My First Glance: An On My Own Prequel

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  My First Glance

  An On My Own Prequel

  Carrie Ann Ryan

  Contents

  MY FIRST GLANCE

  MY FIRST GLANCE

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  A Note from Carrie Ann Ryan

  About the Author

  Also from Carrie Ann Ryan

  MY FIRST GLANCE

  AN ON MY OWN PREQUEL

  * * *

  By

  Carrie Ann Ryan

  My FIRST GLANCE

  An On My Own Prequel

  By: Carrie Ann Ryan

  © 2020 Carrie Ann Ryan

  ISBN: 978-1-950443-72-7

  * * *

  Cover Art by Sweet N Spicy Designs

  * * *

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person or use proper retail channels to lend a copy. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.

  Praise for Carrie Ann Ryan

  “Count on Carrie Ann Ryan for emotional, sexy, character driven stories that capture your heart!” – Carly Phillips, NY Times bestselling author

  “Carrie Ann Ryan’s romances are my newest addiction! The emotion in her books captures me from the very beginning. The hope and healing hold me close until the end. These love stories will simply sweep you away.” ~ NYT Bestselling Author Deveny Perry

  "Carrie Ann Ryan writes the perfect balance of sweet and heat ensuring every story feeds the soul." - Audrey Carlan, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

  “Carrie Ann Ryan never fails to draw readers in with passion, raw sensuality, and characters that pop off the page. Any book by Carrie Ann is an absolute treat.” – New York Times Bestselling Author J. Kenner

  “Carrie Ann Ryan knows how to pull your heartstrings and make your pulse pound! Her wonderful Redwood Pack series will draw you in and keep you reading long into the night. I can’t wait to see what comes next with the new generation, the Talons. Keep them coming, Carrie Ann!” –Lara Adrian, New York Times bestselling author of CRAVE THE NIGHT

  "With snarky humor, sizzling love scenes, and brilliant, imaginative worldbuilding, The Dante's Circle series reads as if Carrie Ann Ryan peeked at my personal wish list!" – NYT Bestselling Author, Larissa Ione

  "Carrie Ann Ryan writes sexy shifters in a world full of passionate happily-ever-afters." – New York Times Bestselling Author Vivian Arend

  “Carrie Ann’s books are sexy with characters you can’t help but love from page one. They are heat and heart blended to perfection.” New York Times Bestselling Author Jayne Rylon

  Carrie Ann Ryan's books are wickedly funny and deliciously hot, with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. They'll keep you up all night!” USA Today Bestselling Author Cari Quinn

  "Once again, Carrie Ann Ryan knocks the Dante's Circle series out of the park. The queen of hot, sexy, enthralling paranormal romance, Carrie Ann is an author not to miss!" New York Times bestselling Author Marie Harte

  MY FIRST GLANCE

  See what happens before the night that changes everything in this prequel novella to My One Night by NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan.

  After mistakes and false starts, I thought I’d finally worked my life out. It took eighteen years before I found my brothers, the ones pushing me into this direction. Now I’m faced with another decision, a new school, and a set of roommates I didn’t know I needed.

  Only after one glance at her, I know everything might change yet again.

  Chapter 1

  Dillon

  * * *

  “All I’m saying is, if you’re anxious about what she’s thinking, you should just ask her,” I said, leaning against the bar. “She’ll tell you, you know. She’s not the type of person to make you guess what she’s thinking. But you do need to ask her, or she’ll feel like she’s bothering you.”

  My brother, Cameron, raised a brow. He was good at it, just like his twin, Aiden. They could always raise that single brow and make it look as if they knew exactly what you were thinking, even if you weren’t sure where your thoughts were headed.

  “Really? You believe that if I just simply ask her, she will tell me exactly what she’s thinking? And there’ll be no weirdness.”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know, why not? It just makes sense to me.”

  Cameron snorted. “You know, for someone so young, you sure do think you know all about love and relationships.”

  I scowled. “I’m twenty. I’m not young. I’ve been through shit.” That was an understatement, and when Cameron just gave me a look, I shrugged. “What? It’s the truth.”

  “You’re right. You have been through shit. But have you been in love?”

  I shook my head. “No, but I listen to the girls, and they all say communication is vital. Therefore, I should try explaining it to you once again. Talk to your wife.”

  “He’s right, you know,” Violet said as she walked into the bar, her smile cunning yet full of love.

  I loved my sister-in-law. She was brilliant, beautiful, and loved me. I had been eighteen when I met her and fell head over heels for her, just like Cameron had. The fact that I had just moved to Denver after nearly stirring up my life meant I hadn’t been in the best headspace to make friends.

  But, somehow, I had gotten close with my brothers, the ones I hadn’t grown up with thanks to my mom and the choices she made. I’d also made friends with the women my brothers had fallen for.

  They all tended to coddle me, even though I was twenty years old. But they needed something to focus on. That way, they didn’t have to deal with other things in their lives. At least, that’s what I told myself when they got overbearing in comforting ways.

  They mothered me, and I usually let them. I loved them. Not that I got too emotional about it when I was in front of them. At least, mostly.

  “You are supposed to be at work,” Cameron said as he slid off the stool and prowled towards his wife. There was no other word for it. Cameron prowled. He was like a cat on the hunt, and his prize was right in front of him. His wife leaned her head back and grinned, then practically moaned right there in the middle of the bar as her husband laid one on her.

  I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my Sprite. It sucked that I worked in the bar my family owned and I wasn’t even allowed to taste the wares.

  “Get a room,” Brendon said as he walked in, sliding on his jacket. He had worked at the bar that morning, but I knew he had meetings with potential clients later. He was smooth, wore a three-piece suit better than anyone I had ever seen on TV, and had a wicked grin for his wife—and another for everyone else.

  “I’ll get a room. Maybe the office upstairs,” Cameron said, leering at his wife.

  Violet blushed, even as she rolled her eyes. “You need to behave.”

  “And when has that ever happened?” Brendon asked, snorting.

  My smile widened. “It is true. He is the least behaved out of all of us.”

  “Ouch,” Cameron said, his eyes going wide in mock-affront. “I can’t believe you said that when Aiden’s in the kitchen in the back, and we all know he’s the worst of us.”

  “I can hear you,” Aiden said as he slid two plates across the open window pass-through.

&nb
sp; The Connolly Brewery was family-owned and operated, even though I hadn’t known about it until I was forced to move back to Colorado. It was a long story that I tried not to think about in detail too often. But all in all, it meant that I now lived with my brother, Cameron; his wife, Violet; and occasionally slept in the spare bedrooms of my other two brothers and their wives. I needed to move out, and though I had tried the dorms at my university in downtown Denver, it hadn’t worked out.

  I hadn’t been a normal eighteen-year-old—or nineteen-year-old, for that matter. While everyone had wanted to party and have fun and enjoy life, I’d been forced to focus on other things. I had wanted to join in but living at home and saving money while still working had been the best for me.

  And all of that brought me back to why I was sitting in a bar. I had a few things to ask my siblings, and I was petrified that they wouldn’t agree. I blinked myself out of my thoughts as someone moved closer to me.

  “You look like you have a lot on your mind,” Violet said as she tapped my nose with a finger. She smiled softly, and I lowered my shoulders, tension releasing from my body. My sisters-in-law could do that. They saw right through to your soul. It was a little nerve-wracking sometimes. But at other times? It was perfect.

  “Talk to me,” she whispered.

  I would…just not right then. I needed time. Or maybe I just needed the spine to do it. Instead, I smiled. “I thought that was Cameron’s line,” I said, not wanting to get into that conversation yet. I needed to do a few things first. I had to formulate my thoughts, and frankly, I wasn’t sure I could.

  An email burned a hole in my pocket where my phone rested, and I was terrified that I might continue hiding from what it said.

  Violet gave me a look that said she’d talk to me soon about what was bothering me. “You know, the kid is right,” Violet said as she turned on her husband. “You should talk to me.”

  Something in her tone made my brows rise, and I looked over at Brendon. He shook his head. He didn’t know what she was talking about either.

  “Okay, would you like to tell me what’s going on in that mind of yours? You’re starting to scare me.” Cameron straightened as he spoke, and I was grateful that even though we were in the bar, only our family and Beckham, the bartender that should practically be family, were there. It was right after the lunch rush, and I knew the next rush would be there in a minute, and I’d have to work at waiting tables. For now, though, we had a moment of peace.

  Violet just shook her head. “Well, let me see. What exactly are you saying is wrong with me? Am I being weird?”

  I winced and slowly moved away from Violet, just in case she took a swing. A gentle one because it was Violet, and she would never hurt us, but Cameron did tend to have that effect on people.

  “That’s not what I said,” Cameron grumbled. “Well, just that you’ve looked tired recently, and you’re acting cagey. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

  I took a few more steps back and bumped into Brendon, who just grinned. I frowned, wondering why he would be smiling, and then I took a good look at Violet and beamed. Violet looked over at us and rolled her eyes.

  “You know, for a brilliant man, one that I love, sometimes you are so dense. I think your brothers understand.”

  “I know I do,” Aiden said as he made his way over to my other side.

  “What? What do you understand?” Cameron asked, scowling.

  “Let me see. You say I look tired. And that I’m being cagey—meaning that maybe I wasn’t feeling very well, and I needed a moment to think. And it had nothing to do with my migraines. Hmm, I wonder what it could be.”

  Cameron’s eyes lit up, and he took a staggering step back, shaking his head. Then he wrapped his arms around her and spun her around the bar.

  “I think he got it,” I said dryly, and Aiden and Brendon started clapping, Beckham joining in.

  “We’re having a baby?” Cameron asked and spun her around some more.

  “We are. However, I am a little nauseous, so maybe you should stop spinning me.”

  “Shit,” Cameron said before setting her on her feet and pulling out the chair, nearly pushing her down onto it before she had a chance to say anything else.

  “I’m not that nauseous,” she said, laughing. I just got the results back this morning since I went in for my routine appointment for my migraines. They take a test all the time because of the meds I’m on.”

  “What? Are the meds going to hurt you or the baby?”

  She shook her head. “No, but my doctor needs to be aware. And now we’re aware. And, oh my God, this is so weird,” she said quickly, and the two laughed before Cameron went down to his knees, cupped her face, and kissed her again.

  “Well, kid, it looks like you’re going to be an uncle,” Brendon whispered from my side.

  “Yeah, you’re going to be an uncle, too,” I answered, my voice low.

  Aiden moved forward, gripped his twin’s shoulder, then pushed the other man out of the way so he could hug Violet tightly. I shook my head, knowing my brothers would be fighting to get to Violet before I even got a chance. I might be as tall as they were, but I wasn’t nearly as muscled yet. I would get there. Eventually. However, seeing how Cameron and Violet looked at each other, I knew I needed to tell them my news, as well. Because there was a reason I was ready to do this, even if they might think I was making another mistake.

  “You want to tell me what’s on your mind?” Brendon asked, a brow raised.

  I shook my head. “It’s their time. We can talk later.”

  “No, tell us,” Violet said as she shoved her way through the twins. “I’m not the only one who’s been cagey. Although I don’t think I would use the word cagey when it comes to me because I was hiding the fact that I wasn’t feeling well, figuring it was a migraine.”

  “We’re going to talk about that later,” Cameron warned.

  “Whatever you say, babe. Talk to us, Dillon. If you’re worried about the baby changing things, you’re right. It will. But you’ll always have a room at our place. We love you being there. Plus, you can help with nightly diapers and feedings,” Violet said with a wink, and I shook my head, not quite able to smile just then.

  “Okay, now you’re scaring me, kid.” Aiden scowled at me.

  He and Cameron were identical twins and looked alike. Although, for some reason, Aiden always looked a little edgier to me. Aiden and Cameron were my half-brothers, while Brendon and I weren’t actually blood-related at all. However, the three of them had been raised by the same foster parents, who had eventually adopted them. I hadn’t come along until later and hadn’t been given the gift of meeting Jack and Rose. But through fate and circumstance, we’d come together. Cameron had helped me legally change my last name to Connolly, so now it was the four of us—along with the three women—against the world.

  Soon, there would be another soul in the world. Another Connolly. It was time for me to move on.

  Only I wasn’t sure they would let me.

  “What is it?” Aiden asked, scowling even harder. I hadn’t even thought that was possible.

  “Well, I didn’t want to steal your thunder, but since there will be a new baby, maybe you could use my room as the nursery, rather than the smaller room you already use as your office,” I said quickly.

  Violet frowned, shaking her head. Tears filled her eyes, and I wanted to kick myself.

  “Don’t cry,” I said.

  “You don’t want to live with us anymore? Where are you going?” Violet said quickly.

  “You’re welcome to live with us,” Brendon said.

  “Us, too,” Aiden added. “Although you’d have to compete with the cats. And there are a lot of fucking cats,” Aiden said dryly.

  “No. I mean, I love you guys, and wow, I can’t even begin to thank you for all the open doors and all that shit,” I said, stuttering. My heart filled three sizes, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to come up with the words.

  �
�You don’t have to leave,” Violet said, her voice choked with tears.

  Cameron moved forward. “You don’t, but don’t make my wife cry.”

  “I’m emotional. You’re going to have to let this happen,” Violet said.

  “Damn it, I’m going about this all wrong,” I said, cursing myself.

  Brendon stared at me. “You’re usually so good with your words. You need to do better right now. Talk to us.”

  I sighed and pulled my phone out of my back pocket. I flipped to my emails and gave the cell to Brendon. Brendon’s gaze moved to the screen, and then his eyes widened before he took a staggering step back.

  “No shit?” he asked, and Aiden snatched the phone from his hand.

  I met Aiden’s gaze, worried.

  Two years ago, Aiden had started training me for the career I thought I wanted. Then again, I had thought I’d wanted to be a rock star when I was seventeen and decided not to apply for college. That had led me into my first mess. Now, I was thinking about leaving the idea of becoming a chef alongside Aiden behind. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, even after two years of school to get a business degree so I could help run the pub.

  “You got into Denver State.”

  “Yes, partial ride, but if I do well the first semester I’m there, I can get a full ride for the rest of the years I need. I’ll be a little bit behind everybody because I was already a semester behind, even with my course load. I’ll be able to transfer nearly all of my credits, but…yes. I got in.”

  “Got into DSU,” Violet whispered. “That’s an amazing university.”