by Lucy Gage
Table of Contents
Coming Home
Fortune
The Meeting
Love Square: The Remix
Mahalo
Big Mistake
A Gift from Fate
Going Down
The Naughty List
Naughty St. Nick
Table of contents
Coming Home
Fortune
The Meeting
Love Square: The Remix
Mahalo
Big Mistake
A Gift from Fate
Going Down
The Naughty List
Naughty St. Nick
Coming Home
Copyright © 2017 by E.M. Abel
All rights reserved.
Visit my website at https://emabelbooks.com
Editor: Jovana Shirley, Unforeseen Editing, www.unforeseenediting.com
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
My forehead landed with a thud against my steering wheel as heavy rain pelted the roof of my brand-new Accord. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my frantic heartbeat and the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. I’d been back in my hometown for exactly five minutes before an idiot ran me off the road and into a ditch.
Welcome home, Sam.
I should’ve known something like this would happen. Larkson, Tennessee, had been hell on earth five years ago, and apparently, not much had changed. If my little sister hadn’t begged me to come spend the holidays with her, I’d probably never have returned. Ever. I’d fled this place the day after I graduated from high school with every intention of staying away, and now, I was stuck.
Lifting my head, I looked up and down the street for any sign of life or possible help but found none.
Figures.
It was freezing outside and pouring down rain. Even if someone drove by, they weren’t going to stop. Groaning, I found my winter coat in the backseat and put it on. I lifted the hood up over my head and pulled the zipper all the way up to my chin.
It’s time to woman up and handle this shit on my own. Won’t be the first time.
I sucked in a breath and prepared for the cold before swinging my door open. The ditch water was rising quickly, and I cursed as I stepped into it, soaking my expensive boots.
That’s what I get for trying to look cute.
Luckily, I didn’t see any serious damage to my car. I just needed to get it out of the ditch before water started to flood the inside. A cold gust of wind penetrated my jacket, and I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself.
It was times like these that made me miss my ex. He might’ve been a selfish, cheating bastard, but he was good at handling mindless man shit like this. I shook my head and mentally berated myself for even thinking about him. I’d promised myself I’d move on, and that was exactly what I planned to do.
Focus, Sam. You don’t need a man to save you. You just need a tow truck. Call a tow truck.
My cold hand slipped into my jacket pocket and found my phone. The battery was at twenty percent, and there was a weak connection, but it should be just enough.
A tow truck pulled up about twenty minutes later, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The water was dangerously close to getting inside my car. Climbing out of the driver’s seat, I waved to the driver and watched as he pulled his truck around, backing it up toward my front bumper. He climbed out of the cab, his face hidden by the black hood over his head. I only caught sight of his brown beard. He went straight to work, hooking my car up, as I got my stuff out of the backseat.
“Hey. Thanks for the help. You got here just in time.”
He turned his head to look at me over his shoulder, and his green gaze froze me on the spot.
Dominic?
I hadn’t seen him since my junior year in high school, but I’d recognize those eyes anywhere.
“You can go sit in the cab to stay dry. I’ll be done soon.”
I swallowed and nodded my head, trying to hide the recognition on my face.
He doesn’t remember me.
Pulling the strap of my purse onto my shoulder, I looked down at my tight jeans and knee-high leather boots as I made my way toward his truck. I’d changed a lot since high school. I guessed it made sense that he didn’t recognize me. I wore clothes that fit me now. I wore colors other than black, and I didn’t have that metal dog chain around my neck that I used to wear religiously just to piss my stepmom off. I grinned and laughed to myself as I remembered some of the things I used to wear.
After opening the passenger door, I stepped up and climbed into the cab of the tow truck, pulling my bag in with me. It smelled like mint and motor oil. I closed the door behind me and held my hands in front of the vents on the dash as they pumped out warm air. My body was finally starting to relax.
My eyes swept through the cab of the truck, noticing the pack of spearmint gum and black gloves in the small dashboard compartment. I found myself searching for clues into Dominic’s life—photographs, food wrappers, anything that might reveal things about him. He’d always been so mysterious and rarely spoken to anyone. The more I thought about it, I began to realize it was entirely possible that he knew exactly who I was. He just didn’t feel a need to say anything. I thought I had been one of his only friends in school, and he’d spoken maybe five sentences to me in the entire year we were Chemistry partners.
The driver’s door swung open, startling me, and I quickly looked out my window, pretending to watch the rain. The truck shifted as Dominic maneuvered his large body onto the bench seat, and he closed the door behind him. He pulled off his hood, revealing a head of shaggy brown hair. The scent of mint and motor oil intensified, and I found myself inhaling deeply.
“Buckled up?” he asked, his green eyes cutting over to mine as he adjusted himself in the seat.
I nodded, my tongue feeling heavy in my mouth. He was at least six foot four and well over two hundred pounds. Dominic definitely wasn’t a teenager anymore, and from what I could see, he’d grown into quite a man. His hands looked big and rough, his shoulders were wide, and his voice was deeper than I remembered. His eyes were still the same though—piercing, unnerving, and beautiful. If I hadn’t spent so much time feeling sorry for myself in high school, I probably would’ve had a serious crush on him.
“You’ve got a flat tire,” he said as he pulled the truck onto the road.
I tried to look at my car through the side mirror. “I do? Which one?”
“Front passenger side. I can replace it, but I don’t have that size at the shop. You’d have to wait until tomorrow.”
“But tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
He shrugged. “Doesn’t make much difference to me.”
I bit my bottom lip. Why? Don’t you celebrate Christmas? Will you be alone? Are you single? My brain filled with all sorts of questions, none of which I was brave enough to actually as
k.
“Okay.”
“Where should I drop you?”
“Oh. Um…my dad’s house. It’s over on—”
“I know where it is.”
My eyebrows lifted. “You do?”
He glanced at me, and his lips curled slightly on one side.
Is that a grin?
“Did you think I’d forgotten you that easily, Samantha Whitman?”
I tried to suppress my smile, but it was impossible. Dominic and I had once been cut from the same cloth. We had been the outsiders, the rejects, the misunderstood, and he remembered me. I suddenly didn’t feel so alone.
“It’s been a long time,” I said, watching his profile.
He adjusted his grip on the steering wheel but kept his eyes on the road. “It has.”
How have you been? The question sat on the tip of my tongue, but I refused to speak it. It was too typical, too boring, too…expected. I didn’t like any of those things, and I had a feeling Dominic didn’t either.
Biting my bottom lip, I glanced out at the empty fields around us and tried to find my voice. I’d lost it somewhere over the past year, and it wasn’t easy to get back.
“I thought you might be dead or in prison by now.”
Dominic chuckled, and the sound set off a flutter in my stomach.
“You aren’t the only one.”
“I think this is the most you’ve spoken to me. Ever.”
He glanced at me again. His grass-colored eyes were sharp and then soft before they focused on the road. When he didn’t respond, I winced.
Good job, Sam. I’d ruined the moment.
Too soon, Dominic was pulling his tow truck onto my old street and stopping in front of my dad’s house.
“So…I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”
He lifted his chin.
“Should I give you my number or…”
Jesus, I’m so awkward.
Dominic let go of the steering wheel, and I sucked in a breath as his hand reached toward me. My legs tingled as I anticipated his touch. My heart pounded in my chest, and my eyes bore into the back of his hand, waiting for it to land. A second later, disappointment washed over me when he popped open the glove box and pulled out a pen and paper. My entire chest deflated, and my cheeks heated when I realized how obvious my reaction had been.
“Oh”—I giggled, only embarrassing myself further—“right.” I took the pen and quickly wrote down my name and number. I couldn’t get out of that truck fast enough. “Thanks again for the help.”
I pulled my purse strap onto my shoulder, grabbed my bag, and opened the door, nearly face-planting onto the street as I tried to climb out.
Just kill me now.
I slammed the door behind me and walked as fast as I could toward the house.
It was almost six when I stood at the front door of my old house, wondering if I should knock or not. This place wasn’t my home anymore; it never really had been. Before I could make a decision, my little sister, Jamie, swung the door open and tackled me with a bear hug. I vaguely registered the sound of Dominic’s truck accelerating down the street.
“Thank God! I thought you might’ve changed your mind.” Jamie smelled like weed and sugar cookies. Pulling away, she looked me up and down and then glanced at the empty driveway behind me. “Where’s your car?”
“Being towed to a shop.”
“Why?”
“Some douche bag ran me off the road and into a ditch. And, now, it has a flat tire. Surprise, surprise. Tennessee still loves me!”
“That blows.” She grabbed my hand and yanked me through the threshold. “Come on.”
Jamie was in her second year at the University of Tennessee. As much as she hated it, our dad was paying her tuition, and he required her to be home on all the major holidays. It wasn’t because he wanted to see her and spend time with her. It just looked better at the company Christmas parties. I hadn’t gone to college just so I could avoid the very situation Jamie was in.
“Where is everyone?” I asked as my eyes scanned the family portraits on the walls.
I was in only one, and I wasn’t smiling. My stepmother hated that picture, but my dad had insisted she still put it up. She’d hung it beside the bathroom at the end of the hallway.
“The Inas are shopping.” Jamie rolled her eyes. “Dad is working.”
We’d been calling our stepmother and stepsister The Inas since we first met them. Their names were Regina and Sabrina. I could remember the way we’d snickered when our dad first introduced us. We hadn’t meant to, but it was hard to take a gold-digging woman and her spoiled rotten daughter seriously. We were still struggling with that.
I followed Jamie into her old room and fell backward onto the bed.
“Jesus, how much weed did you smoke in here?” I asked, scrunching up my nose.
“Not nearly enough.” She sat on the floor and leaned back on her hands, assessing me. “So, how have you been? Is he still calling you?” She was referring to my ex who liked to harass me from time to time.
“Only when he’s horny. Or broke.”
She shook her head. “Fucking loser.”
“And what about you? Still single?”
“Yes, and I intend to stay that way. I like my freedom, and college guys are stupid anyway.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you, we’re meeting everyone for dinner at seven.”
“Who is everyone?”
“The Inas, Dad, and Sabrina’s fiancé, Noah.”
“Ugh,” I groaned. “This day just keeps getting better.”
Dinner with my dysfunctional family. I couldn’t think of a worse way to spend my night.
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, applying one last coat of mascara to my lashes, when there was a soft knock at the door.
Jamie cautiously pushed it open. “You doing okay?”
I glanced at her over my shoulder before confronting my reflection in the mirror. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
I’d lived through worse.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about dinner. I know you hate this place more than anyone, but I’ve missed you. I really appreciate you coming here for me.”
I met my sister’s blue eyes in the mirror. She looked just like our mom. That was probably why I could never stay mad at her for too long.
“It’s okay. I’ve missed you, too.”
“So, Samantha, your sister tells me, you’re single again,” my evil stepmother said as she shared a sidelong glance with her daughter.
I’m going to kill Jamie. I can’t believe I let her drag me back to this godforsaken town.
I drank my entire glass of wine in one go as everyone at the table watched, save my father. He was too busy, reading the menu.
“Oh, don’t worry about it too much, dear. You’re still young. And, besides, not everyone is meant to be married,” she said with a malicious gleam in her eye.
I locked eyes with Noah long enough to see him grin before I glared at my stepmother. He clearly fit right in with the family’s dynamic. He was a smug asshole.
“I’m not worried, and the last time I checked, you never wasted any energy on worrying about me, so why pretend to bother now?”
“Samantha,” my father muttered, lifting his eyebrow in a way that was supposed to be intimidating. It was the first word he’d said to me all night.
Fuck off. I slipped my hands under the table and flicked them all off, biting down so hard on my tongue, I tasted blood.
“Samantha is an entrepreneur. She’s an independent woman who doesn’t need a man to support her. That’s more than either of you can say,” Jamie said to the Inas in my defense.
She winked at me as huffs sounded from across the table. Noah wasn’t grinning anymore. He was an idiot if he thought Sabrina wanted him for anything other than his money. She was her mother’s daughter after all.
“That’s en
ough,” our father said, finally putting his menu down. “Can we try to have a civil meal together?”
Regina lowered her gaze in mock shame. “Your father is right. We’re a family. We should try to act like one. Besides, this is Noah’s first holiday with us. We should stop being so rude.”
She looked down the table toward Noah, and I waved for the waiter to refill my glass.
Sabrina batted her eyelashes at him and giggled when he smiled. I wanted to stab them both with my fork.
“How are things in the auto industry, Noah?” my dad asked.
It was the first interest he’d shown in anyone all night, and of course, it wasn’t aimed at any of his children. We were disappointments.
Noah cleared his throat. “Things are going quite well. My father plans to retire within five years, and by then, I’ll be ready to take over the dealership.”
My dad nodded approvingly. “I might need to stop by soon. Regina could use an upgrade.”
An upgrade for her 2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class? God forbid she own a car more than two years old.
“I could use a car, too,” Jamie said, taking a sip from her own wine glass. She was only twenty, but patrons of this restaurant never got carded.
“Get a job,” our dad replied without missing a beat.
“Or a husband,” I muttered, perusing the list of food in front of me. “Apparently, that’s just as effective and way easier. Right, Regina?”
I lowered the leather-bound menu just enough to give her my fakest sweet smile. If looks could kill, I would’ve been halfway in the ground.
“Are you all ready to order?” Our waiter must have sensed the tension at the table because he cleared his throat and took a step back. “I can give you a few more minutes—”
My father stopped him. “No, we’re ready. Let’s get this over with.”
“Well, that was a fantastic meal,” Jamie said as we climbed into the back of an Uber.
We refused to go back home with those crazy people we called our family—at least, not until we had some time alone with each other.