by Ann Omasta
Those reassuring words gave me the rush of confidence I needed to tap the button. After what seemed like an eternity the web page refreshed and the word ‘PASS’ appeared in giant, capital letters on the screen.
I squealed with excitement, stood up, and launched myself into Gage’s open arms. He twirled me around before saying, “I’m so proud of you. You worked hard for this, and you deserve every bit of success that comes your way.”
After I made excited calls to share the news with my parents and Molly, Gage said, “I have something to show you.”
When he led me out the back of the store and up the staircase toward the second floor, I couldn’t imagine what he was up to. Guessing, I asked, “Did you renovate the apartment up here?”
“You’ll see,” Gage said mysteriously, unwilling to share any hints.
When we neared the top step, I gasped as the glass door came into view. The name ‘Avery Biggs, Esq.’ had been lettered on the glass.
“You were pretty sure I was going to pass, huh?” I teased him.
His eyes sparkled at mine before he answered, “I have every confidence in you and your abilities.”
“It’s perfect,” I answered him honestly before asking, “But what about when my last name changes to Tavish?”
“I wasn’t sure if you planned to change your professional name, but I would be delighted if you choose to go by Tavish. The lettering will be easy enough to change, but this is just a starter office for you to begin your world domination, anyway. I’m sure you’ll outgrow it soon.”
Once we walked inside the small, comfortable space, I weighed in with my opinion. “It’s wonderful. Plus, I get the added benefit of aromatic flower scents wafting up through the air vents.”
“I should charge the next tenant extra for that added bonus,” he agreed.
Turning serious, I walked over to sit down on the edge of the desk he had arranged in the middle of the room. In a husky voice that I hoped sounded sexy, I said, “There’s just one finishing touch that needs to be taken care of here.”
“What’s that?” he asked, sounding ready to assist with whatever I needed.
Hoping that was the case, I began unbuttoning my shirt as I answered, “This office needs to be properly broken in.”
Proving that he was more than willing to help me out with that issue, Gage’s eyes glimmered with desire just before he lunged in my direction.
---
Alex and Grant’s movie premiere was the event of the decade in Brunswick Bay Harbor. Heck, it would probably even turn out to be the event of the century.
Both men had insisted that it be held here, rather than a more traditional Los Angeles motion picture opening. Our quaint little town was bursting at the seams with Hollywood royalty, raving fans, and what seemed like every single person who had ever called this place home for any period of time.
Even lovely Violet Markle had returned from the Big Apple to join in the festivities. It still felt strange to see her with anyone, other than her late husband, Dylan, but her new man seemed nice enough, and he was certainly handsome.
Violet saved my day when I managed to get a splinter at the railing of the marina while we watched the boat parade go by with all of the actors from the movie waving at their adoring fans. I hadn’t even realized Violet was near us as we watched the flotilla until she offered me a piece of tape from her enormous purse to help extricate the splinter.
When that didn’t work, she muttered, “I’ll be right back,” and disappeared into the crowd.
Within a few minutes, she returned with a small cup that contained a mysterious white paste.
“What’s that?” I asked the woman, whom I hadn’t seen in years, as she generously applied the goop to my finger.
Violet remained focused on my injury as she answered, “It’s baking soda from the food truck over there, mixed with a dab of water. It should help the splinter pop right out.”
As we waited for her hack to work its magic, Gage turned to the man by Violet’s side. “You look so familiar to me. Have we met?”
“I don’t think so,” the man answered before looking away, obviously uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken.
When Violet used a fresh piece of tape from her purse to successfully grab the splinter, she exclaimed proudly, “Voila!”
“You really are the life hacks queen,” the man by her side bragged.
His obvious pride in her unique skills reminded me that I’d heard a while back about Violet having enjoyed a great deal of success with her radio show where she shared tips on how to live smarter. Agreeing with the man’s assessment, I said sincerely, “Yes, you are. Thank you so much for your help.”
“No problem,” she brushed off my gratitude as if it hadn’t been a big deal. Turning to the man by her side, she asked, “Ready to head down to the docks, Oliver?”
Gage snapped his fingers before saying a little too loudly to the other man, “You’re the Heartless Hunk! I can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner. The guys used to love watching Hot Hunks in prison.”
I loved it that Gage wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed to admit he’d been in prison, but Violet and her man looked a bit taken aback by his bold honesty.
Once Oliver regained his senses, he gave Gage a wide smile before saying, “Reality shows seem to consistently do really well in prisons.”
“Oh, yeah,” Gage agreed before adding, “We never missed an episode. It was absolutely riveting watching you break heart after heart on that show. You were brutal, man.”
“Most of it was creative editing,” Oliver defended himself.
“Well, it looks like things worked out for you in the end.” Gage gave beautiful Violet a warm smile, which made Oliver nod his head in agreement before pulling the redhead closer by his side.
I almost couldn’t believe that big, strong, and brave Gage was fangirling over a reality television star. My fiancé was truly full of surprises.
“We’ll see you later at the lobster boil?” Violet asked us as they turned to leave.
“Absolutely! Avery can’t wait to chow down on some delicious lobster, can you, sweetheart?” Gage teased me.
I elbowed him lightly in the gut as I nodded at Violet and Oliver, hoping the duo wouldn’t think we were total weirdos.
Just after the gorgeous couple made their exit, the final boat featuring the author and star of the movie approached. We yelled, clapped, and waved in the direction of my brother, who was flanked by Claire, Josie, and his three kids, and Grant, who had Scout in his lap and Molly standing just behind his chair.
The kids ran excitedly in our direction as soon as the boat docked.
“Did you see us in the boat parade, Aunt Avery?” the younger of my two nieces, Harley, asked me.
“I did! You looked so grown up out there,” I told her enthusiastically.
Not to be outdone by his sister, Jaxson blinked up at Gage and asked, “Did you see me wave at you, Uncle Gage?”
It was the first time any of the kids had called him uncle, and it was obvious by the man’s emotional tone when he answered that it didn’t slip by unnoticed. “I did see you, Buddy. That was easily the best parade I’ve ever seen.”
“Really?” Jaxson asked excitedly.
At Gage’s confirming nod, even my older niece, Hannah, beamed with pride, just before she suggested to her younger siblings, “Let’s go tell Daddy that Uncle Gage said this was the best parade ever!”
The trio raced off to share the good news with their parents.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Gage whispered to me, “I sure did like being called uncle. There’s only one name I can think of that I would enjoy being called even more.”
I had a good idea where this was heading, but I wanted to hear him say it, so I purred, “Oh? What name could possibly be better than uncle?”
He leaned so near me the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention as his voice rumbled, “I want to hear our children call me Dad
dy.”
His words were music to my ears, so I suggested, “Let’s go get started on making that wish a reality right now.”
Gage didn’t hesitate a moment. He grabbed my hand and led me laughing and delighted into our happily-ever-after ending.
--
Violet Markle is one of the few residents of picturesque Brunswick Bay Harbor, who chose to permanently move away. How did she end up with the infamous Heartless Hunk by her side? Read on for a sneak peek of the first two chapters of their page-turning, heartwarming story…
Heartless Hunk Sneak Peek: Chapter 1 - Violet
I couldn’t have heard her correctly. I gawked at my beautiful best friend, Soraya, as my mind attempted to process what my ears were claiming she had said.
“A fling?” I hissed, hoping that no one else in the crowded restaurant would hear our ridiculous conversation.
Soraya blinked back at me before shrugging her shoulders. “Sure. Why not?”
“Because my husband just died a year ago. I’m not ready.” My eyelashes fluttered as I tried to hold back the blasted tears that now erupted on a regular basis. I’d never been much of a crier, so it was beyond frustrating to still not be able to control them after all of these months.
Soraya reached across the table to take my hand in hers. “Violet, it has been a year. I’m not saying you need to fall in love…”
The “pfft” sound that erupted from deep in my belly made Soraya pause. Her expression softened, but not to the point of pity. That was one of the many things I loved about my best friend. She was caring and thoughtful, but she wasn’t soft, and she didn’t put up with any shit from anyone.
Others avoided interacting with me as if devastation was somehow contagious, or they gave me sad, concerned looks that ended up making me feel worse. I couldn’t blame them. No one knew what to say after a tragedy. I didn’t even know what I wanted to hear. Nothing anyone could say or do would bring Dylan back.
Soraya was different. She was there for me in a way that no one else could seem to master. Her steady presence and no-nonsense attitude were the only things that had helped me hold it somewhat together these past several months.
After leaning in, she tossed back the long strands of shiny black hair that had fallen forward. Her mane was tipped in hot pink today, which made me wonder what that meant. She liked to dye her ends to match her mood.
I didn’t have to remain curious for long because she narrowed her eyes at me and said, “We need to find someone for you to have hot, dirty, meaningless sex with.”
My mouth fell open in shock that she would even say such a thing. I reared back and snapped my lips closed before glaring at her and saying, “I guess the pink tips mean that you’ve lost your mind. That’s not me, and you know it.”
“Banging a stranger wouldn’t define you, Violet. It would simply release some of your pent-up frustration and sadness. You could forget for a few minutes that you’re a widow and simply live in the moment and have fun.”
I turned my head and stared out at the bustling activity surrounding us in the restaurant. Fun seemed like a foreign concept to me now. I hadn’t had any of that in my life since before my husband’s death.
Dylan had been my high school sweetheart. Heck, he’d been my middle school sweetheart. Neither of us had ever been with anyone else. It had always been Dylan-and-Vi or Vi-and-Dylan. People didn’t say one of our names without tacking on the other.
He and I had always been confident that we would spend the rest of our lives together. It was meant to be. I just knew it. I had never even considered any other alternatives. But he’d left me alone, and now I had no idea how to carry on without him.
Even though I was aware that it wasn’t his fault, or even his choice, to die, I couldn’t seem to stop blaming him for leaving me. We were supposed to be a team. He was my forever, but now he was gone. And I was lost.
Turning back to face Soraya, I said, “I don’t know how to have fun anymore.”
“It will probably take some time,” she admitted, before adding, “But finding someone to give you a great bang is the perfect way to start.”
She angled her head to the right, presumably to scan the crowd for prospects. Every instinct inside me was screaming that I should run far away, but I forced myself to stay planted in my seat.
“Hmm…” she said, tapping her pointer finger against her glossy, pink lips that perfectly matched the ends of her hair.
When she sucked in an excited breath, I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and wondered what kind of trouble was about ready to saunter in and completely shake up my boring life.
Heartless Hunk Sneak Peek: Chapter 2 - Oliver
I shouldn’t be here––so close to her. But something about her was drawing me in. It was like there were magnets inside us that I simply couldn’t ignore. Too bad she didn’t seem to feel their pull toward each other.
She was so lovely and unique. Quite honestly, I didn’t understand how every male in here wasn’t staring at her, but I was glad they weren’t.
Her deep red hair was like a ring of burning fire haloing her head. It attracted me like a beacon, but I didn’t dare approach her. It wouldn’t be right.
Her expression was clearly distressed as her brows pinched together. My guess was that her bold friend was trying to convince her to do something that made her uncomfortable.
When I saw her chin tip up in a classic stubborn gesture, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Perhaps some of the purported fieriness of redheads burned bright within her. I wanted to find out for myself.
Damn, I ached for her to dart those challenging green eyes in my direction. Bickering with her was bound to be exciting, and making up with her would probably knock both of our worlds off kilter––in a good way.
I shook my head in an attempt to clear it. There was no reason for me to be so consumed by this one woman. A woman that I didn’t even know. She could be bat-shit crazy.
After flagging down the waitress and ordering another beer, I forced my eyes to look up at the flat-screen television hanging high on the wall across from me. Although I wasn’t interested in the football game playing on the screen, I couldn’t keep staring at the redhead. If she caught me, my gawking would most definitely frighten her.
When I heard some raucous female laughter, it was all I could do to keep from turning my head to see if it was her and her friend.
The waitress delivered my fresh beer, so I took a generous swig of it.
The high-pitched, screechy voice behind my shoulder caught my attention as I set my glass back down on the table. “You pig!”
I didn’t want to turn around. Although there were plenty of other males in the busy establishment and many of them were probably players, I sensed that she was talking to me. They almost always were.
Sure enough, after I slowly angled my head around to see who was causing the scene, I discovered a tiny, blonde, and angry fireball.
“Ma’am,” I said, tipping my head and trying to diffuse the situation with politeness.
“I can’t believe you!” she yelled. Her volume was loud enough that the people at the tables around us quieted down to get the scoop on what was happening.
“Would you like to have a seat?” I offered her the empty chair opposite me, hoping that sitting down would help calm her and keep her voice from echoing around the room.
“No, I will not sit down with you! You… You… You…”
I waited for it, knowing exactly what was coming next––even if it took her a minute to come up with it.
“Heartless bastard,” she finally finished.
“Oh, bastard… That’s a new one,” I mumbled as I turned away from the crazy woman and looked back up at the televised game. I had learned from experience that fighting back did nothing to help diffuse these types of situations.
Although my eyes longed to look in the redhead’s direction, I didn’t dare to glance at her for fear that she would be gaping at me.
Not willi
ng to be so easily dismissed, the tiny spitfire marched right up beside my chair. Poking her pointer finger into my chest, she said, “What they’re saying about you online is all absolutely true. You are a womanizing jerk. Your shirt should have a big, red warning label on it that tells all women to stay far away.”
“You’re taking care of that notification for everyone right now, aren’t you?” I asked her, hoping that her outburst hadn’t yet caught the attention of the redhead and her companion.
“I sure am,” she seethed as if I had personally affronted her, even though I had never met her… that I remembered.
Whirling around to face the room at large, the she-devil yelled, “Did you hear that, ladies? This man right here is the heartless hunk. Stay away from him––far away.”
She accentuated her rant by picking up my nearly-full, very cold beer and tossing it at me before flouncing away.
The shock of the chilly liquid had me standing up and trying to swipe it away with my cloth napkin. Once I realized it was a bigger job than the napkin could possibly handle, I put my head down and bolted for the men’s room.
On my way, I couldn’t keep from glancing at her table. Sure enough, the redhead and her dark-haired companion were both gawking at me––obviously having heard the entire exchange.
Dammit. Now my chances of winning over the woman of my dreams were less than zero.
--
Violet and Oliver’s lives are destined to intertwine. Will they be able to embrace love and help each other heal, or will the truth destroy them? Find out now in Heartless Hunk.
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I won’t let Charlotte die. I can’t. She means everything to me.
She needs me to stay calm and talk her through landing the plane.
We can’t let her find out this is my first time doing this, too.
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