Twelve Miles (Serendipity series Book 1) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Twelve Miles

  Serendipity Series: Book One

  A Billionaire, Office Romance

  By Robin Edwards

  © Copyright 2016-2017 by Robin Edwards

  and Second Chances Press

  All rights reserved.

  In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited, and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

  Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher. Names and persons in this eBook are entirely fictional. They bear no resemblance to anyone living or dead. To protect the privacy of certain individuals the names and identifying details have been changed. This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

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  Chapter One

  JAMIE

  The first time we met was at a tournament party at our martial arts gym, months ago. Although I have seen him around from time to time, we had never formally met. I always imagined that the first time we met would go well and happen because someone would introduce us and the conversation would just flow between us, and we would go from there.

  Never did I imagine that our first time meeting would end up becoming one big embarrassing failure. At the tournament party, I literally ran into him and spilled my rum & pineapple juice all over his white dress shirt. Drenching him in the yellow liquid. Needless to say, I was so mortified I muttered an ill-fated apology and ran to the women’s restroom and hid inside for what seemed like hours.

  By the time I mustered enough courage to come out, everyone seemed to have already forgotten about what had transpired, and Sam was nowhere to be seen. I’ve felt remorseful about it ever since.

  The one bright side about the incident was that the wet shirt gave me the perfect view of his chest and his chiseled abs and I could definitely say that Sam took good care of himself. But here I was determined to correct some wrongs on that front and get the proper introduction I was dying to have.

  All I needed was ample opportunity to be in the same room with him alone so that I could not only apologize profusely, but also win him over and get a chance at getting to know him in whatever way possible.

  I had high hopes for myself despite odds being stacked against me. Regardless of how much I wanted to get to know him, I wasn’t usually anyone’s first choice. It was always the same reasons: I was too athletic, I was cute but not sexy, I like you as a friend but not more than that, I see you as my kid sister, “hey, could you introduce me to your friend?”.

  Despite constantly being the underdog, I always remained somewhat optimistic even though a part of me was convinced I already knew the outcome before it even happened.

  What made matters worse was I didn’t even really know anything about Sam other than he was incredibly good-looking, athletic and had a killer smile. Before I ever ran into him at the party or saw him in person, I would hear people talking about him and always singing his praises. Not that he was some sort of legend, but his reputation preceded him because of the conversations people would have with him, the jokes he told (which were funny by the way) or the sweet things he did for them. I remember thinking who was this seemingly amazing guy?

  Then I saw him at the gym sometime after that, and he was such a sight. I never imagined he would be someone that would make my toes curl and give me goosebumps (in a good way) and the more I saw him, the more I wanted to know him.

  Tell me, is it possible? Love (or lust) at first sight? Do you still believe in that? I'm not sure if that is what it was but when I saw him for the first time from across the room my heart stopped, the hairs on my skin pricked up, and I was breathless at the mere sight of him. I prayed to God that the praises sang about him were true, and I needed to know someone great; I needed to know him.

  I guess that is why the town of Sutton Hill also called to me. I didn’t live here, but you could always find me every morning sitting on the same concrete bench behind Tower Nineteen. It always gave me this feeling of completeness, like I was meant to be here. That sense of completeness that I always felt when thoughts of Sam popped up in my mind.

  There was something about the calmness of it all - the cool breeze, the sky just after the sun rose, the sand between my toes and the sound of the waves crashing. It was being surrounded by the simplicity that brought me here daily because it gave me a sense of calmness and peace of mind that I needed right now.

  Whenever I came, the early risers particularly those that jogged were huddled around the start of the jogging path in the midst of their morning stretches. I couldn't help but get distracted by the way they prepared themselves before their run as it always prevented me from getting what I came for - I just wanted to be by myself.

  I wouldn’t exactly say it’s been a rough few months, but I’ve definitely needed some guidance about the direction my life had gone. The same questions repeatedly floated around in my mind: Is this the way my life was supposed to go? What exactly is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of MY life? That gnawing feeling where nothing seemed good enough or serendipitous if you get what I mean.

  I don’t know about you, but nothing really felt like it was intended to be like I’m floating around in limbo waiting for what’s supposed to be next, but ‘next’ never happened.

  I sighed heavily at the mere thought about the progress I hadn’t made with meeting Sam formally, but I knew that I couldn’t keep dwelling on the fact much longer as I had to get to the gym when they opened soon. I usually trained in the evenings but I wanted to use the time to look for a new place of employment. It was my top priority. So I was going to head to the gym in the morning, so I could spend the rest of the day doing that.

  I loved my job, but I was looking for something different. My true passion was in the non-profit sector. I had a lot of compassion and influence I wanted to give, but I had nowhere to put it, and after much deliberation, I knew that I wanted to find someplace that would allow me to help others but also would allow me to incorporate my love of music into it.

  The problem was, I didn’t know of a place like that. Something unique as that rarely existed and if it did, I didn’t have any idea where it was.

  I let out a deep sigh as I picked up the gym bag full of martial arts equipment that sat next to me. I had the day off, but I wanted to spend the time filling out more job applications until my eyes burned from the constant scanning of pixels across the screen. That wasn't my biggest problem, however. I just couldn’t get anything done.

  I was too distracted by him.

  It didn't matter where I was or what I was doing, he infiltrated my thoughts constantly. Don't get me wrong, he's a great distraction. I just didn't know when I'd see Sam again.

  He was the right combination of tall, dark and refined sexiness mixed with All-American bravado. The not so hilarious part was that he didn’t exactly know who I was. We’ve never formally met, but I figured if I went to the martial arts gym we both trained at often enough, I
’d run into him again. I was determined to.

  I had trained at different martial arts gyms throughout my life but my current one, Animus Training Center, was my favorite. In the past few months, I felt a strong sense of family and support. I felt it almost instantly. The owner, “Professor” Felix was a kind, easy going and gregarious man. He didn’t condemn you if you didn’t pass your belt tests, messed up on a technique or took a break from training for a period of time. He embodied the word ‘family,' a word he regularly preached about at every training session, and I admired him wholeheartedly.

  When I arrived at the Animus Training Center, there were a few students there packing up after the morning session and a couple of students in the back in a private training session with one of the trainers.

  “Hey if it isn’t Wily! Here in the morning no less. I thought you were a night owl?”

  “Hardly a night owl, Professor. I’m here to train because I can’t come tonight, I have obligations to take care of.”

  Wily was the Professor’s nickname for me, according to him I was crafty when it came to the strategies I used when sparring with other students. For a while, he joked about calling me ‘possum’ because of the modest way I went about things. I felt that it wasn’t a lovely name for me, so he thought better of it. He liked ‘Wily’ because it sounded more badass to him.

  “Why, what’s going on?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing. I have a lot of work to do. I’m in the middle of applying for other jobs, and I want to use every free moment I have to fill out applications. I’m so ready to move onto something else.”

  “That bad huh?”

  “It’s time, I think. I’ve outgrown the organization, and I’m ready to do something a little more fulfilling, something a little more me.”

  “I guess I can’t complain. If you need any help, let me know okay?” Professor Felix laughed.

  “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

  “Just stay out of the center mat in the front, I am going to need it soon for a training session. We are going over more advanced high guard techniques, counters and the escapes to them.”

  The high guard position was a strategy in martial arts where I would trap at least one of my opponent’s arms and head using my legs locked at the ankles. The tighter I closed my legs, the harder it would be for my opponent to get out. Once trapped in a high guard, there was any number of attacks I could use to get them to tap out or submit.

  “Sounds fun.” I cooed. “If it’s alright, I’m going to work on the heavy bag and do some calisthenics.”

  Professor Felix waved me off, “Be my guest.”

  If you didn’t know him, you would be intimidated by the way he looked. Professor Felix was a burly and muscular man with a wooden expression. His shaved head in addition to the menacing tattoos he had all over his body made him look that much more frightening. I knew better, and despite his appearance, he was a generous soul. The one thing you did not do, however, is taking his kindness for weakness. He wasn’t intimidating all the time, he was intimidating when it mattered.

  It had been a long time since I had such an intense workout as I did that morning. The sessions I attended more recently were jiu-jitsu based which hardly required effort on my part. It was the one area I was one of the best at in the dojo, but when it came to workouts that were more traditional in cardio, I wasn’t as fortunate. I desperately needed to work on my stamina and endurance. Training on the heavy bag in the back corner of the dojo, I was dripping with sweat. It felt good to let off some steam.

  “Hey Sam, long time no see brother.” Professor Felix said around the corner from where I had been training.

  Sam. Now that was a name I hadn’t heard in a while. Tall, dark and sexy - still the object of my current obsession. Unable to listen to the rest of the conversation that was in a more hushed tone, they must have walked into Professor Felix’s office. I tipped toed and peeked around the corner to look through the glass window of his office.

  There he stood, I bit my lip at the mere sight of him standing there. They had their backs toward me, and I couldn’t help but think that it wasn’t a bad view. Sam wore his dark curly hair a little longer than the last time I saw him, and it was accompanied by the appearance of thick, gray strands on the sides.

  He wore a black compression top that was form fitting enough to outline the muscles on his back. Sam stood there laughing at something Professor Felix said, and I gripped the corner of the wall and leaned in further standing on one leg to hear more of the muffled conversation. I strained too far forward, desperately trying to find out what they talked about. I quickly lost my balance and fell into an awkward heap on the mat.

  “Oof.” I exhaled as I landed face-first, the wind knocked out of me.

  “What are you doing?” Professor Felix peeked his head out the office door.

  Feeling slightly humiliated, I stood up and brushed the dirt off of my gray yoga pants.

  “Nothing, I just slipped is all. I was…uh…working on a tornado kick and I-I-I…” my voice cracked, and I lost my train of thought when Sam walked out of the office to join the conversation.

  Feeling very self-conscious, I nervously tugged at the hem of my t-shirt and brushed the bangs out of my face. I felt the sudden urge to check my appearance in a mirror, “I…uh…”

  Stop it. Keep yourself in check, Jamie. God, he’s gorgeous. I’d give anything for a mirror right now.

  He looked at me with those vibrant and mesmerizing blue eyes, and for a brief moment, I lost my breath at how incredibly hot he was standing there. Add in his charming smile and the faint whiff of his aftershave, I was doomed.

  “What was that?” Professor Felix questioned.

  “I, uh...” I panicked again.

  “Yes?” he asked again.

  God, why was Sam staring at me?

  This was not even remotely close to how I always imagined this would go. I’ve always believed that if I got the chance to run into him again, I’d wear something a little more flattering and I’d walk up to him, introduce myself and say something witty to catch his attention. I’d tell a joke or two, make him laugh, and I’d reel him in.

  This situation I was now in was nothing like that. Frankly, I’m not put together enough to be witty and grandiose. I was far too clumsy and ordinary to be impressive or at least impressive enough to win him over. My friend, Lisa and my other friends believed otherwise. They looked at me and told me often that I was beautiful and could catch any man’s attention, and if I didn’t, then it was their loss.

  Maybe they’re right, it wasn’t as if I lacked dating experience and I have had several relationships, but they weren’t Sam. There was something magnetic about the way he stood and looked that tugged at my heartstrings and made me a giant mess. I was usually coordinated and self-assured in most circumstances, and I knew it was silly to have these sort of thoughts about someone I’ve had a couple of brief interactions with and hardly knew but there it was - my extravagant romanticism.

  “Uh, nothing.” I finally managed to peep and scurried back as quickly as possible to the heavy bag I had been using.

  Professor Felix shrugged and much to my relief, they moved onto their scheduled training session while I continued working on my strikes and kicks on the heavy bags. Sam had an excellent physique for his age and looked, fitter than I last remembered. He was wearing a suit then so it didn’t accurately show the definition in his muscles that the form-fitting attire he wore today did.

  I was curious to find out more about who he was and what he was about besides his first name. As the two men walked over to the center mat in the front of the room, they were in my direct line of sight so I could catch glimpses of them while I trained. Sam glanced over once or twice in my direction while in passing, but it did not seem like it was enough for it to look like something akin to recognition or awareness. Nonetheless, I kept to myself and continued my training but kept a partial focus on what they were do
ing.

  I really wanted to know more about him, and if I didn’t find out, I would more than likely not see Sam for a long time or never see him again. I definitely could not interrupt their training, that would be disrespectful, but I had to do something. Was I desperate enough to leave the building at the same time and force small talk? I couldn’t manage that, he already had me weak in the knees and in other places.

  “Hey Wily, could you come over here for a second. We could use your help.” Felix called from the other room.

  The Gods were in my favor.

  “Yes, Professor?” I asked as I walked to the center mat, anxious at the circumstances I was now in.

  “Wily, this is Sam and Sam, this is Wily. She is one of our most talented students here.” Professor Felix boasted, placing a proud hand on her shoulder.

  Yes! An introduction. Wow, my heart is beating so fast.

  “I wouldn’t say all that, Professor.” I blushed as I shook Sam’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise.” He said with a slight smile.

  Looking at him closer, he looked older than I previously saw from afar. He looked to be in his late 30’s or early 40’s, probably about twelve years her junior.

  Looking at him closer, he looked older than she previously saw from afar. He looked to be late 30’s or early 40’s, about twelve years my senior. Damn it. I’m too young for him.

  “It’s true, isn’t it?” Felix stated before turning back to Sam. “In the past few months she’s been here, Wily’s already working towards her purple belt.”

  “Wow, purple already? Quite an accomplishment. Congratulations!” Sam exclaimed.

  The purple belt in the Brazilian Ji Jitsu system is the 3rd belt a practitioner would receive unless the individual school decided to implement other colors and/or stripes into their ranking system. The average student testing for purple belt typically had at least 2-3 years of training knowledge before they were invited to test for a purple belt.