Barber Shop Ink Book 4: Davan Part 1

By Penny Blush

I met the woman of my dreams at my sister's wedding.

I was standing on the edge of the dance floor talking with my cousin when she walked right up and asked me to dance. A woman has never approached me like that before, bold and full of confidence. I'm a big guy and in my military dress uniform I can appear to be quite intimidating.

My size didn't faze her though, she walked right up grabbed my hand and dragged me out onto the dance floor.

I met the woman of my dreams at my sister's wedding.

Too bad I am already married.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penny Blush
• Release date: May 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386242536

Penny Blush

My name is Penny Blush, I love all things book and book related. I’m hoping that the people who make the James Bond movies will call me to ask to use my name as the next Bond Girl *Fingers Crossed* When I’m not hoping for the Bond people to contact me, I usually can be found with my nose in a book getting lost in a story or thinking about stories I would like to write. I’m Australian, I love to sing, and Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I believe in magic, fairies, the power of the universe and that everything happens for a reason. Basically, I’m a crazy person, and I’m ok with that. At least my life is not boring! Author Links Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/PennyBlushAuthor   Reader Group: www.facebook.com/groups/1068654519902946 Instagram:www.instagram.com/pennyblushauthor Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/pennyblush/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/pennyblushbooks Goodreads:www.goodreads.com/author/show/17139863.Penny_Blush

Book preview

Chapter 1 Seraphina

Ididn’t think love at first sight was real until tonight.

I had always believed you needed to know a person for love to grow. Your values and beliefs need to align, you needed to have common interests, at the least you need to know the person’s name before you fell head over heels in love with them.

Tonight, I became a believer.

It was only a few hours ago I was standing in my living room staring at a sea of moving boxes wondering where to start. My hair was in a messy bun, I was wearing the same pair of sweats I’d had on since I arrived at my new home and there was a chocolate milk stain on my t-shirt; I was a red-hot mess. My belongings packed in boxes of various shapes and sizes, remained scattered around the cottage creating a labyrinthian path throughout the house that would have caused even Indiana Jones a spot of bother. All I needed to do was pick one box, just one as a starting point but even that caused me anxiety, because all I could think of was the laundry list of things, I needed to do that were way more important than picking a box to unpack.

Naïvely, I thought the whole thing would be so easy.

Step one purchase a home, step two move in, step three begin my fabulous new adventure.

That is not what happened.

I’ve been in town for over a week, but my cupboards are still bare, my fridge hasn’t been stocked, hell I hadn’t even bathed in two days. My mattress lay on a plastic sheet on the dusty floorboards in my room because I couldn't locate my broom or vacuum cleaner. The only reason I have bedding and the ability to make coffee is because on the way to the cottage I stopped off at a big box store and bought a new pillow, sheet set, blanket and splurged on a top of the line coffee machine that came with a free set of mugs. My plan had been to set up my bedroom, make a coffee, then make unpacking my bitch.

That didn't happen.

Moving here from New Zealand had zapped all my energy and enthusiasm, the last thing I wanted to do was unpack, having to sort through what felt like twelve trillion boxes, deciding where things should go, let alone go to a party; much less attend the wedding of people I didn’t know.

My best friend Cassidy Aims arrived on my doorstep with a dress, some heels and yelled at me to shower and put the damn dress on.

I tried to refuse. I didn’t know these people. I didn’t want to feel like an interloper, coming to their wedding for the free food and drinks. I didn't want to shave my legs and wear a dress. All I wanted to do was shower, put on my super comfy pyjamas, order takeout and binge watch Supernatural.

Miss Cassidy Aims would not be ignored.

Cassidy, although tiny, five-foot-tall, is a persistent pain in the ass. She stood in front of me with her hands on her hips looking intimidating despite her pink and peach hair styled into an intricate updo and her makeup done to highlight her bright green eyes, wearing cut-offs and a button up checked shirt. She insisted I attend the wedding as her plus one. When I pointed out I couldn’t be her plus one as she was going with her boyfriend Jaxon, she said he was in the wedding party, so he didn’t count. Cassidy argued with me all the way up the stairs, through my bedroom and into the bathroom before I realised, I had agreed to go.

The wedding was of her brother Memphis.  

Memphis isn’t really her brother, he is her best friend, her mentor, her protector, they are as close as siblings. They may not be a family by blood, but they are family.

Memphis was marrying Jupiter, who they call Hedge, a nickname given to her by Jaxon, her cousin and Cassidy’s boyfriend.

Cassidy is head over heels in love with Jaxon. Their relationship was like a 90s teen movie, where the hunky jock befriends the brainy nerd to help him with his homework, not realising he loved her, until she took her glasses off and let her hair down from a severe bun. In other words, Jaxon didn't realise what was right in front of him until someone had shown him. Anytime we spoke she always wove in a story about something funny he had done or how amazing a boyfriend he is. You could tell by the smile in her voice and the longing look in her eyes that Jaxon James O’Hare, owned her heart.

I made sure Cassidy knew I was not happy about being forced to go, but once I began getting ready, I realised that I was excited about leaving the house and meeting new people. We didn’t have to go far for the wedding; in fact, we didn’t even have to drive. We walked along the river path to the backyard of my next-door neighbour Mason Grimes, who everyone calls Bear. Bear is a fitting nickname for my neighbour, he’s tall and wide like a grizzly bear standing on its hind legs. He has a loud booming voice he tempers as to not frighten people. I met him the day I moved in to my cottage.

I was trying to manoeuvre a large antique dining table out of the back of Jaxon’s truck; I borrowed after insisting I needed no one’s help. The large piece of furniture was hanging over the end of the tailgate. I was hot, sweaty and frustrated, swearing like a sailor. I gave the leg of the table one final forceful tug, the brute of a thing shifted, and I couldn’t hold the weight. If it hadn’t been for Bear, it would have crushed me. He caught the table lifting it as if it was a piece of plastic children’s furniture.      

He carried it all by himself into my kitchen and didn’t mind when I asked him to move it and then put it back where it was. My dad always said I have an instinct with people, and I could tell straight away that Bear is one of the good ones. Since that day we’ve been meeting on one another's back porch for a drink and discuss the issues of the day, mostly, what we were planning for dinner.

His home looked beautiful with thousands of twinkle lights laced throughout the trees, tiki torches around the yard, and flower garlands decorating the wide veranda railings. They had arranged a dance floor in the yard's middle, with a stunning three-tiered wedding cake sitting off to the side. There was a large banquet table set up, that reminded me of a classy version of the Mad Hatters Tea Party, with colourful mismatched dinnerware and tall vases filled with white peonies. It was beautiful, and I loved it. I took my phone out of my clutch and took a photo for future reference.    

Even though I have known Cassidy for years, I hadn’t met Jaxon in person until I made the permanent move back from New Zealand. When I came back for a visit and I bought my home, Jaxon was away taking a trip with Memphis. Through my conversations with Cassidy, I had heard enough about him to feel like we were lifelong friends. When we met in person, Jaxon wrapped me up in a huge hug greeting me like an old friend.

Throughout the wedding ceremony I watched Jaxon and Cassidy together, the little touches, the sweet smiles. Jaxon’s cheeky wink and I got the sense there would be another wedding to attend soon.

Cassidy introduced me to the other guys she works with, Davis and Bishop. Davis is tall close to six foot but not quite, with light blue eyes, light brown hair with a slight wave and a lip ring. He had a cheeky mischief in his eyes as he shook my hand and I thought he’s the type of guy you could get in trouble with, friendly trouble but trouble, nonetheless. Bishop was a little harder to read. He had a hipster vibe to him, tall, with a slender build but he was all muscle. His brown eyes studied me, as if he was trying to figure me out, then they flicked to Memphis and everything clicked into place. Bishop had feelings for Memphis, they may not be as strong as they once were, but they were there. His eyes flicked back to mine, and he smiled shaking my hand and then rather unexpectedly pulled me into a hug.

I can see why Cassidy loves working at Barber Shop Ink so much. The guys she works with are all amazing, funny and friendly, making me feel welcome right from the jump and the evening was much less awkward than I thought it would be.

The wedding ceremony itself was a beautiful, happy affair and so full of love, and there were just as many laughs as there were tears. Memphis beamed, and his eyes never left his brides from the time she walked down the aisle on Jaxon’s arm, to the time the celebrant declared them man and wife.

Jupiter seemed a touch sad, if I’m honest, which I couldn’t understand. Who would be sad at their own wedding? Cassidy later explained Jupiter had lost her parents in a car accident when she was a child and her only remaining relative, a brother, was on deployment and they hadn’t been able to contact him.

My heart broke for her. I know she has her cousin and friends here to celebrate with her but it’s not the same. Not having parents alive to attend a major life event such as her wedding, was a sadness I could understand.

After the ceremony and the most amazing meal I had ever tasted in my life, I stood on the side of the dance floor with the other guests watching the bride and groom share their first dance as man and wife. I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people more in love than Memphis and Jupiter. They held each other, locked in a loving embrace, the rest of the world forgotten. I was oohing and ahhing along with the other guests, swaying to the music when there was a collective intake of breath as a man dressed in military dress uniform stepped on to the dance floor.

The man was over six-foot tall, with broad shoulders and thick arms, that filled out his military uniform nicely. He had short cropped brown hair and even at this distance I could tell that he was gorgeous.

Who is that?

That’s her brother, Cassidy whispered excitedly, gripping my arm.

That’s Davan? I asked in awe of the man.

Cassidy told me a little about him. He had redeployed a few months after their parents died and had only been home for a few months in total in the last several years. Something had happened between Davan and Jupiter, there was a fight and they hadn’t spoken since. In fact, there had been no contact from him in so long Jupiter wasn’t even sure he was still alive and yet, here he is at his sister’s wedding asking her husband if he could cut in.

It was so perfect, one of those storybook moments. If it had been a movie, heart-warming music would have started playing, the camera would cut to a sharp focus on Davan and Jupiter, the rest of the scene fading into the background as brother and sister reunite on her wedding day after years apart. Hearts would burst with joy, tears would flow, Kleenex would be reached for, it was like a fairy-tale!

In my head I had written the perfect scene, it would have been magical, loving and perfect, but that was not the scene that played out before me. No, what I expected was for them to embrace, cling to each other, maybe even shed a tear or two. What I hadn’t expected was for Jupiter to throw a punch at her brother. Shocked at the sudden show of violence, I looked at Cassidy and Jaxon who were in each other’s arms laughing, tears glistening in their eyes as they watched brother and sister together again.

I wouldn’t have expected anything less, Jaxon chuckled shrugging a shoulder.

Davan didn’t even flinch at the punch that had to have hurt, Jupiter had put a fair amount of force behind it. Brother and sister exchanged words then embraced and didn’t let go. I was mesmerised watching them dance, hugging tightly, as if the tighter the hold the less likely they were to drift apart ever again.

I watched Davan with his sister and saw all the qualities I wanted most in a man. Strong, honourable, loving, but most of all sweet. Even though they were adults, it still warmed my heart watching a big brother dote on his little sister.

When I moved here, I made a promise to myself that I would get out more, I would meet new people and I wouldn’t let my work keep me locked away like a hermit, never leaving my house. Attending this wedding and meeting the Barber Shop Ink family was the first step towards making that change.

Tabby, one of Jupiter’s best friends and the girlfriend of Davis, dragged me on to the dance floor to dance off the belly full of wine I had drunk. I’m not usually a wine drinker, I’m not a very big drinker at all, but the wine Bear had supplied was amazing. I told Cassidy that I would try to smuggle a few bottles home in my clutch at the end of the night it was that good.

Tabby is a firecracker. Her Asian heritage reminded me a little of Lucy Lu. If Cassidy was short then Tabby was tiny, but what she lacks in height she completely makes up with in personality. I might have only known her for a few hours, but I liked her immediately. I liked that she was a straight shooter and told it how it is without being mean about it. She is funny and sassy with a wicked sense of humour.

Are you going to just stand here all-night making goo-goo eyes at that tall drink of water or are you going to ask him to dance? Tabby asked raising a well-manicured eyebrow at me.

What are you talking about? I’m not making goo-goo eyes at anyone. What am I sixteen? I shot back embarrassed she had caught me doing exactly what I was being accused of.  

Um-hmm.

What are you ‘um-humming’ about?

Both you and I know what you were doing Missy, so don’t even try to deny it. Now the question is, what are you going to do about it? she asked.

Nothing, that’s what I’m going to do about it, besides he’s talking with Jax and Cass.

So?

So? So, I’m not going to interrupt their conversation to ask him to dance.

Chicken, Davis said trying to hide his comment behind a cough.

What?

Chicken, he coughed again.

What did you call me? I demanded hands on my hips.

I called you a chicken. A big fat, egg laying chicken. Who doesn’t have the stones to ask the big scary man to dance, Davis challenged, getting up in my face in a good-natured way.

You think I’m a chicken?

Yep.

You think I don’t have the stones?

Yep.

You think I won’t ask the big scary man to dance with me?

That’s what I said.

Just watch me!

Without a second thought I marched across the dance floor, through the middle of the group talking and right up to Davan.

Come dance with me, I insisted not offering him a choice.

I... um, he blinked at me a little shocked.

Dance with me, I said again holding out my hand.

Go, a blonde woman giggled giving him a little shove.

He stumbled forward, and I grabbed his hand dragging him to the middle of the dance floor. We stood staring at each other for a moment. He hadn’t made a move to touch me. I could feel my confidence waning, but then I felt Tabby’s eyes boring into the back of my head and decided there was no way I was leaving the dance floor without at least one dance with him.

So, are you going to lead, or will I?

I’m sorry? He looked at me, confusion in his eyes.

He still seemed knocked off kilter, like he couldn’t believe I could be so bold as to ask him to dance and then all but drag him on to the dance floor.

Me, I loved that for once; I was not thinking; I was acting. I wasn’t over analysing if it was appropriate, if I would embarrass anyone, I just went for it.

Are you going to lead, or do you want me to? I mean if you’ve only learnt the girl’s part that’s cool. I don’t mind taking charge, I smirked running my finger under the lapel of his jacket.

Me touching him, snapped him out of the stunned silence he was stuck in. Everything changed, he gave me a wicked grin, the big bad wolf having caught his prey. His hand shot out catching me by the waist pulling me to his body. I planted my hands on his chest to stop from falling. Even through his jacket I could feel the firm wall of muscle hidden underneath.

I think I can take it from here.

His voice was deep and rough sending a shiver through my body. He kept hold of my waist and took my hand holding it against his chest, keeping me close. I’m not a tall woman, just average height but even in heels I had to crane my neck, looking all the way up to make eye contact. My eyes locked with his and I was shocked by what I saw. Davan has the most beautiful crystal blue eyes I had ever seen. The more I gazed into his eyes, I realised they weren’t just blue, but are flecked with green and navy blue circled the outside edge of the iris. I sucked in a breath breathing in a lung full of his woodsy spicy aftershave that made my mouth water.

Not so brave now, are we Princess? he chuckled.

I’m sorry, what? I asked shaking the fog from my brain.

Well, you walked up bold as balls, dragging me out here to dance, offering to take the lead like you had the guts to back it up, but as soon as I have you in my arms your brevity faded, he smirked.

Don’t flatter yourself, I scoffed rolling my eyes. I’m just a little light-headed for having to crane my neck so far to see your face. What are you, part Giant?

Not quite, he chuckled.

We danced for one song before the music stopped for the speeches and cutting of the cake. Davan thanked me for the dance and drifted over to the blonde woman he was talking with earlier and I re-joined Tabby and Davis.

It would seem Davis my love, you owe me ten dollars, Tabby announced.

What for? I asked trying hard not to grin like a goofball from having danced with a cute guy.

He didn’t think you would do it. He figured at the last minute you would wuss out, she replied wrapping an arm around me. I knew you had it in you.

The speeches were beautiful, funny and brought a few tears to the eyes of the guests. They cut the cake, a stunning three-tiered masterpiece, to cheers and camera flashes. The band started up again with more upbeat music this time.

After having a foodgasm over the delectable cake, I decided it was the only thing I wanted to eat for the rest of my life. I drained the last of the wine from my glass deciding to ask Davan to dance with me again. Tabby made me do a few tequila shots with her, which gave me the liquid courage to ask Davan at the end of the night if he wanted to come home with me.

I was just about to approach him again when I saw him walk over to the blonde woman who looked a little tired, then I noticed the toddler sitting on her lap. Davan picked up the child, helped the woman stand, and walked over to the bride and groom. Curiosity got the better of me, I wanted to know who she was and who she was to him. I managed to subtlety manoeuvre our little dancing circle close enough to hear them speak.  

Memphis, Jupiter, I’m sorry but I think it’s time I take Emmaline and Tilly home, it’s been a big day.

Daddy I’m berry tired, the little girl muttered.

Daddy?

Then that would make the blonde lady his wife.

Right; of course, he is married.

I’m such an idiot. He wasn’t into me; he was just being polite. His wife had pushed him towards me because she thought it was funny. Davan danced one dance with me and then went back to his wife, most likely to joke about me.

I spent the rest of the evening trying not to let the flames of embarrassment take hold, burning me to the ground. I focused on enjoying getting to know the other people in Cassidy’s life. Everyone was so lovely, and it may be the alcohol talking, but I was starting to believe these people could become my friends and living here might work.

This sweet little riverside town may eventually, feel like home.

Even though I spent a moment lamenting the loss of a relationship that never had a hope of starting, I had such an amazing night and I was beyond thankful to Cassidy for dragging my ass out of my house. By the time the wedding festivities were ending, I was happy, tired, and giggly-tipsy standing on the dew-covered grass with my shoes in my hand waiting to say goodbye. I thanked Jupiter and Memphis for allowing me to crash their wedding and promised to catch-up for a proper introduction when they got back from their honeymoon; all while trying not to gaze longingly at Davan.

Jaxon and Cassidy walked me across Bear’s property and on to mine making sure I got home safely. I looked back waving goodbye again to Jupiter and Memphis and caught sight of Davan with his daughter a sleep on his shoulder and his wife in his arms and my heart sank a little. I mean it’s not like I thought we would meet, and he would fall madly in love with me and we would live happily ever-after.

It’s just... why are all the good ones taken?

I met the man of my dreams at a friend of a friend’s wedding, only to find out he was already married.

Chapter 2 Seraphina

P ia, I know you don’t like to judge a book until you’ve finished a full read through, but I mean, come on!

It needs work, I agreed.

Honey, this book needs more than work. It needs resuscitation and a full makeover. This book is bad, terrible, it’s horrible even. In fact, it’s so bad it’s kinda awesome, Cassidy snorted.

Come on, it’s not that bad, I laughed.

No, it’s worse, Cassidy replied, snorting again.

Cassidy and I were on a group video chat with the other ladies who made up my ‘Circle of Trust.’ My three best friends Cassidy, Kristin and Mazy. They are the most amazing women I know and are more like my sisters than just friends. Cassidy and I are the kid sisters, Cass in her mid-twenties and me having just turned the big three-o. Kristin and Mazy are the older, wiser sisters we looked up to.

Cassidy and I met at school, where we were both studying graphic design. Cassidy took her degree and now applies it to her amazing tattoo designs. Even though she is a piercing and body mods technician and not a tattoo artist, people still come from far and wide for one of her designs. Then have it applied to their skin by the boys at Barber Shop Ink. I took a slight detour after getting my degree, working in finance before stumbling into the world of independent authors. I now use my graphic design skills in my business. Cassidy and I met the other two ladies in an online book club, what felt like a lifetime ago. After interacting online for a while, we realised, not only did we like the same books, but we had the same sense of humour.

Cass and I found we were interacting the most with Kristin and Mazy, so we formed a private chat group. It wasn’t too long before we were talking daily, then we met in person. Thankfully, we discovered there wasn’t a serial killer amongst us, and we became fast friends. We had an instant connection and over the years we have been through so much together. They are my safe space; my people and I trust them with everything. They are the only people I trusted with my babies. Well, they’re not my babies, they belong to someone else. I like to think of myself more of a midwife. I am a midwife for authors helping to bring their babies into the world.

I am Seraphina Knight, Author Consultant.

What is an Author Consultant you ask?

I am everything an author could ever want. I am an alpha reader, an editor, a formatter, a cover designer. I develop book teasers for use on social media and produce movie style trailers for books. The author writes the book, then I make their words pretty and provide them with the tools to help them become a success.

The girls in my ‘Circle of Trust’ are my beta readers, they get the stories in their raw form. They help me figure out what needs altering within a story, so I can help the author rework it until it is right. They help to keep me grounded, allowing me to critique the manuscript without being to gentle or overly harsh. I am my authors biggest critic, but also their biggest champion and I won’t let them put out anything less than perfect.

My reputation is on the line as much as theirs.

Tonight, Cassidy and I are sitting on my back porch each with our own laptops, on a video chat with the other girls. Lightning bugs dance over the river in the background as I read to my girls the latest section of manuscript, I’d received from an author I was