Fated

by Carly Phillips

  Berkley titles by Carly Phillips

  Serendipity

  Destiny

  Karma

  Perfect Fit

  Specials

  Fated

  Fated

  A Serendipity Short Story

  Carly Phillips

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) * Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England * Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) * Penguin Group (Australia), 707 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3008, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) * Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India * Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) * Penguin Books (South Africa), Rosebank Office Park, 181 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parktown North 2193, South Africa * Penguin China, B7 Jiaming Center, 27 East Third Ring Road North, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020, China

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are 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. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  FATED

  A Berkley Special / published by arrangement with the author

  PUBLISHING HISTORY

  Berkley Special / December 2012

  “Fated” copyright © 2012 by Karen Drogin.

  Excerpt from Perfect Fit by Carly Phillips copyright © 2012 by Karen Drogin.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-61723-6

  BERKLEY®

  Berkley Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  BERKLEY® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Special Excerpt from Perfect Fit

  About the Author

  One

  Kate Andrews loved a man in uniform. She especially loved Nick Mancini in his softball gear. The pants lovingly hugged his tight ass and the short sleeve jersey showed off muscular forearms honed from years of manual labor in construction. His mahogany hair looked sexy and messy beneath his ball cap and his yummy brown eyes were dark and intense as he kicked at the dirt on the pitcher’s mound.

  Nick Mancini was the sole reason she’d let her best friend talk her into coming to the last softball game of the season. Not that she’d admit as much to anyone. Kate barely liked to confess her feelings for Nick to herself.

  Normally, Kate didn’t have an excuse to come to the games, but Faith had offered to take her husband’s half sister to see Dare Barron play for the cops. And Kate couldn’t resist the opportunity to watch Nick from afar. It was as close as she’d let herself get to the man who made her skin tingle, her pulse race, but from whom she had to keep her distance in order to protect her heart.

  Tonight, the Serendipity cops were playing the Mancini Construction Crew, and the competition was fierce yet friendly. Mid-September, the summer had already ended and the turnout was big for the last outdoor event before the cold weather came roaring into their upstate New York town.

  “Thanks for taking me tonight,” Tess said, showing Kate that the hard-edged teen who’d shown up in Serendipity was softening by living with her brother and Faith.

  “My pleasure,” Faith said with a genuine smile.

  “But it sure wasn’t Ethan’s. Boy was he pissed when he found out what we were doing tonight.” Tess practically clapped her hands in glee at causing trouble.

  “And there’s the Tess we all know and love,” Kate said with a chuckle.

  Faith frowned. “Don’t encourage her. And your brother wasn’t angry.”

  “He just wished someone else could take me to watch all the men on the field. Especially that Nick Mancini,” Tess mimicked her brother with a snicker, having no idea she was rousing deep-seated emotions in Kate.

  But Faith knew and shot Kate an apologetic look. Faith and Nick had been high school sweethearts and when Faith had recently returned to town, Nick had tried to rekindle their romance. Faith only had eyes for Ethan and things between Nick and her hadn’t had a prayer of working out, but everyone knew he’d wanted them to. So how in the world could Kate believe he was interested in her now? More importantly, how could she get her feelings to turn off before she caused herself real pain?

  “Eavesdropping again?” Faith asked Tess, oblivious to Kate’s thoughts. “Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?” Faith raised an eyebrow at Tess.

  The last time the teenager had managed to overhear something that was none of her business, Faith had broken up with Ethan, and Tess had blamed herself. She’d acted out, and Faith had ended up being hit by a car, sustaining a concussion. Everyone hoped the teenager had learned a lesson about causing trouble and jumping to conclusions. But Tess liked to stir the pot.

  The teen flushed at Faith’s reprimand, her pale skin turning bright red. “It’s not eavesdropping when I can easily hear him talking through the walls,” she muttered.

  Faith took pity on her and tugged her hair gently. “Just watch the game, okay?”

  Tess turned away and Faith sighed.

  “Hey look! Dare’s up at bat!” Tess said, conversation forgotten, her focus now on her brother.

  “And look who’s pitching,” Faith said under her breath. “It’s Nick.”

  To Faith’s credit, not only was she sensitive to Kate’s feelings about her past with Nick, insisting things between them were over as of ten-plus years ago, she was also trying to match-make for them now.

  “I hadn’t noticed.” Kate’s hands gripped the bleachers harder.

  “Liar.” Faith leaned closer. “Why do you keep turning him down when he asks you out? The chemistry between you two is off the charts.”

  She shifted uncomfortably on the metal bench. “We talked about this. He’s not over you and even if he is, I’d still be his rebound girl.” And Kate had too much self-respect to go that route again. At least now she was aware of how much it hurt to be that girl, and she refused to repeat the past mistake that haunted her still.

 
“And if you tell him what I said, I may never forgive you.” Kate knew the two were still close, but Kate trusted Faith to keep her secrets, as long as she knew where Kate drew the line.

  Thankfully, Faith dropped the subject and the rest of the game passed quickly, Mancini Construction winning 5 – 2 thanks in no small part to Nick’s stellar pitching. The teams took the win and the loss in stride, agreeing to meet up at Joe’s Bar for drinks.

  Faith had to return home with Tess, but she offered to drop Kate off at Joe’s first, where it would be easy enough for her to get a ride home later.

  “I can take you,” Nick said, coming up behind Kate and standing way too close.

  He ought to smell sweaty and disgusting. Instead he smelled like Nick—a hot, sexy man. Kate grit her teeth, prepared to turn down his offer.

  “Awesome!” Tess said. “Then we can get home to Rosalita’s dinner that much faster.”

  Thanks for throwing me under the bus, kid, Kate thought. “I think I’ll go straight home.” She treated Faith to a pleading look, hoping her friend would chime in.

  “Then I can take you there,” Nick said first, his tone turning more insistent.

  Kate swallowed hard. The last thing she wanted was to be alone in a car with Nick. “Faith doesn’t mind driving me.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Tess is hungry, so let them go straight home and I’ll drive you wherever you want to go.”

  “You’re the man,” Tess said with a big grin.

  “Thanks,” Faith said to Nick, then leaned in to kiss Kate good-bye. “Take advantage of the opportunity,” Faith whispered in her ear.

  “Not happening,” Kate said right back. Every logical cell in Kate’s brain warned her to be careful around Nick. His dating history rivaled a who’s who of Serendipity and his one and only long-term relationship had been with Kate’s best friend. Maybe if he hadn’t tried again so recently, Kate might believe he was over her. But he had.

  Faith and Tess took off, walking across the field to the lot where the cars were parked, leaving Kate alone with Nick.

  “I just need to grab my duffel and I’m ready. You?” Nick asked.

  “Sure. And thank you,” she said, not wanting to seem like an ingrate.

  He returned a few minutes later and they strode side by side to the car, Nick placing a hand on the small of her back. Pleasure rushed through her at his touch and her skin tingled in approval. Instead of letting herself enjoy it, Kate stepped out of reach.

  Nick’s low chuckle echoed around her.

  “Good game,” she said, hoping conversation would help distract him. “You pitched great.”

  “Thanks.” He grinned, showing her the sexy dimples in his cheeks. “I’ll miss playing during the winter months.”

  “But you have basketball,” she said, knowing the guys played every Sunday.

  “True. But I prefer softball and the hot sun to the indoor stuffiness in St. Anthony’s basement.” He reached his truck and tossed his bag into the back before walking around and opening her door.

  She climbed in and soon he’d done the same on his side and they were on their way to Joe’s. Nick behaved on the short ride over, asking her about her new crop of students at the middle school where she taught English. He seemed genuinely interested, and Kate loved talking about her kids. In fact, she often thought they were the closest she might ever come to having children of her own.

  After all, what were the chances of her finding true love the way Faith had? Although she was just twenty-seven years old, Serendipity was a small town and Kate knew almost everyone. Added to that, she’d never had any desire to leave or travel, which meant meeting new people was rare.

  She bit down on the inside of her cheek. God, when had she become so darned morose? Maudlin? She was still young. She had plenty of time to find the right man. Of course, her gaze drifted to Nick and she covertly studied his chiseled features, tanned skin, and gorgeous muscles as he concentrated on turning into the lot behind Joe’s. It was his fault she was thinking like this, she decided.

  Sometime in the last few months, she’d become hyperaware of him as a man, not just as an old friend. His flirtatious passes that she kept turning down didn’t help, either. But she couldn’t bring herself to believe that he wanted her for anything real or serious. His past cemented his intentions now, just as her old experiences made her extra wary. That was the way of things, wasn’t it?

  “Here we are!” Nick said, as he parked in a spot behind the bar on Main Street.

  They walked into the Joe’s together, but Kate pulled her armor around herself and proceeded to act friendly yet find other people to hang out with for the rest of the night. Though she was aware of Nick watching her, she told herself it was just the challenge that had his hot gaze following her everywhere she went.

  And when it was time to go home, she let one of the other teachers she worked with give her a lift instead of taking Nick up on his offer.

  Two

  Nick Mancini hammered the last nail into the wall of Faith’s Interior Designs, securing the shelving that had somehow dislodged. Normally he’d send one of the guys on his construction crew to handle a fix-it job, but Faith was one of his closest friends, and for her he’d do it himself. Good thing he’d decided to show up early and handle things because he’d discovered the heating unit had broken overnight.

  He flexed his cold fingers and rose, tossing his tools into the metal case. Alone at Faith’s interior design store, he glanced around, remembering back to this past summer, when he, Kate, and Faith had been working on setting up the store from scratch. He recalled the exact moment he looked up and really saw Kate for the first time. They’d bickered over her not getting him a coffee when she’d brought one for Faith. He’d taken one look into her sparkling green eyes, really focused on her wit, and he was a goner.

  That day had set the tone for all future meetings. Sexual tension, intense chemistry, and a yearning neither one of them would admit to. Until he started asking her out in earnest and she’d consistently declined.

  Two months had passed since the baseball game when they’d been alone in his car. Since then, she’d been keeping him at arm’s length, avoiding being alone with him, and frustrating him to no end. Because beneath the rejections, Nick sensed a longing that matched his own. It wasn’t just desire for him either. Nick was attracted to more than her looks. She was smart as well as beautiful, witty, easily distracted, and always late, and definitely interested in him—if the soulful looks she gave him when she thought his attention was elsewhere were any indication.

  Yet he couldn’t figure out how to break through the wall she’d erected. Or why she’d put up barriers between them.

  “Nick! You’re here already!” Faith’s voice startled him and brought him back to the present and he turned to the front door. “I wanted to fit you in before I got to my first job.”

  “You should have told me you were coming so early. I’d have met you,” she chided, her blue eyes flashing as she scolded him.

  At one time, one look into those eyes and he’d have sold his soul for this woman, but he’d been young then. In high school when she’d broken up with him, he’d thought his world had ended. When she’d returned a few months ago, he’d stupidly thought to attempt another shot with her, but she wasn’t interested and if he’d been honest with himself ahead of time, neither was he. Ego had him seeing if he could tempt her.

  Now they were just good friends with a business relationship thrown in on the side. “There was no reason to get you up and out of the house early. I’m the landlord. I have a key,” he said.

  “Don’t remind me,” a familiar male voice muttered, as Faith’s new husband walked in.

  “Ethan,” Nick said, sticking his hand out to shake his hand.

  Ethan Barron didn’t like Nick all that much, and
though the feeling had been mutual, Nick was forced to admit to having developed a wary respect for Ethan. Ten years had passed since Ethan’s parents died and he’d left his brothers to foster care. He’d recently returned to town, incredibly wealthy and as much of a puzzle as he’d been as a troubled kid.

  He was trying to fix things with his siblings, however, and he’d definitely won over Faith. For her sake, Nick was trying to give him a chance.

  “Thanks for getting things fixed right away,” Ethan said, shaking Nick’s hand.

  “Not a problem. The heating company will be here soon. You’re their first stop.”

  Faith glanced between the two men and beamed, her smile bright.

  “What?” Nick asked her.

  “You two. Getting along so well.” She tossed her large bag onto her desk and looked at her husband. “Don’t you have to drive to Manhattan for a meeting?”

  Ethan nodded, his eyes dark and hooded, focused on Nick. “I’ll leave when he does.”

  Faith rolled her eyes. “And I spoke too soon. Nick isn’t interested in anyone but Kate, isn’t that right, Nick?”

  “Jesus,” Nick muttered. “Is nothing private?”

  “In this town or between those two women?” Ethan asked, of Faith and her best friend.

  Nick managed a laugh, though he wasn’t thrilled to know he’d been their subject of conversation.

  “Get used to it,” Ethan said. He stepped up to his wife, slid his hand behind her neck and pulled her in for a long kiss.

  One that made Nick uncomfortable for witnessing it but had nothing to do with jealousy. At all. He meant it when he said any old feelings were long gone.

  Nick cleared his throat, and Ethan turned his head and glared. “You have some place to be,” Nick reminded Ethan just for the hell of annoying him.

  Ethan scowled, kissed Faith once more and started for the door. “You sure you have a ride home?”

  She nodded. “Kate’s picking me up after school and taking me home. I’ll see you tonight.” She placed a hand on his shoulder.