The Unexpected Series (Unexpected #1-3)

by Amy Marie

  “I don’t think so, Erin. If you are taking shots I need to be able to drive home,” I say pushing away the glass she has shoved in my face.

  “Live a little, Noelle!” She says shoving it back towards me. “One shot won’t kill you. Plus Walker offered to drive so I could unwind a bit.”

  “I don’t mind, Noe,” Walker says appearing next to Erin kissing her jawline. “I love getting Erin drunk.”

  I let out a sigh. “Okay, one shot. But then I’m done.” What can I say? I’m easy.

  With a roll of her eyes she hands Trent and me a shot each. “To hot guys from Starbucks that grab Noelle’s ass!” She says a bit too loudly smirking over at Trent.

  A weird look flashes quickly across his face and I give her a death glare. Damn Erin. I had almost forgotten about Jace. Almost.

  “To hot guys from Starbucks.” I toast anyways lifting my glass. Trent rolls his eyes and takes the shot with Erin and me.

  “To sexy girls who try taking sneaky pictures of hot guys at Starbucks.” My knees buckle when I feel his hot breath on the back of my neck mid-shot.

  Oh, crap!

  I turn and am met with the fierce green eyes that belong to Jace, the Starbucks God.

  The tequila burns as I spit it out all over his face.

  Trent looks between the two of us. “Noelle, this is my new neighbor, Jace,” he says hesitantly.

  You’ve got to be kidding me.

  Acknowledgements

  Joshua and my beautiful children...Thank you for having patience and understanding through this whole process. No matter what my dream is you have always been behind me. My time was taken away writing this book and you stood by and supported this one hundred percent. I don’t know where my life would be without you all but I do know it would be empty. I love you with all my heart and I hope I make you proud.

  Valerie Callow...There are no words to express my gratitude for a friend like you. Who knew moving across the street from you I would find a best friend, confidant, shoulder to lean on, person to vent to and cry to as well as share books with and travel with. Ensuring my happiness is not your job but you chose to make it so. I truly mean it when I say you are the greatest friend a person could have. I wouldn’t have started this book without your encouragement. This is our baby. MFE!!!

  Elizabeth Froelich...Thank you for putting up with all my craziness and making sure I looked like I knew what I was talking about when it came to your edits. No one will ever know that I suck at punctuation and grammar. You are the best and I wish you lots of luck in your own writing journey! Love you.

  Sydney Lane...One of my fellow author mentors. You didn’t have to go out of your way for me but you did and for that I am grateful. My endless questions were met with “happy to help” and “no problem”. You are seriously one of the nicest people I have never met and I cannot wait until I can hug you and give thanks in person. I look forward to sharing more projects with you.

  Krista Elder. My fellow ZIN. That nerve wracking day in October 2012 was met with one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen. Since then you have continued to be on my side through my ups and downs. I’m so joyful to call you a Z-sis, beta reader, and great friend. You were the first one to claim Walker as your book boyfriend. I hope he continues to be throughout your reading journey. I love you!

  Amber Boyd...When I needed help you stopped what you were doing and offered to jump in. That meant the world and since then I’ve continued to rely on you for your honesty and advice. Thank you for all that you have done. Who knew Vegas was the place to meet some of the greatest people! Love you!

  Amanda Maxlyn...I am so proud to call you a mentor. Who knew that a lunch with another author I would come out friends with a sweet and amazing person? I am so ecstatic that I get to be in your life and your writing journey. I am so proud of what you have accomplished and cannot wait to read more of what you have in store.

  Kelsi Foltyn...One of my favorite cousins. Thank you for putting up with me constantly changing my mind and then going back to what I originally wanted and then changing my mind again. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and understanding. I wish you lots of luck in your upcoming nuptials and a lifetime filled with happiness. I love you!

  April Gordon...You are one of the funniest women I have ever met. I am so glad we bonded over Gavin Blake. My author picture is stunning and I wish lots of happiness to you in your new adventure in Florida. Miss you!

  Adrienne Scales...For showing me that my first book I started sucked and giving me a harsh realization that I needed to SHOW and not TELL. If it weren’t for you I would have never started over with a second book. Thanks for always being patient and answering my million and one questions.

  TBY Family...There are so many to name that it just seems unfair to list them all. You all rooted for me from the beginning. My life will never be the same since I walked in the doors of that gym and that Zumba class and was graced with all of your friendship. Thank you for believing in me. I love you all. You truly are my VA family.

  Heather Davenport...For putting my Cover Reveal and Blog Tour together. For getting answers to questions even if you had to ask around. I appreciate your tolerance and advice. I’m so lucky to know someone like you and thrilled to spend our weekend in Philly with you!

  Jenn Mooney....Thank you for jumping in as a beta and falling in love with Erin and Walker. Your ego boosting messages catapulted me into finishing the book. Thank you for doing this for me even though we have never met.

  Grandma Beeman....Because I according to Aunt Randa you would be proud of me for doing this. I hope that is true even if Grandpa is standing next to you in Heaven telling you it’s smut.

  To my Mom, Step-Dad, Alyssa, Kaleigh, Nikki, Keith, Holly and John. I love you all and I don’t think I tell you enough. You are the foundation of who I am today. I truly hope you are proud.

  Angel’s Indie Formatting...For being my savior and helping me format this in no time!

  Kathy Krick...for the editing Goddess you are. Thank you for giving me such a drama free experience. You truly are the best!

  Undone

  By

  Amy Marie

  Copyright © 2014 by Amy Marie

  Self publishing

  AuthorAmyMarie@yahoo.com

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Cover Design: Sara Eirew Photographer

  Editing by Kathy Krick

  Formatting by Angel’s Indie Formatting

  To my daughter, my sunshine, my light in the darkness. I hope you continue to be strong, independent, pushy, artistic, funny, inquisitive and always yourself. Know that you can do anything your big heart desires. I love you.

  “You can close your eyes to the things you don't want to see, but you can't close your heart to the things you don't want to feel.”

  – Johnny Depp

  I really hate this song. I mean really and truly hate this damn song. Why do they play this kind of crap in a coffee house? Ugh! Come on, Starbucks lady. I’m all about you wiping that counter clean but I want to order my damn coffee!

  Like a Virgin. Hey! Touched for the very first time, Like a VIIIIIIR...okay, that’s enough. COFFEE LADY!

  I really need my caffeine fix after that brutal cycling class. My ass feels numb.

  “Welcome to Starbucks. What can I get for you?” Shyanne, according to her name tag, asks looking bored out of her mind.

  “Can I please have a grande white mocha?” I say trying to hide the annoyance in my voice, so she doesn’t spit in my drink.

  “Name?” She barely looks at me as she places the tip of the marker
on their trademark white cup.

  “Noelle.”

  After giving me my total, I pay for my coffee and shake my head irritated with the fact that she probably sharpie scribbled my name wrong. I fix my loose blonde ponytail looking around and tension immediately leaves my body when I’m graced with a vision greater than Ryan Reynolds’ naked scene in The Proposal. A hot piece of man candy is at my three o’clock, and I’m looking for a sugar rush...or a diabetic coma.

  Yummy.

  Wow! It just isn’t fair to look that amazing. I bet he rolled his toned ass out of bed, ruffled his short blonde hair, skipped the razor, and threw on the first thing he spotted. His dark wash jeans, gray t-shirt clinging to a chiseled and bulging chest, and wrap me up tight biceps. Not a wrinkle in the fabric. He looks like the kind of guy any woman would like to ride into the sunset...literally. I mean I’m restraining myself from doing it right now.

  The Starbucks God catches me gawking. I can’t help it. You shouldn’t expect to walk around like that and not be undressed with my eyes. He flashes me his perfect white teeth and his smile scrunches up his face giving me a glimpse at his irises. He has some seriously sexy, smoldering green eyes.

  Look away! Look away! He will trap you in his vortex of emeralds!

  I pull out my phone trying to look anywhere but at him and shoot off a text to my best friend, Erin.

  Me: Holy crap! Major hottie at Starbucks!

  Erin: Did you take a pic?

  Me: Uhm, no way! For my eyes only.

  Erin: SHARE NOE!...never mind, you’re too chicken anyways.

  Bitch! She knows I hate to be called chicken.

  I can do this. It can’t be that hard.

  I move my fingers across the screen giving off the vibe that I’m just texting with my BFF. I hit the button to turn the phone to vibrate so the sound of the shutter doesn’t give me away. Getting the perfect shot, I slightly point my cell his way and FLASH!

  OH SHIT! Rule one of hottie picture taking: TURN OFF THE FLASH!

  “Did you just take my picture?” Hottie McCoffee says directing his whole body towards me. He leans one of his elbows on the counter and clasps both calloused hands together.

  I’d love to find out what those rough hands can do to my body.

  “Uh, no. I don’t think so.” I try to compose myself, my face crimson like the color of the top I have on today.

  Would it look weird to fan myself right now?

  “Hmm.” He raises an eyebrow at me pointing at the offending cellphone in my hand. “Because I could have sworn I just saw a flash coming from your phone.”

  “Well, it does that when I get a text.” I lie, or try to.

  Really, Noelle? There is no way he is buying that crap.

  “Oh, well, I just thought that you wanted something to remember me by since you were just eye humping me,” he says with a wink reaching into his pocket.

  “First of all, I was not eye humping you and second of all...”

  FLASH! Did he just take my picture?

  “Did you just take my picture?” Anger blazes through me. I didn’t even get to smile for it!

  “Nope! I got a text,” he says laughing and then directs a smile at me that could seriously incinerate my panties, since I decided to wear them today.

  We stare at each other, neither of us speaking, and I can feel every cell in my body being turned on.

  “JACE!” Shyanne, if that is her real name, yells interrupting our foreplay.

  “That’s me. Gotta go,” Jace says as he casually strolls over and blasts Ms. Wait-Ten-Minutes-to-Take-Your-Order with MY panty melting smile and walks towards the door.

  Oh hell no!

  “Wait! Delete that picture!” I mean how rude is he not asking for permission. At least let me see if my hair looks okay. I did just workout.

  He turns his back to push the door open and the light hits just right. He looks like an angel which contradicts me seeing as I’m going to Hell for the thoughts running through my dirty mind. “No thanks,” he says and walks out.

  That just fucking happened? Okay, well at least I got a good picture of him to send to Erin. I plop down into the chair next to the window and send it to her.

  Me: Here he is...enjoy because this was the most embarrassing experience of my life!

  Erin: Damn!! Almost as hot as Walker. What happened? Forget to turn the flash off?

  Me: SHUT IT!.. but yes :( But he took one of me too when I wasn’t looking.

  Erin: Maybe for his spank bank?

  Me: LOL. Probably! You know men spank it thinking of this body on a daily basis.

  I put my phone in my back pocket just waiting to post it on Facebook with the status update “Meet the man of my wet dreams!” I’m sure all my aunts, uncles, cousins and oh yeah, parents would love that. I mean who accepts their parents’ friend requests? Dumbasses like me, that’s who.

  “Janelle?”

  “Noelle and I’m right here.” I pull a napkin from the dispenser and wipe down the counter. “Listen, Shyanne, is it? How can you not be drooling over all the hot guys that come in here?”

  “Jace is pretty gorgeous isn’t he? He is in here all the time. Same time every day, even on weekends.” Well, I guess she can be useful.

  “Gorgeous doesn’t even come close. I may have to come back tomorrow.” I smile to myself. “Maybe he’ll come in here shirtless and I can really get a good pic.”

  She giggles but cuts it short when she looks past me. Knowing the luck I’m having today he must be behind me.

  “Why wait when I can just take my shirt off for you now? You just have to ask nicely,” man candy whispers in my ear sending sexy chills down my body, and then I feel his hand on my ass. What the hell? “Here’s my number. You can use the picture you took as my contact photo,” he says slipping what I assume is his number into my back pocket.

  “That was a text! You are so full of yourself. I don’t want your number and stop touching my ass,” I state as firmly as I can, but it comes out weak. His hands leave my body, and I’m left breathless.

  Shyanne starts giggling once again and I turn to see he’s gone. I catch a glimpse of him outside getting into a sexy black sports car, a pretty blonde in the passenger seat scowling at him. She must be his girlfriend.

  What an ass! Why would he give me his number if he has a girlfriend? Well, player your number is going in the trash, but that picture...that picture will stay safe on my phone.

  Okay, so that wasn’t my most embarrassing moment in my twenty eight years of existence. There was this time when I was bowling with my ex-boyfriend and walked up behind him after arriving late. I slid my hands around his body and started to grope him only to find out it was another guy. His wife looked like she wanted to murder me, but I was happy. The man had an eight pack and I reached down far enough that I almost found the end of the V. That should have been my first clue. My boyfriend had a keg. I mean full on beer belly. You would think that being on the college football team he would’ve been in better shape. Apparently, beer trumped working out. But I digress.

  Deciding to get my red face and coffee out of there I step out into the Death Valley that’s Chicago in July. A year ago I was getting ready to head to Cozumel with Erin. I need another vacation.

  Just as I get to my car my cell starts singing Sexyback by JT, my future baby daddy.

  “I hate you!” I answer.

  “That’s not nice. You know you love me,” Erin counters.

  I adore Erin. She is the best friend any girl could ask for but was handed a shitty deal last year when her ex cheated on her. Then she met Walker, one of the sexiest and sweetest men on the planet, and they just recently had a baby girl, Savannah. I get to be the maid of honor in their wedding this October, and I’m truly happy that she has found someone who treats her like a queen.

  “I do but that was so embarrassing! I can’t believe you called me chicken. You know how I get.” Turning on the car, I blast the A/C and take a peek into the rearview m
irror, fixing a smudge underneath my light blue eyes.

  “I know.” She laughs. “What’s funny is that I knew what was going to happen. Either that or the shutter would click. As organized as you are you can be a total mess.”

  “Is there something you needed? I’m busy looking for a new best friend.” I threaten though I would never replace Erin. She and I have been friends since freshman year in college when we were paired up as roommates. We continued to live together throughout college and bought a house together in the suburbs of Chicago after we graduated. We just couldn’t stay away from each other. This past December she moved into a dream home with her dream guy, and now I own our house alone. It’s nice not to have someone else there messing it up, but every so often I miss her being around.

  “Yes, actually. First thing first, did you give him your number?” She asks.

  “Nope. He gave me his though...groped my ass while he was at it. I know it’s a fine ass but at least ask for permission first. But I tossed it. It seems the hottie has a girlfriend. Her name is Bitch, and she’s blonde. I shall call her Blonde Bitch,” I state firmly.

  “You’re a blonde!” She laughs. “Well, the girlfriend thing sucks. Anyways, besides that, the second reason I called is to ask if you want to go to a party at Trent’s tonight. Jason is visiting Alex’s parents for the night and Mom is watching Savannah so Walker and I can get a night out.”

  Trent is Erin’s brother. Saying he is hot is like saying the sun is just a flame. The man is a walking lady hard on. His short brown hair and brown eyes set my body on fire anytime he is in a room, but he is just so temperamental anytime I am around. We’ve barely spoken since Thanksgiving. Jason is his two year old son whose mom, Alex, took off just after he was born. It’s heartbreaking because Jason is the cutest little boy ever. She is missing out.

  “Uhm, Erin. Last time I went to one of Trent’s parties I ended up in his roommate’s bed.” I roll my eyes remembering that horrid night as I turn out of the parking lot.