by Amelia Shea
Perfectly Imperfect Mine
Garrison Brothers Book 1
Amelia Shea
Copyright © 2020 Amelia Shea
All rights reserved
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, actual events or organizations is entirely coincidental.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyright work is illegal. No part of this book may be distributed, reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
For P.D.M - Some dreams really do come true!
Perfectly Imperfect Mine By Amelia Shea
Garrison Brothers Series
Small town girl Sadie Wallace has lived a life of “nothing special.” She’s watched everyone around her live their lives while merely just surviving her own…until she meets Stone. Bounty hunter Trey Stone is in the small town of Cedar Bluff on a special assignment. The plan is to complete the job and head back home…until he meets Sadie.
From the moment Stone comes into the diner where she works, she is obsessed. Their first encounter leaves her fearing for her life. A dead body and her own abduction have Sadie steering clear of Stone.
They both try to resist their need and desire for one another, which proves too strong to deny.
When Stone stakes his claim, the night is filled with intense passion and fulfilled fantasies. What began as primal lust has culminated into a deeper connection. As Sadie and Stone begin to fall in love, secrets still stand between them. Stone’s refusal to discuss his work has Sadie wondering what he’s hiding. Her curiosity leads her to look into Stone’s business and the discovery of a side to his life Sadie may not be able to accept. When the truth comes out she will have to decide.
Chapter One
Sadie Wallace had always been a people watcher.
The current subject of her voyeurism as texting on his phone. He had come into Bernie’s Diner every night for the past two weeks. He was a bit of an obsession of hers. She would get giddy schoolgirl butterflies in her stomach every time he walked in. The first time she saw him she nearly dropped the tray of food she was carrying—to say he was gorgeous was an understatement.
He wasn’t sitting in her section. Sadly, he never did. He was alone. Sometimes he came in with one or two guys, but tonight it was just him. She liked it when he came in by himself—less of a chance of getting caught staring at him. He was sitting in the booth closest to the bathrooms with his arms resting on the table as his fingers typed away on his phone. His head was bent slightly so she couldn’t see his eyes. Look up. She’d watched him enough to know they were an amazing cat-like green. Those eyes starred in her nightly fantasies for the last two weeks.
Sadie grabbed a rag and began to wipe down the counter so she could give the illusion of working when in reality, she was watching him. Her eyes darted from the counter to his table as she moved further down passing a few customers seated at the counter. She smiled at an older couple finishing up their dessert and came to a stop near the bakery rack. From that end of the counter, she had a perfect view.
His body language indicated he was deep in thought. All his concentration was on his phone. He was probably texting his girlfriend. Guys who looked like him always had girlfriends—beautiful girlfriends with fabulous hair, killer bodies, and perfect faces. Sadie’s heart beat faster as she checked him out for the thousandth time. He had thick dark brown hair, the kind she wanted to run her fingers through. I bet it’s soft. It was short, but shaggy at the ends by his ears and neck. To anyone else, he might need a haircut, but to Sadie, he was perfect.
His features were completely masculine. He seemed rough and rugged. Sadie smiled to herself. This guy was dangerously powerful, and so sexy. His nose was long and narrow, and his lips were full. His high cheekbones and a strong brow line made his face hard. He appeared virile, strong, and all man. She smirked at the thought of his amazing green eyes. She willed him to look at her. Come on, just look up. But he didn’t.
Releasing a heavy breath, she continued wiping down the counter, and watching. His face, while gorgeous, wasn’t perfect. His one imperfection lay in the form of a scar from the corner of his left eye down to his jaw. It blended into his dark scruff. It wasn’t a blatant scar, it was faded. Even with that scar, he was gorgeous, and completely out of her league. Men like him didn’t go for girls like her. It didn’t stop Sadie from watching though. He became a fascination of hers. She found herself looking forward to him coming in. She always hoped he’d sit at one of her tables. She wanted to hear his voice. Sometimes she’d imagine what it would sound like, deep and masculine.
“Order up.” Ding! Ding! Ding!
Sadie glanced at the pickup window to see Willie, the cook, place a plate down and walk back to the kitchen. She shook her head. If he was going to yell “order up,” then why did he have the bell? God, she hated that bell. Now she knew how Pavlov’s dog felt. She walked back to the other end of the counter and tossed the rag into the sink.
She knew it wasn’t her order. All her customers had been served. Her people watching skills came in handy with her waitressing job. Her customers never had to wait, she was always a step ahead in knowing when they were ready to order and ready for the check.
Melinda, a waitress, and Sadie’s current partner in crime for the night, walked up to the window with a sneaky smile. Melinda gave her a sideways glance. Sadie grinned back at her.
“What are you up to?”
“Now, why would you think I was up to something?” Mock surprise was written on her face. “I’m offended.” She placed her hand on her chest and smirked.
Sadie gripped her hands on her hips and burst out laughing. “No, you’re not, takes a lot more than that to offend you.” Melinda was one of the sassiest, wildest girls Sadie knew. There wasn’t much that would or could offend her.
She laughed. “True.”
Shaking her head and still laughing, Sadie turned around to grab the rag again and continue wiping down the counters.
“Hey, Sadie?”
Sadie turned, and Melinda handed her the plate from the window. “Do me a favor and take this to table two, I have to run in the back really quick. Thanks, girl.” She watched Melinda bound through the door and out of sight before Sadie even realized who the order was for.
She looked over at table two. Him. Her obsession was still on his phone. Somewhere between watching him and her conversation with Melinda, he had taken off his jacket. She was now treated to a spectacular view of muscular arms stretching a short-sleeved T-shirt. The black shirt was tight on him, and Sadie could make out the outline of his chest. Her face heated. She would love to run her hands over that bare chest. Damn!
She took a deep breath and walked around the counter to the floor. Trying desperately to even her breathing, she inhaled deeply and let it out. Breathe in and out. This wasn’t really helping; she felt like she might hyperventilate. She was going to talk to him. She would finally get to hear his voice. Sadie hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed. She had dreamed of that voice. The butterflies in her stomach had completely taken over and her hands started to tremble a bit. She kept taking deep breaths. As she got closer to his table, her heart beat faster. She prayed he wouldn’t see it beating through her uniform. That would be awkward. She drew in one last deep breath.
She reached his table but he hadn’t looke
d up yet. She cleared her throat and smiled as his eyes reached hers. Her smile spread further across her entire face when the most amazing eyes stared back at her. Sadie gazed into his eyes and was dumbstruck. She couldn’t believe she was finally going to get to talk to him.
Seconds passed before Sadie realized her smile wasn’t being returned. His gaze slowly travelled down her body, lingering a second longer at her breasts before making his way up to meet her stare. His jaw tightened, and she could swear she heard an appreciative soft growl. Her cheeks tingled, and without needing confirmation, she knew she was blushing. Her heel nervously tapped the floor as she remained standing in front of him with an awkward grin. I probably look half crazed. His full lips twitched and curled slightly at the corners. Sadie stepped forward. “H-hi.” She quickly cleared her throat and smiled again to combat her blush, which was an impossible feat. This man had reduced her to stuttering on a one syllable word. Real smooth, Sadie.
A small flicker of amusement in his eyes was all she caught before his entire demeanor changed. His face contorted to a scowl. Her smile quickly faded when his eyes grew darker. She retreated back a step. What just happened? It was not going how she thought it would go. He looked mad. That was strange, because everyone who waited on him had said he didn’t talk much, but he was pleasant and polite. Melinda even said he had a sweet smile. Sadie would just have to take her word on that.
It was just Sadie’s luck. The one time she got to wait on him, she caught him on a bad day. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. This was like getting a raise and then finding out your rent just went up, like buying the perfect dress and then realizing it looked way better on the mannequin. Utter disappointment.
She placed his food in front of him and looked back at his face. “Uh…cheeseburger and fries. Can I get you anything else? Refill on your coffee?” She tried desperately to hide the shakiness in her voice.
“Just the check.” His eyes dropped from hers to focus on his food.
Her smile returned at the sound of his voice. It was better than she imagined, deep and gravelly. Chills ran through her. She imagined him saying her name, moaning her name. Sadie finally had a voice for her fantasy.
“Okay, I’ll go grab it for you,” she cheerily replied. As she spun around, she heard him speak once more.
“Have the other girl bring it.” His voice was still gravelly and hot, but his tone dismissed her. He wasn’t even remotely interested. Sadie’s face heated as her heart sank.
She did her best to conceal her disappointment and forced a small smile. “Sure.”
She had just turned her back when she caught a hushed whisper. “Shit.” She glanced over her shoulder.
Sadie waited as he shifted in his seat. Maybe he was having a change of heart? Maybe he wanted her to bring his check which meant spending a little more time with him. He grabbed his burger, and his gaze flickered up. He arched his brow. “Thanks.”
She forced a smile and nodded. At least he had the decency to be polite when he dismissed her.
She walked quickly back to the counter. She refused to be hurt by his attitude. That was what she told herself. Truthfully, though, she was hurt. The one time she got to talk to him, he blew her off. She wasn’t even good enough to bring him a check? What a jerk! What an asshole! What did she expect? Looking over her shoulder at him, she stared again. He was gorgeous, but there was something else she saw, something more. In the past two weeks, she had watched him. She admired his confidence when he walked in and sat alone like he was completely comfortable in his own skin. When he came in with the other guys, there was an ease about him.
As if he knew he was being watched he raised his head and looked at her. She’d been caught! Blinking her eyes and gulping, she ducked her head and rushed toward the kitchen.
Melinda was flipping her hair and laughing as she came out from the kitchen. When she saw Sadie, her smile dwindled, and she looked concerned. By the look on Melinda’s face, she knew she was not hiding her disappointment well.
“What’s wrong?”
“Table two wants his check. And he wants you to bring it.” She hated that her voice cracked.
Melinda looked over her head to his table and then back to her. Her eyebrows scrunched downward, and she looked confused. Her expression changed to regret as she took in Sadie’s solemn stare.
“Okay,” she quietly muttered.
“I’m going to take my break now if that’s okay; can you cover me?” Sadie no longer met her eyes. Her hurt and disappointment began to overwhelm her, and she just wanted to be alone for a few minutes to get herself in check. Sadie was usually so guarded, not easily shaken. But this guy… This guy had made her scatterbrained. Jerk!
Melinda rubbed her shoulder as she passed by her. “Sure thing, Sadie.”
Within seconds, she was through the swinging kitchen doors and out the back. Breathing in the cool air, she tried to clear her mind of the dark haired, green eyed stranger.
****
Stone watched her as she talked to his waitress. She was probably bitching about him. The way her face dropped and lost its smile when he told her to have the other waitress bring his check, he knew she was upset. It was a dick move, and he knew it. It wasn’t often he regretted his actions but right now he was feeling like a complete and utter asshole. He could have handled that better. He should have handled it like a real man and not a dick. It was just a check. What was the big fucking deal? But it was more than that and Stone knew it. If she had come back over, she would have done the little hot as hell nervous stutter, and he’d be forced to watch the crimson blush shadow over her cheeks while fighting back the steel rod in his pants. And that voice? Sweet and kind, fucking genuinely nice? No, no fucking way! He was smart enough to know his limits.
His waitress looked over at him and then back to her. He watched from hooded eyes as she walked through the doors into the kitchen. It was for the best. Being an ass was going to keep her away from him, and far away was where that hot little waitress had to stay. Shit!
He had discovered the diner the first night in town, two weeks ago. The food was greasy and crappy. But it wasn’t the food that had him coming in every night. It was the sweet eyed, brown haired sexy waitress with the tight uniform that looked like a second skin embracing her tits. She was fucking beautiful. That woman had become a daily part of his routine in his shower.
There was more to her that went far beyond her looks. From the first day he caught sight of her, he was intrigued, and it may have well been because she was fucking gorgeous, but there was something else about her. The way she interacted with people. She had an ease in how she spoke, and the tone she used. She smiled and listened like she really gave a shit what they were saying. Oddly enough, he couldn’t help but believe it was genuine. And that fucking laugh. It was more of a giggle that reminded him of bells chiming. The first time he heard it, the corner of his mouth curled and he chuckled. Unfortunately for him, he’d been with his brothers, and they took notice. Anyone would have to be damn near blind not to see Stone’s interest. He’d spent an obsessive amount of time watching her. But that’s all he could have, watching from afar. And being a prick when he finally did talk to her. Fuck me!
He leaned back in the booth as his waitress walked over to him with check in hand. She gave him a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Stone had upset the other girl, and this one was not happy about it. A plastered fake smile greeted him as she dropped the check on the table.
“The check. Have a nice day.” Her tone was anything but genuine.
“Thanks,” he muttered.
She walked away as Stone reached for his wallet but then she stopped, turning back to him.
“There’s a truck stop about ten miles off Main…the food’s pretty good there.” Her stare was serious. “You should try it.”
The corner of his lip curled. She wanted him to stay away. Not a fucking chance in hell that was happening. He may not be able to touch Sadie, but it didn
’t mean he couldn’t look. He may not be able to do anything with the sexy little waitress but he sure as shit wasn’t staying away from her completely. If all he got was the view, he was going to take it. Giving up that small vice was not something Stone was willing to do. Seeing her had become the highlight of his day.
Stone snorted. “I don’t think your boss would appreciate you sending his customers to another restaurant. Do you?”
Her lip quirked up and her back straightened. Her scowl was locked on Stone.
“I don’t give a shit what my boss thinks.” She scowled at him.
He smirked. “Maybe I like the view here,” Stone said, shrugging.
Her eyes crinkled and she tilted her head to the side. He half expected her to start snarling with the daggers she was throwing him. She crossed her arms and cocked her hip. “Yeah, well, maybe you don’t deserve the view.” She raised her brows.
Stone stared back at her. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her to mind her own fucking business. Who the hell was she anyway? The bodyguard? He glared back and opened his mouth but quickly clamped his lips closed. She’s right, man. He glanced over her shoulder at the doors where Sadie had retreated to. She still hadn’t come back out. His intent was to keep her at a distance, not hurt her feelings. He sighed, glancing at his waitress and smirking. “Nah, I probably don’t.” It was an admission that stung deeper than it should have.
The statement seemed to catch her off guard, and her eyes widened. He tore his gaze from her and aimed his attention on his plate. He heard the faint sound of her footsteps leaving. He needed to get the hell outta here.
Stone quickly finished up his meal. He threw down a twenty giving the smart ass waitress an overly generous, undeserving tip and walked out to his truck. But not before scanning the entire diner for one last glimpse of her. “Fuck,” he whispered as he threw open the doors. She hadn’t emerged from the back, and now it would be another day before he would see her. If his brothers could see him, they’d be laughing their asses off. This woman was messing with his head. His cell rang.