Excerpt from Unattainable
Excerpt from…
Unattainable
Game of Love Series, Book 3
Bree
I set my bags on the backseat before closing the door and sliding into the driver’s seat.
Then I laid my head against the headrest and sighed.
An almost two-hour meeting led to only three decisions being made. That was the downside of design and especially designing a new home because the choices were endless. When my cousins Ben and Jake approached me last year to stage some of their new builds so potential buyers could see the possibilities, I quickly agreed. That was easy. All the decisions were mine to make. Then it trickled into designing with homeowners who had already contracted my cousins to build their homes and that’s when I began rethinking my decision.
I loved designing but before I started working with Ben and Jake most of the homeowners I’d worked with had existing homes and the limitations that came with them. They also had financial limitations which helped minimize the selections they could make. Most of my new clients didn’t seem to have those limitations and they changed their minds frequently.
Sitting up, I pushed the button to start my vehicle and pulled out of the driveway. Glancing at the time on the dashboard, I saw I had about a half an hour before I needed to meet with my assistant Jane, who handled events for me. Knowing she’d appreciate a coffee as much as me, I headed toward the local coffee shop, Joe’s, my mouth already watering with anticipation of that first sip. Lucky for me, I wouldn’t have to wait long. Living in a small town had its drawbacks, but its benefit was that I could get anywhere in about fifteen minutes and for someone short on patience, it was mandatory.
I loved New Hope, loved the people which wasn’t hard considering I was related to most of them, and I loved the vibe. We had great shopping but even if I wanted something not available in New Hope, I could be in neighboring cities in no time. I’d only left home one time, and it was to attend college, but it never occurred to me to live anywhere else. My plan had always been to come home after I graduated and find a way to do what I loved close to all the people I loved.
And I was doing it.
Pulling against the curb in front of Joe’s, I turned off the engine and threw open my door. Finding a parking spot in front of the coffee shop, no matter the time of day, was a challenge so maybe my day was looking up.
I walked in and smiled at Maddie, one of the owners and a good friend of mine. She looked at the clock on the wall and laughed. “Rough morning?”
I smirked. “How’d you know?”
“Eleven a.m. isn’t a normal time for you to stop.”
“That’s true.” I agreed.
She grabbed a cup. “You want the regular?”
“Yes, and Jane’s regular too please. I’m on my way to meet with her.”
“Coming right up.”
Nodding, I smiled and turned to face the room, the smile sliding from my lips immediately when I recognized the man staring at me from the back booth.
Hawk.
That was his road name with the Black Widows motorcycle club, which was one of two clubs on the outskirts of our town. From everything I knew they were bad news and nothing like the Sinners club who’d spent years being an ally to everyone in our community.
Road names were common in the clubs, every friend I had in the Sinners club had one, but I knew some of their real names because I’d gotten close to them or their wives and girlfriends over the years. I had no idea what his real name was, and I had no plans to ask. I'd been hoping that he would go back to wherever he came from and soon.
He pushed to stand, grabbed his coffee and started toward me. I tried really hard not to admire him but the woman in me didn’t seem to care that he was annoying. He was tall, dark and handsome, but not in a pretty-boy way. I would never describe him in that way. He was too rough to be considered polished, but there still wasn’t a woman I knew who didn’t think he was attractive. What really put him in his own league was the way he carried himself, and the way his eyes stayed locked on me as if I was the only person in the room. This was the third time I’d been around him and every time he behaved the same way. I appreciated someone who knew what they wanted and were confident enough to go after it, but he was all that and wrapped in a very nice package.
We first met at this very coffee shop when my cousin introduced us. For a moment, I thought Hawk and I could spend some time together, maybe have a little fun because that was all I was interested in. I wasn’t looking for long term and he didn’t exactly put off the vibe that he was a guy who would settle down with one woman.
But then he opened his mouth and ruined everything.
He stopped in front of me wearing that same stupid grin he always seemed to have when he saw me. “Bree.”
“Hawk.” I replied icily.
His eyes traveled over me before meeting my eyes again and I ignored the shiver that rolled over me. I hated that my body didn’t agree with my mind on our feelings about Hawk.
I gestured toward him. “You’re still in town.”
“Yeah,” his eyes never left mine while he spoke. “Have a lot of cleaning up to do.”
“So I’ve heard.” I acknowledged. “Why don’t you just move the Black Widows out of our town altogether?”
He smirked. “Couldn’t see you if I did that.”
“Wouldn’t that be a shame.” I replied with as much snark as I could manage.
I was normally a friendly person, and even though I didn't like him the southern hospitality my mom instilled in me was always clawing me back from being as mean as I wanted to be to him.
“You ever gonna let me off the hook for what I said about your sister?”
“No.” I answered immediately.
“It wasn’t a dig.” He tried to explain. “Just an observation.”
“You implied that her looks got her the job on my cousins construction crew.” I narrowed my eyes. “As if her skills weren’t enough.”
“That’s not what I said or meant.” When I opened my mouth, he held up his hand. “All I meant was that you’re beautiful and considering she’s your twin, I could only assume she was too. It wasn’t a dig about her skills. It was a compliment.”
I snorted. “I'm not surprised you think that.”
“Here you go Bree.”
Turning quickly, I smiled at Maddie who was watching us with a small grin. I ignored that and paid for my coffees. “Thank you.”
I turned back around ready to walk past Hawk without another word but saw that he was already heading for the door. He pushed it open and gestured for me to go before him. That was annoyingly polite.
“Thank you.” I muttered hearing my mother’s voice in the back of my mind reminding me to be gracious.
I breezed past him and straight to my car when I felt his hand wrap gently around my arm. I refused to look up at him and closed my eyes when he leaned down and whispered in my ear. “See you soon.”
My eyes flew open, and my head snapped up. “What are you talking about? Why will you see me soon?”
He squeezed my arm before dropping his hand. He started to walk away but I called out to him. “Hawk! What the hell are you talking about?”
He looked back over his shoulder. “Just have a feeling we’ll be spending time together.”
I stared at his back, my eyes wide, while he strolled to his motorcycle parked along the curb.
A shiver rolled through me at what could only be described as a warning.
Or maybe a promise.
Either way, it was obvious Hawk wasn’t leaving New Hope any time soon.