~ Synopsis ~
Five
years ago, Embry Jacobs ran...
She ran from a past that still
hasn’t let her go, but her dream of becoming a lawyer is stronger
than her fear of confronting that past. Embry’s sole focus is to
get through law school—with the help of her best friend, Morgan—and
make something of the broken girl she became. Not thinking about
falling in love, being in a relationship or even entertaining the
idea of romance, Embry is moving forward one day at a time.
Luke
Brody is charming and sexy, and has a past of his own. He wants
nothing more than to put his demons to rest and move on with his
life. But, when Embry enters the picture, is he destined to repeat
those same mistakes?
Blindsided by their instant
attraction, neither Luke nor Embry are prepared for the feelings
they’re developing. But will it all be for nothing?
Will
they let their pasts destroy them, or will they risk everything to
fight for their relationship when it all comes undone?
~ Review ~
5 Star Review
OMG
this book was amazing!! I didn't want to put this book down. It
totally consumed me.
Embry
has been hiding from her past for the last five years. She
moved away to Florida to attend college right after high school. She
left without a word to her parents or her boyfriend. Her best
friend Morgan knew why she left and where she went, but kept her
secret. Embry had doubts about moving home and attending law
school with Morgan, but she wanted to be with her friend. Her
plans were to focus on school and not party or have any men in her
life. But after running into the mysterious blue eyed guy she
can't stop thinking about him. Will she fall for him? Or keep
her promise and stay away?
Luke
is a lawyer with a lot of secrets. He wants Embry the moment he
lays his eyes on her. He knows he should let he walk away. He
can only hurt her, but he is selfish and wants her. Will he
confess all his secrets? Or will he break her by hiding them?
This
book seriously consumed me and had me in a major book hangover. I
am mad that I have to wait until August for book two. Iran this cliff
hanger just about killed me. I NEED more! Great job on your
debut novel R.E. Hunter!!
~ Excerpt ~
“Wow,”
Morgan said, following Embry’s line of sight. “Your man cleans up
well.”
“Yeah,
he does.”
The
dean prattled on, but Embry’s eyes remained locked on Luke’s. She
couldn’t look away. He was jaw-droppingly handsome, and he was all
hers. A jab to her ribs caused her to stop and glare at Morgan.
“Just
doing my job.” Morgan gave Embry a dazzlingly smile.
“What
job is that?”
“Bree-sitting.
It’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to keep you from mounting him
in the middle of a school-sponsored event.”
~ Prologue and Ch 1 ~
PROLOGUE
This
can’t be happening. That
thought ran on a constant loop through her head as she sat in the
cold, uninviting classroom, the smell of antiseptic invading her
nostrils. A shiver crept up her spine, and she couldn’t tell if it
was from the temperature or her nerves. Maybe both. She sat on a hard
plastic chair, hands gripped in her lap, her foot tapping furiously
against the linoleum. The anticipation was killing her. She studied
the three people at the front of the room, their heads bent together
as they whispered amongst themselves.
Her
heart thumped in her chest, the dull thud echoing in her ears as she
sat silently, waiting. Her head swam, and she struggled to keep
herself afloat instead of drowning in the anxiety that threatened to
pull her under. She strained forward, hoping to catch even a small
piece of their hushed conversation, but all she could hear was the
shallow murmur of their voices. She wanted to get it over with. Like
a Band-Aid, it would hurt either way. Might as well make it quick.
She’d had to pick up the pieces of her broken life and move on once
before. But she couldn’t do it again, not after all of her hard
work. She wouldn’t accept it, she couldn’t.
How
did this happen? They’d
been careful. Hadn’t they been careful? She swallowed the lump in
her throat and tried in vain to think of something, anything else.
The
older gentleman on the end cleared his throat, pulling her from her
thoughts. “Miss Jacobs?”
She
looked up at the members of the university’s disciplinary
committee, taking them in one at a time. She straightened her back
and lifted her chin, hoping the outward display of confidence would
give her some semblance of the same feeling on the inside. That was
shot to hell as soon as she opened her mouth. “Y-yes, sir?” she
answered, her voice trembling.
“Do
you know why you’re here?” the other man asked, his eyes kind.
“No,
sir.” She shook her head, but she was pretty sure she had an idea.
“Let
me tell you,” the older man interjected, opening the folder in
front of him. He explained the purpose of the hearing and the
university’s policies regarding disciplinary sanctions.
She
sat back, rubbing her palms on her pants and trying to calm down. As
she listened to his words, she was hit with a rush of emotion so
strong it almost bowled her over. Good. Bad. Happy. Sad. Betrayal.
Rage. Shock. Relief. Relief?
She fought to keep focused on the seriousness of the situation before
her as a litany of memories assaulted her consciousness.
CHAPTER
ONE
Four
months earlier.
“Look
to your left … now look to your right. One of you won’t be here
at the end of the year.”
Those
same words were repeated year after year at law school orientations
around the country. Embry Jacobs fought to keep her composure as the
dean continued his sad attempt to scare her out of the next three
years at Whitman Law School. The old theater seats made her itch, and
her long, blond hair stuck to the back of her neck, making her antsy.
She
leaned over to whisper to her best friend, “Seriously? I thought
they stopped giving this speech years ago. Did the dean take this
straight from The Paper
Chase?”
Morgan
chuckled and elbowed Embry’s ribs. “Shhh, this is very important
stuff, Bree.”
Embry
had read the books and watched the movies. She knew all about the
scare tactics used on first-year law students. As cliché as the
dean’s speech was, a good number of the students in that auditorium
wouldn’t make it through the first semester, let alone all three
years.
Failing
out wasn’t an option for her. Embry had one chance, and she had to
make it count. All she’d ever wanted was to be a lawyer, and the
only thing standing in her way was the next three years of school.
Already in debt from her undergraduate degree, she was relying on a
scholarship to get her through law school. If she didn’t keep her
grades high enough to maintain the scholarship, she’d be forced to
take out more loans. At least once she graduated, she’d be able to
make enough money to pay them off. Embry was startled from her
thoughts by a hard poke to her arm.
“Bree,
you coming?”
Embry
looked up to see Morgan waiting for her. Morgan Maxwell had been her
best friend for as long as she could remember. She’d been through
everything with Embry, and even though they’d lived far apart for
the past five years, their friendship had never suffered. When Embry
left home after high school without any warning or explanation,
Morgan was the only person who knew why. The real
reason. Even though Embry’s leaving put a strain on Morgan’s
relationship with her own parents, she stuck by Embry’s side,
always supportive and never questioning. When they started applying
to law schools at the same time, Morgan convinced Embry to finally
come home so they could experience it together. Embry had never
believed they would be so lucky to get accepted to Whitman together,
so when she got her admission letter, she planned her move
immediately.
Morgan’s
voice broke through her thoughts again. “Earth to Embry! Did you
hear a word I just said?”
“What?
No, sorry,” she answered.
“Where
were you just now?” Morgan asked, tilting her head and shooting
Embry a curious glance.
“I
was just thinking about being back home,” she said, shrugging.
Morgan
bounced up and down. “Oh my God, I know! Can you believe we’re
really doing this? Morgan and Bree back together again! And in law
school!” She grabbed Embry’s arm and pulled her up out of the
seat. “Come on, I wanna catch the next campus tour.”
Embry
gave Morgan a big smile, trying to match her enthusiasm. “Okay,
okay, let’s go.”
The
girls exited the auditorium into the bright summer sun. Embry
rummaged around in her purse for her sunglasses, and her fingers
brushed the hard edge of an envelope. She dragged Morgan to a stop.
“Hey,
I totally forgot I have to run to student services.” She pulled the
envelope from her purse. “Something to do with my tuition. You okay
to do the tour yourself?”
Morgan
huffed sarcastically then gave Embry a bright smile. “I’ll be
fine. You know I make friends wherever I go!”
Embry
chuckled. “Okay, I’ll catch you later.”
She
made her way to the law school’s building and walked through the
rear door. She hadn’t been through that entrance yet and found
herself disoriented as she navigated the long, empty hallways. She
turned a corner and stopped to take in her surroundings. She realized
she had been walking in a circle about the same time something
crashed into her, spinning her around. Before she could get her
bearings, she felt a large, warm hand on her arm.
“Sorry
about that.”
Embry
looked up at the owner of the deep, raspy voice and into a pair of
the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. He was beautiful—dark, perfectly
mussed hair, straight nose, square, chiseled jaw, full lips—and she
could have lost herself in those eyes for days. “I–um…”
Struck speechless by his good looks and the warmth of his touch, she
nodded and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“Are
you okay?” he asked, his brow furrowed.
“Yeah.
Yes, I’m fine,” she forced out, nodding again. Stop
nodding, Embry!
“You
sure?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m
good, thanks.”
He
quirked his head to the side, studying her. His face twisted into
something just short of … pain? He looked perplexed and
frustrated. Embry watched him shake his head slightly, as if
trying to clear the emotions playing across his face. He slowly
dragged his thumb across her skin before he removed his hand from her
arm, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake.
“Sorry
again,” he said with a sheepish grin, and just like that he was
gone. He turned and walked away as though they hadn’t just collided
and had the most intense moment.
Their
entire exchange couldn’t have lasted more than a minute, but Embry
felt it in every fiber of her being. Shaken by her run-in with the
mysterious stranger, she retraced her steps until she found the
atrium. The large, open room was filled with sunlight streaming in
from the sky-lit ceiling. Tables and chairs, filled with new students
laughing and talking, were scattered around the big space. The walls
were covered with pictures of Supreme Court justices and esteemed
faculty members, and at the end was the student services office. She
made her way into the office, and as she waited for her advisor, she
couldn’t help but think about those bright blue eyes.
***
“I’m
sorry to take you away from your orientation activities,” her
student affairs advisor said as she flipped through a folder full of
papers.
Embry
sat with her hands in her lap, glancing around the office as she
waited.
“But
I’m glad you’re here. There was a problem regarding your tuition
that I wanted to resolve as soon as possible.”
Embry
had dealt with that multiple times in college. Loans and scholarships
were paid out late all the time. “Was my scholarship not disbursed
yet?”
The
woman paused her paper shuffling and glanced at Embry before shifting
her attention back to the pile. “No, no, your scholarship came
through,” she answered. “Ah, here it is.” She pulled a piece of
paper out of the pile and handed it to Embry. “It appears that
maybe you were misinformed about the amount that the scholarship
would cover.”
Embry
stared at the paper and felt as if the ground had been swept out from
beneath her. She was free-falling, and panic took over as she looked
at the amount of the scholarship. It was ten thousand dollars short
for the year.
“But,
I–” Embry tried and failed to get out the words. She looked down
again, hoping maybe she had read the numbers wrong. No, her
scholarship didn’t cover her full tuition. How could she have
missed that? She was positive that the award letter said her tuition
was completely covered. She handed the paper back to her advisor,
hands shaking. As she looked into the woman’s eyes, the pity she
saw made Embry feel that much worse.
“I
can see that this is a shock to you.” Her advisor reached for
another stack of papers and handed it to Embry. “I’ve compiled
the financial aid application, if you’re interested. I’m not sure
if they’ll be able to disburse funds in time to cover the remaining
tuition bill, but at least, if awarded, the aid check will reimburse
you.”
Embry
nodded numbly.
“The
good news is, for students who weren’t awarded full scholarships at
the outset, Whitman offers merit-based scholarships during the second
and third years to those who maintain academic excellence.” The
woman smiled, her voice rising an octave as if that would somehow
make it easier on Embry. “So just keep up those grades, and you
never know!”
Great.
No pressure. Embry knew she
would be sick if she didn’t get out of that office. Thanking her
advisor, she tucked the financial aid packet in her purse and hurried
out.
Embry
walked through the crowded atrium, her head spinning. She crunched
the numbers again and again but came up with the same answer. Ten
thousand dollars to
cover tuition for the year.
She had that in savings, plus a bit more, but that was supposed to go
to her rent. And what about money for groceries, bills? She would be
forced to shell out all of the money up front, and financial aid was
never a guarantee. She took her pity party to one of the empty tables
and sat down to look through the packet her advisor had given her.
A
large iced coffee was placed in front of her as Morgan sat down
beside her. “Looked like you could use this. I saw you pouting from
across the atrium.”
Pouting
was a mild term compared to the major meltdown going on in Embry’s
head. “Thanks, M.”
“That’s
what best friends are for. Now tell me what’s wrong.”
Embry
filled her in on the meeting with her advisor. She skated over the
finer details, like the fact that she wouldn’t have money for rent.
Morgan’s family owned Embry’s apartment, and the last thing she
wanted was their charity.
But
Morgan, being Morgan, picked up on it right away. “What aren’t
you telling me? You have money saved to cover the tuition, right?”
“I
have money saved...” Embry trailed off.
“But
it was for your rent,” Morgan said, putting the pieces together.
Embry
nodded, humiliated.
“Embry,
my parents don’t need the money. The only reason you’re paying
rent is because you insisted.”
“I
know, but I just don’t feel right doing it any other way.”
“What
about your parents? Can they help?”
The
thought had crossed Embry’s mind, but she’d dismissed it as
quickly as it came. “I can’t ask them. Not after leaving like I
did, with no explanation. I know they love me and I’m sure they’d
help if they could, but I just don’t feel right asking. I’ll look
around town to see if I can pick up a bartending job somewhere.
Besides”—she held up the papers—“there’s always financial
aid.”
“Stubborn,”
Morgan scolded.
“Spoiled,”
she shot back with a grin.
The
girls talked until it was time to head to their classes. They hadn’t
been able to talk their way into the same section, so they had
completely different schedules.
“Criminal
law?” Embry asked Morgan as they walked out of the atrium.
Morgan
nodded. “Professor Charles.”
“Gasp!
I heard he’s a nightmare. Good luck. I’ve got contracts with
Coleman.”
Morgan
shrugged. “I’m pretty sure she learned the art of torturing first
years from Charles himself.”
“Sounds
like we’re both in for some fun then!” Embry said with fake
enthusiasm. She turned down the hallway leading away from Morgan.
“Good
luuuuuck,” her friend called.
***
Embry
walked into the classroom and stood in the back, getting her
bearings. Rows of stadium seating lay before her, and she watched
students mill around. She wandered down the stairs and chose a seat
toward the middle of the classroom. As she pulled out her computer,
someone slid into the seat next to her.
“This
seat taken?”
Embry
looked up into a handsome face and a pair of chestnut-colored eyes.
They had nothing on the sexy guy from the hallway, but he definitely
wasn’t lacking in the looks department. What
has gotten into you, Embry?
It had been a while but not that long.
She hadn’t been in a relationship in five years, not since him, but
that hadn’t stopped her from having fun. Law school was different,
though. She didn’t want any distractions: no guys, no sex, no
drama. At the rate hot guys were popping up, though, she’d fail out
by the end of the week.
“Nope,
all yours,” she answered, busying herself with her computer.
“Cool,
thanks. I’m Jeremy.” He gave her a half wave.
“Embry.”
“So
what’s your story, Blondie?” he asked, reaching out to twirl a
piece of her golden hair between his fingers.
“What?”
Her head snapped up and she tugged her hair out of his grasp.
“You
know, your story. Where are you from, what did you go to school
for... the usual.”
She
pointed at herself. “Embry. Not Blondie.”
He
raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, sorry. I like nicknames.
You’re a little uptight, aren’t you?”
“What’s
that supposed to mean?” she asked, losing her cool.
“I
could help you loosen up a bit, you know.” He winked.
Winked!
The guy was hot—she had to admit that—but was he serious? “Are
you serious?”
“Only
if you say yes.”
She
had no words. She rolled her eyes and went back to her computer.
He
didn’t leave her alone for long. “I got your mind off your
first-day jitters though, didn’t I?”
All
she could do was stare at him. Who
is this guy?
“I
did, didn’t I?” He nudged her arm.
She
finally let her guard down and laughed. “Yes, yes, you did, okay?
Happy?”
“Not
until you go out with me.”
“Not
happening.”
“Really?”
“Really,”
she deadpanned.
“You
sure?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Positive.”
“Friends?”
he said.
She
glared at him.
He
tilted his head, widened his eyes, and pouted, giving her what she
was sure was his best puppy-dog face. “Come on, we got the sex out
of the way. Now we can keep it strictly platonic.”
Her
eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Sex? What sex? There will be
no sex!” A few curious gazes settled on Embry. She said that louder
than she meant to. She should have been aggravated, but for some
reason, Jeremy was making her laugh. And he was right; her first-day
jitters were history.
“It’s
out of the way. I hit on you, you friend-zoned me, so we’re all
good. It’s platonic now.”
“Okaaay,”
she said reluctantly.
“That
is, until you realize how ridiculously attractive I am and regret
your decision. I can’t promise I’ll wait for you, though.”
She
rolled her eyes again. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Believe
it, baby.”
“Embry,”
she stated, pointing toward her chest again.
“Embry-baby.”
“Just
Embry.”
“We’ll
work on it, Blondie.” He winked again.
He
was infuriating, but she couldn’t fight the smile tipping her lips.
“Friends,” she agreed. And that was that.
“So,
you hear anything about Professor Coleman?” he asked.
“Nothing
good.”
He
nodded as he tapped his pen on the desk. “You know, after that
Oscar-worthy performance by the dean, I’m starting to think this is
all just a big setup to make us go running for the hills.”
“Yeah,
I thought he was laying it on a bit thick,” she said, searching her
bag for her textbook.
“I’m
pretty sure it’s all a big act. It can’t be that bad,”
Jeremy said.
“Let’s
hope….” Embry’s sentence trailed off as the room went silent.
Students
craned their necks toward the door to catch a glimpse of the
professor. After the rumors she’d heard, Embry expected someone a
bit more intimidating. Instead, Professor Coleman was a petite woman,
about mid-forties, with librarian glasses, shoulder-length brown
hair, and a stylish skirt suit. She glided up to the podium, put down
a stack of papers, and headed to the whiteboard.
“I’m
Professor Coleman.” The dry erase marker squeaked across the board.
“I’ll be your contracts professor. This is my contact
information. My door is always open during office hours, so feel free
to stop in. We’re going to go over the syllabus and class
objectives today. Then I’ll tell you a bit about myself and send
you on your way, so you can all let out that breath you’ve been
holding.”
The
entire class breathed an audible sigh of relief as they realized
Professor Coleman was not going to torture them on their first day.
At
the end of class, Embry packed up and felt Jeremy’s eyes on her.
“So
really, where are you from? What did you study?” he asked.
“Oh.
Um, well, I’m from here. I did my undergrad at the University of
Florida. Studied political science. What about you?”
He
smiled as he gathered his things. “I’m from Rochester. My dad
owns a law firm back home and one in the city. I’m going into the
family business, so law school was the next logical step. I went to
Syracuse.”
Before
Embry could ask Jeremy about his father’s firm, Professor Coleman
gave a late announcement. “Oh, before I forget. I’m looking for a
research assistant for the year. If any of you are interested, come
and see me.”
Embry’s
ears perked up. The research assistant position would be the perfect
solution to her problem. She could make the money she needed and
still focus on law. All she had to do was impress the professor. “I’m
going to go check that out.”
Jeremy
raised an eyebrow. “Apply at your own risk. I hear she can be
pretty tough.”
“Thanks
for the warning.” She waved good-bye and made her way to the front
of the room.
***
Embry
walked out of the classroom in a far better mood than when she had
entered it. Professor Coleman seemed nice, and Embry had a good
feeling about her chances of getting the position. She was actually
excited for the semester to officially start. She fished her phone
out of her purse to text Morgan, and when she glanced up, she froze.
Walking
toward her was the sexy stranger. He was farther away, and she had
time to take in his beauty. He was tall, well over six feet, and wore
a tight gray V-neck shirt and faded jeans. His dark hair set off
those blue eyes, framed by long lashes. Gorgeous.
He was carrying a box, and it must have been heavy because his
muscles strained against his T-shirt and Embry couldn’t look away.
When she finally dragged her eyes from his biceps, she found his baby
blues searching hers. He held her gaze as he walked toward her,
causing her cheeks to flush under the intensity of his stare. As he
drew nearer, she noticed his lips twisting into an amused smirk.
“We
have to stop meeting like this,” he joked, stopping in front of
her.
She
was momentarily stunned but recovered quickly. “If I didn’t know
better, I’d think you were following me.”
“Maybe
I am,” he said, and then he smiled. Not a polite smile shared with
a stranger, but a real smile. A gorgeous smile. An all-out,
eyes-crinkling, dimples-popping, panty-dropping smile.
Something
stirred inside of Embry. Her knees loosened, heat crept up her neck,
and a swarm of butterflies took up residence in her stomach. Before
she had time to acknowledge her reaction, he turned and walked away
again. Sauntered, really. As she studied his backside, she realized
she was in big trouble.
~ Author Bio ~
R.E.
Hunter is a native New Yorker and lives on Long Island with her
husband and their monster kitty. She works as an attorney by day and
writes whenever she can. As an avid reader and writer, she's excited
to be on this crazy journey publishing her debut novel, Undone, this
November. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her
somewhere near a beach. She loves traveling, road trips, concerts,
photography and good wine.
~ Author
Links ~
Website:
www.rehunterbooks.com
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