by Marie Harte
Champagne and Bullets
Almost fourteen years ago, Sebastian Gibbs left Amanda Rosemont at the altar just days before the wedding. He told her it was because he wanted to serve his country after 9/11. It was the truth but only part of the story.
Amanda has rebuilt her life since Seb left and has done a pretty damn good job of it. Great friends, her own business, and a peaceful life. She hardly ever thinks about Seb anymore. She’s completely over the hurt and devastation.
Hired by Seb’s mother to plan a party for him, Amanda is thrown back into his life. She’s determined to keep her distance but just seeing him again shakes her to the core. How will she ever be able to hold herself together for this job?
Seb never stopped loving Amanda. He’d walked out thinking he was doing the right thing. But one look at her and he knows there isn’t anything he won’t do to win her back. But the first thing he must do is tell her the real truth of why he left.
About The Author
Olivia Jaymes is a wife, mother, lover of sexy romance, and caffeine addict. She lives with her husband and son in central Florida and spends her days with handsome alpha males and spunky heroines.
She is currently working on a series of full-length novels called The Cowboy Justice Association. A contemporary western erotic romance series about eight lawmen in southern Montana who work to keep the peace but can’t seem to find it in their own lives.
CHAMPAGNE AND BULLETS
Copyright © 2014 by Olivia Jaymes
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
Chapter One
‡
SEBASTIAN GIBBS HAD never been able to convince his mother of anything. Not when he was five and wanted to keep the dog that had wandered into their yard. Not later when he was ten and wanted to raise exotic spiders and snakes. Not even when he was seventeen and was trying to get her to believe that he hadn’t thrown a beer bash while she and his father were out of town one weekend.
Lucinda Eleanor Montgomery Gibbs was very much like all her forebears in the Montgomery dynasty. Relentless. When she wanted something to be a certain way she made sure it happened. End of story. Today she wanted her Seb to do the very last thing in the world he wanted to do.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Mother.”
Seb cradled the phone between his cheek and shoulder and leaned back in the soft leather chair, propping his feet up on the dark oak desk and rubbing at the ache in his thigh. After being shot in the leg several years ago in Kabul, he could predict the weather by how much it hurt. It was going to storm like a son of a bitch by all indications, but then it was summer in Florida and that was pretty much a daily occurrence.
He needed to get this call over with so he could resume the tedious but necessary job of setting up his new office. As it stood at the moment, the room was overflowing with boxes and the walls bare. At his uncle’s uptown law firm there would have been an assistant to take care of this. But Seb had no desire to join that firm or be that variety of attorney.
“From the time you were a little boy you haven’t liked anyone’s ideas but your own. I’m asking you for a favor, Seb, and you haven’t given me one good reason not to do it.”
Reining in his frustration, he reminded himself that his mother wasn’t aware of his feelings regarding this particular favor. In fact, he’d taken great pains to make sure no one was aware of them, except Dane and Christian, of course.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea for me to see Amanda. There’s a lot of water under that bridge. I doubt she wants to see me as well. We didn’t part on the best of terms.”
That really wasn’t the truth. No harsh words had ever been spoken between Seb and Amanda, but the silence had been deafening.
“She must have put it all behind her because she’s agreed to take on the job of planning your firm’s opening party. She’s going to stop by your office this afternoon and talk to you about it. You can discuss the case with her while she’s there.”
Seb swung his legs down and sat up straight, every nerve in his body at attention. He must have misheard his mother. It sounded like Amanda was coming to the office to talk to him. Today. They hadn’t spoken in almost thirteen years.
“I don’t want to see Amanda, Mother.” His tone was sharp but he couldn’t let this happen. He’d been able to keep things together all these years by not revisiting the past.
His mother gave him a long-suffering sigh. “I want to throw this party for your new law firm. I’m proud of you. Why are you being so difficult?”
“I am not being difficult.” Seb’s teeth were gnashed together. “I am being realistic. Why is Amanda planning this party anyway?”
“She’s started her own event business. Since the divorce she’s been involved in various charities but wanted to have something of her own. I’m happy to support her efforts.”
As if Amanda Rosemont needed the money. Her family had been walking in tall cotton for several generations. The event planning was probably something to keep her from being a bored socialite. She’d always been full of more energy than she could burn.
“Fine. Why don’t you throw Gerard a birthday party instead? He loves shit like that.”
“Your brother would be more grateful, and watch your language. I’m still your mother. Now I have an appointment, so simply promise me that you will meet with Amanda. She’ll have questions about your preferences for the party and then the two of you can discuss the legal matter she needs help with.” Seb rubbed his forehead where a headache was starting to form. “Are you still there, Seb?”
“I’m here.” Seb loved his mother too much not to give in to what she wanted. Sometimes he wished he could be more like Dane Braxton, one of his two best friends. Dane couldn’t stand his family and rarely spent any time with them. Seb, on the other hand, adored his parents, especially his mother. He’d known all along that he would give her whatever she wanted. He’d only been delaying the inevitable. “Of course I’ll meet with Amanda if that’s what you need me to do.”
“Thank you.” Lucinda Gibbs’ voice didn’t sound so much triumphant as pleased and loving. She had no idea what this seemingly innocuous meeting was going to cost him.
Not in dollars, but in peace of mind.
Seb chatted with his mother for a few more minutes before hanging up. Tossing the cell phone down on the desk, he stood to look out the office windows. There wasn’t much to see except for the cheesy man-made lake in the business complex where they’d rented space. The dream of opening this law firm had been thirteen years in the making but it was finally happening.
“I’m running out for some lunch. If you want something, now is the time to place your order.”
Christian Rhodes, the third partner and other best friend, stood in the doorway with a grin, his car keys dangling from his fingers.
Seb cleared his throat but couldn’t clear the picture of Amanda that had taken up residence in his brain. Had she changed much? Was her blonde hair still as shiny and golden? Did her light blue eyes still sparkle with life and mischief? “I could eat. Where are you headed?”
“I was going to grab some takeout from the sports bar down the road.” Chris tilted his head as he surveyed Seb. “But I could be persuaded to eat in. Maybe get a beer. You look like you could use one.”
Seb wasn’t one to talk about his feelings, but this was Chris. There were no two people Seb was closer to on this planet than Chris and Dane. They’d grown up together, friends since before kindergarten.
“Amanda is coming here this afternoon.”
Letting the words hang in the air between them, Chris’s eyes grew wide and he shook his head.
“Shit. Let’s make that two beers. I’ll get Dane. What is she coming here for anyway?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Sebastian pointed to his cell. “Mother called. Amanda is planning the party for our opening. She also needs to talk to me about some legal issue from one of the charities she works with. I tried to get out of it but you know what my mom is like.”
Chris nodded in sympathy. “A veritable steamroller. Can you handle this?”
“I can’t avoid Amanda forever, although I’ve been trying to this last year since we moved back. We have too many friends and family in common. This was bound to happen. At least I have a warning.”
Chris looked like he didn’t know what to say, and Seb didn’t know what else to say either. It was a cluster of massive proportions.
“Why does everyone look like they’re headed to a funeral?” Dane appeared in the doorway and slapped Chris on the back. “I thought you were going to get some lunch. I’m starved.”
Seb simply shook his head and leaned against his desk. Poor Dane had no idea what he’d walked into.
Finally Chris spoke. “Amanda is coming here this afternoon to see Seb.”
The smile on Dane’s face disappeared and his shoulders stiffened. “Why?”
“Relax, man. Mother asked her to plan the party for our opening plus listen to some legal issue she’s got. It will be fine.” Seb actually sounded like he believed it.
“She can meet with me.” Dane stuck out his chin as if taking a punch for Seb. “You don’t need to deal with this shit.”
Seb’s friend was overprotective and stubborn as all hell. Heaven help the woman he ended up with.
“It’s time,” Seb said quietly. “I need to face this.”
“We’ll do whatever you want,” Chris assured him. “We can meet with her or you can. It’s up to you.”
“I’ll meet with her but first I really do need that beer. Is the offer still open?” Seb scooped up his phone and keys.
“It is. Let’s go.” Chris led the way, followed by Dane and Seb. He still had some time before Amanda showed up at the office. Before the past came barreling back into the present. It was time to man up and face the only woman he’d ever loved. The only woman he’d never wanted to hurt.
But he had hurt her. Seb wouldn’t blame her if she could never forgive him. He’d known for the last thirteen years his actions had been unforgivable.
No woman could forgive the man that had backed out of their wedding at the last minute.
Chapter Two
‡
AMANDA SHOULDN’T HAVE taken this job. She’d allowed Lucinda Gibbs to talk her into something that could only end in more pain and she’d had enough of that to last her a lifetime.
It had been almost thirteen years since Amanda had seen Seb. She could still remember the day he’d told her he was calling off their impending nuptials. He’d ripped her heart into tiny pieces and simply walked away without a backward glance.
Not long after, he’d left for the Army, clearly done with her and their relationship. No letters. No emails. No phone calls. She’d been in love with Seb since she was fourteen years old and suddenly it was over. She’d had no choice but to move on. He wasn’t coming back or changing his mind.
Standing in front of the door to his new law firm, she smoothed down the skirt of her white business suit and took a deep, calming breath. She was a grown woman now, married and divorced. Seeing him would be a shock to her system but perhaps it was for the best. Now that he was back in the Tampa area, they were bound to run into one another eventually.
Tucking her purse under her arm, she opened the door and walked into the office. Obviously still a work in progress, there were boxes everywhere and no one in sight. The reception desk was bare and she took a few tentative steps forward to peek around the open doorway and down a hall.
“Hello?” The office door at the end was open and she headed toward it, hoping she hadn’t called when no one was here. “Is anyone in?”
“I’m here, Amanda.” Seb’s deep voice came from down the hall. Memories so vivid she could almost feel and taste them came rushing back, sucking the air from her lungs and making her stomach twist into knots. She didn’t want to feel anything for him. He’d hurt her, abandoned her. But all her brain seemed to remember at the moment were the good things. There had been so many of those.
Ruthlessly pushing her emotions away, she straightened up and marched down the hall until she was looking into the whiskey-brown eyes of Sebastian Gibbs. Her knees felt like jelly but she determinedly lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders. It was show time. She would not allow her inner turmoil to be displayed. Later she could fall apart.
“Seb. It’s good to see you.” Her voice had come out huskier than she’d planned but he might not notice. He looked the same but different too. His hair was that inimitable golden blond but now she could see a few gray hairs at his temples. His skin was just as tanned but now there were lines around his eyes and mouth. Typical for men, they didn’t detract from his good looks in the least, simply making him look more mature and distinguished than that last day. Amanda had no such hope that time had been as kind to her. “I hope this isn’t a bad time to stop in.”
“Of course not. We’re not really open as you can see, but I always have time for an old friend.”
An old friend? The words shoved a dagger in her already bleeding heart. At one time she’d planned to have this man’s children and grow old with him. Had dedicated her life to making him happy. Now he’d relegated her to friendship status.
Seb indicated one of the chairs at the small round conference table on one side of his office and Amanda sank down into it gratefully. Pulling a file folder and a pen from her handbag, she wanted to get this meeting over as soon as possible, unsure how long she could keep this calm facade in place.
He settled in the other chair only about a foot away. Too near—she could smell the familiar scent of his aftershave and feel the heat from his body. She’d come too far to allow him to affect her in this way, but her senses had immediately come to life the moment she’d laid eyes on him. Her nipples had pebbled in her bra and her panties were already dampening at the seductive images flitting in front of her eyes. Visions of the past she’d never been able to bury. He’d spoiled her for any other lover.
Fidgeting in her chair, Amanda clicked the pen open and pulled out a stack of papers from the folder.
“I’m sure you’re busy, so let’s get started.” Tapping her pen nervously, she gazed unseeingly at the forms in front of her. “Your mother gave me some information but I’ll need to confirm it. How many people are you expecting at the party?”
“About a hundred or so. We sent out a hundred and seventy-five invitations but we’ve only heard from about half.”
Frowning, she glanced around the office. “Do you have more space than what I’ve seen?”
“The party won’t be held here.” Seb sat up straighter and shook his head. “It’s being held at my home in Wesley Chapel. They finished the construction three months ago. There’s plenty of room there.”
Her heart lurched at the thought that he had perhaps built a home for a woman that he loved. Amanda and Seb had spent so many hours planning their life together and their dream house had been so real in her mind.
“Fine. I’ll just need the address.” Seb rattled it off and she scratched it down before turning to the rest of the questions. They moved through each one easily but the tension between them continued to grow. By the time she was finished it was nearly unbearable. “I’ll get a plan and a quote put together and email it to you.”
She tucked the forms back in the folder and took a steadying breath. A big part of her wanted to run out the front door now that they had finished the first part of her business, but her sense of responsibility wouldn’t let her bolt. She needed his legal help badly.
“Mother said you had a legal problem.”
Amanda had been staring at the papers since she
sat down but now she couldn’t avoid looking into his eyes.
“I do.” She recrossed her legs restlessly, not sure how to begin. “For several years I’ve been volunteering at a battered women’s shelter in the area. It’s located in one of those old large Victorians in St. Pete. It’s a quiet and very secret location for obvious reasons. We don’t want the spouses showing up there causing trouble.”
“Have you been having issues?” Seb stroked his chin, his expression thoughtful. “I know some people that could put in a state of the art security system.”
“We have one of those—that’s not our problem. It’s not the spouses that are the issue. It’s a developer. He wants to buy up all the houses in that area and turn them into condos or something. He and his people have been harassing our residents and the neighbors. He’s managed to buy up several homes but he wants the entire block.”
Seb’s eyebrow quirked up. “As my grandfather always said, it’s good to want things. Doesn’t mean you get them though. Is he offering market?”
“Slightly below. The shelter is run by a foundation, and by the time it paid the broker’s fees, the movers and everything else, it would take a net loss on the sale. It put a great deal of money into a renovation. The shelter has only been there for eighteen months, not nearly long enough to build up any kind of equity, either.”
“And you want me to do what, exactly?”
Impatience made her want to kick Seb in the shins. He’d always been like this, thoughtful in word and deed. He didn’t do things lightly, always weighing the pros and cons. He’d been the perfect balance to her full speed ahead attitude.
“I want you to scare the developer. Just a little,” she huffed. “I want him to know that we’re not some two-bit outfit that can be run off with some intimidation tactics. That we have muscle.”
For the first time in thirteen years Amanda watched a smile cross Seb’s face, rendering her momentarily speechless. It made him look twenty-five again and she was taken back to 2001.
