Standing By
by Claudia Burgoa
Release date: September 23rd 2014
1. Loves a good challenge
2. Never turns his back on a dare
3. Loves to create nicknames
4. Nobody cooks better than him
5. Doesn’t believe in love.
When Parker Welsh sells Mitch Knight his organic restaurant, Willows, he not only gives Mitch ownership; but everything entangled with it. Including the annoying pastry chef who supplies the muffins and cupcakes.
Hayley Roth-Welsh
1. Loves To-Do Lists and Five-Year Plans
2. Has her dream job of baking sweets
3. Always tries to make others happy
4. Never seems to succeed with her family
5. Is still a virgin, waiting for love.
Hayley played by her mother’s rules for the first eighteen years of her life, instead of heading to college as her family expected, she rebelled and opened a bakery, Pieces of Heaven. Her family expects her to fail and head back to school and their wish may come true once Parker sells his restaurant to the handsome, arrogant Mitchel Knight. It’s either join forces with him or lose her dream.
Mitch
“This is a shitty arrangement,” I clench my fists as Liam’s mocking tone continues to taunt me, the grocery bag I carry is saving his ass. “No, the question is, why are you still playing along? Jake and Emma swear it’s real, but I have five hundred on the line saying you fucked up and owe Emma eternal slavery. This isn’t you; Hayley is full of drama and you’re a simple guy. At least you should sleep with her.”
I don’t know if he’s fishing for information or if I let something out for him to realize the truth. “Fuck off, Liam,”
“You two haven’t done it, Mitch,” Liam says.
Now I understand why Jake flares when we mention his sex life. In my defense, he flaunts it in our faces while I keep mine where it belongs, private.
“That’s what I don’t get,” he points at my face. “Each time you look at her, you not only salivate in lust, you look at her as if there’s no one else in the entire planet and whatever it is going on between the two of you is worse than Jake’s and Emma’s fuck buddies shit. May I remind you how things almost ended between them?”
“They didn’t communicate their feelings; they banged each other without talking.” I do remember.
“They had a great relationship, I was there, Mitch,” his voice is hard. “Then one day out of nowhere Emma decided my brother wasn’t enough for her because she was afraid, same reason why he let her go. What are you afraid of, Mitch? I heard you and Parker; Hayley has family issues, hell I met the mother. However, Hayley is great. I definitely need to fix my schedule in order to make sure I’m here when the show begins.”
“What show?” He’s making no sense.
“I want to see you crying for the girl,” he says as we reach the seventh floor of the building where I live.
“Go to hell.” I respond and open the door of our apartment. “This conversation is over.”
“This is a shitty arrangement,” I clench my fists as Liam’s mocking tone continues to taunt me, the grocery bag I carry is saving his ass. “No, the question is, why are you still playing along? Jake and Emma swear it’s real, but I have five hundred on the line saying you fucked up and owe Emma eternal slavery. This isn’t you; Hayley is full of drama and you’re a simple guy. At least you should sleep with her.”
I don’t know if he’s fishing for information or if I let something out for him to realize the truth. “Fuck off, Liam,”
“You two haven’t done it, Mitch,” Liam says.
Now I understand why Jake flares when we mention his sex life. In my defense, he flaunts it in our faces while I keep mine where it belongs, private.
“The
sexual tension between the two of you is thicker than your
stubbornness; I can see the predatory eyes you give her. You touch her
like your girlfriend, not the girl you’re living with—married to.”
“That’s
my business, Liam. Hayley isn’t like every other hookup I had in my
life; she’s Hayley and things will happen if and only when she’s ready.”“That’s what I don’t get,” he points at my face. “Each time you look at her, you not only salivate in lust, you look at her as if there’s no one else in the entire planet and whatever it is going on between the two of you is worse than Jake’s and Emma’s fuck buddies shit. May I remind you how things almost ended between them?”
“They didn’t communicate their feelings; they banged each other without talking.” I do remember.
“They had a great relationship, I was there, Mitch,” his voice is hard. “Then one day out of nowhere Emma decided my brother wasn’t enough for her because she was afraid, same reason why he let her go. What are you afraid of, Mitch? I heard you and Parker; Hayley has family issues, hell I met the mother. However, Hayley is great. I definitely need to fix my schedule in order to make sure I’m here when the show begins.”
“What show?” He’s making no sense.
“I want to see you crying for the girl,” he says as we reach the seventh floor of the building where I live.
“Go to hell.” I respond and open the door of our apartment. “This conversation is over.”
This is Mitchel and Hayley's story. He the self proclaimed eternal bachelor with a nurturing spirit and she the woman seeking her independence and self worth. What appears at first to be a battle of the sexes evolves into a story of teamwork, unselfish love, and lively happenings. Hayley has a light that fills a room and a powerful personality that takes no prisoners. She is a survivor with a strong belief in her goals. What is an up hill battle, she tackles it with force and hard work. By the way, sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas. *Wiggle eyebrows*
These Knight brothers are not for the faint of heart. They are full of mischief and life. I have no idea how their mother survived raising them and home schooling them. Life in that household had to be chaos all the time!
This is my favorite series so far written by Claudia Burgoa. Our author weaves a human tale and I am engrossed with these characters as if they were my friends. Well done, Claudia! Thank you for such an entertaining story!
About Claudia Burgoa
Born on the mystical day of October 30th in the not so mystical lands
of Mexico City, Claudia grew up with a childhood that resembled a
caffeine-injected soap opera. Seventeen years ago she ventured to the
lands of her techie husband—a.k.a. the U.S.—with their offspring to
start a new adventure.
She now lives in Colorado working as a CFO for a small IT company,
managing her household filled with three confused dogs, said nerd
husband, two daughters wrought with fandoms and a son who thinks he’s
the boss of the house. To survive she works continually to find purpose
for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high
quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact.
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Thank you for the lovely review, Gloria xox
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