Home: The Fated Series, #0.5

By HL Packer

Cassidy
All I wanted was to get back home for Christmas, but an unexpected snow blizzard derails my plans.

That is until my knight in shining armour arrives.

 

Devon
Spending Christmas with my vacuous excuse of a family is not how I want to celebrate the holidays but when a damsel in distress needs rescuing along the way, suddenly it doesn't look too bleak.

 

For one night, I have her all to myself. Maybe we'll both get more than we wished for this Christmas?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HL Packer
• Release date: Dec 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393427261

HL Packer

H.L. Packer is, quite frankly, a busy bee. An avid reader as a child, her love for all things written waned into adulthood, the excitement of real life things taking over. But when her life slowed down as she finished her office job for maternity leave, her husband purchased her an e-reader, and that obsession was rekindled. Quickly she went from reader to reviewer, and then from reviewer to blogger; street teams and promo tours galore. When she began collating her own book boxes over at Romance Readers Book Box UK and had the opportunity to include her own words and worlds, the characters began talking. Those cheeky characters quickly found themselves written down on the page, and her first series was in progress. When she is not coordinating her worlds, you can find her running around after her free-spirited three children, and husband, or tending to the dogs, bearded dragons, and snakes that also reside with them. A break can be found soaking in a bubble bath or enjoying a glass of wine, often still with a book in her hand. H.L. Packer is, quite frankly, a busy bee. An avid reader as a child, her love for all things written waned into adulthood, the excitement of real life things taking over. But when her life slowed down as she finished her office job for maternity leave, her husband purchased her an e-reader, and that obsession was rekindled. Quickly she went from reader to reviewer, and then from reviewer to blogger; street teams and promo tours galore. When she began collating her own book boxes over at Romance Readers Book Box UK and had the opportunity to include her own words and worlds, the characters began talking. Those cheeky characters quickly found themselves written down on the page, and her first series was in progress. When she is not coordinating her worlds, you can find her running around after her free-spirited three children, and husband, or tending to the dogs, bearded dragons, and snakes that also reside with them. A break can be found soaking in a bubble bath or enjoying a glass of wine, often still with a book in her hand.

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Copyright © 2020 H.L Packer

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Editor—Pinpoint Editing

Cover Designer—Moore Funky Graphics

Formatter—Champagne Book Design

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

About This Book

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Cassidy

All I wanted was to get back home for Christmas, but an unepected snow blizzard derails my plans. That is until my knight in shining armour arrives.

Devon

Spending Christmas with my vacuous excuse of a family is not how i want to celebrate the holidays but when a damsel in distress needs rescuing along the way, suddenly it doesn’t look to bleak.

For one night, I have her all to myself. Maybe we’ll both get more than we wished for this Christmas?

For Steve,

Thank you for believing in me,

before I even believed in myself

Cassidy

The silver bauble raps against the back of my hand before rolling off the keyboard and onto the floor. Ouch. Now, where the hell—

See ya, Cassidy. Have a great New Year, Kirsty sings as she finger waves on her way out of the office. Grimacing I return the gesture. Another one bites the dust. A glance around the room shows barely seven of us left for the final few hours before we close up for Christmas.

What the hell was that for? I hiss across the dividers at Zoe.

Oh, give over, it was barely a tap. She brushes me off, wheeling her chair over as I rub the back of my hand. Did you see him? she giggles excitedly.

Of course I saw him. Some magnetic force pulls me to him every time his office door opens. I can’t help but stop what I’m doing and gawp at the Sex God of the Office. He doesn’t know that we call him that—obviously—as he goes about whatever menial task he’s doing, joining the masses of us normal people.

Did I see whom?

You know… Devon. Did you see him?

I don’t know what you mean, I say, doing my best to sound nonchalant and hide the smile on my face as I hand the bauble back to her.

"Look at your face! You did see him. What was he doing? That blue shirt looks gorgeous on him, right?"

Flicking through the paperwork and attempting to find the section I was typing up, I instinctively reply, He’s wearing white today.

Gotcha!

Shit. I scrunch my eyes together, pressing my fingers into my temples to ease the pressure behind my eyes.

Yes, okay, I saw him, I admit. I think that’s the cutest Christmas jumper I have ever seen in my life. I mean, Polar Bears… Wow.

"Now, I really need to get back on with this if I have any hope of getting out of here on time tonight. I’ve got a meeting in an hour."

Fine, fine. But don’t think I haven’t noticed the googley eyes Mrs, she chides, rolling back to her desk. "You need to do something about that, Cass. A man that hot isn’t going to stay single forever."

Don’t I know it. As I offer her a small smile and a shrug of my shoulders, she rolls her eyes and sets back about her own work.

I just need to get through the next three hours in the office, and then I’m free and clear. Now, don’t get me wrong—I love my job, but I am so ready for a break.

I’m ready for someone else to make the breakfast and cook the dinner and look after me, just for half an hour. No doubt the six days I’ll be spending there will be more than enough to have the walls closing in and me pulling my hair out, but I don’t have to go back home again until Easter, so it’s a cross I’m willing to bear.

The ringing phone jolts me out of my reverie, landing me back in the real world with a bump. I risk a furtive glance around the office but nobody noticed my daydreaming as I answer. Taylor Baxter and Associates, Cassidy speaking.

So, like, how much does a half-hour cost with you these days, anyway? the sultry female voice on the other end of the phone asks. I imagine we could get plenty done in a half-hour session, she suggests.

More than you could ever afford, that’s for sure. I know the voice all too well: Jess, my best friend, the Bonnie to my Clyde, the Shaggy to my Scooby, the Captain America to my Iron Man. She is, for all intents and purposes, my other half.

No, not like that, you filthy beast. She’s just my bestie. I still need a man, or a very good Battery Operated Boyfriend for that, thank you very much.

There’s very little this woman doesn’t know about Family Law and Radley London. Her purse collection costs more than half of my wardrobe. She will be your best support or your worst enemy; just don’t lie to your solicitor. Seriously, people are so stupid sometimes, and, when you’re dealing with cheating husbands and angry wives, a lie is not what you need hiding in that closet.

Are we still meeting in The White Wall tonight? she asks. About half five-ish? It’s posed as a question, but it isn’t a question at all.

There is absolutely no way that we aren’t going for drinks before I head home for the week. If I have to leave the other half of me here, I am sure as hell going to see her before I go, and there’s a little surprise in my purse wrapped up ready for her.

The White Wall is our fave beer and a burger joint. They do THE BEST dirty burgers but without all the grease and fat. And it comes with a free beer and cheap shots; who’s going to turn that down? I’ve not been out of Studentville long enough to forget the pot noodle life, but I’m certainly going to enjoy myself with the little I have left over each month.

Yep, I’m coming straight from the office. I’ll see you there. As I double-check the time on the laptop, a reminder notification flags up. Good old calendar sync. I’ve got a client meeting in an hour, but I can’t see me going over. Grab our table if you’re there first.

Okay wifey, see you soon. Byyeeeee!

Honestly, she cracks me up some times. You’d think we were still two 18-year-old girls away from home for the first time. The way things are going at the moment, we might as well just move in together and buy a few cats, become the classic old cat ladies ahead of time.

But then, we would have to live together, and have cats, and I am not up for that. I like my space, my own space, that’s mine. That doesn’t have anyone else encroaching on it, moving their things in and making it their own. It’s just a little piece of the world that’s mine. Perfection.

Quickly rounding the corner from the glass entrance, I check the oversized clock on the back wall above the bar. A full five minutes early, thank goodness for that. When my meeting ran over, I was sure the knock-on effect was going to make me late.

If there’s one thing that you can guarantee in London rush hour, it’s traffic. And I don’t just mean of the car variety. As all the offices and shops empty and people flood the streets, suddenly the 10-minute walk becomes 20, and the five-minute tube transfer takes 15, and I really hate being late.

Sliding along the black gloss bar, I manage to catch the eye of our dark-haired bartender through the mirrored glass.

Merry Christmas, Cass. What can I get for you ladies tonight? He smiles, casually and friendly.

With thick dark hair, a dimple popping on one side and an easy, friendly manner you could get swept away in, he’s someone both Jess and I have spent many hours observing as he flirts and chats around the bar.

I’ve never seen him go home with anyone, but then I’m never here when they close. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that he’s actually slept with the majority of the women that come here.

Merry Christmas Tam, I smile, leaning over the bar towards him. Can I have a bottle of pinot and two burgers with the works. Oh, and a mezze plate too.

A casual glance around reveals that it’s getting busy. The sleek red leather booths mostly filled and the tall boy tables littered with groups finishing for the festive period. It’s not likely to stay that way for long, though.

That’s the other reason for not wanting to be here late. Despite its urban chic look and amazing burgers, it also hosts cheap and cheerful drinks packages, and as everyone piles from their offices with a potentially long weekend off, it’s going to get busy, and quickly.

Our usual table is clearing just as Tam returns with the wine, chiller and glasses, a sign showing our food has been booked to the table. Flashing the payment card, I turn from the bar, noticing a group of three guys making it there ahead of me, sliding themselves casually into our