by Laura Pavlov
Table of Contents
Excerpt
Praise for Laura Pavlov and…
Beautifully Flawed
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
A word about the author…
Thank you for purchasing
Also available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
“Get your mangy mutt off me.” She covered her mouth with her hand to keep Daisy’s urgent kisses away.
Hell, he couldn’t help but laugh; of course the spicy Southern prima donna disliked dogs. And who the hell wore white dress slacks, a white blousy tank top, and high heels to Lake Tahoe? It was like wearing a wedding dress to a campground. He doubted the little princess was one with nature.
“Daisy.” He used a stern voice, which got her attention. Not the bitchy one on her back, but the non-human bitchy one who couldn’t stop wagging her tail. His pup moved obediently to his side, and Maverick reached for Elle’s hand to help her up.
“Why are you smiling?” she hissed.
He pulled her to her feet, and she tore her hand away as if the mere contact burned her. She dramatically brushed dirt from her pants.
“You all right, Peaches?”
“I’m fine, and you best call me by my name, seeing as I’m here for professional reasons.” She stood straight, face flushed. “And why haven’t you trained your beast of a dog? He probably ruined my outfit.”
“She’s a girl and just a pup. Still gets a little excited when people come over, but I will tell you, not the wisest move to wear all white in Tahoe. It’s kind of an outdoorsy place, you know? I hope you brought other clothes, for your sake.” He scanned her from head to toe.
Praise for Laura Pavlov and…
BEAUTIFULLY FLAWED
“The chemistry between Maverick and Elle is sizzling! I loved their banter. This book checks all the boxes for me.”
~Willow Aster, USA Today Bestselling Author
~*~
Beautifully Flawed
by
Laura Pavlov
Shine Design, Book Two
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Beautifully Flawed
COPYRIGHT © 2020 by Laura Pavlov
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Champagne Rose Edition, 2020
Trade Paperback ISBN 978-1-5092-3283-3
Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-3284-0
Shine Design, Book 2
Published in the United States of America
Dedication
Greg,
Thanks for being the prince on the white horse.
Love you always.
xoxo, Laura
Chapter One
Elle’s Tip of the Day
If someone doesn’t accept you for who you are—they can suck it!
“I don’t know why y’all think this is funny. I should be at the office, not driving to Lake Tahoe. I thought I’d fill you in on my disastrous romantic getaway in France over lunch, not be off to a job working for my nemesis,” Elle said, her Southern twang more prominent as she ranted.
Dani and Peyton’s laughter filtered through the Bluetooth of her Audi.
Elle scanned the water in the distance. Shades of turquoise and cobalt danced like diamonds on the surface. She focused on the winding curve before turning her attention back to her best friends.
She and her besties worked at the top interior décor firm in San Francisco, Shine Design, owned and operated by their powerhouse boss Camille Chadwick.
“There’s our little Southern firecracker.” Peyton’s voice brought her back to the present. “Maverick is not your nemesis. He’s a good guy. I’ve known him since we were kids. He’s one of Jackson’s closest friends. And for some reason he enjoys annoying you.”
“He didn’t seem to bother you at Peyton and Jackson’s wedding.” Dani’s voice was all tease and sarcasm. “I found you lip-locked with Mr. Sexy out by the lake.”
Elle’s blood boiled at her complete lapse in judgment. Even though make-out-gate had happened more than a year ago, it still mortified her.
“Don’t pee on my boots and tell me it’s rainin’, Dani. You know damn well I had one too many peach Bellinis that night. I’m not claiming the bastard isn’t a sight for sore eyes, but he’s so stuck up the man could drown in a rainstorm.”
Hysterical laughter vibrated through the interior of her car as she approached a tight curve. Maverick Wallace was the last person on earth she wanted to talk about. She gripped the steering wheel. The magnificent body of water on one side, the massive Sierra mountains on the other; the jagged granite stone bordered the road covered in towering green pines. Splashes of yellow and white flowers took her breath away. The incredible beauty rivaled only by memories of summers spent in Savannah where she grew up.
“Hey, he did ask you out the next night, which is a first for Maverick,” Dani said, reminding her of yet another memory she wished to forget.
Dinner with Maverick Wallace hadn’t qualified as a date. He dazzled her at Peyton’s wedding when she broke golden rule number one—no drunken public make-out sessions—he showed his true colors the following evening.
The man was as close to sin-on-a-stick as you got. Six feet, four inches of dark, chiseled gorgeousness, and she fell for his Greek-God good looks hook, line, and sinker. She’d forever blame those damn Bellinis. Maverick pushed to take her home after the reception, thankfully she refused. However, in another moment of mindlessness, she agreed have dinner with him.
“He’s a crude, arrogant jackass, which is exactly how he acted on our date. Spending the next few weeks working with him is not high on my priority list. I don’t understand why Camille is making me go.”
“I can’t leave Jojo. She’s only three months old.” Jojo was Ellie’s goddaughter, Josephine Danielle Vance. Peyton and Jackson chose her middle name in honor of Dani and Elle. Elle adored the little green-eyed angel.
“…And Dani is in the middle
of the project at the W-Hotel. Honestly, I’m glad you’re going. I wish you two got along, seeing as both of you will be Jojo’s Godparents. I know he pushes your buttons; he knows you hate him, and I think he feels bad about his behavior. You don’t have to be best friends with the guy but maybe you can learn to tolerate him until you get to know him better.”
She knew enough about him—she just didn’t care for him. At all. He got under her skin. He never called her by her name. Peaches. Yep, he stuck her with the ridiculous title when she told him she was from Georgia.
Moron.
To add insult to injury, he was the quarterback for the San Francisco Miners, and everyone acted like the man walked on water. She was unimpressed. If he’d asked her to remodel his place in San Francisco it wouldn’t be so bad, but no, he had to come to Tahoe, where he grew up.
She’d push aside her personal feelings and try to tolerate the guy. She hadn’t slept with him. Thank God. Just foolishly made out with him. Truth be told, he’d hurt her feelings, and like a true Southern woman—she never forgot.
“You’re right. For Jojo’s sake, I’ll play nice. But I’m getting in and out of there. Camille said if I don’t think the house needs a complete remodel, I can place the orders, hire a team to paint and help with necessary projects, and wrap up quickly. I’ll be out of here in two weeks.”
“Okay, now that you’ve agreed to stop hating your sexy nemesis, we’re dying to hear more details about how things ended with Edward,” Dani said.
The handsome Count Edward Efant whisked her away to the south of France last week. The man as close to a prince as she ever imagined finding. He split his time between his home in France with his children and his high-rise in San Francisco.
Five months ago, the man swept her off her feet, and they began dating. This past week he brought her home to meet his family, and they shared seven consecutive days together for the first time.
“It started out bad and went downhill with each passing day. We spent the first night at his family’s winery. A winery in France should have been romantic, but he’d spent endless hours working, and the rest of the time he was tired. He still has the, um, little problem in the bedroom due to his medication. So no hanky-panky the entire time. It’s not normal. Our time together is usually spent attending parties or going to fancy dinners—no real quality time,” Elle said, glancing at her GPS. Only twenty-five minutes until she arrived at her destination.
“How did things end with the demon child?” Peyton said, a hint of humor in her voice. Elle had phoned her girlfriends several times over the week in desperate need of support.
“Sophie, aka the spawn of Satan? Hmm, let’s see, aside from the lovely nickname she gave me, the endless door slams and screaming freak-out sessions? Her meltdown on our last night, allowed her to go out with a real bang. She insisted Edward leave his dirty little secret at home or she wouldn’t join him for dinner.”
Dani tried to speak through her laughter. “Please tell me you went to dinner?”
“Oh yes. And what a lovely evening it was. Sophie refused to speak; she told Edward I didn’t deserve to be graced with her intelligence. She literally would not eat in my presence, so she took her meal to go. I tried to bond with her. I thought we’d talk about fashion and school and boys. Nope. She called me a teenage tart when we left for the airport.” Her two best friends’ laughter filled the interior once again.
“What did Edward think of his daughter’s behavior?” Peyton asked.
“Well, at first, he appeared appalled, but then backpedaled when he drove me to the airport. He insisted he shouldn’t have flaunted our relationship in her face, and probably should have respected Sophie’s wishes to have dinner without me.” A pit settled in her stomach when the words left her mouth.
“Are you kidding me? He has some nerve,” Dani said, not hiding her disdain.
“How did things end between you two?” Peyton asked.
“I broke up with him before I got out of the car. I mean, the first half of the trip should have been amazing, but it wasn’t. After spending a week together, I realized we have nothing in common. Throw in one vicious demon spawn, and a boyfriend with zero sex drive who doesn’t have my back—it was an easy decision.”
“I’m sorry. I know a part of you hoped the Count was going to be your Prince Charming,” Dani said.
“What can I say? Another prince bites the dust.”
Elle couldn’t help but laugh along with her friends at the ridiculous situation.
“I’m guessing you haven’t told your mother yet?” Peyton said.
Both Peyton and Dani were more than aware of Elle and Mama’s strained relationship. Elle’s mother had been over the moon since she’d started dating Count Efant. She craved her mother’s approval, even if it were a rare occurrence. It didn’t really matter now because it was over.
“No, I’m not ready for the wrath of Caroline Humphries yet.”
“Are you sure she’d want you to be with someone who doesn’t make you happy?” Peyton pressed.
“Yes. She’d be fine with it. The truth is, I’ve spent my entire life not living up to Mama’s expectations, so she’ll add this to the list of strikes against me.”
“You know we love you exactly the way you are,” Peyton said.
“We wouldn’t change one hair on your adorable little Southern head,” Dani added.
“I love you both. Thanks for always having my back. And now I have to go take orders from Maverick Wallace,” she said, wanting to change the subject.
She felt the sting from the way things ended on the plane ride home yesterday, but she’d made peace with her decision. No more settling for anything less than the fairy-tale. And Edward Efant was not it.
“I wish you were here. Should I have Jackson call Maverick and tell him to go easy on you? I know he likes to give you a hard time, but if he knows you’re upset he’ll back off. He’s a big teddy bear when you get to know him,” Peyton said.
Elle couldn’t respond quick enough. “Hells to the no. The last thing I’m up for is the manwhore knowing I’m single. I don’t want his pity, nor do I need him trying to get me in the sack. No one knows Edward and I broke up, aside from you two. I’m certainly not telling Mama until I absolutely have to. This is the nicest she’s been to me in years. I’ll be home before you know it.”
Determined to wrap this job up quickly, she hoped the project didn’t require any major reconstruction. Maverick currently lived in the home he purchased a few years ago in South Lake. It included a guest cottage attached to the main home where she would stay. The new property sat a block away on the water.
“I totally understand,” Dani said, and Peyton agreed.
“Oh wow, the street he lives on is nice.” Elle turned down the final road per the British woman’s instruction on navigation.
“Yeah, his home is gorgeous. Most of his family is still in Tahoe, and they all live within a few blocks of one another. I can’t even imagine how amazing the new house will be,” Peyton said.
“All right, well, I’m here. I better go.”
“Okay, hurry back. We miss you,” Dani said.
“I will. Love you both.”
“Love you,” they said together, in a singsong voice.
Elle inched down the street reading the house numbers before finding his. From what she’d heard, Maverick bought his lake home when he signed with his first NFL team, the Titans. He’d waited for property to come available on the water in the same neighborhood, and one finally did. According to Camille, he hoped to have the new home renovated before he returned to San Francisco in July for summer training. Elle could guarantee a quick turnaround. She did not intend to spend eight weeks renovating a lake house for an egotistical sex fiend. She would complete this job in two weeks or less and be on her way. Maverick must have paid a pretty penny for the short notice and to have her travel for this project. Camille would never turn down a local celebrity. One of her favorite mottos—the more f
amous, the better.
Turning into his residence, soaring green trees and striking lavender shrubs flanked as she drove. She put the car in park and took in the property. She always loved nature as a kid growing up in Savannah and forgot how serene it could be since moving to San Francisco five years ago. Rustic, dark wood and red brick accents made up the large structure. The oversized front door swung open, and a bronzed, shirtless Maverick Wallace stepped out and leaned against the doorframe. His gaze locked with hers as he lifted a red apple to his mouth and took a bite.
Sweet Jesus.
Her mouth went dry. She sucked in a long breath and took a swig of water.
This job could not be over soon enough.
Chapter Two
Maverick’s Playbook
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again!
The white Audi suited her. Pristine and haughty, like the woman behind the wheel. He requested to work with her knowing she’d be pissed. Camille obviously forced her to take the job, which was fine with him. They needed to put this shit behind them. They were both close with Peyton and Jackson and were going to be the godparents to their daughter, Jojo. He tried multiple times to make amends, but Elle proved to be stubborn. She avoided him. The few interactions they’d had since Jackson and Peyton’s wedding, she’d barely acknowledged his presence, aside from a few smartass comments. They had hooked up, once.
Once.
More than a fucking year ago.
And by hookup, it was a kiss. Okay, probably the best fucking kiss he’d ever experienced. Could still taste her peach-flavored, bee-stung lips when he thought about it. But still—a kiss. He didn’t bang her, per Jackson’s endless warnings. No idea why the girl was so angry. He took her to dinner the following night and acted like a dick, but it was for her own good. Did what he needed. But it was goddamned time to move past it. This being the exact reason he didn’t do relationships. They weren’t worth the hassle. He preferred short-term, uncomplicated flings that revolved around fabulous sex. And there were plenty of women who wanted the same thing. But Elle Fiore was not one of them. He found out this past year, there was nothing uncomplicated about her. She was an uptight, pageant queen, with a stick up her ass. Yes, she happened to be hot as hell, and always got under his skin. He didn’t know why he gave a shit if she hated him, maybe because it bothered Jackson and Peyton that they didn’t get along, or maybe it bothered him. Hell, if he knew. But he wanted to fix it. She wouldn’t make it easy, but he’d survived worse. Try pre-season NFL camp. Pushing yourself until you vomit, until your muscles ached so bad you couldn’t move. Becoming friends with Elle Fiore would be a piece of cake in comparison.