Chasing Trouble
by
Sonia Stanizzo
Chasing Trouble
Copyright © 2018, Sonia Stanizzo
ISBN: 9781949300024
Publisher: Beachwalk Press, Inc.
Electronic Publication: July 2018
Editor: Lynne Sully
Cover: Fantasia Frog Designs
eBooks are not transferable. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Back Cover Copy
Love is worth the chase, even if it means trouble.
When Ava Cardona returns home after being away for ten years, she plans to visit with her younger sister then get out of town fast. There are too many painful memories she’d rather not relive. But when a storm hits and she’s stranded on the side of the road, she has no choice but to accept help from the man who hurt her the most—Nick Williams.
Nick isn’t happy to see Ava either. She had been the love of his life, and she ran away without any explanation. Now he’s stuck with her on his family’s farm, and old feelings are racing to the surface. While the weather rages outside, the air is just as turbulent inside. But even though they both want to keep as far away from each other as possible, old attractions keep pulling them closer.
As the days pass, their icy dispositions begin to melt, and once they begin talking, they finally start to let go of past hurts. A relationship could even be in their future…or at the very least, a friendship with benefits.
But when Ava learns of a family secret that devastates her, and she discovers that Nick has known about it for years, she does what she does best…runs. Will Nick let Ava run from him again, or will he be strong enough to chase her and fight for her love?
Content Warning: contains sexual content
Dedication
To Mum. Thank you for passing on your love of reading. I miss you every day.
Chapter 1
Nick Williams sat alone in a booth at Dexter’s Pub, a glaring gaze fixed on a woman he’d hoped never to see again. Ava had left town ten years ago, and seeing her again was like a knife twisting in his gut. Over time he’d learned to push the memories of the few months they’d spent together into the deepest part of his mind, but now they came rushing to the surface. Her leaving being the clearest one.
She sat sipping on a cocktail at the bar, unaware of his presence. Her tongue darted out and licked something off her bottom lip. Once the small gesture would have sent a firestorm raging through his veins. Now a cold emptiness settled in instead.
Feeling disappointed that she still provoked a reaction from him, he turned his head and stared out the nearest window. Farmers and tradies were finishing work for the day, and the carpark was quickly filling with work utes and beat-up cars. Black clouds cloaked the setting sun, pitching the mountain landscape into darkness.
He’d come to the pub outside of Sunland Valley, hoping to relax and enjoy a cool beer after working long hours at the workshop. It had been ages since he’d worked with tools, and he had to admit he’d missed it. Nick turned his palms face up. A satisfied grin tugged at his lips as he gazed at his grease-stained, blistered fingers. Spending the past six years behind a desk had made his hands soft. Now they no longer belonged to the pen-pusher he’d become.
“Boss, you’re gonna burn a hole in the back of her head if you keep glaring,” Ben said as he slid in the booth opposite him and twisted the lid off his Corona.
Nick’s fingers clenched around his own cold bottle.
Ben leaned his elbows on the table and nodded toward the bar. “You gonna ignore Ava’s in the room or are you gonna go and say hi?”
Nick pinned him with what he hoped looked like a fuck-you glare.
Ben shook his head with mock pity. “Boss, boss, boss.”
He’d started calling Nick boss the day Nick had given him a job at the workshop as the head mechanic. It began as a joke because he knew Nick hated it, but over the years it had stuck.
“Are you scared to say hi?”
“I’d rather pull my teeth out,” Nick muttered.
Ben slapped the table and laughed. “It can’t be that terrible seeing her again.”
Nick glanced toward Ava, hoping Ben hadn’t attracted her attention. Thankfully, she was busy looking into a small mirror and reapplying lipstick. It was worse than terrible, because he thought if he ever saw her again he’d feel nothing. No hurt, no anger—nothing. But bad blood still flowed in his veins.
“Boss, what’s it been, seven or eight years since she left? Surely you’re over her leaving, and you’d have a shitload to catch up on. Does she even know you’re as rich as freaking Bill Gates? You’re not the poor, little mechanic her father warned her about.”
Nick’s laughter had an edge that didn’t sound amusing. “I’m hardly Bill Gates, and to Ava I’m still the poor, little mechanic her father warned her about, and that’s how it will stay. She doesn’t need to know what’s in my bank account.” He took a long swallow of his beer and banged it back on the table. “In fact, she doesn’t need to know anything about me, because I have no intention of catching up.”
With a raised eyebrow, Ben lifted his palms up as if to ward off Nick’s bitterness and pushed himself up from the booth. “No problem, boss. My lips are sealed. You’re not in the greatest of moods tonight, so I’m gonna see if Jane’s home.” He winked suggestively. “Hopefully, she’ll be more entertaining.”
When he left, Nick’s attention was drawn back to Ava. You couldn’t help but notice her. It was like a queen sitting amongst a group of commoners. Her smooth, olive skin had not been affected by age, and the fitted white pants and clingy pink top hugged her in the best possible way. Black, glossy hair fell just below her chin, shorter than she used to wear it, framing her oval face. Grudgingly, he could admit she looked damn good, but he’d bet his Porsche Spyder that her heart was still cold and vindictive.
A beefy guy with jeans so tight Nick wondered how his nuts weren’t in his throat, sauntered over to Ava and sat on the stool next to her. Turning to him, she beamed him with a killer smile. After a moment, the guy slid his hand onto her hip, and she removed it with a quick flick and a playful slap on his arm. She said something with a laugh. The beefy guy ducked his head like he’d been chastised, but he didn’t hide the glimmer of his intentions.
Good luck to the sucker.
There’d been a time he’d wanted her too. And wanted more than just her body. He wanted a life with her. But she’d jumped into her BMW and left without a backward glance. Left him.
He rubbed a hand over his face. God, he needed to scrub these thoughts from his mind. It was time to get the hell out of Dexter’s before getting spotted.
But before he had the chance to move, she stiffened in her seat and scanned the pub. When her gaze landed on him, her eyes widened, and the dazzling smile she wore for the beefy guy dropped.
Nick held his breath.
Busted.
* * * *
Ava Cardona tapped her foot at a rapid pace on the stool at the scarred, timber bar, sticky from spilled alcohol. With a straight back, she sat sipping her favorite drink, a margarita. The bartender had given the order a funny look. She supposed it wouldn’t be a common drink in Sunland Valley. The pub was filled with farmers. Their go-to drink would consist of a cold beer or a shot of whiskey.
She’d stopped at the pub outside of town because she wanted to put off going home. Her stomach dropped and her chest tightened. She hadn�
�t called Sunland Valley home in years. She’d moved on, found a new place to fit in, and left the scars of her past behind.
A call from her younger sister had brought her back. Isabella needed help with something that couldn’t be done over the phone. She’d said it must be face-to-face. Probably just some teenage drama. But what if it wasn’t? Bella had never asked her to come home. It really could be important.
Guilt sat heavy on Ava’s shoulders for not spending more time with her sister. Anything Bella needed or wanted was done over the phone. Or while on school holidays when she’d stay with Ava on short visits. But it wasn’t enough time.
Ava had her reasons for staying away from Sunland Valley, and their father was one of them. Her relationship with him died the day her mother killed herself in a car accident. And she never thought she’d ever come to terms with his involvement.
But she loved Bella very much, so if she had to face her father to help her, she would.
“Hey, honey, mind if I join you?”
She flinched and swung around to look at the heavy hand on her shoulder. The man belonging to that hand didn’t wait for a reply and sat his over six-foot, solid frame on the empty stool next to her.
Two dimples dented his tanned, weathered cheeks as he smiled and pointed to her drink. “That looks too posh for me. Tommy, I’ll have a Pure Blonde,” he called to the bartender then winked at Ava with a mischievous gleam. “And a black-haired beauty if she’ll have me.”
She nibbled her bottom lip and let her gaze travel over the cute guy with the dimpled cheeks and great body. Maybe he was the distraction she needed. Anything to keep her mind off going home.
“I know I’ve never seen you here before.” A confident hand slid onto her hip. Instead of her body tingling in a good way, her stomach tightened and her skin itched. She wanted his hand off immediately. It wasn’t the reaction she’d hoped.
Hiding her discomfort behind a playful laugh, she flicked the offending hand away. “Now wait a second, sweet-cheeks, you haven’t even bought me a drink.”
He ducked his head then called out for another of whatever she was having.
Normally Ava enjoyed a good time with an attractive man, but this country boy with a cocky smile was too sure of himself. And her interest in him, no matter how good-looking he was, was low. In fact, her interest in men, which she liked a lot, was minimal lately. Maybe if she gave him a chance things might change.
Then he used the cheesiest pickup line ever, and she’d heard her fair share. “Your lips look so lonely, baby. Would they like to meet mine?”
Dammit, the microscopic interest level plummeted to non-existent. The country boy would have to try his pickup lines on someone else.
Before Ava could say he was wasting his time, a niggling sensation like a thousand tiny, icy spider legs crawled up her spine. She stiffened in her seat. The uneasy vibes weren’t coming from the country boy. His dopey smile was harmless enough, even though he did have roaming hands. So she scanned the dim room, and her gaze stopped cold when she located the cause of her unease.
Nick.
Body tensing, her heartrate kicking up to a dangerous speed, she stared at the hard face watching her. The man who had once torn out her heart sat in a dark corner of the room. A navy-blue trucker’s hat pulled low over his face, midnight hair flicked out from under it. A gray t-shirt pulled across broad shoulders.
As their gazes collided, he straightened his shoulders and lifted the cap. When noticing her scrutiny, he slid an arm over the top of the padded booth and a slow smile as dangerous as the devil’s twisted his lips. But she wasn’t fooled by his laid-back demeanor; he held his beer bottle white-knuckle tight.
Ava’s bar companion leaned closer, and she cringed at his stale beer breath. “How about coming to my place? It’s not far.”
At the sight of her old boyfriend, a strong buzzing sound vibrated through her head. Without taking her eyes off Nick, she replied, “Sure, just give me a minute.” She didn’t even know what she’d agreed to as she slid off the chair.
With muscles quivering, Ava weaved her way between the tables until she reached Nick. She slapped her palms on the tops of the sticky table, leaned toward him, and whispered on a low growl, “What the hell are you doing here?”
* * * *
Nick had asked himself the same question. As soon as he’d seen Ava sipping cocktails and chatting up the beefy guy, he should have run for the hills. But before he got the chance, she’d pinned him with those toffee-colored eyes filled with loathing.
Swallowing the rest of the beer, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and trailed an insolent gaze over her. Hoping she’d understand he wasn’t happy for the reunion either.
“No hello? Oh wait, I forgot. You like to skip the hellos and goodbyes.”
Anger burst bright from her eyes. What the hell was she angry about? She was the one who left without a word.
“I thought you’d be long gone from Sunland Valley by now,” she spat.
“Looks like the town needed a good brothel after all.” At the mention of the brothel, for a second, he thought he’d seen a flash of guilt pass over her face, but then it disappeared in a blink. “The men in this town are thanking me, but their wives…not so much.” He gave her a two thumbs-up gesture. “Thanks for the great business opportunity.”
He’d never let her know she’d almost ruined his chances of building a successful career with the outrageous rumor she’d started before leaving town.
A smug sneer twisted her lips. “Are you still living in Sunland Valley? What happened to your big plans to leave and conquer the world?”
Leaning back in the seat, he spread his arms out wide. “Who needs to conquer the world when I’m here living the dream.”
“Nobody wanted you here.” A neat eyebrow rose.
He gritted his teeth. “You made sure of that, didn’t you?”
Once he believed she could see past her father’s money and love him for who he once was. He’d been wrong. She was quick to run with a better offer.
Before Ava could respond, Nick flicked a glance at the beefy guy she had been drinking with, who was now making his way over to them. “Your date’s getting lonely.”
“What?” Confusion lined her face, and she glanced over her shoulder just as beefy guy slid his hand on her hip, pulling her close.
She stiffened but beamed him with a smile bright enough to light up a small city. The guy was practically drooling.
“How about we take off, babe?” he asked.
“Yes, let’s go.” Placing a hand on the guy’s chest, she slid Nick a look. “Wish I could say it was great seeing you again.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t put this in my top ten favorite moments either.”
Chapter 2
Nick wanted to order another beer, listen to crap country music, and forget about seeing Ava. But no amount of alcohol could erase the unpleasantness of their reunion. God, hate still festered like an angry ulcer in his gut.
Slapping a fifty-dollar note on the table, he waved goodbye to Tommy, who was wiping empty tables. He couldn’t sit there any longer or he’d be walking down memory lane with Ava in the spotlight.
Outside, clouds hung low and enveloped the night sky, and a strong wind blew through nearby trees. The forecast promised a storm, and Nick could smell the damp air as he walked to his truck.
A noise to his left caught his attention. When he turned, Ava and the beefy guy were leaning against a silver Mercedes. The beefy guy’s face was buried in her neck, and his hands were on her arse. Nick shook his head. They couldn’t even wait until they got inside the car.
He unlocked the door, slid onto the cracked leather seat of his Toyota Hilux ute, and watched Ava. The hook-up must not be going too well because she shoved the guy away, removing his roaming hands from her body. But apparently the guy was too thick to get the message, because he continued to pin her against the car, ignoring her protests.
Nick’s fingers gri
pped the steering wheel. The last thing he wanted was another confrontation with Ava. But he couldn’t sit around and watch a man roughen up a woman, even if that woman was Satan. Sighing, he tilted his head back on the headrest for a beat then dragged himself out of the truck. Just as he reached Ava, the guy screamed in falsetto and dropped to his knees, clutching his crotch.
“You were always a ball buster,” Nick said as he dug his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He cocked his head toward the man moaning on the ground. “Though I reckon he deserved it.”
Ava ran her hands through her hair and all the strands fell back into place—back to looking immaculate, like she didn’t only moments ago take down an overly-muscled son of a bitch.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Ava asked him for the second time. He knew she didn’t mean in the carpark, but he had no intention of sating her curiosity.
“Trying to help.”
She slapped her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. The sharp look she threw him said she knew he was avoiding answering the question. “I had things under control. I didn’t need your help.”
They paused their standoff to watch the beefy guy struggle to his feet, still clutching his balls. Nick heard him mumble something about “fucking crazy bitches” as he staggered back to the pub. Nick agreed one-hundred percent.
“I’m sorry I tried to help. It won’t happen again.” With that, Nick left without a backward glance.
Once he was seated in his truck, a Mercedes, with Ava in the driver’s seat, sped by him and out of the carpark. He didn’t know why she was back in town but hoped whatever her reason, their paths didn’t cross again.
Big, fat raindrops splashed onto the windscreen, and he flicked on the wipers. These days he rarely thought about her. He’d forced her memory down in the deepest part of his mind. But every time he came back to Sunland Valley, memories of the time they’d spent together, running wild, cracked through the barriers and wormed their way out.
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