Recovering Beauty: The Kane Brothers Book Two

by Gina Azzi

  If I don't do everything I can to savor my new beginning.

  I jog to the front door and push outside. "Taylor!"

  She looks up, her face brightening when she sees me.

  "I'll get the groceries, babe," I tell her, walking down the steps and toward her parking spot. "Hi." I brush her lips against mine, reaching past her to grab a few bags.

  "Hey." She kisses me back.

  My fingers release the plastic bags and leave the groceries in the back seat of her SUV as I turn her in my arms. She wiggles against me playfully as I press her back into the SUV and kiss her, deeply and passionately.

  Letting her know without words that the cherishing part is an everyday thing.

  "I can't believe you're not going to be here for Thanksgiving," Daisy whines, pouting at me.

  "I know, Dais, I'm sorry. But Taylor's family—"

  "Goes to St. Maarten. I know. And you'd be an idiot to pass up on a trip like that." She kicks her feet up on the coffee table, her pink socks glaring at me along with her stink-eye.

  "I'm paying my own way," I remind her, a little defensive of the fact that everyone, even my sister apparently, think that because I'm now with Taylor, my life has become a breeze financially.

  With the craziness of the past few months, Taylor didn’t want to break her family’s tradition of spending Thanksgiving in St. Maarten so we decided to surprise her parents with a trip.

  She waves her hand dismissively. "I know. I didn't mean it like that."

  I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Are you going to be okay without me here?"

  She nods. "Of course. I mean, it's not like we always spent the holiday together or anything. Last year, I was in…" She pauses, her eyes taking on a gleam of excitement.

  "What?"

  "I was in St. Barth's with Sierra and her family."

  "I remember."

  "I'm going to invite her for Thanksgiving," Daisy exclaims, jumping up from her seat and throwing her arms around me in a hug. "Thanks Carter!"

  Shaking my head, I hug her back before she darts away to call her best friend. Glad that's settled. Sitting on the living room couch, looking around, it's weird to think I don't live here anymore. That somehow, finally, I managed to grow up and become an adult, of sorts. I'm now in a committed, monogamous relationship with a woman I cherish. In the spring, I'll be the head coach of Xavier High's baseball team. And I live in a kick-ass townhouse that doesn't include my siblings.

  I chuckle at the thought. Even though I grumble about them, man, I miss them. More than they'd ever guess. At least this year, we have Christmas to look forward to.

  A Kane family reunion.

  * * *

  <<<<>>>>

  Thank You!

  Thank you so much for reading Taylor and Carter’s story. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Please show Recovering Beauty some love and consider leaving a review!

  Reclaiming Brave

  Coming October 29

  It was supposed to be one night. A crazy, ridiculous, fun night. But then it became so much more. Too much more.

  * * *

  Sierra:

  He’s too serious. The first time I meet him, messy man-bun, dark eyes that verge on black, and colorful ink running up the lengths of his arms, I want to make him smile. Laugh. Trade a bit of his severity for a spark of mischief. What’s the harm in that? But the more he lets me in, the more I don’t want to pull away. Even if it costs me my future. Even if it costs me my family. I want to be brave enough to fight for him.

  * * *

  Denver:

  She’s off-limits. My little sister’s best friend. She’s colorful and passionate and walks around with a naïve idealism that grates on my nerves. Except with her, I want to get lost and believe in bright lights and new beginnings. And I’m not cut out for it. Not anymore. But I can’t walk away from her and the crazy thing is, I don’t want to.

  Chapter One

  “Ring. Ring.”

  Pause.

  “Ring. Ring.”

  “Hello?”

  “Denver.”

  “Sierra?”

  Pause.

  “Yeah. So listen, I know you’re like, living your best life in Georgia, but I’m pregnant.”

  Rescuing Broken

  Have you missed Book One in The Kane Brother’s Series? Meet Evie and Jax in Rescuing Broken.

  Chapter One

  “I’m hurrying,” I grumble to my ringing cell phone as I dash into my townhouse, kicking the door shut behind me. Turning around, I flip the locks and reach into my purse, searching for my cell. Of course, my fingers connect with the phone just as the ringing ceases.

  “Shit.” I already know I’m going to be late. I should probably cancel. I don’t even feel like going out tonight.

  The shrill ringing cuts the air again and I sigh. Dropping my purse on the console in the hallway, I head into my living room, collapsing onto the couch.

  “Jenny,” I answer, curling my feet up below me and resting my head back on the cushions. My eyes shut. “I’m not sure about tonight. I’m really not up for it and I’ve—”

  “Save it. I don’t care. You’re coming. Miranda and I haven’t seen you in forever, and I really need a night out. You owe me.”

  I smile in response to her tenacity, but refuse to give in that easily. “I don’t know. It’s been a really long—”

  “Day, week, month for all of us, which is why we need to grab a drink. I know you’re probably pouting on your couch at the moment, trying to think of an excuse to ditch us again, but I’m not having it. Get your butt up, hop in the shower, pull on a pair of jeans and a sexy halter, and maybe, just maybe, if you cut the resting bitch face and smile a little, you’ll even get laid tonight.”

  I manage to choke out a chuckle while a shudder runs down my spine, my eyes snapping open. “With a guy I meet at Raf’s? Come on. We’re lucky we don’t contract STDs just from entering the place.”

  Jenny laughs, a girlish giggle she’s had since high school. “Or needing a Tetanus shot from the hazardous bar.”

  I join in her laughter now, forcing myself to stand up. “Fine. I’ll meet you girls there in an hour.”

  “We’ll be sitting at the bar.”

  “Duh.”

  “There will be a Cosmo with your name on it so don’t be late.”

  “No. Lenny makes the worst Cosmos ever. Just order a whisky sour or a gin and tonic, or something he can’t mess up.”

  “A shot then. He should be able to handle that.”

  “See you there.” Ending the call, I walk into my bathroom and toss my cell on the vanity.

  Pinning up my hair since I know I won’t have enough time to dry it, I take a quick shower and towel off in front of the mirror. Taking a moment to study myself, I note how my shoulders curve inward, as if they’re trying to kiss. I can count my ribs, my boobs are nonexistent, and my arms hang awkwardly at my sides. Dark smudges from too many sleepless nights glare from underneath my eyes, exaggerated by the paleness of my skin. I look sallow, dejected, and exhausted.

  I look like me.

  Fifty-four minutes after confirming I am, in fact, the most undesirable human on the planet, I slide onto a bar stool at Raf’s Bar and Grill and hesitantly accept the shot of tequila and lime chaser Miranda pushes in front of me.

  “You look like shit,” she greets me matter-of-factly as Jenny comes up to stand beside me, throwing an arm around my shoulders in a half-hug.

  “Bad day?” Jenny asks gently.

  I wave to a girl I used to work with who is sitting across the bar at a high-top table. She left Morris last year to go to graduate school and do something with her life.

  Turning toward my friends, I smile it off. “Nah, just the usual run-in with a couple of tough guys at work. Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “The same guys that have been giving you trouble?” A frown twists Jenny’s lips as she peers down at me.

  I shrug.

&nbs
p; “That’s bullshit.” Miranda shakes her head. “You work at a physical therapy center for the goddamn military. You think they’d be able to control their own with all their talk of discipline and service and blah, blah, blah.”

  “It’s not that simple,” I say, my voice quiet. I focus on my hands.

  “It is,” Miranda counters, nodding as if to agree with herself. “You need to tell someone, Evie. Tell your boss or superior or commanding lieutenant or whatever the guy is called. Tell him you’re being harassed. We saw it that day in the parking lot. They were awful!”

  “Miranda’s right.” Jenny squeezes my shoulder. “We’re just worried about you. You’ve been avoiding us.”

  “I’ve been busy.”

  Miranda’s eyes widen.

  “I have been.” I sit straighter on the bar stool, defensive to the core. I wish they never saw what happened in the parking lot two weeks ago.

  “I know,” Jenny soothes. “We just miss you and want you to be happy, Evie. That’s all. You need to tell someone about what’s been going on. It isn’t right.”

  “I know. Thank you, guys. Look, I just, tonight, I just want to catch up with my best girlfriends and relax and have a good time, okay?” I gesture toward Lenny, who is walking toward us, a tray of shot glasses and mixed drinks balanced on his open palm. “Look, Lenny’s bringing more shots.”

  Miranda’s eyes brighten as Jenny nods. “Absolutely. We can definitely do that.”

  “Thank God.” I smile at Lenny, accepting the gin and tonic he hands me and passing my shot glass off to Miranda.

  “You’re not going to have this?”

  “It’s all you, girl.” I raise my gin and tonic in her direction. “Cheers, ladies!”

  “To forgetting all the stupid things I do tonight.” Jenny raises her shot.

  “And forgetting whoever I do stupid things with,” Miranda adds, a snort of laughter erupting from her nose as she clinks her shot against Jenny’s.

  I laugh along with them, taking a small sip of my G and T.

  I wish it were that easy to forget.

  I wish I could throw back a shot, dance in a crowd, and give myself just one moment to turn off my mind. Enjoy a night out with my girlfriends.

  I wish a lot of things.

  “I love this song,” Jenny squeals, pulling Miranda off her barstool and swaying with her just to the left of where I sit.

  “Dance with us.” Miranda tries to pull my hand, but I shake my head, taking another tentative sip of my drink.

  “I’m good. You girls are crazy.” I sing along with the lyrics, trying to get into the good time mood. Trying.

  “How’ve you been, Evie?” Lenny asks from across the bar, a welcome distraction from trying to fake having a good time with my friends.

  “Same old, Lenny. What’s going on by you?”

  “Not too much. Kep’s giving me more hours here, which is really helping. I’m hoping in another month or two, I’ll be able to quit my job at the mini-mart and bartend here full time.”

  “No kidding? That’s great, Len.”

  “I know. Then I can enroll back in school. I’ve only got one semester left ’til my BA, you know?”

  I nod. I do know. I know because Lenny has always been focused on the future, even in high school. Even when things didn’t work out the way he planned after graduation, he remained determined to get his college degree, to do more with his life than anyone else in his family.

  I offer a smile because I’m proud of him, even as the reminder that I’ve yet to finish my own degree flashes through my mind. Taking courses on and off, in-person and online, has stretched my typical four-year degree into nearly eight years. If I take summer courses, I can complete my B.A. by July but then what? I’m studying Psychology. Who the hell would want me rooting around in their head?

  Coming from a long line of accomplished, successful, determined soldiers, my family is all military. And I’m all sorts of disappointment.

  “I hope it works out, Len.”

  “Thanks, Evie. You need anything?”

  “Just water when you get a chance.”

  “You got it.” He pulls a glass out from underneath the bar and fills it with water, setting it in front of me.

  Once he’s called away from the opposite side of the bar, I shift my focus back to my friends. Grinding against each other, giggling, throwing back their heads, they attract the attention of nearly every guy in Raf’s.

  I nurse my water and check my watch.

  How long do I have to stay until it’s acceptable to slip away? Closing my eyes, I think of my comfortable couch, the soft sleep pants I wear at night, and the oversized mug I like to drink my tea from.

  Gah!

  One night out won’t kill me.

  Plastering a bright smile on my face, I bop my head in beat with the music. I can do this. I’ll be fine.

  Acknowledgments

  A million thank you’s for reading Recovering Beauty and meeting Taylor and Carter! I hope you enjoyed their love story.

  As with all books, this would not have been possible without some incredible people.

  To my husband and Littles - thank you for being my Home Team. Tony, I couldn’t balance it all without you - thank you for all of your encouragement and support. And for all the amazing dinners you cook for our family!

  To my family and friends who always show me love and support in all aspects of my life, writing included, THANK YOU!

  To Regina Wamba at Mae I Design - Thank you for making Taylor and Carter come to life on a cover I adore!

  To Rebecca Jaycox - Your edits always make me think! Thank you for challenging me - and supporting me through the re-writes. And more re-writes! You’re the best!

  To Patrick Hodges - Thank you for your incredible attention to detail and for catching ALL my typos and grammar mistakes. Your input is always necessary - and so very much appreciated!

  To all the Bloggers, members of my ARC Team, and author friends (especially YAAR and the OP) - thank you for all of the advice, insight, and support. You guys are truly amazing!

  To you, the reader, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this journey with me and giving my characters a home on your bookshelves.

  Happy Reading!

  Gina

  More Books by Gina Azzi

  Corner of Ocean and Bay

  * * *

  The Senior Semester Series:

  The Last First Game (Lila’s Story )

  Kiss Me Goodnight in Rome (Mia’s Story )

  All the While (Maura’s Story)

  Me + You (Emma’s Story)

  The Senior Semester Series Box Set (All 4 Books)

  * * *

  The Kane Brothers Series:

  Rescuing Broken (Jax’s Story)

  Recovering Beauty (Carter’s Story)

  Reclaiming Brave (Denver’s Story) - Coming October 29

  About the Author

  Gina Azzi loved every moment of college – especially her study abroad experiences, internships, and travel adventures. She draws from these experiences to create the storylines for her new adult and contemporary romance books.

  A passionate reader, frequent globetrotter, and aspiring baker, Gina resides in Canada with her family. Her new series, the Kane Brothers, releases in 2018.

  * * *

  For more information, connect with Gina at:

  * * *

  Email: ginaazziauthor@gmail.com

  Twitter: @gina_azzi

  Instagram: @gina_azzi

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ginaazziauthor

  Website: www.ginaazzi.com

  * * *

  Or subscribe to her newsletter to receive book updates, bonus content, and more!

 

 

 
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