“Rhett,” I shook my head. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “He said yes?”
His deep, baritone laugh reverberated from his chest. “Seriously, babe? Do you have any doubt?”
I laughed. No. I knew my Dad respected Rhett and would be happy to see him as my husband. “Thank you,” I said sincerely when our laughter died down. It was the best gift he could ever give me.
I kissed him sweetly and then turned back around, leaning into his chest as he held me tight to him. It was where I belonged. I was the only one for him and he was the only one for me. There would never be anyone else.
EPILOGUE
RHETT BLACKWOOD… FOUR YEARS AGO…
I pulled to the curb, parking my car outside of Brewed. Turning off the ignition, I leaned my head back against the seat, taking a deep breath. I was not looking forward to this meeting. I would have much rather stayed in bed, having my way with… Ashley? Or was her name April? I couldn’t remember. Didn’t really care. The point was I would rather be doing her than doing this - meeting my father.
I knew it was just going to be another lecture about taking on more responsibility. I rubbed my hand down my face in frustration before getting out of the car. Time to get this over with. There was no way around it. He had made the trip all the way down here.
He pretended it was to see me. But I knew it was actually because he wanted to try out the restaurant of the chef my mother had hired to cater his birthday party. I opened the door to enter the coffee bar. I walked past the hostess, nodding my greeting. I knew my father was already here. I was ten minutes late, and my father was a punctual bastard.
Feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket, I pulled it out to look at it. It was Serena. I groaned internally. She had the worst timing.
S: I’m in town. Can you come by tonight? I need to talk.
I wanted to tell her no. I hated going to talk to her. All she ever did was rehash the past and make me feel worse than I already did. But the guilt I always felt made me do things I didn’t want to. It was part of the reason I drank and fucked my life away. I sent a quick response.
R: I have plans. Will stop by later.
I looked back up from my phone, glancing around the coffee bar for my father. My steps came to a standstill. I stood, blatantly staring at a sexy figure as she drew nearer. She was headed right towards me with her head down. I should’ve moved out of her way. But I couldn’t. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. And I’d seen and been with a lot of beautiful women.
She was different though, something about her felt like a rope was pulling taut between us. I instantly wanted her. More than I wanted anything. What the hell am I saying? Why can’t I move?
The next thing I knew, she was colliding with me. Her petite, sexy, curvy body hit mine, sending her bag and books everywhere.
Now I felt like an asshole. She was scrambling on the floor, trying to gather her papers and books as I stood there like a jerk. She was obviously in a hurry, and I just deterred her more. I still couldn’t move, though. I was mesmerized by her.
The filthy thoughts running through my head with her crouched below me were rendering me incapable of doing anything. Shit. Snap out of it. She stopped, finding my phone I’d dropped. Her eyes slowly moved up my body until they locked with mine. Damn. Those eyes. If I thought she was beautiful before, those big, beautiful, blue eyes made her a freaking angel.
Her eyes were such a pure, crystal blue that they made me hopeful. Made me feel like there was a light at the end of this dark tunnel I’d been living in. Made me want to be a better man. A better man for her. Those eyes gave me everything I didn’t know I was looking for. She was making me feel things. Things I have never felt. Things I don’t know how to control.
Everything about her was beautiful - from her breathtaking eyes to her luscious, long, brown hair, her petite little frame, and those fucking lips. I wanted to taste those perfectly, pert lips. My heart started pounding in my chest, reminding me I was still alive and not dreaming.
Losing her balance in her squatting position, she fell back on her ass, knocking me out of my trance. I squatted down, offering her my hand, worried she might have hurt herself, “Are you all right?”
“I’m…I’m fine,” she stuttered, before ignoring my hand and helping herself up. “I guess this belongs to you,” she continued, handing me the phone as she stood over me. Aggravated by her rejection to my offer of help, I gathered her remaining papers, needing a minute to get these unknown emotions under control. I didn’t like being out of control, especially when it came to women.
As I stood, I handed her the papers while taking my phone. When our fingers brushed, an electric current shot through me. It was like nothing I’d ever felt, and I immediately wanted to feel it again. She flinched, quickly drawing her hand away. And I fought the urge to grab it back into mine. By her reaction, I knew she must have felt it, too.
“Thank you and sorry for bumping into you,” she stammered out while shoving her books back into her bag as she started to move past me.
“I’m not… Sorry that is,” I grinned mischievously. I wanted her, and I was glad my body had been frozen in her path. She didn’t respond. Instead, she gave me a cute, nervous smile before running out the door. Where the hell is she going? I didn’t even get her name or number?
I started to run after her, but I heard my father call my name. Damn it. I turned, finding him seated at a table near the bar. He stood as I approached, shaking my hand and giving me a pat on the back, “Son. Glad you finally made it.”
“Dad,” I greeted him, “Sorry. I got held up.”
“I saw that,” he said disapprovingly, which immediately had me on defense. “Rhett, you need to get your head in the game.”
Here we go…
“I’m not saying you have to settle down and get married. I’m just saying you need to be a little more focused on work and less on the women you bed.”
“Dad. Seriously?” I sighed, roughly rubbing a hand on my neck, agitated by his concern for my personal life.
“Yes. It doesn’t look good for the company image. You know your mother wants me to retire soon. I need to know that you’re ready for this.”
“I’m ready.”
“Then prove it. I’m not saying you have to stop dating all together, but at least pick one and try something steadier.”
In the past, when he would give me these pep talks, the last thing I wanted to do was think about marriage or even a relationship for that matter. But when he brought it up this time, my thoughts suddenly went to the brown haired, blue eyed beauty that I just collided with. She was different than the other girls. Not just her looks or that she didn’t just throw herself at me like every other woman. In fact, she did the exact opposite. She ran out of here, like she couldn’t get away from me fast enough.
“What about Serena?” My father’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
“What about her?” I asked, my brow furrowing.
“Well, you guys have always gotten along. I mean, I know you guys have a little rough history, but maybe….”
“No. Absolutely not,” I stated pointedly.
“Okay,” he threw his hands up in surrender. “I don’t care who it is or if it is nobody. Just stop showing up in the tabloids, parading different women.”
“Fine.”
The rest of our breakfast, he kept the conversation focused more on business with the club and less on my personal life, thankfully.
“In a couple weeks, we’re going to have dinner with the Archibald’s at Christopher’s. I would like you to join us,” he said as he paid our tab.
“Aren’t you eating there tonight?”
“Yes, but Rex and Charlotte have been wanting to eat there, so we’ll all be having dinner. Serena will be joining us.”
“Dad-”
“I know. You already told me. Humor your mother for at least this dinner,” he said as we stood to leave.
“Fine. Send me the
time. I’ll meet you all there.”
“Thank you, son,” he gave me a pat on the back.
“Give Mom and Val my love.”
“Will do. Talk to you soon.”
I texted my buddy, Riley, as I headed into the Hamilton Pub, telling him to order me a beer. I was meeting him and Adam for drinks tonight, and I was looking forward to it. I had been so busy with the club and well…other things, that I hadn’t spent much time with them, lately.
I moved through the crowd of bodies, locating them at a table near the bar.
“Hey, man. How’s it been?” Riley greeted me with a handshake.
“Good,” I responded before turning to Adam. “Adam.” I shook his hand, taking my seat.
“Beer is on its way. This place is packed tonight,” Adam said.
“How was the meeting with your dad?” Riley asked.
“Same shit as normal,” I answered as the cute little waitress brought me my beer. She smiled at me desperately. I ignored it. She pouted and sulked away.
“What the hell, Rhett? I figured you’d be all over that,” Riley laughed.
“Yeah, well my Dad gave me his normal ‘you need to settle down for the company image’ speech today,” I said in explanation. It wasn’t the real reason why, though. Annoyingly, I was only interested in one blue eyed beauty at the moment. I couldn’t get her out of my head and suddenly, no other woman was even appealing to me. Unfortunately, I had no idea who she was or where to find her.
I knew she must be a student based on her books and notes this morning, which is one of the reason’s I agreed to hang out at the Hamilton Pub tonight versus meeting the guys at a bar in Boston.
“That never seemed to stop you before,” Adam interjected, throwing my explanation out the window. Asshole.
“Well, maybe things are different this time,” I scowled.
“Does that mean you’re giving in to the idea of Serena?” Riley smirked.
Adam tensed at the mention of Serena. I’ve known he’s had a thing for her. But for some reason, he was too much of a pussy to do anything about it. I don’t know if it was out of loyalty for me or what. He could have her for all I cared.
“Hell, no,” I clipped.
I started to change the subject, when I was distracted by some girls yelling and cheering on their friend at darts. I glanced past Adam to see what they were so excited about, almost choking on my beer.
She was here. She was actually here. I had hoped she would be, but I wasn’t really counting on it. She was lining up to take her throw at the dart board. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.
“Rhett, man, what are you staring at?” Adam asked as him and Riley tried to follow my eyes. “Oh yeah, saw her earlier tonight. She has a nice little body. Her friends are pretty hot, too. Maybe we should all head over there.”
“No,” I said forcefully and louder than I meant to, looking over at my friends. I could see the look of confusion and curiosity all over their faces.
I didn’t want them anywhere near her. It already pissed me off, knowing that Adam had been checking her out. I felt strangely possessive of her. I needed to protect her from other guys. I respected my buddies, but they were just as bad as me when it came to women. I turned back to look at her. She was standing frozen in the same spot. I missed her throw, but from the look on her face, it wasn’t a good one.
Her friend approached her with concern, making me irrationally worried about her. She looked over the friend’s shoulder straight at me, her eyes locking with mine, once again. I instantly felt the need to be next to her - to touch her again.
“I’ll be back,” I excused myself from the table to head towards her.
She was on the move, grabbing her things hurriedly. Why was she always in a hurry? She was headed for the door, pushing her way through the crowd.
I maneuvered through the thick mass of bodies, being halted by a desperate blonde trying to get my attention.
“Hi,” she purred, licking her lips as her eyes greedily roamed over me. “Want to buy me a drink?”
“No,” I sneered bluntly. Shit. Where did she go? I scanned the bar, looking for her, finding her already breaking through the exit.
“Okay, we can skip the drink then,” she rubbed her hand up my chest, not getting the hint at my blatant dismissal. I removed her hand from me, brushing past her, heading towards the exit. I was not letting her get away this time. I busted open the door in a rush.
I was too late. She disappeared into the darkness. Damn it! I scanned the streets, hoping she would suddenly reappear. I ran a hand through my hair, groaning in frustration.
As if this day and night couldn’t get any worse, Serena texted me again, giving me her hotel information. Reminding me my shit luck of a night hadn’t ran out. I went back inside the pub, aggravated. I was going to need to finish my beer if I was going to deal with Serena tonight. I might even need to have a few more.
“What the hell was that about?” Riley asked when I returned.
“Nothing.”
“Didn’t look like nothing.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that is the first time I’ve seen you chase after a girl…come to think of it, I think it is the first time I’ve seen a girl run from you,” Adam smirked as if pleased with the thought.
“Shut the hell up, Adam,” I warned. He was speaking the truth, but that just pissed me off more.
They both laughed under their breaths, Riley shaking his head at me.
I spent the rest of the time at the pub, drinking my beer with my buddies while watching the group the beautiful girl had been with. I was half tempted to walk up to them and ask them for her name, but there was one guy eyeing me suspiciously. I’m sure I looked like a creeper, so despite my urge, I didn’t. The last thing I wanted was her to be freaked out by me. I chugged my beer before leaving for the night.
No matter how hard I tried over the next few weeks, I couldn’t get those blue eyes out of my head. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw visions of her. A few times, I even tried using other women to wipe her from my mind. But every time I attempted to take them home, I immediately felt guilty for some ridiculous reason. I ended up dropping them off at their houses instead, leaving them alone and desperate.
I almost backed out, last minute, the night I was to meet my parents and the Archibald’s for dinner at Christopher’s. I was not in the mood for socializing or dealing with Serena. But, I hadn’t seen my mother in a while and the dinner was at her request. I would do anything for my mother, so I put on my suit and left to meet them all at the restaurant.
They had just sat at the table when I arrived. The hostess led me to the private room they were all waiting in. I kissed the women on the cheek in greeting and shook my father and Rex’s hand before taking the one open seat next to Serena.
We all visited while we waited for the server to arrive. After a few minutes, the one girl I could not get off my mind walked through the door. My eyes focused on her instinctively. She stood frozen in place without saying a word. It was like the whole world faded around us. All I could see was her and the only voice I wanted to hear was hers, but she wasn’t speaking.
In fact, she looked as shell shocked as I felt. I suddenly realized the room had fallen silent. I stood instinctively, wanting to go to her and hold her. Why was she not speaking? “Rhett, dear, what are you…,” I heard Serena say as she grabbed my arm to stop me. I ignored Serena.
I offered some help, feeling as if I should introduce her to my parents for some insane reason, “This is…uh…,” but I didn’t even know her name. I was acting like a fucking lunatic and I knew it. I just couldn’t seem to help myself whenever she was near.
“Ava,” she tore her eyes from mine, “I’ll be your server this evening.”
I slowly sat back down in my seat as she continued to speak. Ava. I finally had her name and there was no way she could run from me if she worked here. This time, I was determined to end the night with at least her number.
&nbs
p; I watched her closely as she spoke. Her voice captivated me like a lost sailor drawn to a siren. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, and I felt a weird sense of pain at the loss of her eyes on me. She was refusing to look at me. The refusal was like keeping the last drop of water from a man dying of thirst. And I was that thirsty man.
I was too busy staring at Ava, numb to the world around me, that I didn’t even realize Serena had linked her arm in mine until Ava had disappeared from the room. I moved my arm, forcing her hold on me to release. I glared at Serena, warning her to keep her hands to herself.
I was pissed, but I kept my control. The last thing I wanted was Ava thinking Serena and I were together. I am sure it had appeared that way with our parents sitting here, and Serena being more touchy than normal.
When Ava returned back to the room with the wine my father had ordered, I immediately trained my eyes on her, willing her to look at me. She didn’t. And it drove me crazy. Why is she being so resistant? Can she not feel the pull between us? No. I knew she could. She was fighting it. I could see that. But why?
She moved around the table, filling our glasses. I tried to stay involved in the conversation around me, but it was impossible. All I wanted to do was watch her every move. Every sway to her hips had my cock coming to attention. I was thankful, I was shielded by the table.
As she stepped close to me, filling my glass, I could smell her delicious, floral scent. She was inches from me. I was tempted to reach out and touch her, desperate to feel her and that course of electricity that made me feel alive. For the first time in my life, I wanted something more than meaningless sex. I wanted everything as long as it was with her.
The rest of the dinner, I studied her. I knew she felt my eyes on her, but somehow she resisted looking at me. I could tell she was the strong, independent type. It only drew me to her more.
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