Fighting the Odds Read online

  FIGHTING THE ODDS

  K WILLIAMS

  FIGHTING THE ODDS

  * * *

  COVEY PUBLISHING, LLC

  Published by Covey Publishing, LLC

  PO Box 550219, Gastonia, NC 28055-0219

  * * *

  Copyright © 2018 by K Williams

  * * *

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the writer, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  * * *

  Cover Design Copyright © 2018 Covey

  Book Design by Covey, www.coveypublishing.com

  * * *

  Copy Editing by Covey Publishing, LLC

  Printed in the United States of America.

  * * *

  ISBN: 978-1-948185-47-9

  First Printing, 2018

  Also by K WILLIAMS

  Fighting the Odds

  Incognito

  My New Life

  All or Nothing

  Contents

  1. Jacinta

  2. Jacinta

  3. Jacinta

  4. Jacinta

  5. Jacinta

  6. Jacinta

  7. Jacinta

  8. Jacinta

  9. Jacinta

  10. Jacinta

  11. Jacinta

  12. Jacinta

  13. Jacinta

  14. Jacinta

  15. Jacinta

  16. Jacinta

  17. Jacinta

  18. Jacinta

  19. Jacinta

  20. Jacinta

  21. Jacinta

  22. Jacinta

  23. Jacinta

  24. Jacinta

  25. Jacinta

  26. Jacinta

  27. Jacinta

  28. Jacinta

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Sweet, Sweet Savannah

  Fostering Hope

  Her Reasons

  Somewhere to Belong

  1

  Jacinta

  “Are the movers there, yet?” Mom’s refined voice floats over the phone.

  “They’re here now, Mom.” I place my thumb and forefinger on the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. Talking to Mom isn’t pleasant, even on the best of days.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to take anything else with you? You bought most of the things in that house. Well, I bought most of the things in that house.”

  I tilt my head back, absorbing the hot, mid-May Arizona sun. “No, Mom. I don’t need any of it, let him have it.” Stretching my neck to release some of the tension, I tilt my head upright. “What do you mean, you bought the stuff in the house?”

  “Nothing, honey,” she says quickly. “I just meant that you bought the stuff with the money I gave you. I still don’t understand how you can let him get away with this. He cheated on you. He shouldn’t get to keep the furniture as a prize for it.”

  I’m beginning to think being on the street is a better option than putting up with my mom. She never makes taking help from her pleasant. At least she’s not trying to talk me into staying with Trevor.

  “I just need a place to stay. If it’s a problem for you, I can book a hotel until I find something else.” I should have waited one more day to try and get ahold of my brother.

  “It’s not a problem at all. We live in Florida. You’ll have the house to yourself starting tomorrow. Are you sure you don’t want me to pay for the hotel since the cleaners won’t be there until later today?” she offers. “The movers will be dropping your things off after they leave.”

  I adjust the phone to my ear and gaze around the neighborhood, the houses so like mine with families in front of a few of them, talking and hanging out while their children run around each other, playing a game of tag. Their lives move forward while mine is a mess.

  “No, thanks. I can cover the hotel. Are you sure there’s not an apartment available that I can rent from you?” I’d rather pay them rent for an apartment in order to retain some control over what comes next. I don’t know if I can handle the line of guys Mom will send to my door at any given time in an effort to see me married as soon as possible.

  “They’re all full, right now.”

  I’m sure that’s not true, but beggars can’t be choosers. “Okay, Mom, I have to go. They’re about finished, and I need to get up early to finish moving.”

  Closing my eyes, I tilt my head up to the sun again, hoping it will soothe me. While I have a place to live, what will happen Monday when I’m forced to face my ex at work? As his Administrative Assistant, we work closely together. Hopefully, one of the resumes I sent out will provide me with another job soon.

  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Make sure you call me when you get finished moving in.”

  “Okay, bye.” Before she starts with something else, I disconnect.

  The movers carry the last boxes out to their small truck. Mom insisted on helping me move even after I explained I didn’t need any help, only a place to stay.

  Knowing my mom, it wouldn’t surprise me if she instructed the movers to make a detour to her place so she could go through my things. Luckily, my parents are in Florida, where they’ve been for the past four years, so I can keep my privacy.

  As they drive away, I gaze at the pale-yellow house with the rose bushes I so lovingly grew in front of it. It’s been home for the past three years. After my ex-boyfriend cheated on me and kicked me out, I expected to feel misery and anger, but a detached melancholy seeped into my bones, settling in for the long haul.

  I walk back into the house, past the royal blue couch I fell in love with and decorated the whole living room around. The glass coffee table with a large gold base sits in front of the couch with a white sculpture of a woman reaching to the sky sitting in the middle of it. When Trevor brought it home, he told me it reminded him of me because I always reach for the stars, one of the things he loved about me. Another lie.

  I shake my head, trying not to let the memories get to me.

  Even though it’s hard to leave the house I thought I would stay in forever, I don’t want to have to come back here. Any reminders of my time here stay here, so I must be very careful about what I take. For the past three years, I was happy and in love, but it was all a lie. It’s time to start a new life for myself, which doesn’t include Trevor or any of these things in this house.

  The boxes with my private documents and some of my beloved items, a few trinkets and clothes I especially like, stay with me, and I carry them to my brand-new, black Escalade. With the chrome accents and tinted windows, I admire it. The sparkly pink script of my initials stands out on the black gleam of the exterior below the emblem in the back of the SUV.

  My parents bought it as a gift for my college graduation last week. Looking at it puts a smile on my face. They came down the day of my graduation, took me out to dinner and to pick up my SUV, then left to go back to Florida the next morning.

  Good times.

  After I load all the boxes into the SUV, I mentally go through everything I took to make sure I haven’t left anything behind, then climb into the cool, comfortable leather seats of the vehicle.

  On the way to the hotel, my phone rings. I press the Bluetooth and answer, “Hello?”

  “Mom? Real
ly? You’re taking her help and moving into that house?” Jagger’s incredulous voice fills the interior of the car.

  “I had no other choice. You were out of the country, and after Trevor couldn’t get me to do what he wanted after I caught him cheating, I was given five days to move.” I look both ways before turning the corner. “No one would give me a place, so I had to call her.”

  I still don’t know why Trevor thought I would have sex with him after I caught him cheating. Am I that much of a pushover?

  Jagger’s voice breaks me out of that line of thought. “You can stay at my house. I have enough room.”

  He does. His house is as big as the one I’m moving into. When Jag was house hunting, he explained that, even though it was just him right now, he needed a lot of space for his future family. He bought the same six bedroom, seven bathroom house as our parent’s, just in a different part of town. The colors and floor plans are also different, but they have the same amount of square footage.

  “I knew you would welcome me, Jag, but I couldn’t get ahold of you. When did you get back in town?” I ask.

  “Just today. I’m sorry you couldn’t reach me. Let me know when you need to move again, and I’ll send a truck for you. Have you found another job yet?”

  My stomach twists. “It’s really weird. I’ve been to a few interviews. When I’m there, they’re so excited about me. A couple of them practically promised me the job, but a couple of days later, I get an email saying that they are going in another direction. Hopefully, I’ll find another one soon.”

  The next interview I go on, if they reject me, I’ll ask why. Maybe I can get some insight into what I’m doing wrong.

  “You know you don’t have to keep working for your ex. I’ll support you until you find something else,” he offers.

  “I know you will, but this is something I need to do myself. I appreciate you, big brother.” I pull up to the hotel and sit in my parking space, watching the sun start to set over the mountains. I’m grateful I have someone in my life who I know genuinely loves me. Jag has been that for me for as long as I can remember.

  “Why don’t you talk to Mom and have them release your trust fund?” Rustling in the background as he speaks to me makes it hard to hear him. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to do it.”

  They’ve already deserted me once. What would happen if I take my inheritance now? “And what would it cost me? I can make it three more years until I’m twenty-five. I’m about to check into the hotel, Jag. Love you.”

  “Love you, too. Please call me tomorrow,” he pleads.

  “I will.” I disconnect, turn off my car, and drag my luggage inside.

  After checking in and going to my room, I lie back on the bed, closing my eyes, physically tired from packing and moving, and exhausted by having to deal with a cheating ex and parents who don’t want me.

  Caleb

  “Hey, guys. Someone’s moving in next door,” I call behind me before turning back to the window to watch the movers take boxes inside the house.

  “It’s probably that biddy and her husband who lives there.” Judson appears at my shoulder and pulls the blinds farther apart to get a better view of the movers.

  “I don’t think so. She would have been there supervising, and there’s not a lot of boxes going inside. I wonder who’s moving in?” One of the movers trips and almost falls with the box in his hand, eliciting a smile from me.

  “I’m sure we’ll find out soon. They wouldn’t move their things in without following,” Jud points out.

  I nod as we move away from the window.

  If it’s that biddy and her husband, as long as she doesn’t try to come over and get into our business like she did last time, we won’t have a problem. She needs to stay on her side of the property line. Although, it’ll be interesting to see who it is if it isn’t her.

  2

  Jacinta

  Car horns and screeching tires bring me to consciousness. Moving my legs to the edge of the bed, I discover my muscles are tight and hurt from the previous days packing. Since I don’t have to check out until noon, I lie in bed to watch television until I need to get ready to leave. Too bad I didn’t check into a better hotel; room service would be heaven.

  I turn on the television and enjoy the rerun of a daytime show I never get to watch. The smiling faces of the show’s hosts makes me feel a little lighter. I work my muscles a little at a time until they feel loose enough for me to move.

  Getting into the shower, the hot water massages my muscles as it falls over me only for a few minutes since I waited until the last minute to get up. After washing and getting dressed, I repack my clothes and check out of the hotel.

  On the short drive to IHOP, I reflect on the changes happening in my life. Although I feel better about the Trevor situation, the lethargy from yesterday still makes my bones feel heavy. I take my time at lunch, spending an hour and a half relaxing and enjoying my kindle while I eat pancakes with honey.

  It feels good to take this well-deserved respite before moving my things into the new house.

  I park in the double driveway of the peach house with olive green trim and climb out of my SUV. Strolling through the covered porch to the front door, I unlock it and walk inside. The white marble foyer holds a gold table in the middle with an elaborate chandelier above, sparkling in the reflection of the sunlight.

  The smell of Pine-Sol fills the house. True to her word, Mom sent someone out to clean. I should be grateful I’m not the one who has to clean this large house.

  I walk up the blond wood staircase and down the carpeted hallway to my bedroom. Opening the door, the purple and yellow my mother used to decorate the room pop with brightness. I slip off my sandals to dig my toes into the plush, eggplant-colored carpet.

  My mom knows how to pick quality.

  All my boxes are stacked in a corner out of the way. Putting my keys into the pocket of my shorts, I set my purse on the lavender comforter that covers the plush, king-sized bed, then head back downstairs to the SUV.

  I pull out the first box, turn around, and jump. A blond surfer god with a brilliant smile stands in front of me. He’s about six-two and wears an unbuttoned, periwinkle polo shirt with a pair of khaki shorts.

  His clear blue eyes twinkle at me. “Hi, I’m Sebastian, your neighbor.” He points at the house to the right of us. “Let me carry that for you. A beautiful woman such as yourself shouldn’t have to lift a heavy box.”

  Sebastian takes the box from me and waits as I stand there and stare at him in awe.

  “Do you want to show me where this goes?” The surfer’s eyes twinkle some more, and I jump into action, motioning for him to follow me inside. Sebastian follows me upstairs to my room and puts the box down where I want it to go.

  Back at the car, I pull out another box that he promptly takes from me. “How many boxes do you have left in the car?”

  I peer inside and count. “Nine.”

  My voice comes out choked, my throat closing up and making it almost impossible for me to talk. I fan myself. Why am I so flustered by a handsome guy?

  “Do you mind if I put this down for a second?” As I nod, he sets the box on the driveway and pulls out his phone. “I’m going to call in reinforcements, and we’ll have your boxes up there in no time.”

  Voiceless, I nod again.

  He taps into his phone and a couple of minutes later, I look up at three more men, just as devastatingly handsome as Sebastian. My mouth drops open as they say, “Hi,” and take the boxes out of the car, following Sebastian in the house and to my room.

  I grab one of the smaller boxes to take upstairs. By the time I reach my room, they all pass by me to go back downstairs for the last of the boxes.

  Setting my box down, I follow and wait in the foyer for them to finish. When they do, they walk back down the stairs and stop in front of me.

  “Sweetie, this is Caleb.” Sebastian motions to a man with black hair shaved close to his head and silver eyes.
/>
  Caleb’s broad shoulders fill his blue, button-down shirt perfectly. The dark colored jeans fit him like they were sewn onto his body.

  He takes my hand and kisses it. “Nice to meet you.”

  My eyes widen as a small vibration runs through my body.

  “This is Ethan.” Sebastian nods toward a man with wavy, dark-red hair with warm green eyes.

  He stands about the same height as Sebastian and Caleb but has a slightly thinner build. Under the Arizona Diamondback t-shirt that clings to his body, his solid muscles stretch the fabric, not hiding the tone of his torso.

  He steps forward and takes my other hand, kissing it. “My pleasure.”

  The vibration deepens, and I clear my throat.

  “And this is Judson,” Sebastian tells me as Ethan steps back, dropping my hand, and Judson steps forward.

  Judson is not only the tallest of them all but also the most muscular. His shoulder-length brown hair sways as he stops in front of me. Warm, whiskey-colored eyes take me in before he captures my hand and kisses it. “I’m delighted to meet you.”

  What’s going on with me? Each time one of them touches me, the vibrations in my body heighten.

  Their intense stares make me wonder if someone stands behind me, so I swivel around to check the opened front door.