Family Bonds- Hunter and Kayla (Amore Island Book 1) Read online

  Family Bonds- Hunter & Kayla

  Natalie Ann

  Copyright 2020 Natalie Ann

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without a written consent.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Also by Natalie Ann

  About the Author

  Blurb

  Prologue

  1. To Hell And Back

  2. Dent In His Authority

  3. Just A Sweetheart

  4. Old School

  5. Think Big

  6. A Dry Spell

  7. No Win Situation

  8. Off Limits

  9. Scattered and Confused

  10. Changed Your Mind

  11. Rainy Day Fund

  12. Get Left Behind

  13. Read Between The Lines

  14. A Good Deal

  15. Control Of Her Emotions

  16. Sort Of Fit In

  17. Wrong For Her

  18. Doubts and Insecurities

  19. Important Enough

  20. Want More

  21. The Perfect Son

  22. Tempt A Man

  23. Pushing It

  24. Bloodlines Diluted

  25. Dishing Out Advice

  26. Mud In A Pigpen

  27. Last Straw

  28. Big Fat Lie

  29. Back To Life

  30. Toss That Up

  31. Surprises Are The Best

  32. Pretty Lucky

  33. A Messy Business

  34. Take Care Of It

  35. Your History

  36. Big Whopping Secret

  37. Fun To Watch

  38. A Bit Rocky

  39. Make That Choice

  40. Gather My Thoughts

  41. Recognizing Me

  Epilogue

  Also by Natalie Ann

  About the Author

  Author’s Note

  Author’s Note

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Also by Natalie Ann

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  Amore Island

  Hunter Bond and Kayla Rivers – Hunter & Kayla

  Drew Bond and Amanda Moore- Drew and Amanda

  Mac Bond and Sidney Hollister- Mac and Sidney

  About the Author

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  Blurb

  Hunter Bond always knew he’d take over Bond Retreat on Amore Island, the island established by his ancestors. He was the only son of an only son for generations, so it was expected he’d be the next in line. Was he tired of being reminded about the island’s legacy? Sure. Was he determined to do things his own way? Of course. Was he going to do his part to not tarnish the family reputation? Probably not.

  Kayla Rivers always said she had multiple clouds over her head. Gray ones. Ominous ones. Very often black ones. When she saw an ad for a job on Amore Island—a place where people supposedly found love at first sight—she should have run in the other direction since she’d never been loved a day in her life. Instead she ran forward hoping and praying for once in her life she’d find happiness rather than disappointment.

  Prologue

  In the late 1700's when English Captain Malcolm Bond was dropping off a shipment in America, he was given the offer of a lifetime...the hand in marriage to the sole remaining heir to the Rummer's shipping empire. All he had to do was find the island the Rummer's owned off the East Coast. An island he hadn't known existed. He had three days and when a storm hit throwing him off course, he knew his chances of expanding his shipping business to America were sailing away out to sea.

  After being afloat and out of control for over twenty-four hours, the sun rose on the third and final day of the offer. Land was before him, so he guided his boat to the shore. What greeted him wasn't just success or greed, but a vision of loveliness that made his heart pound and hands sweat greater than navigating through that storm. What he faced was his destiny. His future wife. And what many would call love at first sight...fate.

  Present time

  “Melissa, do you have a minute?” Kayla asked. She’
d been dreading this conversation, but she didn’t have a choice at this point.

  She’d be eighteen in two months and she’d be graduating in three. Not only was she hoping she wouldn’t have to leave her foster home until then, but she was also praying she could convince them to let her stay just a bit longer.

  “Sure, Kayla. Why don’t you help me with dinner while we talk? The other kids should be back in thirty minutes.”

  Scott and Melissa Fryer’s foster home had been one of the nicest she’d been in. They were young, too young to have teenagers, but they needed the money and they did the best they could. Better than most.

  Kayla knew when she turned eighteen they’d stop getting the money for her and would want another kid in her place, but she had nowhere to go.

  Crashing on their couch would be the best-case scenario. Worst, the old room above the garage. She wasn’t fussy. She’d take any roof over her head she could get.

  Picking up the peeler, she attacked the potatoes with the same confidence as she was forcing for this conversation.

  “You know I’m turning eighteen in two months.”

  Melissa turned, her brown ponytail swishing about on her head. “I do know. Don’t worry, you can stay until you graduate. Scott and I already talked about it months ago.”

  That was a relief, but she needed more. “Thank you. That was part of this conversation.”

  “What’s the other part?” Melissa asked.

  “I’ve got a bunch of applications in for a full-time job after I graduate. College is out of the question. My grades just aren’t good enough, and well, I’ve got no money and living on campus and everything else. It just wouldn’t work.”

  She wouldn’t know what to do when there were breaks. She’d have nowhere to go, no transportation, nothing. She’d be stuck.

  Stuck was a pretty shitty feeling she learned a long time ago.

  “I know. I’m sorry about that. I wish we could help you,” Melissa said.

  “I wouldn’t ask that. I know you’ve got your hands full here. It’s not that. It’s just that I was hoping that maybe I could stay on a little longer until I can get some money put aside to secure my own place or find a roommate or something. I need a car for the job, but I’m hoping to take the bus.”

  Melissa’s eyes got a little teary and Kayla thought for sure she was going to burst into the waterworks herself when she got the answer.

  “I’ll talk to Scott tonight about it.”

  “I can sleep in the loft above the garage. There’s a bathroom in there with a sink. That is good enough, and if you wouldn’t mind me coming over for a shower once a day, I’d be out of your hair. I could pay you rent from my part-time job and I’ll take care of all my food. It’s just...”

  “You’d be on the street or in a homeless shelter if we said no. I know. That’s why I’m sad. I wish there was more I could do for you. For so many in your situation. And the garage wouldn’t work. That bathroom is nasty and hasn’t been used in years.”

  “I’ll try to fix it,” Kayla said.

  She didn’t want to be a nuisance or in their way and she knew she was begging, but the truth was she was desperate. She needed to know now if they weren’t going to let her stay so she could figure out other plans.

  “No,” Melissa said, reaching her hand over and laying it on hers. “It’s not safe. There is no heat there or anything. It gets cold in the fall and...no. That won’t work.”

  “I know you need my room for another child and my guess is you’ll get one pretty fast.” There were plenty out there looking for homes, which provided a source of income for those who wanted to foster kids. Too bad most kept the money and didn’t give much back to the kids themselves.

  Kayla didn’t have a ton, but the Fryers did buy them clothes and necessities. They never went hungry; they even did some fun activities now and again like the movies or bowling. They celebrated holidays on a low scale, but at least it was a celebration of sorts.

  “I’m sure we will get someone in there once we tell them we are ready. It’s probably not much, but I don’t see any reason why you can’t sleep on the couch in the basement. That space down there isn’t all that cozy or modern, but it’s warm and I can move some things out of the way. We’ve got the extra furniture there and I know you kids go down there to hang out at times.”

  The basement wasn’t that bad. It was old and musty, but it was dry and warm in the winter. Warmer than the loft above the garage would be. And she’d be in the house to use the bathroom too. It was better than she could have hoped for. She’d say luck was on her side, but not many would consider her future living arrangements as lucky as she did at the moment.

  “That’s good. I can do that.”

  She couldn’t help it when a tear escaped down her cheek. It was one of relief and happiness, not fear or stress. Kayla hadn’t shed too many tears in her life that weren’t associated with negative actions or thoughts.

  “I’m sure Scott will be fine with it,” Melissa said. “Maybe I’ll clean out that back storage room and move the couch in there to give you some privacy. You’ll need a place to put your clothes and things.”

  Her things...she didn’t have much more than enough clothes to fit in one dresser. What Melissa was offering was more than she could have hoped for.

  She set the peeler down and hugged Melissa. “Thank you so much. I appreciate it. And I’ll pay you rent and I’ll feed myself. Really I will. I won’t be a burden. I just don’t want to be on the streets.”

  “We wouldn’t let you stay on the street. Scott and I knew one day this might happen with one of you kids. You’re the first to age out on us. I just didn’t realize it’d be so hard.”

  “You don’t know the half of it,” Kayla said and held onto Melissa a bit tighter.

  There was no reason to tell Melissa how scared she’d been to have this conversation. Or how terrified she was that she might not find a job and that she would be on the streets at the end of the year because she wouldn’t overstay her welcome.

  Kayla wasn’t looking for a handout, just a little help standing on some wobbly legs.

  1

  To Hell And Back

  Ten years later

  “Are you kidding me, Marcy?” Hunter said to his secretary.

  “Sorry. I wish I were. Patrice called when you were on the phone and she said she’d be here if she could, but her son has been throwing up since four this morning. She doesn’t want to cancel the interview because it’s the only applicant she received for the front desk position.”

  “And she thinks I’d be a good fit for doing the interview in her place?” he asked. “I run this hotel and have for three years. I don’t interview lower level staff. That’s what I’ve got staff for.”

  He wasn’t trying to come off like an ass, just be firm though it didn’t always come across that way. Ever since his father finally handed the reins over full time, Hunter had been making all sorts of changes to the hundred-plus-year-old hotel that his Great-great-grandfather James started and he was stretched a little thin on time.

  Bond Retreat was the first hotel on Amore Island. Many more had been erected since that time, yet only Bonds owned them. But the first one was special and had been turned into a retreat and destination wedding hotel and resort while the other hotels on the island were more for family vacationers. After all, it was the island for love—amore—so why not cash in on it?

  “I understand, but Carol is off today.” Carol was the assistant manager and also oversaw the front line staff.

  “What about Pete?”

  “Pete in accounting? No one in finance would know what to ask. It’s a completely different job than what they do.”

  Hunter ran his hand through his thick black hair. “How about you?” he asked Marcy.

  “I’m your assistant. I don’t interview and you know it. I don’t want Patrice on my case if I hire the person and she doesn’t work out. She wouldn’t dare say anything to you.”

>   “I wouldn’t bet on that,” Hunter said. Patrice had been in her position for ten years and was five years older than him. Sometimes she let him know that too, in a polite way. He didn’t consider himself a hard employer—even when he was trying to be—but he was driven and wanted everyone to work the same as him.

  Some of it was because of his name. The rest was his stubbornness to maintain the family reputation that had been built up again after Great-great-grandpa James blew their line all to hell and back.

  “Don’t even think of bringing up any of the other managers at the resort. None of them will want a hand in this. If you can’t do it, I’ll call Patrice back and tell her that you said to reschedule it. It might be weeks before we get someone filled at the front desk though and we are paying overtime to the current staff. They are really pressed.”

  His staff knew how to pile the guilt on his shoulders and he wondered how he could be so weak.