Beyond Beautiful (Love in Providence Book 2) Read online

  Beyond Beautiful

  Love in Providence

  Book 2

  Heather MacKinnon

  Beyond Beautiful

  Copyright Ⓒ 2019 by Heather MacKinnon

  Book cover: fiverr.com/germancreative

  Editing: Karen Sanders Editing

  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, actual events, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  More from Heather MacKinnon

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Belle

  “Son of a bitch.”

  I held down the power button on my phone until it made an indent in my finger, but it was no use. The stupid thing was dead.

  “Why didn’t I bring my friggen portable charger?” I mumbled.

  I glanced over my shoulder at the fancy Federal Hill restaurant I’d just escaped from and heaved a big sigh. It looked like I was going to have to go back in and borrow someone’s phone.

  Tonight had been Ryder’s college graduation dinner. He’d been dating my old roommate for years and was more like a brother now. An annoying, pain in the ass brother who bothered me any chance he got. Which was further proof he was like family. And Bailey was a lot more than my old roommate; she was also my best friend and sister from another mister.

  They’d been together for a bunch of years now, and he’d surprised us all by proposing. Obviously, Bailey said yes, and it was all very sweet, but there was only so much of that crap I could take before my stomach started rolling.

  Don’t get me wrong, I was happy for them. Immensely happy. So happy I could have thrown up. And that’s exactly what would have happened if I’d had to endure much longer of their lovey dovey shit. Thankfully, the graduate’s brother, Remy, treated us to this upscale meal, but you don’t upchuck a fifty dollar steak, no matter who buys it. It’s just bad form.

  With another sigh, I hung my head and mentally prepared myself to go back in there. I’d already lied once and told them the Uber had arrived and I had to leave right away. Now I’d have to lie again and tell them he cancelled or something, right before my phone died.

  Oh, what a tangled web.

  “Belle? Is everything okay?”

  I turned to find Remy tucking a cell phone into the pocket of his slacks. Even though he’d lived upstairs from me for the past four years, our paths hadn’t crossed much. Sure, we had the occasional dinner together when Bailey and Ryder forced us all into the same room, but that was the extent of our relationship.

  I shrugged. “Yeah, I’m fine. My phone just died, and I was trying to catch an Uber home.”

  Remy smiled, his brown eyes kinder than I remembered. “I just called one. Why don’t we ride together?”

  Gratitude flooded my system. “Really? You don’t mind?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Belle, we’re goin’ to the same place.”

  I released a deep breath as my escape from the Bailey-Ryder love fest loomed in front of me. “That would be great, Remy. Thanks.”

  He waved dismissively before shoving his hand into one of his front pockets. We stood there awkwardly for a second, the fact that we’d never really had a conversation of our own glaringly obvious.

  Finally, he tipped his head toward the restaurant. “You wanna wait inside?”

  “Fuck, no.” My answer fell from my lips before I could stop it.

  A surprised chuckle burst out of him. “Don’t hold back or anything.”

  I gave him a sheepish smile and tried to explain myself better. “I just can’t take any more of that mushy shit. It’s making me itch.”

  Remy frowned. “You’re not happy for them?”

  I waved both hands in front of me. “No, no, no. That’s not it. I’m super happy for them. I love Bailey like a sister, and I know Ryder’s going to treat her like a queen for the rest of their lives.”

  I’d certainly threatened him with bodily harm often enough to know he’d treat her well or face the Isabelle Garcia wrath. At that point, he knew better.

  Remy’s frown deepened. “Then what’s the problem?”

  I sighed and tried again. “They’re just so… ugh.” Remy laughed, and I was glad because I really wasn’t trying to offend him or his brother. But I rushed to elaborate, anyway. “They’re great, but when they’re together, they’re like sickeningly cute. There’s only so much I can stomach in a day.”

  Remy laughed harder. “Try living with them.”

  I cringed. I couldn’t help it.

  In the beginning, the couple split their time between the two apartments, but eventually, for whatever reason, they’d pretty much permanently moved in upstairs.

  Maybe it was the retching sounds I made whenever I caught them making out.

  Which was often.

  Maybe it was all the fights me and Ryder got into. They were the type of good-natured squabbles that happened between siblings who loved to antagonize each other, but even I could admit they were excessive.

  Whatever the reason, they’d settled upstairs with Remy and I saw that much less of Bailey. It was hard at first, but I made peace with losing a piece of my best friend. That part of her heart wasn’t meant for me—it was Ryder’s all along.

  I looked up and noticed while I’d been lost in thought, Remy had been studying me.

  “What?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “I just didn’t think you’d had enough to drink to need to Uber home.”

  I laughed. “Believe me, I had enough. Especially since I wasn’t the one paying the bar tab.”

  Remy’s lips twitched to the side, his eyes bright with humor.

  “But I Ubered here, so I’d have to Uber home regardless,” I went on.

  “So, your plan was to run up the bill you weren’t paying,” he said with a smile.

  I tipped my head back and laughed loudly. “No, that wasn’t my plan, that was just a lucky break,” I said between chuckles.

  Remy took a couple steps closer. “Then why Uber?”

  “I Uber everywhere.”

  “Don’t you have a license?”

  “Technically.”

  “But no car?”

  I huffed out a breath. “Remy, have you noticed a car of mine parked behind our house?”

 
; He shot me a crooked grin. “I’ll admit, I haven’t paid much attention.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Clearly.”

  He took another step closer. “But I’m paying attention now.”

  He smelled like expensive cologne and my heart rate picked up as I breathed him in. Now I knew I’d had too much to drink.

  “I Uber everywhere because I prefer not to drive. I could buy a car if I wanted, but it’s better if I don’t.”

  He tilted his head to the side. “It’s better if you don’t drive? Better for who?”

  I gestured to the busy street full of cars we were standing next to. “All of civilization really.”

  He laughed, the sound deep and rich and doing funny shit to my stomach. I really needed to get home and sleep this off because Remy MacAlister was looking sexier by the second and I really couldn’t go there.

  He took another step closer, and I could feel the heat of his body. “It’s better for all of civilization if you don’t drive? Why’s that?”

  I looked up into his chocolate brown gaze and lost the conversation for a second. Had his eyes always been so warm? So enticing? Damn, I needed a bottle of water and my bed stat.

  I shook it off and did my best to put some much-needed breathing room between us without making it too obvious. The last thing I needed was for him to realize how much he was affecting me.

  It was the wine. It had to be.

  I cleared my throat and looked up at him again, willing myself to keep my cool. “I’m an awful driver,” I blurted.

  Remy’s brows twitched, his smile creeping back across his face. “You can’t be that bad.”

  “No, really. I am. I’ve been in so many accidents I’ve been blackballed by every insurance company in Rhode Island.” I shrugged. “It’s better for everyone in the city of Providence if I just Uber.”

  He shook his head, his smile wide. “You’re somethin’ else.”

  I shrugged and looked away as a white Honda pulled up in front of us. Remy pulled his phone back out and checked the car’s plates before nodding toward me. “This is us.”

  I followed him over to the car and he held the door open while I slid into the back seat. Once he was in, he confirmed our address with the driver, and we were off.

  “Thanks again for this. I didn’t want to admit to the happy couple that I lied about my Uber already being here,” I said.

  Remy chuckled and turned to face me, his knee brushing against my leg in the small confines of the back seat. “I’m happy to help.”

  I shot him a smile and turned to look out the window. Being so close to him was more difficult than I’d imagined, and I was willing the car to go faster so this trip could end.

  “So, with your aversion to romance, I’m assuming there’s no one special in your life?”

  I turned to him, a smile tugging at my lips. “Who wants to know?”

  He held up his hands in surrender. “Just a curious neighbor.”

  I pursed my lips and eyed him for a moment, but I had no reason to not answer. “That would be a fat no.”

  He chuckled once. “Why? Are you allergic to love?”

  I scoffed. “Allergic to love. Listen to you! No, I’m not allergic to love. It just has no place in my life.”

  He nodded slowly, his eyes sad. “So, you’re celibate. That explains a lot.”

  I backhanded his shoulder while his laugh filled the car. “No, I’m not celibate, you dick bag. I’m just not into relationships. They’re messy and too involved for me. I have fun when I want and do my own thing the rest of the time.”

  “Dick bag?”

  I shrugged. “Well, if the shoe fits…”

  He laughed again. “So, even though you’ve seen how happy Bailey and Ryder are, that still doesn’t convince you that relationships are worth the hassle and the… messiness?”

  “Hell no. Bailey and Ryder are only further proof of why I’m not in a relationship.”

  “How’s that?”

  I turned to face him, our legs brushing again, but this time I barely noticed. He was getting me all riled up and now I had a point to make. “Relationships like that are all-consuming. All-encompassing. Every decision she makes affects him and vice versa. Neither one of them are their own person anymore. Everything is about the two of them.”

  Remy cocked his head to the side. “Isn’t that supposed to be a good thing?”

  “Not to be repetitive, but hell no. What happens when, ten years down the road, they’re not together anymore?”

  “You don’t think they’ll last that long?”

  I shrugged. “Who knows? In ten years, they’ll be completely different people. Maybe they won’t be compatible anymore. Or maybe he gets hit by a bus. Or maybe she falls off a cliff. Either way, one day someone’s gonna lose the other one and where will they be then?”

  “Does Bailey spend much time near cliffs?”

  I smacked him again. “Focus, Remy!”

  He laughed and rubbed where I hit him. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Men were such babies. I didn’t even hit him that hard.

  “That’s a pretty morbid way of looking at things, Belle.”

  I shrugged. “You say morbid, I say realistic. One day, something is going to tear them apart, and all this time they’ve spent being a them will be over. Why go through all that when you know you’ll lose them someday?”

  “I take back what I said. That wasn’t pretty morbid, that’s morbid as fuck.”

  I laughed and shrugged. “It’s true though.”

  “You might be right, but some would say the journey’s worth it.”

  I opened my mouth to respond when the car slowed to a stop, and I glanced out the window. How had we made a fifteen-minute trip in what felt like only two or three?

  We thanked the driver and Remy helped me out. Thankfully, it seemed he’d dropped the conversation we were having in the car. I didn’t mind sharing my point of view on the whole mess, but didn’t like arguing about it. There was nothing anyone could say to change my mind on relationships and he’d just have been wasting his breath.

  We walked around the side of the house to the door and Remy opened it for us. I dug in my purse for my keys, mentally preparing myself for one last glass of wine. Even though I’d been looking forward to some water and my bed, our conversation had my engines running and I was too wired to sleep.

  Then I remembered.

  “Aww, fuck nuts,” I mumbled.

  Remy laughed as he held the door open for me. “Fuck nuts?”

  I looked up at him and nodded mournfully. “I just remembered I drank all my wine last night.”

  He shook his head. “Didn’t get enough at my expense?”

  I shrugged. “I thought I had, but you’ve got me all worked up with that relationship conversation and I was hoping to continue my night.” I sighed. “Guess water and bed is what’s on the schedule now.”

  Remy was quiet while he watched me search for my keys. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke up. “I’ve got some cold beer upstairs if you’re interested.”

  I turned to him with a frown. “Beer?”

  He laughed and leaned against the wall in the small foyer.

  The small foyer that had never felt smaller.

  When did Remy get so big?

  I always knew he was tall like his brother, but were his shoulders always so broad? His chest that wide? And since when the hell did he start smelling so good?

  “Yeah, beer. I’ve got Blue Moon and some IPAs. They’re good.”

  I wrinkled my nose as I weighed my options. “Yeah, but it’s beer.”

  He laughed again before grabbing my hand. “Come on, Belle. Broaden your horizons.”

  I let him lead me up to his apartment. In the four years he’d lived there I’d only been up those stairs a handful of times to talk to Bailey. But that night, it felt like brand-new territory and my stomach clenched in anticipation.

  “Okay, I guess I can give it a try, but I’m not making any
promises,” I warned him.

  He chuckled again and squeezed my hand. It was warm and big, completely encompassing mine and making me feel all sorts of dainty in the process.

  “That’s all I can ask,” he said as he fit his key in the lock and opened the door for us.

  He dropped my hand, and it instantly felt cold. Like I’d been wearing gloves outside in the snow and they’d been abruptly ripped off. I fisted my fingers and tried to shake the feeling off.

  I didn’t hold hands.

  Not now, not ever.

  That was a momentary lapse in judgement that I wouldn’t let happen again.

  I must have taken too long because Remy turned to look at me with questions in his deep brown eyes. I mentally shook myself and strode into his apartment.

  Unfortunately for me, it seemed like I’d had just enough wine at the restaurant to lose my ability to walk in my four-inch heels. I caught the toe of my shoe on his doorstep and stumbled forward. My arms wind-milled desperately through the air as I tried to regain control before I made a complete ass of myself.

  Thankfully, Remy rushed forward and grabbed my arms, steadying me before I could do something really embarrassing. I took a deep breath and looked up to thank him when the words got caught in my throat.

  He smiled down at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Be careful, beautiful.”

  My heart thundered at his compliment and I knew then I’d made a mistake coming up there. A mistake I was in no hurry to rectify.

  Chapter 2

  Remy

  Son of a bitch.

  Why did I just call her beautiful?

  I mean, it’s not like it wasn’t true. Belle was gorgeous. Stunning. The way her little black dress hugged her curves was enough to drive any straight man out of his mind.

  But I’d intended to keep those thoughts to myself.

  This wasn’t the first time I’d noticed Belle. I’d been checking her out for years, but I’d been careful to keep that shit under wraps. I didn’t need the complication of a woman in my life, and I definitely didn’t need to get involved with someone I practically lived with. All of that added up to me keeping my eyes off her curves and my dick in my pants.

  So, what changed tonight?