Destiny: Hilltops Series - Book One

by Faith Starr

  “Uncle Phil spoke to me about it not too long ago.”

  Noah’s turmoil was evident when he spoke. His eyes showed remorse, his typical confident-and-straightforward-by-nature demeanor clearly on a lunch break. He didn’t appear to be jumping for joy over this turn of events either. But still, I didn’t like being behind the eight ball.

  “You two met behind our backs?” Surprised didn’t do an adequate job of describing my feelings, flabbergasted and shocked more like it.

  At least my father gave me the courtesy of directing his attention my way. I didn’t understand Mitch’s sudden bout of selective mutism, he still drummed on the table with his frickin’ fingers.

  “This is a family business and the family will continue to manage it together. Noah’s the most qualified person to assume my role, and, since he and Niles own half the rights to the company, he has equal say. I’m sure we’re all in agreement that Niles can’t fulfill his obligation to assist him. Besides, you know as well as I do that Noah will take care of this baby as if it was his own. And just so you know, I’m not playing favorites. This is purely a business decision.”

  Yeah, right. Noah had always been his little protégé.

  “And when are you planning on stepping down?”

  Would you look at that, Mitch actually had a voice?

  “The four of us have worked together for as long as I can remember. I have the utmost faith in your abilities, and I’ll spend as much time as necessary to assist and transition you in smoothly. I won’t leave you boys hanging, and I’ll always be available to you, no matter what.”

  The fact he gave all three of us ample eye contact put my mind at ease. I didn’t like secrets within the family, especially when it came to the business.

  “I’ll still attend board meetings and show my face on a regular basis to keep my presence known. I don’t think I could ever just walk away from this place. It’s in my blood. It’s been my life. But you boys and your mother are far more important to me than this company, and I want to stick around for a while longer. I feel very confident with this decision, especially knowing the same passion and heart I came into this business with will be kept alive through all of you.”

  It was a lot to take in. I leaned back in my chair. I hadn’t expected this latest development. But one thing our father had always instilled in us was the belief that we were capable of succeeding at any task placed in front of us. Taking over Dorian Publishing would be an enormous undertaking, but one I would assume with both respect and pride, exactly as my father always had, and if it meant I had to suck it up and work temporarily under Noah, then so be it. My dad was right. Family was more important than the business.

  Emily

  Shit! Shit! Shit!

  All three brothers sat in Mr. Dorian’s office, and I had been assigned the task of serving them drinks. To any other woman it wouldn’t have been an issue whatsoever, but to me, I considered the task a ginormous feat. Just being in the same building with those three godly creatures was intimidating enough, but now I would have to be in the same room and serve them.

  Calm down and get control of yourself.

  Sadly, my efforts at positive self-talk didn’t help.

  And Derek Dorian? Don’t even get me started. For some reason, whenever I got close to him, I became two left feet. I couldn’t speak clearly. The man was a freak of nature, the Channing Tatum for the real people in the world—a world which didn’t consist of red carpets and paparazzi. And even better, he was still available.

  Why I became so nervous in his presence was a complete joke. It wasn’t as if he’d ever give me the time of day anyway. After all, he was Derek Dorian, owner of a sex club and son of one of the cofounders of Dorian Publishing. He could run with the who’s who in Hollywood, so what would he possibly want with me?

  I had only been sitting at a desk about twenty feet away from his office for several months already and he had never once given me a sideways glance. In my defense, he also hadn’t spent too much time at the publishing house until recently.

  Besides, a Pamela Anderson I wasn’t. I had real breasts, albeit small, and underdeveloped hips, compliments of my mother. I assumed my good complexion came compliments of my father. Not that I had any proof to back up that claim. He and my mother split up when my twin sister and I were small girls, and he never bothered to contact us or see us again. Great role model he was. But that wasn’t the point. It was publicly known that Derek Dorian preferred women like Kate Upton—curvy and gorgeous, blonde hair and all.

  Oh crap.

  Mr. Dorian called for me on the intercom to bring in the refreshments. I would have to try to remember to keep my tongue inside my mouth to prevent myself from drooling all over Derek.

  Hands, please stop shaking.

  Some deep breathing might’ve also been good about now to go along with my wishful thinking to make my limbs stop trembling, instead of the hyperventilating currently taking place.

  Titles By Faith Starr

  Faith Starr’s books are all standalones but are

  best read in sequence

  The HILLTOPS Series

  Destiny

  Purity

  Diversity

  The MUSIC FOR THE HEART Series

  Steam

  Hold Me

  Promise to Fulfill

  Risk Worth Taking

  On The Fence

  Remember Me

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  Dear Reader,

  Book reviews mean a lot to an author. If you have a minute or two, I’d appreciate it if you could please provide an honest, sincere review.

  Thanks so much!

  Faith

  About Faith Starr

  When I’m not managing my husband’s medical practice or handling things for one of my three kids—both of which take up an enormous amount of my time—I escape to the confines of my home office to write romance fiction, my passion.

  For me, there is absolutely nothing like creating fictional characters, getting into their minds, and giving them a life of their own with all the emotions that go along with it. I am swept away, head over heels in love, with each and every alpha male I create and the confident women who steal their hearts. These characters have become a part of me that will live on forever.

  Being a romantic at heart, with a bit of a dirty mind, I relish in creating believable stories that touch upon readers’ heartstrings, provoke thought, and hopefully provide a bit of insight into some heavy topics.

  Being married for over twenty-two years—holy cow, how time flies—I am a firm believer in the concept of “Once Upon a Time” and “Happily Ever After” because I have found mine. Aww, I know, so mushy. But that’s me in a nutshell, a softie with a big heart, just like my characters! A bit of a nut too.

  Acknowledgments

  Jordin and Noah were a labor of love, one that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of some special and important people who assisted me along the way.

  A big thank-you to Loose Id for initially giving me the chance of a lifetime and publishing the Hilltops Series. Even though their doors are now closed, I am eternally grateful for their assistance in helping me achieve a lifelong dream.

  Ann Curtis for providing detailed feedback, believing in second chances, and teaching me the importance of POV. I can’t thank you enough.

  April Martinez for bringing my idea for the cover to life. I couldn’t have made it more perfect. Thank you.

  S.N. Graves for providing honest feedback, priceless instruction, invaluable suggestions, a
nd helping me push the envelope in the juicy parts, even when my cheeks felt as if they were on fire, while always doing so in a positive light.

  Rebecca Fairfax for your suggestions, some of which brought tears to my eyes because they created so much work on my part. But in the end, I am so grateful for your watchful eye and feedback. You have taken my OCD to the next level. I will never read or write a book the same again because of your tireless assistance. And not only with editing. You’ve become my go-to for all things book related. I’m so grateful to have you in my life.

  Shoshana and Glow for reading the initial drafts, paying special attention to detail, providing genuine and straightforward feedback, and your enthusiasm and encouragement. You guys rock.

  E.L. James for giving me the courage to take the leap of faith and put my dirty thoughts on paper.

  My local police department for their aid in clarifying relevant material in the manuscript and for their welcomed and enthusiastic assistance.

  My mom for always believing in me and encouraging me to trudge along even when I complained how exhausted and burned-out I was, especially since I won’t even let you read my books. You have been, are, and always will be my biggest fan. I love you.

  My dad, who is no longer with me and was too far gone in the disease of Alzheimer’s to appreciate and celebrate this milestone in my life with me. I know you’re watching from above with a proud heart. Love and miss you.

  My three beautiful children for being patient, encouraging me to never give up and chase the dream, supportive, understanding of my endless hours in front of my computer, and being nonjudgmental of my particular genre (hopefully). I love you all. You inspire me in ways you’ll never know.

  My loving husband for being patient, considerate, and understanding of the tireless hours spent in front of my computer screen and not arguing when you were kicked out of the office during dictation of the love scenes, even though you said you wouldn’t pay attention. Yeah, right. Thank you also for giving me the space I need to let my creativity shine, for being a constant sounding board, and for providing wonderful ideas and feedback before, during, and after the writing process. But most of all, thank you for affirming my belief that true love does exist. You reinforce that belief every day (well, almost every day). I love you with all my heart.

  My higher power for giving me the inner strength to persevere even when I want to throw in the towel and give up. You are my eternal guiding light. I am forever grateful for your wisdom and guidance.

  Music Playlist

  Taylor Swift: 1989 - the song “Style” was and always will be Noah and Jordin’s song. It provided so much inspiration for developing Noah’s character. I’m surprised I didn’t burn a hole in my phone or the CD by replaying it so often during the writing process.

  Twenty-One Pilots: All albums

  Sting

  The Police

  Genesis

  Taylor Swift: Earlier releases

  The Cars