa brought her along to The Bar Back, Amelia ended up with most of her attention. Which was fine, ’cause remember the whole thing about her liking dogs more than people? So true.